Page 53 of The Fae Girl 1

“Watch yourself Indrya. The people’s love is waning.” I muttered going to leave.

“Perhaps it is you who should watch yourself.” She snapped back.

I turned to look at her, eyebrow raised. Waiting for whatever comment she had now.

“Uther will not be king forever.” She said quietly. “And when he goes you will no longer have his protection to depend upon.”

Fury flashed through me. Not at the threat. Not at the insult to me. But to dare suggest such a thing was treason. To speak of it out loud, to discuss the King’s passing. She was brazen indeed to think she could get away with such a thing.

She smirked sitting back, sipping her tea and glanced around smugly.

I knew she’d played me. I knew she’d deliberately made a scene. Why so many people still liked her I had no idea.

This was it. Today Jelric would be teaching me magic, teaching me how to usemymagic.

I knocked on the door. Timidly at first. And when no one answered I knocked again. Louder.

A face I didn’t recognise opened the door wide enough for me to step in.

“Come sit down Alice.” Jelric said from across the room. His back was to me, he looked like he was too busy to even look around. “That will be all.” He said to the boy who bowed and quickly left like he was half afraid of us both.

I pulled the chair out, sat down and tapped my leg absentmindedly.

“You’re nervous.” Jelric said. He still had his back to me. Preoccupied.

“A bit.” I said. “What are you doing?”

He glanced at me over his shoulder. “Not everything in this castle revolves around you Alice.” He said gently, calmly, but I still blushed.

“I didn’t mean…”

He chuckled. “I don’t think you’re as confident as you pretend to be are you?” He said turning to study me.

“I don’t pretend to be anything.” I said back.

He smiled. “Let’s see about that shall we? Stand up, come here.” He said.

I got to my feet, taking the few steps needed to cross the room.

“Hold out your hands.” He said and I did it, obediently.

He placed what looked like a piece of wood carefully on my palms. I could feel the weight of it, the coolness too but was almost disappointed that there was no reaction. It felt from the way Jelric was acting that there should have been.

“Curious.” He muttered.

“What was supposed to happen?” I asked but he just shook his head slightly.

“Alright, sit back down.”

This whole damn world was confusing enough without the fact that no one was explaining anything to me.

“Your magic is less advanced than I would have hoped.” Jelric said.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It means we’re going to have to start from the complete basics.” He said with more than a little irritation in his voice.

“Right well sorry for being so inconvenient.” I muttered and then winced.Damn I needed to watch my mouth better.

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