Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy Book 3) Page B

Lynburn, that he—was, um, attached to both Anne and Elinor Lynburn. Could she have meant that?”
    Kami felt betrayed when her father and Lillian both gave her the same narrow-eyed doubtful look. Matthew Cooper, and Elinor and Anne Lynburn, had lived in the 1480s; Matthew and Anne had both died young.
    Ever since Amber had mentioned them, Kami had been sure there was something more to their story.
    â€œPerhaps,” Lillian said eventually. “Matthew was Anne’s source, and they both died. Elinor could have been using Anne’s magic: she didn’t die. She ruled in Aurimere for half a century. That’s proof that one sorcerer sharing another sorcerer’s magic will have no ill effects.”
    Kami was not surprised that suddenly her speculations about people long dead were “proof,” now that they might get Lillian something she wanted.
    â€œWe have to think about it,” Kami told Lillian.
    â€œThis may be our only hope,” said Lillian. “Don’t think too long.”
    Lillian turned and left, the baggy back of her cardigan seeming to sweep behind her like a cape.
    â€œI wasn’t kidding. Someone really has to talk to her about her motivational speaking,” said Dad. “She’s meant to be the town leader, isn’t she?”
    â€œShe’s the only adult sorcerer alive who isn’t strictly evil,” said Rusty. “So she wins the crown by default, I guess. Unless Henry wants it.”
    Kami supposed Henry was technically grown up, though he was only a couple of years older than Rusty.
    â€œYour town seems very nice,” said Henry, in the tones of one being very polite when offered a large unwanted present that was on fire. “But I only just got here. I don’t feel qualified to lead.”
    â€œOkay,” said Dad. “So she’s all we’ve got to work with, as Ash and Jared are both so extremely and tragically seventeen. Fine. So what we need to do now is get the town behind her. Worse politicians have been elected every day.”
    â€œI don’t think Lillian will be kissing any babies anytime soon,” Holly said doubtfully.
    â€œSince she probably hates babies. And kittens. And rainbows and sunshine,” said Angela, who sounded like she had a certain amount of sympathy for Lillian’s viewpoint.
    â€œI’m going to have a talk with her,” Jon said, and got up.
    â€œYou’re so brave, Mr. Glass,” Rusty told him soulfully. “You’re everything I aspire to be when I grow up, in like ten to twenty years.”
    â€œYou’ll never have my dashing good looks, Russell,” said Dad, and ruffled Rusty’s hair before he went out.
    Kami stood by the mantelpiece alone and watched everyone.
    Holly was whispering to Henry, while Angela and Rusty whispered to each other. Kami knew that Holly and Henry were both living at Angela and Rusty’s house, since Holly’s family were on Rob’s side and Henry was new to town, but she had not realized they were friends. She hoped for Angela’s sake that they were nothing more than friends. Angela liked Holly so much; Kami was hoping Holly would not get a boyfriend until Angela was over her and maybe liked someone else.
    Of course, Angela hardly ever liked anything or anyone, so that might take several years. Or a decade.
    Kami felt a note of comfort, in the midst of the steady distress Ash was projecting to her. She looked over to see Jared clasp the back of Ash’s neck. It would’ve been completely ordinary if it had been anyone else, but Jared did not touch people with casual affection often enough for this touch to be anything but noteworthy.
    â€œYou don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” said Jared, low enough so that Kami wasn’t sure if she was hearing it or understanding it through Ash. “Your mom’s not the boss of you.”
    Ash smiled, rueful and charming. “My