Born Wicked

Maura comes to my room. Her cheeks are flushed, but her berry mouth is tilting up at the corners. She looks happy. Slightly mortified, but happy. She closes the door and stands on the flowered rug I took from Mother’s rooms.

“How long has this been going on?” I ask. I have to know how compromised she is.

Maura’s hands flutter like nervous birds. “Just now—that was the first time—but I’ve wanted to—I’m mad about her, Cate.”

“Oh, Maura. Why didn’t you tell me?” I lean back against the settee, remembering the girls from the register, the ones who were caught kissing in the blueberry fields.

“I’ve tried! I told you how wonderful and clever she is, but you wouldn’t hear it. You don’t listen to me, Cate. Elenalistens.”

I hate saying it, I hate hurting her like this, but she has to know. “Because she wants something from you.”

Maura’s mouth falls open. “Do you truly think so little of me,” she gasps, “that I couldn’t tell whether her feelings are genuine? Do you think I’m so awful no one could love me?”

“Of course not! Someonewilllove you someday, and it will be grand, and he’ll be lucky. Or she,” I correct myself. “But it’s not Elena.”

“How do you know what her feelings are? I know it’s—unconventional, but we’ve been spending so much time together. We’ve never been like pupil and student; we’ve been friends right from the start, and now—”

“She was sent here tospyon us. That’s not paranoia; it’s truth. I was supposed to meet her this afternoon in the garden for a magic lesson, and I was late. The Sisterhood wants me to join them and they’ll use you to get to me. Elena told me that, Maura, straight-out. They would hurt you if they thought it would make me fall in line.”

“Liar!” Maura’s eyes narrow into sapphire slits. “She’d never hurt me.”

“She would,” I sigh. “She doesn’t want to, but her first loyalty is to the Sisterhood.”

“I don’t believe you,” Maura snaps. “Besides, why would they wantyou?”

I shrink back from the scorn in her voice. “I found Mother’s diary. She wrote about a prophecy—it was made before the Great Temple fell. It says that before the twentieth century arrives, there will be three sisters, and one of them will be the most powerful witch in centuries. The Sisterhood thinkswemight be those sisters. They want to get their hands on us before the Brothers find us.That’swhy Elena’s here.”

Maura paces across my room while I talk, back and forth, back and forth, between bed and window. “What makes you think it’s you? It could just as easily be me. Or Tess.”

I shake my head. “The prophecy said the most powerful can do mind-magic. And I—well, I can. Since I was little.”

Maura pauses, one hand flying to her mouth. “Have you ever used it on me?”

“No! Of course not.” I glare at her. “I’ve only used it once. To keep Father from sending me away to school. Elena—she wants to make me join the Sisters so they can use it against the Brotherhood.” I reach into my pocket, touch the ruby ring hidden there. “Their cause is important, Maura. I believe that. But it’s not as important to me as you and Tess. It’s not right that they’d use you to force my hand.”

Maura shakes her head, her red braid whipping back and forth. A little smile plays at her lips. “You’re wrong. She’s not using me to get to you.”

“I’m not making it up. Do you truly think I’d go to these lengths just to keep you from seeing a governess?” I throw my hands up, exasperated. “You can see Mother’s diary if you want.”

I start for my bureau, where I’ve magicked away the diary, but Maura stops me. “I don’t need to see it. Even if this prophecy is true, I know what I feel, and that’s true, too. I don’t care what the Sisters would do to me. I want to go back to New London with Elena. I’m in love with her, Cate, and she loves me back. She hasn’t said it yet, but—”

Anger simmers through me. “She’s manipulating you, Maura. She has been from the very first! I’m going to dismiss her right now.”

“You can’t!” Maura steps between me and the door.

I lean against the wooden bedpost, suddenly exhausted. I don’t have the energy for another row with Maura. I hate fighting with her; I hate the distance that’s sprung up between us since Elena arrived—before that, if I’m honest with myself. It’s easy to blame Elena, but we’ve been at each other’s throats for months.

Sympathy washes over me. Maura’s so lonely. So mind-numbingly bored. She doesn’t want to marry. She deserves to go somewhere she can use her talents—somewhere she belongs. If that’s with the Sisters, so be it. I should let her go without putting up a fuss.

I push the curtains aside and stare out the window. I can see the rose garden from here, the goldenrod and evergreens forming a neat, protective square around the bright pink and red and cream-colored roses. Around the bench where I first learned to do magic, at the feet of my mother and Athena.

I put a hand to my temple, blinking. There was something—what was I thinking?

“Are you all right?” Maura asks. Her concerned eyes are trained on my face.

“My head—” It’s such a peculiar sensation. Like there’s something tugging on it. Not at my hair—inside. It’s terribly strange.

Maura slides her arm around my shoulder and guides me to the bed, smoothing the rumpled blue quilt. “You look tired. Why don’t you take a nap before supper?”

My mind feels fuzzy. Wasn’t I angry with her a moment ago? I don’t remember why; she’s being so sweet. There was something wrong, something I meant to do, but I can’t remember—

I push at the tugging in my head, and it dissipates.

Just like a glamour made by a witch who’s not quite as powerful as me.

Maura kissed Elena. I was going to dismiss her and then—

No. Maura wouldn’t.

I look up at my sister, her sapphire eyes still focused on me.

I can feel it plainly now, her pull on my memory.

“How. Dare. You?” I explode, pushing her away. She falls back against my dressing table and knocks over a little bottle of lavender water. It rolls off the table and smashes, dousing the room in scent.

“Stop it. I know what you’re up to,” I snap.

Maura’s face falls. She backs away, toward the door. “I was only—”

“Don’t you dare make excuses! I’ve never used magic against you. Never!”

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. It’s all right. I can still remember. It didn’t work; she’s not strong enough.

But what if ithadworked? I turn to Maura, sick and furious. I will never do this to someone I love. Never again.

“Does Elena know you can do that?” Has Elena been playing us against each other all along, waiting to see which of us was the most powerful?

Maura nods. “She taught me herself. She was proud of me, how fast I caught on. But—” Doubt flickers over her face. “It doesn’t matter. That’s not why she likes me, Cate.”