Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97229 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97229 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
But Mum didn’t say a word. She was still white-faced, braced against the kitchen sink, eyes like saucers, but she didn’t tell me to leave.
“I mean it, Mum,” I said. “Grandad says you did nothing wrong. He knows Grandma has been controlling you since you were a baby, and he regrets not trying harder to stop her scheming.”
Grandma jabbed a finger at me with a get out, but Mum shook her head, dismissing her.
“Is Katherine telling the truth? Did you tell Thomas to leave that night? Remember, lying is a sin. Don’t lie to me!”
Grandma didn’t speak, just folded her arms.
“Is it true?” Mum asked again. “Did you use Dad’s death to threaten Thomas into leaving me?”
“Thomas is a sinner,” Grandma said. “I was doing it for you.”
“Lying is a sin actually,” I said. “If you want to preach the virtues, maybe you should start practicing them. You threatened my father away and used it to keep Mum where you wanted her. Admit it.”
My poor mum was staring at Grandma in shock, eyes silently begging her to deny it.
“You sent Thomas away from us?” she asked again.
“Like I said,” Grandma answered. “Thomas is a sinner. A servant of the Devil. I did what I needed to.”
“So you sent him away from Garway church when he came to collect me?”
Grandma’s arms were still folded. Her chin was high.
“Yes, I did. And I’d do it again, because people of magic are destined to Hell. Thomas and Katherine will both face the gates of the unholy, don’t join them there, Serena. I didn’t raise you for that.”
“BULLSHIT!” Mum snapped. “THAT’S BULLSHIT! Thomas isn’t destined for Hell, and neither is Katherine.”
“Oh, they are,” Grandma said. “And if you turn your back on our holy life, you will face the wrath of our Lord. You will finally be punished for what you did to your father that night.”
Mum was quiet, and Grandma nodded.
“Oh, Serena. Stop pretending. You know your witchcraft powers threw your father to the ground. I’ve been trying to help you redeem yourself, and I thought it was working, but now this little sinner has shown back up, determined to drag you down with her.” Grandma looked at me. “We should have turned our backs on you when you were born. You are made of your father’s blood.”
“Yes,” I said. “And I’m made of Mum’s too, and yours, and Grandad’s. And all of our family members before me. If I’m a demon child, then surely we all are? Aren’t you just a demon sinner as well?”
“I’ve had enough of this!” my grandmother raged. “Serena, tell this godawful little witch to GET OUT of our home!”
I didn’t even look at Grandma. I looked at Mum.
“Do you want me to leave?” I asked her calmly. “I can leave if you want me to.”
Mum didn’t answer, torn in two.
“TELL HER TO GO!” Grandma screamed.
“I can go, Mum.” I said. “If you can’t love me for who I am, then I’ll walk away right now. I’d rather be alone than be with people who try to stop me being myself.”
“TELL HER TO GO!” Grandma yelled again, but my mother shook her head. She stood her ground.
“I don’t want to tell Katherine to go. I want to know the truth!”
“You already know the truth, Mum,” I said gently as Grandma seethed with rage. “You know who I am, and you knew my father for who he was, and you know who you are yourself, down deep inside. The only one denying the truth here is Grandma, and that’s because she can’t face her own lies.”
I sounded much more wise and confident than I felt, but that was Mary inside me. It was my ancient past holding me strong – a beacon of calm in the storm.
When Mum smiled I knew it was at the memory of Thomas, my father. I could read it in her.
“I can’t believe it,” she whispered. “I really thought he’d abandoned us…”
“He didn’t abandon us,” I said. “Grandma sent him away.”
“BECAUSE HE IS A FUCKING SINNER!” Grandma raged, and her fury made the whole room rumble. “GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HERE!”
I tried to ignore the shudders of the house around us, but when Mum looked over at my grandmother there was a whole other level to the tremors.
“You lied to me! You’ve been lying to me my whole life.”
“FOR YOUR OWN SAKE!” Grandma yelled. “Don’t let this evil little witch turn you away from God, Serena. Don’t!”
The tremors kept rumbling. Louder.
“You lied…” Mum whispered. “I thought Thomas left us…”
Grandma screeched in rage.
“I SENT HIM AWAY TO SAVE YOU, AND I SHOWED MERCY ON YOU! BECAUSE YOU KILLED YOUR FUCKING FATHER!”
Holy hell, how the walls shook, but it wasn’t just from Grandma’s anger anymore, it was from Mum’s too. The plates rattled on the shelves, cupboard doors flew open and banged shut, and it was like Grandad’s vision of them from the tower. Both of them waging a war.