Daniel talks to Kai about me?
Do I know how I feel about that?
“One point he’s driven home is that we would probably be really good friends if we didn’t let our pride get in the way,” Kai continued.
“That’s a pretty tall order.” I smiled a bit. “My pride is a force to be reckoned with.”
Kai grinned back. “Not as much as mine. People talk about it far and wide.”
“Oh yeah.” My smile grew mischievous. “Well, mine’s led good men to their graves.”
“Mine’s taken down whole cities,” she countered wickedly.
I spread out my arms in a dramatic gesture and threw my head back. “Mine’s conquered realms.”
We burst into quiet, companionable laughter, which we tried to muffle so as not to wake Daniel. After a moment, Kai looked at me with a serious expression. “I like you, Crisa,” she said. “Maybe Dani was right. Why don’t you and I try being friends?”
“All right,” I said. Then I bit my lip and thought quickly. “But I have one condition.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Relax, it’s nothing terrible. I just want you to promise that so long as you’re with us, you don’t take any crazy, unnecessary risks. You let Daniel and I take the lead and don’t protest when we try to protect you.”
“I thought you said it was nothing terrible?” Kai huffed. “You know, I’m not sure what Dani told you, but I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can,” I assured her. “You made those armed magic hunters look like toddlers playing with sticks. But that’s not the point. My condition has nothing to do with your ability. The fact is that Daniel and I have been dealing with this stuff a lot longer, so it’d probably be for the best if you hung back a bit.”
“Crisa. I told you how much I hate it when people think I can’t fend for myself. I don’t like depending on others for the same reason. I don’t want to give them any ideas about me being helpless.”
My eyes traced over Daniel, whose sleeping frame hadn’t moved since our conversation began. “You know, Daniel taught me something a long time ago,” I said. “He showed me that asking for help doesn’t make you helpless. Relying on other people doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means you trust someone else as much as you trust yourself. You trust Daniel don’t you Kai?”
“Of course I do.”
“Okay,” I responded. “Then swallow that infamous pride of yours and agree to the condition. I get that it might seem like an annoying and maybe even insulting request, but that’s not my intention. I’m making it in good faith and I want you to accept it in the same fashion.”
Kai stared at the ground with her brow furrowed. For a moment, I worried she would reject my proposal. She eventually looked up and stuck out her hand.
“All right, Crisa. I’ll abide by your condition. Just don’t push it. And don’t tell Daniel I agreed to this either. I don’t want him going all hero-saves-the-damsel on me.”
“Deal,” I said, shaking her hand. “I won’t tell him. Though I doubt that’ll keep Daniel from trying to be your hero. He’s still him after all.”
“You’re probably right,” Kai admitted. “The guy believes in me and my strength more than anyone, but he’s got a real deep protective instinct.”
“I noticed,” I said, leaning back against the log and turning my face up to the stars again. “Most guys at Lord Channing’s have a hero complex that they develop at school, but his always seemed pretty instinctive. Has he always been like that?”
“Yeah. Even before he got picked to go to Lord Channing’s, he was a natural hero. Loyal, determined, never hesitating to jump in to defend others—I’ve always felt like he can’t help but try to protect people, like he’s drawn to it or something.”
“I wonder if it’s because of how he lost his family …” I pondered out loud, thinking of the secret Daniel had shared with me in Neverland, that he was an orphan who’d lost his parents and kid sister when he was younger.
Kai didn’t respond. When the silence persisted, I turned to discover a genuinely shocked expression on her face.
“He told you about that?” she asked slowly. “About his parents and younger sister … and the fire?”
I nodded. She continued staring at me in surprise, which started to make me feel uncomfortable. “What’s that look for?” I asked.
“Nothing, it’s just … I don’t think he’s ever told anyone before. I only know because my father and I were there the night it happened. You guys must be pretty close for him to open up like that.”
I noticed her eyes dart to the jacket I was wearing. I was about to respond when Daniel shifted in his sleep. Although his eyes remained closed, Kai and I stopped talking.
After a minute, I cleared my throat and stretched my arms. “Honestly, I’m not going to be able to sleep right now, Kai. My head still hurts from the last attempt. Why don’t you get some rest while I take watch? I’ll wake you in a few hours so we can switch.” “All right. Suit yourself.” Kai shrugged, abandoning the conversation.
She got up from our shared log and sauntered over to where Daniel slept. She lay down beside him and rested her head against his arm as she shut her eyes. I picked up the nearest stick and stoked the fire, watching it burn.
n my dream, I was standing in a classroom. A date was written in the top left corner of the chalkboard: November 10, 2020.
The floor was beige tile and the walls were brick.
The wall on the left had tall, thin windows spaced along it. Arian’s blonde crony Tara leaned against it with a book bag draped over her shoulder. Her dark eyes were fixed on Natalie, who stood in the center of the room.
“What exactly is your problem with me?” Natalie asked Tara.
“I have no problem with you,” Tara replied evenly.
Natalie threw her head back and scoffed. Her maple hair brushed against the shoulders of her navy zip-up sweatshirt. “Drop the pretense, Tara. You have been tormenting me for years. And I get the whole high school mean girl ‘you can’t sit with us’ thing, but high school bullying is supposed to end in high school. You chose the same college as me. We have the same major even though you have as much interest in art history as a cat has in swimming lessons. And I know it was you who sent the virus to my computer that deleted my term paper last night.”
Tara shrugged. “Prove it.”
“You think I won’t?”
“I think you can’t,” Tara replied. She uncrossed her arms and slowly walked toward Natalie, drumming her fingers along the desks.
“Let’s say you’re right,” Tara continued. “Let’s say, theoretically, that I have been out to get you since the day I enrolled in your school. Let’s say, theoretically, that my very purpose for being here is to make your life miserable. And let’s say, also theoretically of course, that everything I do is intended to destroy your world until it eventually shatters. Why should I be afraid that you’ll fight back now? You and I have been bound together for years, Natalie, and you’ve never challenged me before.”
Natalie clenched her fists but held Tara’s gaze. “For a long time, I didn’t believe I deserved to be happy, and I didn’t let love or light into my life because I thought it would be taken away from me like so many things I’ve cared about before. But I’m not the confused teenager I was when we first met. I’m stronger than you think, Tara. The girl I am is worth fighting for, and I’m not going to live in your shadow anymore.”
Tara smirked as she sauntered over to the door. “I always thought you were strong, Natalie. That is why you had to live in my shadow. It is your destiny as much as it is mine. But don’t worry.” Tara’s face reflected in a panel of glass above the door handle. “Our time together is almost up.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Natalie asked.
Tara glanced over her shoulder. “You’ll see. Say hi to Crisa for me. I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” She opened the door and a blinding light burst through.
I saw f
lashes of Chance Darling, a thin gold tiara dangling from someone’s fingers, and flying monkeys. Then there were short visions of Blue’s eyes glowing bright green as fog swirled around her, SJ in Merlin’s potion lab, and then SJ brewing something in Julian’s potions lab in the Emerald City. Finally, there was Kai and Daniel. They were dancing at a ball at Lady Agnue’s. Kai wore a shimmering gold gown and Daniel’s smile lit up his face as he looked at her. That was the last thing I saw before the flashes faded and I was left standing in the void.
“Having a good rest, Crisanta?”
I turned at the sound of Merlin’s voice. He was sitting on a pale blue wooden swing. The chains holding it up were covered in vines and disappeared into the void. The swing was the same one we had at my home in Midveil.
I felt a tad violated seeing Merlin using it. I wondered about the control he and Liza had in my dreams when they communicated with me. Last I’d spoken in the void with Liza she’d been drinking tea at a nice table set up. Then Merlin was using this swing. Were they able to shuffle through pieces of my subconscious and generate what they wanted? Or was my mind generating these things for them.
“It’s your dream,” Liza had commented when I’d passed on the tea.
“What are you doing here, Merlin?” I asked, walking toward him. “We just saw each other in real life. What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Relax, Crisanta. Nothing’s wrong; I just wanted to give you a warning. We talked about the Vicennalia Aurora increasing your Pure Magic’s power, but as you go on to use that to your advantage, I wanted to emphasize that you need to be careful.”
Really? He’s bothering me in my dreams to give another warning. Between him and Liza it’s like having magic mentor whiplash. One moment they’re telling me about all this great power I have and all the big, important things I’m supposed to do with it; the next they’re cautioning me about the dangers of using it.
“Being careful isn’t my priority right now, Merlin,” I said, a bit annoyed. “Fortune may not favor the reckless, but time does. And that is what I’m working against. You know that. I am on a deadline to save Jason, find Excalibur, and reach Paige Tomkins’ memories. I’m nervous enough about what’s coming without more things shaking my nerve.”
“I understand that,” Merlin replied. “And I helped you develop your powers for that reason. But after you left, it occurred to me that you’re no good to me, or anyone, if you’re dead. I should have sent you off with more than just granola bars and Forget-Me-Nots. You need this warning as much as anything else.”
Merlin gestured for me to sit on the swing next to him, but I remained standing with my arms crossed.
“I know what you are up against, Crisanta,” he said. “But do not get cocky with what you have learned. Just because your magic can resurrect people doesn’t mean you should use that ability every chance you get. More importantly, just because that power saved you once doesn’t mean it is something to be relied upon. All magic—even Pure Magic—has limits. Remember what I told you about the three-minute window you have to save other people’s lives? Your ability to restore life to yourself is also conditional. If you have already used a lot of power, then your Magic Instinct might not be strong enough to compensate. Try to harness it without proper fuel in the tank and if your natural death doesn’t kill you, Magic Burn Out will.”
“Are you sure you’re not underestimating me, Merlin?” I said. “I’ve done a lot, despite my episodes of Magic Exhaustion. Maybe Magic Burn Out isn’t as much of a threat to me.”
Merlin waved his hand dismissively. A tiny red balloon appeared in his palm. Again, I wondered if that was a result of his mind’s power or mine.
“Think of your body as this balloon,” he said. “The helium inside is your magic.”
The balloon began to inflate. “As that power grows, you become something grander. But let it fill you up too much, let it stretch past what your body is physically capable of, and …”
The balloon—which had stretched to the size of a hatbox—exploded. Tattered pieces zipped around before crumpling to the ground.
“That is how Magic Burn Out works,” Merlin explained. “This will always be true, no matter how powerful you become or how powerful you feel. At the end of the day, there is only so much you can do. That is what I am warning you to be careful about. When you wake in the morning, it will be the day of the Vicennalia Aurora and you will face one peril after the next. But I advise you to hold back on using your abilities whenever possible in spite of the energy waves created by the Aurora that will tempt your magic otherwise. Trust me. You need to conserve your energy for when it counts. If you use too much of your magic right away, you may not have the strength to bring yourself or others back later. Understand?”
I did understand. Daniel had suggested that my power might make me invincible. It was scary to know for a fact that this wasn’t true.
And yet, I was actually more grateful for the knowledge than I was fearful of it. No one was invincible. Everyone had limits and we needed them. I was appreciative to have this anchor of reality because frankly, if I was only going to keep getting more powerful, I needed something to rein me in and prevent me from letting my Pure Magic consume me with its tempting power. Perhaps the threat of mortality would do just that.
“Thanks for the advice, Merlin,” I said, meaning it. “I’ll only use my magic when necessary.”
“Wise choice,” Merlin said. “You avoiding Magic Burn Out isn’t just for your own good, but everyone else’s too. Take care, Crisanta. I hope to reconnect with you and your allies soon.”
The wizard faded away. I was left in the void alone but felt myself waking up shortly thereafter. The time to face the inevitable had come.
When I opened my eyes morning had barely broken but Daniel and Kai were already up. The world was slightly chilly and coated in light gray. I took a deep breath. The Vicennalia Aurora would come to pass tonight, right after sunset. We only had one day to find Excalibur, aid Gwenivere and Morgan with overthrowing Rampart, return to Oz to free Paige’s mind from Glinda’s memory stone, save the scarecrow Fairy Godmother like I’d promised, and then help the Godmothers protect Book from Alderon’s antagonists and the imminent flying monkey attack.
It was going to be a long day.
Barely 5:30 in the morning, we splashed some water on our faces, I gave Daniel back his jacket, and we got moving.
Merlin’s map showed that the Isle of Avalon wasn’t far. Diving into the gorge last night had actually worked out as a shortcut. I was grateful for this, and the fact that we still had the map. Daniel had shoved it in his jacket before he made the jump into the gorge, and luckily the document was made of magic paper that couldn’t get ruined.
We walked briskly with renewed spirits, me in particular. Merlin said that his granola bars would have me feeling normal by morning, and he was right. I felt no pain and no exhaustion. A rosy glow had returned to my skin and my irises were back to their usual shade of green. I could also sense that my magic was fully replenished, but more than that, it was like every cell in my body hummed with electricity. I felt more alive than I had in a long time.
As I breathed in the cool morning air, I knew it was more than the granola bars making me feel this way. Merlin had explained that the shift in magic energy during the Vicennalia Aurora would affect me and other Pure Magic carriers throughout the day. I was already starting to be aware of it. I could sense the magic in the atmosphere as surely as I felt the breeze against my skin. There was power in the air—a power only I, and others like me, could detect.
I was stronger. My magic was stronger. If this was how I felt now, I wondered what would happen when one of those magic waves rolled through the atmosphere later.
Power fizzled in my fingertips as I walked, but I resisted the urge to test it. After Merlin’s warning in my dream, I was hesitant to waste an ounce. I didn’t even want to change my wand back yet. It was still in its sword form in the sheath bouncing
across my shoulder.
Daniel, Kai, and I kept to the riverbank as we traveled. As daybreak approached, gold began to color the sky. The waters of the river turned navy while the sand revealed its true color—gray. It’d been too dark to notice the odd color of the sand when we’d washed up on the bank last night. Now it and everything else was coming into focus.
I stopped suddenly as a feeling of familiarity prickled the back of my brain.
“What it is?” Kai asked.
“This sand …” I thought aloud.
My mind flipped through a thousand memories. I had so many dreams, and the last few days had been so jam-packed with odd things and new information, that sometimes it took a second to be alerted by small details. I placed this memory, though.
Oh no.
The sound of a waterfall had been getting louder for some time. Sure enough, I could see the ground dropping off in the distance. The river was spilling off the edge of another cliff. You could slightly make out rolling hills beyond that, only they weren’t green or brown.
I pointed at them. “What color are those hills?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
Kai and Daniel followed my gesture. Kai squinted and tilted her head, a bit surprised. “They look kind of blue,” she replied.
Daniel checked the map. “Those are the Blue Hills of Terrenore,” he said. “I read about them back at school. It’s an unclaimed area of land that intersects the properties of some of Camelot’s oldest and most feared knights—the Gold Knights, the Black Knights, and the dreadful Red Knights.”
“Good guys?” Kai asked hopefully.
“Not typically,” Daniel said. “They descend from old and powerful families that command private armies. Sometimes they side with the king of Camelot; other times they just do whatever is in their best interest. The Blue Hills of Terrenore are their mutual ground because this land is equidistant to all their castles.”
Black, gold, and red knights.
A navy river with gray sand.
Crisanta Knight: To Death & Back Page 36