As I make my way through the forest, I cannot stop thinking of Ryvan. I’m anxious to see him again tonight. I keep trying to convince myself that I’m only excited about the spells I will learn, but in truth, I know it is more than that.
I’m attracted to him. With his dark hair, glowing green eyes, and pointed ears, he is ethereally handsome in a way that human men are not. He is kind, too. Something I had not expected from a Fae.
A squirrel chitters at me from a nearby branch, interrupting my thoughts. He’s probably upset that I’m too close to his tree.
“I’m sorry, little one,” I call out to him. “I mean you no harm.”
He stops a moment, cocking his head to the side to regard me before he chitters again and then returns to his home in the tree. I wonder, if I could understand him, what he is saying. I’ve heard the Fae and the Elves speak to animals, though that may be simply rumor as well.
A smile quirks my lips as I remember Ryvan’s shocked expression when I told him I would not bargain away myself or my firstborn child to make a deal with him. He was completely aghast. I’m curious what else I do not know about him and his people. I’ve only ever heard rumors and second-hand tales all my life.
Just when I fear I may be lost, I notice the light glow of the veil in the distance—the part that is still intact, anyway. I follow along the barrier until I see the chimney stack of the cottage up ahead.
When I first found it not long ago, I dreamed of hiding out here away from my stepmother. But her magic would surely have led her to me. She has chased down many a servant that has tried to escape her before.
I’m not sure how long it’s been here, but it looks to have stood abandoned for many years. I’ve often wondered who may have once lived in this place.
The structure is made of stacked gray stone that looks as though it may collapse if challenged by a strong wind. The roof is poorly thatched from years of abandon and neglect. Even so, there is something charming about it, and I imagine it must have been very cozy before it fell into disrepair.
I’m surprised to notice smoke rising from the chimney. As I draw closer, I notice a white horse standing just outside the front door. It turns to me and neighs, then gestures with its head toward the cottage as if trying to communicate that I should go inside.
“Are you trying to tell me that Ryvan is in there?” I smile at the horse, wondering if I am crazy for even entertaining such an absurd thought.
“She is,” Ryvan replies, slightly startling me as he steps out of the cottage. He gestures to the horse. “This is Mirna. She has been my friend for many years.”
I blink at him. “Are you really able to communicate with her?”
His brows pinch together. “Out of all the stories you must have heard of my people, you’ve never heard of this?”
“I… thought it was merely rumor, like the things we discussed before.”
The horse neighs loudly, lifting her head.
Ryvan laughs and turns to me. “She’s laughing. I told her about the firstborn child you expected me to ask for when we made the terms of our agreement.”
I narrow my eyes, feigning annoyance, but I cannot stop the slow smile that curves my mouth. “So, you two are making fun of me now?”
A smirk twists his lips. “Of course not.”
I move closer to the horse, resting a hand atop her neck and gently combing my fingers through her soft mane as I whisper in her ear. “Did you know that he made a deal with me to keep women from swarming him at the ball because he believes he is so handsome they will not be able to resist his charms?” I pause. “Has he always been this full of himself?”
The horse neighs even louder, stomping her hoof as if highly amused.
Ryvan arches a brow and gestures to his pointy ears. “My hearing is quite acute, you know.”
“Well?” I cross my arms over my chest. “What was her reply to my question?”
His gaze shifts to the horse, but he does not answer.
Mirna nods her head up and down, and I laugh.
He gives her a pointed look. “You and I will have a discussion later, Mirna.”
She stomps her front hoof and neighs even louder as if laughing at him.
Tipping his chin up, he ignores her and gestures to the cottage. “Shall we go inside for our lessons? I’ve started a fire so it should be quite warm by now.”
I nod and follow him across the threshold.
As soon as we step inside, I’m surprised by how warm it is in here. The cottage consists of one large room with dirt floors, but it is rather comfortable in here compared to outside.
He leads me to the only furniture left in the space—a wooden table with four chairs.
He drops a satchel onto the seat beside him and pulls out a book, a bottle, two glasses, and a folded cloth with cheese and crackers.
“What is all that?” I eye it curiously.
“This is a spellbook of basic defense magic—and something to eat and drink while we work. But first, I must create an object for you to use in place of blood.”
“What do you mean?”
“The spell you used to bring down the veil required blood. That is how a Blood Witch wields her powers—with an offering of herself. If you do not wish to have to injure yourself each time you want to do magic, you will need an energizing object.”
I frown. “Is that how your kind use magic?”
“No, we are inherently born with it.”
My thoughts turn to the single leaf he gave me to use to mend the torn page. “The leaf… that’s why you gave it to me, isn’t it? Otherwise, I would have had to use blood again for the spell to work.”
He nods and then holds his upturned palms out to me. “Give me your hands.”
I place my hands in his, and I’m surprised by how smooth his skin is. It makes me embarrassed for I know my palms are rough and calloused from all the hard work I do during the day. “What do we do now?”
“Close your eyes and quiet your mind.”
I do as he says. Warmth travels across my palms from our joined hands. It moves up my arms, across my shoulders and into my chest. I gasp as delicious heat fills my entire body.
“Open your eyes,” he whispers.
His gaze holds mine and I stare transfixed as his normally glowing green eyes swirl with black. He turns my palms up in his hands, gently rubbing the soft pad of his thumb across my skin.
My mouth drifts open as an orb of white light hovers over each palm. Gently, he brings my hands together, combining them into one. The soft glow dims and then turns into a smooth white stone.
He clasps his free hand over mine, curling my fingers over the strange item. He lifts his gaze to me. “This energy is now tied to you and may be used by no other. If its power wanes, it may be recharged under the light of the moon.”
I open my hand and study it. Somehow, I understand that in creating this object, Ryvan has placed a great trust in me. I meet his eyes evenly. “Thank you.”
He dips his chin in a subtle acknowledgement.
“Now,” he says. “Let us begin.”
As we go through the spells, Ryvan seems surprised by how quickly I’m able to pick up the basics.
He points to one of the glasses on the table before us. With a slight motion of his hand, he gestures to the goblet and it rises, hovering above the surface a moment before he gently sets it back down.
He looks to me. “I want you to do this with the other glass.”
I swallow nervously as I focus on it. The stone is warm in my other palm as I use my free hand to try to conjure the spell.
I stare at it for what feels like forever, willing it to move, but it will not. With a heavy sigh I lower my head. “I cannot do it.”
“Give me the stone.”
I hand it over, upset at myself for failing.
He stands from his chair and moves behind me. He’s so close the heat of his body radiates to mine. Awareness prickles my skin as he gently gathers my long chestnut hair in his hands and sweeps it over my shoulder.
“This should help you, Ella.” He reaches around me and holds out the stone. It’s wrapped in tiny spiraling threads of silver and suspended from a chain. I smile as I realize he has somehow made it into a necklace.
“This should help you,” he offers as he fastens the clasp behind my neck.
My heart flutters as his hands settle gently on my shoulders and he whispers in my ear. “Focus on the glass. I know you can do this.”
Warmth spreads through my hands as tiny sparks of energy flit across the tips of my fingers. My arms tremble as the magic moves through me. Softly, I bite my lower lip and concentrate on the glass.
Shakily, it lifts from the table and hovers in the air a moment before I carefully set it back down.
“It worked.” I turn my head to look back up at Ryvan and find his green eyes already staring down at me. “I cannot believe I actually did it.”
He flashes a devastatingly handsome smile. “I knew you could, Ella.”
I start to stand but a sudden wave of dizziness washes over me, and I stumble forward.
Ryvan catches me in his arms before I hit the floor.
“What’s wrong with me?”
He gently brushes the hair back from my face as his eyes search mine in concern. “Forgive me, Ella. I pushed you too far, too quickly. Your kind are not used to wielding magic. I did not realize it would have this effect on you.”
He reaches for one of the glasses and brings it to my lips. “Drink this.”
I take a few sips, but when he tries to offer me some of the food, my stomach twists, and I turn my head away. “I cannot. Not right now.”
It’s warm in here, but suddenly it feels too closed in. “I need some fresh air. Can you help me go outside?”
I expect him to simply provide an arm for me to lean on, but instead he sweeps me completely off my feet, lifting me to his chest as if I weigh nothing.
I blink up at him. “You are going to hurt yourself carrying me, Ryvan. I can walk.”
“Hurt myself?” he laughs. “My people are much stronger than yours. Your weight is very slight, Ella. You are hardly a burden.”
Heat flushes my cheeks as his masculine scent—something akin to earth and cinnamon—surrounds me.
He carries me outside the cottage. Mirna neighs as soon as she sees us.
“It is all right,” he tells her. “She simply used up too much of her energy casting spells. She will recover.”
“How long do you think it will take? I must return before sunrise.”
“At most, a few hours,” he reassures me. “Would you prefer to sit or lay down?”
“Lay down.”
He gently sets us down in the thick grass. “You can lay on my wing.”
“I will not break it?” I ask, worried.
He shakes his head. “I know the clear panes make them appear fragile, but our wings are very sturdy. Trust me.”
Cautiously, I lay back on his wing beside him. I trace my hands along the surface, marveling at the strange, leathery texture. They appear like dragonfly wings but much larger. When he curls the edge of his wing around me, I smile. “I had no idea you could move your wings in this way.”
“Are you warm enough?” he asks.
I scoot a bit closer to him, and then nod. It feels good to be nestled against him, partly wrapped in his wing as we stare up at the night sky.
