Page 35 of The Lies of Lena


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“I don’t understand why you would hide getting a weapon from me. I’vealwayswanted you to be able to protect yourself,” she said quietly.

“I just,” I sighed. “I knew how much you wanted me to learn magic for that same reason. If I admitted I wanted to be able to protect myself—”

“You didn’t want to argue about magic.”

I nodded, and she exhaled loudly.

“I know how hesitant you have felt about magic, but if you still feel that way, why learn enchantment…to make elixirs?”

I flushed, and she sat straighter, surprise on her face.

“You wanted to learn the contraceptive elixir, didn’t you?”

My eyes were going to pop out of my head. “N-no.” I started shaking my head.

“Don’t lie to me, Lena—no more lies.” Then, to my stupefaction, she began to laugh.

I glowered at her. “What is so funny?”

She held her hand to her mouth, attempting to contain any future chuckles. “It’s just, after how manyyearsof trying to convince you to learn any magic, liking a boy is what it took.”

I groaned, stood from the couch, and began heading to my room. “It wasn’t just for that. Obviously, I have been getting in danger lately. I may need to know other things in a dire situation.”

“That is what I have been saying this whole time.” I was almost in my room when she spoke again. “How did he not get in trouble for killing that man?” Her tone had changed, and I halted where I stood.

I pivoted to her. “I’m…I’m not sure. It was almost like the guards didn’t notice him.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And as for those in the woods, I’m not sure if they’ve been found or not.”

“By the Gods, Lena,” she muttered. “I can’t believe you kept this from me. Why?”

“Quill felt shame and fear from it, even if he wouldn’t admit it. And it felt like the least I could do for him saving me was keep that a secret for him.”

“It seems like ever since you met him, there’s been trouble.”

“You’re blaming him?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“No. It’s just an observation. We know what has happened in the past when you’ve been afraid for your life,” she said cautiously. She didn’t need to say what she meant, as I knew my magic had been uncontrollable in the past when my life had been in jeopardy.

I shifted, my hand now on my doorknob.

“He’s in love with you.”

I hesitated, then looked at her. “I’m in love with him.”

“Love can make you do foolish things, Lena. You need to be careful.”

I nodded and opened my door.

“Lena?”

“Yes?”

“I will allow you to still train with him. But you will continue learning enchantment, and not just for birth control.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes, my face blushing yet again, and I closed my door behind me, Mother’s soft chuckle barely audible.

The rest of the week went by in a blur. Mother made sure to use knowing about my training as a weapon and forced me to study enchantment daily. Thankfully, there had been no other discussion about the contraceptive elixir, though when she wasn’t around, I had glossed through the spell book and found the recipe. The issue wasn’t gathering the herbs as it was wielding and executing the magic itself.

Magic had been dormant in my body for so long that I didn’t even know where to start. To my luck, the contraceptive elixir utilized a form of healing magic, and since I have been doing decent with that, I felt optimistic. However, I didn’t know when I would feel confident enough that my concoction would do what it was supposed to. Other elixirs mother began teaching me about were illusion and speed.