Seven
The following morning, I was filled with anticipation as I made my way downstairs. Even though I hadn’t been able to tap into my powers yesterday, today was a new day, which offered endless possibilities.
Possibilities that I will succeed, not fail, I thought to myself as I accepted my coffee from Killian and headed to the patio.
I felt a pang of disappointment when I didn’t find Gray outside, but I quickly shook it off—the lord didn’t need to be present for this part as he couldn’t truly help me until I gained access to my magic.
Settling into the wicker sofa, I closed my eyes and pictured the well from my painting.
I then pictured myself beside it. In my mind’s eye, I looked as I did in real life, dressed in a long floral dress with a high waist trimmed with a green satin ribbon.
My hair was pulled back into a low chignon, exposing the scoop neckline and short puffy sleeves.
I placed my hands on the ledge of the well in my imagination, feeling the cool, moss-covered stone underneath.
I peered into the well, traveling down until I reached the still water of my magic on the bottom.
The surface was frosted over as I was freezing in the real world.
“Should have brought a blanket,” I murmured to myself, still with my eyes closed. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms for warmth, desperately trying not to lose my concentration. “Embrace it. It is a part of you. A gift. My legacy,” I chanted the words Gray had spoken to me the previous day.
Hovering over the water in the well, I reached down to touch it. A bite of cold greeted my fingers. The icy layer wasn’t thick, though; it appeared thin and delicate like sugar glass on fancy cakes we served for special occasions at the palace. Maybe I could break through.
Soft weight settled around my shoulders, wresting me out of the well. When my eyes snapped open, and I looked up, Gray’s silver gaze was fastened on me.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, his hands hovering over my shoulders where he had draped the gray blanket from the library. “When I saw you were out here, I knew you would get cold, so I brought the blanket.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at him, wrapping the covering more tightly around me. One side of his mouth turned up in response. Taking that as a good sign, I gestured to the space beside me on the sofa. “Will you join me?”
Gray’s half-smile fell as his gaze darted to his usual chair. While he was trying to decide whether to accept my offer, I quickly took in his white shirt, deep-blue vest, and matching jacket.
“I have a few meetings in town today, so I won’t be able to stay long,” the lord said as he finally sat down on the sofa next to me. His words explained his more formal attire. “But there isn’t much I can help you with anyway.”
“Not until I unlock my magic.” I finished his thought.
He pressed his lips together and nodded. “Any improvement on that front?”
I shook my head. “I worked on my well last night after Thea and I had returned from Arwyn, but to no avail.”
“That’s right. She told me that you accompanied her on her scouting trip for help for the upcoming ball.”
“She’s very excited about it.”
“I wish I shared in her excitement. Have you tried working on your well this morning?”
“I have, but the water in my well is frosted over.”
“I see.” His gaze softened before it slid to the gardens behind me.
“Would you like to take a stroll?” He rose from the sofa and extended his hand to me.
I hesitated. The lord had already agreed to sit by me, and now he wanted to touch me?
Carefully, I reached out and placed my hand in his, feeling like I was trying not to spook a wild animal.
Gray helped me to my feet but didn’t immediately let go.
“Your hand is freezing! Do you want to go inside?” He wrapped both hands around mine to warm it up.
“I’m okay,” I mumbled, taken aback by the gesture. “The blanket is helping to ward off the chill.”
When Gray realized that he was still holding my hand, he frowned and released it. “Are you sure?” he asked as he stepped away to put more distance between us.
“I am.” I took the lead and descended the steps to the gardens. The worn walking path was easy to spot, and I started down it at a leisurely pace. “Do you remember when your powers first manifested?” I asked Gray when he fell in step next to me.
“Of course I do. I had just turned eighteen a few days prior. I felt a thump in my chest, like a second heartbeat. The feeling startled me at first, but only for a moment, then a sense of completeness settled over me. As if I used to miss a vital part of me, and then I was finally whole.” I glanced at him; at the expression of wonder and awe that was etched into his features.
“I was with Tom when it happened. We were exploring the woods close to my house, doing the usual reckless boy stuff.”
“Your adviser doesn’t like me,” I remarked.
“He doesn’t like anyone,” Gray said nonchalantly. “I’m sorry he has been disrespectful, though. I’ll have a talk with him, but knowing Tom, I doubt that will make much of a difference.”
“Thea said he’s very invested in your career and thinks I’m a distraction.”
“She’s right, and Tom is also right. My days are busy; it’s difficult to find time to work with you.”
My brows knitted. I didn’t want to pull the lord away from his duties, but my mission was bigger than his daily tasks. If the wards failed, there would no longer be a region to run, or a kingdom. I shuddered at the thought.
“You’re shivering. Are you cold? Do you want to head back to the house?” Gray asked me.
“No. It’s not from the cold. I just… I’m sorry for being an inconvenience. You have no idea how much I want to unlock my magic and get out of your hair.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Clearly, it is,” I grumbled and stomped away.
When he didn’t follow after me, I halted and retraced my steps. Gray was in the same spot I had left him. He was on his haunches, studying something in front of him on the ground.
“What is it?” I bent down to take a closer look at the small animal with a cone-shaped face, short legs, and a coat of stiff, sharp quills. “A hedgehog… What is it doing out during the day?”
“I think it’s unwell because of the cold.”
My heart squeezed, and I lowered to my knees next to the unmoving creature. I slid the blanket off my shoulders and held it out to Gray. Following my cue, he gently picked up the hedgehog and helped me wrap it in the cloth.
“Can you do anything for him or is it too late?” I cradled the bundle to my chest.
Emeraldians could heal not only land but also living creatures.
The job required powerful magic and a considerable amount of effort.
Those more proficient at it than others became veterinarians.
Very rarely did we use our abilities to heal people, still relying on traditional medicine for such a delicate task.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Gray said, rising to his full height. He clasped my shoulders and helped me up to my feet. “But first, we need to get you two inside.”
I nodded, barely feeling the cold on my skin. It was nothing compared to the chill inside my heart. Seeing an animal suffering because of the changing weather was more than unsettling.
We quickly returned to the house, where Killian instantly came to our aid. He confirmed that the hedgehog was male, and repurposed one of the wooden crates he had in the pantry into a nest box for the animal.
“Keep him swaddled in the blanket for warmth. I’ll collect some insects for him to eat when he comes to,” the butler told us before he left the kitchen.
“He’s very knowledgeable,” I observed after the door had closed behind him.
“He is,” Gray concurred. “May I?”
He gingerly placed his hand on the bundle in my arms, and a moment later, his powers began flowing into the hedgehog. He healed the animal for a few short minutes, and by the time he was done, the creature began to stir.
“Thank the Stars!” I exhaled with relief, quickly looking up at the ceiling. “Thank you,” I told Gray, lowering my gaze back down to meet his. “Are you all right? I’ve heard that healing animals is quite taxing.”
“It is, but that’s why I used only a fraction of my powers. This little guy still has a long road ahead of him before he’s fully rehabilitated.”
I looked down at the hedgehog. “He needs a name if he’ll be staying with us for a while.”
“I agree. Any suggestions?” Gray asked, with curiosity in his voice.
“How about 'Prickles’?”
He chuckled. “No, it must be more dignified. How about ‘Quilliam’?”
A smile tugged at my lips despite the circumstances. “‘Quilliam’ it is.”
“Gray, what are you doing?!” Tom exclaimed as he burst into the kitchen. “We’re going to be late for your meeting! And where is Killian? He’s supposed to drive us!”
“There was an emergency,” the lord replied.
“What?” Tom’s gaze darted between Gray and me.
“We found this dying hedgehog.” I showed him the bundle.
The adviser’s face scrunched up in annoyance. “A hedgehog?! You’re not serious.”
“Tom,” Gray cut him off sternly.
“How can you be so callous?!” The words erupted out of me as if of their own accord. “Does this animal’s suffering not bother you? How can you not care about its pain when the connection to the land runs through your veins?”
Stunned silence filled the kitchen after my outburst, but Killian interrupted it when he returned.
“Finally!” Tom exclaimed, clearly set on ignoring me. “Killian, please tell me the carriage is ready.”
“It is. Here, Your Highness, some beetles and a few caterpillars for the hedgehog.” The butler deposited the glass jar with the insects on the counter.
“His name is Quilliam,” I said, glancing at Gray. I found him watching me with a strange expression.
“What a great name!” Killian smiled at me.
“Yes, yes, a great name, a great hedgehog. We have to go,” Tom muttered, losing his patience. He lingered in the kitchen after Killian had walked out.
“I’ll be right there,” Gray told him.
“But—”
The lord shot him a warning look.
“Ridiculous.” Another mutter under his breath as he stalked out.
“Are you all right?” Gray turned to me.
“I am, just worried about Quilliam.”
He studied me for a moment. “This isn’t just about the hedgehog, is it?”
It was about so much more than that, but I couldn’t disclose the truth.
“It’s one thing seeing the detrimental effects of the worsening weather on plants. Confirming that animals are also affected… It hit me hard.”
“It’s only temporary—the king said so himself. He doesn’t seem concerned.”
Tears gathered in my eyes as I swallowed, preparing to lie. “You’re right. My father has no doubts that we will recover quickly. I pray to the Stars every night for our swift recuperation. Hopefully soon I will be able to do more than pray.”
“You will,” Gray assured me before he left.