Chapter 31
Damien walked Evelyn up to her room while Leo, King Tristan, and the lords continued their betrothal planning meeting. Evelyn slipped through her door while Damien paused to speak with her guards.
“No one enters her room today,” he ordered. “Including the kings.”
“We can’t—” Simon began.
“I’m not asking you to draw your sword against Alexander. Make something up if he or King Tristan want to see her. Tell them it’s coming out of both ends and the princess needs privacy.”
“Fuck you, Damien,” Evelyn shouted.
Damien ignored her and focused on Rory. “She isn’t a prisoner. She can go wherever she wants, as long as you’re with her. But no one can be in her room today. Can you handle that?”
“Yes, sir,” Rory agreed.
Damien looked at Evelyn. “Keep quiet.”
Once he closed the door, Evelyn fell onto her bed and screamed into a pillow.
“I will do anything to make it up to you.” “I can’t lose you, Princess.” “I will always want to be with you.”
All. Fucking. Lies.
And I fell for it. Again. Leo was never going to pick me.
She cried until her whole body ached.
Simon knocked on her door a while later. “You have mail, Princess. A package arrived for you.”
Evelyn forced herself to get up and open the door. Her guard held a box wrapped in gold paper. Evelyn Connolly was handwritten on top, with Gryon Palace underneath.
“Who is it from?” she asked.
“It arrived on a messenger ship from Lochmatten.”
Haydn?
Evelyn took the package and retreated into her room. She ripped the gold paper off and unsealed it. Inside sat a book and a flatter, square wooden box. She picked up the book first.
Channeling Energy Magic by Engelbert Dreher.
Is this a spell book?
Evelyn found an inscription inside the front cover: Let’s see what you can do, Princess. -H
She traded the book for the wooden box. It opened on hinges to reveal a necklace and a note: This belongs to you. I had a hell of a time getting it. Wear it but don’t show anyone. Also, don’t open it or you will release the magic. -H
She flipped the note over. P.S. I miss you. Let me know when you tire of the kingdoms.
Evelyn’s stomach lurched and she set the note down.
Now. I want to leave now.
Leo doesn’t want me, but Haydn does. Haydn has secrets, but he’s not lying to my face. He’s not kissing me and then scheming with lords to marry my sister.
Hannah can stay here, and I could go to Lochmatten. I don’t want to be a queen, and she does.
Haydn promised me magic and equality and…
Evelyn thought about the vision he showed her of life in Lochmatten.
Happiness?
She held up the necklace, which could open like a locket. It was made of clear glass, with nothing visible inside. The thin gold chain was long enough to hide the locket below the neckline of a dress.
Haydn said there’s magic inside. Is it enchanted? Will I be under his spell or something?
The memory of Leo agreeing to propose to Hannah filled her mind again.
“Fuck it.”
Evelyn put the necklace over her head. The locket started glowing. She lifted the chain and saw gold light inside the glass with a halo of red.
It’s like a jeweler caged the sun.
Evelyn’s heart raced, not knowing if the locket was powerful or dangerous or just pretty. She picked up the note again: This belongs to you. I had a hell of a time getting it.
That’s odd phrasing, isn’t it? “This belongs to you,” not “This is for you.”
The locket stopped glowing, like it had wanted to show off before going back to sleep. Evelyn tucked it into her dress.
Haydn can’t hurt me. Well, he used magic I don’t understand and can’t verify to promise not to hurt me. That’s close enough. So, in theory, the necklace isn’t dangerous. But what is it? And where did he get it?
Evelyn grabbed the book again.
“Why did he send me a book about magic I don’t have?” Evelyn whispered, as if the book would respond. When it didn’t, she flipped to the table of contents.
Preface by the Author
Chapter 1: Accessing Magic
Chapter 2: Summoning Magic
Chapter 3: Forming Energy
Chapter 4: Moving Energy
Chapter 5: Expanding Energy
Chapter 6: Focusing Energy for a Task
Chapter 7: Defensive Use of Energy
Chapter 8: Offensive Use of Energy
She skipped to chapter three.
Once you have mastered the act of physically accessing magic, the next step is to channel Energy specifically.
To summon Energy, you must be aware of your own life force.
Not just your magic but your soul. You must literally and metaphorically feel your heartbeat.
Energy is a combination of magical ability and personal spirit.
If you are experiencing stress, it may be necessary to physically calm yourself before attempting to summon Energy.
Once you feel ready, you will draw out your magic and infuse your spirit.
Think of it as adding a lemon wedge to water to enhance the flavor.
The water and the lemon begin as separate elements but combine to create something new.
Evelyn read the section twice.
Can I do that? Can I summon Energy, not just Fire? Haydn seems to think I can.
Evelyn scanned her quiet room and decided she didn’t have anything better to do.
But the book had warned her she needed to be calm, and that was absolutely not how she was feeling.
She opened a window to let in a breeze and the sound of the ocean.
Then she took a bottle of lavender-scented shampoo from the bathroom.
Evelyn sat on the floor under the window and leaned against the wall.
She spent ten minutes with her eyes closed, listening to the waves and smelling lavender from the open bottle beside her.
I should probably do this more often. I do actually feel better.
Evelyn remembered the vision where Haydn formed a sphere of golden light.
I’m not sure if that was Energy or something completely different, but at least it’s a starting point.
She pressed her palms together like Haydn had, then poured magic into her fingers.
Her hands heated, expecting to create flames, but she tamped down the Fire part of the magic.
She tried to focus more on the feeling of lesser magic, like closing a door without touching it.
Eventually, she could feel non-Fire magic at her fingertips.
Next, she was supposed to add her spirit.
What had the book said? “You must literally and metaphorically feel your heartbeat.”
Evelyn focused inward for her pulse. Then she imagined standing in the ocean and the feeling of water rushing over her ankles. The locket glowed warmly against her chest.
Maybe that’s a good sign?
Evelyn closed her eyes and put it all together.
Magic. Pulse. Waves.
A bubbling sensation crept through her hands, like her fingers were full of sparkling wine.
Magic. Pulse. Waves.
The locket grew warmer on her skin and the effervescence spread up her arms.
Evelyn pulled her fingers apart very slowly, a hair’s breadth at a time. A weight formed between her palms, like the actual air was heavier.
Something’s happening!
Evelyn risked opening her eyes when her hands were about four inches apart.
A ball of light hovered there, about the size of a large grape.
The light was bright red, with a golden corona, the opposite pattern of what was in her locket.
Evelyn gasped, which made the light flicker. She refocused and stared at the light.
Is this Energy? Did I really do it?
Evelyn smiled at the ball of light like it was a baby in her arms.
“Hi!” she whispered, feeling silly.
The light brightened briefly in response and her eyes went wide.
This is real. This is mine.
Evelyn admired the light for a few more minutes before she began to feel fatigued. She wasn’t used to using her magic this way, and it was like exercising a new muscle. The ball of light faded away and her body relaxed.
“Holy shit!” Evelyn yelled.
There was an immediate knock on her door.
“Your Highness? Are you okay?” Rory asked.
“I’m fine!” Evelyn called out. “Sorry!”
Her attention caught on the small, heart-shaped tattoo on her wrist.
“Holy shit,” she whispered.
How did I do that? The only significant magic I should have is Fire. I can’t create an Auditory illusion like Damien just because I want to. Yet, I can form Energy? That shouldn’t be possible. But I did it!
Evelyn flipped to the front of the book.
Preface:
Channeling Energy is a specialized form of magic, like shapeshifting or controlling the elements.
This ability has only been reported among limited fae of the Commonwealth of Lochmatten, but the author cannot claim that the skill would be impossible for fae of other regions.
It is the opinion of the author, however, that the use of Energy magic should be monitored by local leadership (Councilors, Kings, Governors, etc.).
Energy magic has the potential to be as destructive as it is advantageous.
With enough power in the right hands, Energy can restore a forest after a wildfire, delay death until a Healer arrives, or shield an entire community from an attack.
In the wrong hands, Energy may be a blitz upon the land and its people.
The author wrote this book with the assumption that the reader will use their magic to save lives, not end them.