Kingdoms Rise

Fourteen

It took Mae days to find a lead. She dedicated her free time to helping Fallon find anything on Sicilia. Brennan still had not replied to their letter, a little over two weeks had past and Mae was getting more impatient as the days passed.

Fallon, thankfully, had not brought up the Sevastian story since she had told him. He hadn't told anyone either. She supposed it was right that he hadn't, that he no right to tell anyone, but those closest to him were his family, either by blood or shared pasts.

They had moved their place in the library from the large sitting area to nearer the windows, a fireplace still sat near them, but the change in scenery was nice. Mae could see the changing leaves of the trees, some had most—if not all—of their leaves. It was a beautiful sight to watch as the wind carried the fallen leaves, as they disappeared beyond the horizon, free and without care or worries. How nice it would be to be a leaf in autumn, Mae thought to herself.

The temperature was still dropping, but that didn't stop Vesta from moving their training indoors. They still ran the mountain, extending their runs by making more trips back and forth. They had started doing combat lessens, with weapons and without. Mae's coordination was improving, her ability to handle weapons was getting better, but when it came to fists—she had been taught that from an early age by her father. It was important for a girl of any age to know how to defend herself. But he never taught her how to defend herself mentally...

Now, Mae still sat across from Fallon in the library. They had been pouring over books for the past few hours, the same routine they had kept for the last week. After weeks of research, she had finally found something of use:

...deep in the forest of Asonia lay a spring. The spring of Sicilia, home to Sicily, the most notorious water nymph known to Faerie kind. She will barter for your magic: beauty or youth or whatever you heart so desires. She will offer you that which you most desire in purchase of the magic that flows through your veins; that which is in your soul. If you seek Sicily, then approach to the forest and be greeted by her Will o' the Wisp, it will guide you to her...

It was written in an old leather bound journal, tucked away in a dark, forgotten corner of the library. Fallon hadn't thought that there'd be anything in the journals, but thought that he'd check if by any chance that there was something. And there was. Mae sat there in a stunned silence by the information she had found.

"Fallon," she breathed, her voice barely audible with even the only noise the fire in the crackling hearth.

He narrowed his brows and asked cautiously, "Yes?"

"I—I found something," she sputtered. She didn't where to begin. "We've been looking for a nymph named Sicilia, but that isn't her name. Her name is Sicily, the spring she lives in is Sicilia."

"Oh my gods," he breathed and slumped in chair, disbelieved with himself.

She let out a small, hysterical laugh. Days of researching for the wrong thing, but Mae was beyond fine with it all, she had found what she was looking for. Soon—soon she would have her magic. Fallon looked ready to bang his head against the nearest wall. She almost felt bad for him—almost.

"I can't believe I never figured that out," he smiled at her, and something in her chest fluttered. "Well, before you go running off to find her, we'll have to do more research on her, prepare before we go."

Mae jumped up from her chair and began walking around their little area. She hugged herself, a meager attempt to hold herself together. She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or scream or cry, maybe all of them. She knew that it wasn't from fear or anger, but hope. For the first time in a long while she felt a glimmer of hope. She held on tightly to it, scared to let it go.