The Seelie Curse

Chapter 85

Rowan blinks. "Your dad was a thousand years old?!"

"Of course. He was older than most of my kind, but we had hoped he would last a century or two more, when I was more secure in my own powers. But it was not to be."

"Exactly how old are you?"

The Forest King frowns. "One hundred and forty-three, I believe."

"So you're twice as old as Gran?"

He nods. "Don't worry. In the eyes of my people, I am of an age equivalent to only a few years more than you are now. Your mother is older than I am perceived as by my people."

"I'm . . . not sure how to react to that."

"Just don't think about the ages, it gets far too confusing when you compare Aos Sí and human ages."

"I guess so." Rowan chews on her lip for a moment, twisting her hands together. "What else did you find?"

"That power is raw, defensive magic. It has a mind of its own and can be very hard to control, but it generally doesn't act as explosively as it did."

"What do you mean?"

"Think of your magic as something that can be shaped. This power should be like a knife, sharp and honed. But it isn't, yours is like a cloud. A storm, if you will."

Rowan freezes, mouthing something into the air. Her father notices her movements and frowns, turning towards her.

"Rae? What's wrong?"

"A brimming storm awaits within."

"What?"

Rowan looks up, her eyes wide. "The Bean Síde said that, when we asked how to break the curse. This is what she meant, isn't it?"

"It would seem so."

"What does this magic mean? Why was it hidden away?"

Her father sighs. "I can't quite answer the first question, but I think I may know the answer to the second."

"What?"

"Defensive magic like this is rare enough among my people, but it is practically nonexistent in the Seelie Court. And even among my people, it has been most prevalent among the nobility. It's defensive, it must have locked itself away for your protection, only escaping when it was the only option."

"So if it had come out before . . ."

"Any member of the courts who saw it would inherently recognize its importance to your bloodline, a key to your heritage. They wouldn't have directly known its meaning, but it would not have been safe for you. Your name was likely the lock sealing it away from others and from you."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Your human name has power, protective magic of its own. It formed a layer of protection between the defensive storm and the rest of of your magic, the rest of your mind."

"The dome."

"What dome?"

"When I used the runestones to look inside my mind, there was a dome at the very heart. It was keeping me from reaching this cloud moving inside it."

"That would be your defensive magic, yes. You-"

There is a sharp sound from somewhere in the clearing and they both flinch, although the Forest King seems to regain control of himself far better than Rowan does. The slight shimmering that was in the corner of her eye is gone, she hadn't even realized it was there. She winces when the sound repeats itself, clapping her hands over her ears.

"What is that?"

"You can hear it?"

"Of course I can, it's trying to break my eardrums!"

"That's a summoning, you shouldn't have heard it. Only the rulers of the courts and anyone else being specifically summoned should hear it."

Rowan swallows. "So what exactly does this mean?"

"Nothing good. I would call for your kelpie boy. Quickly."

Instantly, Rowan presses her fingers against the golden beads of her bracelet. Andrian, I need you.

His response is instantaneous. Is something wrong?

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's heading in that direction. I'm in the clearing with the bramble patch. Please come, and hurry.

On my way.

The sound squeals again and Rowan flinches back, trying to hide from the sound. It feels like her ears are driving daggers into her skull. "Make it stop!"

"I can't. It will only get louder the longer we wait."

"If it keeps getting louder I won't be able to move!"

There is a soft sigh and a sensation like a heavy blanket settles over her, making the sounds of the world around her muffled. There is a touch on her shoulder and a voice cuts through, clearer than anything else.

"It won't last for long, your kelpie boy needs to hurry."
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Were you expecting her power to be what it was? What do you think the summoning means? Why could she be being summoned? What's going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out