The Seelie Curse

Chapter 16

Kyma watches as Ro pulls away from Andrian, waiting to release his hand until the very last moment. She doesn't want to leave him. Kyma's heart feels heavy at the prospect of pulling this girl away from the boy she loves, even for a moment. From the way Ro acts, she may not entirely know it yet, but she does love him. Ro turns toward Kyma, her expression sad for a moment before she shakes it slightly and her expression calms. She smiles at Kyma.

"Are you ready?"

Kyma nods. Ro pulls the strap of her bag onto her shoulder from where she had left it on the table, the red berry beads swinging gently. Kyma follows her to the door, surprised when Ro stops and turns back to look at Andrian.

"Does she get a bracelet like mine?"

Kyma glances at the girl's wrist. It's made of gold and silver stone beads on a red and black cord. There is a larger blue stone where the bracelet lies against the back of her hand. Kyma glances at her own wrist. She already has a couple sets of bracelets lying there. If she ends up with more, she might be a bit worried about looking like she's obsessed with jewelry. Andrian frowns.

"It's up to Cáel, but it's very likely. Not right now though, there isn't time. I will suggest that he doesn't decide on a bracelet, though."

Kyma flushes. "They're not, it's not-"

Andrian's smile is soft. "They have meaning to your people?"

She nods. "They each mean a different thing. Shifting for the first time, coming of age, choosing a profession, relationships." Her flush deepens at the last bit.

Andrian frowns thoughtfully, his eyes full of curiosity. "Do you have a profession token?"

Kyma shifts nervously on her feet. "Yes and no. My circlet is one, but it's also not. I haven't chosen a profession, my circlet is a symbol saying that I am my mother's heir."

"Why haven't you chosen a profession?"

Kyma shrugs. "I didn't have the time, I'm still new to this world of magic, I came here before I could. Take your pick."

"Do you have an idea of what you would want your profession to be?"

Kyma looks down at her hands, frowning. "No, not yet."

Andrian's tone softens. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

Kyma's eyes snap up again and she shakes her head. "No, it's alright. But . . . I think we do need to go now."

Andrian looks past Kyma at Ro. "It'll work the same way bringing them through. Just do the same thing you do when you travel by yourself. Just make sure not to let go of them."

Ro's sounds like she's fighting back a laugh. "I won't."

Kyma turns back to the door, watching as Ro pushes it open with her elbow. She holds it open, motioning Astrila through. Kyma follows, looking back as Ro closes the door. She does it slowly, looking inside all the while. Kyma smiles softly and waits for Ro to move closer. She slings her arm through the space between the other girl's elbow and her body.

Ro looks startled for a moment, but she easily accepts their linked arms. Astrila had run ahead, but she soon slows to match their pace. But Kyma can see the disappointment in her cousin's eyes. Astrila just wants to run and run and run. She laughs quietly to herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Ro glance at her quizzically. Kyma smiles and explains.

"Star loves to run, but she can rarely do it, especially not the way she really wants to."

"Why not?"

"The speed at which she can run isn't natural, to say the least. It can be . . . unsettling."

Ro nods. "Oh. She should be fine to run right now, if she wants. We won't come to any harm. She can just run to the river, that should be a good distance away still."

Kyma grins and calls ahead to her cousin. "You're fine to run!"

Astrila glances back for a moment before she breaks into a sprint, shooting off through the trees. Kyma glances to the side to see Rowan gaping.

"You alright?"

The girl nods, her red hair bouncing slightly. "Just . . . wow. She really is fast."

Kyma laughs. "How many times do you think she'll lap us before we get to the river?"

Ro shrugs. "Twice?"

As it turns out, Astrila lapped them five times before they reached the river. Kyma stops at the edge, unsure of what happens next. But Ro keeps going, pulling Kyma along with her. With her other hand, Ro reaches out for Astrila's hand. It only takes a moment for Astrila to grip it and then Ro moves deeper into the river.

She doesn't stop when the river reaches up to her waist, nor when it reaches her chest. The river ripples around them and surges over their heads, submerging them. Kyma holds her breath instinctively, releasing it in a gasp when she blinks and finds herself somewhere else. Still in a river, but the shoreline is different. Something bobs in front of her, it looks like a shimmering bubble of water. She frowns. A message?
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When do you think Kyma will choose a profession? What do you think it'll be? Was it a message that just arrived? If it is, who is it from? What do you think it says? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.