A Vow Among Vipers

"Father, I can't bring myself to do it!" "You falter every time, Lydia. Do it now!" he snarls, and I shake even harder with fear while staring at the poor man with miserable eyes. He edges back from me, lifting his hands as if yielding. "Please, don't do this!" the poor man begs faintly. A tear slips down my cheek as I glance around at the other homeless witches and wizards on London's streets, all of them recoiling from the sight of me and my father. "I don't want to do this. I'm sorry." I choke out, and then my father's cane cracks across my back, dropping me sprawling onto the floor. "DO IT THIS SECOND OR YOU'LL PAY FOR IT! I haven't got all day, girl!" my father spits, and I stare up at him, shaking with fear. If I refuse, he'll kill me and Owen. I can't take that chance. I clasp the poor man's hands and feel his magic pour out of him and into my bloodstream. I shut my eyes while I do it because I can't bear to meet my newest victim in the eyes. "He's dead. Hand over the power!" My father jerks me toward him, and I release the poor man's corpse, watching it hit the ground. I stretch my hands out, and my father grabs them a little too tight as I feel the magic draining from me and passing into the pathetic excuse for a father in front of me. He lets go of me and balls his fists, soaking in all the power I handed him. My head begins to spin, and I try to stand, but within seconds I collapse back to the ground. Every month it's the same cursed thing. It leaves me weaker every time, and this, this felt worse than anything. "Get in the car." My father orders, and I try to stand again, my legs wobbling as I make my way to the car. I drop into the seat beside him, and he looks at me in disgust before ordering the driver to head home. "I remind you every month, Lydia. That power is the only reason I'm still alive, understood?"