Chapter 176: Dumont Coven
I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of hot chocolate heating my hands while the two women in my life stared at me like they weren't sure I was ready to hear what they had to say.
Gram poked at the mini marshmallows in her cup with one sharp nail, scowling like they offended her somehow. Mom ignored hers, shifting in her seat a time or two before she finally spoke.
"Honey," she said, "there are things you don't know about Quaid."
I flinched from her, from her words, anger rising in place of sadness. "You were the one who wanted me to marry him."
She made a face, guilt and grief at war on her flawless face. "I know, Syd," she said. "That was before I understood where Quaid came from."
"The Dumont coven." I hated the name already. Hated everyone in that stupid family.
Turned out I wasn't far off Gram's feelings for them, either.
"The Dumonts." Gram spit the name like it hurt her tongue to speak it. "Filth of the witching world."
Mom reached out and patted Gram's hand. "Mother," she said, "we'll get to that."
Okay, that startled me. I'd expected Mom to chastise Gram, not agree with her.
What was going on?
Finally paying full attention, I didn't miss the look they exchanged or the barely audible sigh Mom breathed.
"I knew, the moment he was free from the Moromonds." So much regret in my mother, like I'd never seen. "I felt him, knew exactly who he was and what family he belonged to."
"How?" I looked back and forth between them.
"Their magic has a distinct flavor," Gram said, and not nicely either.
"Please understand, sweetheart," Mom said, "we haven't been purposely keeping your history from you. But there are things you need to know about our past, of your coven, that are important now."
Okay, I got it. "I understand," I said. "I wasn't exactly witch of the month. And with all the crap we've gone through in the last year... okay. But now I need to know."
She nodded, Gram too.
"You know about the Purity coven." Gram's voice growled over the name. She had every right to be furious. Their leader was the one who drove her insane. She'd killed the other woman in the process though so at least Gram got the better part of the deal.
Mom went on. "Their coven leader, Naudia, had a sister. Odette."
"Yeah?" I said. "So?"
"So," Gram mimicked my tone before tapping the back of my hand with her index finger. "Odette leads the Dumonts."
Puzzle pieces clicked into place. "They were involved in the attack?" Just who were these people? And how much did Quaid know?
"We always suspected the sisters worked in tandem," Mom said, "but had no proof against Odette."
"The lying tart," Gram said.
"Mother." Mom shook her head. "She has always professed her innocence, even to the High Council Enforcers who investigated the attack. Odette condemned her dead sister, spoke in Mother's favor, and mine."
Maybe she wasn't so bad after all, then.
Gram shattered that hope. "I've known those girls my entire life." Well, she was crazy for part of it and one of them was dead, but I understood what she meant. "There is no way Naudia would make a move without Odette spurring her on." Gram cackled, reminding me of her old self, blue eyes full of fury and dark joy. "I can't wait to see her face," she giggled, a wicked sound, "when she discovers I'm whole again." She hugged herself, rocking and laughing silently, tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks.
Mom didn't try to stop her, instead absently stirred her hot chocolate. The tinkle of her spoon counted the seconds until Gram recovered.
"Well, she'll find out soon enough." I looked back and forth between them. Both women looked startled. "You were eavesdropping on my conversation, weren't you?"
Mom actually blushed. "Just the last bit," she said.
"They're coming here," I said. "For a visit."
Gram's mug shattered, sending a shower of hot chocolate everywhere. I cried out in surprise, but before I could finish my reaction her power lashed out and gathered up the pieces and the spill, slamming them back together again. I shuddered, hating that it seemed nothing happened even when I could still feel the heat of the missing droplets on my skin.
"You didn't know?" Imagine. I knew something Mom didn't.
The pinched frown between her eyebrows told me she had no clue. "Did he say why?" Mom's fingers tapped the surface of the table.
"Better to know when," Gram grated. "We know why."
"Okay," I said. "Why?"
Another discreet look passed between them. I hated those.
"I thought we weren't keeping any more secrets?" I knew better than to believe what Mom told me. She would never tell me everything, I was sure of it.
Instead of answering, Mom leaned forward and took my hand. "You need to be careful, Syd," she said. "This is no social visit."
Gram snorted. "Anti-social," she muttered.
Mom went on. "Nothing will be as it seems with them here." She leaned back though her gaze still held mine. "That counts for Quaid as well."
I shrugged, feeling my throat tighten all over again. "He's made his choice, I guess," I said.
She seemed like she was about to argue, but shrugged instead. "Promise me you'll be cautious."
"Yes, Mom," I said even as my mind went to the canine encounter earlier in the night. I almost told her. Almost. She wasn't the only one with secrets and the last thing I wanted was to be confined to quarters because she was being paranoid.
"I'm just glad your sister is at camp." Mom pushed back her chair. "Get some sleep, both of you. We'll talk more tomorrow."
I watched her go, not moving to rise. Gram muttered to herself, rocking back and forth, lost in her own thoughts. I caught the words 'Odette', 'Naudia' and 'revenge' but that was about it.
Unable to help her and too tired to really try, I left her there to make her plan and went to bed.
***
