Chapter 699: Tallah's Dream
I approached the entry to my pavilion when the familiar feeling of the Hensley magic arrived at the site.
Shenka. I reached for my second, just as she barreled out of the tent and ran right into me.
"Syd." Breathless, anxious, she hugged me in quick apology. "Tallah's here."
"You don't have to join us," I said.
"Yes," Shenka said, pulling me along, "I really do."
Part of me suddenly felt sorry for her sister. The look on my second's face told me she'd come to grips with turning Tallah in and was about to tear the older Hensley apart for being such an idiot.
I didn't bother trying to reach Mom, just followed Shenka, still tugging, right to my mother's office. Where we both came to an abrupt halt.
Tallah turned, already scowling, to find the two of us staring back and forth between her and Mom.
When her eyes landed on Shenka, they widened a little. "You promised," she said.
Shenka shook her head. "You asked," she said. "But I never did."
Rebellion crossed the older Hensley's face and, for the first time, I understood how young she was. Only in her early twenties, older than me, sure, but untempered by the pressures I'd been under and as idealistic as they came. For the first time I felt like our roles were reversed and I was the elder of the pair of us.
Tallah turned to Mom. "Since my sister clearly gave you the impression I've broken law," she said, voice barely containing her anger, "might I be permitted to state my case?"
"There have been no accusations made against you," Mom said. Her kind tone soothed the tense air in the room. "I merely would like to hear what you have to say, Tallah. And to assure you my door is always open to you, no matter the issue."
I don't think Tallah was expecting Mom to be reasonable. Then again, considering the bulk of the time she'd been leader Mom was under the control of the Brotherhood, this new and improved Council Leader must have been a bit of a shock. I was used to the real Mom. Tallah and the others were just getting to know her.
The Hensley coven leader sat, stiff-backed, but her antagonistic air eased. "I was approached by a pair of Steam Union sorcerers several months ago. They claim there are branches of that order all over the world."
"Yes," Mom said. "So we've been informed by the Union members we've met."
That seemed to go a long way to ease Tallah's mind because her shoulders sagged slightly. I took the chair beside her, Shenka on my far side and listened as Tallah went on.
"It's long been my wish," she said, "and was the wish of my parents," Shenka flinched, I could only guess from being left out, "that witches and normals could one day live in peace and co-exist as protectors and nurturers of power and this plane."
Mom's sweet smile shone in her eyes. "A wonderful dream," she said. "But one I'm afraid may never come to pass."
Tallah leaned forward, face eager. "We don't know that for sure," she said. "No one has tried."
Um, Inquisition. Witch burnings. The deaths of the blood of the maji...
"Not recently," Tallah amended.
Mom nodded. "Very true," she said. "So tell me, Tallah. What would be our first step in revealing our true nature to normals?"
The Hensley leader's smile could have lit up the room without any other assistance. "We would approach their leaders," she said. "Offer alliance, assistance. Once they saw what we could do, surely they would be willing to open dialogue."
She was totally deluded. "Right after they bombed us and dissected us to see what made us tick," I said.
Should have kept my mouth shut. Just couldn't.
She didn't watch enough movies. Or read the news for that matter.
Tallah scowled, but didn't respond.
"Tallah," Mom said. "Such a move would, unfortunately, leave us vulnerable and exposed. Without knowing if we could trust such officials, we would be revealing the existence of our kind to those who have traditionally seen us as a threat."
"I still say we won't know until we try," she said. "Am I the only one who is tired of living life like I've done something wrong? In the fear I'll have to pick up my family and run?"
"Of course not," Mom said. "We all have that fear, those worries, are weary of our forced disguises. But for the good of all magicks and their users, for now, until we can find a way to expose ourselves without generating negative interest, we must remain cautious."
Tallah's face closed off, a mask of blank as she sank back into her seat. "And this is why I didn't bring it to you," she said. "I knew you'd say no."
Mom's jaw tightened. "I'm not saying no," she said. "I'm saying it requires study and discussion. Will you allow me that?"
Tallah's head jerked in an ungracious nod. "And now you're going to order me to stop talking to the Steam Union."
"No," Mom said, eyes flickering to me and back to Tallah. "You are welcome to befriend anyone you like." Well? Anything? Mom's mental voice broke into my head. "As long as those friends don't endanger witchdom or other races." Syd? Are you paying attention?
What? I was so wrapped up in the conversation and my own incredulity it took me a moment to snap out of it.
I believe she wants to know if Tallah is tainted by Brotherhood sorcery. The wryness in my vampire's mental voice prodded me into irritation.
Right.
Crap.
It only took a second to check, a soft flowering of my sorcery to feel for the touch of the Brotherhood. To my relief, I shook my head at Mom just a little before closing the black blossom again.
Mom stood, offering her hand and a kind smile to Tallah. "We will open this dialogue here at conclave," she said. "If you would be kind enough to lead the discussion?"
The shock on Tallah's face, morphing into a smile of her own, hit my gut with a fist of shock.
Are you thralled again? I threw my words at Mom as she guided the Hensley coven leader to the door.
Shenka joined her sister, held out her hand. Tallah took it, smile fading to a resigned smirk.
"Okay, kid," she said. "You were right."
Shenka laughed and hugged Tallah with enthusiasm. I'm going with her for a while, she sent to me as she and Tallah left, the Hensley leader waving at me, her animosity seemingly dissolved.
While I was pleased for Shenka, I was furious with Mom.
Who met my anger calmly.
"What do you think," she said as she crossed to me, "the assembled conclave will say when Tallah broaches the subject of exposing us to normals?"
The heat of my rage froze over and cracked, shattering into glittering shards.
Oh. Wow.
"You're turning her over to the wolves," I said, my mercurial temper now feeling sorry for Tallah and making Mom the bad guy.
I really had to make up my mind.
"She will be shot down," Mom said. "But in her mind, she will have had her say."
Brilliant.
"Fine, smarty pants," I said, grinning all of a sudden. "What about her Steam Union friends?"
"You did ask Piers about them?" How did she know I'd seen Piers?
Blushing.
"I did," I said.
"Then time will tell." Mom sank into her chair again. "And I refuse to worry about it until he tells me otherwise. Tallah isn't thralled. And has what she wants-her voice and permission to speak. So bomb diffused."
This one, anyway.
***
