I smoothed my hair down and dusted off the wrinkled bustle of my skirt, discovering that I was covered in yellow rose petals.
“Well,” said Xavier, “I suppose I didn’t need to help you up. You rose all by yourself.”
Large, peach-colored begonias bloomed in the tangled curls of my hair. One by one, I tore them out and tossed them to the floor.
Begonias, I thought. A warning of evil to come.
“Yes. Any emotion fuels one’s power. If a magician does not honor a feeling, their magic can get too strong. The stronger the magic, the harder it is to control.”
Every time a tear fell, plants bloomed up from between the floorboards. Before long, I was kneeling in a carpet of flowers.
Artemisia—I miss you.
Marigolds—I grieve for you.
Purple hyacinths—I’m so sorry.