Page 57 of Unbound

He finds one page and hands it to me. “This is from a school social worker.” I scan the photocopied notes. The social worker specifically comments on how well-adjusted Claire seemed considering everything she’d been through.

“Been through?” Xavier asks.

“I’m going to use the word supposedly again,” Devon says. “Health issues.”

He pulls out another page. “She was constantly being taken to appointments. Bloodwork. Specialist visits. Testing.”

“Oh.”

The realization hits me immediately. “The Order hid her in plain sight.” Everyone looks at me. “They put her in regular schools, let her live what looked like a normal life, and kept testing her. Waiting for her powers to emerge.”

“Yeah,” Leo says. “There’s a ton of misinformation scattered through her medical history, but as far as Claire knows, she has some kind of autoimmune condition.”

“But there’s nothing medically wrong with her,” Devon adds. “It was an excuse to keep bringing her in for testing.”

“Okay.” I sit back, trying to put everything together. “The Order finds out sixteen-year-old Eudora Bellamy, descendant of a prominent magical bloodline, is being forced to give up her baby.” I glance around the room as I think aloud.

“They arrange for Marcus Henry to adopt Claire because they assume Eudora’s daughter will be powerful too.” My stomach twists.

“But they don’t realize Claire is only half witch.” And apparently, they don’t know half-blood witches develop differently.

Later. Slower.

“I know from personal experience they had no reliable way to teach someone to access powers that hadn’t manifested yet,” I say. “They needed me to show something first.”

A flash of memory hits me. Vivian’s classroom. White walls. Testing. Needles. My memories from that time are still muddy. Probably because I was drugged. Maybe partly because my brain decided forgetting was the easiest way to survive it.

“I mean, it makes sense,” Zeke reluctantly admits. “They take this kid expecting something powerful. Nothing happens. Eventually, they decide she’s a dud and give her back.”

The word makes my stomach turn.

“But why bother giving her back at all?” Mabel asks.

“Paper trail,” Antonio says.

I nod slowly. “Exactly. Killing her or making her disappear could’ve attracted attention. This way, Marcus surrenders custody, Claire enters the system, and nobody questions where she went.”

“And Marcus Henry’s hands stay clean,” Xavier adds.

Mabel looks between us. “So the Order thought she was a failed experiment.”

“Looks that way.”

“Then who’s after her now?” Zeke asks.

Silence falls over the room. Xavier is the one who finally answers.

“Someone familiar enough with witchcraft to understand that a half-blood’s powers might emerge later.”

My skin prickles. “Another witch?” I ask.

“Or a demon.”

The words send a chill down my spine.

“Speaking of demons,” Mabel says slowly, “is anybody else surprised nothing else has happened?”

Everyone turns toward her. She looks around.