The Seelie Curse

Chapter 27

By the time they arrive at the clearing Ro took them to, Astrila's entire body is trying to kill her. She may be used to strenuous activity far more than Kyma is, but her seal body isn't as used to it as her human body is. Her seal body may have grown stronger over these months, but it's not close to how strong it should be just yet. She was swimming so hard that she's horribly overextended herself.

Kyma isn't much better. She's wincing with every step. Even with Astrila's own body tormenting, she can't help but step back to help Kyma the rest of the way into the clearing. The poor girl still doesn't know why Astrila kept pushing and pushing her to the clearing, she doesn't remember. That pulls Astrila's mind back to her earlier question. Why can she still remember? What's different about Astrila than about Kyma?

Astrila stumbles as they get close to the dome Ro made, Kyma's weight falls against her. Astrila cries out, almost falling against the dome. She manages to regain her footing and half-carries, half-stumbles Kyma into the wooded shelter. Ro is half-standing inside, something flat and green clutched in her hand. She's twisted toward the doorway, her attention likely pulled by Astrila's cry.

"Is something wrong? You don't look well."

Astrila coughs out a laugh. It's barely louder than her breathing, but it's there. A raspy sound, but full of relief.

"I'd rather look this bad than not right now."

Ro shakes her head, her brow furrowing. Her voice is incredulous. "Why would you possibly want that?"

"Because it was the only way to escape, to warn you."

"Warn me of what?" Kyma is looking between the two of them, confused.

Astrila frowns deeply, her mind fuzzy. She remembers everything that happened, but now that she's trying to say it . . . something's wrong. She shakes her head. When she tries to explain the memory, it becomes fuzzy. Dread trickles into her blood. She didn't entirely escape the effects of the name.

Ro shifts, the furrow in her brow deepening further. "Star? Is something wrong?"

Astrila chokes out the word. "Name."

Ro steps back, startled. "What?" She doesn't quite understand. "I don't understand."

Astrila shakes her head again, trying to explain past the ice locking the memory inside her head. "My name. Memories. Told to regret. Break free. Help." The last word comes out in a small, quiet voice that she's never used before.

"Someone used your name to make you forget something?" Astrila nods. "But you still remember?"

"Yes."

"Do you know why?"

Astrila starts to shake her head, but something presses against her skin from her pocket. She breathes, "The Ludeag's heart."

"What?"

Astrila pulls it from her pocket. Blue light swirls inside the dark orb. She can feel anger seeping out of it. It's anger directed at her, the Ludeag may be gone, but something of its essence still remains. And every so often it's aware enough that it remembers how much it hates her. But it can't hurt her, it can't do anything but help her. She looks up at Ro, lifting the heart up to the light seeping through the leaves covering the dome for a moment.

"This protects me from magical compulsion, like with the kelpies. Could it have-"

"Protected you from your name's power?" Astrila nods. Ro looks thoughtful. "Perhaps, but nothing is supposed to protect you from that. Names have too much power."

"So it couldn't protect me all the way, but some of it?"

Ro nods. "It would seem so. Can you tell me who used your name?"

Astrila opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. At least nothing that is audible as words. "Seo." She shake her head and tries again. This time she's faring a bit better, perhaps because she isn't trying to say the same thing. "The Merrow Queen."

Ro looks confused and Kyma looks horrified. "What? She wouldn't!"

Ro speaks barely a second after Kyma stops. "Merrows can't use names that way, they shouldn't be able to."

Astrila shakes her head. "She's not . . . It's not . . ." She sighs. "I can't."

Ro gets to her feet. "Hold on. I might be able to help."

She hurries over to the doorway and pulls something from beside it. A gray bag of soft-looking material, dotted with red beading and embroidering. She pulls something from inside of it and quickly unfolds the material. She grabs something from the cloth and places it into her pocket, returning to Astrila.

"I don't know if this will work, but I can try."

Astrila frowns. "What are you going to do?"

"Use the runes to try and help your memory come out."
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Do you think the runes will work? If they do, how will Rowan react? What do you think is going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.