Page 199 of The Fae Girl 1

I looked up seeing him stood in the doorway. How long he’d been there I didn’t know. It felt like another betrayal to have her laid out like this, to have her so exposed for him to see as well.

“She will but it may take some time. The combination of the fire and the iron will have an effect.” Jelric replied.

“Is that what you care about?” I snarled. “That she’s still of use to you?”

“That’s not just it.” Uther snapped. “But I am High King, you know how important she is to me.”

“Because she’s Fae.” I spat.

“Because we need her. You may not like it but that’s how it is. We all have our part to play. The girl was starting to accept hers before you…” Uther stated.

“Before I what? Before I saw her for more than what she was to you. More than just a possession.” I replied.

Uther shook his head. “Enough.” He said coldly before turning to Jelric and the healer. “Whatever you need to heal her, you have it.”

He turned and left before I could say anything more. Before I could curse him further.

I hung my head, staring at Alice, willing her to just open her eyes. All over her body were black markings like some had inscribed some sort of text onto her skin.

“What are those?” I asked Jelric.

“The symbols are meant burn every Fae with her. For them all to burn through this life and the next.”

“Meant to?” I repeated.

He shrugged. “The symbols are based on an old prophecy. It’s nonsense. Like everything else the Agnai believe.”

“So she won’t burn?” I said.

“No more than she has already.” Jelric stated.

The healer began smothering a paste over her wrist where the iron had been wrapped. She grimaced, letting out a moan and we all paused watching her. Only she didn’t open her eyes. She just fell back to nothing.

“Did the High King really order you to seduce her?” Jelric asked quietly.

I gritted my teeth. “He did but I refused.”

“Yet you slept with her anyway.” Jelric pointed out.

“Not because I was ordered to.” I snarled before trying to calm myself. “How did you know?”

“When I look at her I don’t just see her body, I see the magic that flows around her. When I look at you, I see the transfer of it.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Can every Magi see it?”

“I’d be surprised at this stage. Her magic is deep, that’s why we can see it. Yours is only just developing.” Jelric stated.

“So other Magi will see it soon?”

He shrugged. “Perhaps. I can’t say for certain. I can see it because I know her magic, I know it’s pattern. But others may not see or be able to read it. If they did, they may simply assume you’d been healed recently.”

I nodded in reply. In the grand scheme of things it didn’t really matter. Not anymore.

“What powers have you felt?” Jelric asked.

“Nothing. But it’s like we’re connected now. I can feel her thoughts and she can feel mine. It’s hard to explain but we can communicate in our heads without needing to actually speak.”

Jelric frowned.