Lauren Dane - Heart of Darkness

Edwina followed Meriel into the kitchen and sat there instead. Meriel looked her mother over closely. “Are you all right? Is someone sick?”

“I know I’ve had very high expectations of you. I know I’ve driven you to succeed and I made mistakes sometimes in how I did it. Holding the leadership of Owen is an immense challenge. A burden at times. A burden so heavy you wonder if you’ll survive it.”

Meriel made the tea automatically.

“And other times it’s the most amazing thrill I’ve ever experienced. When you take on my seat, your magick will grow. You’re powerful now, the most powerful witch I know other than me and Ron. When you take over, the clan will reside in you. Their magick enhances yours.”

“Get out! Really?” Meriel set the tea out and remembered she had shortbread cookies and added them.

“Really, Meriel, you’re such a bright girl, why do you talk the way you do?” But her sniff was more amused than indignant. “But to answer the question, yes really. When you take my seat, you’ll be, well, you’ll be strong enough to handle whatever this woman has to throw at you. It’ll strengthen the bond exponentially as well. It’s too much power for one witch to hold, that’s why full-council holds leadership. Only a bonded, ascended witch could hold the leadership. You and Dominic both will ground all the extra magick running through you.”

This was a total trip. “Mother—”

“Don’t interrupt. Now, as I was saying. I have been harder on you than I should have at times, but it was because I knew you’d need to be ready when the time came. I’ve watched and I’ve waited and now is the time.” She paused to put sugar and milk in her tea.

“I can’t let you give me the leadership of this clan because you want me to win a fight. That’s not how it’s supposed to work.”

Edwina made a distinct pffft. “Of course that’s how it works. Meriel, my mother transferred to me when I was twenty-three years old. Her health had been in decline and I’d ascended the year before. So she told me the things I’m telling you.”

“I think I need to get the Thin Mints out of the freezer for this conversation.” Meriel grabbed a whole sleeve and headed back. Edwina looked at her suspiciously, but went on.

“The clan is supposed to transfer whenever the next in line would better protect the clan from a threat than the current leader. That is you right now. This isn’t about a mother helping her child, though I’d do that too. This seat holds the clan and the clan holds it. It is a weapon and a shield. It has been my duty and my honor to hold it for nearly forty years and now I’m passing it to you, where it will do the most.”

Edwina paused and looked at Meriel, horrified. “Whatever are you doing? You don’t dunk cookies like you’re a monkey. For goodness sake!”

Meriel dug a fresh one out of the sleeve and handed it over. “Try it. Come on. I won’t tell anyone.”

“If I don’t, I expect you’ll just pester me.” She barely dipped but Meriel reached out and pushed her mother’s wrist down, holding it for a long moment.

She tried to look disinterested as her mother tried it, holding a napkin strategically over her clothes like Meriel should be doing.

“It’s fabulously too much, isn’t it? Just nod your head and dunk your cookie. We’ll never speak of it again.” She pushed the cookies to the center of the table and dunked her own a few times.

“The clan is under threat. My time is up. Owen needs a new direction and new leadership. You’ve consistently shown me how prepared you are. You think on your feet. Dominic has loosened you up a little. He has that effect. My goodness, he’s a charmer.”

“Imagine what it’s like when he’s at Heart of Darkness and the women see him in the mood lighting.” But inside she was jumping up and down whooping it up that her mother had just paid her all those compliments.

“I can believe it. He’s good for you. And you’re definitely good for him. He’s been ill used by this creature who bore him. And you’ll be protecting him as well as the rest of Owen.”

Meriel blinked fast and looked up at the ceiling to keep from crying.

“I need to discuss this with Dominic.”

“Yes, of course. He’ll need to be here as well. When you take the font, it’ll fill him too. He needs to be here with you.” And as if she hadn’t just thrown a curveball, Edwina eyed the cookies. “You go on ahead. I’ll continue to enjoy my tea and perhaps have a few more cookies while we wait for him to arrive.”

“You mean you want to do this right exactly now?”

“Whenever else would it be? You’re going out there tonight. It won’t take very long. I can continue on as CEO if you like, or you can take over. I would argue that I’m a better choice for the position. I have more experience and I think you running the legal department is your strength.”

She nodded. “Yes, stay on. You can take more clients for design work now if you like. I’m happy in legal and I really can’t believe we’re having this discussion. I’m honored, Mother, that you would find me worthy.” And she was. Her heart was full of love. And pride.

Edwina paused, clearly moved. “Oh, Meriel, that was perhaps the loveliest compliment I’ve ever received.”

Knowing her mother would be uncomfortable, Meriel got up and took her phone. “I’ll be right back.” She ducked around the corner and called Dominic.

“Is everything all right? I’m three blocks away.”

“I look forward to the day when we don’t answer all our phone calls that way.”

“Me too.”

“My mother wants to transfer the leadership to me.”

“Well, sure, that’s been the plan, right?”

“Today. Now.” She explained to him about how it would make her stronger and that it would affect him too.

“Wow. This is … wow.”

“I know. What do you think?”

She heard him take a deep breath, knew he was thinking it over. If she could only have seen his face and his body language right then. She could read him so well, even after such a short time together, she’d have known how he felt.

But she didn’t have that and so she waited.

“I think you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. I’ll be home in five minutes. This is what’s supposed to happen.”

She wanted to believe that was true. It certainly felt true. And so she decided to ignore that little voice and believe.

When she came back out she and her mother cleared the tea and put everything away while they waited for Dominic.

He came in and walked directly to her. “What do I need to do?”

She explained the rite briefly before Edwina set the circle. Dominic wasn’t part of the rite, but he would receive the font. He’d be with her there when it hit.

Edwina held out her hands and Meriel took them. “I will offer you the seat and you must accept or deny it. It’s rather simple, as I said.”

Meriel had a sinking suspicion that it would also be painful.

Edwina set the circle and turned to face Meriel again, clasped hands again. The power between them hummed, like to like.

“Let the seat pass to the next in line, new holder of the font. May the ground at her feet always recognize her power.”

“I accept and pray the ground at my feet always recognizes the power of the clan.”

Edwina smiled. “It is your turn.” And pulled her hands away.

The ground at Meriel’s feet dropped away as vertigo hit. Around her it swirled. So much magick and energy she breathed it, it pumped through her veins. She turned to look at Dominic, who reached out and took her hand and the bond snapped into place, fighting to equalize all the input, trying to make sense and process all the power rushing through them both.