JOURNEY INTO THE REALM: The Spell Master (Journey into the Realm Series) (25 page)

***

Lord Asher cleared his throat and waited for the class to quiet down before starting his lecture on Golden fairies. Nathan sat beside me with a blank expression, while I fidgeted in my seat. We hadn’t spoken during the ride to Aubrey and now that we were in class I didn’t have many opportunities to get his attention.

“This will be our last unit. We will learn about every type of fairy. Naturally, the most royal fairy group will be first,” he explained.

I looked over at Nathan. “Are you okay?” I mouthed silently.

“Miss Ramsey, to keep your focus on the lecture and not the elf sitting next to you, why don’t you tell the class something about Golden fairies?”

“I…uh.…” I was caught completely off guard.

“Do you know anything about Golden fairies?” he asked, peering down at me.

“They have…honey golden hair,” I said quietly.

“What? Speak up, please,” he requested.

“They have honey-colored golden hair,” I said, louder this time.

“Good,” Lord Asher approved.

What if this unit set me up for destruction? Would someone figure out my secret? I was afraid that students would learn about Golden fairies and then compare them to me. I sank down in my seat. I hoped no one would notice my red face.

“Ramsey pointed out a very important physical characteristic. Golden fairies have honey golden hair, tanned skin, and golden sparkling wings. Aside from the physical characteristics, Golden fairies have other attributes that distinguish them from other fairies. They usually have two abilities and can learn spells like Woodland fairies. Golden fairies are thought to learn things quicker than other fairies, though. Skills and spells come easily to them. The Royals, Queen Titania and her family, have golden rings that are rumored to enhance their power.”

I smiled. Maybe being part Golden fairy wasn’t too bad after all. Maybe that was one of the reasons I had picked up archery so well. I decided wearing the ring while learning about spells wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“Probably the most interesting aspects of the Golden Fairy Realm deal with Queen Titania and her family,” he said.

I perked up at the mention of this. I desperately yearned to know just how related I was to the High Queen of the Fairy Realms.

“We’ll start with Queen Titania,” Lord Asher said. “She has ruled as the Queen of all fairies since the Realms were first created.”

“She’s ancient!” an elf remarked.

After everyone finished laughing, Lord Asher continued. “Yes, she is very old. However, you wouldn’t be able to tell. Her beauty is astounding.”

“I see the High Queen has an admirer,” an elfen joked.

More laughs erupted from the class. At this rate, I would never learn anything.

“That’s enough,” Lord Asher decided, though I could detect the hint of a smile on his face. He was never one to be very serious. “Now, please pay attention. Queen Titania has two siblings. Her twin, Mab, Queen of Darkness, led the dark beings in a revolt against the Magical Realms.”

“The Dark Times,” a student contributed.

“Yes. You see, Queen Mab had a different kind of determination than Queen Titania. Titania governs with the interests of her subjects in mind. Mab only wanted immense power and was very greedy. During the war, she tried claiming herself as the rightful queen, and Titania used all the power she possessed to send Mab to another Realm, one filled with other magical creatures with evil tendencies. The surviving dark beings reside there as well. It’s like a great prison. You may have heard of it – the Dark Realm.”

“How can she do that? Just create another Realm? Isn’t that unsafe? What happens if Mab gets out?” another student wondered.

“The lock on the Realm is too great to break, and it isn’t actually a Realm because it is within the Golden Fairy Realm. It’s just a loose term and an easy way to describe it,” our teacher explained.

“A Realm within a Realm?” a student said.

“It’s confusing, but yes. It was the only way for Queen Titania to keep an eye on her sister and make sure Mab never escaped. Escape would mean that Queen Mab would first need to enter the Golden Fairy Realm, which Titania keeps heavily guarded and monitored for intruders.

“Now, the Queen’s other sibling is younger and less inclined to instigate a hostile takeover. Her name is Lady Rosina.”

I gasped, a little too loudly than I should have. I felt eyes lock onto me. Classmates were staring. I blushed. Could this Rosina be my mother? Was my mother really the Queen’s sister?

“Why was Titania made the queen and then labeled the High Queen of all the Realms, including ours, even though we don’t really acknowledge the fact?” Nathan asked.

I mouthed a thank you to Nathan for changing the subject and waited for Lord Asher’s answer.

“Titania was Queen of the fae before the Realms were created. Although it was the elves’ idea to make separate Realms, she had the necessary magic to create them. She also had a rare passion and leadership ability. No one else seemed strong enough to rule at the time.

“As I was saying before, Lady Rosina was a later addition to the family. No one knows much about her, though, because at the age of twenty-three in elf years, she disappeared from the Golden Fairy Realm. No one knows how or why. She simply disappeared and was missing for about five years.”

“Where is she now?” Nathan asked.

“Apparently, Lady Rosina returned to the Golden Fairy Realm capital, Yesmar. However, only the Golden fairies know that for sure. She is rumored to have had the Element fairies after her for a reason unknown. Because of this, Queen Titania is hiding her from the rest of the Realms. Stories say Lady Rosina did something to anger the Element fairies and even lived in our own Realm for some time. Some think that was the reason the Element fairies were so upset. They didn’t like the idea of any fairy living with their enemies, the elves.”

I sank even lower in my seat. Every word that Lord Asher told the class struck me like a sharp needle and echoed in my mind. Everything he said pertained to me. My mother came to the Elf Realm to be with my father and in turn give birth to me. Then she hid in the Golden Fairy Realm to wait for my return.

No one knew the real reason the Element fairies wanted her. It wasn’t simply because she lived among elves. It was because she’d had a child
with
an elf.
Me
.

***

“Ramsey, we’re going shopping in Aubrey,” Ellie told me after school, as we walked down the steps leading away from the building. “Everyone’s been so miserable since they heard the school was closing. We need a more positive setting.”

Trying to hide a pained expression, I looked over at Nathan, who still wore an uneasy expression. I wanted to start learning spells right away, but if I dodged Ellie, she may start getting suspicious about what Nathan and I were doing.

Ellie snorted. “You don’t need
his
permission.”

Nathan rolled his eyes, and I stifled a laugh. Ellie’s blunt attitude always set the stage for interesting conversation. I looked back over at Ellie. “Okay, sounds cool,” I said. “Let’s go.”

Ellie and I waved goodbye to Nathan and headed down the dirt roads of Aubrey. I looked back once and our eyes connected.

Nathan would wait for me. He wasn’t going anywhere.

The good thing about shopping with Ellie was that she didn’t like to waste time. We entered a store, browsed, but only stayed longer if what we saw was interesting. If not, we kept moving. It was refreshing to be doing something that didn’t require a lot of thought. Something simply fun, and not dangerous.

Still, I couldn’t wait to start learning spells…and I think a huge part of that desire had to do with the fact that Nathan would be there with me while I learned.

When Ellie and her bundle of clothes headed to the fitting room, I busied myself by inspecting the selection of clothing, trying to decide whether I would buy anything or not. Not too far away, I noticed Blaire and another elfen doing the same. I hadn’t talked to Blaire in months, not since school started. Because of Zora, we were close when I first came to the Elf Realm. After my sister’s rescue, Blaire and I remained good friends, but had drifted apart because of school.

I walked over, smiling, and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and her face brightened. “Ramsey, it’s so nice to see you. I feel like we haven’t crossed paths in years,” she remarked.

“I know,” I agreed. “I wish I had more time to visit, but school has pretty much taken over my life.”
Among other things
, I added silently. “What are you doing out here?”

“It’s my day off, and I wanted to catch up on some shopping with a friend.”

“Don’t you watch over Tavis’s little brothers every day?” I asked.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were a friend of his,” she remarked. “I usually wait until Tavis comes home before I leave, but today I brought the boys into Aubrey so Tavis could show them the school. He wanted them to have at least one glimpse before it’s shut down. They are only fourteen, but there’s a chance the school will still be closed when they are of age.”

“It’s horrible to think about how many elves will miss out on educational opportunities because of this war,” Blaire’s friend commented, inserting herself into the conversation.

Blaire nodded. “Oh, Ramsey, this is Corinne,” she introduced.

I smiled and took Corinne’s hands in mine, keeping my mental wall up. I was surprised with how easy it was. I could finally control my power. I noticed Corinne’s power was the ability to hear things from very far away.

“My power allows me to keep the title of ‘Birchwood City’s gossip,’” she said after I released her hands.

I laughed. “I guess so. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You as well, and good job with your wall. Blaire told me about you, and how young you are. That’s amazing control for someone your age.”

I smiled at the praise. “Thanks. I’m still learning, though,” I said.

“You could have fooled me,” Corinne remarked.

“Corinne was just telling me some of the updates she has learned concerning the war,” Blaire mentioned.

“Really?” I asked, intrigued. “What kind of updates?”

“Well, an elfen friend of mine – whose husband is a general – said that those nasty Element fairies are planning to get other fairies involved,” Corinne explained. “They want the war to end quickly, and in their favor. They think having other types of fae on their side will give them a supreme advantage.”

“But I thought the other fae weren’t interested in taking a side,” I recalled.

“Well, sooner or later everyone must choose a side, especially when dealing with something as big as a war that’s lasted thirty years,” Corinne said.

“I just pray this will all be over soon,” Blaire murmured.

“It would be if that Queen Titania did something about it,” Corinne interjected. “All she does is sit on her throne and act as if nothing is wrong. Her and her ‘royal fairies.’” She snorted in disgust. “They do nothing but sit back and allow others to kill each other when they know perfectly well that an order from the High Queen could end this entire ordeal. Sometimes I think those Golden fairies are worse than the Element fae. At least the Element fairies fight for their beliefs.”

Corinne continued her insults, but I couldn’t listen anymore. How would I ever be able to tell anyone my secret if this was what other elves thought of Golden fairies? I had underestimated the impact of their neutrality in the war.

Feeling a little lightheaded and panicked, I muttered to the two elves about being late for something and hurried out of the store, knowing I was again leaving Ellie behind with no explanation. But I couldn’t think about that now. I just had to get away.

As I hurried down the streets of Aubrey – not paying any attention to where I was going – I collided right into Nathan.

“Ramsey, what’s wrong? You’re shaking,” he said.

I wasn’t just shaking; I was full-on trembling.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“No, Nathan. I’m not okay. You were right about my secret and how elves would react.”

“Wait…you didn’t tell anyone, did you?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, but I just learned what some elves think of Golden fairies…and it wasn’t pretty.”

I told him the shortest version possible of my encounter with Corinne and her harsh words.

“Ramsey, that was only one elfen, and the city gossip no less. You can’t possibly believe that every elf thinks that way just because she does,” Nathan protested.

“Why wouldn’t they?” I asked. “It’s logical enough.…”

Nathan placed his hands on my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes. If I hadn’t been so panicked, I wouldn’t have been able to stand the sight of those silver slashes.

“You can’t assume to know what every elf believes. It’s not fair,” he told me.

I nodded. He was right. It was wrong of me to judge others based on one elfen’s opinions. Nathan was an elf and he didn’t care about my secret. But that failed to keep Corinne’s insults from repeating in my mind.

As if reading my thoughts, Nathan said, “I know just how to take your mind off of all this.”

“How?” I asked.

“Learning spells.”

My mood instantly lifted. “Maybe this fairy thing won’t be so bad after all.”

As long as Nathan was there to support and cheer me up, that is. But I didn’t say those words aloud because they made me feel an immense amount of guilt.

I had no idea what I was going to do about Nathan. Feelings I had never experienced before were rushing to the surface with every encounter. Feelings that I knew I should be feeling for Stellan, but wasn’t.

***

“Try again,” Nathan instructed for quite possibly the hundredth time.

Nathan’s somber mood from earlier long gone, we had been working on spells for an hour, starting with a simple sleeping spell. I was using Kalani to practice on so Nathan could observe and guide me through the process. Being the large dragon she was, she sat outside my bedroom window while Nathan and I worked inside.