Unchained Hearts

by Ash Night

  “But how? That’s illegal! Didn’t your parents… Oh. I guess you wouldn’t…”

  “Apparently, my father died protecting us and whoever he was fighting got my mother too.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged. “Not really a big deal. I didn’t know them so I can’t really miss them.” We stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes. With barely a flick of his finger, he lowered the flame. Once I flipped my sandwich, he raised the flame with just as little effort.

  “That’s amazing,” I said in awe. “You’re really talented.”

  He smiled proudly. “Thanks. Most people don’t complement my skill.”

  “You can put your sandwich on now if it’s too difficult for you to keep up for long.” Somehow, I doubted anything was difficult for him.

  “Nah, I could keep this up all day,” he boasted. “But thanks for the concern.”

  “So, have you been able to do magic all your life?” I asked.

  “All nineteen years of it.”

  “How are you only nineteen? Mom said Kalden died centuries ago...” I whispered his name. Cam laughed.

  “Kalden Crossfire, the man of myth. What a name to live up to. At least that’s what Glinda used to say, anyway. Do you know how long it takes for a flower to give birth?”

  “A flower?”

  Cam put his hands behind his head and grinned wide. “Yeah, I was born from a Birthing flower. It took a long time, so it’s a running joke between myself and the faeries.”

  “Glinda? Is that the woman who took care of you?” I asked, transferring my sandwich to a plate.

  “Uh, yeah. Hey, do you mind if we eat outside?” He put his sandwich on the pan and heated the pan so quickly that his sandwich was done on one side and nearly burnt on the other. He seemed to be in a hurry to change the subject.

  “Uh, sure, that’d be fine,” I said, grabbing a blanket and a basket to put our sandwiches in while they cooled. Cam seemed amused. I also quickly made a cold sandwich and placed it in the basket. It was something I often did without thinking now. Hanging out with Liam so much, I knew better than to not pack an extra when it came to food. “What?”

  He chuckled. “Nothing, Sunshine.”

  Before I could suggest a spot where we could sit down and eat, he took the lead. I smiled. We weaved around trees and over fallen logs and he even held low-hanging branches out of the way for me. He didn’t say a word until we were back at the same meadow where I had met him. I was surprised. I had been completely turned around while following him so I had no idea how we had managed to make it back here.

  “I like being outside,” he offered as an explanation. “It calms me.”

  “I know what you mean,” I said, nodding. “I feel the same way out in nature. It’s really peaceful.” I was dying to ask him more about his magic. Why wasn’t he branded with a Seal at birth like the rest of us? Why was he wearing activated Shadowsilver? He wasn’t dangerous. I knew that much. If he was, he could have easily hurt me, or worse, by now.

  He was sitting on the grass, but he jumped up the moment he realized I was spreading out the blanket. I giggled. “Haven’t you ever had a picnic before?”

  My heart went out to him when he shook his head. “No, I was pretty sheltered from other kids, what with having no Seal and all.”

  I was shocked he had admitted that that so openly even though we were alone. It had come out so naturally. I chewed thoughtfully on my sandwich. “Oh, I suppose that makes sense. Were you…sent away?”

  “No, I…I left willingly. So, Serena, tell me about yourself. I feel like all we’ve done is talk about me ever since you and I met. Even I’m not that rude.” Cam laughed.

  Blushing, I focused on a bent blade of dull brown grass beside me. To my surprise, it started to glow faintly. As the glow faded, the blade of grass straightened out, now a heathy shade of green. Cam smiled when I looked up.

  “Now will you talk to me? That poor blade of grass was getting so much attention, I was starting to get jealous.”

  “Um, sorry, Cam. It’s just, I’m not all that interesting. Not much to tell. I’ve lived in Maple Grove all my life. I wasn’t allowed to venture out to other towns, which is probably why I’m so fascinated by you, to be honest.”

  Leaning back on his hands, he looked at the periwinkle-blue sky. “It’s a real shame you don’t travel. There’s so much to see. Exploring was the only way I stayed sane. Of course, I had to do it in secret. Normally when Glinda went to bed. I was a terrible child. Always getting into trouble.”

  I hung on his every word as I ate my lunch. I wanted to know everything about his travels, what he’d seen, the magic he’d learned about.

  “I guess that’s not entirely true. I have traveled, if you count books. And I love to swim in different rivers and lakes and explore underwater.”

  My face went tomato-red. I was talking to someone who had actually been places, and here I was rambling to him about books and swimming.

  When I finally got the courage to glance up at him, I couldn’t believe it. He actually looked interested.

  His chin was resting on his hands and he was staring intently at me, like what I was saying was the most important thing in the world and he didn’t want to miss a single word. His eyes lit up when I talked about swimming.

  “Really? You know, there’s a spell to increase how long you can stay underwater. With practice, you could… Oh, that’s right. You still have your Seal.” He looked sad for a moment, but then his smile was back. “But that’s okay! Once I fight the government and win, everyone will be free to have and use magic as they please. I can show you the spell one day.”

  “You’d teach me?”

  Cam jumped up, swallowing the rest of his sandwich quickly. “Of course! Magic is amazing! You’d love it! I can’t wait to show you just how amazing it is!”

  “I bet it’s everything I’ve dreamed of,” I said, feeling a rush of happiness from his sudden enthusiasm. Something told me this same energy was why so many people had followed his father.

  “I thought I heard your voice, Serena. Who are you talking to?” Liam stepped out of the thicket of trees. “Hey, any chance you have another sandwich in there? You know me, always hungry. I brought you some of those Snowsweet berries you were craving the other day.”

  With barely a glance at Cam, he pulled a handful of red berries out of both pockets before sitting down on the blanket. Cam was looking at him with a wary expression, his posture mirroring the way it had been earlier in the crowded market.

  I smiled at Liam. “Thank you so much, Liam! You’re the best! I actually did bring an extra sandwich in case Cam was still hungry. Do you mind, Cam?”

  “Not at all,” he said tersely.

  I handed it to Liam, who had set the berries on the blanket. “It’s not toasted, but…”

  “That’s fine. Thank you so much! I really owe you, Serena. Next book is on me,” Liam said before taking a huge bite of the sandwich. “Yum, so good!”

  “No, Liam, you don’t have to. It’s fine, really.”

  He grinned. “Still gonna.”

  I popped a berry in my mouth and savored the tart sweetness of it. Despite their name, Snowsweet berries only grew in the summer. The growing season had just started a few weeks ago so these were likely one of the first harvests.

  As summer went by, the taste of the berry changed. Towards the end, the same berry had a sourer flavor. Liam liked them best then. I preferred them at this time of the year, when they were at their sweetest.

  “They’re perfect! Did Master Cisco enjoy the bread?”

  “You made the old man’s day!” Liam said. Cam’s cuffs caught his eye and he frowned. “Nice jewelry.”

  I shot Liam a glare. “Liam, be nice.”

  Liam scoffed. “You’re too nice, Serena. What if he’s dangerous? What if he’s a crazy, psycho murderer?”

  Cam froze for a second at that last word, but he didn’t let it show for long.

&
nbsp; “Normal Fae don’t get Shadowsilver placed on them! He’s probably a Sealbreaker!”

  He smirked at that comment but said nothing. I sighed. “Liam, you’re being extremely rude. Cam and I were just talking.”

  “Did you hurt her?” Liam asked, completely ignoring me. His hazel eyes were dark with anger. “Answer me, you pompous jackass!”

  “Liam! Cam is—”

  Cam held up a hand to cut me off. “Didn’t ask for a bodyguard, Sunshine, but thanks.” He stood up. “I didn’t hurt Serena. As she said, we were simply talking. Nothing more.”

  “How do I know you’re not lying?”

  His smirk grew wider. “Are you accusing Serena of lying?”

  Liam’s mouth fell open. “W-what? No! Of course not! Just tell me who the hell you are!”

  I flinched. I wasn’t used to seeing Liam angry. He was usually always so cheerful and carefree. He looked ready to punch Cam. Cam was perfectly calm however, like he knew he could take Liam. That was when it dawned on me.

  He had limited use of his magic but complete control of it. If Liam started a fight, Cam had every right to defend himself.

  “Liam, stop!” I shouted. “What the hell has gotten into you? I’m fine, as you can see. Why are you acting like such a jerk? I’m allowed to have other friends than just you, you know!” I immediately regretted my words when I saw the hurt in his eyes.

  He backed off, his voice softer. “I know that. I just thought you’d be smarter about choosing who you hung out with, that’s all. I just want to make sure my best friend is safe.”

  “It’s okay, Liam. I understand, but you have no right to judge Cam so harshly like that.”

  Cam chuckled. “Don’t worry, Sunshine. He’s just worried I’ll take you away. I’d dare to say he has feelings for you. Of course, I can easily see why. I’d be honored to take you with me anywhere.”

  “You touch her and I will—”

  “Liam!” My heartbeat sped up as I felt Liam’s magic brush my skin. His magic was stronger than I’d ever felt it, and it felt heavy, menacing. I stepped in front of Cam before he could stop me. “Calm down. Liam, please.” My voice was small.

  Fear gripped my heart. I knew Liam would never hurt me, but he didn’t know how to control his magic. I was more afraid of him hurting Cam.

  “Serena, get back,” Liam told me, his voice even and controlled. His eyes flashed angrily. I wanted to reach out and hug him, but it probably wouldn’t be the wisest decision.

  “You can’t even cast anything, can you?” Cam asked. “If you could, you’d have done something by now.” He wasn’t taunting Liam. He was merely stating a fact.

  Liam growled. “Shut up.”

  “Only novices raise their magic that high without striking right away,” Cam continued. “If you’re not careful, you’ll burn out. The side effects aren’t pretty, trust me.”

  The leaves swirling around Liam settled back onto the ground as his magic receded. Liam could be a hothead, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew when he was outsmarted. He looked away, ashamed. “I’m very protective of her.”

  “Good thing you stopped. Wouldn’t want to hurt her, would you?”

  My heart pounded in my chest as I wrapped my shaking arms around myself. Cam put a hand out to steady me. Without thinking, I turned toward him and rested my hand on his wrist.

  My palm lightly grazed the Shadowsilver before I knew what I was doing. The metal was cold but it felt like my hand was on fire. I cried out in pain and Cam jumped back in shock. Liam looked ready to murder Cam, his magic rising until he was inside a mini tornado of leaves.

  A long red welt appeared on my hand when my skin had come in contact with the Shadowsilver. It felt like I’d stuck my hand into an open flame. Blinking back tears, I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m fine…” My voice sounded pathetic, even to me.

  “Serena, are you okay? What happened?” Liam gingerly took my hand, inspecting the burn. His magic had dropped to a safer level, now that he was more concerned than angry.

  I nodded. “It was an accident. Cam?”

  Looking around, there was no trace of the mysterious boy. Cam had disappeared. I hadn’t even heard him leave.

  “Oh, he’s gone.” I felt a little sad. We’d been having such a nice time before everything had gotten out of hand.

  “Good. I’m glad he’s gone,” Liam said curtly. He put his arm around me. “Should we go see Master Cisco about this? He could put some sunfire oil on it.”

  “No, thanks. It’s fine,” I replied, facing Liam. The last thing I wanted to do was explain what had happened to Master Cisco and risking getting Cam in trouble. Master Cisco was a reasonable man, more reasonable than most, but he wouldn’t hesitate to report Cam if he thought his village, or someone he loved, was in danger. “I’m going to go home.”

  “Okay, I can—”

  I shook my head while gathering up the basket and then throwing the half-folded blanket over my shoulder. “No, it’s still light out. I’ll walk myself home.”

  Liam’s kicked-puppy expression made me feel bad, but I refused to feel sorry for him. He brought it on himself, acting like a big macho jerk. I left him standing in the meadow alone.

  The walk home was lonely and quiet.

  My parents stopped whispering to each other when I entered the house. I pressed my hand behind my back so they wouldn’t see the stinging, angry red mark. “Honey, we need to talk about your new friend,” Mom started.

  For the first time in my life, I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at my parents. I normally wasn’t ever disrespectful, but today had taken a toll on me and all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. Why did everyone feel the need to judge Cam? He hadn’t done anything.

  After setting the basket on the counter and draping the blanket over the back of a chair, I turned to face them. “What about him?”

  “I thought Kalden’s unborn son had died, along with his wife. The rumors about the Birthing flower were true. That was definitely his son,” my dad said. My blood ran cold at his words. He knew. “I bet I don’t even have to guess the reason for the activated Shadowsilver.”

  “He’s not a bad guy, I promise. Liam overacted too. Cam offered to show me a spell so I—”

  “He offered to show you a spell?” Mom had gone pale and she looked sick to her stomach. “Serena Ivy Roseheart! Did you…did you break your Seal?” The pained expression on her face made me want to cry.

  “No, no, I promise I didn’t.”

  “I respected that boy’s father as a hero, but I don’t want you seeing him again, Serena. Any connection to him will get you in serious trouble.” The anger on my dad’s face surprised me. “He’s just another filthy Sealbreaker, as far as I’m concerned.”

  I gasped. “He is not, Dad! You’re being extremely judgmental! Is that what you think of Liam?”

  “No, of course not! Liam was young. He didn’t even know what he was doing!” Dad sighed. “Do you even have the slightest idea of the trouble you’ll be in if you break your Seal?”

  Anger rushed through me. Cam’s words replayed inside my mind. The government took your magic away. Doesn’t that piss you off?

  “I am aware of that, yes.” I said evenly, trying to hide my anger. “But why should I have to suffer just because the king is afraid?”

  “Because, for as much as I disagree with him, he makes the laws. I will do whatever it takes to protect my family,” Dad said, a spark of resentment in his eyes. I could tell that his old self was rising to the surface. He wanted to fight, but he knew he couldn’t.

  “But you agreed with Kalden Crossfire’s ideals! Why not continue them?” I looked into my dad’s eyes. “Why didn’t you continue to fight?”

  He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to have aged in the last two minutes. Or maybe I was just noticing for the first time how old he really was.

  His face was weathered and his brown hair was graying at the edges. He had been aroun
d a long time. My mom was around the same age. They had lived with magic longer than they had lived without it and they clearly missed it.

  “Magic was everything. It was like a part of my soul died when they took it away. I lost many friends who had fought for Kalden, and even more that lost all hope and took their own lives after the announcement of Kalden’s death. I had a wife and child to care for. I couldn’t fight. I couldn’t destroy my family over something like that.” I could hear the heartbreak in his voice.

  As his words sunk in, my anger faded. “I’m older now. We could fight.”

  “I’m not as young as I used to be, honey. I don’t have the will or the strength to go up against The Seven. The most I can do now is complain.” He smiled faintly. “But that’s okay. We have a comfortable life here. That’s enough for us.”

  “But it shouldn’t be! If you want something, you should fight for it!”

  Dad growled. “Did that boy put that nonsense in your head? He should be smarter, considering everything he has lost!”

  “His name is Cam, and he wants to continue his dad’s work. He believes magic is everyone’s right. Just like Kalden did. Isn’t that wonderful?” I looked at each of my parents, hoping to see interest, or at the very least understanding. I got the opposite reaction. They both just looked sad and worried.

  “Foolish boy, going to end up just like his parents…” Mom muttered.

  Dad hugged me tight. “Please, please don’t make me ground you.”

  “Ground me? For what?” I asked.

  “I meant what I said. You are not to see that boy ever again.”

  “But he really is a nice guy. I want him as a friend.” My voice sounded as tired as I felt. I didn’t want to disobey my dad, but I also wanted to know more about Cam. Something about the way he made me feel intrigued me. I felt connected to him somehow. I wasn’t sure exactly why, but the thought of not being able to explore that connection filled me with a sudden panic I couldn’t explain.

  “No, and that’s final.”

  Tears filled my eyes. Somehow, I managed to make it to my room and slam the door without tripping over my own feet. I slumped against the door and just started sobbing.