So far, I hadn’t made much progress when it came to healing others, but I was getting better at sensing pain.
The first step to mending others was learning to read energy. It felt similar to meditating—something I now did daily, thanks to Louis. When I meditated, I scanned any sensation within myself, breathing out the feelings that weighed me down.
Today I practiced reading Meli’s energy instead of mine, combing through her mind and body until I found a tangled nest of pain.
Meli had told me the blocks in her energy were what I was to seek out—those were the fears, anxieties, and traumatic events that lived in everyone. Physical pain was more acute while mental pain throbbed.
I gasped when I was hit with an overwhelming wave of anxiety—a tight knot in her chest that radiated down to her abdomen. It was fierce and primal, hissing at me like it hadn’t wanted to be found. What was she hiding? I pulled back into myself and gathered the courage to ask what was wrong.
“Meli, I don’t want to violate your privacy. I appreciate that you’re allowing me to practice on you, however, I must ask… are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?” I was concerned. This was my fourth lesson with her, and each week I could feel the pain growing stronger.
She pulled out of my grasp, and for a moment, I thought she was going to tell me to leave. But then she let out a heavy sigh and began to speak. “I’m in terrible danger—as is Odin. He’s more than my source; he…he is the love of my life. He has been for years now and we’ve been able to keep it a secret. We’re very careful—hardly ever seen together in public. But I-I recently found out that I’m pregnant. And… our rulers don't approve of hybrids. They’ll kill me if they find out. They’ll murder my child and take Odin. I have herbs that would end the pregnancy, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’ve already grown attached. I want this baby, but I’m so scared.”
I moved closer to comfort her while she cried into her hands. Once she’d stifled her sobs, we sat in silence, listening to the whistling wind rustlethe leaves. Purple blossoms fell from the trees, fluttering around us as I combed my fingers through her dark curls. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her or her baby.
“How far along are you?” I asked. “Are Fae pregnancies the same length as human ones?”
Meli nodded. “Roughly. Human gestation is around forty weeks. A faerie’s is about a month longer. You must think me foolish to end up in this situation, but I’m two-hundred years old and this is my first pregnancy. I didn’t think Icouldget pregnant. Faeries struggle with infertility, especially with the curse. We must maintain magic in our blood the entire pregnancy or we are susceptible to miscarriage. It’s a true miracle that I’m pregnant, and yet we haven’t been able to celebrate. I believe the baby was conceived about twelve weeks ago, which means I’ll start showing in the next few months.” A new round of tears fell and I held her until they dried again.
“I’ll help you. I’ll figure out how to get you to Erador, I promise. I’m going to learn to world walk—for you, I’ll try. It’s just that… it’s such rare magic, I’m not sure where to begin.” I’d looked in every library in the castle, scouring countless books, but hadn’t found anything helpful yet.
She trembled as her shoulders sagged. “You’d do that for me? I-I can’t thank you enough for even considering it. I’m eternally in your debt.” She got down on her knees and kissed my hands.
I laughed uncomfortably. “Meli, get up. I’m your friend.Of course,I’m going to help.”
“You’re more than my friend. You have many gifts and your magic is strong... special. You’ve been chosen by the gods.”
“Chosen for what? I did nothing to earn this power that everyone thinks I have—I certainly haven’t done anything to deserve being favored by the gods.”
“Don’t say such things. We don’t know how or why our gifts are assigned to us, but I can ensure you that they aren’t a coincidence. You were sent to unite our people—to save us.”
I didn’t want to hear this. It was hard enough to accept that I was part Fae… that maybe I was capable of world walking. But a savior? No. Saviors didn’t have panic attacks and hide in their rooms, fantasizing about princes, while actively avoiding them. They weren’t afraid to try and fail, to love and lose.
I’d ended up in this world because I was a coward who’d run away from her problems. I was theoppositeof a hero.
Meli jumped up like she’d been stung by a wasp. “The Oracle! You need to go to the Oracle!” she declared with enthusiasm. “She’ll be able to help you access your powers. Her magic is as rare as yours. Her and her twin—who stayed on Erador—are powerful witches. They can see the past and the future… they receive prophecies from the gods.” Suddenly her excitement drained from her and she paled.
“But perhaps it’s not worth it. She will demand a steep price for her help… And she lives deep in the mountains."
We sighed simultaneously and then the sound of a gate opening and closing caught our attention. Meli smiled widely at a man with alabaster skin and pale blonde hair that fell around his shoulders. Odin, I assumed. He was holding a basket and looked like he’d arrived to harvest herbs.
He sauntered towards us, staring at me apprehensively with round, storm-grey eyes. We exchanged pleasantries and then I couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’re the first human I’ve met since arriving here!” I stood to shake his hand and he backed up a few feet, looking at Meli uncertainly.
“Odin, this is Marigold, my friend from Erador.” I’d given her permission to tell him about me, and I was glad she had, because his face eased into a relaxed smile.
“I should’ve known. It’s nice to meet you. Meli is always in her best moods after a visit from you.” He shook my hand and set down his basket before settling down beside us in the grass.
He had a calm, quiet energy that complimented Meli’s gregarious nature. I searched for his aura, curious if I could read a human’s soul, since I couldn’t see mine or Raf’s.
I saw a faint flash of sage green edged with silver. His uhra was soft and unmistakably kind.
Odin tilted his head as he asked, “I’m the first you’ve met since you arrived? There are no humans at the castle?”
“None. I’ve only seen the family drink blood from a cup.” It was difficult to imagine Meli biting Odin. I couldn’t see any marks on him… perhaps she healed him afterwards.
“Ah, I see. Easier for them to treat us like livestock if they don’t have to interact with us. I just heard news of another attack. This time two humans were found drained on the side of the road near the mountainpass. It seems faeries will be their own demise, as well as ours.” Odin sighed. Meli sat stunned, clutching her belly.
“Why are faeriesdraininghumans? Don’t they value the preservation of magic above all else?” I asked, clenching my fists until my nails bit into skin.
