Page 16 of Witch's Dawn
"You can say witchcraft dear," Diana chuckled. "But yes, I showed you basic spells and rituals in the precious little time I had with you. It was difficult, however. They never left me alone with you. But I couldn't let them erase your history. This is your birthright, these are your gifts." She looked at me sadly. "After they moved and kept me away from you, I see they tried as hard as they could to do justthat."
I slumped back against the couch, utterly speechless andoverwhelmed.
"So… that. What you just did." I waved my hand around, imitating how she picked up the wine bottle and poured without touching it. "You're telling me I can dothat?"
"Oh yes. And much more, with training and practice." Diana saidwarmly.
"Did you use magic to findme?"
"In a sense," she said. "Witches related by blood or marriage can feel each other's power across great distances. It's a magical signature, of sorts. Yours was always unusually strong. Deidre and I felt yours when you were still in her womb. I imagine that's how you were so healthy even when she was terribly sick. But after your adopted parents prevented me from seeing you, it became harder to senseyou."
Diana let out a shuddering sigh and placed a hand over herheart.
"It absolutely broke my heart. They were shoving their oppressive religion down your throat to try to erase the magical part of you. And there was nothing I could do. But as long as I sensed your magical signature, however weak it was, I held out hope that I would see youagain."
Her eyes brightened as she looked atme.
"And last year, it grew stronger than ever before! I saw you in my mind as a grown, beautiful, independentwoman."
"That was when I left," I said quietly. "That was when I realized I could never believe the things that they wanted meto."
In some wild, completely illogical way, it all made sense tome.
"Those feelings and images I got when you first touched my hand," I said. "That was your magicalsignature."
"Yes! You're catching on quickly, my dear." Diana beamed proudly at me. "If I'm not nearby and you picture my face in your mind, you'll feel those sensations again. How strongly you feel them depends on how near or far away Iam."
I nodded slowly. Questions would have been flying from my mouth and racing across my mind if I hadn't been sodumbfounded.
Diana patted my handaffectionately.
"Thank you for the wine, dear. I know this news has been overwhelming, so I'll leave you for now to digest itall."
I held onto her hand as she stood, feeling internally like a four-year-old child again. Now that the only true parental figure in my life had returned, I wasn't ready to say goodbyeyet.
"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Iasked.
"Oh yes, dear. My old bones can still look after myself," she said with a wink. "I'm staying with my old friend,Minerva."
"Minerva? The tarot reader?" I blinked. "She's a witch,too?"
"That old bitty knew you were my baby girl the moment she saw you," Diana laughed. "She's quite clever, using her magic in such a way that makes regular humansoohandahhbut doesn't raise anyalarms."
I walked Diana reluctantly to the door, where she gave me the warmest, comforting hug imaginable and a kiss on thecheek.
She sighed as she pulled away and gave me a look that I couldn'tread.
"There's still so much to tell you, dear. And I'll forewarn you now, not all of it isgood."
I opened my mouth to ask, desperate to know despite being overloaded with informationalready.
But she turned and walked nimbly down the flight of stairs, calling over her shoulder, "Til next time, my beautifulgranddaughter."
I closed the door softly and turned around, pressing my back against the wood and letting all the air out of my lungs as I closed myeyes.
Did that conversation really justhappen?
When I opened my eyes again, the now-empty wine bottle sat on the coffee table as if tauntingme.
