Maidens & Killers

Gift

     I scream out as power floods through my veins, turning my vision dark.
“FIND YOUR CONTROL RED ONE!” I hear Craobh say from somewhere far off.
I grasp for some sort of ground, and I fight against the pull to fall into the power void.  I struggle for something that keeps me in the present and picture a big pair of hazel eyes. I focus on slowly exposing feature after feature of that now familiar face, and by the time I get to his strong angular jaw, I am in control again. I slam myself back into the secluded area of the courtyard where I find myself face to face with Professor Carr.
“Interesting. You show great control for someone so new to their signet.”  He says making notes on his stack of parchment papers.

     I look around at the destruction around me, multiple trees now lay on their sides and there is a gaping hole in the ground twenty feet from me. This is showing control? I ask myself.
“TO HIM IT IS. HE KNOWS ONLY HOW TO USE POWER  TO WAGE WAR.”  Craobh responds.
Professor Carr sighs, “I think you’re done for today Maeve. I know that you had some concerns about your study period being missed, but there is so much potential here. Let’s say Monday, Wednesday and Fridays hmmm?”
I’m still feeling light headed from what I’ve been through in the last hour, the power leaving a lingering taste on my tongue, so I just nod. Anything to get me back to my room to lie down for a bit.

     I had spent my weekend combing through books on signet powers and how to control them, but the Archives lacked a lot of really good information. It definitely came across as a skill that needs to be practiced and not read about. But, with Garrick gone and busy with Xaden, I don’t know who else to trust. So when Monday came, I had no other option but to make the trek to Professor Carr’s office and surrender myself to him and his “teachings”. 

   Once released I head back into the old stone college, and veer away from the crowd filing into the dining hall. I had been too nervous to eat breakfast, but now there was no way I could keep any food down. My body still feels like it is in fight or flight mode, and I need to calm down. I head straight for my new room, it’s a single room with actual furniture and an on suite bathroom that made me even more grateful to be a rider now. Even if I wasn’t completely obsessed with being in the air, there were definitely benefits to being a rider.

    Before I even open the door to my room, I sense Garrick’s presence. Despite my exhaustion, I feel a massive grin split across my face as I whip open my door. 

There, sitting in the armchair beside my desk, was the only person who could pull me out of a full blown power spiral. 

“HEY! You're back!” I squeal while launching myself into the room with what energy I have left. 

“I’m back, and I hear you've been busy.” He says the smile falling off his face as he pulls me into his lap. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”

I bury my face into his warm neck, “It’s okay, I managed. I’m so glad you're back though.”

     Garrick just nods and squeezes me close to him, almost as though he’s scared someone is going to rip me away. “I should’ve been here to help you though. Gods the thought of you here figuring it out all alone has kept me up at night since I got the message from Bodhi. It just reminded me of all the reasons you should be with someone who is better for you. This isn’t going to be the only time I can’t be there for you.” 

I pull away from Garrick’s hold to look him in the eyes, “Nope. None of that. I did just fine, with Craobh’s help. You don’t have to hold my hand in everything. We’re equals you and I, and I don’t expect you to drop all of your responsibilities just because you think I need something.”

Garrick shakes his head, “But I’m no better than Soren in a way, I wasn’t here to guide you. I wasn’t here Maeve. I let you go through that shit alone.”