I snickered and Chevelle’s irritated look surfaced. I didn’t know if it was from my stupidity or Steed’s interjection. “Fort Stone?” I asked.
“Named for Lord Stone,” Steed explained. Yes, Chevelle was definitely irritated with Steed.
“A Lord?” I tried not to sound too impressed as I took another look around, reassessing the walls with the new information. I wondered how old it was.
Chevelle stood, directing Ruby to stay with me until he returned. Steed followed him out.
Ruby must have known I was curious. Or she just wanted to talk. “It’s been abandoned for centuries.” She made me a bed as she spoke, telling ancient stories.
As she helped me move onto the blankets, I asked, “Why are we here?”
She twisted her mouth and then decided on an answer. “We were in need of shelter after your… episode. It was close enough to work. Are you cold?” she asked, tucking me under a blanket.
“I’ll get it,” I said, waving my hand to form a fire beside us.
Nothing happened.
The dizziness was almost gone now; I was feeling close to normal, just a bit fuzzy. I tried once more but it would not light. I pressed down the panic as I concentrated on pulling the burn together.
Nothing.
I sat up and held both my hands in front of me, palms up, as I focused on lighting a flame, any flame.
Still nothing.
I reached out to move a rock from the floor, it didn’t budge. I concentrated on a pebble beside me, it didn’t shift in the least.
“Ruby?” She was already watching me. “I… it doesn’t work.” I held my hands uselessly in front of me, helpless.
Panic was taking me when she laid a hand on my shoulder and leaned forward. I expected her to calm me, explain it would come back, it would all be okay. Glitter was in the air before I could stop her.
By the time Chevelle returned, I was full-on goofy with it. He and Ruby sat facing me. She must have filled him in on my problem.
I resisted the urge to touch him.
“Frey,” Chevelle began, using a slow, even tone.
I cut him off, trying to sound calm. “What happened?”
“It would seem the council has attacked us.” I was too numb to draw in the sharp breath I expected. My cheeks tingled. “Attacked you,” he clarified.
Something came out of my chest that sounded like a moan. I struggled to focus on what he was telling me. “Attacked?”
“They must have tried to strengthen your bonds.” I knew I should have been shocked but I couldn’t produce the feeling.
“Succeeded,” I complained.
He nodded. “It seems it may have taken your magic completely this time.”
This time. I concentrated on keeping my head straight, to look like I was listening properly. My attempt at concentration must have come across as anxiety.
“You found a way to break them before. You will again.”
I nodded sloppily.
“Slowly.”
My nose was itchy. I wiggled it.
“Rest now. We have time.”
I started to ask him not to go but he wasn’t leaving. He settled in, both he and Ruby were staying with me. I was happy… downright blissful. Stupid dust.
I watched Chevelle’s face as my eyes fluttered shut, exhausted. My dreams brought him close, a much too vivid kiss on the cheek that burned like fire. My skin was blistering, I could feel the color. It swirled around me and shocked me awake again. I lay on the floor, eyes wide, body unmoving. I was weak, tired, still under the influence, but I heard voices. I didn’t move as I listened to discern if they were real.
They seemed to be close but muffled, maybe in the next room or down a corridor, as they echoed off the stones. I thought I’d picked out Anvil’s deep voice. “Trapped here like rats... cowards...” He was outraged.
Someone else, Grey maybe, worry coloring his tone. “We can’t just leave them out there.”
I knew Chevelle’s voice, interlaced between the other comments. “She’s not ready... we can’t... too soon.”
And a voice I couldn't place. “… another setback…”
They seemed to be in disagreement but I couldn’t find the interest to stay with them. I faded back into sleep. These dreams took me farther. My sight was off, not as clear, distorted. But as I lingered there, I knew the cause, I was seeing from a horse. We were outside the stone walls of the fortress finding sparse greens to eat, which bored me even in a dream. I encouraged the horse to run and he responded immediately, taking flight down the mountainside. The rocks streaked past us as we ran faster and faster, the wind whipped his mane. A great bird perched on the dead limb of a tree and I jumped to it just as it dropped from the branch and flipped its wings out to catch the wind. We flew still further as I watched the mountain pass below us. There was a small patch of trees ahead and I could see movement there, inside. I tried to focus on it... familiar silver and white.