The worst part of this whole curse thing was how cold it made me feel. Like a deep chill underneath even my very bones. Worse, Mom was hovering. She was too busy try to hide it to notice anything else. I tried to contain my shivers.

"You always did get cold easy," Mom observed quietly. She was fussing and had draped a blanket over my back. We were sitting together on my bed. It was still strange to see her here in this space. It reminded me of one of those 'spot the difference' puzzles.

"Vivian said Hearths are supposed to be immune to pesky things like cold. Did you always just wear jackets and scarfs to blend in?"

"Partially. I also think they're cute and fun. And I didn't want you to feel bad for not…being more like me." That could mean a lot of things, but I think she meant all of them.

"Rest assured, I take great pride in being more like Dad."

"Good. I don't think this school would stay standing if it had to withstand a mini-me."

"But…I wouldn't have minded. Having a bit more magic around growing up," I admitted.

"Maybe. Can you blame me for always wanting to err on the side of you not having to think about it?"

"Was it all an act? Whenever you seemed happy to play the part of the normal housewife?"

"No. If I didn't want that life at all I wouldn't have married Victor. Whatever complications and difficulties, being with you both has made me happier than all the magic in the world ever could."

That was something, but still.

"Also your father doesn't ever look at me like I'm going to bring the end of the world on his head. That's always nice."

"You mean how none of your friends seem happy to see you?"

She laughed, but it was devoid of its usual manic joy. "You noticed that, huh?"

I blinked at her.

"Kids, they see everything. Larae's always been like that. And I think they all know the truth anyway. Or…what they think is the truth."

"You've lost me."

"I don't like changing plans once set in motion. What they don't know is that I always wanted to see you come here. But it's true that if everything had gone to my original plan things would be different."

"Original plan?"

"I prepared myself for you never attending this school when it became clear that there was something going on with your magic. I never told anyone I didn't plan on staying away as long as I had. Not even Ruby. She and I kept in contact a little bit longer than the others, but she knew that there was something I wasn't telling her."

"She didn't seem mad at you."

"Ruby forgives me for everything, even when she shouldn't."

"She seems nice. And Jarec's pretty cool."

"She'll be a better Grand Matriarch then I'd ever make. Assuming Mother ever retires. Which I'm doubting she ever will."

I wasn't sure I wanted to think about any of that.

Mom either didn't want to elaborate or sensed my trepidation. "My plans may have fallen apart at the seams, but I don't have any regrets. Not about you and Victor."

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"I know that. It's just…there's a lot you never told me. Stuff I had to find out from other people and the things that happened here." Good and bad things.

I couldn't help but wonder if the mother I knew growing up was real or just an illusion.

No more real than an Echo.

I felt like a hypocrite. It wasn't like I had told her everything. Outside of the vague talk with Dad I kept the whole Red thing to myself. I assumed he told her, but she hadn't asked about it. And I wasn't going to bring it up. She'd ask way too many questions, and I had no idea how to answer any of them in a way that did risk all of us getting kicked out of Dragon Tower.

That was the exact opposite of what I wanted.

"You seem lost in your own thoughts again," Mom said.

"I am. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Anything you're willing to share?"

"Too many pieces. Don't know how yet."

"Okay, just remember that your father and I are only ever a call away. No matter what."

"And I'll be home in a few weeks anyway."

"You are! Which is good because I get all lonely by myself when you're not home. I had you for a year all to myself and now it feels like my life is empty." She pouted while she talked, mostly fake and clearly being played up for dramatics.

She giggled after a few moments of me staring blankly.

I guess serious talk time was over, she was back to grinning despite everything.

I wished I had that ability. Even if I tried I'm pretty sure it would just worry everyone.

I was tired. And still cold.

"Can we go downstairs? I want some tea."

Her grin got bigger.

(*********)

I was sitting and watching Mom peruse the selection of tea ingredients. I had left the blanket back in the room, it hadn't really helped away. I was still wearing the Dragon Red overcoat though. I could probably have changed, but the layers felt comfortable at this point. And if Mom wasn't going to say anything I wasn't messing with it.

Mom was instead humming to herself.

Then the walls around us rumbled. Did someone have something to say?

"Hello to you too," I greeted.

It rumbled again.

Mom turned to look at me with curiosity and mild alarm. I shrugged at her.

"Was there something you wanted?" I asked.

One shake. A yes.

"And you're doing this now. Okay."

"Does it do that often?"

"With the others I assume it just tells them whatever it wants them to know, but the curse blocks telepathy so we have to get a little creative."

"We?"

"Dragon Tower is…conscious to some extent. So yes. We."

There was another rumble our feet.

"Sylphid Tower never talked."

"As far as I can tell, it's unique to Dragon Tower."

Another singular shake, this time coming from behind me.

Mom blinked twice and then went back to picking tea.

"So," I spoke to the walls, "any clue what you wanted to tell me?"

The wall behind me knocked. Once, pause, thrice, long pause, twice.

"Okay? Is there something I should know about that?"

Another singular shake.

"Something you think I should slash don't know?"

There was a pause before the shake came. This time it was close to Mom.

She startled a little.

"Something about the knocking you want me to ask Mom? Presumably because you can't tell me with my limitations?"

Another shake from behind me.

"Thoughts Mom?"

She tossed some leaves in the pot and tapped its side to start the boiling and brewing process. Then she turned to me. "I don't know what to tell you. What do you know about it already?"

"Nothing. I hear it a lot in here and once at the museum."

Mom tilted her head and sighed, "It's…like a code. Something of a Hearth secret. Well…not really a Hearth one. From what I know, it started with Malcarg and Jantres. They used it to signify secrets or when they needed to talk. Nowadays it means something like, 'there's something important you or I don't know.' That's how Mother described it to me and Ruby anyway. It wasn't something we used often."

"That explains the look Jarec gave me when he used it to ask the Tower something."

"It's really more trivia than a practical thing. How was I supposed to know it was related to Dragon Tower? I don't even remember Great-Gran."

"And yet you named me after her."

"Yes. You could have been Solana or Norina, be grateful."

"Someone tried to make fun of me for how I spell it once."

"I remember that call. Victor just emailed the school a picture of your birth certificate." She giggled.

Then something occurred to me. "So…the knock is related to Malcarg and Jantres, huh. That's…interesting."

"I see gears spinning. Talk to me."

"It's just… I don't know if means anything but…the Echoes and Death's Echo glow the same color."

Mom's face scrunched up in confusion. "That's…something."

"Right?"

"That would mean these Echoes are Jantres' doing. But I was always told Dragon Tower was mostly Malcarg's work."

"So it's a little weird?"

"Serafina, sweetie, everything about Dragon Tower is a lot weird."

I…couldn't really argue with her on that.

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