Page 113 of A Brat's Tale
I can feel Corrik burrowing his eyes into me. I’m going to pay for that later. So far, she is amused enough not to send me packing. “Yes, ma’am.”
She runs her cold hand along my bare skin and trails it down to my penis, which she takes interest in. “This is nice,” she says gripping it in her icy palm.
I glare at her. “If you don’t mind.”
She smirks. “Not to worry, Tristan. I know you have three other men in your life, none of whom would like me doing much with this.”
Three…?
I count two possibilities she could mean and one of them is out of my life forever. “Are you going to make me an Elf, or not?”
“You pass the test. You do have the required magic.” I do? “Your destiny is in this realm, but will you pay the price?”
“Price?” Corrik says. “I was not told of any price.”
She laughs. “Oh Highness, you know better than that. There’s always a price for magic.”
Corrik grips me tighter. “What’s the price?” I ask.
“I don’t know Tristan. The universe will ask it of you at some point and you will have to pay it, or you will die. Becoming an Elf will take a large amount of energy from the Earth.”
“Can I pay it for him?” Corrik asks.
“No. It must come from Tristan.” She looks at me. “Are you willing to pay the price?”
I hope my future self doesn’t regret this. “I—”
“—Tristan wait. Don’t do it,” Corrik says.
I spin around and study him with exhausted eyes. “I know you don’t forget Ihaveto, Cor.”
He’s regretful. “I shouldn’t have done any of this. You were happy in your old life.”
“There was a time I would have agreed with you and while I’m still terrified to do this, I know I’m in the right place. I am happy in my new life, it’s where I’m meant to be.” It still feels like I’m leaving my family even further behind, but facing responsibility is part of growing up. From the outset, I’ve been told that this was my destiny, and I fought that becauseI create my life.
But I understand more and more that while there is some accommodation for free will, I can’t escape this path. All roads keep leading in one direction. I still create my life, but there’s destiny too, a sort of combination between free will and predestination—Freedestination.
Corrik nods, but I can feel the guilt in him. He knows there’s no turning back.
“I will pay the price when it is presented to me,” I tell her.
“Very well, Tristan. Come with me. Your part is done, and you will remain here,” she says to Corrik.
He’s not happy about that. He stiffens, but remains standing, while she grabs my hand and yanks me under the water. She’s a slightwoman; I didn’t expect her to be so strong, but I’m not getting out of her vice-grip.
I don’t have much time to pull in a breath before I’m swept underwater. “Breathe the water in,” she says, but she’s not speaking to me with her mouth, her voice is in my head.
Naturally, the thought of breathing water is terrifying, but I’m Tristan—fool—Kanes and I won’t let her see that. I take in a breath. As anyone would expect, I struggle and for a moment I think I’ve been had, but then the water seeps into my lungs, somehow oxygenating them, without drowning me. I don’t know how; I can only guess magic is at work. We swim into the pillar, which is dark and hollow at first, but we’re quickly transported elsewhere.
We go to another realm, one that is a lot brighter than the place where we summoned her, but we’re still under water and it’s a lot warmer here—thank fuck. I’m naked and I’d like to put something on, but it’s not to be. At least she’s naked too.
I can see everything down here. We swim through the brightly colored lake plants and the schools of little fish. I sense there are other creatures here too, but they don’t bother us. I think they’re afraid of her and I don’t blame them. I can’t wait to be done with her and this place and hopefully never return to it.
For now, I’m thankful I’ve got her to pull me along. She’s got quick, snappy movements, her long red hair like a flame streaming behind her. I wouldn’t be able to keep up on my own.
We swim a long way. There are so many twists and turns, I’m lost and I’m sure even Corrik couldn’t find his way around in this place. It’s hard to pick landmarks in such unfamiliar territory.
When we get to a large tree, with a pink base and glowing purple leaves, she lets go of my hand and beckons for me to follow. The only other life nearby is marine creatures who are curious but too scared to come forth, reminding me that my trust in her is only due to Corrik’s which I didn’t think to ask about. But Corrik wouldn’t have allowed this if I weren’t going to come out alive.
