"We do not know how to use magic," I replied simply. While Briar had been launching into her latest feud with a new stranger, I had plotted out what I felt was the best course of action. It was possible Matthias' suspected us of hiding our magic in a power play attempt once we arrived at Endvall. It was also possible that he believed Ferndell had sent assassins. Of course, he could also believe that we had hoped to kill ourselves to avoid a lifetime of exile. No doubt, some part of him also wondered if we did not have magic. In this place that was built with magic, to contain the magic of hardened criminals who's crimes were too great for society to bear and who's magic was too powerful to control, we were going to be an anomaly. It was dangerous for me to say to such a person, whom I did not personally know the crimes of, nor his real intentions, that we did not know magic. However, I felt it was more dangerous to try and play at deception. We, in fact, did not know magic and to pretend otherwise would be a dangerous game that we would lose likely sooner rather than later once the truth was revealed. It would be better to at least try and establish trust through honesty. That's what I hoped, anyway. It was what I was currently staking both of our lives on.
Briar stared at me, her mouth open. Prince Uther's eyebrows shot up in complete surprise and Matthias frowned a bit, scratching his head.
"Not at all?" Matthias asked, clearly puzzled. I felt some relief, at least I had caught him off guard. As I had assumed, this was the last response he expected.
"Not at all." I confirmed. Matthias stared at me with a look that might have bore a hole through my head if looks could do such things. He seemed angry, though I did not know why. He looked to Prince Uther, who only shrugged at him.
"You came from Ferndell, yes?" Matthias went on, looking back towards me.
"Yes, that is correct." I supplied. I was trying to be cautious, only answering the questions that were laid before me, not supplying anything else and not letting my feelings show whatsoever.
"You were tried as Witches and exiled, yet you know no magic?" Matthias asked, exasperated.
"Not quite," I began, however, Briar chose this inopportune moment to chime in.
"I was scheduled to be beheaded," she began, "and Ochre was supposed to watch. That Shadow Guard Captain is, well, possibly was, a real piece of work." Briar shrugged. I let out a small breath of relief. I worried what she might have said, but this was short and to the point. Matthias looked at me in question and I nodded in affirmation.
"What she said is correct. The Archmage of Ferndell castle summoned The Gate with the help of our family spy and the first son of the Machiel family." Prince Uther and Matthias both looked at me as if I'd suddenly grown another head. I don't think I could have surprised them more. Fortunately, Briar managed to do the job for me.
"The Archmage told me that he sent us here to save you, Prince Uther, and bring you back to Ferndell. I'm apparently a Witch and even though I don't know magic, I'm confident we can figure it out." At this, Matthias began to wave his hands wildly in front of his face, clearly overwhelmed and Prince Uther scoffed, openly sneering at Briar. Though I knew the reason why, Briar did not. I could see she was wounded by his reaction, so I reached across and took her hand as she silently mouthed an apology to me.
This may have been the first I'd heard of her plan, but I also knew this to be her mission in the original novel. I knew she worried about my feelings, but fortunately, I was braced for this strange piece of news. Still, we'd have to talk more later, which I mouthed back to her.
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Author Note: Well.. wait! That's a super crazy plan, Briar, and you're just gonna drop it on us like that??! Oooh, my. And you don't even know magic. Try not to get smacked by Prince Poopy-Face, okay? 🫣 Love ya'll! Hope this helps take you through the weekend!
BIG NEWSSSSSS THOUGH!!!!!! We made it to #2 in Gothic Romance!!!!! OMG!!! Thank you so much to my followers and to LanaFay, especially, for voting on this story! I'm gonna ugly cry now, thank you all so much! ❤️😭
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Notes in Ochre
RomanceReincarnated as the forgotten older sister of the heroine in a trash novel she read to kill time, Ochre believes she can live her life out peacefully and pursue her dreams of studying music as a high ranking aristocrat in this fantasy novel, or at l...
