51. Chapter Fifty-One
51
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
ELODIE
T he fire in Arden’s room burned hot as he ushered us into the circular chamber. I eyed the flames leaping in the grate, my notice falling again on the books sat within the flame-hardened bricks. I inhaled softly the sweet smell of incense that infused the air, moving towards the collection of armchairs grouped around a round table loaded with food.
I chose my seat wisely this this; a wide, green, velvet seat that sagged as I sat, the memory of yesterday’s attack still lingered in my body despite my magikal attempts at healing—and my time in the pool. Alouette followed, dropping into a teal chair covered in bright florals that was stuffed so tight she barely made a dent in it.
“You look much better today, Elodie,” Arden began as I settled back, quietly happy I had remembered to choose a softer seat. He took the same armchair he sat in last time I was here. A mustard, brocade, smoking jacket was belted at his waist, and emerald pinstripe trousers made his long legs look even more elongated. “The Fyria caves seems to have worked their magik.”
My face flared red as thoughts of my time with Kaius bombarded me, and I mumbled out a quiet ‘yes’. At the same time, a snort of laughter flew from Alouette’s mouth. I shot her a look that I hoped translated as ‘I’ll fight you later’ before my eyes flicked back to Arden. I didn’t miss his small smile before he closed his lips over his pipe.
“Food first, then we can pick up where we left off yesterday.” He gestured at the food spread between us. Leaning forward gratefully, I picked up a pastry covered in melted cheese. My stomach groaned as I took a bite.
We ate in a companiable silence, the only sound the occasional pop of the fire, and the subtle ruffle of feathers from somewhere high above. Despite my continuous glances upwards, I saw no sign of anything.
The cages that lined the walls slowly twisted as they hung empty from their hooks. I eyed the numerous paintings and photos depicting various species of birds, wondering if we were alone.
Arden continued to pull on his pipe. Swirls of smoke bloomed around us until it grew thin as he burned through the herbs it contained. I placed my empty cup back onto the table, stomach comfortably full of bread and cheese, when Arden spoke.
“Let’s start with, moving forward, I will be approaching all future ventures into your power and background under the assumption that you, Elodie, are indeed a full-blooded Fae. Do you have any exceptions to that?”
Shaking my head, I pushed away the ridiculous part of me that was still trying to deny the truth that my eyes were now open to.
“I think we should start with trying to figure out where your affinity lies. That will give us the best starting point as to how you have ended up in your particular circumstances.”
“What if I don’t have one?” I half whispered, afraid I didn’t belong in this world that I hadn’t wanted anything to do with not so long ago.
“You will. All Fae hold an affinity to one of the kingdoms. It’s why the borders were constructed in the first place, though those lines are pointless if you ask me. The connection to the land of your kingdom is something deep within you; few leave the one they are born to, though there are some exceptions.” He smiled at Alouette, tilting his head slightly towards her. “While your power level will remain consistent in whichever kingdom you find yourself, you will most likely find that the very land you come from is the one that allows your magik to flourish.”
My thoughts spun with the words flowing from him. There was no way I could retain all this. The familiar sound of my bracelets clinking together as I toyed with them helped me to focus, as I breathed in discrete lungfuls of the sweet smoke curling from the fire.
“What is it that’s worrying you about finding out?”
“If it’s not here, will I have to leave?” It was hard to admit that the thought of being sent away terrified me, but I knew within myself my magik didn’t come from this hot, fiery land. Arden’s fingers templed under his chin as he watched me carefully before he spoke.
“I would have thought you’d jump at the chance to leave here?” He raised an eyebrow as I stared blankly at him with no right way to answer. Instead, a knot of fear formed in my stomach as I pictured myself cast from the palace—wholly alone in a world that made no sense.
“I’m afraid I cannot speak for the whims of the Prince, though I do not think he would find it easy to send you away.”
“Arden’s right, you’re not going anywhere, Elodie.” I turned to Alouette, meeting her pale eyes that blazed with a certainty I had no idea if I should be confident in. I appreciated it anyway.
Bastian didn’t care for me. I was only here because they wanted something, and if I couldn’t do what he wanted, I doubted he would keep me around.
“What can you do with your magik? How did you use it in the mortal realm? Was there anything you seemed to lean towards?”
There it was again— mortal realm . A log shifted in the fire, and the flames leapt higher, dragging my eyes from the sparks as I answered.
“I used it for the wards around my house mostly. Or to add a little sparkle to the gemstone I was cutting. Maybe there were some herbs that weren’t doing too good, I could give them a little boost if needed.” I shrugged at him, aware of how unimpressive my magik use was.
“There was no sway to your magik, no direction you felt it went in that felt stronger? That when you leant into it, it just felt right?”
“No.” I frowned in thought. “It just felt like another layer to me, something there, but like I never had a full grasp on it, or even a way to get a grasp on it.” I had never paid much attention to how muted my magik had felt. I hadn’t even known it could feel any other way.
“And now?”
“Now? Now it’s in every piece of me, like a living thing inside me that feeds off my every thought and emotion.” That knows what I need before even I do . “I still don’t know how to control it, but I can feel it all.”
Now it was a rush, a flood. A brightness that sang within me. Like I had been looking through a veil. My first steps through the wards to this place had sliced a line clean through, and I was just starting to peek my head through to see the world in all its colours.
Arden’s pipe was again in his hand, his fingers running over the smooth bowl as he looked at me thoughtfully.
“The only way to guarantee we accurately assess your affinity is to... how can I put it... get a taste for your magik.”
“A taste?” Arden nodded, and my face scrunched in confusion. “So, you’re what… going to eat my magik?”
“No,” he said, a soft laugh following. “You’ll need to allow me to get a grip on your magik so that I can assess which direction it takes.”
“How?”
“Like before when we used the ergeia cognitio, you will feed your magik through me, instead. I cannot hold the power you contain, so it will pass through me quickly, and you must try your hardest to allow it to flow freely.”
“I just give you my magik?”
“Give, no. Your magik is too strong for me to hold onto. As fast as you send it to me, it will leave, which is why you need to keep the flow steady until I can determine which affinity it belongs to. I imagine it will be an uncomfortable experience for us both.”
My fingers gripped the fabric of my dress, the idea of allowing someone else a feel of my magik, no matter how brief, was something I instinctively rebelled against. I knew this would be a step forward in my journey to answers, that I had to trust that Arden was only doing this to help me, but it didn’t help the swirl of unease in my stomach. I glanced at Alouette, her lithe frame relaxed in the chair, but her fingers dug indents into the floral-covered arms.
Pulling my power to the surface, it raced under my skin. I guided it towards my fingertips, nodding slowly at Arden as he placed his pipe down on the table. Leaning forward, he smiled encouragingly as I released a long breath, fighting against the desire to bury my magik deep within me where no one could touch it.
Before I could second-guess more than I already was, I turned my palm over and pushed energy outwards—hoping I was directing it at the man in front of me.
Probably should of checked he was ready. Too late now.
My other hand curled in my lap as the rush of magik swept down my arm, fingers vibrating with the force of energy that was flowing through them. As it slammed into Arden, I hesitated at the resistance it fell upon as it demanded a way into him. Trailing over him, seeking out its opening.
A soft grunt left Arden as he flinched, eyes closed, and a grimace pulled at his mouth. His body tensed from the press of my magik until the strained set to his muscles released, and his body jerked with the sudden onslaught of power as he lowered his guard enough to allow my energy to flood him. He’d been right, for as quick as I was releasing my magik, it was flowing through him and leaking into the room, the air charged with its influence. It didn’t help stop the fear that I was somehow giving away my power. I felt it slipping past his own magik, which made futile attempts to slow its progress—to hold on just that little bit longer.
“You need to relax. I am not a threat, Elodie.” His hands were fisted on his knees, shoulders tense and I could see his eyes flicking back and forth behind closed lids.
I took a deep breath, allowing my magik to continue its journey through Arden’s own power. The feeling foreign as I struggled to convince it to flow away from me. The harder I forced it, the more it rebelled. Pushing my magik away felt wrong; a part of me was ready to spiral into a panic that it would never return. I looked to Alouette in a desperate bid for a way to do this.
“How else did you use your magik?” she asked, her calm voice a balm over my panicked thoughts. I directed my focus on her. Her pale green eyes were trained on me, red hair plaited over one shoulder and clashing boldly with her choice of seating.
“I don’t know, I just used it. I wasn’t walking around shooting magik at things, just sometimes it would come in handy.”
“In what ways?” she urged.
The vibration in my hands began to travel up my arms, as I struggled to put into words how magik was weaved into my life. Hundreds of situations flickered through my mind. The way I would know exactly the right time to harvest whatever herbs Nanna was after, always finding them when they were in full bloom. How I would know when yet another weary soul would turn up at Nanna’s house, looking for a warm bed and some hot tea. I had never lost a game of hide and seek as a child; there was nowhere anyone could hide from me. I would find them. How every tarot read I ever did would be true to my life.
The countless deaths I had to bear witness to.
“Keep going, Elodie,” Arden murmured, brow creased in concentration as sweat beaded on his temple with his eyes shut tight. Whether he meant with my magik or the memories that I was sorting through, I didn’t know.
In what ways did I use my magik?
That time I found the lost little boy, reuniting him with his mother who held me just as tightly as she held him before Nanna dragged me home, and we didn’t leave for a week. The dreams that would steal my energy and dance on the edge of my conscience, teasing me with their knowledge. There were other memories, things I felt I should remember, but as they came up, tangled in the web of the others, they halted and fizzled away. I couldn’t afford to risk the control of my magik to chase after them. Briar’s words floated through my mind, and I opened my mouth to answer but came up short.
“What were you about to say?” Alouette pressed, watching my face closely.
“It’s nothing really, just something Briar would say.” The words were almost pants as I split my focus.
“What did she say?” Her eyes flicked to Arden, narrowing in concern before returning to mine, all trace of unease gone. I swallowed past the uncomfortable sensation of my magik leaching from my body, turning towards Arden, his face twisting in a grimace.
“She said I was a?—”
Ardens eyes flew wide. “Seer.”