“I’m not sure. She hasn’t been at the Marsh Court for quite some time.”
“None of this changes anything for me, Fen. I still have to find Nealla. I have to keep going.”
“Then let me do it for you. You can stay here or go back to the southern court where it’s safe, and we will find your answers. I’ll get on my knees and beg you if you want me to.”
“No, but I’m half tempted to take you up on that offer just to see it.”
“Do it!” Kai shouted from the trees.
“Do they ever go away?” I asked loudly.
“Nope,” Kai answered.
“I mean it, Ara. Please.”
I doubt that male ever had to ask for a thing in his life, but there he stood, asking for my permission because he was trying to consider my feelings.
“This is something I chose to do. I know I have to. I’m drawn to her. She wants me to find her. You can’t do it for me, but I will let you come.” I would not mention that I felt pulled to him as well. He was pretty. I’m sure everyone with eyes felt drawn to him. “You guys might as well come out,” I yelled.
“We can move our camp to the clearing,” he said.
“There’s no way in hell I’m bathing in that water.” Wren shook her head.
“Don’t worry,” Kai said, swinging his arm around her. “Fen killed the bad guy.”
“Greeve, take Kai and go hunt. Wren and Lichen, make a fire and set camp. Make sure to fill all the flasks just in case we need to leave in a hurry.”
“I wouldn’t advise a fire, my prince,” Lichen said, holding his hand out. “It’s going to rain.”
“Perfect. Go find something else to do then,” he ordered, grabbing my hand and pulling me in the opposite direction.
“So, you guys make friends for one single day and we suddenly have to get lost?” Wren asked. She got a flash of Fen’s angry face and raised her hands. “Not complaining.” She grabbed Lichen and walked away quickly.
We walked in silence for quite some time, just circling the pond while he worked out whatever was on his mind.
“What are we doing?”
“We’re going to build a fire.”
“But the rain,” I protested, halting.
“Let me worry about the rain and you worry about the fire.”
“Okay.” I rubbed my hands together. “Tell me what to do.” I took a fighter's stance with my feet shoulder width apart, bent at the knees. This was training. This I knew.
“It does work a little differently for each fae, so we may have to try several times until we get it right. Don’t get discouraged.”
“I’m not a child, just tell me how.” I dropped my hands.
“Close your eyes and search for the magic deep within you. It’s there. It’s always been a part of you.”
“The only thing I see is the back of my eyelids.”
“Imagine traveling down into your core.” He moved so close I thought I could hear his heartbeat.
“I don’t know how to do that.”
“Think less literally. Just imagine it. If you had a store of magic deep within you, what would that look like?”
