“So I’ve heard.”
“I’m only here as a stopgap,” Dr. Lewis said. “We all know that. I’m trying to help bolster your wards, Alessia, not replace them, in this time of great danger. I guess what I’m saying is that these don’t need to be perfect; they don’t need to last forever. They’re just a tool to buy us time as you perfect your own wards.”
“Exactly,” Ranger X said. “It’s an extra level of protection, a precaution since we don’t know when or how the Darkest Lord will attack. If at any point you deem them unnecessary, we can very easily disable them.”
Silas frowned at Ranger X’s statement. It took me a beat to understand why, and then it hit me. Ranger X was worried about what would happen if I didn’t make it, and Silas wasn’t happy with that line of thought. But it was a valid question, especially from the head of security for this island. If I died before the blood moon, or even after, it was entirely possible that my death could potentially leave the island totally exposed.
I withdrew my hand from the crystal. “It’s important to have these in place. Let’s get started, Dr. Lewis. I’ll help however I can.”
Lewis brightened. “Tell me, Queen, was there a stand for the crystal? My gut says no, yet I keep picturing one.”
“No stand,” I confirmed. “And this one is a little bit showy. The other one was plainer, a brilliant crystal, but not so…spiffy.”
“Could you put some power into this?” Dr. Lewis asked eagerly. “I’d like to see how it reacts.”
“Not in this lab,” I said, eyeing the fragile glassware. “We should find somewhere a little less breakable.”
“We have a safeguarded chamber,” Dr. Lewis assured me. “Let’s go there.”
Ranger X led the way to the lab, unlocked it via a series of permissions that looked very complex indeed. Then Lewis and I entered the chamber alone. Ranger X and Silas stood behind a window that was probably bulletproof, fireproof, and explosion proof, but I didn’t stop to ask.
Dr. Lewis placed the crystal ball on one table in front of me. “Is it possible to channel some magic into it? Slowly at first?”
“I’ll try,” I said. “But it will take a while. You are welcome to wait outside with the others or even take a break. I need a minute to figure out the best way to do this.”
Dr. Lewis looked a little disappointed that it wasn’t a quick and easy abracadabra, but alas, I was new to my powers and channeling was hard work that was far from perfect.
I’d thought after the trials that my magic would flow with the power of a fire hose opened up fully, but it was nothing like that. Instead of a fire hose, it was more like a faucet—and a very creaky, old faucet at that. One that required a lot of elbow grease to get a little trickle of water. Apparently, opening the channel was just the starting point to utilizing my ancestral powers, and I’d have to learn the rest of it the old-fashioned way—through hard work and practice. It was a theme I’d practiced already in my short time as Fae Queen.
I could feel gazes on me for a while, those of Ranger X or Silas or Dr. Lewis. I could feel sometimes that they left, and I could especially sense when Silas left the viewing room. Like an absence, like a rock that was in my pocket had been silently lifted and taken away—a comforting weight suddenly gone.
It took longer than I wanted to channel my magic. I’d gotten used to working in nature with Seer Goddard; I derived my powers from a crisp summer breeze, from the dew in the grass, from the gravel pressing into my legs. Sitting here in a sterile chamber, the walls around me positivelythrummingwith spells—spells to contain magic, spells for safety, spells for sterilization—it was difficult for my mind not to feel chaotic and a bit of a mess.
After several attempts, I finally managed to pull several tendrils of magic from the air around me, though I knew before I even funneled into the crystal that it was a bad idea. The magic felt stiff and functional, like I’d intended to eat a bite of an apple and instead of a brilliant, flavorful piece of fruit, I took a bite out of a plastic replica.
But I did it; I funneled my magic as slowly as possible into the crystal. Immediately, it split in two. I flinched as shards of glass scattered, the globe falling from the stand and finishing its crash on the floor.
Dr. Lewis came rushing in holding a broom. “I was afraid of that. I knew it would be too fragile for a power like yours.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m not sure it’s all your fault. The problem, or at least one problem, is that this room is too sterile. Fae Queen magic stems from nature. I need fresh air and growing grass and access to the ley lines.”
“You can pull magic from the ley lines?” Dr. Lewis stared at me, his eyes the size of saucers. Then he muttered to himself, “Off topic, don’t pry,” and immediately bent and started sweeping the shards into a pan.
“I’m sorry,” I said again, as the doctor frowned at the broken pieces. “I tried to take things slow, but I guess it got away from me.”
“No, no. No need to apologize. Experiments take time. I’ve taken copious notes about what we worked on today as well as your descriptions of the original wards. I have lots of ideas for improvements already. We’ll get it, My Queen, I promise.”
I exited the lab, tired and disappointed I hadn’t been able to do more to help, but also grateful to be free of that white cell. I apologized to Ranger X, but he also waved off my apology.
“We’re asking a lot of you,” X said softly. “Lewis knows science is trial and error.”
“I just wish we had more time. What else can I do to help with the wards in the meantime?” I paused. “If something happens to me, I want to leave the island as protected as possible. I think we need to consider that as a potential outcome.”
Silas squeezed closer to me, as if unhappy I’d even suggested it.
Ranger X’s eyes softened. “Maybe comb through your Fae books. Silas says you’ve made some progress when it comes to understanding what’s written in them?”
“I’ve definitely improved, but I’ve got a long way to go before it comes naturally, I’m gathering. But yes, I’ll do that later tonight.”
