JOURNEY INTO THE REALM: The Spell Master (Journey into the Realm Series) (24 page)

There are a few simple rules about fairies and spells that you must know:

1. Fairies must never perform any kind of elfin spell. Doing so will most likely result in severe burns or even death.

2. Always make sure to get the hand signals correct; otherwise the spell could be ruined or injuries could occur.

3. Never think about death when you perform a spell; it does not help.

4. Only think about death if you are actually trying to kill someone, but even so, death is never to be taken lightly.

5. When using a spell, be careful not to accidentally direct the hand signals at yourself. Keep your hands outstretched before you and not close to your body. Otherwise, the spell will be performed on you. You do not want to see what happens when you try to unlock yourself.

6. Always be awake and aware when performing a spell.

7. Beware, spells can sometimes randomly drain your energy.

8. Do not perform too many spells at once or in one day.

9. Always watch out for the kind of hand signals you use after mastering spells; a spell may randomly happen because of the signals.

10. As a beginner, always say the name of the spell when using hand signals, or the spell may turn out to be the wrong one.

The rest of the journal was filled with different spells – weather spells, mimicking spells, unlocking spells, sleeping spells, invisibility spells, and spells I never would have considered. The amount of information appeared as though it would take ages to sift through and master. I now understood why I was burned when trying an elf spell to unlock the trunk months ago. What I was getting into wasn’t all fairy tales and magic tricks. Learning spells sounded like a lengthy process I would need to devote much of my attention to in the coming days. I would have to learn as many fairy spells as possible in order to be prepared for future Element fairy attacks.

Nathan promised he would help me learn the spells. He wasn’t a fairy, but he was a Spell Master, which was close. I needed some kind of guide, and with the help of the journal, I knew I could take in what my mother wanted me to learn.

The journal also had a section on fairy abilities, explaining that the average Golden fairy had two abilities, but the Royals each had three. These abilities were unique to each fairy, like they were to elves, but were present throughout their lives. Golden fairies could also enchant others, lure them with their grace and beauty. Most fairies behaved as such. I wondered whether or not I would gain that power as well, but I shuddered at the thought. Did I really want that kind of power?

At the end of the journal was a last note to me from my mother:

Because you are half-elfen, you do not have more than one ability like other Golden fairies. That much your father and I gained when you were born without Golden fairy abilities. Elf genes must dominate the ability part of you. However, fairy genes dominate your spell side. Other than that, I have no idea what other changes will come upon you. You are not a common creature, Ramsey. You are unique. I only hope your life is not completely ruined because of the part of yourself that you received from me.

Your loving mother,

Rosina

“Why don’t I have wings?” I asked when I finished reading.

“What?” Nathan asked.

I flipped through journal pages absentmindedly. “If I am a Golden fairy, why don’t I have wings?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you haven’t completed the change yet, so you haven’t grown any,” he said, shrugging.

Frustrated with my complete lack of fairy know-how, I sighed and asked, “Do you grow wings as a child if you are full-fledged fairy?”

“Yes. It occurs a few years after birth, I think.”

“I see. So what are we going to do when I randomly sprout wings and fly?” I asked.

Nathan’s face went stone still. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Yeah, well, I think the back pain I keep having is the wings starting to grow. It won’t be long before I’m in the sky.”

“We will address that problem when it arises,” Nathan decided.

“All right, that’s fine by me. One problem at a time,” I repeated.

“Anything else?” Nathan asked.

I shook my head. “I can’t think of any other questions or concerns.”

“Will we be meeting in the tree tonight?”

“I don’t think so. I need a night just to, you know, let everything sink in. I doubt I’ll get much sleep…but I still need to be alone.”

I saw Nathan’s hopeful attitude drop in an instant. “Okay,” he said.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand.”

I pulled him forward in an embrace. “Thank you for everything, Nathan. I don’t think I would have been able to get through this without you.”

“Would you have if Stellan were here?”

I stepped back suddenly, like I was physically shocked. “Why would you ask such a thing?” I asked.

“Just a question,” he replied.

“That wasn’t fair, Nathan, and you know it. Don’t start acting like my sister. I won’t be able to deal with it.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry. It was a stupid thing to say. Can you forget I ever asked?”

I nodded. I wasn’t going to let a careless remark drive away my support system.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“No problem,” I responded.

After a quick goodbye, Nathan left. I was alone in the empty house once more, and I couldn’t help but miss Nathan’s presence even though I knew being alone right now was for the best. But his support, his unfailing kindness toward me, his desire to protect me…just thinking of him made me smile. I wished he were with me still. And even though I knew it was wrong because of Stellan, I didn’t make those thoughts go away. I was exhausted after everything that had happened today, and I didn’t have the will to wish my happy thoughts away this time.

It was close to eight in the evening, and I didn’t have much to do but think, which always led me to trouble…

…especially when thoughts of Nathan crowded my mind.

I couldn’t stop thinking of his comfort, his supportive presence as I learned my secret. He made me feel so strong, so much more confident than when I was alone.

I couldn’t help but wonder how much stronger I would become if I were to knock down the few barriers between us and allow him to be a part of my life completely.

Had I rushed things with Stellan because I had never been in love before? Was I even in love with him now? Yes, I missed him terribly. Yes, thinking of him still gave me butterflies in my stomach. Yes, I desperately wished for his strength and unfailing devotion to protecting me.

But did all of that truly equate with love?

And where in my mess of feelings for Stellan was there room for what I felt for Nathan? How would I separate the two? How would I sort them out and realize what I truly desired?

I sat on the couch and buried my face in my hands. There had to be a way out of this mess, and I wasn’t only referring to my secret. I was determined to find a way, find a light. I just didn’t know how I would do it yet.

Thinking about light led me to thoughts of my mother, my real mother, Rosina. I wondered if I would ever get the chance to know her. In my dream, I trusted her and felt safe around her. I hoped I would be able to have that feeling again. I knew she was probably still hurting from my father’s death. What if she was lonely?

Those thoughts led me to Queen Titania and my relation to her. It was weird to consider. One of my best friends was the princess of this Realm, and I had a royal fairy relative. I understood what my mother had said about being on both sides. Would my beliefs change because of my fairy heritage? Would I start believing in their goddess?

I knew I would never stop believing in God. Most fairies believed in God as well, but they didn’t believe that he created them. If Fae created fairies and God created elves, who created me? Had they somehow worked together? Where did I belong?

I didn’t know if I even fit into the elf category of beliefs. Elves didn’t celebrate Christmas because they believed Jesus was sent only for humans. I still wanted to celebrate Christmas, so what did that make me? I had human beliefs, elf beliefs, and maybe soon I would have fairy beliefs. It seemed too complicated.

I groaned in rising frustration. Finding out my secret had only created more doors of confusion yet to be unlocked. My mother told me I was on my own now; she wouldn’t be guiding me.

Without her, where would I find the keys to open the other doors?

I woke with a start after a few hours of dreamless sleep, clutching fistfuls of blanket as my eyes flashed open. I immediately recognized the sound invading my room. Bleary-eyed and anxious, I peered over the edge of my bed, and my worst fear was confirmed.

My room was flooded with water.

Rising steadily, it resembled a pond where my bed was the boat. The water hadn’t reached me, but the incoming torrent from my window told me I didn’t have much time before I was underwater.

My internal clock told me it was past midnight. When did the flooding start? I remembered falling asleep around ten. Could this really have been going on for two hours? Realizing how little that mattered in the present, I took a steadying breath and focused on how I was going to get out of this mess.

A water fairy had to be the source. An amount of water this large wasn’t the result of a downpour or leaky faucet. This fairy most likely flooded the ground beneath my horse while I was riding to school, and now he or she had returned to torment me again. Fear gripped my gut as I understood what I had to do. If I didn’t act, this situation would only repeat itself in the future.

The water had risen above my bed by now. I was already drenched. Determination and adrenaline coursing through me, I sucked in a deep breath and sat upright, swinging my legs over until my feet dangled in the little pond that was my room. I slid to the edge until my legs were fully submerged. I shivered miserably from the water’s chill. I stood and paused for a moment, getting used to the temperature of the water before moving again.

The water level was at my waist when I began my trek across my room to the door. My movements were slow through the water despite how hard I pumped my legs. The splashes I created were loud and resonated within my ears. I prayed that the water fairy couldn’t hear my escape over the water still gushing through my bedroom window. I reached the door to my room and yanked it open, waiting as water rushed past me into the living room. As the current died down, I sprinted to my bathroom.

In the dark I could see only shapes and outlines, but I found the weapon I desired without much trouble. A weapon that was poisonous to fairies – but not to me. My elfen side had long provided me with immunity to its harmful effects.

I secured my hands around the neck of my iron showerhead and started to pull. I placed one foot against the tub, heaving and wrenching until I finally heard the iron
snap
. The makeshift weapon was the span of my forearm with the showerhead at the end providing extra length. Gripping the showerhead tightly, I observed the sharp edge at the top and nodded. This would do. I headed outside.

I didn’t locate the water fairy instantly upon my exit from the house. I had to run in the direction of my bedroom window, the iron bar clutched tightly in both hands, before I saw him funneling water into my room. He had to be dim not to notice that the water level was no longer rising as a result of my opened bedroom door, but there were many forms of danger and he didn’t have to be smart to kill me. He only had to be stronger.

He turned as I approached and the water streaming from his hands disappeared. His olive skin made nearly every feature difficult to distinguish, but I could see his bright blue eyes clearly in the night.

“Have a nice swim?” he asked.

I remained silent, twisting the iron bar in my grip.

“I suppose nothing can compare to your tumble off the bridge, but I’ve tried to keep things interesting since then,” he remarked, his white teeth glowing as his lips broke into a patronizing smile.

He’s the water fairy from the bridge
, I realized, not voicing the words aloud because they would only boost his ego and show how terrified I was.

I wasn’t going to chat with him or stall for time like I did with the earth fairy. No one was coming to my rescue. I had to do this on my own. With no fairy spells to back me up, iron was my only defense.

I hid the weapon behind my back, certain he hadn’t noticed it yet. “Get rid of the water and I’ll go willingly.” I shivered and allowed myself to cry. I needed him to see me as weak.

“I don’t believe you,” he said.

“Please,” I sputtered, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just make the water go away. I – I can’t take it.”

My act must have been convincing. Maybe because I truly was terrified of water, the over-dramatization came naturally. The water fairy showed a winner’s smile and strode over to me. He held out his hand.

“King Vortigern awaits,” he taunted.

I placed my hand in his, my mind reeling from his idiocy. In one fluid motion I yanked him forward and brought out my iron bar. With every ounce of strength I could muster, I plunged the sharp end of my weapon deep into his chest and watched as his flesh began to burn.

Maybe one did have to be smart in order to kill.

Iron was poisonous to fairies. It burned their skin and even the fumes could render them unconscious. When I rescued my sister last June, I drove a knife into Finn’s shoulder. The blade hadn’t been pure iron, so the effects were minimized. I also hadn’t paid much attention to the details of the attack as I was fighting for my life.

Now, watching the water fairy agonize over the iron bar embedded in his flesh, I could observe the hazardous effects of pure iron. The scene was gruesome, but I didn’t look away, although I did plug my nose to avoid the smell of burning flesh. I had to be strong enough to face reality. With the growing number of Element fairy attacks, I predicted this wouldn’t be the only time I used iron as my weapon.

He died quickly despite the suffering he endured. When it was over I fell onto my knees, the wind knocked out of me as I hit the ground with brute force. I crawled to my bedroom window and sat against the wood paneling of my house. My eyes returned to the water fairy lying on the grass, his blood thick and dark as it dripped from his fatal wound.

At some point I must have closed my eyes and fallen asleep, because when I opened them the sun was bright and Nathan was standing before me.

“What happened to the water fairy?” I asked groggily, noticing his absence.

The spot on the grass where he once lay gave no indication that a creature had died there. Even the blood had disappeared.

“I took care of him,” Nathan said.

He wouldn’t elaborate.

“Get dressed. You can tell me what happened on the way,” he said finally, taking my hands and lifting me to my feet.

Perplexed, I rubbed my eyes and said through a yawn, “On the way?”

“To school,” he answered. “If you hurry, we can make last period.”

I was dumbfounded. Did he actually believe I would agree to this? I had spent the night outside against the wall of my house staring at the water fairy I killed with my showerhead. I wasn’t going anywhere.

“Normalcy is key, Ramsey,” Nathan said when I didn’t respond. “Anyway, I heard Lord Asher’s lecture is on Golden fairies today.”

That was enough to get me moving. I hurried inside and threw on some clothes, not caring whether or not they matched. I didn’t realize my house was dry until I met Nathan outside and my thoughts caught up to me.

“Did you dry my house?” I asked.

He nodded. “With a spell.”

“Thanks,” I said briskly, unable to decide if I was bothered by his short tone or grateful for the periods of silence between us.

Nathan didn’t tell me to follow him. He simply started walking. Speechless, I struggled to keep pace with him. He wouldn’t look me in the eye. I ached to see those silver slashes. I just needed to be certain that he was still here for me. One look in his eyes and I would know. Unfortunately, he focused his gaze forward. After all that had transpired last night, I had expected tears would be involved in my reaction to his coldness. But I wasn’t feeling sad or rejected. I was angry and rather irritated with his attitude.

“What’s your problem?” I shouted, grabbing his hand.

He pulled his fingers out of my grip and increased his pace. I had to jog to catch up to him. My breathing was erratic and my lungs burned from the chill in the air. Although the sun was bright, it was still December, and winter nipped at my bare toes. In my mad dash through the house, I had slipped on open-toed sandals instead of boots.

Winter wasn’t harsh in the Elf Realm compared to Wisconsin, but a strong wind accompanied the cool temperature, making goosebumps appear on my arms and legs. I hugged my arms to my chest, grateful that I had at least put on a green sweater. My brown skirt didn’t help, though.

“Did I do something?” I asked, seeing my breath as I spoke. “Or is my being part fairy suddenly unappealing to you?” I bit my trembling lower lip, tears now able to surface. “Did you wake up and realize that yesterday was a mistake? That saying you didn’t care about my secret was a
mistake
?”

“Of course not,” he said, keeping that fast pace.

“Then what is it?” I tugged on his shirtsleeve. “Please, slow down so we can talk.”

“We’ll be late,” was his only reply.

We were nearing the stables. Soon we would be riding and the opportunity to speak would be lost.

Thoroughly exasperated and at a loss for what else to do, I pushed my hands outward in frustration and cried, “Will you just
stop
?!”

And he did. He actually paused mid-step. At first I thought he was finally complying with my demand, and then I realized that even if he wanted to
he could not move
.

“Oh my God,” I breathed, completely blown away.

“Ramsey! What in the Realm did you just do?” he asked.

“I don’t know!” I cried.

“Did you seriously just put a motion spell on me?” Nathan asked.

“Uh…,” I trailed off, not knowing what to say or what to do. “I don’t know. I guess so.”

“Why?” he demanded.

“I didn’t mean to. But you were being so stubborn!” I reminded him.

Laughter bubbled up in my throat. I couldn’t contain it. The situation was just so oddly funny.

“Stop laughing and fix it before someone sees,” he urged.

My laughter ceased immediately. “Promise we’ll talk.”

“Ramsey!”

It was my turn to be stubborn. “Promise me, Nathan.”

He sighed fitfully. “All right.”

My triumphant smile was squashed by one tiny realization. “Uh, Nathan, I don’t know how to…well, fix it. I’ve never done a spell before…until now, at least,” I reminded him.

“Great.…”

“Hold on. Let me think…,” I told him.

“What motion did you make before the spell happened?” he asked.

“Um…I think I thrust my arms outward, as if I were reaching for you or punching the air,” I told him.

“All right, that doesn’t sound too complicated. Try putting your hands outward again, slowly, and then retract them quickly,” he instructed.

“What do I say?”

“Uh…go?” he suggested.

“It’s worth a shot,” I decided.

I did as Nathan said, while saying, “go” in the process. It worked, and Nathan was able to move again.

“That was a close one,” he said.

“Oh yeah,” I replied, shivering. I wasn’t used to having so much power. My elfen ability wasn’t offensive; it was only insightful. But I already had the notion that fairy powers differed immensely.

“We are going to have to start working on spells right away,” he decided.

“Good idea. But first, tell me why you’re so upset,” I said.

He ran a hand through his pale hair, leaving it in disarray. “It’s nothing.”

I took his hands in mine and this time he didn’t pull away. His gaze traveled to where our thumbs lay side by side.

“Nathan, please,” I begged. “If something is wrong, I want to know about it. I share everything with you. Do the same.”

He closed his eyes and gripped my hands tighter. “You weren’t in school today. I was worried, so I left at the beginning of self-defense class. I saw that water fairy on the ground and you against the house and I...I thought…just for a moment that you…that you…”

As I finally understood, I blinked hard and tried to keep my voice even. “You thought I was dead.”

He nodded rigidly, keeping his eyes closed. Knowing there were no words for this situation, I wrapped my arms around him and refused to breathe until he held me back.