as mortified as you. However, this is not a bad thing. Let me explain.
“Every magical creature leaves behind a scent, a magical signature if you will. Humans have their own scent. When I met your sister, she smelled human, but the scent of magic was heavy upon her as well. I knew she was no ordinary human, or even a typical fairy keeper. Her magical scent was far too strong. After I met you, four years ago, I told her you had a similar scent, though unique to you. She smells of the cinnamon honey magic of her charges. You smell of the sea.”
Sierra spoke up. “We didn’t tell you, because I was afraid of getting your hopes up about becoming a keeper. I know you’ve always wanted that, but I didn’t think it would happen. Not without the mark.”
Micah picked up the thread of the conversation smoothly. “Such a thing seemed unlikely to me as well. You showed no signs of magical power. So she kept this from you, in love, to protect you from heartbreak if this magic always remained dormant. Magic does run in you, too, Phoebe. We just don’t know how it might reveal itself. I wasn’t sure it ever would. We agreed to keep silent. It didn’t matter in the long run, if nothing happened.”
“M-m-magic?” Phoebe stammered. She couldn’t quite wrap her mind around what was just said. She had…
magic?
And Sierra had kept that fact from her, despite knowing it was Phoebe’s deepest wish? No. Sierra remained quiet because she didn’t think Phoebe really had magic, not the kind she could use.
Surely Micah must be wrong about her scent. That was all. Phoebe had never done anything remotely magical that she could remember. Or had she? She thought of the way her singing always drew the little seawees to her. Tingles ran down her spine.
“But today there’s more,” Micah said.
Sierra scowled at the floor, but the worry in her eyes stood out starkly. Anger was always Sierra’s first response to fear.
Phoebe had no words.
Micah continued. “The fragrance has changed since I last saw you. It’s gotten far stronger, as if it’s been activated the same way your sister’s was from her fairy sting. I doubt that many magical creatures would have sensed you before, but there’s no doubt now that there is something awakening inside you, Phoebe. I believe your magic has now been triggered and will grow even stronger.”
Sierra bit off a curse and stood up to stomp around the room. Phoebe felt like she was trying to find her way through a darkened room and could bash herself in the shins at any point.
“I have
magic
?” she said again, stunned.
Sierra’s eyebrows were drawn heavily above her eyes. Phoebe didn’t understand why. Sure, Sierra’s relationship with Queenie started out rough, but look at how happy they were now!
Micah asked, “Did the water wraith break your skin? Bite or scratch you?”
She looked down at her leg, surprised again to see the mark left by the grasp of the water wraith. “No, it never bit me. It half-drowned me, but it didn’t leave a scratch. The red mark doesn’t even hurt.”
“Well, whatever happened, I suspect it is this event that triggered a change in you.
You
actually could be the one to help the merfolk fight this wraith. To recognize the dark shadow for whatever threat it poses. You would not be the first in your family to have strange visions related to your charges.” He gave a pointed look at Sierra, softening it with a smile, referencing the strange flickering visions Sierra had experienced when her fairy queen called to her.
She crossed her arms and huffed, looking away.
He continued. “At any rate, you will need to experiment to see what you can do. Magic is something that will take control of you, if you don’t take control of it.”
Sierra glared at him, but he shrugged. “It is the truth, and you know it.”
“No, I don’t. And if it is true, how can she even serve the merfolk while living on land? With us, where she belongs?” Sierra
“Every magical creature leaves behind a scent, a magical signature if you will. Humans have their own scent. When I met your sister, she smelled human, but the scent of magic was heavy upon her as well. I knew she was no ordinary human, or even a typical fairy keeper. Her magical scent was far too strong. After I met you, four years ago, I told her you had a similar scent, though unique to you. She smells of the cinnamon honey magic of her charges. You smell of the sea.”
Sierra spoke up. “We didn’t tell you, because I was afraid of getting your hopes up about becoming a keeper. I know you’ve always wanted that, but I didn’t think it would happen. Not without the mark.”
Micah picked up the thread of the conversation smoothly. “Such a thing seemed unlikely to me as well. You showed no signs of magical power. So she kept this from you, in love, to protect you from heartbreak if this magic always remained dormant. Magic does run in you, too, Phoebe. We just don’t know how it might reveal itself. I wasn’t sure it ever would. We agreed to keep silent. It didn’t matter in the long run, if nothing happened.”
“M-m-magic?” Phoebe stammered. She couldn’t quite wrap her mind around what was just said. She had…
magic?
And Sierra had kept that fact from her, despite knowing it was Phoebe’s deepest wish? No. Sierra remained quiet because she didn’t think Phoebe really had magic, not the kind she could use.
Surely Micah must be wrong about her scent. That was all. Phoebe had never done anything remotely magical that she could remember. Or had she? She thought of the way her singing always drew the little seawees to her. Tingles ran down her spine.
“But today there’s more,” Micah said.
Sierra scowled at the floor, but the worry in her eyes stood out starkly. Anger was always Sierra’s first response to fear.
Phoebe had no words.
Micah continued. “The fragrance has changed since I last saw you. It’s gotten far stronger, as if it’s been activated the same way your sister’s was from her fairy sting. I doubt that many magical creatures would have sensed you before, but there’s no doubt now that there is something awakening inside you, Phoebe. I believe your magic has now been triggered and will grow even stronger.”
Sierra bit off a curse and stood up to stomp around the room. Phoebe felt like she was trying to find her way through a darkened room and could bash herself in the shins at any point.
“I have
magic
?” she said again, stunned.
Sierra’s eyebrows were drawn heavily above her eyes. Phoebe didn’t understand why. Sure, Sierra’s relationship with Queenie started out rough, but look at how happy they were now!
Micah asked, “Did the water wraith break your skin? Bite or scratch you?”
She looked down at her leg, surprised again to see the mark left by the grasp of the water wraith. “No, it never bit me. It half-drowned me, but it didn’t leave a scratch. The red mark doesn’t even hurt.”
“Well, whatever happened, I suspect it is this event that triggered a change in you.
You
actually could be the one to help the merfolk fight this wraith. To recognize the dark shadow for whatever threat it poses. You would not be the first in your family to have strange visions related to your charges.” He gave a pointed look at Sierra, softening it with a smile, referencing the strange flickering visions Sierra had experienced when her fairy queen called to her.
She crossed her arms and huffed, looking away.
He continued. “At any rate, you will need to experiment to see what you can do. Magic is something that will take control of you, if you don’t take control of it.”
Sierra glared at him, but he shrugged. “It is the truth, and you know it.”
“No, I don’t. And if it is true, how can she even serve the merfolk while living on land? With us, where she belongs?” Sierra
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