No, Rowan assured her.But I prefer facts over opinion.
I resisted the urge to pinch him for being sassy to Mother Earth.
PERHAPS THEY STRIKE AT BOTH OF US. SHE IS MY DAUGHTER AND IS TIED TO THE LAND AS MUCH AS ME OR YOU. BUT HER BLOOD IS PURE.
Pure? I echoed.You cannot sense the otherness inside of me?
She laughed, the sound not the gentle tinkling of bells one would think when dealing with an earth goddess. No, this was the booming sound of a hundred hurricanes, the shriek of tornadoes, and the howl of a thousand wolves.
While I was delighted to amuse Mother Earth, I hoped I’d never hear her laugh again.
WE ARE MORE THAN OUR BLOOD, DAUGHTER. YOU HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT STEWARD OF MY LAND, AND YOUR MAGIC HAS ONLY BENEFITED FROM YOUR MIXED BLOOD. YOUR BEAST IS NO CURSE, EVIE. IT IS A BLESSING, ONE THAT WILL BRING GREATNESS TO YOUR FUTURE LINE. PERHAPS ONE DAY YOU WILL SEE THAT.
The day that happened was probably far off. Accepting and learning my magic was all I had the mental capacity to do for now.
Maybe, I said because you didn’t leave a goddess hanging.
I SEE THINGS, DAUGHTER. YOU WILL, TOO. SEE WHAT THEY DO TO OUR LANDS. SEE AND HEAL.
I don’t know how. I’m one Floromancer. How many places like this are there?
YOU ARETHEFLOROMANCER. YOU ARE THE QUEEN OF OUR PEOPLE. THE FAE QUEEN DOES NOT DOUBT HER POWER.
A pause.
MY SON STANDS NEXT TO YOU WHEN THE OTHER YOU ONCE COVETED STAYS AWAY. THINK ON THIS, EVIE. YOUR MAGICS PLAY.
Rowan’s amusement was palpable.
HE WILL HELP YOU. SEE, EVIE. SEE, ROWAN. SEE AND HEAL.
That undefinable, massive presence rolled over us. Pressure built inside my chest, right at the spot where?—
Oh shit. Rowan. Hold on tight. Do NOT let go.
The Lord did not question the urgency in my voice, only tightened his grip and held on.
Mother Earth’s thunderous laughter followed us as we hurtled through the universe.
Chapter
Ten
ROWAN
I’d been with Evie for barely a month, and today, only the second day she’d ventured from the Keep, she was hurtling through the world after speaking to a freaking goddess.
I’d suspected already, but after today, I knew being with her would be a constant adventure. Sometimes, like today, those adventures might not be good for our health.
I held on tightly, wrapped around her like a grizzly bear backpack, as we flew through the universe or wherever we were. We floated in a sea of stars and galaxies, soft golden light swirling around Evie’s chest. Experiencing this…my lungs felt tight inside my chest, and I gawked like a child seeing ice cream for breakfast. Being with her was amazing. Being with her while experiencing this was on a completely different level.
Evie cursed under her breath, her arms flung wide. Magic sparkled from her fingertips, and worlds upon worlds upon worlds opened at her touch.
“I’m trying to slow us down,” she gritted.
“Anything I can do to help?”
“Just don’t let go.”
