Chapter 17 #4
“The more chances someone’s magic power could be stolen,” Poppy said. “I get it. So it’s about protecting your powers.”
“That is indeed the case.” His father hung his head. “But I had wanted to stay and protect you. If I had been here, none of this would have happened.”
It was a bit late to say that now, Max thought, but then again, his father had appeared when he needed him most – and it sounded like he could get into quite a lot of trouble for it.
“I didn’t know I had any powers – or at least, powers like that – until today,” Max said.
“Like you said, they only awoke once I was in danger.” And so did my ability to shift, he thought.
But perhaps that was something he should talk over with his mother.
Though why is my shifter form a manticore? Hers definitely isn’t. “And it was…”
He didn’t want to say terrifying, although it definitely had been that. And he didn’t like the idea that all these years, he’d been essentially mind controlling people into forgetting him. If he’d known that, he never would have done it in the first place.
“They are very strong,” his father said softly. “As I said, our lineage is ancient, and our powers have only grown over the years. Even for fae who grew up using them, controlling their powers is very difficult. In order to use them responsibly, you will require many, many years of training.”
Surprise rippled through Max. “Wait – what training? Where exactly do you think I can go to get training? I don’t think the local community college offers courses in fae mind control.”
For a moment, his own surprise was echoed on his father’s face.
“Oh – I meant I would train you myself! In the fae realm! It’s really the only place it could be done, as you say.
But really, it would be dangerous for both yourself and for others if you weren’t to understand how to use these powers. The consequences could be dire!”
Well, that Max could believe. He’d barely been able to stop himself when he’d attacked the fae who’d been hurting Poppy. He never wanted to have to deal with that situation ever again.
But to leave here to go to the fae realm, for however long it takes to learn how to control myself?
That was also something he had no intention of doing.
Not after he’d only just found Poppy. And from the sounds of how things were in the fae realm, Max would never ask her to come with him even if he wanted to go.
The last thing he wanted was for her to have to spend years being subjected to what sounded like a bunch of haughty, arrogant fae who considered her – and probably him too – as some kind of lesser being.
“I won’t be doing that,” he said firmly. “That’s simply off the table.”
Next to him, he felt another wave of relief, but also concern, from Poppy. Obviously, she was relieved he wasn’t going anywhere, but his father was probably right that without the training, he’d be dangerous. He didn’t want to have powers he couldn’t control and didn’t understand.
“But, son –” his father began.
“I mean it,” Max said, looking him in the eye – and he truly did. “I’m not going anywhere that isn’t right here by Poppy’s side. And I’m not asking her to go to the fae realm. From what you say, it doesn’t exactly sound like a picnic.”
“Well… you would be correct there,” his father muttered under his breath.
“Find another solution,” Max said, folding his arms. He was being more forward than he normally would be, but he thought he deserved it.
All of this had come about from his father’s actions, after all, no matter his good intentions.
And, he had to admit, he himself had no clue about how to solve this problem.
All he knew was that he wanted the ability to mess with other people’s minds gone, even if it meant that he lost his ability to go unnoticed.
It was high time he grew up and started dealing with other people like a regular person, anyway, instead of hiding from the world.
If he’d been able to make himself invisible to Poppy, then none of this would’ve ever happened, and he would’ve continued on with his lonely existence.
The thought was too horrendous to contemplate.
No. He was going to face things head-on from now on. It didn’t mean that he had to become a social butterfly… but it did mean that he had to be a part of society.
“There is one solution,” his father said, expression troubled. “But I’m not certain that you’ll like it.”
At this point Max was willing to hear any suggestion, no matter how unhinged. “Try me.”
“Well.” His father hesitated for a moment, before looking him in the eye. It was clear that he was choosing his words carefully. “As clan leader, I can… permanently remove your powers.”
I don’t know – that sounds pretty good to me, Max thought. There has to be more to it.
“What’s the catch?” he asked.
“There is no ‘catch’, except that I cannot guarantee that it will not affect your ability to shift,” his father said, as the manticore snarled. “Fae magic and shifter magic are very different things, and it can be difficult to predict how they will interact in a person with mixed lineage.”
Poppy gasped quietly, her fingers tightening around his arm.
“That’s a pretty big catch,” Max muttered.
“I thought stealing powers was illegal,” Poppy said, her voice worried. “Or is this more like mind control?”
It was obvious that she was worried, and Max couldn’t say he blamed her. He was starting to feel a little concerned himself. And the manticore was beyond concerned, to put it politely.
“It’s neither,” said his father. “Or not precisely stealing powers, anyway. It’s a similar mechanism to what our friend here tried to do,” he went on, gesturing to the fae lying on the floor, “but I get no benefit from it, so to speak. I do not gain any powers or memories. And the process is much more… civilized.”
Well, that’s a relief, at least, Max thought. He really didn’t want to go through that particular experience again, though he would be willing to if it came down to it.
Poppy still looked uncertain, and Max supposed that finding out your father-in-law could reach into your head and scramble the contents had to be a little off-putting.
It seemed like his father had noticed as well, because his face shifted into an expression that was probably supposed to be reassuring. It wasn’t quite there, but Max appreciated the effort.
“All fae clan leaders have this ability,” he said. “It is merely to ensure that if someone leaves the clan, whether through exile or defecting to another clan, we can keep the secrets of our magic from falling into the wrong hands.”
These guys really are all about protecting their own magic, Max thought grimly. But he kind of understood it. After all, he didn’t think that letting people with mind control powers or telekinesis or whatever join your enemies and use those powers against you would be particularly appealing.
His father continued, “It would also have the effect of making you much more difficult to track by other fae. Now that you have your full fae powers, it will be easier for fae to find you. Removing your powers will render you essentially undetectable.”
That, Max thought, could well be the deciding factor. He would do anything to keep Poppy safe. He didn’t want another guy like this one turning up again in a few years’ time.
Poppy turned to him. “What do you want to do, Max? I’ll support you, no matter what.”
The manticore seethed within him, its anger a poor cover for the fact that it was clearly terrified of being cast into oblivion so soon after it had finally become free – but, Max knew, it also understood that this was the safest thing.
For him, and for Poppy. If he gave up his powers, not only would he be untrackable to fae, but there would be no danger of him losing control and messing with someone’s head.
He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he did that.
We will do it, the manticore said darkly. But for our mate’s sake, no more. I care not how it affects you.
Max was willing to let that slide. After all, the manticore could be signing its own death warrant. Or – perhaps even worse, from its point of view – it might become a regular lion shifter.
Do not even jest about these things, the manticore hissed, raising its venomous tail. Take action before I do.
Max didn’t think that the manticore could psychically sting him, but he didn’t want to find out.
He set his jaw.
“Let’s do it.”
Poppy squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.
“Now?” said his father, looking mildly surprised. Max was coming to find that many of his expressions were mild. It didn’t quite fit with the memories he had of him, but, he supposed, a long time had passed.
“No time like the present,” he said.
Do it before I chicken out, he didn’t add.
In the end, even the way his father removed his powers was mild.
The lightest touch of fingers to Max’s temples, and then a slight tingling inside his head while his father’s eyes grew oddly hypnotic.
Max felt like he couldn’t have blinked even if he’d wanted to…
but he didn’t want to do anything, really. This was quite nice as it was.
It could have been going for two minutes, or two hours. Max really couldn’t tell. He just kind of… drifted.
“It is complete,” his father said eventually, lowering his hands, and Max actually did blink this time.
“What?” Poppy exclaimed. “That’s it? I thought you hadn’t even started!” She turned to Max. “How are you feeling?”
I am still here, in case you cared, the manticore muttered – and it did seem to be. When Max inspected it in his mind it seemed intact, wings and scorpion tail and all.
I do care, actually, Max retorted. He hadn’t spent this long wishing to be a shifter just to want to throw it all away, even if his shifter animal was a bit of a dick.
He felt around in his head, trying to work out if there was a difference.