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But I’ve always had access to the power I claim as my own.
But this feeling here? This is horrible.
It’s wrong.
“He’s acavea,”Mael explains as he hesitantly raises his hands in the air. “What are you doing here?”
What is acavea?
“I’ve been watching the royal bastard, waiting for a moment to strike,” the man says, and fear races through me.Etrix!“But then I felt the disturbance in the crown, and stuck around to watch. When you split up, I followed you two instead of him.”
“I see,” Mael says. The pure loathing in his tone has goosebumps raising across my arms, a tingle shooting down my spine.“He’s a merc, Ellie baby, and he’s betrayed whoever has paid him. Fucking fool. Etonik should know there’s no loyalty when you’re dealing with scum.”
“And what do I discover about the new pretty little princess?” he asks before cackling. “She’s not just a princess because she’s bonded to the bastard. She’s a princess in her own right.”
Why isn’t my magicae working? I try to touch it, to manipulate it to help me like it has, and it can’t.
“Because he cuts off your power, Ellie baby,”Mael says, and I flinch. Oh no.“He’s a type of dark witch, one that’s pretty rare, actually. I’ll get Ciar to explain it when we’re not about to die.”
I feel like my hair is rising on its ends as I start to shake. My bottom lip quivers as I blink back the tears. I’m terrified, and by the way Mael is acting,so is he.
“So I want to know the truth. I want you to put the crown on and prove it,” he commands, gesturing to me. I look up at Mael who gives one tense nod. I rise to my feet on shaky legs, but don’t make any move.
I can’t.
Not because I don’t want to, but because my body physically will not move.
Sometimes, when I’m so anxious that I have a panic attack, I go to the fight response. My magicae tends to burst out of me without permission and attack random people, or be absorbed into wards. But it’s always an explosive reaction.
Other times, I run away. I can’t usually handle the depth of my emotions, so I hide from them. I pretend it’s not happening. It’s probably the weaker of my responses, but it’s something I can handle.
But, rarely, I freeze. When things get too powerful, too scary, my body shuts down and I can’t do anything except feel the overwhelming panic, the deeper emotions washing over me as I stand there like a fool.
“Move, you stupid bitch,” he roars, and my eyes fly shut. He’s going to hurt me.
“Ellie baby, I know it’s hard, but I need you to do what he says,”Mael says softly.“I need you out of the way, baby girl, so that I can fix this.”
“I’m going to count to three,” the man starts, angrily pointing his finger at me. “One…”
“I’m going,” I whisper, stumbling over to where Etrix put the crown back. I barely walk in a straight line, but I don’t care. I’m moving, and that’s what is important. “I don’t know the code.”
“Then fucking force it open,” he snarls. “You’re meant to be this all powerful—” He’s cut off just as Mael lurches forward. I watch the scene unfold in front of me, almost like it’s in slow motion.
Mael has grabbed a sword from the stash of weapons, and in the ultimate hero move, he darts forward to stab this man.
But the man isn’t unprepared. He whips a sword out from somewhere else and they start the most chaotic dance of all time.
It’s like they’re battling on a chess board, both of them making strategic moves, but nothing is happening. Who is the bishop? They’re not Kings, but they’re not pawns either.
Who is the one that’s going to get dead?
Please don’t let Mael be the one to get hurt.
“Grab the crown, Ellie,”Mael instructs, just as he dodges a hit from this man. His ability to look after me, to give me instructions whilst battling a madman with a sword only increases my respect for him. He’s perfection, and I’m so proud of him.“Trust me, baby, I’m going to be okay. But I need your help. I need you to focus.”
Focus. He needs me. I can do this.
But what if I can’t…?
