father, then Elyse was half fae.
“Well, it works differently. It seemed I had been with Aubrey but a few hours when I saw that my belly was swollen with a nine-months’ child. I panicked. All I could think of was getting back to Glimmer Cottage and reality.”
Mother grasped Elyse’s hand so tight it hurt.
“I couldn’t let you be born in there, or you’d never be mine.”
“How did you get away? Did he let you go?”
“He’d given me the breaking charm at some point—I suppose he thought it would make me trust him all the better. He didn’t believe I would use it. But I spoke the words: I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you.
What an odd charm. But then it was fae, and who knew their logic?
“With the last word, Aubrey’s world dissolved around me. I was no longer in the woods but standing at the threshold to Glimmer Cottage. It felt slightly off, as if I’d been gone but five minutes. But it had been summer’s end five minutes earlier, and now it was spring.”
It was terrifying to think any creature, human or fae or Aeolios himself, had the power to bedazzle Mother.
“You were born that night. I haven’t seen Aubrey from that day.”
“Should I be relieved?”
“You should ask quite a different question, dear.”
Elyse wracked her brain, but she couldn’t think what to ask.
“Don’t you wonder what happened to your sister all the time I was gone from Glimmer Cottage?”
Great gods!
“I found her in the barn. Meduyl was milking the cow, and Lourdes was playing with a litter of kittens, clean and well fed, if not exactly happy. Aubrey must have charmed the cottage and the entire surroundings. Meduyl behaved as if all was in order, but I’ve always believed Lourdes was aware of my absence and that she never forgave me.”
Poor Lourdes.
“King Jowan never asked where you came from. No one did. It was too awkward to suggest I’d had a secret lover, I suppose, and easier to say nothing. But I had you, my little fairy princess. Proof that I succumbed to desire, yes. But I swear to you I loved your father. Love him still.”
“But how can this be, Mother? I have no power, fae or wyrding.”
“I was afraid for you. I held your power back, hid it from you as well as the rest of the world. No one can know what you are, Elyse. If the fae king found out about you, I don’t know what he’d do. And you know what our people think of fairies.”
Wyrders didn’t think kindly of them. That much was sure.
“I wanted you to have time. Time to be a girl before you had to take on the burden that will be your womanhood.”
It was too much to take in all at once. Fairy princess. What did that even mean? She would be the next oracle. Lourdes would not take that well. When Elyse looked up, Mother had almost worked the ring off her finger.
“Stop. You’ll die.”
“I am dying, Elyse.” In a weak whisper, she began to chant.
“Silver and gold find you.
Silver and gold bind you.”
She held the ring between her thumb and finger. “Give me your hand.”
This wasn’t happening.
“Give me your hand!”
She placed the band on Elyse’s right ring finger and finished the chant.
“Serve not desire, but enhance delight.
All will be well, all will be right.”
She slumped in the chaise.
“Mother!”
Her eyes fluttered open, but there was little light in them. “Awake to your power, Elyse. Only you can help Lourdes now.”
Power? Elyse felt a slight shift in the universe. No fireworks. Colors were brighter, smells more intense—the jasmine was intoxicating. She inhaled deeply. It was as if she’d never taken a full breath in her life.
But Mother! To remove the oracle’s ring meant death to the oracle. Not that she’d drop dead that instant—though she might. Legend was that some oracles died within the hour of the ring’s removal, and some had lasted months. None had lived half a year. Mother was fading, her breath coming in shallow pants. They should have had
“Well, it works differently. It seemed I had been with Aubrey but a few hours when I saw that my belly was swollen with a nine-months’ child. I panicked. All I could think of was getting back to Glimmer Cottage and reality.”
Mother grasped Elyse’s hand so tight it hurt.
“I couldn’t let you be born in there, or you’d never be mine.”
“How did you get away? Did he let you go?”
“He’d given me the breaking charm at some point—I suppose he thought it would make me trust him all the better. He didn’t believe I would use it. But I spoke the words: I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you.
What an odd charm. But then it was fae, and who knew their logic?
“With the last word, Aubrey’s world dissolved around me. I was no longer in the woods but standing at the threshold to Glimmer Cottage. It felt slightly off, as if I’d been gone but five minutes. But it had been summer’s end five minutes earlier, and now it was spring.”
It was terrifying to think any creature, human or fae or Aeolios himself, had the power to bedazzle Mother.
“You were born that night. I haven’t seen Aubrey from that day.”
“Should I be relieved?”
“You should ask quite a different question, dear.”
Elyse wracked her brain, but she couldn’t think what to ask.
“Don’t you wonder what happened to your sister all the time I was gone from Glimmer Cottage?”
Great gods!
“I found her in the barn. Meduyl was milking the cow, and Lourdes was playing with a litter of kittens, clean and well fed, if not exactly happy. Aubrey must have charmed the cottage and the entire surroundings. Meduyl behaved as if all was in order, but I’ve always believed Lourdes was aware of my absence and that she never forgave me.”
Poor Lourdes.
“King Jowan never asked where you came from. No one did. It was too awkward to suggest I’d had a secret lover, I suppose, and easier to say nothing. But I had you, my little fairy princess. Proof that I succumbed to desire, yes. But I swear to you I loved your father. Love him still.”
“But how can this be, Mother? I have no power, fae or wyrding.”
“I was afraid for you. I held your power back, hid it from you as well as the rest of the world. No one can know what you are, Elyse. If the fae king found out about you, I don’t know what he’d do. And you know what our people think of fairies.”
Wyrders didn’t think kindly of them. That much was sure.
“I wanted you to have time. Time to be a girl before you had to take on the burden that will be your womanhood.”
It was too much to take in all at once. Fairy princess. What did that even mean? She would be the next oracle. Lourdes would not take that well. When Elyse looked up, Mother had almost worked the ring off her finger.
“Stop. You’ll die.”
“I am dying, Elyse.” In a weak whisper, she began to chant.
“Silver and gold find you.
Silver and gold bind you.”
She held the ring between her thumb and finger. “Give me your hand.”
This wasn’t happening.
“Give me your hand!”
She placed the band on Elyse’s right ring finger and finished the chant.
“Serve not desire, but enhance delight.
All will be well, all will be right.”
She slumped in the chaise.
“Mother!”
Her eyes fluttered open, but there was little light in them. “Awake to your power, Elyse. Only you can help Lourdes now.”
Power? Elyse felt a slight shift in the universe. No fireworks. Colors were brighter, smells more intense—the jasmine was intoxicating. She inhaled deeply. It was as if she’d never taken a full breath in her life.
But Mother! To remove the oracle’s ring meant death to the oracle. Not that she’d drop dead that instant—though she might. Legend was that some oracles died within the hour of the ring’s removal, and some had lasted months. None had lived half a year. Mother was fading, her breath coming in shallow pants. They should have had
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