Restricted Magic - Arc 2: The Competition

Chapter 16

After making her discovery, Erin had sent a quick message to Catherine to let her know that the explosives had been disabled. She then had proceeded back to the castle, cutting off any further contact from the older girl. Gerald's sister had wanted Erin to join her, to watch Gerald perform, but she couldn't. She didn't want to see him just yet.

It would only make her choice that much harder.

Erin sat in her room, listening to the sounds of the competition outside. The cheers of the crowd through her window contrasted starkly with the solemnness of the room. She stared silently down at her hands, two artifacts rolling in between her fingers, her thoughts running deep.

One was a silver artifact, with an embedded blue stone. Her restricting artifact. She had worn it only for a few months. It certainly was more convenient than the restriction spell she had once been under, although much less effective. Now it was simply a shield, something to protect her until she was ready to strike against her father. That was what she had suffered for all these years, why she had been hurt, over and over.

The second was a delicate golden chain, with a blood red stone attached. The locating artifact Gerald had given her. A sad smile crossed her face as Erin stroked it absentmindedly. She remembered when he gave it to her, back when they were facing Lady Belanna. She never told him, but sometimes she simply held it in her hand, just to know he was somewhere, to know he was alive. A tear ran down her face as her fist tightened around it.

This is worth it. HE is worth it.

With that thought, she replaced the golden chain around her neck, and placed the silver amulet within a jewelry box on the dresser.

She may lose her chance at revenge if she did this. After all, she knew she was powerful, but she would be facing an army. As the amulet left her fingers, she felt a surge within her, a comforting buzz of her restored powers. Again, a sad smile crossed her face.

This was her country at fault, breaking their treaty's promise, distracting with terrorist attacks to invade a poorly defended border.

This was her personal monster, her father, lurking in the shadows, pulling strings to change the fate of nations. The memory of his cruel smile lingered in her mind, only replaced by the thought of Gerald's happy grin when he talked about his love for his people and his country.

She had to fix this.

I want to see him again.

But she couldn't. If she did he would want to come too. And she didn't want to risk him. She couldn't risk him.

When had it become like this? When she first met Gerald, she had only felt a tolerant amusement. Erin had thought he would quickly grow bored of his constant proposals and move on. But then, they had spent each day by each other's side. Seeing him smile, seeing him care for others... his warmth, his kindness, his peculiar sense of humor... each part of him burrowed into her heart, integrating so deeply that she couldn't separate from him even if she wanted to. There was no sudden realization, no epiphany of her feelings. Slowly, inevitably, she fell in love with him, and now it was far too late to back out now.

He meant everything to her. More than her hatred, her revenge.

More than her life.

Knock. Knock.

At the sound of knocking on the door, Erin looked up, a sudden hope filling her despite her earlier determination.

Gerald?

The door opened without waiting for a response, startling her. She blinked with surprise, wondering for a moment if her tired mind had created what she wanted to see. But as the door opened further, and the person behind it revealed, her heart sank and her eyes grew cold.