by Nicole Hall
6
SERA
Sera was in the stone circle again. It was light out, but she couldn’t tell if the sun was coming or going. Everything felt surreal, the sky too blue, the trees too green. Her brain was having trouble focusing on any of the details of her surroundings, and she was pretty sure the trees were shifting places on their own.
All at once she knew she wasn’t alone. She’d yet to take a step, but slowly spun, looking for whoever had joined her. It was like swimming through gel. She moved, but slowly and it took a long time for her body to react to the orders she was shouting in her mind. The trees made her dizzy, so she closed her eyes for a moment while her body caught up. When she opened them, the wolf was sitting at the edge of the clearing.
He cocked his head at her and let his tongue loll out while he panted. She should have been too warm outside, Sera remembered that much, but she felt completely comfortable in her jeans and tee. The glowing eyes looked less menacing when he was calm and docile.
Sera cocked her head at him, mimicking his stance. Why wasn’t she afraid? Where was the panic that came with this feeling of helplessness? She let her gaze drift past him to the path that was in the process of reversing its curve.
It was the lack of sprites that snapped her out of her lethargy. She shook her head and tried to focus on the path. The details were still fuzzy, but it was clearly empty except for the wolf. It felt like he couldn’t cross into the clearing, which was good because her legs felt so heavy she wasn’t sure she could move them. How had she gotten there? The last thing she remembered was dropping her head back on the couch in the living room and wishing…what had she been wishing? Something about Jake and zombie bunnies.
The wolf dropped his head and nosed a stick toward her. Sera’s eyebrows shot up.
“You want to play fetch?”
His head popped back up and his tail wagged. It made him look like a giant dog. With glowing eyes. And a strong predatory urge.
“No.” His head dropped again and he whined.
“You chased me through the woods the last time I saw you, and now you’re sad that I won’t play?”
The wolf laid down with his head on his front paws and looked up at her with puppy eyes. Sera remained unmoved. She’d always been more of a cat person. Torix was playing a game where she didn’t know the rules, so there was no way she was leaving the stone circle to play fetch with a demon wolf.
“Not a demon, an animal forced to do Torix’s bidding.”
Sera spun around at the voice behind her and almost fell over. A statuesque woman with dusky skin and amazing cheekbones had joined her in the circle. The whole situation was very reminiscent of the last time she’d been there, but she was somehow less disturbed by the prospect of someone reading her thoughts this time.
The woman rolled her eyes, and it reminded Sera of someone.
“First of all, it’s not reading your thoughts if you’re shouting them at me. Second, of course I’m familiar. We talked a few days ago. Humans. I swear you’re going to stupid yourselves out of existence.”
“Zee?” The Amazon in front of her didn’t look like Zee. This woman looked like a model or a queen. Or a superhero. If Sera squinted, the sleeveless dress looked sort of the same with shimmering fabric and trailing bits, but she was pretty sure there were tawny leather pants under it.
Zee crossed her arms, highlighting the golden bands around both of her impressive biceps. “I’ll do explanations first, but listen to me now because I hate this speech and don’t want to give it again.” She paused, and Sera realized she was waiting for some kind of agreement.
“How—”
“I’ll take that to mean you’re paying attention. Appearances are deceiving, especially among the Fae, but I feel like it’s true everywhere to some extent. When we first met, I was using a glamour to help put you at ease. We’ve learned that humans are much more comfortable with the idea of magic if they think they can squash the wielder flat. This…” she spread out her arms, “is much closer to my true form. Though you did add some interesting accessories that I plan to incorporate.”
“I added?”
“Yes. We’re in your dreamscape.” Zee peered at her closer. “You hadn’t figured that out yet I see.”
“Wait so this is all a dream?”
“No. You’re asleep, and I called to you because we have matters to discuss. If you hadn’t already come to the circle, I would have been unable to reach you.”
Sera glanced over her shoulder, but the wolf was gone.
“Yes, he’s real too.” Zee’s brow furrowed. “I’m not sure how he was able to connect though.”
“So you and Torix can just pop into my head whenever you feel like it?” Ah, there’s the panic.
“That wasn’t Torix. Simply the wolf under his control. Though now I suspect there may be more to him… but no matter.”
Sera was barely listening. She was leaning against the rock beside her attempting to take deep breaths.
Zee snorted. “Humans. If you had any shields at all, we wouldn’t be able to intrude. It’s one of the first things Fae learn to do. Guard their minds.”
The tightening in Sera’s chest started to loosen. “Can you teach me?”
Zee looked her over once. “Yes. I believe I can, but not right at this moment. I have something else to discuss first. Walk with me.”
Zee gestured toward the woods, and Sera hesitated. “Are we safe?”
“We’re in your mind. You get to decide that.”
Sera nodded. That was an evasion if she ever heard one. So probably not safe, but if Zee was willing to leave the circle, it must not be immediately dangerous. Sera stepped past the stones and waited for Zee to join her. The path hadn’t been wide enough for two people before, but they were able to walk side-by-side easily. Unlike the last time, there was no cheerful twinkling, but at least the trees appeared to have stopped moving.
Zee was right though, there was a lot to discuss. Their gang of misfits really needed something more to go on than the person serving Torix might occasionally glow while doing magic. They also needed a better name than ‘gang of misfits’. Focus. Sera in particular wanted an explanation of how her power worked. Of course, none of that came out of her mouth.
“I think I made zombie bunnies.”
Zee stopped short. “That’s a new one.”
Sera stared down at her hands, now back to their normal color. “Someone left mutilated rabbits on my porch. I felt so bad, and I couldn’t stop imagining the poor high school kids cuddling their bunnies and how sad they’d be. I went inside to grab cleaning supplies, and when I came out it was clean and there were three fresh new rabbits hopping around my yard.”
Zee chuckled. “You have a soft heart, like your grandmother.”
“I don’t want the power to raise the dead.”
“That’s good because you can’t. Clean up a disturbing mess, yes. Bring life out of death, no. Those rabbits you saw were probably living somewhere nearby and came when you called them.”
“I didn’t call them.”
Zee started walking again. “But you did. Your power is settling in, so if you’re not careful, you’ll be doing accidental magic left and right. You cleaned the porch and you called the rabbits because you wanted to fix the hurt you imagined.”
Sera followed. There were no sounds in this wood, not even their footsteps. She wondered if it was because none of it was real or because her mind craved the silence. “What happened to the bodies?”
Zee sighed. “My best guess is that they’re now buried in your yard where the rabbits were hopping around. You can’t make things disappear, there are rules even in magic, but you can move them, move their energy. Their loss distressed you, but they’ll feed the garden and create new life.”
Sera wasn’t sure she liked that explanation. The garden didn’t need mutilated rabbits to thrive, but she supposed Zee had a point. They were already dead, if they could do some good, why not?
Sera took a deep breath and picked one. “How long do I have to be bound to Jake?”
Zee raised an eyebrow. “Are you so eager to be rid of him? I was under the impression that it would be a pleasurable cage.”
“A cage is a cage. Jake is… yeah, I’m not ready to talk to you about that yet. I’m grateful you stopped whatever was happening to me, but I want control over my own life. Especially my own body.”
Zee stepped over a large branch and nodded. “I can understand the sentiment, but the power inside you is unsteady still. Unrefined. Without an anchor, it could cause irreparable harm to you and those around you.”
Sera shuddered. “What if I’m willing to risk it.”
“I’m not. What’s done is done, and there are more pressing concerns.”
Sera looked through the blur of the trees and fought her frustration. She never should have agreed to the binding, pain or no pain.
“And yet you did. Perhaps you should see what you can learn from the experience instead of fighting it. All that struggle must be exhausting. Don’t you think that strength might come in handy when you try to save Evie?”
Sera’s eyes swung back to Zee’s. She needed those shields. “What did you want to discuss?”
“You have a deadline.”
“Samhain. I know.”
Zee didn’t react, but Sera sensed she was surprised. “He’ll try to get you close enough to drink in your power.”
A chill went down Sera’s spine. “What do you mean by that?”
“Fae aren’t simply humans with magic and wings. We don’t have to eat or drink. We consume emotion to survive.”
Sera fought the urge to step further away. “Like psychic vampires?”
“I wouldn’t describe us that way, but I can see how humans would. We take a small amount, a sip if you will. And not from people.”
“How do you do that if you can’t leave the woods?”
“Emotions travel far and small amounts get absorbed by the nature around you. We harvest from the Wood. It gives freely, and we protect it in return. Torix does not. Plus, your power is tied to your emotions, a veritable feast.”
Sera remembered the feeling of Torix on her skin and shuddered. “How do I stop him?”
“Those shields would be helpful, and using your bond with Jake.”
“I’ll build shields, but I’m not bringing Jake into this any further.”
Zee shook her head. “You won’t have a choice. Without him, you’ll fail.”
“Is this the real reason you won’t remove the binding?”
“In small part. You don’t need to be bound to use Jake.”
“I’m not using Jake.”
“My apologies, a poor choice of words. Emotional bonds strengthen you. Even with all that’s inside you, it’s not enough to protect yourself from Torix.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“Yes.”
Sera’s anger rose. Zee’s cryptic help wasn’t very helpful. “What happens to him if Torix succeeds and Jake is with me?”
Zee stopped walking. “He consumes you both.”
Sera looked around and they were in the clearing again. Time to get to work. “How do I build a shield?”
“First, shields are not magic. They’re a natural part of your mind that you can reinforce with magic. But like magic, you have to imagine it, visualize it, and believe it. Wrap it around your thoughts. You’ll need to concentrate to maintain it at first, but eventually it will become second nature.”
Sera tried several times to imagine a shield, and it appeared quickly in her mind, silver and round, but it was always followed closely by Captain America fantasies. Damn Marvel and their superior story-telling.
Zee chuckled. “That’s a good start, but you need a shield that’s yours.”
Sera closed her eyes and tried one of the calming techniques she’d developed for her panic attacks. She imagined herself as a dragon flying high above the world, sunlight glinting off her golden scales. The wind caressed her face as she spread her wings wide to glide through the clouds. Her dream body relaxed and the wind picked up in the woods. Hair whipped her in the face as she pulled the image of the dragon closer to her. Wings folded into her back and shiny golden scales settled over her skin. The low hum in the world around her quieted. She hadn’t even noticed it before.
Zee cleared her throat, and Sera opened her eyes. The clearing was still there, but every tree was crystal clear. She could see specks of moss growing on the stone circle. The grass under her felt soft, and for the first time, she realized she’d been barefoot.
“Sera.” The voice was fading.
She looked up, expecting to see a beautiful dark Amazon walking away, but she was alone. “Zee?” Her concentration dropped as she scanned the trees, and Zee appeared in the circle again.
“Very good. Those are magnificent shields, even for a Fae.”
“I’ve always been a quick learner. Why didn’t you talk like this last time?”
Zee grimaced, a barely perceptible blush staining her cheeks. “Ryan has an unfortunate effect on me. I can’t seem to help messing with him when he’s around. It’s a distraction.” She shrugged.
Sera wanted to ask more, but she wasn’t sure if girl talk was appropriate. Were they becoming friends? Teacher and student? Acquaintances that sometimes hung out in dreams? She’d never been close to other women, other people in general really, so she was rusty on the social cues. Maddie had been her only real example, and that hadn’t turned out great. Zee scared her a little, but she wanted to try again. One look at her imposing profile, and Sera decided she’d start with an easier target, like Ryan.
A wolf howled somewhere in the distance, and Sera shuddered. She wondered briefly if the wolf had killed the rabbits, but it seemed unlikely the wolf could open the cages without thumbs. Maybe in tandem with Torix’s servant? The thought reminded her of the most important question they’d discussed the night before.
“How do we find Torix’s servant? And why hasn’t he used Samhain to get free at any other time?”
Zee smiled and nodded. “Now you’re asking the right questions. He needs a conduit for the power that’s going to crest on Samhain. As long as he’s behind the barriers, he can’t access it. If the servant maintains the connection with him and calls the circle on Samhain night, he’ll be able to manipulate it to his will. And this year, we won’t have Evie to shore it up.”
“Wait, you needed my grandmother, a human, to help you keep him trapped? What did you do all the years before she was around?”
Zee’s smile dropped. “Luckily, it wasn’t a problem before she was around. There was a glitch in the shields. We’ve since fixed it, but it was too late to stop Torix from inserting his power. Think of it like a tiny hole in a balloon. Your grandmother provided the patch every Samhain since then, when it was most vulnerable.”
Sera couldn’t believe the Fae were unable to patch it themselves. Zee was still holding information back, and she’d be super pissed if it got her or anyone she loved killed. “Well then what are you going to do next year?”
Zee raised a brow and gave Sera a once over. “We’re hoping to find a replacement. As for how to find the servant. I’d suggest finding whoever murdered innocent wildlife outside your door.”
The woods darkened for a moment, like a cloud had passed overhead. “Yes, I’d figured that one out on my own. But how do we know when we have the right person?”
“You feel with your magic and your mind. Like the bond between you and Jake, the servant has been bound to Torix. Become accustomed to finding your bond, and you will be able to find other bonds. Theirs will be dark where yours is light. Use your power.”
“Are you seriously telling me to use the force? Can’t you tell me something that doesn’t sound like you ripped it off from Star Wars?” The twilight fell again, but didn’t lift. Sera looked up, but everything outside the circle
was fuzzy. “What’s going on?”
“You’re waking up. You have all the information I can give you. I’ll leave you with a warning.” Zee’s image faded but her voice remained. “Until you have control, be careful who you trust.”
Sera rolled her eyes at the emptiness. “Great. Thanks. Totally useless. Like I even know how to learn control or know when I’ve achieved it.”
In a blink, the trees were replaced by her living room ceiling. Her eyes felt gritty, and her neck ached. One whole leg was asleep, which made it hard to get off the couch. Sunlight streamed through the windows as she shuffled to the powder room.
She relieved her aching bladder and splashed water on her face. The woman in the mirror looked the same as always, but Sera felt different. She closed her eyes and imagined her happy place. There she was, shoulder-length brown hair, circles under her blue eyes, no makeup, clad in dragon armor and fully shielded. Connected to the golden scales was a thick, shimmering rope stretching off to the distance. She poked it and felt a tingle go through her. It was like someone had stroked one of her emotions. A pleasant one.
It reminded her of the feeling of sitting on a blanket in Jake’s backyard with his arms around her. She’d stared at the stars peeking through the trees while they’d talked about everything. He was safe and warm, and every inch of her was convinced that he would stand by her no matter what.
Sera pulled herself back and opened her eyes. Still in the powder room. Still feeling different, but a good different. The low electric hum she’d never noticed was gone, like in the dream, and she could relax completely for the first time in…well, ever.
Relief coursed through her. Did this mean no more random visits from Fae, good or bad? No more minor headaches? She wished she’d learned this trick years ago. Despite the neck pain, Sera felt rested. She stretched and went upstairs to get ready for the day.
