DreamCrafter | ONC 2023 | DISCONTINUED

Chapter 9 ~ The Truth

I walk into the High Lord's study, orb still wrapped in cloth. When he sees me, he dismisses every other person. They all leave, some sending glares my way.

"Here is the requested memory," I bow, holding the orb out to him. He looks over the cloth sphere and grimaces.

"Thank you Dreamcrafter. Put it in the box over there," he waves in a vague direction behind himself.

His eyes never leave me as I move across the room. Normally he never looks at me, so the feeling is strange.

The box is a simple wooden chest. There are already rocks and some cloth lining the bottom of the chest, so I put the orb on the cloth and shut it.

"Thank you. If the orb were to crack or break, what would happen?" The High Lord asks, glancing at the chest. He's breathing quickly, entwining his fingers, then untangling them.

"I am not sure. In a secure box like that, it would be trapped," I answer, avoiding his gaze. I know his plan now. He's going to throw that chest into the lake and do his best to forget it exists.

"Alright. That will be all."

I leave his study, and slip back into the servant passages. There I bump into a body. My head crashes into theirs.

"By the moon, today is not my day." I groan, massaging my temples. Hands hold me at the waist.

"I am so sorry, again." The same voice as before, and I know exactly who it is.

"Seven cities. Amethyst, why are you sneaking around in the servant tunnels?" Aventurine looks down at me, green eyes unreadable.

"I have a better question. What are you doing in the Summer Court?" I ask, pushing their hands off me.

"I asked first." Aventurine steps back, and a fae walks in between us, not noticing either of us. It's bizarre, maids normally love gossip.

"Well, I work here. Thought that would have been obvious. Your turn," I put my hands on my hips, and when Aventurine doesn't talk, I walk away.

"I was moved to be here," they yelp, following me. "I don't know why."

"Neither do I," I pull my cloak on and put the hood over my head. "Stop following me."

When I get to the exit, Aventurine grabs my arm, refusing to let me leave.

"Amethyst wait. When I left you, in Spring, I felt something as I walked out. What in the isles happened?" They ask, green eyes still unreadable.

"You just felt something? I woke up on the ground with my only two friends asking me what I was doing on the floor!" I yell, wrenching my arm free.

As I make my way back to my apartment, I try not to let the tears fall. Anger is threatening to consume me, and my control is slipping.

How dare they think they hurt after what they did. Now I have to live for the rest of my immortal life knowing that I'm not wanted.

"Amethyst!"

A voice drags me out of my thoughts. Thankfully, it's another of the Façonneur Magique that lives here. I turn around.

"We need your help," the female faerie says, puffing. I recognize her, she's one of the bloodlines that were discovered very early.

"What's wrong?" I ask, not quite sure why she came to me and not a healer.

"One of the Façonneur Magique has lost their powers. They can't remember anything."

This is very bad. How did the faerie lose their powers, and why can't they remember losing them?

"Who is it, and where are they?" I ask, and start following the faerie. She starts leading me through the tangle of market stalls on the outskirts of the court centre.

"It's Madame Iridessa. She's in her chambers at the moment, and requested you be brought to her."

Finally, the faerie's name pops into my head. Melody, a Windsinging fae with an extra talent. She discovered at a young age that not only could she summon the wind, but she could also manipulate the elements around her.

The elder Façonneur Magique spent hours searching the records for this talent, and determined that she must have inherited it from her mothers' bloodline. Long dormant power, surfacing when needed.

We reach Madame Iridessa's chambers, and almost all the Summer Façonneur Magique are crowded in her living space and kitchen.

They all stare at me as I walk in, some whispering to their friends, others moving away from me. I try to ignore them, and focus on Madame Iridessa.

"Amethyst. You came," Madame Iridessa is sitting on the edge of her bed. A few healers surround her, but they move away as she stands.

Her hair is still long and white, eyes still flashing green, eerily similar to Aventurines.

"You needed me, Madame." I bow my head, as is the custom among us.

"I think you already know why you're here. I hope Melody explained enough on the way over."

I nod and start doing my work.

Madame's head is busy, memories fluttering about everywhere. Thoughts and concerns race past me, some just brushing against my skin. The happy thoughts are warm, like a summer's day. The angry thoughts are sharp, but not quite enough to cut my skin.

I pick a random day, and nothing out of the ordinary seems to happen. Then, near the middle of the day, I can feel it. The draining of her power, through the memory. It causes her to feel weak for just a second, but she ignores it. As she's outside, I catch a glimpse of the sun's position, and this would have been about when I was packing to leave Spring.

"Did you find anything?" Madame asks, reaching her hands out to me.

"Yes, about four days ago some kind of surge happened and drained your power,"