✔️Fantasy-Romance || WomanxWoman ||
Just call me Crow. I got this nickname at the first year of the academy. If there are imps in your barn or mermaids are constantly tearing your fishing nets, I am ready to help (for decent payment and good meals...
"Maybe you can help us," the elf also squats down next to me. "We're lost."
"Now you admit it!" I grumble.
"I'm looking for a portal to get to the kingdom of elves. I feel like it's very close by. Look, my key reacts to it." She shows the 'key' hanging on her wrist. I would never have noticed it.
The 'key' is a small stone resembling a tiger's eye. I've never seen tigers in my life; they can't even be found in the royal zoo within the palace grounds, but a huge tapestry depicting a big tiger hangs in the academy rector's office, where I've been summoned and reprimanded for childish pranks more than once.
"There's no magic in it at all!" Now it's my turn to marvel. Though magical stones and crystals have saved me more than once, I'm surprised.
"I understand what you're thinking," my boss replies. She's close to me, her natural scent is comforting and calming, but for some reason, I always want to argue with her, like with my teacher. Maybe I'm just a classic annoying quarrelsome witch, although I never had disputes or conflicts with Malva; I was afraid to contradict her, because I feared she would just reject me and hire another bodyguard. "Look, this stone," she points to the small stone she takes out of her pocket, "This is a simple field spar, it's very weakly infused with magic by itself, plus it has absorbed a bit of forest energy and your crazy magical aura too."
I agree, nodding. "How do you know about this?"
"I also had a teacher," she evasively replies. "The stone hanging on my chain is not just a stone; it's an anti-magic mineral that doesn't absorb magic and is impossible to notice."
"How do you plan to open or find the portal with this thingy?" I ask interestedly, forgetting about the kikimora.
The elfia, pleased with herself, continues, "The so-called lockstone is the same type of stone. They repel magic but stick to each other like iron to a magnet!"
"By connecting, they open the portal. Brilliant. Artifacts borrowed from other worlds?"
"This is authentic elven technology," the girl proudly replies. "As for the minerals themselves and their natural properties, yes, you're right, they were mined from other worlds. There are very few such stones. Right now, it's just quietly vibrating, but because of this swamp, I don't understand where to go. The signal keeps disappearing and then reappearing."
"Is this like a children's game of 'hot-cold'? When you're close to the hidden object, you're told 'hot' or 'very hot,' and when you move away, it's 'cold' or 'freezing.' Only instead of words, the stone vibrates more when it's close to another similar stone."
"Exactly!" the girl exclaims joyfully. The kikimora nods again. "When I get very close to the 'lockstone,' the 'key' might even pull the chain towards its target. So, will you help us?"
At first, the kikimora smiles, then she smiles even wider. I even feel a little scared of her grin, and then she releases my leg and sinks completely into the swamp.
"Oh... she's gone," the boy says. He lowers the pencil with sadness in his eyes.
"Well, at least she let go of my leg and didn't betray us," I say, unbuttoning my jacket. In the forest, among the trees and bushes that shield from the wind, it's getting warmer.
"There she is!" the elfia exclaims joyfully. The kikimora's head pops up a few elbows away from us. She smiles again.
"She'll either lead us where we need to go or ruin us. There's nothing to fear for sure! Let's go quickly," I say joyfully, hopping over bumps like stepping stones in the academy yard. "Last one's a fool!"
"It can't get any worse than being with Lodda," the elfia says confidently, grabbing my hand.
***
The novel is finally complete. You can get the access to all final chapters becoming my Patron (the link is in my bio) 🌈✍️ As a passionate lesbian writer, my mission is to fill the shelves with stories that reflect our experiences, our love, and our voices. Each word I write is fueled by the desire to create a world where every sapphic woman can see themselves reflected in literature. Your support means the world to me – whether it's through sharing my work, spreading the word, or contributing on Patreon. Together, let's amplify queer narratives and pave the way for more diverse and inclusive storytelling. Thank you for joining me on this journey! 💜
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
