Venom And Vice

9

The next hour passed like a dream. That was after I threw up and regained my bearings. Who knew tracing would be so nauseating? Merlin took me to a church where he opened a portal to Faery. Our entire journey was surreal. From the female sentries stationed on the other side of the portal to the glittering palace anchored in the center of Avalon, I was in awe of every new sight. My brain stretched and strained to comprehend how an entirely different world could exist so close to our own. I’d known for months about Faery, but seeing the dueling Faery suns and feeling the invigorating pulse of magic in the air made it all that much more real. So many firsts in one day, including an introduction to the Faery queen, Guinevere. She was the physical embodiment of regal beauty, with waving red hair down to her waist and eyes so green I could see them from the back of her throne room. She was mesmerizingly gorgeous and utterly terrifying. What had me the most fascinated, however, was the cunning and confident way in which Rebecca managed her. My best friend was one bad b***h, and I couldn’t have been prouder. She argued her way to freedom, using her unique Twilight Realm magic to extract herself from beneath the queen’s rule. Guin wasn’t pleased with being strong-armed into a corner, but there was little she could do without appearing outright tyrannical in front of dozens of courtiers. When the moment was right, Merlin unveiled his reason for bringing me by announcing that I was his new apprentice. I thought it was rather comical, considering I had no magic, but Guin didn’t know that. The ploy worked, and I was given the freedom to stay on Earth under Merlin’s protection. Becca and I both walked away from the palace as free women. I was pleased, yet my relief was incomplete. I felt just as conflicted as I had the night before while trying to celebrate the end of the Unseelie rebellion. How could I fully embrace our success when I was still stymied in frustration over my nonexistent powers? I hadn’t brought up the subject on our way to the palace because Merlin had clearly been on a mission, but now that the confrontation was over, I decided to make my move. Rebecca and Lochlan had stayed behind just outside the Avalon gates for unknown reasons, so it was only my Faery godfather and me walking through the countryside toward the portal back home. If anyone could help me, it would be him—the man who had given me my powers to begin with. What he’d done was thought to be impossible. I wasn’t sure Merlin knew the meaning of the word. “I really appreciate what you’ve done for me,” I started, easing gently into the subject. “It’s been my pleasure to help. Neither you nor Rebecca would be in this situation if it weren’t for me.” “I’ve been wondering about that, actually. You see, I was told you saved my life by making me Fae, but I’m not so sure. It’s been five months since that happened, and I still have no magic.” Merlin’s steps slowed, his piercing eyes turning to me. “Is that so? Nothing at all?” I shook my head. “Have you felt any different here in Faery than you did back in Ireland?” “I don’t know if I feel different, but the air here seems different. Like the way it feels when you rub a balloon against your bare arm and all the hairs stand on end.” “Good, good.” He nodded his head and held his hands out for mine. “Let’s give something a try.” I placed my hands in his, my eyes quickly closing at the calming sense of warmth that flowed into me at his touch. “Ah, yes. There it is,” he murmured. As he spoke, I felt a tingling energy shiver outward from my spine. “Do you feel that?” he asked. “Yes,” I breathed. How could I not? It was the most foreign, incredible sensation I’d ever experienced. “That is your magic. I’ve coaxed it out from its dormancy using my power as a lure. Given that your magic is derived from mine, I had hoped such a tactic might work.” Merlin pulled his hands from my grasp, causing the electricity inside me to sputter and fizzle. “Wait! Not yet.” My eyes flew open. “I’m not done,” he assured me with a nod. “I want you to close your eyes again and see if you can identify any remnants of that feeling. Search yourself for its place of origin deep within you.” I did as he asked, centering all my concentration on that place just behind my belly at the base of my spine, and discovered he was right. A residual hum of energy still stirred. “It’s there,” I whispered in amazement. “Good. Now, think of that pool of energy as a ball of yarn and coax a string outward.” I wasn’t sure how to do as he asked but found it was easier than I’d expected. Once I identified the energy and concentrated on it, the ball seemed to respond to my wishes, pulsing and growing inside me. “I think I’m doing it!” I flung my eyes open excitedly. Merlin grinned, reaching his hand in his jacket pocket and pulling out a mirror that should never have fit in a pocket so small. I was about to question how he’d accomplished the trick when my eyes caught sight of my reflection and derailed my thoughts. Blue light softly emanated from my eyes. Becca told me the same thing had happened when Merlin first saved my life, but I’d seen no trace of it. Not until now. I was mesmerized. I’d hated my eyes in the past because they looked just like my father’s, but shining with an ethereal glow, they were positively breathtaking. Unique. Powerful. When Merlin lowered the mirror, I flew at him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug that bordered on assault. Fortunately, the ancient sorcerer only laughed and patted my back. “I believe from now on you should have more luck. Most Fae children have years for their power to take seed and sprout. Yours was still burrowed deep, but it looks like we’ve managed to find a loophole and speed things up a bit.”