Tavlor’s breath hissed between his teeth. “That’s... interesting.”
“Hmm...” I said, sliding my hand onto his knee.
An abomination, my ass.
Bella continued. “But they fought too much, and often didn’t pass a lot of new laws or rules,” she said, looking between the three of us. “They elected a warlock to be the High Warlock, as a president of sorts, to help push through new legislation. But he soon began to change too much of the tradition that had already been set forth and agreed upon. Wars broke out, the factions split, and within a hundred years the Council was suddenly made up of only witches and warlocks, with a warlock still in a position of seemingly presidential power.”
“And the High Warlock became an inherited position woven deeply into the power of the Council,” I finished for her. “No wonder they don’t want things to change. They’d lose everything.”
Bella grimaced out a smile. “Yep.”
“Those bastards...” I said as I collapsed back onto the couch. “They stole all that power and kept it for themselves.”
Bella nodded. “Yes, and from what I gather, the Council has created more and more rules over the years, rules that ensured their power couldn’t be questioned or threatened. That was why they brought in arranged marriages for the High Warlock and controlled breeding and succession. They could have complete control over the person who was supposed to be in charge. That never used to be a thing.” She put her hands out. Her gaze darted excitedly between me, Courtney, and Tavlor. “Think of the magic realm’s government like certain parts of the human realm. There’s one person in power with a small body of elected officials to ensure that one person doesn’t get too-power hungry and use his position to his advantage. With the Council, it’s the opposite. The body is filled with people who are controlling the main person, so the people think their government is balanced when it’s not.”
I sat up and looked at Tavlor.
“She is correct,” he said. “Though no one knows this. At least, the people do not.”
“Do you think it’s enough?” I asked. “To appeal to laws and rules that go back a thousand years?”
Looking at the history was one thing; implementing action was a different ballgame, and I wasn’t sure we were ready to play just yet.
Tavlor’s jaw tightened and his eyes darkened.
“It’s more than we have, though I’ll need to study the texts,” he admitted.
I glanced up at Bella and she didn’t move.
“Can he look at the book, Bella?” I asked, surprised by her reticence.
“Um...” She glanced from Tavlor to me. There was something she was keeping from us, something I couldn’t figure out. “I’d rather show you, if that’s okay?”
I furrowed my brow. “Why would—"
Tavlor inclined his head, placing his hand over mine. “Of course, I would be honored at your assistance,” he said. “But tell me, where did you find this incredible book?”
Bella stood up and said with a smile. “Our Mother.”
Chapter 14.
Tavlor blinked. He turned his head, shooting his brows up so high they nearly disappeared behind his thick hair. “Your mother?”
I laughed. It amazed me how adorable he looked when he was confused about something. I knew it was because he wasn’t expecting half the things that came out of my mouth. Or my sisters’, for that matter.
“Well, sort of,” I said. “Bella, the sneak, found Mother’s hidden stash of books when she was unwell. Mother was always reading and studying and learning, like Bella, even though she was trapped here with us.” I took a breath as he waited. “But she also had a set of books that she said weren’t for us to read. So, of course, Bella wanted to read them. The thought that someone could preven
t her from reading books was unheard of, so she did the uncharacteristic thing of sneaking them when Mother was sick.”
“Apparently, they were filled with spells that were too powerful,” Courtney chimed in, rolling her eyes. “Too much for youngin’s like us. Too dangerous.”
I giggled at Courtney’s imitation of our mother. She wasn’t half-bad. I wondered if it was because she had nothing better to do than to sit in this realm, all alone, practicing.
“And in this... secret collection, she had this book?” Tavlor asked, tilting his head to the side.
I shrugged. “I didn’t know that she did,” I said. “I never bothered trying to read them.” I glanced over to Bella. “You explain.”
Bella’s cheeks went a pretty shade of pink as she blushed. She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat.