“You can. Just close your eyes and do what you just did.”
Mia gave the iced over droplets one more sheepish look before closing her eyes. She focused on her anger, using it like an arrow to notch into a bow, turning it into a weapon in her arsenal. She let her arrow of anger fly. Her hands warmed and the magic pulled inside her. Popping and shattering noises filled the air. Mia opened her eyes to find her hands glowing faint purple and the ice droplets falling into the lake.
Rhett beamed at her. “That’s amazing Mia. I don’t know how you’re doing it, but you’re amazing.”
Mia gave him a small smile. Amazing... She wasn’t sure if that was the right word for it. Scary, definitely. She was using her anger to shatter things. Did he not find that the least bit terrifying? Maybe that was just the Unseelie in him... That, and he didn’t know she was using her anger that way. Would he be Okay with it? Mia decided she didn’t want to find out. At least she had a starting point like he said. She had control now and it felt good. It felt... it felt really good. Powerful. Strong. She liked it.
“Yeah,” she said at last. “I think I’m ready to actually start training now.”
Rhett came over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Then let’s do this thing, huh?”
Chapter Seventeen
The next week passed by in a blur. Mia had a meeting with Cillian like she did every week. It wasn’t as fruitful as the last one... She got a few snippets of something, but Mia couldn’t get much out of the memory flashes. Not like the last time. Her magic training was going well. She still couldn’t access her full amount of magic, but she was getting stronger every day.
Ryker pushed and pushed and pushed. Rhett remained patient and as helpful as he could be, but there was only so much Mia could take before she snapped. By the time Monday came around, she was done with Ryker and his constant need to point out that she was still nowhere near ready to open the door. Mia had to cancel her movie night plans with Angie and Kai on Saturday because she slept in, and Ryker insisted she make up for it by training through the evening.
A mer-folk died three days after the Sidhe did, renewing Mia’s determination even more. She fell into bed every night exhausted and drained and woke up every morning with less and less energy to spare. But she kept at it. Even though she felt like a zombie half the time (and probably looked like one too) she was diligent in her training.
Even Rhett seemed to be getting tired of the constant training. So much so that when Mia arrived Monday morning to his backyard, she glanced around and found Ryker and Joelin gone. Angie had said it was Summer and she wanted to sleep in at least some, so she would hang with Mia that night, and Kai had another family thing. Unfortunately for him.
Mia frowned and glanced around, her gaze landing on Rhett who was wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of black cargo pants. “Where is everyone?”
He grinned secretly. “I convinced Ryker it would be in everyone’s best interest if he and Joelin went to check with the chief and Cillian to see about the curse.”
Mia stifled a yawn. “I’m not saying I’m not glad to have some training time without them but also, I need to get some sword training in, and channeling done with Ryker.”
Rhett frowned. “Actually we’re not training today. We’re taking some much needed time off.”
Mia’s mouth fell open. She glanced around again as if Ryker might jump out of nowhere and shout at them that he’d caught them conspiring. “What? Time off? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Rhett smirked. “I know, but I think it’s time we give it a try, don’t you? So, go back to the house and change into something you can swim in.”
Mia’s eyebrows shot up. “Swim in?”
“Just do it. It’s warm, Summer and sunny out. We’re swimming. I haven’t gone swimming in years.”
Mia wanted to consider it. She wanted to go swimming. She wanted a break from training but... those deaths. They haunted her. “I can’t. We need to train.”
Rhett let an exasperated sigh. He took both her hands in his, making her give him her undivided attention. It felt so good to hold his hand... His touch put her at ease. “Mia, you are going to burn yourself out. All I’m asking is one little break. Just the one and then we can go back to training. But if you keep running yourself ragged like this...you’ll hurt yourself. You have to do this. Just for today, I promise.”
Mia bit her lip and considered it. They could go for a few hours and still get plenty of training in that evening. She was so tired... Honestly, she wasn’t sure if she could even pick up her sword let alone find the energy to channel or use her magic right now. Maybe he was right... A few hours and then back to training. A few hours wouldn’t hurt anyone. She hoped. “OK,” she said at last, nodding. “I’ll be right back.”
Rhett grinned like he had just won the lottery.
Mia ran back inside and tore through her closet searching for swimming clothes. She wasn’t even sure when the last time she’d worn her bathing suit was. It was probably still in one of the three boxes she hadn’t bothered to unpack. They were full of things she never used and old odds and ends she didn’t have the heart to get rid of.
Mia opened the one she was pretty sure she’d stuck her bathing suit in and grinned when she found it. She didn’t get to wear it often, but when she did, she loved it. Mia pulled the black one piece on with rose pedals down the front of it. She threw on some flip flops and an oversized shirt and hurried back outside.
Mia couldn’t help but grin when she found Rhett waiting in his car with his sunglasses on in front of her house. He gave her an unimpressed once over when he saw the tee she was wearing. “You’re going swimming in that?”
She smacked him on the shoulder as she slid into the passenger seat. “I have a bathing suit on under it dummy. Just drive.”
Rhett grinned but hit the gas and drove out of the neighborhood at his normal fast speed that made Mia clutch the arm rests. They zoomed through town toward the falls in silence. Mia leaned her head back and closed her eyes, still tired from her lack of sleep last night. She couldn’t stop thinking about the curse. All the worrying kept her up at night, despite her body being exhausted from all the training.
Mia rubbed her arms just as Rhett cleared his throat. “We’re here.”
That was quick.
Mia opened her eyes and found him parked in front of the trail leading to the picnic area and to the falls. He flashed her an excited smile. Mia wasn’t sure she had ever seen him look so excited and happy before.
Without waiting for her, Rhett slid out of the car and knocked his knuckles against the roof. “C’mon slow poke. Let’s go.”
Mia couldn’t help but grin. She slid out too but flashed him a scowl when she crossed around the car and met him at the trail. “I’m not a slow poke. Just tired.”
“Well hopefully a dip in the lake will wake you up.”
“Is it even safe to go swimming in there?” she asked.
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “You did go swimming in there when Lilac’s goons threw you in and you seem fine. Since we’re both Sidhe, it won’t do anything to us.”
“I’m part human,” Mia felt the need to point out.
“You’ll be fine. If I thought it was dangerous, I wouldn’t be taking you.”
Mia just thought it was strange to go swimming in the lake where the door to Faerie was. Where an all-out battle had taken place ten years ago. But if she didn’t think about all that, the thought of going for a swim on a hot Summer morning did bring her a little bit of excitement.
They passed the picnic area and a little ways beyond that the rushing sound of the falls filled their ears. The instant they got to the bank of the lake where the small waterfalls tumbled in, Rhett pulled off his shoes. Mia stopped short, crossing her arms around herself as she stared at the falls. Whenever she did, she could see past the glamour to Faerie. Hazy, magical and beautiful. The scene always took her breath away. She wondered what it would be like
to step through it and into the world beyond.
Mia was so focused on Faerie that she missed Rhett taking his shirt off and throwing it to the ground by his shoes. It wasn’t until she felt a spray of water that Mia blinked. She turned her attention away from Faerie to the world she was in at the moment. Rhett was already shoulder deep in the water grinning at her. “Are you coming in or what? It’s great in here,” he called, throwing his hands up.
Mia grinned back at him. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” she shouted back. She stripped off her oversized shirt, kicked off her flip flops and waded into the water. Rhett’s eyes tracked up and down her body, giving Mia butterflies and making her face heat up. Mia ducked down and opened her eyes finding the water crystal clear. Clearer than it had been when she’d taken an involuntary swim in there. When she resurfaced, she found Rhett still staring at her with that starstruck look on his face.
Blushing, Mia splashed water at him. “What are you staring at?”
He grinned and shook his head, water droplets flying everywhere. “Just admiring how beautiful you are.”
She was sure her face was bright red. Mia laughed it off, unsure what to do with that compliment and splashed him again. “So,” she said, wading closer to him until she was treading water right in front of him. “Will something weird and magical happen if we go under the waterfall?”
Rhett’s face took on a thoughtful expression. He turned to stare at the water splashing into the lake. He cocked his head as if considering and then glanced back at her, quirking a daring eyebrow. “Let’s find out.” With a devilish grin he ducked under the water and swam for the falls.
Mia grinned and went under too, following him. Maybe it had to do with Ryker unbinding her magic. She could breathe underwater longer than she ever had before. It sort of freaked her out that her lungs didn’t burn the way they should. She made it all the way to the crashing water into the lake without needing to come up for air. Under the water, Rhett turned to her. Mia couldn’t help but take in how good he looked without a shirt. Rippling muscles, tan and flawless. He smirked at her and held his hands out for her.
She wasn’t sure what he wanted but she took his hands anyways. Rhett pulled her closer to him and then kicked upward, propelling Mia up too. They broke the surface right in the middle of the water. The waterfall rushed over their heads and shoulders. Mia laughed as she closed her eyes and lifted her head, letting the thick water tumble over her, drowning out everything else except for the sound of Rhett’s laughter too. They stayed like that for several minutes, holding hands and letting the water fall over them and drown out the whole world. It was amazing.
Rhett inched closer, and Mia was so stuck in the moment that she forgot kissing him was a bad idea. What had happened to him not kissing her until she confessed her love to him? Maybe he had gotten over it and realized she wasn’t going to confess her love for him if he didn’t kiss her. But instead of pressing his lips to hers, he leaned even closer, so his lips brushed her ear. “You were amazing today,” he murmured, making Mia hold her breath. “Using your magic like that reminded me of before everything happened and I just want to say, even though you’re not ready to say it I am. I love you, Mia. And I know from... what you said earlier at Cillian’s that you loved me too. We don’t have to talk about it right now, but I just needed to say that, so you knew.”
Mia’s breath caught in her throat at those three little words. She closed her eyes. He loved her. How many times had Mia thought about someone saying those words to her? And meaning them? Throughout the ten years away from St. Croix Falls, Mia had never once considered that someone would love her the way Rhett did and now that she had someone who did... she couldn’t be with them. Not right now anyways.
She opened her eyes and found Rhett staring at her. Before she could tell him that had been a bad idea, Rhett held up a finger, stopping her. “I know that doesn’t mean anything to you right now, but I hope one day... it will. After all, we are immortal. We have forever.”
Mia didn’t like to think about her newfound immortality. It was too daunting and surreal. She shook her head. “You’re wrong,” she said. “It does mean something to me. Just... not what you want it to.”
Rhett nodded and grinned. “I figured. But I had to say it. Now come here, there’s something I want to show you.” He grabbed her hand once more and pulled her under.
Mia sucked in a breath before her head ducked under the water and they swam under the waterfall to the other side. She followed him under, but half way beneath the waterfall she caught sight of a glimmer of something. Frowning, she turned her attention to it. Through the murky sandy water, she saw something there... something familiar. Her lungs burned, calling her back to the problem at hand. Mia kicked up again and swam as fast as she could until her head broke through the water. She let out a gasp, feeding her starving lungs with air.
Rhett gave her a weird look. “What were you doing down there?” he asked.
Mia glanced around. They had come up in a small alcove that felt like magic. Their feet hit a ledge they could stand on, the water going to their waists. Mia let out a breath as she craned her neck to stare up at the ledge over them and the rock glistening with water all around them.
“I saw something under there,” she said at last, turning her attention back to Rhett.
“What sort of something?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to check it out. I’ll be right back.”
Mia dove back under. Her eyes snagged on something silver and shiny lodged in the sand. Familiarity pricked at the edges of her mind when she saw it.
She kicked her legs, diving down further until she was at the bottom of the lake. Mia swiped at the sand until she found what she was looking for. A sword. She’d found a sword. And not just any sword. When Mia pulled the hilt from the silty sand, the water washed away grains of rock. Mia’s eyes widened when she saw her full name carved into the metal. Amelia Avery. Flowery designs and Celtic symbols surrounded the name and decorated the silver of the blade.
The symbols and seeing her name on it brought memories rushing back to her. These were just flashes, not a fully intact memory like the one she’d had of her and Rhett. Mia saw herself training with the sword. Slicing it through the air with clean and concise movements. She saw herself laughing and smiling as she sparred with Rhett who looked as happy as she did. And Mia saw parts of the battle. The blade in her hand slashing through skin and cutting people down left and right with the help of her magic.
Mia blinked several times, the memories fading as she noticed her lungs burning. She kicked off the floor of the lake and resurfaced where Rhett was waiting for her.
“Find anything?” he asked.
“Yeah...” Mia trailed off as she pulled herself onto the ledge and held up the sword. “My old sword...”
Rhett’s eyes widened. He reached out and touched the flat side of the blade. “I haven’t seen that since... the battle. You lost it during a fight. You were frantic afterward. We searched everywhere. I can’t believe I didn’t think to look in the lake.”
Mia admired her name carved into the silver. Her heart swelled with an affection she didn’t quite understand. Even though she didn’t remember everything about the sword... she felt this loving connection toward it. Like one felt toward a well-loved book they’d reread a hundred times. “This was important to me,” she murmured.
Rhett nodded. “You never went anywhere without it. I mean... you were never as good at swords as I was, but you used it with your magic a lot. It was your favorite.”
“Where’d I get it?”
Mia glanced up at Rhett when he didn’t answer right away. He stared down at the water, a rather cagey look on his face. “I don’t know,” he said at last. “You never told me.”
“That seems odd. I feel like I probably told you most things.”
Rhett shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not everything obviously. Anyways, I’m glad you found it. Does this mean you’r
e going to try harder at your sword practice?”
Mia turned the blade over in her hands and shrugged. “I think I might be able to be persuaded.”
“Well then, I’ll do my best to persuade you.”
Mia grinned. They fell into a lapse of silence. She admired her sword. It felt right in her hands. Balanced. Light. Like it had been made for her.
“I like this place,” Rhett said, breaking the silence.
Mia glanced up at him. “It’s peaceful here,” she said.
Rhett smiled. “Yeah, it is. I’ve never been over here before. It’s nice...”
“Thanks for convincing me to come. I needed this... It’s been,” she blew out a breath and shook her head. “A long few weeks and I haven’t been sleeping well, and just... everything.”
Rhett nodded, peering up at her from beneath his lashes. “I know. We both needed a break. Besides, you did something amazing yesterday. You accessed your magic and harnessed the energy all around us. That should be celebrated.”
Mia grinned and shrugged, glancing away. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It is to me.” His hand came up and brushed wet strands of her hair off her shoulder, leaving Mia’s skin tingly where his hand brushed her neck.
Mia turned her head, watching him as he leaned forward. They were going to kiss. Mia was going to kiss him. She wanted to... but... Mia drew in a breath and leaned back, breaking the moment. Rhett didn’t seem put out by it. He leaned back too and turned to stare at the waterfall in front of them with a small smile on his lips.
“We should go. Now. We don’t have any time to waste,” she said. She didn’t want to waste any time; the curse could claim anyone any moment but also... this was a bit too much. Mia could feel herself wanting to give in and she couldn’t. Right now wasn’t the time. To break the tension, Mia flashed him a grin as she got to her feet on the ledge and held up her sword. “You can try teaching me some new maneuvers back home.”
Cursed Page 10