by Noree Cosper
My pulse jumped a staccato beat. “What? How?”
He waved to the Well. “A combination of witchcraft and Fae magic is much more powerful than her magic. You would have to connect to the Well, however. In my current state, I don’t have the strength to aid you.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and ran the edge of my thumb over the upraised ridge of my amulet. I hadn’t accepted Rhydian’s offer because it would have traded one Fae for another. If I connected to the Well, I would be binding myself to all of them.
Or would I?
They all were connected by the Well, even Nimue, and seemed to have no problem going against each other. Maybe this was the freedom I’d wanted for so long.
Dylan’s glare through his wooden prison sent an ache through my heart. I’d grown to hate the cruel looks he’d worn since Nimue had enslaved his mind and sent him after me. It had never been his will, though. He deserved to make his own choices, not stay Nimue’s thrall.
“All right,” I murmured. “What do I need to do?”
“Take my hands.” The Sandman bobbed up and down in the Well.
I placed my hands in his. His thumbs clasped over my knuckles pulled me closer to where his labored breath ruffled the hair on the top of my head. My heart sped up and I swallowed the lump in my throat.
His voice rose into a musical cadence. “From this Well, our life force springs. And to it, magic returns. Like a drop of rain, flowing in the ocean. Great Well, Spirit of Dreams, behold our daughter standing here. By my blood and words, open your power to her.”
It was a few seconds and forever all at once. The tickling of the bubbles grew into an itching. It felt as if they were crawling into my pores. It shrank from all over my body to a small patch of skin on my right forearm. A sting flared under my breast, where Nimue’s mark lay, and disappeared.
I squirmed and gasped as effervescence danced within my veins. Laughter escaped from my lips. I could fly, I could dance on the cloud.
The Sandman pulled back from me. He seemed to collapse within himself, his shoulders crumpling and his head bowing. “It is done. Now, I must rest.”
“What about Dylan?” I asked. “How do I do this?”
“This is uncharted territory,” he said. “I have no spell, but perhaps you can find something you can change in the Mara’s grimoire.”
I waded to the edge of the pool and pulled myself out. The grass soaked the liquid I’d sloshed out and a small burst of energy rippled under my feet. The broken vines sank into the earth and the bark of the bullet damaged trees regrew.
“Whoa,” I said in a breathy voice.
The Sandman coughed. “The magic is potent. Its proximity keeps the grove alive.”
He laid back in the Well and sunk to where only an oval sliver of his face remained above the surface. He sank lower and his forehead disappeared. It looked as if the Well was swallowing him.
I hovered at the edge of the Well with my hand outstretched to him as my heart pounded in my chest. “What’s happening to you?”
The liquid danced at his upturned lips. “The Well will heal me, but I must become one with it. I’m afraid I can’t continue on your journey any longer.”
“You waited until now to tell me?”
“You were preoccupied before.”
I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “What would have happened if I decided not to connect with the Well?”
“You would have had to face Nimue with just your witchcraft,” he said. “I fear all would have been lost.”
“Was that a joke?”
He gave a small huff of laughter. “Partially. Be brave, my daughter.”
My heart felt like it was stuck in my throat. “Please don’t leave me, Dad. I just found out about you.”
Only his nose and lips were visible now.
“This isn’t the end,” he said. “We will see each other again.”
With those last words, he faded from view. After a few seconds, the ripples of the pond died down, leaving only the mirrored surface. I blinked back the prickling of tears.
“I’ll be back for you,” I said.
I just had to defeat the evil sorceress first.
23
The Mara’s book lay where Colin and I had left it at the sound of the explosion. With a heavy heart and sniffling nose, I collapsed against the tree and pulled the tome into my lap. I may have lost my dad and I had no idea where Colin had ended up, but, damnit, I would save Dylan.
I flipped through the pages of the spells with their diagrams and the Mara’s spidery notes. Three-fourths of the way through the book, I found a spell to wake someone from an enchanted sleep. My mind went into overdrive as I stared down at the sketched circle surrounded by runes. I could rework the Mara’s wording to include a rhyme to break the ensorcellment that made Dylan a mind slave.
I returned to Dylan’s cage with the grimoire in my arms. He turned his head at my footfalls and glared at me.
“What are you?” he asked.
“I am the same as I have always been,” I said.
“Not exactly,” he said. “You’re alone, now. Everyone has abandoned you. But it doesn’t have to be that way with the mistress. She’s always with me.”
I knelt next to the cage and set down the grimoire. “Your mistress is using you. She put a spell on you, but I’m going to make it better.”
“No.” He struggled against his bonds. “She needs me. She needs my love.”
I pressed my lips together as I stared at the diagram in the book through teary eyes. “Love shouldn’t work that way. It should be freely given.”
He gave a bitter laugh. “So, it can be easily forgotten? Like you forgot me?”
His words were like a lance to my heart. “I never forgot you. I’m going to prove it now.”
With that, I pulled out my knife and dug a six-pointed star out of the dirt around the cage. He continued to talk at me, but I tuned out his words. They’d only hurt more.
At each of the six points of the star I drew a rune: b-shaped Bekano for liberation, u-shaped Uruz for sudden change and freedom, swirling Jera to break through stagnancy, fork shaped Algiz for protection and spiritual awakening, hourglass shaped Dagaz for awakening, and Kenaz, which looked like the tip of an arrow, for transformation. I stepped back to admire my work. It wasn’t precise but it would work well enough.
I stood in front of the Dagaz rune and gripped my necklace. I may have been able to use my magic without it, but I needed all the focus I could get for this. I closed my eyes and visualized Nimue’s spell as an invisible hand around him. I imagined that hand shattering as I began to chant.
“Thee have been lain down to sleep. The Fae sorceress, your love and dreams she’ll keep.”
He groaned. “Stop.”
“With the power of Witch and Fae I spake.”
His scream echoed through the air, but I continue on. It had to be working.
“And with my words, you shall wake.”
A rush of energy left me at my last words and warmth emanated from the ground in front of me. I cracked one eye open and gasped, opening the other. The star and runes glowed lemon yellow. Dylan lay limp in his bounds with his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of sleep.
I bit my lip. Had it worked? I reached towards the branches to pull them apart.
“What are you doing?” Colin’s voice filled the grove.
I jumped and spun around. He stood at the blasted open entrance on the other side of the Well with one hand resting on the jagged rock. The tension that had built up in my shoulders faded at the sight of him. I took two steps to rush to him and stopped. I straightened my back and lifted my chin.
“I’m trying to break the spell over him,” I said.
He stared at the cage with narrowed eyes before turning back to me. “You were just going to release him without making sure it worked?”
“Look at him,” I said. “He’s actually sleeping and not sleepwalking.”
“That
could be a trick. We need to wake him before you try to let him go.” Colin marched over to me and looked me up and down. “Are you alright? Where is the Sandman?”
“He’s…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “He’s recovering. He won’t be coming with us.”
Colin’s hands rested on my shoulders. “And you? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.” I pulled away, turning back to Dylan. “So, how do we wake him?”
Colin picked up a stick. “With this.”
“Seriously? You’re going to just poke him with a stick?”
“Why not?” he asked. “He’s pretty bound. He shouldn’t be able to grab it.”
Colin edged the stick between the branches and jabbed Dylan’s shoulder. Dylan groaned and tried to roll onto his side. The bond on his wrist stopped him from pulling his arm over and he shifted again. He sucked in a loud breath of air as his eyes fluttered open. His gaze found us as he struggled to sit up.
“Aneira?” Dylan asked in a husky voice. “What’s going on? Why am I trapped like one of your rabbits?”
I squatted down next to the cage and wiped the corners of my eyes with my knuckles. “You remember that?”
“It’s not something I’d forget. You tend to remind me of how much of a better trapper you are than me.” His face held a lost frightened look, no longer boasting the cruel mask.
“You’ve been under a spell for a while,” I said.
He gasped, a greenish pallor rushing over his face. “Nimue. Something happened with her. I—”
“She enchanted you. You’ve been dreaming for her this whole time,” I said.
“You don’t remember anything?” Colin asked.
“Bits and pieces, like flashes.” Dylan squeezed his eyes shut. “I was chasing you for her, I think. I guess you caught me, huh?”
“Yeah, one sec.” I stood and gripped my amulet.
“You’re just going to free him?” Colin let out a huff of air through his nose. “He could be faking.”
“Then I guess you should be ready.” I stared at the wood and began to chant. “Apple tree, Oak tree, swing and sway. Pull your limbs away, until I call upon you another day.”
The branches retracted and the trees shifted to their original positions.
Colin held his gun pointed at Dylan, as if waiting for the slightest wrong move, though I wasn’t sure what counted as wrong in his mind. I took a step between the two of them, but kept my knife ready. Dylan eased himself into the sitting position with a groan. He tried to stand, but collapsed to his knees. A shudder ran through his body as he held his head.
“I think I’m going to need some help,” he said.
I shot Colin a silent “see?” look and knelt beside Dylan. I lay my hand on top of his and he started, his entire body stiffening. He pulled his hand away and he shifted his gaze from me. I scooted back, biting the inside of my cheek.
“You look sick,” I said. “We should get you to the Respite. They should be able help you.”
Colin towered over us with his arms crossed. “You want to risk the Respite?”
“He can barely stand, Colin.” I said. “I don’t think he’s much of a threat.”
“Fine,” Colin said. “I need to meet up with my people, anyway.”
Dylan looked between us until he settled on me. “You’re going after Nimue, aren’t you?”
I glanced at the Well. “Yeah, I have a few promises to keep.”
Colin gave a surprised cough.
“I want to go with you,” Dylan said. “This is partly my fault.”
“No way,” Colin said. “I’m not going to have a possible spy with us.”
I pressed my lips together. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, either. You can’t even stand as it is.”
“I can recover at the Respite. It will only take a few days, I’m sure. Besides, I think I have information about her palace that you need.” His fists clenched as he stared at me. “Please, Aneira. I need to do this.”
“We’ll talk about it more at the Respite.” I stood up and dusted myself off. “I’ll get our things together.”
I cast one last glance between Colin, who was dead set on Dylan not going, and Dylan, who was dead set on going. A fight was brewing and it was going to erupt. I wasn’t sure who would survive the explosion.
24
Colin and I combined our powers together to teleport to the Dyfed Respite. With a little hand holding, chanting, and imagination, we ended up outside a gate connected to the three-story wooden wall. It hadn’t changed much since I had last been there.
“Identify yourselves,” a woman’s voice shouted from the wooden tower to the left of the gate.
“It’s Colin, Rhydian’s son,” Colin yelled. “I believe there are some witches from our palace who came here several days ago.”
One of the triplets leaned out of the tower and peered down at us. Her eyes widened and a slow smile spread across her face. She disappeared from the window.
Dylan leaned against me with a sigh and I slipped an arm under his shoulder to help support him.
Minutes later the Gate opened, its two wooden doors swinging inward. The triplet bounded out, followed by three witches I’d seen around the Respite while growing up. She leapt at Colin, wrapping her arms around him.
“You’re here,” she said. “We were beginning to form a search party for you.”
Colin chuckled. “Of course I’m here, Eryn. I said I’d be back.”
Eryn shot me a cool look. “I see you made it through, as well.”
I smirked. “Good to see you too, Eryn.”
“Your friend seems injured.” She hooked elbows with Colin’s. “Come on. The others will be happy to see you. I bet we won’t make it far inside before they show up.”
She was right. The moment we stepped inside the gates, Colin was surrounded by a group of witches, including Leri, Gwen, Mai, and Lili. Gales of laughter echoed through the air of the Respite. Several men and women stuck their heads out of windows and doors of the one-story stone buildings along the road.
“It was an eye-opening experience.” Colin’s voice rose about the others. He pinned Mai and Lili with a glare. “And I suspect the two of you knew about my mother.”
Lili made a huffing sound. “Don’t look at us. Your father wanted it kept secret.”
“He didn’t want you burdened by it,” Mai said.
I turned away from the group, still holding onto Dylan. Colin needed time to deal with his family and the secrets that came to light. I had Dylan to worry about. We hobbled towards the two witches that had followed Eryn out. They stood outside the door to the tower, whispering to each other.
“Could one of you show us to your healer?” I asked.
“Sure.” The male witch smiled at me. “Let me give you a hand.”
He took the other side of Dylan and guided us down the road and around one of the one story, stone houses in the middle. A small set of clean stone steps led to a stoop.
“Owen’s who you’re looking for,” he said, releasing his hold on Dylan. “He’ll fix your friend up.”
“Thanks.” I shifted to adapt to Dylan’s weight.
“Sorry I’m such a bother,” Dylan rasped. “You should have just left me.”
“Quit being dumb. I wouldn’t just leave you. You know how difficult that spell was to get off?”
He laughed. “Knowing you and magic, I’m surprised it works.”
“I’ve gotten better.” With a small smile, I knocked on the door.
A short man with hunched shoulders and wisps of white hair answered and introduced himself as Owen, the healer. He ushered us in and looked over Dylan. He was suffering from physical exhaustion and malnourishment. Nimue’s magic may have kept her Dreamless active, but it didn’t provide sustenance. It turned out love wasn’t the only thing a person needed, after all.
Owen gave Dylan a bed to rest in during his recovery since Owen wanted to monitor Dylan throughout. I was given a room to share wit
h some of the witches from the palace, but I rarely stayed there. I spent most of my time helping Owen tend to Dylan.
Over the next few weeks, I didn’t see much of Colin. His cadre of witches kept him occupied, which was fine by me. When I did pass him on the street, I tended to find a need to head the other direction. Why I was avoiding him, I couldn’t say, but it helped stop the guilty feeling from swirling around the pit of my stomach.
On the evening of the third week, I returned Owen’s house with a sack full of herbs I managed to talk Lili out of. I stuffed a bunch of maca root in my pocket. Even though I was able to sleep now and was safe behind the walls of the Respite, I felt safer with some on hand. I’d even found another spell in the Mara’s book that defended against spells, or powders, that would put someone to sleep.
Dylan smiled from where he was sitting up in his bed with his spoon hovering above the bowl of his broth as I stepped inside the house. He’d recovered well. Color now dotted his cheeks, his stringy hair had grown soft, and light had returned to his green eyes.
“Hope your walk was worth it,” he said. “You missed out on dinner.”
I shrugged and took my usual chair next to him, my gaze moving to the window. “I’ll grab something later.”
His frown disappeared as he put his spoon in the bowl and set it on the bedside table. “You’re getting antsy.”
“What?”
“You don’t like being cooped up in this town, nursing me. You want to leave, take on Nimue.”
“It’s not being cooped up or looking after you.” I sighed. “It’s just that it’s been weeks and we haven’t seen anything. Now that my marks gone, I don’t have a connection to her. She has to be up to something.”
He pushed the blankets off and stood up. “Well, I’m stronger now. We can leave.”
“What makes you think we want you with us?” Colin’s voice traveled from the doorway.
I jumped, turning around.
Colin stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. The triplets stood behind him, and one gave him a small shove. He shot her a glare and walked across the room, grabbing a wooden chair on his way. He set down next to mine and rested his arms on it. The triplets moved in to hover behind him, casting a few narrow-eyed glares at Dylan and me, mostly me.