Swords & Spells (Book One):The Magic of Emrys

The Veil (Emrys)

The last thing Emrys heard was Arthur shouting her name.

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in front of the prince, wondering why he was staring silently at her. "What," she asked as she looked down at herself. From what she could see, nothing seemed to be wrong with her. "I guess there was nothing wrong with—"

Emrys, my girl, can you hear me?

Emrys whipped her head around at the slightly muffled sound of her uncle's voice and gasped at what she saw: her brother cradling her head in his arms. Horrified by the sight, Emrys stepped forward and peered into her own face. As she watched her body struggle to breathe, Emrys recognized a faint, burning sensation in her chest.

Arthur, we have to get her back to my chambers, said Silas. Reuben, bring the goblet! We need it to identify the poison.

Emrys stood in place, frozen, as she watched Arthur carry her body away from the crowd. "Am I dead," she whispered.

"Not quite," said another voice, drawing her attention. Emrys wasn't sure if she was relieved or annoyed with Baelfire as he materialized beside her. "Though it seems as if that was what you wanted."

"I-I was just trying to protect Arthur. I didn't have time to think." Emrys shook her head as she glanced back at where her body had first been. "What is this?"

Baelfire spread his arms through the air and looked around, though Emrys wasn't quite sure what he was looking at. "This is the Veil, the space between the Otherworld and yours, the living and the dead."

"Space between the living and the dead," Emrys mused. She placed her hands on hips and breathed against the weight of all the information she was trying to process. "If that's true, then why are you here? I know it's not because you're concerned for me."

Baelfire shook his head and glanced around the remaining party guests. "Believe it or not, I don't have many things to pass my time with. I figured this was more interesting than watching from afar as I normally do."

Emrys glared at him. "Well, don't let your loneliness distract you from helping me get out of here. I don't want to be stuck here."

"And yet," said Baelfire, "here we are."

Emrys let out a long sigh and turned toward Silas' chambers. "I don't have time for your riddles. I need to figure out a way to get back."

Baelfire grabbed her hand and suddenly they were with her body again in Silas' chambers. He let go of her and moved toward Silas to read out of his book. "The way out is simple—you live through this. But I won't lie to you, little sorceress, things do not look too well for you."

Emrys was only half-listening at that point, mesmerized by the sight of herself again. She reached out and stroked her own cheek, the action feeling completely unfamiliar to her. She didn't even notice that Arthur was sitting beside her until she felt the warmth of his kiss on her hand.

Please, he whispered, I need you to be okay. I...care about you. More than you know. More than I'm willing to admit.

Emrys' next breath was heartache, longing to be able to respond to him. Her hand absentmindedly found its way to her necklace. "Oh, Arthur..."

His head jerked up suddenly, and, for a moment, Emrys thought he had heard her. She waved both hands in front of him and shouted his name, but he didn't respond after that. Still, she was almost certain he had heard her.

"The necklace," said Baelfire. He was peering at her from across the room, his gaze fixated on the necklace. "It connects you and Arthur."

She grabbed her necklace again and thumbed it over. Using it could expose her magic, but what if it was her only way out of the Veil? Emrys decided that she could always find an excuse later.