Page 143 of Hidden Kingdoms

My fingers gripped the fabric of my dress, the idea of allowing someone else a feel of my magik, no matter how brief, was something I instinctively rebelled against. I knew this would be a step forward in my journey to answers, that I had to trust that Arden was only doing this to help me, but it didn’t help the swirl of unease in my stomach. I glanced at Alouette, her lithe frame relaxed in the chair, but her fingers dug indents into the floral-covered arms.

Pulling my power to the surface, it raced under my skin. I guided it towards my fingertips, nodding slowly at Arden as he placed his pipe down on the table. Leaning forward, he smiled encouragingly as I released a long breath, fighting against the desire to bury my magik deep within me where no one could touch it.

Before I could second-guess more than I already was, I turned my palm over and pushed energy outwards—hoping I was directing it at the man in front of me.

Probably should of checked he was ready. Too late now.

My other hand curled in my lap as the rush of magik swept down my arm, fingers vibrating with the force of energy that was flowing through them. As it slammed into Arden, I hesitated at the resistance it fell upon as it demanded a way into him. Trailing over him, seeking out its opening.

A soft grunt left Arden as he flinched, eyes closed, and a grimace pulled at his mouth. His body tensed from the press of my magik until the strained set to his muscles released, and his body jerked with the sudden onslaught of power as he lowered his guard enough to allow my energy to flood him. He’d been right, for as quick as I was releasing my magik, it was flowing through him and leaking into the room, the air charged with its influence. It didn’t help stop the fear that I was somehow giving away my power. I felt it slipping past his own magik, which made futile attempts to slow its progress—to hold on just that little bit longer.

“You need to relax. I am not a threat, Elodie.” His hands were fisted on his knees, shoulders tense and I could see his eyes flicking back and forth behind closed lids.

I took a deep breath, allowing my magik to continue its journey through Arden’s own power. The feeling foreign as I struggled to convince it to flow away from me. The harder I forced it, the more it rebelled. Pushing my magik away felt wrong; a part of me was ready to spiral into a panic that it would never return. I looked to Alouette in a desperate bid for a way to do this.

“How else did you use your magik?” she asked, her calm voice a balm over my panicked thoughts. I directed my focus onher. Her pale green eyes were trained on me, red hair plaited over one shoulder and clashing boldly with her choice of seating.

“I don’t know, I just used it. I wasn’t walking around shooting magik at things, just sometimes it would come in handy.”

“In what ways?” she urged.

The vibration in my hands began to travel up my arms, as I struggled to put into words how magik was weaved into my life. Hundreds of situations flickered through my mind. The way I would know exactly the right time to harvest whatever herbs Nanna was after, always finding them when they were in full bloom. How I would know when yet another weary soul would turn up at Nanna’s house, looking for a warm bed and some hot tea. I had never lost a game of hide and seek as a child; there was nowhere anyone could hide from me. I would find them. How every tarot read I ever did would be true to my life.

The countless deaths I had to bear witness to.

“Keep going, Elodie,” Arden murmured, brow creased in concentration as sweat beaded on his temple with his eyes shut tight. Whether he meant with my magik or the memories that I was sorting through, I didn’t know.

In what ways did I use my magik?

That time I found the lost little boy, reuniting him with his mother who held me just as tightly as she held him before Nanna dragged me home, and we didn’t leave for a week. The dreams that would steal my energy and dance on the edge of my conscience, teasing me with their knowledge. There were other memories, things I felt I should remember, but as they came up, tangled in the web of the others, they halted and fizzled away. I couldn’t afford to risk the control of my magik to chase after them. Briar’s words floated through my mind, and I opened my mouth to answer but came up short.

“What were you about to say?” Alouette pressed, watching my face closely.

“It’s nothing really, just something Briar would say.” The words were almost pants as I split my focus.

“What did she say?” Her eyes flicked to Arden, narrowing in concern before returning to mine, all trace of unease gone. I swallowed past the uncomfortable sensation of my magik leaching from my body, turning towards Arden, his face twisting in a grimace.

“She said I was a?—”

Ardens eyes flew wide. “Seer.”

52

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

ELODIE

Arden’s eyes snapped to mine as he spoke the words. My magik halted its flow, and I gasped, breathless from the thundering force of its return. But I welcomed it greedily, basking in the rightness of it being back where it should be. My heart beat wildly as I sank back, head spinning from the sudden return of energy.

“A seer!” Alouette’s eyes rounded with surprise as she leaned forward.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I can predict the future or anything!”

Was I confirming this?

“So, what can you do?” she asked excitedly, settling back and casually propping her boots on the circular table as another log popped on the fire.

“I just… see things.”

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