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Now that I’m secure, I close my eyes and pull at my magic until it’s pulsing under my skin. This time when it reaches its peak, it gives a large surge of power, instead of the controlled wave it usually manifests. There’s no build up to the intensity of it and that sticky darkness makes my stomach roll with nausea. The feeling is awful and I’m panting with the strain of it until my body adjusts the best it can. Even settled, it still feels like it’s too much for me to contain alone.
The need to release it mixes with the need to know more and I will the magic to act as a radar of sorts, giving me insight into what lies below. Gathering the magic in my hands, I shoot a pulse downward, gasping as a burst of green magic escapes my fingertips.
The first thing I notice is the poisonous magic in the water, but I also felt something else down there. A new kind of magic brushes against mine, though stronger and more invasive. I’m thankful that Emrick is holding me still as the weight of the magic pulls me down.
“Something is down there, Emrick. Something powerful," I whisper absently, my main focus still on the magic below. His hands tighten even more around my waist. He’s ready to pull me back at the first sign of danger, but it’s already ebbing away like it can’t hold the intensity for long.
Knowing I won’t get anything more, I pull my magical essence back and wiggle for him to pull me down to the ground. He grunts when I go limp, dropping into a sitting position right on the ground, both palms flattening against the dirt and stone. Now that I’ve learnt what I could from the well, I need to see if the healing effect has made its way here.
I’m once again overwhelmed by the pain and distress I can feel coming from the land. It breaks my heart, and the tears running down my cheeks are a testament to how deeply the pain affects me. I’m no longer able to focus on the world around me, falling deeper into the emotions of the land until pain is all I know and all I am.
My mind is muddled, but somewhere under all the pain I’m aware enough to try and push the emotions back and reclaim control. My effort is wasted when images begin to flash into my mind. The images are in quick succession like a rapid firing slideshow. I don’t have long to focus on one image, before the next flashes into my mind’s eye.
The scenes seem to follow a timeline, starting with images of the town and land of Spring as the war broke out. Then the images morph into different levels of devastation to the land and the fae. I see children and families lining the streets, already dead or dying. Brothers turning on each other, reluctantly killing in the names of their kings. Magic blasts against magic, as the Fae fight for their home and lives.
As the war comes to an end, the devastating images fade away and my senses slowly return. The moment I have control again, I pull the last of my magical essence into my body and slowly blink my eyes open.
Five sets of eyes, varying in color and intensity, stare down at me. Somehow I’m lying flat on the ground, but I have no recollection of how that happened. I try to sit up, but Emrick’s protective hands lift me until I’m sitting, leaning against his hard chest for support. The moment his skin touches mine, I feel a spark of magic between us, but neither of us pull away.
As I blink a few times to clear the tears away from my eyes, a gentle touch wipes away the remaining tears and my eyes meet Gerwyn’s worried gaze.
“I’m fine, guys,” I promise, even if it’s a lie. “Help me up, big guy?” I glance back at Emrick and he gives me his silent half smile, before helping me to my feet.
“What happened, Bella?” Allwyn asks, surprising me with my preferred name. He must be really worried but at this point my patience with him is shaky.
“The land was giving me a glimpse of the war. Faerie flashed images of the people and destruction and devastation… it was heartbreaking and I could feel every ounce of her sorrow.” My chest begins to ache at the reminder, the agony palpable even secondhand
“She mentioned that something is down there," Emrick says, gesturing to the well.
“Oh! Thanks, big guy. He’s right, something powerful is down there. It didn’t feel alive, but it’s so strong. It’s magic brushed against my own without me even searching for it, and that hasn’t happened yet.”
“We can inspect later, let’s make it to the castle before dark my Queen," Allwyn encourages. I bite back an argument only because I don’t have the energy to disagree just yet.
“Bells!” Jacob yells in the distance. He must have been further in the village. I quickly follow the sound of his voice and find him in an abandoned home.
“What’s wrong?” I call out as we burst into the house, my guards’ weapons at the ready. Jacob gives me a sheepish smile, apparently realizing he’d made a scene and had us all on edge. “Sorry, girl. I didn’t know how far away you were. We found the homes full of supplies. Clearly not food or water, but clothes and stuff,” he explains, gesturing to the pile of clothes and blankets in front of him.
“Maybe we should stay behind and see what we can salvage for our camp?” Andras suggests.
“Plus, real beds," Gwen points out, giving me a pleading look. Laughing, I nod in agreement.
“I think I can repair some of the clothing here," River adds absently, as she ruffles through the growing pile of clothing and blankets.
“I’d prefer us to stay together, we need the extra protection," Allwyn says firmly. I tone down my glare, before turning to him.
“There are weapons down the road at the shop I entered. Surely they can protect themselves if they wish to stay. The people need these supplies," I remind him. “We can’t run headfirst into the hardest tasks and ignore the finer details that will make us stronger.” He studies me for a moment, his frown deepening. Apparently he’s not used to women fighting back, but I’m not going to be complacent.
“Fine, if they wish, but the guard stays with the queen," he says firmly, almost like a petulant child. The man is stubborn, that’s for sure.
“We’re capable adults,” Jacob says with an exaggerated eye roll. “Not like a rabid animal is coming for us here.” I stifle a chuckle, relieved he’s got the same mindset that I do.
“Let’s go gather some weapons?” I suggest to the men who are quickly becoming my personal shadows. After whatever happened by the fountain, they haven’t let their focus stray from me.
We make our way back to the blacksmith shop and grab an assortment of daggers, swords, and bows and arrows. I still don’t think they’ll need them, but better to be prepared.
After we drop the weapons off with them, I crush Jacob in a hug. “Stay safe, my Prince," I whisper in Jacob’s ear, not willing to let go yet. He laughs off my clinginess and rolls his eyes.
“Always the dramatic one, Queenie.” His tone is light, but he squeezes me back just as hard.
