Fire and Magic (The Jadori Book 1)

Chapter 23: She Doesn't Know What She Is?

Someone was yelling and when I managed to pull myself up to a sitting position, Mum was bent over Tracy's prone form on the other side of the room. "What have you done, Maddelyn?" She reached out a hand toward Tracy's throat. "She better be alive."

"What?"

Mum turned toward me and I shrunk back at the look in her eyes. Was that hatred, or disgust? Definitely anger. I didn't understand what had happened. How did Tracy end up over there? Was it some kind of electrical thing? It was like an electrical appliance blew up in our faces, but there was nothing nearby. No burnt remains, although there were black marks on the carpet and the back of the lounge.

"Mum? What happened?"

"You could have killed her, you stupid child."

"I didn't do anything. There was a flash of light... I don't..."

I had no idea how I was going to end that sentence. My mind was reeling.

"I don't understand it," she said. "It was like lightning coming from your hands or something, but that's impossible."

"Mum, you're not making sense."

"Get me a cloth to stop the bleeding."

"She's bleeding? Where?"

"Just get me a cloth!"

I scrambled up off the floor and rushed to the linen press, grabbed a towel and rushed back. My arms and legs were jelly. My heart racing.

Mum yanked it out of my hands and put one end to the back of Tracy's head. There was a pool of blood seeping into the carpet. She must have hit her head on the wall, but I still couldn't understand what had happened.

I wanted to ask Mum what was going on, but as I opened my mouth, Tracy asked the question for me.

Mum kept the towel in place. "She hit you pretty hard, but it looks like you only got a bump on the head. How are you feeling?"

She looked dazed. "Um, I think I'm okay." She tried to sit up, but Mum told her to lie still for a bit longer. She attempted to smile. "I'm gonna have a headache for a while, I think."

How could they be so casual about this? What was I missing?

Tracy looked past Mum and gave me a small smile. "Kay— uh, I was told that your magic was blocked, but I guess my source was wrong."

Mum's eyes snapped to Tracy with an unreadable expression.

Magic? What was she talking about? She must have hit her head hard. She was delusional.

I looked back to Tracy. "What?"

Something changed in her expression. "Oh. You didn't know, did you?"

"Didn't know what?"

She turned to Mum. "She doesn't know what she is?"

Mum's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh. I guess I'd better explain." Tracy turned to me and winced in pain. "You possess magic, Maddie. You always have. You've probably never shown it until now."

"What do you mean, I possess magic?"

"Exactly that. Magic exists and there are a small number of people in the world who have the power to wield it, but most people are oblivious. You have that power. I have that power. I'm lucky to be alive after you hit me with a blast of raw magic like that. I used a shield, otherwise my skin would be burnt where you hit me."

Burnt? What?

This was too much. The buzzing had died down and my body had cooled down, but I was lightheaded.