Chapter 26: The Burden of Magic
The carriage ride back to Eesome Manor was silent, save for the faint rattling of the wheels on the cobblestone road. Joy leaned against Carter, her face pale and her breathing uneven. Dani sat across from them, his eyes heavy with worry as he studied Joy’s frail form. Whatever she had seen—or experienced—in the gallery had taken its toll.
When they finally reached the towering gates of Eesome Manor, the atmosphere inside was no less tense. Servants hurried about their tasks, but there was a palpable unease in the air. The doors swung open to reveal Elena Eesome, Joy’s mother, who stood at the top of the grand staircase. Her expression was a mix of worry and barely contained anger.
“Joy!” Elena called out, rushing down the stairs as soon as she saw her daughter. Her perfectly manicured hands reached for Joy, who managed a weak smile.
“I’m fine, Mother,” Joy said softly, though her voice betrayed her exhaustion.
“You most certainly are not,” Elena snapped, her worry quickly shifting to fury. She turned her sharp gaze to Dani, who had been trailing closely behind. “And you—how could you let this happen? You were supposed to protect her!”
Dani stiffened but kept his tone measured. “Mrs. Eesome, I—”
“Don’t ‘Mrs. Eesome’ me!” she interrupted, her voice rising. “This is exactly what I feared would happen when you lot started meddling with magic. This—this chaos, this danger—is all magic ever brings! Pain and suffering!”
“Mother, stop,” Joy interjected weakly, though her words were drowned out by Elena’s tirade.
Carter stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. “Mrs. Eesome, please. Dani was doing everything he could. None of us could have predicted what happened.”
Elena whirled on him, her eyes narrowing. “And who exactly are you to defend him? You’re just as much to blame for encouraging her reckless behavior!”
“Enough!” Dani’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. He took a step closer to Elena, his expression unyielding. “I understand your concern, but shouting at us isn’t helping Joy. Right now, we need to focus on her recovery.”
Elena opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by the arrival of a servant, who hesitated at the edge of the room, holding a small folded note.
“What is it?” Elena snapped, her tone still sharp.
The servant bowed slightly and extended the note toward her. “A message, madam. It concerns Miss Lili.”
At the mention of her younger sister, Joy straightened slightly, though her pallor remained unchanged. Elena took the note, her eyes scanning its contents quickly. As she read, her face drained of color.
“What is it?” Joy asked, alarmed by her mother’s reaction.
Elena lowered the note, her hand trembling. “It’s from the school,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Lili has fallen ill. They don’t know what it is.”
Joy’s heart sank. “I need to go to her.”
“You’re in no condition to go anywhere,” Elena said firmly, though her own worry for Lili was evident. She turned to Dani and Carter. “One of you will go. Someone needs to figure out what’s wrong.”
Dani stepped forward. “I’ll go.”
Joy shook her head weakly. “No. I’ll go. Lili needs me.”
Elena’s gaze softened slightly, but her voice remained resolute. “Joy, listen to me. You’ve barely recovered from whatever happened today. You can’t help her if you’re collapsing yourself.”
“I can’t just sit here while she’s sick!” Joy protested, her voice breaking.
Dani placed a hand on her shoulder. “Joy, she’s right. Let me go ahead. I’ll find out what’s happening and send word. If it’s something that needs your presence, I’ll come back for you.”
Joy hesitated, torn between her instincts to protect her sister and her own fragile state. Finally, she nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But promise me you’ll keep me updated.”
“I promise,” Dani said, his voice steady.
As Dani turned to leave, Elena’s voice stopped him. “Wait.”
He looked back to see her staring at him, her usual icy demeanor momentarily thawed. “Whatever it is… bring my daughter back safely.”
Dani nodded. “I will.”
With that, he strode toward the door, determination written across his face. As Joy watched him leave, she felt a pang of guilt and helplessness. Whatever was happening to Lili, it was just another reminder of the curse that seemed to haunt her family. Magic was both their gift and their burden—and it demanded a price none of them were truly prepared to pay.
