Chapter 32 Elowen
ELOWEN
The Sacred River stretches out below us like a ribbon of silver, winding through the land and catching the sunlight in blinding flashes. From above, it looks calm enough—beautiful, even.
But as we get closer, I start to see the truth—the current is fast—much faster than I expected.
The water churns and shifts, its surface broken by ripples and sudden swells that make my stomach tighten uneasily. I’m not a very good swimmer.
The Drake lands near the bank, his claws digging slightly into the damp earth as he settles. I slide down from his back, my sandals sinking a little into the soft ground as I take a few tentative steps closer to the water.
It’s louder than I thought it would be—not roaring, but not gentle either. This quest might be harder than I thought—a lot harder. Still, I can’t back down.
“I can do this,” I murmur, trying to give myself courage. “I have to do this.”
The water near the edge looks shallow enough. I can see the stones beneath the surface, smooth and dark, the current slipping over them in quick, restless patterns. That’s not so bad, I tell myself. It’s going to be fine—it has to be.
Of course, it’s not the shallows where I have to be to collect the water—the Time Weaving spell specifically said I have to get it from the very middle of the river. Great.
Behind me, I hear the soft sound of movement as Theron Shifts back.
“I’m coming with you,” he says immediately. “That current looks rough.”
I turn to look at him.
“You don’t have to—”
“I do,” he cuts in, already pulling off his boots. “You’re not going in there alone, little one.”
“I can manage,” I insist, though even as I say it, I’m not entirely sure it’s true.
He gives me a look.
“Say whatever you want, I’m still coming.”
Something in his tone makes it clear there’s no arguing with him, and I find myself nodding despite myself.
“All right,” I say softly, grateful for his protectiveness.
He steps closer, reaching for my hand and entwines our fingers. His grip is warm and steady.
“Stay with me,” he tells me.
I swallow and nod.
“All right.”
“Good—come on.”
We step into the river together.
The cold hits me immediately, stealing my breath in a sharp gasp as the water closes around my feet, then my ankles. It’s colder than the stream we camped by—colder than anything I’ve felt in a long time—and it only gets worse as we wade deeper.
I gather my robes in one hand, lifting them as high as I can, but it doesn’t help much. The hem soaks through almost at once, clinging to my legs as the current presses against me. It keeps getting stronger until I’m having trouble keeping my balance.
“Easy,” Theron murmurs. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. Stay close.”
I tighten my grip on his hand and keep going. Step by step, we make our way toward the middle of the river.
I keep expecting it to drop off but to my surprise, the water only comes up to my mid-thighs once we get there. It’s still fast—still pushing against us—but not as deep as I’d feared.
I let out a small breath, trying to relax—this might not be so bad after all.
I close my eyes briefly, waiting…but nothing happens. There’s no glow, no crystal sphere appearing before me like it did before when I collected the hawk’s feather.
I frown in confusion. Why isn’t it happening? Why isn’t the crystal container appearing?
“That’s strange,” I murmur.
Theron glances at me.
“What’s strange?”
“The collector,” I say. “It’s supposed to appear once I’m in the right place. Where is it? Why hasn’t it appeared?”
The river rushes past us, indifferent to my questions and I feel like a fool. I’m doing something wrong but I don’t know what.
For a moment, confusion swirls through me but then I remember what the Grimoire said and I know what’s missing. The spell isn’t just about collecting the water from the Sacred River—I have to give something to make it work.
Something painful.
My throat tightens at the thought.
Theron must see the look on my face because his own face softens, and he leans down to look in my eyes.
“What is it, little one?” he asks. “Did you figure it out?”
“I can’t just take the water,” I tell him. “I have to tell a truth—one that breaks my heart.”
Theron’s hand tightens around mine, but he doesn’t interrupt—he just stands there with me, steady and silent, waiting.
I stare down at the water, watching it rush past, and for a moment, I don’t know if I can do it. Because I already know what the truth is. I’ve always known. I just…don’t like to think about it.
My vision blurs suddenly and I blink hard, trying to keep the tears at bay.
“It’s not fair,” I whisper. The words come out before I can stop them. “I didn’t ask to be born this way.”
My voice shakes, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
Theron says nothing but his grip on my hand tightens, offering silent support.
“They gave me up,” I go on, the words spilling out now, unstoppable. “My parents…they didn’t want me. Because I’m a half-breed. Not fully Fae—not worth anything.”
My chest aches, tight and heavy but I can’t stop talking—can’t stop telling the truth that’s breaking my heart. The truth I’ve carried with me all my life.
“I don’t belong anywhere,” I whisper. “Not in the temple, and not in the world beyond it. I’ve never had a real family.
Never had anyone who…who chose me. Who cared for me.
The Priestess-Sisters only took me in because they had to—the Nature Temple can’t refuse a baby girl when she’s laid on its steps.
It’s my home—but only because no one else wants me… and no one is ever going to want me.”
A tear slips free despite my efforts. Then another and another. They fall into the river, vanishing instantly into the rushing water.
My eyes are stinging and blurred—so blurred that I’m surprised to see a beaming light. I gasp softly as a crystal sphere flickers into existence before me, hovering just above the surface of the river. It glows faintly, as if lit from within, its surface shimmering with soft, shifting colors.
“It worked,” I breathe, swiping at my eyes with my free hand.
I let go of Theron’s hand and reach for it, pulling the stopper free. The moment I dip it into the water, the river seems to surge slightly, as if responding to the magic.
I hold it steady, watching as it fills—not just with water, but with something more. Something brighter…something that feels almost alive. Maybe it’s the truth I spoke—the one that still burns inside me.
I seal the crystal container carefully and watch as the sphere glows brighter—almost blindingly so—and then vanishes from my hands entirely.
I breathe a sigh of pure relief as Theron takes my hand again.
“You did it, baby,” he says.
“We did it,” I say, a small, relieved laugh escaping me. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“Of course. Couldn’t let you go out in the river alone. Come on—we should get going.”
“All right.” I feel light now—free in a way I can’t explain. Maybe the truth I spoke needed to be said aloud—maybe that’s the first step to healing the loneliness and rejection I’ve felt all my life.”
This quest was surprisingly easy—much more so than the terrifying heights of the Northern Mountains. Of course, it was painful to speak my truth, but it didn’t nearly kill me.
My thoughts about the quest for the sacred water have barely formed in my mind when the river changes. It happens so suddenly I don’t even have time to react.
One moment the current is fast but manageable…
And the next, a massive swell of water surges toward us from upstream, rising like a wall.
“Theron—!” I gasp, pointing. “Oh my Goddess!”
He’s just looking over his shoulder to see what I’m pointing at when the wave hits us—hard.
The force of it slams into me, tearing my hand from his before I can tighten my grip. The world tilts violently as my feet are ripped out from under me, the icy water swallowing me whole.
I hear him shout my name—“Elowen!”—and then the river drags me under, and I can’t hear or see anything anymore.