The Magi Lunations: Maebry's Vision

Fifteen

17th Day of Strawberry Moon (June)

Mae,

Thank you for your well wishes. The baby is perfect. Our third girl. She's beautiful, the mirror image of Acacia at this age. I am so sleep deprived I fell asleep in church today, but I'll survive. (Though out of sympathy, you should go easier on me in chess. Sleep deprivation is considered torture under the Geneva Convention.)

I'm so sorry you're struggling with your powers. I want to help. Since I'll be at court for the duration of my paternity leave, I'm going to send my husband, McKinley. My advisors found something about mutual Jonathans. He might be a conduit for your power as he is with mine. It's a long shot, but now would be a good time to try.

Pax and Lux,

Yohana

18th Day of Strawberry Moon (June)

Matthias agreed to drop off the bookkeeping work to Brother John Mark, but he wasn't happy about it. I agreed to share my stash of the giant care package our parents had sent to survive finals. He relented and became the go-between.

Esperanza suspected there's another reason I'm sequestered, but she didn't push.

19th Day of Strawberry Moon (June)

Classes are pretty much canceled at this point to give us time to complete our papers. I heard a knock that I assumed was Esperanza with more food, but I still hesitated in case it was Biltmore.

I hadn't felt a single tug in my chest since I ran out of his room. Maybe he was furious? Maybe he'd given up on me? Maybe he was gone on a dangerous mission for the Order?

"Who is it?"

A sharp British accent answered, "Dr. Norwich."

I looked around in horror at my messy room. "Ummm. What do you – "
"We were just notified by King Yohana that Prince McKinley will be here tomorrow. His security detail will arrive tonight. I expect you know this already, but I wanted to let you know that we'll have the common room ready in the morning for his visit."

My stomach twisted in knots.

"I expect you to be out of your room by then."

"Yes, of course."

Her heels clicked down the hallway.

20th Day of Strawberry Moon (June)

A thick Southern drawl sucked me in, "Maebry, I'm McKinley Morganfield. I've heard so much about you."

My Georgia roots surprised me by making an appearance, "It's nice to meet you." I didn't add that I'd heard absolutely nothing about him.

His warm face exploded into a relieved smile, "Finally! Someone who talks right!" And he threw his arms around me. He hugged like Matthias – as if we'd just won a football game.

"Georgia Peach – born and raised."

"I was born in Memphis but grew up in New Orleans," but of course he pronounced it "Nawlins."

He plopped down in the same spot where Yohana had. Though I remembered Yohana being taller, McKinley's long lithe form also struggled to fit on the low couch.