Moon Flowers (Book 1 of the Flower Trilogy) #Wattys2016 #Featured

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE -- HALIA (Edited)

HALIA'S POV

"I'll go find something to eat," Tönx said, heading toward the woods without looking back.

I sat by the creek beside the red-eyed creature my friend had become and sighed. Things were undeniably different between Phi and me since last night. She avoided my gaze and barely spoke to me. She was annoyed with me.

"You know I want to help our people," Phi said. "I would do everything I can to help them, but me going there won't do us any good."

I shrugged. "I know."

"So you are not angry with me?"

I gave her a furtive glance, surprised by the question. Why would I be angry? I loved her.

"We'll find another way to save them," I replied, without great conviction. "Of course I'm not angry."

"You are in love," Phi said. She stared at me with pity.

Her look was cruel and stung my heart.

"I know what you feel, what you think," she said.

"We've always been close," I said.

"Halia, a part of my powers are in you. Don't deny what we now share."

"But you don't feel the same as I do."

Phi nodded. "For me, our marriage was something I had to do to save myself and possibly our people. For you . . ."

"You're not being kind," I said.

"I love you too," Phi continued, softening. "I can't live without you. But I am in love with someone else—the thunder spirit we met near here. Perhaps this is why I came here when I ran from the Evil King. A part of me wanted to see him again . . ."

My head sunk. She was being honest, and I knew I could not resent her for not feeling for me what I felt for her. Still, it hurt.

"What is it?" I asked, when Phi suddenly fell quiet.

"Agamet, the chief of the thunder spirits. Siegfried failed to convince him to save us, but I have to try again."

I remembered the prophecy. The queen of darkness will seduce.

Tönx came back at that moment.

"You have to seduce him," I said. "That's the way you will convince him."

Her face brightened as she spread her wings and flew away.

Wait! Oh, Mother, I hadn't thought this through.

Tönx dropped the chanterelles, berries, and fiddle heads he had collected.

"Phi!" he cried. "Come back! You're our only hope."

My heart was breaking. Stupid oracle. Stupid men. Why do they only ever listen to us when we seduce them?

"She will fulfil the prophecy," Tönx said.

"It won't work," I said, gritting my teeth.

Desperately, I moved as if I were a flower in the wind. I raised my arms and created a whirlwind that followed the shifting of my hands. The twister ascended above the forest and caught Phi in her flight.

Phi must have thought it was the Evil King that was impeding her from going away, because she fought off the prison of air until a branch pierced one of her wings and forced her to crash.

No! We rushed to find her laying in the meadow, where Tönx and I had spent the night. She was unconscious.

"I never thought you could do such a thing," Tönx said. "You hurt her."

How could I—

"It wouldn't have worked," I said, trying to subdue my conscience. "The Evil King is connected to her and already knows what she intends to do. He would get to her before she reaches the thunder spirits."

"What do you suggest, then?" Tönx asked. "This really doesn't seem like the best solution."

I ignored him and stared at Phi. What have I done? I put my hands on Phi's wound, closed my eyes, and recited an incantation.

"Pure Mother with a cooling dress
Let my bandages heal the wounded."

A golden light radiated from my skin and entered Phi's flesh, her feathers. The wound disappeared.

"We can't let her regain consciousness," I said after hearing Phi moan.

"Leave that to me," Tönx said before blowing on the fairy's eyelids. "She won't wake up until she is in the presence of the thunder spirits' chief." Tönx paused. "Question is: how will we find him?"

I reduced Phi in size and delicately handed her to Tönx. "It's better if you go alone," I said. "I know what she wants to do and it would hurt me too much to see this." I held back my tears, not ready to confide in Tönx. "I will go back to our people instead, to help them."

Tönx nodded and I left him, holding the girl I loved unconscious in his arms.