feelings, this need, was driving her every action and
she didn’t understand it. There was no doubt about it. She needed to talk to
her mother.
“Mother,”
Sadie whispered, calling out with both her words and her powers.
Sadie
was surprised by how strong her powers felt. She actually saw them sparkle
around her as she called them forward. And then she knew her call had worked
when she saw the quick puff of smoke followed by the unmistakable purple swirls
that coalesced into her mother’s body. It never failed to stun her when she saw
her mother do this, and she knew someday she’d have that same power. Sadie
watched the translucent figure become more corporeal until it melded into the
solid form of her mother. Her mother’s powers were immense and they made her
feel reassured. No one was as strong as her mother.
Chiara
cast her eyes upon her daughter and smiled, seeming to understand without words
that Sadie needed reassurance.
“Sadie,
why the fright?” Chiara inquired as she embraced her daughter.
“Mother,
I should’ve listened to you. I should’ve and I’m sorry I didn’t. Now I’m
clueless.” Sadie held her voice steady as she talked despite the clawing need
to break down and sob. She wanted to cry on her mother’s shoulder as her arms
kept her safe from the world.
“Sadie
bug, everything is as it should be. This is exactly as your life way meant to
go.” Chiara brushed the springy curls from Sadie’s face and placed her hand
upon Sadie’s cheek. “Is he treating you well?”
“Yes.”
“Then
what has you so upset?”
“Mother…”
Sadie’s voice was trapped in her throat by the raw emotion that gripped her. “I
was involved with a man when I was in San Francisco. I just learned he’s one of
the men involved in this group trying to harm us.” The final words escaped
through tears.
“Oh, Sadie,”
Chiara cooed even while she tugged Sadie back into a hug. “You didn’t know. You
did nothing wrong.”
“He did
something awful the last night we were together and I ran away. I-I was so
ashamed th - that I-I couldn’t tell you.”
Her
mother’s arms grew tighter around her. “Oh, Sadie,” Chiara rocked her, showing
no signs of letting go. “Sweet girl, I wish you’d come to me.”
“I
couldn’t. I just couldn’t,” Sadie managed to say between muffled sobs. She was
not a pretty crier.
They
sat like this for a long while; a comforting silence surrounded them.
When
her mother spoke again, Sadie had regained her composure and lay relaxed
against her mother’s shoulder. “Sadie, I know you have been the least
interested in the prophecy growing up. Goddess, you were the least interested
in boys and beauty. The very idea of dressing up appalled you, unless it was in
costume for dance. Still, you have always known this time would come and all
the things in your past would come to reckoning. You belong to the Circle of Magdalena . As you are Claimed , your past becomes your first life and no longer
defines you. You are now defined by your powers, your strength, and your contributions
to our world as a woman of the Magdalena
Circle .”
Sadie
understood the prophecy well enough to know she held one of the deadly sins—a
curse put upon them for the indiscretions of their ancestors hundreds of years
ago—and that being claimed by a Valendite Breed rendered the sin gone.
Fulfilling their obligation to sustain this breed of men provides the women in
the Magdalena Circle a long,
illness-free life. What Sadie hadn’t considered was the idea of a second
chance. She was essentially beginning a new life with a clean slate.
“Mother,
you are so right. I am a new woman. Granger has given me that gift.” Sadie
spoke the words as the realization set it. “He gave me a new life.”
Pulling
away from her mother’s embrace, Sadie looked at Chiara and couldn’t stop the
smile that spread across her face. Chiara returned the smile and Sadie could
feel the pride and love touch her. As
she didn’t understand it. There was no doubt about it. She needed to talk to
her mother.
“Mother,”
Sadie whispered, calling out with both her words and her powers.
Sadie
was surprised by how strong her powers felt. She actually saw them sparkle
around her as she called them forward. And then she knew her call had worked
when she saw the quick puff of smoke followed by the unmistakable purple swirls
that coalesced into her mother’s body. It never failed to stun her when she saw
her mother do this, and she knew someday she’d have that same power. Sadie
watched the translucent figure become more corporeal until it melded into the
solid form of her mother. Her mother’s powers were immense and they made her
feel reassured. No one was as strong as her mother.
Chiara
cast her eyes upon her daughter and smiled, seeming to understand without words
that Sadie needed reassurance.
“Sadie,
why the fright?” Chiara inquired as she embraced her daughter.
“Mother,
I should’ve listened to you. I should’ve and I’m sorry I didn’t. Now I’m
clueless.” Sadie held her voice steady as she talked despite the clawing need
to break down and sob. She wanted to cry on her mother’s shoulder as her arms
kept her safe from the world.
“Sadie
bug, everything is as it should be. This is exactly as your life way meant to
go.” Chiara brushed the springy curls from Sadie’s face and placed her hand
upon Sadie’s cheek. “Is he treating you well?”
“Yes.”
“Then
what has you so upset?”
“Mother…”
Sadie’s voice was trapped in her throat by the raw emotion that gripped her. “I
was involved with a man when I was in San Francisco. I just learned he’s one of
the men involved in this group trying to harm us.” The final words escaped
through tears.
“Oh, Sadie,”
Chiara cooed even while she tugged Sadie back into a hug. “You didn’t know. You
did nothing wrong.”
“He did
something awful the last night we were together and I ran away. I-I was so
ashamed th - that I-I couldn’t tell you.”
Her
mother’s arms grew tighter around her. “Oh, Sadie,” Chiara rocked her, showing
no signs of letting go. “Sweet girl, I wish you’d come to me.”
“I
couldn’t. I just couldn’t,” Sadie managed to say between muffled sobs. She was
not a pretty crier.
They
sat like this for a long while; a comforting silence surrounded them.
When
her mother spoke again, Sadie had regained her composure and lay relaxed
against her mother’s shoulder. “Sadie, I know you have been the least
interested in the prophecy growing up. Goddess, you were the least interested
in boys and beauty. The very idea of dressing up appalled you, unless it was in
costume for dance. Still, you have always known this time would come and all
the things in your past would come to reckoning. You belong to the Circle of Magdalena . As you are Claimed , your past becomes your first life and no longer
defines you. You are now defined by your powers, your strength, and your contributions
to our world as a woman of the Magdalena
Circle .”
Sadie
understood the prophecy well enough to know she held one of the deadly sins—a
curse put upon them for the indiscretions of their ancestors hundreds of years
ago—and that being claimed by a Valendite Breed rendered the sin gone.
Fulfilling their obligation to sustain this breed of men provides the women in
the Magdalena Circle a long,
illness-free life. What Sadie hadn’t considered was the idea of a second
chance. She was essentially beginning a new life with a clean slate.
“Mother,
you are so right. I am a new woman. Granger has given me that gift.” Sadie
spoke the words as the realization set it. “He gave me a new life.”
Pulling
away from her mother’s embrace, Sadie looked at Chiara and couldn’t stop the
smile that spread across her face. Chiara returned the smile and Sadie could
feel the pride and love touch her. As
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