Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
The magic had contaminated more of the earth than I expected, but our power was slowly eradicating that dark spot, showers of green and pink and golden sparks flecking through the oily magic.
Do you have more to give? I asked Rowan.
In response, he opened himself, and I did the same.
Power bled from my body like a broken swimming pool, flooding the area with light. Rowan gripped me tightly, funneling and weaving his magic with my own. Slowly but surely, the darkness gave way to our power, breaking up the blackness one chip at a time.
We’d almost finished when a presence made itself known. Stifling, monstrous, omnipotent power saturated the area.
Rowan froze. Evie?
I feel it.
DAUGHTER AND SON OF MY WORLD, DARKNESS HAS COME TO THESE LANDS.
Holy fucking shit, Rowan whispered through the link.
My fingers tightened on his arm. Mother Earth. Let me do the talking. Be subservient.
I’m a bear.
As best you can if you don’t want to get smashed into smithereens.
Mother Earth sounds kinda mean.
I CAN HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS IN THIS PLACE.
Oops.
What is this? I asked.
ONE OF MY SISTERS. SHE IS ANGRY AT YOUR ASCENSION.
Of course she is. Can you tell me which one?
THAT IS AGAINST THE RULES.
Rules? Rowan asked.
I elbowed him.
YES, CHILD. THERE ARE RULES TO OUR GAMES.
And no one ever breaks them?
ONLY IF THEY DON’T GET CAUGHT.
Will you get caught if you tell me who did this?
THEY ARE WATCHING.
Underground? Who is they?
Amusement sparkled in the air. CLEVER GIRL. REMEMBER MY WORDS. MY SISTERS ARE ANGRY. BEWARE THEIR FURY.
I don’t understand why you’re telling me this. I don’t have a tenth of the power you do.
Surprise surrounded us, there and gone in a heartbeat. THE MAGIC IS DEADLY TO ME. MY SISTERS KNOW ME WELL.
They strike at me through you. I frowned. Your sisters don’t sound very nice.
Are you sure they’re striking at Evie?
YOU DOUBT ME, SON OF MY LANDS?
No, Rowan assured her. But I prefer facts over opinion.
I resisted the urge to pinch him for being sassy to Mother Earth.
PERHAPS THEY STRIKE AT BOTH OF US. SHE IS MY DAUGHTER AND IS TIED TO THE LAND AS MUCH AS ME OR YOU. BUT HER BLOOD IS PURE.
Pure? I echoed. You cannot sense the otherness inside of me?
She laughed, the sound not the gentle tinkling of bells one would think when dealing with an earth goddess. No, this was the booming sound of a hundred hurricanes, the shriek of tornadoes, and the howl of a thousand wolves.
While I was delighted to amuse Mother Earth, I hoped I’d never hear her laugh again.
WE ARE MORE THAN OUR BLOOD, DAUGHTER. YOU HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT STEWARD OF MY LAND, AND YOUR MAGIC HAS ONLY BENEFITED FROM YOUR MIXED BLOOD. YOUR BEAST IS NO CURSE, EVIE. IT IS A BLESSING, ONE THAT WILL brING GREATNESS TO YOUR FUTURE LINE. PERHAPS ONE DAY YOU WILL SEE THAT.
The day that happened was probably far off. Accepting and learning my magic was all I had the mental capacity to do for now.
Maybe, I said because you didn’t leave a goddess hanging.
I SEE THINGS, DAUGHTER. YOU WILL, TOO. SEE WHAT THEY DO TO OUR LANDS. SEE AND HEAL.
I don’t know how. I’m one Floromancer. How many places like this are there?
YOU ARE THE FLOROMANCER. YOU ARE THE QUEEN OF OUR PEOPLE. THE FAE QUEEN DOES NOT DOUBT HER POWER.
A pause.
MY SON STANDS NEXT TO YOU WHEN THE OTHER YOU ONCE COVETED STAYS AWAY. THINK ON THIS, EVIE. YOUR MAGICS PLAY.
Rowan’s amusement was palpable.
HE WILL HELP YOU. SEE, EVIE. SEE, ROWAN. SEE AND HEAL.
That undefinable, massive presence rolled over us. Pressure built inside my chest, right at the spot where—
Oh shit. Rowan. Hold on tight. Do NOT let go.
The Lord did not question the urgency in my voice, only tightened his grip and held on.
Mother Earth’s thunderous laughter followed us as we hurtled through the universe.