Page 93 of The Court of Secrets
“He did tell me.” She looked down, tight-lipped. “Be careful. After everything you told us about him and his father, I wouldn’t trust his intentions.”
“I know.” A lump formed in my throat. “But he’s not in a strong position. His own people are fighting back at him because of the dragons, as well as the firedrake wielders, and he’s a new king managing a court. Another enemy is the last thing he needs.”
She looked up at the cloudless sky, watching birds flock overhead. “Fate may just be on your side then.”
“Let’s hope so. It would be nice to be on the right side of it for once.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Your friend is quite interesting.” A chuckle bubbled in her throat.
“Morgana? Yes.”
“She read my fortune. We like her. She’s got good energy.”
I placed my hand against my chest. “Honestly, Bella, I’d be lost without her.”
“I can tell she cares for you deeply.”
I peered over her shoulder. “Speak of her and she shall appear.” I grinned at Morgana. “We were just talking about you.”
“All good things,” Bella said and took a step back. “I’ll leave you both to it. I need to make sure they’re pulling those sails right.” She cursed under breath. “Sloppy work, as always!” She marched off to berate one of the crew, and I gave Morgana a look.
We both laughed and walked to the side of the ship. My fingers gripped into the sturdy wood. I remembered when the mer had attacked his ship and I’d used the ancestors to aid me in keeping the crew safe. It felt like a lifetime ago, and if I had known then what I knew now, I’d never have used them, and many more would have died.
“Does it hurt? Knowing the truth about the ancestors and spirit realm?” I asked Morgana.
“Yes.”
Her answer stunned me, but I didn’t know why. She always found a way of justifying every life event, so I half-expected another speech about how it was meant to be. “It hurts me too.” The sea sprayed us, and I rolled my shoulders back. “We’re almost there.” I touched her hand, sensing her tremble underneath my fingertips. “What is it?”
Her worried gaze flicked to mine. “Nothing to concern you with.”
My stomach knotted. “Anything that worries you concerns me.”
She exhaled slowly. There was a shake to her words before she smoothed them. “W-Winter. I want you to feel confident. You tell everyone you’d be lost without me, but I need you to know you can do things on your own.”
My eyebrows knitted together. “Why is it so bad to depend on you?”
She turned to face me looking downward, sadness pinching her features. “Because you don’t need to. You have the power in here.” She touched my forehead, and a splintering pain shocked through my skull. I jolted back, pressing my fingers into my head. “Ouch!”
“Winter?” Morgana’s voice floated, and reality distorted. The ship morphed into a cool, earthy place where the smell of wildflowers lingered with pine. My breath hitched as I looked up. I felt as if I were going to die. Every part of me was broken, and I couldn’t breathe. My cheeks were raw under tears, and my fingers shaking. Something had gone horribly, and I was suffering.
A pulse pushed through me and I was back on the ship, the sun beating down in an unusually clear day. Morgana tilted her head, concern squinting her eyes. “What happened?”
“I think I had a vision.”
“What did you see?”
“It was more a feeling.” I gripped the edge of the ship, sucking in deep breaths. My chest heaved as I focused on the lapping waves. “It was awful. I was in more pain than I’ve ever felt, and that’s saying something.”
“Were you hurt?”
I shook my head. “It wasn’t physical.”
She turned away from me. “Your gift is coming in more. You will need to nurture it.”
I shuddered away the lingering feeling of heartache. “You’ll need to teach me. I feel sorry for you. I’m quite the stubborn student.”
She laughed. “Just a little.”
