“I repeatedly warned her about how dangerous it was to go off alone,
especially into the Starten Forest. One day, when she was fourteen, she left the
house early in the morning. When she hadn't come home by sunset, I had
decided to search for her. I met her in the backyard. Her face was streaked with
dirt, and her hair was covered with leaves.
“I could tell she was frightened, so I asked her about it. She claimed nothing
was wrong. Eliza said she had just been lying in the grass, watching the clouds
in the sky, when she drifted off to sleep. When I pressed her, she grew angry. I
knew she wasn't telling me the truth, but forcing the issue would be of no use.
My daughter was never the kind of child that would run to me for help.
“After that day, Eliza seemed more cautious and listened to my warnings.
She met your father not soon after and, four years later, they were married. After
you were born, she seemed so happy.” A faint hint of a smile showed in Gram’s
expression, but it disappeared quickly.
She sighed deeply before resuming her tale. “It was not until your father died
that her behavior began to change. There was a darkness inside her. She began to
dress provocatively, and she would sneak out of the house after you girls were sound asleep.”
As Gram spoke softly, she continued to lightly pat my hand. The circular
tapping motion of her palm seemed to erase my anger.
“One night, I followed Eliza. I found your mother with Cedric Drygen at
Sparrow Lake. I suspected she had been meeting him, but that night, I confirmed
my worst feelings. As they lay on the rocky shore, he convinced her to use the
magic for him. He made promises of all the things he would provide for her.
Eagerly, she charmed his rings and cast spells as they laughed and drank.
“Rushing home, I cast a spell and bound her pure magic. I couldn't let her use our magic for the Drygens. When Eliza returned that evening, she was
enraged and screamed that she knew what I had done. At first, she cursed me, but then she tried to convince me to reverse it. Eliza said breaking the binding would be the best thing for you. Not believing her reasons, I told her she would
no longer abuse our family's magic and that I would only consider her request when she was ready to honor the promise she had made to protect it.
“She spat in my face and laughed. Eliza told me my silly promise would be
the end of me. Without even packing a bag, she left the house and went straight
to Cedric Drygen.” My grandmother shook her head sadly. “If she were in her right mind, she would not have left my girls. The darkness inside her had turned
her into a hateful person. Someone I no longer recognized.
“Yes, Mara. I knew all along where she went.” Gram took a long breath. “I'm
sorry I kept that from you."
“You must be wrong!” I said, trying to hold back my rage. “She would never
leave us for him.”
“Yes, love, she left all of us for him, but more so, to feed the dark magic that
was beginning to grow inside her. The Drygen family has always been able to be
kept under control because we could limit the magic they had access to.
However, your mother was always so strong that I knew my binding was not
