I swallowed. “Do you know why?”
“Why? No. What happened? I think so.” I could tell he grappled with not having all the answers.
“Youthinkso?” I asked.
“When you”—he paused—“collapsed in the training room, I managed to catch you. As my fingers brushed against your back, a sharp shock wave of energy rippled through me. While helping me, Tarrin experienced a similar sensation. It was like you were scattering surplus energy. Anyone who came within a ten-pace radius of you found their hair standing on end or got shocked themselves. Despite that release, your heart couldn’t handle the excess buildup of energy, and it gave out.”
My free hand floated to my sternum. I winced, as the tender touch hurt too much to hold it there. Sitting up a little straighter, I asked, “What’s your theory?”
“When we wield magic through spellcraft, we’re supposed to be conduits, meaning energy flows through us, releasing the moment a spell takes form. You acted less like a conduit and more like a capacitor,” he explained.
“I don’t know what that means.”
Taking his hand back, he looked around the room, then plucked the straw from my glass and pulled out a large stone from his pocket.
“A capacitor is a type of repository. Think of it like a bank; only, instead of holding coin and jewels, it houses energy.” He held up the stone in the base of his palm. “Let’s pretend this opal is our capacitor, or storage unit. Now, say this straw is our conduit, or pathway.” He held the straw upright with his opposite hand and let the opening at the bottom rest against the opal. “If lightning struck here”—he indicated the top of the straw—“the energy would travel down the straw,conduit, and into the opal,capacitor, where it would hold the charge. In this scenario, the straw didn’t hold any energy; it was merely a pathway for the lightning to flow into the opal.”
“So, am I the straw or the opal?”
A weak chuckle escaped him. “Well, you’re either the strongest straw I’ve ever witnessed or the most dysfunctional opal. The truth is, I don’t know.” All humor drained from his features. “What I do know is that the only thing that helped were siphons.” He held up the opal.
I gave him a questioning look.
“In the realm of magic, a siphon embodies both a conduit and a capacitor, possessing a myriad of uses. For you, I used them to soak up the excess energy. There are tales of ancient fae that required multiple siphons to help wield their powerful, yet chaotic, magic. You’ve shattered five of them thus far. The one you’re wearing now has lasted the longest, and I think it may very well stay intact.”
I glanced down at myself for any evidence of the siphon he talked about. Finding nothing, I looked to him. He offered me a faint smile as he leaned toward me and reached for something. His fingers gently skimmed my collarbone as he released a hidden pendant from under my top.
My eyes fell upon my fingers as they followed the delicate line of the finely wrought chain. The stone was sluggish to lift away from my chest, and its weight tilted it in the opposite direction from myfingers. Releasing the chain down, the pendant slid back into position. Taking the gem between my fingers, my breath caught. The Mother’s extraordinary creation shimmered in a delicate shade of dusty pink that hinted at the gentle blush of magnolia blossoms.
Its beauty was subtle yet all-consuming. A captivating blend of refinement, elegance, and understated grandeur. She was more than a gem; she was a testament that even the dust of the universe, when nurtured under the right conditions, could culminate in such a radiant spectacle.
“It’s…stunning,” I managed. “What is it?”
A grin spread across his face. “It’s a diamond.”
“What?”I swallowed hard, suppressing the impulse to hurl it to the farthest corner of the room, wanting to distance myself from something of such immense value.
“Well, you’ve shattered everything else,” he said, and his eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief.
Chapter 15
Taking it Back
Thankfully, I hadn’t had to recuperate in the healer’s quarters. Not that there was anything particularly wrong with them, but they were sterile and lacked warmth. The king, as if knowing this, ensured I was transferred back to my room when I was stable enough. The change in scenery offered me comfort and a small semblance of normalcy, which I was grateful for.
Once settled, a woman by the name of Ava tended to me when the king wasn’t available—or for more intimate needs. Ava was a gentle, soft-spoken woman who had a knack for putting me at ease. Being aided by her had taught me that, while I had no problem being naked with a lover, I wasn’t particularly fond of being nude around others. Unfortunately, I’d been too weak to bathe myself and had to accept her help.
I was malnourished, frail, and covered in bruises. Utterly depleted, getting out of bed unaided was an impossible task. Even eating was difficult, and Ava had to wake me hourly to make sure I was getting the nourishment my body desperately craved. It started with a simple bone broth, but we built up to flavorless solids, then added fruits and vegetables to the mix.
It was a slow and painful process, but over time, I healed, my strength slowly returning.
Ava’s constant patience and uplifting encouragement sustained me through those arduous weeks. Yet, above all else, it was the solace of her company that brought me the greatest sense of gratitude toward her.
It took a few weeks, but my strength returned more every day until I finally felt a surge of energy that tempted me to venture out. An all-pervasive thought of fresh air and sunlight had me rummaging through the wardrobe to find clothes. I’d never experienced such prolonged indoor confinement—that bed, those walls, the stagnant air, all pressed against me like the narrowing walls of a cave.
“Oh! You’re up,” Ava said, giving me a start and forcing me to abandon my search momentarily. Surprised concern looked at me from under her blonde eyelashes.
“Yes, I have to get out of this room.” I turned back and continued combing through the wardrobe. “Do you know where my clothes are?” I asked.
