Half Wylde | Book 1

Nine: The Wyldes

The last pine crossed my vision and opened up the emerald fields. Eberon held back and watched my face as I whirled around, trying to look at everything at once. "Do you see that small cliff under the oak tree? That's where I'll be setting up camp. You go enjoy yourself for a while until the others arrive, release some of that energy. It feels as though you're about to burst with magic."

I stopped. My seal crackled to life on my back. Would the very nature of this place open me up like a box of fireworks? Mila never said anything about the Wyldes, but why would she ever assume I'd come here? I couldn't stop the look of horror that crossed my face and Eberon was immediatly on alert.

"What is it?" He stormed to my side, one hand on a small horn at his belt.

"Nothing!" I almost screamed at him, then swallowed to calm my voice. "Nothing is wrong. I need to lay down , or maybe soak in a spring. I'll be at camp soon."

I took off for a pool of water not too far, but not too close to the oak tree. Eberon didn't follow me, but I could feel his eyes until I ducked behind a willow.

I sat, heart pounding for several long minutes. When I was sure he hasn't followed me, I striped my boots and stockings and plunged my feet into the cool spring. I flopped on my back and stared into the sway of the willow branches.

"What have I done?" I threw an arm over my eyes. The flapping of wings overhead told me Puko watched me from the tree. I knew my magic fought the seal. I knew the Wyldes would be full of magic. I let myself get far too excited in this place. I didn't want the magic to come out. Mila tried to unseal a small part of it for me when I was ten, and it ended in disaster. I never wanted to go through that again.

I took a calming breath. Then another. Then I kept breathing slowly, relaxing that part of me that pushed on the seal. Eventually I was ready to see the world again. I moved my arm; Puko sat above me and gave me an indignant 'caw' as he looked down with his good eye. What are you moping for? Look around you dummy, you're in the Wyldes!

I propped myself on my elbows and looked down at the clear water. I would have to keep myself under control. I wanted this place. My magic wanted this place. I just needed to figure out that happy medium where I could have friends here and not run them off by firing magic all over the place. I sat at the pool for a long time. I wasn't ready to face Eberon. Reality came looking for me when a shadow fell across the water at my feet.

"Can I sit here?" Schula's cool voice washed through me. I nodded. She sat down gracefully and removed her own boots, joining me.

"Eberon told us what happened. I'm guessing it has to do with your back." Her icy eyes pierced me.

"Yes." I croaked.

"I know I said I wouldn't pry, but do you think you could tell me a little more about it? If I can help you in any way I'd like to." She danced a finger in the water, playing with the ripples. We sat there in silence while I put my thoughts together. I had already decided to tell Schula the truth if it became a problem, I just didn't know how to say the words. She looked nearly ready to give up on me by the time I had mustered a few sentences. I licked my dry lips, and tuned to face her.

"I've had it since I was born, as far as we know." Whatever she was expecting me to say, this clearly wasn't it.

"As far as who knows?" Schula asked, tilting her head.

"The story goes that I was found in the mountains by a young woodcutter." I choked. "I was about one year old at the time. I wore a green dress, and my ears had been cut at the tips. I had no name, so he called me by the birds singing overhead where I lay in the woods. Wren.

Obviously I had been taken care of, not all skin and bones, and I was swaddled and clothed. So the woodcutter took me to every village within a day of that place. No one was missing a child, or no one would admit to it if they were. What with the ears and all."Schula nodded with sadness in her eyes, but let me go on.

"So as a last resort, the young woodcutter took me to the witch of the mountain. She was wise, and helped people that came to her. She felt the magic the moment I entered her home. She removed my dress and examined the mark on my back. It told her a story, of sealed magic. Whatever she saw in it, she hasn't told me or anyone else. What she did do, is tell the woodcutter to raise me. So he did."

I swallowed hard before continuing. How many days had passed since Bryn died? He had been with me for as long as I could remember.

"We tried to remove the seal once, it didn't end well. I must have too much human in me, or something, but it overpowered me. I almost destroyed the witch's home in the process. And I can't, I can't remove it. I'm scared. I'm so scared right now that it's going to burst open and I can't do anything to stop it."

Schula, to her credit, listened to my entire rambling story. When I was done, she wiped tears off my face that I didn't know had fallen. She handed me a handkerchief from her pocket and pulled her feet from the stream.

"Every fae has magic, Wren." She put her boots on. "You can't help what you're born with. I can't imagine being separated from mine, let alone sealing it away. But I understand how you feel. So here is what we can do. I'm going to put a little more power in the seal. I won't tamper with it, or read into it, just put a little reinforcement on it. You won't lose control here, and you won't be sick. But in exchange, I want you to consider trying to open it again. You have no idea how much a part of you your magic is. Not now of course, but sometime in the future when you're somewhere you feel safe. When you see that you are in good hands. Alright?"

I nodded. I wiped my face off and pulled my own feet from the water.

"Good." She smiled. "Eb and Thain won't say a word about it. It will be like the bath. I'm not giving them any details either. They have no idea you have a seal or even that you have magic. Now, would you mind if I lifted your shirt so I can reinforce your seal?"

I let out a long breath.

"I'm ready." I said. Puko cawed overhead.

"I'll start then." Schula used cool fingers to glide under my shirt and up my back just enough to touch the markings. The first frost that snowflaked on the window panes, that's what it felt like. Her magic crawled up my back, only touching where the marks were. She was pulling my shirt back down before I knew she was done.

"Thank you." I turned to see an odd look on her face. She stared into the space between us without really seeing me, then she blinked and met my eyes.

"It was no trouble." She breathed. I was going to ask if she was alright, but she stood before I could speak. I put my own boots on and we walked to the campsite together.

The cliff curved inward and made for some cover from the weather. A fire was already dancing in a pit that had the black marks of hundreds of fires in it. Three logs had been positioned near the fire, and Thain sat on one, stretching out his long legs.

"Where is Eberon?" Schula asked.

"Out getting something to eat." Thain shrugged. "If you ladies are done hogging the spring do you mind if I have a go at it?"

"I suppose you can. We'll watch the fire." Schula sat down on a log and stretched. Thain left, and I took up another log.

"Would you like me to tell you about the Autum lands?" Schula smiled. I nodded hungry for more now that I'd actually gotten a taste of the Wyldes.

The evening came and went, we talked about the sights I would see well into the dark. Thain and Eberon added their own opinions as the night wore on, until finally I fell asleep leaning against the log.