He never will.
My chest aches as I slide off the bed, preparing to be ejected from his home.
“If your words are true, what makes you think she can help me?”
It’s not what I expected him to say.
Hans holds out his hand, and a small flower begins to bloom in it. “You know what my magic looks like, right, Father?”
“Of course,” he says sweetly. “I’ve always been so proud to have a son blessed with magic.”
“Briar, can you show him your effect on it?” Hans holds his hand out to me, and I take a few steps forward. Reaching my hand out, I place my palm on the back of his hand, cupping his fingers that gently hold the flower.
Green and gold swirl around the flower as it expands, growing double, triple, and then four times its previous size. But it’s not just growing larger. Its petals are changing colors, and its fragrance is filling the room.
“Her magic is wild and strong and chaotic. But Gerrit and I have chosen to become her Complements. We can temper the magic, help her focus it, and achieve incredible things together.”
We didn’t talk about them being my Complements, but as soon as he says it, I know he’s right. After that moment we shared in the woods yesterday, I feel tied to them in a way I hadn’t before.
They’re mine.
And I am theirs.
The Duke still doesn’t look convinced, but the initial suspicion that hung over him is significantly reduced.
“How do you expect to heal me if I am cursed as you say?” The skepticism is firm in his voice, but I don’t take it personally.
He doesn’t know me.
“Utilizing Hans’s magic, we’ll bring the offending plant next to you. We will work together to extract your life force from that of the plant, essentially dissecting you from the plant. If that doesn’t work, if you are too entwined, I will need to remove the curse from you. In which case…”
“In which case, you’ll have to go to sleep because there is more of a risk of damage,” Gerrit interrupts.
I narrow my brow at him. We were supposed to tell his father that his mother would have the curse returned to her.
He must worry that his father would refuse if he knew that was what would happen.
And as much as I am loathe to lie to the man, he is not my father. I will let Hans and Gerrit decide how they approach this delicate situation.
“It seems simple,” the Duke says, looking between me and Hans. “Why can’t you do it on your own?” That’s directed at his son.
Hans kneels at the bedside, his olive green tunic stretched tightly across his fit chest, clashing against the red bedcover. “I tried before I left, and it made it worse. It sped up the death of the plant.”
For the longest time, the five of us, including Flint, exist in silence. Then, with a heavy exhale, the Duke nods. “I suppose it cannot hurt to try. Are we to do this now?”
Eager to get started and save the man, I cross to the window. Throwing it open, the offending plant immediately makes itself known to me. “Hans, that one,” I say, pointing at a green stalk with browning yellow bulbs of flowers on it. It doesn’t look healthy, and it would be easy to rip it out of the ground and be done with it. “I’m going to boost your magic. I need you to pull the entire root system and the soil out. I’ll get it in here.
Hans nods with determination, and I cup his elbow. In just a few delicate moments, the plant is removed from the ground, soil clumped around its roots. I push some of my magic to move the air, levitating the plan and bringing it inside the room, where I land it in a wash basin.
The Duke watches on in curiosity, one that I share. I don’t know how my magic works. I may never. But I do know that it works best with my men beside me.
“Let’s see this curse,” I mutter, waving my hands over the plant. I push my intentions forward, revealing the curse and the life force of the Duke and the plant, all glowing around the plant in purple, green, and red shimmering strands.
I swear, walking around the glowing ball of magic.
“Fuck,” I say quietly, just so Hans and Gerrit can hear. “This is worse than I thought.”
“What do you mean?” Gerrit replies, looking over his shoulder at the plant.
