trees … and yumminess.”
Ollie rubs his hand across his mouth, struggling not to laugh. “She’s a stubborn one.”
“Yes, she is,” Jax agrees. He says something in a low tone that makes Ollie move back. Then he shifts in front of me. “Blink, Alana,” he demands.
His demanding tone shatters the high in my body, and my eyelids open and close.
“That was weird.” I rub my eyes as reality sinks in. “I felt like I was drunk or something.”
It all comes crashing back to me. Oh, my God, did I tell Jax he smelled yummy! Great. It’s only a matter of time before he throws that in my face.
“Yeah,” Jax agrees, as if he has experienced it before. He turns to Ollie, who’s now sitting on the corner of the coffee table, studying me. “So, what’s the verdict? Does she have traces of fey magic in her?”
“She doesn’t just have traces of fey magic in her. It’s entangled in her like a web.” He scratches his head. “And the quantities are almost as much as a faerie would have.”
My heart constricts inside my chest as I stare down at the light bluish purple blood veins barely visible in my forearms. “But I don’t have faerie blood in me.”
“I know you don’t,” Ollie tells me. “That much, I can tell.”
“So what does this mean?” I ask. “Will the magic fade eventually?”
“Probably,” Ollie says. “But I’m guessing, until it does, there might be some side effects.”
I swallow hard. “Like what?”
“I’m not one hundred percent sure.” He tugs his fingers through his hair. “But usually, if someone temporarily steals magic from a faerie, their emotions connect for a while.”
I frown. “Great, so I’m going to end up feeling what a dead faerie feels.”
“I’m not positive since I’m not sure what’s going on with you. I just wanted to give you a warning in case you start feeling strange.” Ollie stands to his feet and wanders toward the kitchen again.
“Where are you going?” Jax calls after him.
Ollie glances over his shoulder at Jax. “To go track down a pixie so we can find out what she is before anyone else does.”
He exits the room, leaving me alone with Jax and my overanalyzing thoughts of what could possibly be going on with me.
Chapter 13
An hour later, Ollie sets off on his pixie tracking quest with the promise that he’ll get ahold of Jax the moment he finds out where Hushing Forest is. He leaves us alone in the cottage so Jax and I can discuss a few things in private and figure out our next move. I also take the chance to use the bathroom and wash the blood off my face and neck.
After splashing a few handfuls of cold water on my face, I pat my skin dry and assess the damage in the mirror.
“Jesus, I look like the undead.” I slant forward over the sink and squint at the dark half-circles under my eyes, my pallid skin, and my tangled mess of brown hair.
I didn’t look this bad this morning. Did what happened on the field take a small nick out of my health? Is the lingering magic inside me doing this? I shudder at the thought. I hope it doesn’t happen again. And I hope the magic leaves my body. It’s not like I have any use for faerie magic since I’m not fey, and I can’t use it.
Or can I?
Stepping back from the mirror, I stare at my reflection and attempt to put up a glamour, make my hair change colors, make my skin shimmer, make my eyes glow.
Nope. Nothing.
I grip the edge of the sink. So, if I can’t use the magic, then what’s the point?
In time, Alana … You’ll learn … how to … use … your … gift. My grandpa’s voice is feeble inside my head. I have to go for … a while … There’s too much … magic around … right … now.
A weighted exhale puffs from my lips. “There you go again with your cryptic messages and disappearing act. I wish you were just here. Then maybe I could have someone to talk to.”
For some reason, I expect him to materialize. He doesn’t.
Sighing, I comb my fingers
Ollie rubs his hand across his mouth, struggling not to laugh. “She’s a stubborn one.”
“Yes, she is,” Jax agrees. He says something in a low tone that makes Ollie move back. Then he shifts in front of me. “Blink, Alana,” he demands.
His demanding tone shatters the high in my body, and my eyelids open and close.
“That was weird.” I rub my eyes as reality sinks in. “I felt like I was drunk or something.”
It all comes crashing back to me. Oh, my God, did I tell Jax he smelled yummy! Great. It’s only a matter of time before he throws that in my face.
“Yeah,” Jax agrees, as if he has experienced it before. He turns to Ollie, who’s now sitting on the corner of the coffee table, studying me. “So, what’s the verdict? Does she have traces of fey magic in her?”
“She doesn’t just have traces of fey magic in her. It’s entangled in her like a web.” He scratches his head. “And the quantities are almost as much as a faerie would have.”
My heart constricts inside my chest as I stare down at the light bluish purple blood veins barely visible in my forearms. “But I don’t have faerie blood in me.”
“I know you don’t,” Ollie tells me. “That much, I can tell.”
“So what does this mean?” I ask. “Will the magic fade eventually?”
“Probably,” Ollie says. “But I’m guessing, until it does, there might be some side effects.”
I swallow hard. “Like what?”
“I’m not one hundred percent sure.” He tugs his fingers through his hair. “But usually, if someone temporarily steals magic from a faerie, their emotions connect for a while.”
I frown. “Great, so I’m going to end up feeling what a dead faerie feels.”
“I’m not positive since I’m not sure what’s going on with you. I just wanted to give you a warning in case you start feeling strange.” Ollie stands to his feet and wanders toward the kitchen again.
“Where are you going?” Jax calls after him.
Ollie glances over his shoulder at Jax. “To go track down a pixie so we can find out what she is before anyone else does.”
He exits the room, leaving me alone with Jax and my overanalyzing thoughts of what could possibly be going on with me.
Chapter 13
An hour later, Ollie sets off on his pixie tracking quest with the promise that he’ll get ahold of Jax the moment he finds out where Hushing Forest is. He leaves us alone in the cottage so Jax and I can discuss a few things in private and figure out our next move. I also take the chance to use the bathroom and wash the blood off my face and neck.
After splashing a few handfuls of cold water on my face, I pat my skin dry and assess the damage in the mirror.
“Jesus, I look like the undead.” I slant forward over the sink and squint at the dark half-circles under my eyes, my pallid skin, and my tangled mess of brown hair.
I didn’t look this bad this morning. Did what happened on the field take a small nick out of my health? Is the lingering magic inside me doing this? I shudder at the thought. I hope it doesn’t happen again. And I hope the magic leaves my body. It’s not like I have any use for faerie magic since I’m not fey, and I can’t use it.
Or can I?
Stepping back from the mirror, I stare at my reflection and attempt to put up a glamour, make my hair change colors, make my skin shimmer, make my eyes glow.
Nope. Nothing.
I grip the edge of the sink. So, if I can’t use the magic, then what’s the point?
In time, Alana … You’ll learn … how to … use … your … gift. My grandpa’s voice is feeble inside my head. I have to go for … a while … There’s too much … magic around … right … now.
A weighted exhale puffs from my lips. “There you go again with your cryptic messages and disappearing act. I wish you were just here. Then maybe I could have someone to talk to.”
For some reason, I expect him to materialize. He doesn’t.
Sighing, I comb my fingers
Similar Books
