Antebellum Awakening (The Network Series #2)(87)

My eyebrows rose.

“Why?”

The High Priestess let out a heavy sigh.

“I love the Central Network. I always have. I’ve given my life to her. I see all her beauties, and all her flaws. We’ve created a powerful Network, but we’ve also created a monster. All of our traditions keep us rooted in the past. The witches of our Network hold to them for comfort, not realizing that those traditions are the very thing that will bring about our downfall.”

Her words set my heart into a gallop.

“Downfall?”

“Derek is the only witch I know that’s brave enough, and powerful enough, to go against tradition and allow change. Mabel’s campaign against us will be successful if we don’t let go of how things used to be done. She knows our traditions. She’s already using them against us. She will continue to do so until our deeply entrenched habits become the very things that destroy us. Your father is intelligent enough to alter the way we do things in a way that Mabel can’t anticipate. After all these years, Mabel knows me too well. She’s studied me enough to understand how I think and what I will do. That’s why I went against the Council to put him in power. We need your father. He’s strong in ways I never can be.”

I thought over what she said with a somber heart. Her admission felt like a heavy secret. I knew she was right and it frightened me. Hadn’t Miss Mabel correctly guessed the High Priestess’s choice for who would be the next High Priest?

“I see,” I said when the silence stretched too long. She narrowed her eyes.

“No, you don’t. Not yet. But you will, eventually. And when you really understand, I want you to think back on this conversation and draw comfort.”

I fidgeted with the lines of my dress, trying to draw some courage. “May I ask you a question?”

She nodded.

“What happened after my mother died?”

The tense lines of her face relaxed just a little.

“You don’t know?”

I shook my head.

She thought for a second. “Four of us came to assist Derek. Stella, Donald, Marten, and myself. When we arrived, you were screaming and holding Marie. We couldn’t get you to stop, and you wouldn’t let go. It was Stella that first noticed your broken hand. I put a calming incantation on you so we could fix it. Then Stella and I rode with you in the carriage back to Chatham while Marten tried to find Mabel. Scarlett helped Derek take care of Marie while Donald informed Miss Bernadette and Miss Amelia of what had occurred and what to tell the students.”

Tears filled my eyes. When I looked down, away from the intensity of her stare, two hot tears dropped down my cheek, skipping like a rock across the surface of a lake.

“Henrietta and I took care of you in my personal apartments until Derek came back late that night,” the High Priestess continued. “Then he took you back to his apartment and that’s where you woke up the next day.”

She allowed silence to fill the room in the aftermath of her explanation. Instead of the usual burn of agony and regret, I felt the cool balm of knowing I was loved even if Mama was gone. Through my darkest hours I was still surrounded by witches who cared. Now, standing apart from the shock and horror of those moments, I could appreciate how much that meant.

“Thank you,” I said, gazing up to her. That simple phrase encompassed so much more than I could ever verbalize. The High Priestess’s face softened, looking so much like Grandmother’s that another pang of longing swelled inside me. I knew I’d never question her again; the High Priestess understood far more than I ever gave her credit for.

“You’re welcome.”

I wiped the tears off my cheek, and the High Priestess directed the conversation elsewhere.

“I’m sure you are wondering about our vow,” she said, her tone becoming clipped and businesslike again.

My breath caught in my throat.

“Yes, of course.”

“Do you still trust me?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The High Priestess leaned back in her chair.

“Good. Then I would ask you to extend that trust another hour.”

A flicker of hesitation, perhaps uncertainty, moved across her face. I wondered what kind of magic she would have to use to make this come about, but I forced the thoughts from my mind. I had to focus on my part and trust that she knew what she was doing.

“I’m proud of you,” she said, taking me by surprise. “You’ve come a long way in the past couple of months. The good gods know that nothing has ever been easy for you, but somehow you’ve made it out alive.”

Don’t get ahead of yourself, I thought.

“Thank you.”

“Whatever happens tonight, Bianca, I want you to accept it. Do you understand? The things that will happen to the Central Network over the next months or years are bigger than either one of us.”

Miss Mabel is coming. Do you know? I wanted to ask, but the words stuck in my throat.

“Yes, Your Highness,” I whispered instead, not entirely certain I understood what she meant. Did it matter? No. Not tonight. All that mattered tonight was staying alive and killing Miss Mabel before she killed me.

“That’s all,” she finally said, her gaze lingering on me. “You may go.”

“Thank you for the dress,” I said, standing up. “Henrietta said you chose the material. It’s lovely.”