9. Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
Celestine lived in a cave on the other side of the gardens.
Like most of the Owl Fae I knew, she noticed more than others. Mother said she saw our future and warned her of coming events. Father didn’t talk about her much, calling her a trivial hag. I’d only spoken with her twice and couldn’t decide if her power was actually the gift of sight.
Once was when I was five and needed help finding a lost dagger I’d taken from father’s desk that I’d dropped in the Hallowstags. No one knew I sought her out, and she didn’t give me any clear answers where I dropped it.
The second time was after a long day in court with my parents.
We listened to the complaints of the people and delegated the help they needed.
It was dreadfully boring since I wasn’t allowed to actually help.
I was twenty and already had a few powers at my disposal.
I wanted to be with the people, get my hands dirty, and actually make a difference.
So, I walked through this very same cave. The bare stone walls were cool then as they were now as I trailed my fingers along them.
I asked for information about my future. If I’d be happy and get a chance to make a real difference.
The Owl Fae shifted her head and grinned. I knew the look. She admired my straight to the point question but couldn’t give me a direct response and didn’t answer.
This time, I wasn’t sure what questions or help I needed. But the feelings I experienced connecting with my core last night concerned me.
Whether mother was right about her being a seer, or father knew better, I stepped into the foggy forest at the end of the tunnel.
At Celestine’s home, it was always nighttime. No matter what it actually was outside. A black kettle whistled near the edge of the roaring campfire.
A figure stepped into the orange glow and gripped the handle of the kettle. “Princess Sapphira. Please, do come closer.”
Celestine pulled the gray hood of her cloak down and watched me sit on the grass opposite of her.
“I’ve made tea. Your favorite.” The Owl Fae’s big eyes watched me hold out my hands for the handmade clay cup.
“Thank you.” My favorite was black tea with a hint of passionfruit and bergamot from the human realm.
I took a cautious sip. Did she know I was going to come and somehow got the tea from the other realm, planning for this moment?
“I knew you’d come for a long time. I grabbed this tea, oh, about five years ago during my visit to the Redwood Forest.”
The tea warmed my belly, and I sighed into the cup.
“Have you been?”
I shook my head.
She poured herself a cup and sat gently on the grass. The fire’s light dancing across her pale face. “Oh, it’s lovely dear. I would absolutely recommend it. Although, I don’t know if you’ll have the time for at least thirty years. So, no matter. Now, let’s talk about your feelings.”
There was a lot to process in her words. What did she mean wouldn’t have time for thirty years to visit a human forest that wasn’t too far from our portal?
Focus Sapphira. You came here for a reason.
I shook my head and sipped from the cup before speaking.
“I was connecting to my core and listening to any nudges from my intuition. At first, the feelings were good. Warm, perhaps being with a lover or mate. Then…” I shivered as phantom chills rolled from my fingers, up my arms, and shot around my body.
“I got cold, and I don’t know how to explain it.
” I lifted my hand to my throat. “It was like the cold tried to choke me.”
“Silence you.” Celestine tilted her head to the side.
“Perhaps.” My throat clogged thinking about it. I drank more tea, and the warm liquid soothed the stuck hesitation.
Celestine set her tea on the ground and lowered her head. “My dear, much is changing and this is only the beginning.”
I could feel it in my bones but didn’t know what to do about it.
“Can you, um, give me anything that can help? I want to do something or at least be prepared.”
Time for this seer to show me what she was made of. The last two times didn’t help me. I hoped this was different.
“Do you know what the hero’s journey is?”
I’ve read enough books from the library and even saw a few films in the human realm to understand this concept. I hopefully nodded.
“The hero carries on with life until their world changes and they cannot deny it further. They fight and battle on toward their destination. This journey evolves them, morphs them into the true hero.”
Yes, I knew this. What was she telling me this for, though?
“It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey,” she continued, thoughtfully. “If I were to tell you what the destination is and how to navigate it, then you would not experience the growth needed to survive your fate.”
My thoughts quieted, and my body froze. I absorbed her words and tried to make sense of them.
“You’re saying you can’t tell me because it would mess up my journey? But what if it’s dangerous, or someone gets hurt?” I jumped to my feet and narrowed my eyes at the “seer.”
“You can’t bypass pain, my dear,” she said softly. “It’s a part of the journey. If you know everything that’s to come, you won’t make the hero’s journey, and all hope will be lost.”
I did not like the sound of that.
I paced in front of the fire. “Can’t you give me anything? A small hope? A hint?”
“I suppose a few details wouldn’t change the course fate has chosen for you,” Celestine mused and I stilled.
A small creature walked into view from behind Celestine’s cloaked body. It moved like a kitten, but it wasn’t one. The tiny head titled to the side, wide eyes watched, and wings spread as it arched its back and stretched.
“Mehoo.” It squeaked and I waited while she pet the owlkitten’s head.
“The waterfall you love so much has a cave behind it,” she murmured. “It leads to the Hallowstags. At one point, you will find this cave useful.”
“A cave.” I said the words slowly. This was some great detail to help me on this potentially painful path?
“Yes. When the time comes to hunt a creature in the dark, show no fear.”
Um… all right. Was that it?
“One more thing before you go, my dear. You are about to be put to the test. Who you are and who you will become and the lengths you will choose to get there. There’s no way around it.
So, whenever you are faced with a decision that must be made, ask yourself which answer makes you the person you wish to be.
” Celestine scooped up her cat and a wind brushed past me, barreling into the tunnel.
“Thanks,” I whispered, knowing I wasn’t going to get any more from her.
My chest ached, and my muscles tensed with each step.
I came looking for answers and advice. And I got some, but they weren’t what I was expecting and definitely not the ones I wanted to hear.
Metal clanging against each other caught my attention as I exited the tunnel and froze expecting a battle ahead.
My mouth dropped when I saw the five men with swords taking turns attacking a shirtless man in the training area. They lunged and swiped for the warrior in the middle of their circle, but no blade landed.
I sucked in a breath, and a pair of icy blue eyes shot in my direction.