Page 60 of The Book of Unwritten Stories

Morana was shaking her head.

‘I’m not lying, it’s a lot and I know that, but you need to hear me out.’

‘Okay.’

‘Well, The Book of Black Magic, the one you had, it was also ours. It belonged to my mom too.’

‘Lucine English is your mom?’

Dora nodded.

‘I barely knew her this lifetime though and it breaks my heart.’ Dora began to play with the gold band that Ambrose had given to her, nervously twisting it round and round her finger.

‘Well then, can we just go ask her why my name is written in her book of black magic and find out what the hell is going on?’

‘I truly wish that we could but we can’t, as she died a couple of weeks ago.’

‘Fuck.’ Morana’s expression was one of pure horror. Dora felt bad for the mess they were both in.

‘I know, it’s a mess. I’m still so confused myself, so I kind of know what you’re feeling and it’s not much help but I do get it.’

‘I’m sorry, I had no idea. Damn this is nuts, like totally.’

‘It’s okay, why would you? And, for what it’s worth, I think you’re a bloodline witch too, and you must have lived many lifetimes just like me for your magic to be this powerful after only a couple of spells.’

Morana leaned onto the table and buried her head in her hands, and when she finally looked up, she said, ‘I keep getting flashbacks of living in a tiny cottage near some woods, stuff like that.’

‘Yep, you’re a bloodline witch.’

‘Why didn’t I know that this time?’

‘I didn’t know either; in fact I had no idea until I came here to meet my mom and Aunt Sephy for the first time and it all came rushing back, eventually.’

‘This is so weird.’

‘Isn’t it?’ Dora snorted with laughter.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘Us, I mean we’re both descendants of witches yet neither of us even knew.’

‘I don’t think it’s funny.’

‘Me either.’

Then Dora began to laugh even louder.

Morana couldn’t help it and joined in.

FORTY-NINE

The more Dora studied Morana, the more she could see a likeness to her. They were both sitting with their right legs crossed over their left and when Morana turned to the side their profile, especially the noses, were the same shape. It was the difference in hair colour that threw you off, but the more Dora looked at her the more she could see the subtle similarities.

‘You need to come meet my aunts, although how they’ll be this morning I’m not too sure,’ Dora said as she counted out the cash to pay for the coffees.

‘Are they angry with me?’ Morana asked.

‘Why would they be, they don’t know you. I mean because they were drunk last night, drinking too much black magic.’