kidding me!” I gripe, throwing my head back in laughter. I know it’s not a joke, that she’s completely serious, but I prefer to take it as one. It’s the only thing that will keep my sanity intact, especially when I want to lunge forward and wrap my hands around her bird-like throat. “You’re still trying to sell me off, aren’t you? To him?”
“Your marriage will do great things for the community!” Mom implores. “Think of your offspring—”
“I’m just going to stop you there,” I interrupt, holding up a hand as if that can prevent her ramblings. “For starters, I will never, not in a million years, marry Ryan. Never. Do you understand that? And don’t even act like this will save the entire witch race.” Some of my original ire bleeds into my voice, turning each word curt and succinct. “You’re doing this to gain more power for yourself. Don’t bother to fucking lie to me. You know that Ryan’s family is important in the community, and you think that an alliance between our families will further secure your spot as leader of the coven.”
I wait for her to deny it, to plead with me, but instead, her expression turns glacial. Any warmth I thought I saw in her eyes fizzles and dies a painful death. She straightens, smoothing out her jacket sleeves, before sighing heavily.
“You don’t have to make things difficult,” she snaps. “After all I’ve done for you—”
“Fuck you! You’ve never done anything for me.” I level my glare first at her, and then at the pathetic excuse of a man who thought he could claim me. Own me. I’m not a piece of meat for sale that he can weigh and bag. That’s not the way life fucking works. To my mom, I seethe, “Helping you is the last thing I’d ever do.”
She doesn’t slap me. Hell, she doesn’t even raise her voice. That’s never been my mother’s style. Her manner of abuse is much more meticulous than that, more calculating. She takes the time to analyze every pathway before deciding on the one that inflicts the most damage in the shortest amount of time. It’s why she never helped me with the Devils. It’s why she broke my violin in one of her hissy fits. It’s why she confronted me about sleeping with Uriel, calling me a slut and a filthy whore. She pushes down on wounds that haven’t begun to scab yet, making sure each press of her dainty finger draws blood.
“All right,” she sniffs, refusing to even glance in my direction. “If that’s what you want…”
“It is.” I don’t know what game she’s playing at, but I refuse to be just another pawn. Not anymore. Not when I’ve finally started to get some of my confidence back.
“Then you’ll be disowned.” Her gaze finally leaves her sleeves to meet my horror-filled eyes. It feels like someone is tying my stomach into dozens and dozens of intricate knots. “You’ll be banished from the coven as well.”
Disowned…
Banished…
That’s the worst thing to happen to a witch. Without a coven, we’re considered prey to the witch hunters and Bloods who stalk our kind. If I leave the coven, I’ll have no protection. I won’t even be able to contact my friends who are currently members, like Yoselin and Uriel.
And if I’m disowned…
All I have ever wanted was to get out from under my mother’s oppressive and abusive thumb. But not like this. Witches covet family more than anything else in the world. It’s why we celebrate our ancestors monthly and why they gift us their magic from the grave. If she does this…
I’d be cut off from my magic.
“Mom,” I plead, my voice a whisper.
“Darlene!” Nana snaps. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am serious. Deadly serious.” Mom—though I’m not sure if I should even call her that anymore—reaches behind her and grips Ryan’s upper arm, dragging him with her towards the front door.
“You can’t force her to marry a guy she doesn’t love!” Nana snaps, easily keeping pace with the two of them.
“And what are you going to do about it?” Mom whirls on her heel, jabbing a finger at Nana’s chest. “This is between me and my daughter—”
“As you said.” Nana swats her finger away as if it’s nothing but an annoying, pesky fly. “But this is between me, my daughter, and my granddaughter. Let me make something clear, Darlene Simone. If you disown Peony, I will not hesitate to do the same to you as well.”