Silver Moon (Colors of the Moon #3)

Chapter 16

"The cunning bitch!" Vivian mumbled, which caused a blizzard of crumbs of her cinnamon roll to scatter from her mouth down onto the table. "Of all the—"

"Don't talk with your mouth open." Effie had always been a stickler for rules and etiquette which was the only reason why I was even remotely ladylike today.

"And you're angry because?" Kasey's drawled out the last word from the other end of the table. "You didn't even know our world existed until a few days ago. None of this actually concerns you."

"Yes, it does." Vivian stuck her tongue out at the other girl. "Gabriela's my half sister. If someone's threatening her, they're threatening me."

"And what can a human like you do?" Kasey snorted. "You can rant about this all you want, but you'll never be able to do anything else."

"I'm angry on Ela's behalf because she doesn't seem bothered."

At the mention of my name, I looked up from the cup of coffee I had been swirling in my hands. All six pairs of eyes were focused right on me. "Trust me, I'm angry. There's just no point in me raging on about Darlene. It won't change anything."

"Since when did you grow so mature?" Rob chuckled.

The lighthearted remark had my eyes focusing back on the cup and my hands tightening around the lukewarm material.

"I'm sorry, I—" Rob quickly began as he realized his mistake.

"It's okay."

A part of me understood he hadn't meant anything by the remark, but it still hurt. The mere mention had my thoughts skipping over to my mother. After all, losing one's parents left you without another choice but to grow up.

With one big swallow I finished the coffee and stood. "I'm going for a walk."

Without waiting for a reply, I walked out of the room. The last thing I wanted right now was to be faced with the pity I knew was written in everyone's eyes.

I didn't even get to finish the fifth step out of the house when a set of quick footsteps rushed after me. Because of the lightness in the step, I wasn't surprised to find Kasey reach my side and match my pace. She didn't even once open her mouth as we made our way across Allium toward the practice meadow. Once there, I sat down onto the still damp grass.

"Do you think it's possible for Darlene to become the High Priestess?" I looked over to Kasey who had made herself comfortable on a nearby rock. "I mean, is it even possible for her to possess the ability to channel magic?"

"No." Kasey's words were mumbled because she was chewing on her nail. "She's doesn't have the ability to channel magic. And before you start arguing, I already asked her. The first time she came up to me with the ridiculous notion about being the true High Priestess I told her to show me her ability to channel magic. She, of course, couldn't. She never possessed anything but spirit magic."

"Then why? Why would she think she had a right to the position?" This was the million-dollar question that had been bothering me from the moment Effie had told me about her.

"Beats me. I've already told you my conclusion. Her spirt magic must have overwhelmed her, and she's lost it." There was a soft trace of amusement in her voice.

It made me wonder what could have possibly happened between the two sisters for Kasey to carry such hatred for Darlene. The Darlene in my memories was a friendly, if not slightly snobbish, child. She had never treated me any differently just because I was the daughter of the High Priestess. It was something I had badly needed while growing up.