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She is close to your door, Nava says, crawling onto my shoulder.
I rush to stand, throwing my covers back into place. “Studying, Mother. I will be there in a second.”
She is moving to the table now, Nava says.
“Thank you,” I say in a whisper. “You are very helpful.”
Nava moves under my ear, hiding in the shadow of my hair. I walk upstairs. Mother sits at the table, holding a newspaper. A quick glance out the window confirms the time. Close to sunset. I set about making dinner while Mother continues to read. Every touch is pain, but she takes no notice, not even commenting on my white gauze hands.
She cannot hear me, says Nava. And if you practice, concentrate with time, your thoughts can be mine and my eyes can be yours.
This is becoming more fascinating by the moment. The spell I performed was a companion spell, but I never guessed it would be an animal companion. Or in this case, arachnid. Honestly, I was simply hoping for a friend.
I freeze, my hand suspended over the knife, when I realize what had happened. I performed a spell. With magic. My own magic.
“What’s wrong?” asks Mother, staring at me, suspicion on her face.
“I am trying to recall if this recipe requires diced tomatoes.”
“Ah,” says Mother. “We should have some in the cold box.”
“Perfect.” I pick up the knife, sucking in a breath through my teeth at the contact, and start chopping ingredients. I glance sideways at Mother. “Any news you find interesting?”
She grimaces and folds the newspaper, turning it around to read the back. “More of the same. Chasms across the land. Apparently, the farmers are having trouble growing grain. Something about a disease in the ground.”
“Oh no, will it get to our garden?”
Mother glowers. “Of course not. It is spelled from such things.”
“Thank the stars,” I say.
“Thank me,” she mutters, her eyes back to the newspaper.
“Thank you, Mother.” I sit at the table across from her and pick up the book left there, the manners one she brought me before. The spine creaks as I open it, and I wince slightly. Hopefully, Mother did not notice, since the sound is a sure sign I haven’t opened the manual even once.
I pretend to read the page in front of me, but in reality, I am concentrating. Nava said I could send her my thoughts. At least, that’s what it sounded like. Can you hear me? I think, trying to direct my thoughts to Nava.
She does not respond, and I keep practicing until our breakfast is cooked. As I place the food on plates, gingerly using the tips of my fingers, I try for the umpteenth time. Can you hear me?
Finally, though, I receive a response. I am here, says Nava, her distinct voice in my ear.
Where is Raúl? I send to her, along with an image of him.
We will find him.
A quiet sigh slips from my lips. I have no way of contacting Raúl since the mirror is in Mother’s room. If my spiders can find him, surely I can find a way to communicate with him. It’s so nice knowing I can send Nava images from my mind, too. The things I’ll be able to do are endless.
I place the food on the table and Mother glances at it. She stands, placing the newspaper under her arm, and picks up her plate. “Good night.”
She heads to her floor and I watch as she shuts the door, waiting until I hear the click of the lock. With a grin on my face, I whisper to Nava, “Watch her for me.”
Our eyes see her from the shadows. She sits at her desk and eats. Nava pauses. She is looking into a mirror with carvings on the handle. She asks to see Cal.
“What does he look like?”
An older man. Beady eyes. Brown hair. He is gruff with her. She asks if someone named Dreselda remains unaware. Cal says yes. He says she has not remembered her daughter’s birth.
My heart pounds. What if she is talking about my real mother? I have a name now to ask the mirror when Mother is gone.
