A blight? I had remembered Marcus saying something about how magic was harder to wield than it once was.
"My collapse along with the leaf falling is proof enough," the king went on. He pointed a finger at Marcus. "I don't know the prophecy as well as you do. Take my son, and take the savior, and do what you must. If magic is dying, you best find a way to save it boy, understand?"
Marcus nodded.
"My resources are yours. The three of you will leave in the morning."
"I'm going as well." The words that had come out of my mouth surprised me just as much as everyone else in the room. Wide eyes stared at me.
"Absolutely not, human," the king spat.
I didn't try to hide my glare. "I am. Whether you guys like it or not, you wrongfully brought me into this mess, along with my best friend. If she has to go to fulfill an ancient prophecy that you didn't even believe until five minutes ago, I'm going with her."
Fire raged in the king's eyes. I had a feeling he wasn't used to being questioned. Especcially by a human. He looked as if he would smite me on the spot, but the queen reached over and put a hand over his.
He looked at her, then back to me. Then he leaned back in his seat, muttering something that sounded like, "Your funeral."
I realized I had been holding my breath. I let it out. Elizabeth reached out and squeezed my hand. I was thankful for the comfort, but I couldn't take my eyes of her marks.
Marcus was the one to protest next. "She'll just get in our way and slow us down. Probably get us killed too."
"That's my choice to make," I snapped at him. He had the same reaction as the king.
Marcus opened his mouth to continue, but it was Gwydion who shut him down next.
"She said she was coming, and that's the end of it, Marcus." I'm not sure how Gwydion made his name sound like an insult. Marcus backed down. Even with the king's blessing on our journey, he'd be stupid to back talk his son.
The king watched Gwydion with careful eyes. Finally he said, "Very well. You four should get to bed. We'll have copies of the maps sent to your chambers in the morning, along with pack and provisions."
And with that, we were dismissed. Elizabeth was shaking as we left. "I can't believe you spoke to him like that."
I chuckled, shaking a bit myself. "I still can't either."
Valeria pulled Elizabeth away, saying she had something for her to help control her newly found magic, leaving Gwydion and I alone in the hall.
Motioning down the wall, he said, "Allow me to escort you to your room."
I was about to say that I did not need an escort, but I was not sure if I could navigate the labyrinth of the castle.
"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" he asked me.
I shook my head. Then nodded. "Yes." He looked at me with concern. I wondered if he was thinking that I shouldn't go on the quest with them. "I know I'm just a human, but if there's anything I can do to help Elizabeth-help magic, then I want to do it."
"I wish we had more time to train you," he said.
Before he could continue, another man fell into step with us, shit eating grin on his face. He looked slightly older than me. He had shining gold hair, shaggy and messy, but it fit. I noticed the marks on his cheeks were a deep brown, meaning he must be a member of the Spring Court.
"Gwydion, I heard you were going on a quest to the Tree." Gwydion nodded and the man put a hand over his heart, a look of betrayal on his face. "And you didn't think to invite me?"
"I knew you would only want to come to see the dryads in the summer court, so no, I did not invite you."
The man frowned, then looked past Gwydion to me. "And who is this lovely foreigner?" he asked, stepping in front of us, forcing us to halt.
"Ash, this is Samantha. She's from the human realm, and she'll be coming on our quest." Motioning between us, he said, "Samantha, this is Ash."
Ash bowed before me, taking my hand in his and pressing his lips to it. "Much obliged," he purred.
Turning and letting us continue walking Ash said, "So she's taking my spot?"
Gwydion smirked. "No, but we did already fill the spot of annoying prick in our group."
Laughing, I said, "Marcus?" Gwydion nodded.
"Marcus?" Ash groaned. He turned to me and said, "You'll wish you stayed in the human realm." After the way Marcus had spoken about me during the meeting, I believed it.
He looked back at Gwydion. "Come on, Prince," he said, and Gwydion cringed at the word. "You're not really going to make your best friend sit out, right?" Best friend? "Especially not when your Earth skills are the worse than a toddler's."
I thought Gwydion would be upset but he let out a laugh and embraced Ash. "I missed you, friend."
"And I, you," Ash said.
By then we were to my chamber door. Gwydion gave me a smile. "Good night, Samantha," he said.
The three of us exchanged pleasantries, and I watched as the two boys left, laughing and throwing playful punches as they went.
I turned to my bed, about to close the door behind me when I realized that the colors in my room started to dim. The flower's affect on me were wearing off. I was going back to my human sight.
I knew I should have just let it be and go to bed, but after seeing the world so beautiful, I didn't want it to go back to normal.
I peaked outside into the hall, but the echo of Gwydion and Ash had already vanished. Tiptoeing as quietly as possible, I made my way back to the garden. My heart racing, I was terrified of running into someone, but everyone must have been asleep. I found my way back to the ballroom, everything already put away, no evidence that there had been a ball less than an hour before.
Walking towards the door that Gwydion had taken me out earlier, I could feel a rush of excitement going through me with the promise of improved sight, no matter how temporary it may be.
A squeal ran through me as a figure stepped out of the shadows and into my path, knocking me back.
"Marcus?" I asked.
He glared. "What are you doing out here?"
I brushed myself off, returning his glare. "Going for a walk."
He looked back at the garden. "You were going to get more flowers, for your sight." It wasn't really a question.
I tried to push passed him but he stepped in my way. "So what?" I snapped.
A look of rage crossed his features. "So what is that you shouldn't be going on this quest with us. So what is that you're going to get us killed. You know it's true. You can't even see without the help of the flowers. You don't belong here."
Pulling back, I stared back at him, trying to maintain my composure but failing. I could feel my cheeks reddening with but embarrassment and rage. "I don't care that you don't like humans, but the king said I'm going. You'd go against him?"
"No. But you will."
I didn't have time to ask what he meant before he grabbed my chin in his hand, forcing me to look at him. His marks were light purple. I did not know what that meant.
His power rippled through me before he spoke. My body went still. "You are a powerless human, and you'll only get in our way." His words were emotionless, but I felt them through every inch of my body. "You would only slow us down."
My body was quaking in fear, but I could not move. Mind control. His power was controlling people with his mind. "You will not be going on the quest with us tomorrow." He released me, turning towards the balcony a few meters away from us. "Go to the balcony," he commanded.
No matter how hard I fought his words, I obeyed, my limbs moving, but under his control, not mine. I felt a tear slip down my cheek. Gone was the girl who stood up to the king. I could not even fight Marcus' control.
"Now stand on the ledge." I did. I looked down, the ground at least a hundred feet below us. Another tear fell, and I watched in agony for the ten seconds it took to fall all the way to the ground below us. I tried so hard to retake control, but I could do nothing. I was powerless, just like Marcus had said.
I knew what his next command would be before it escaped his mouth.
"Jump."
Without my consent, my knees bent, readying for the jump. Right before my knees extended and sent my off the railing, he whispered, "Stop."
I nearly fell off the balcony as control of my body returned. I turned so swiftly towards the castle that I slipped and landed with a crash on the tile floor of the balcony.
Marcus looked down at me, no emotion in his face. "You don't belong on this quest. You don't belong in this world. Tell the king tomorrow that you won't be going." Without another word, he left. Left me bawling alone on the cold tile of a castle that I did not belong in.
It took a long time before my breathless gasps turned into silent sobs. Fear and rage coursed through me. I had been taken control of. Helpless.
It would not happen again.