Page 19 of Compass Points
Rose’s spine straightened, and her shoulders went back at her words. Mom needed her help. She preened as she went to work on the directed area. She could only manage a few swings before her arm got tired. Mom was behind her, watching closely as she started to feel the mallet’s weight. Sweat dripped from her brow, but Rose didn’t want to stop so quickly. Taking another swing, her arm shook as she raised the mallet. She couldn’t hold on as the sweat dripped down her face and arms from the fire and her physical exertion. The hammer slipped from her grasp into the forge.
Rose didn’t even think about it; she so badly wanted to be good at making magical weapons like Mom. She reached into the fire without hesitation to get the hammer back out and try again.
Mom’s shriek was piercing.
Rose’s hand was already in the forge’s blazing heat when she realized she should feel pain. Instead, she felt a cold wind rush around her hand as she let Mom pull her back by the shoulders and inspect what should be a horrendously mangled hand.
“What?” Tears fell from Mom’s face as she held up Rose’s hand. She turned it this way and that, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. There was no damage. “Honey, what happened?”
“I think the wind helped me.” Rose shrugged her shoulders. “It wrapped my hand and protected it from the fire.”
“The wind? What do you mean?” Mom asked, her voice a whisper.
“Yeah, sometimes the wind helps me with things,” Rose explained. “If I need to reach something too high, it helps knock it over so I can catch it. Or if I get a toy stuck in the tree, the wind helps bring it back down.”
Mom’s jaw hung open as Rose spoke. “I didn’t know that, sweetie. How long has the wind been helping you?”
Rose turned her head to the side, looking to the left as she contemplated the question. “I’m not sure. I think awhile.”
“Okay, honey, that’s good. Can you do me a favor? Can we try and only ask the wind for help when it’s just family?”
“Sure, Mom,” Rose replied. “But why?”
“Rose.” Mom knelt so they were face to face. “The wind is helping you because you can wield two types of magic. This is an extraordinary gift. So special that some people wouldn’t know what to do with it. They might be scared of it. But me, Dad, and Grandpa, we would never be scared of it. We will protect you always.”
Rose wasn’t sure what that meant. People would be scared of her? Because the wind wanted to help her? She didn’t mistake the severe look on Mom’s face, though. It’d been the exact look that Mom had given her when she told her Grandma was sick. This was something that Rose had to do.
“Okay, Mom. I won’t tell anyone else about the wind.”
After breakfast, Rose and her family went down to the lake’s edge. The Summer Solstice Ceremony started early, but the lake’s edge was still packed, even given the hour and many Compass Lake residents’ late night the evening prior.
“Come on, we won’t have a good spot. I won’t be able to see,” Rose whined as she tugged on Dad’s hand.
“It’ll be fine, Rose. You know you can sneak in between people to get a better look,” Grandpa reminded her.
They stopped at the back of the crowd. The Compass Points were already on the beach. The Norden Point stood tall as he called the ceremony to order.
“We’re here to give thanks for the Covenant, for our creation, and the magic we were given.” His voice rang loud and clear to all gathered. “In their wisdom, the gods entrusted us to keep the balance between humanity and their overwhelming power. They never wanted to unleash chaos on the continent again and installed us, the fae, to prevent it. Further, they anointed the strongest of each fae to be a Compass Point, guiding each court’s actions as cardinal directions guide our travels. They trusted us to lead and to stand together to ensure the safety and happiness of all on the continent—those with magic and those without.”
The Norden Point glanced to the Osten Point. She was a tall woman with light brown skin. Her dark brown hair was wrapped in a tight bun atop her head, showing off high cheekbones. Rose saw her chin lifting ever so slightly as the Norden Point said, “We thank Zrak for his sacrifice. He saved our continent, and we know the Osten miss his wisdom every day.”
Rose could have sworn she saw the Osten Point roll her eyes. Rose giggled, and Grandpa shushed her.
The Norden Point started up again. Rose knew this would go on for a while longer. She was going to get a better view. She waved to Mom and pointed towards the lake as she snuck through the crowd.
Rose made it to the front. As she popped through the last line of people, she ran into a fair-skinned boy with light brown hair who seemed to have had the same idea.
“Sorry,” Rose whispered as she picked herself up from their crash.
“Watch where you’re going,” the boy said as he righted himself. As his eyes met hers, she wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light, but she thought she saw them flash from a dark grey to piercing blue as he pointed at her. “Hey, I know you. You live in the cottage out back.”
“I’m Rose.” She stuck out her hand politely like her parents had taught her to do when she met new people.
The boy stared at her hand. He seemed to be talking to himself under his breath.
“Do you not want to meet? I’ve seen you too, and I wanted to meet you. My parents taught me this is what you do when you meet someone officially.” Her gaze fell to her outstretched hand.
“That’s ridiculous,” he scoffed.
