Forgotten Magic

Chapter 11

"Where-where are you going?"

I had pinned my cloak and was pulling up the hood when Varian asked that. "Oh, uh, the castle."

"The-the castle? What do you mean, the castle?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

"The castle, the castle. Rapunzel wants to discuss something with me so we agreed to meet up there." I shrugged, easing the front door open and stepping out. "Tell your dad I'll be back by sunset. At latest."

"But-but the castle is an hour's walk from here. Do-do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I'll be alright," I assured him. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Um...alright then. I'll see you when I get back."

"See ya."

...

I arrived at the castle around noon. To be honest, I think Varian and Quirin would be quite concerned, but I put the thought aside. As they had said, Rapunzel, Eugene, and Cassandra were waiting by the gate.

"Ann!" The princess ran up to me. "You made it! Just in time too, we wee going to go look through the festival. Why don't we head somewhere quieter?"

She pulls me into a quiet alleyway in the town, glances around, and then turns back to me. Eugene appears soon after.

"So," I begin. "The night before I arrived here, in Corona, I slept somewhat close to this...what to call it...a cliff. I had set up a small fire and such when something glowed in the distance. Despite my better judgement, I go to check it out. After scaling down some of the cliff, I reach this ledge. There is a small monument as well as some sharp, black rocks. They were what intrigued me." I glanced at Rapunzel. "That's what happened to you too, right?"

"Well, almost," she corrects. "Cassandra and I had snuck out of the kingdom the night before my coronation. She wanted to show me the rocks. And then...well, just like you said. They were so interesting to me."

"Alright, so what do we got?" Eugene interrupts. "Creepy, dangerous rocks lure people to them. And then what?"

"Well," Raps started, "of course, when I touched them...my hair returned soon after. They also started chasing me. Wait, Ann, how many were there when you went there?"

"Um..." I ponder this for a moment. "Two? Three?"

The blonde's eyes widen. "When I went thee were many more than that."

After a kong moment of silence, Eugene added, "Okay. So...creepy rocks lure people towards them so they can grow? And then they grow?"

"I think...could you...Ann, do you know if you have any..." Rapunzel seems to hesitate. "Magic?"

I shook off the question. "Magic? Are you crazy? Magic is rare, princess. I don't think someone like me would possess it."

"No, no," the former thief interrupts. "Ann, what's your ancestry like? I mean, where are you from? Who are your parents?"

I paused, looking between the two. Could I trust them? No. I decided not. "I don't know."

Rapunzel's expression brightened. "That's it! Maybe you have magic too!"

I started to fiddle with the pin of my cloak, only for it to drop to the ground, my cloak falling with it.

"Oh! I'll get it." The princess bent down and reached for the pin, only for it to start glowing a soft amethyst. I quickly snatched up the pin and cloak. "Whoa!"

"Family heirloom," I said quickly. "Only one I own."

"Ah, I see." Her smile sweetens, but I couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking about it as I put the cloak back on. "Anyways...I...don't know what else to say. I can tell Cass this stuff, right?"

"Um...okay."

"Great. I'll tell her and we'll come find you in Old Corona when we come up with something. You don't have to worry about the rocks. They aren't getting any closer."

"Yeah...about that-" I began.

"We have to get going. See ya." The two ran out of the alley.

"Ah...alright...I'll head back to Old Corona then..."

...

No one asked where I had been. In fact, no one was there to ask. Varian was probably in his lab and Quirin might have still been in the fields. Either way, I had been preparing for confrontation. To not have it almost disappointed me.

Something made me backtrack. Out the door and towards the Corona wall. And then my eyes widened. The black rocks. They had grown. I had to tell Rapunze-

"Ann! You're back!" Varian ran up behind me, startling me from my train of thought. "How was the trip?"

I turned around, trying to stand between Varian and the strange formations. "It was fine. How was your day?"

"Un...okay...Um...what were you looking at?"

"Just some pretty wildflowers," I answered, pulling a couple that I'd picked earlier from my bag.

"Alright. Great. Um...I...have a surprise for you. Come-come, follow me." He started towards the back of his house. I tore after him.

When I had pulled away the branches of a large fern to reveal a clearing, Varian was standing, his back to me, on the other side of the clearing. I walked over to him.

"So...what did you want to show me again?" I asked.

The alchemist turned around. In his arms was a small, blue-eyed, kitten. The thing that was most eye-catching about it was its fur. It was mostly white, but was much darker on its underside.

"She's been...hanging around here lately," Varian began, setting the kitten down to let it explore the area. "I've been trying to find her mom...but it seems she doesn't have one. My dad said we could take care of her until someone comes to claim her, but I've really grown to like her. So...my dad said I could give her to you. If-if you want her, of course."

My face split into a smile as I bent down to get a better look at the kitten. "Aww...of course I could." I reached a finger towards the kitten. She moved towards it, and gently cuddled it. I smiled and picked her up. "Hey..."

I looked up at Varian. He was smiling, and at first I thought it was at the kitten, but he was actually smiling adoringly at me.

"You really are an animal person, huh?" I teased, nevertheless.

He shrugged. "I guess. What are you gonna name her?" He gestured at the cat.

"Oh...I like Shadows," I answered. "Her markings."

"Shadows? With an 's'?" the alchemist questioned. "Don't you mean Shadow?"

"No, I meant Shadows."

"Whatever you want."