The Seelie Curse

Chapter 52

Rowan blinks, jerking back into the ground when she sees Astrila's face hovering above her. She scrambles backwards, wincing when her back hits the wide trunk of a tree. A branch touches her shoulder and she looks up to see the tree reaching down to her. It sends a small thought to her, lightly questioning.

"Danger?"

Rowan pats the trunk. "No, I'm all right. Just startled."

When she looks back at Astrila, the other girl has an apologetic expression on her face. She opens her mouth to speak, but Rowan stops her.

"You don't have to apologize."

"I didn't mean to scare you."

Rowan shakes her head again. "Why were you so worried?"

Astrila's eyes widen. "How long do you think you were out?"

"Not very long, maybe a minute?"

Astrila shakes her head. "No, it was at least ten minutes, Ro. What happened to you? Did the rune hurt you?"

"No, it worked. I was inside my mind."

"What did you find out?"

Rowan shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure. I could see memories that weren't my own, and there was something else. Something strange."

Astrila frowns. "Why would something in your head be strange? It's your mind."

Rowan shrugs. "That doesn't mean I understand everything inside my mind though. I was told that it was my core, whatever that meant."

"What did it look like?"

"There was this strange bowl inside my mind and at the bottom, there was this channel that led down to some sort of dome. Inside it were these swirling clouds of shadows and light trapped within the dome. Flickers of warmth were leaking through but the dome itself was as cold as ice."

Astrila nods, mulling that over. Then she pauses. "You said you were told?"

"Yes. Why?"

"What told you?"

"It was me, I think. The voice I hear when I think, if that makes sense. It's not true sound, yet it feels like it is."

Astrila nods again. "Yes, I think I understand that. Did it tell you anything else?"

"It told me that when day and night are one, to let the world guide us."

"When day and night are one? What could that possibly mean?"

"An eclipse, perhaps? Then the moon blocks the sun, so could that be considered a time when night and day are one?"

Astrila nods. "Yes, that would make sense. But when would there be an eclipse?"

Rowan shrugs. "I don't think we'll miss it. Eclipses are pretty rare."

Astrila gives her a small, strained smile and looks pointedly at the sky. "It'll be dark soon."

Rowan looks up and curses. Astrila was understating that, it's already getting dark. She might not make it back home before it is dark. Rowan bolts to her feet and darts for the other side of the clearing. She calls over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I need to go! My family is going to kill me."

Astrila laughs from behind her. "Go! We'll be fine."

Rowan sprints for the field bordering the woods, weaving through the trees. In this moment, she is immensely grateful for her familiarity with the forest. If she didn't have it, she would likely have tripped over her own feet several times with the shadows covering the forest floor. Even so, she has to slow her pace to keep track of the dips and roots that could trip her if she wasn't careful. As she gets closer to her house, she can hear shouting. It's her mother, calling into the twilight.

"Rowan! Where are you! Rowan!"

Rowan curses and barrels through the field, barely slowing to unlatch the gate. It crashes shut behind her with a bang and she winces at the sound. Hopefully, she didn't just break the gate? She's almost at the back door when it flies open, her mother standing there with a thunderous expression on her face.

"Rowan Aria Glenbrooke!" Rowan winces. "You know you're supposed to be back before sunset, and to tell me if you'll be gone past five! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Rowan winces again. "I'm sorry, Mum. I lost track of time."

Arwen's expression softens slightly but it doesn't disappear entirely. "That's not a good excuse, Rowan."

"I know, I know. But it's the truth. I'm sorry, Mum."

Rowan looks down at the ground, fiddling with her hands. There is a small gasp and she looks up to see her mother staring at Rowan's hands, bathed in the golden light from the porch lamp.

Arwen's voice is soft over a layer of rigid steel. "Rowan, what happened to your hand?"
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Uh oh. Mama Bear's attention is caught. And oh look, we have Rowan's full name! I hope none of you are Aos Sí that can use her name against her. What do you think Mama Arwen is going to do? What will happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out.