A Kelpie of Rowan

Chapter 39

Rowan moves over to Darach's oak tree, knocking lightly against its surface. She pulls back, unsure if Darach's tree will be acting like the other tree now. But when it moves, all she sees is Darach stepping out of the trunk. Which, to be fair, is a bit unnerving to think about, let alone to see. It's as if she just melted into life from solid wood. Darach grins at Rowan.

"Ready for lessons?"

Rowan gives Darach a small smile. Despite her nerves and confusion, she can't help it. Darach is so full of excitement and joy that it just spills out of her.

"I'm ready, but . . . I have a question."

Darach skips, her eyes widening in surprise and interest. "Really? What's your question? Tell me, tell me!"

Rowan laughs. "Don't worry, I will. I was just wondering, all the plants here seem to be more . . . alive. That's the best way to describe it."

Darach frowns and her tone flattens. "More alive? They're already alive."

Rowan grimaces. "I know that, but they don't normally move on their own, do they?"

Darach shakes her head. "No, not unless they have a dryad living in them. I'm the only dryad in this clearing. Can you show me what you mean?"

Rowan shrugs. "I can try, at least."

She moves back over to the tree that had saved her from the Seelie Lord. It seems like the best option, she hasn't interacted with any of the other plants beside the bramble patch, at least not since she healed them the first time. After a moment of hesitation, Rowan places her palm against the bark of the tree. She doesn't ask it to do anything, she just lets her feelings pour through. Its branches lower and curl around her, lifting Rowan up into the air. The tree's hold is different this time, less tight, less urgent. It knows there is no danger now, so it doesn't need to hurry. From behind Rowan, Darach gasps. She walks up to the trunk as the tree lowers Rowan back to the ground, placing her own hand against the trunk of the tree. Rowan glances over at her, only to find the dryad to be frowning.

"Darach? What is it?"

Darach shakes her head. "This is really strange."

"I figured. But how, exactly, is it strange?"

"This tree has a connection to you, a tether. It's by emotions and some other connection too."

Rowan wraps her arms around herself, the ghost of the flames burning her skin. "Could it be because I healed the tree?"

"Perhaps." Darach shakes her head. "No, then I would feel it too. But I don't. It has to be something else, something ingrained."

Her frown deepens, piquing Rowan's attention. "Do you know what it is?"

"I might."

Rowan steps closer to Darach in her excitement. "What is it? Tell me?"

Darach just shakes her head and looks at Rowan with sad eyes. "I can't, Ro. Come on, lesson time."

"But I want to know more about the trees!"

"They're just trees, Ro."

Rowan shakes her head, her hands flying to her hips. "No, they're not. There is something else going on. Tell me!"

"I won't, Ro! Just drop it!"

By Darach's stubborn expression, she really isn't going to give the answer any time soon. What exactly is she hiding from Rowan? Why is she hiding information at all? First the flowers, now this. Rowan doesn't need more secrets. She sighs.

"Fine. What's today's lesson about?"

"Control."

"What?"

Darach's smile returns, small and mischievous. "The lesson is about control. You can access your powers, but you can't turn them off. You need to be able to call them on will and turn off the flow of your magic at will." Rowan scowls, pulling a laugh from Darach. "Oh, don't look at me like that! This is important."

"Why is it important?"

Darach gives Rowan a flat look. "For obvious reasons. You don't want your magic going all the time. That uses up a lot of energy."

Rowan sighs. "What do I do?"

"Sit down and close your eyes."

Rowan lets her knees fold, lets her body sink to the ground. The dirt is warm beneath the thin layers of her clothing. Very warm, actually. It doesn't feel right. Her eyes snap open, full of concern. Something could be wrong.

"Darach?"

"Yes?"

"Is the ground warm to you?"

Darach crouches to place one hand flat against the soil, her fingers splayed. She pulls her hand back a moment later.

"Everything's normal. Are you just trying to stall?"

Rowan shakes her head and closes her eyes again.
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What do you think Rowan was feeling? What do you think Darach figured out about the trees? How will the lesson go? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.