She was magnificent and my thoughts scrambled.Was I really seeing a unicorn?
My lungs tightened, as though I wouldn’t be able to draw my next breath, and Gloam stood, his head dipped low almost as if he was bowing to this majestic creature.
Tears pricked my eyes.
She trotted a few steps forward, tossing her mane, and angled her horn at me. Having a mother as magickal as mine had made me privy to certain parts of this worldunknown to many others, butthis?This was awe-inspiring. The unicorn’s coat shimmered, as though someone had crushed up thousands of diamonds and pearls together, and then painstakingly hand painted them across her flanks. I brought a hand to my heart, hoping she could feel the power of my admiration for her, and gave her a gentle smile. I’d worked around animals long enough to know to keep still, and to radiate as much goodwill and kindness as I could. The unicorn trotted even closer, coming to a stop, her front hooves almost touching my feet.
“She’s hurt.”
My eyes rounded at Gloam’s words as the unicorn lifted her front hoof to me.
“May I see?” I asked, not daring to move until I had permission.
The unicorn dipped her head, nodding, and I scrambled forward until I was on my knees. Reaching for her leg, I started as my hands touched her coat. Her power was extraordinary. It was as though I was mainlining magick, attached directly to the source, and the power rocketed through me. My hands shook as I curled her leg so I could have a proper look at her hoof, and I tried to stay focused on the task at hand.
No wonder unicorns hid themselves from the world.
They were too powerful, too majestic, for any human to truly harness their abilities. Frankly, this level of power would likely drive the uninitiated mad.
And yet, when blood dripped from her hoof onto my hand, a white shimmering glowing drop, I realized she was not infallible. A rusty nail was buried in her hoof, and I would need to extract it.
“Och, you poor thing. I’m going to do my best to pull this nail out. But I need to grab a tool. It’s likely going to hurt.” I looked up at her, but she only dipped her head again, seeming to understand my words. Leaning back, I dug in my pack until I found my Leatherman multi-tool that I carried just in case I ever needed it. It wasn’t the best tool for the job, but it had a small set of pliers that might do well enough, with the added bonus of my own power. Working quickly, I popped the pliers out and then returned to the hoof. “Here’s what’s going to happen. This nail has lodged itself in your hoof. I’m going to use my pliers to extract it in one smooth motion, but I’ll also use my power to help. Hopefully the combination of both will work. If not, I’ll go get the right tools and come back to you. But let’s just try this first and see how it goes. Um, please, you know, try not to kick me or anything if it hurts too much. I am just trying to help.” The last thing I needed was to take a magickal hoof to the face.
Bracing her leg against my knee, I took a deep breath and called upon my own magick. I often envisioned it as this ball of power inside me, a flower bud still closed, and when I needed it, the magick would unfurl and open the petals. But when I was connected to her? Something astounding happened. Everything bloomed inside me. I was Faelan of the Flowers, protector of animals, healer connected to Earth’s natural energies. Power positively flowed through my body, and with just one good tug and my healing abilities immediately stopping the flow of blood, the sweet unicorn was free from pain.
I scrambled backward, detaching myself from her, knowing to linger in her power for too long would be toomuch even for me. Plus, I suspected it would also be considered rude. She’d given me a great gift by allowing me to heal her, let alone touch her, and overstaying my welcome by her side would be a significant faux pax. I wasn’t entirely sure of the protocol, but I knew that I didn’t want to breakanyrules when it came to interacting with a unicorn.
Shaking, I held out my hand to the unicorn so she could see the nail I’d pulled from her, the tip coated in that shimmering white blood.
“Should be right as rain now.” The unicorn dipped her head, blowing out a happy-sounding breath, and surprised me by lightly touching my hand with her horn. Happiness flooded me, as pure as a puppy’s joyful bark, and then she angled her head toward the forest. Bobbing it twice, she stamped a hoof, and I followed her line of sight.
Something shifted in the shadows.
With a soft whish of air, the unicorn disappeared silently into the forest, heading the other way from where she’d drawn my attention.
Gloam stood. His body was tense, his tail straight.
“Is someone there?” I whispered, curling my hand around the nail and tucking it in my pocket. The nail was now highly magicked, and I would keep it with me as a protective charm.
“Aye.”
Straining my eyes, I held my breath and waited.
The breeze picked up, shifting the branches, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of golden eyes and shaggy fur.
For one, laughable second, I could have sworn I’d seen a wolf.
But wolves hadn’t been in Scotland for ages now.
“A husky,” I said out loud, letting my breath out slowly. “Someone must have lost their dog.”
The wind picked up, howling across the loch, and whipping through the trees. I blinked, and the dog was gone.
“Hey, come back,” I called, making kissing noises, just to see if I could help the lost dog. “Do you need help?”
“We should go.”
Gloam didn’t have to tell me twice. Everything about this moment had been fantastical, and as the first drop of rain hit my head, I realized I was about to get doused. A storm must have rolled in while I was healing the unicorn, and now I’d need to traipse back home in the wet and cold, if I wanted to make it in time for dinner at the castle.
