Chapter 53
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Briar
“I wish she’d wake up. Hey. Hey you. Wake up. Are you okay?”
I groaned and rolled over as an incessant little voice pecked at my brain. A dull throb pounded in my temples, and my body felt like it had been tied to a horse and dragged for miles. I was still exhausted, but that voice wouldn’t stop.
“You’re moving! You’re alive!”
“Of course I’m alive,” I muttered. “If I were dead, I wouldn’t feel this awful.”
A tiny laugh sounded. I pulled the pillow over my head to block the sound. One of the sprites must have entered the room and was waiting for me to wake so they could feed me, or do whatever they planned, but I wasn’t in the mood for anything other than sleep.
I dozed off again, and when I woke up a second time, my head didn’t pound as much and the voice was gone. I lay under the covers, unwilling to move while I took stock of myself. Everything still felt like someone had pummeled me, but at least it wasn’t as bad as when I last woke.
Rolling over, I stared at the closed door. I half expected to see a tray of food sitting on the table beside me, but it was empty.
If a sprite came in earlier, they would have left me a meal, but maybe they’d returned and taken the tray away. They wouldn’t have left food to rot if I’d been sleeping for hours or days.
Despite how sore I remained, my stomach rumbled as it twisted in knots. I had no idea when I last ate; it could have been yesterday or last week. My throat was parched, and while no food sat on the table, a pitcher of water did.
My arms quivered when I planted my hands beneath me and pushed myself up. I closed my eyes as I swayed briefly before righting myself. With trembling hands, I lifted the glass and pitcher, poured some water, and greedily drank it.
I coughed and spat some of the water back up before setting the glass down. My stomach rolled again, and I almost threw up but managed to keep the water down.
I poured another glass and sipped cautiously at it. When I felt stronger, I swung my feet to the floor.
“Are you okay?”
I squeaked and spun around, expecting to see a sprite or someone else behind me, but no one was there. My heart raced as I searched the room, but only the tiny forest creature was on my bed, sitting on his haunches and staring at me with his head tilted quizzically to the side.
“Are you okay?”
At the question, I spun and looked wildly around the room before sliding from the bed. The wood floor was cool beneath my bare feet as I searched for the source of the voice. Were the sprites making themselves invisible so they could play one of their pranks on me?
“Who’s there?” I demanded.
“I am.”
The creature’s big, soulful eyes grew as big as saucers. “Can you hear me?”
But no one appeared. The tiny creature on the bed rose higher, and lifting his hands, he rubbed them against his snout.
I gawked at the creature. “Are you talking to me?”
Its mouth didn’t move, but when he lowered his hands, a small smile quirked the corner of his mouth.
“Are you hearing me?”
I gawked at him. It definitely seemed as if he was talking to me. “How is this possible?” I whispered.
He scampered toward the edge of the bed, where he rose onto his hind legs again. “I’m not sure.”
“I… uh… is that voice really you?” I asked incredulously.
“It’s really me.”
When his mouth didn’t move, I realized I was hearing his voice in my head.
Am I hallucinating? Am I dead? Did I die during my Needing?
I’d never heard of such a thing happening before, but I’d also never listened to an animal’s voice in my head before. I was certain no other caster had before either. Our powers were known, both day and night, and this wasn’t one of them.
It also wasn’t a power associated with the elves, who were the beings closest to nature in the kingdoms. And the shifters, who literally became animals, couldn’t do this either…
as far as I knew. Perhaps they could communicate with each other in their animal form, but could they also communicate with other creatures?
I didn’t know the answer, and I doubted the shifters would tell me if I asked. Maybe a demigod had possessed such an ability; unlike the other eternals, who all shared the same powers with their species, with varying strengths, the demigods possessed distinct skills.
I wasn’t sure if talking to animals was one of those powers, but there was no way I could have one of their powers. As a caster, I shouldn’t have this ability either, though.
“What? How is this possible?” I demanded.
“Can you really hear me?”
“Yes.”
His nose twitched as he sniffed at the air. “If it’s true, then my name’s Gizzi.”
“Gizzi,” I whispered.
He squealed, dropped to all fours, and spun in excited circles before stopping and rising onto his hind legs again.
“Yes! That’s me! I’m Gizzi!”
I had no idea what was happening, but I had the impulse to mimic Gizzi by spinning in circles too. This was strange and scary, but it was also amazing!
I’m talking to an animal!
I’d sometimes imagine being able to do so as a child, because it was something I’d always yearned to do, and it would be so amazing, but I’d never imagined it could become a reality! Can I talk to other animals, too, or just him?
Gizzi launched himself off the bed and onto my shoulder. I smiled when he settled against my cheek and nuzzled it.
“Have you ever talked to anyone else?” I asked.
“No. I’ve never met another who could talk to me like you.”
“This is amazing! Could you understand me before this, like when I was explaining the toilet?”
“Yes, I am very smart.”
“I can tell. How old are you?”
“A few months… I think. Maybe older, maybe younger.”
“You’re young enough that you might not have met someone else… if there is anyone else. Where are your parents?”
“In the forest.”
“Why did you come to the castle with me?”
“It’s scary out there, and I like you.”
I smiled as I turned my cheek into his soft fur, nuzzling it. “It is scary out there.” Especially for someone so small and defenseless. “I like you too.”
“Someone’s coming.”