Reflection Pond (9 page)

The giant
rock rose up to her left and she steered towards it, certain it was where they’d emerged from the caves. It stood over fifteen feet high, its surface riddled with crags and sharp points.

But there wasn’t a door, an entranceway, or even an archway to guide her, just solid stone. Callie pressed her hands against a smooth spot to stretch the kinks in her back and fell through to the other side.

The warm humidity of the caves settled over her shoulders and she stumbled to catch her balance. The glowing orbs, which were dim when she first entered, brightened as though sensing her presence. The perfect expanse of starry night sky spread overhead, dwarfing Callie with its vastness. Through the archway behind her, she could see the rolling hills of
Eirensae
bathed in sunlight
.
Before her, dim, vine clogged passageways branched off in every direction. One of them would lead her to the reflection pond, but much like the cottages, Callie had no idea which.

She took the middle opening at random. The warm passage was only a couple of feet taller than
her. Callie trailed her fingers over vines and flowers as she walked. The glowing orbs lit the path, brightening as she came closer.

Several minutes passed and the air grew cool. The space had shrunk and the dangling plants brushed Callie’s cheeks and shoulders. Finally, she came to the end. The tunnel opened into a small room. Orbs ringed the floor, casting the walls in blue. At the heart, resting on a white
pedestal, was a golden cauldron. The object was no larger than Callie’s head and had tiny feet that ended in brilliant green gemstones. Soft light emitted from the top and danced on the ceiling. Callie was drawn to it like a moth to flame.

The doorway was just wide enough for one person to pass through. She stepped forward only to have her face bounce off of an invisible wall. Callie pressed her hands there like a mime. There was no glass, only air. She followed the obscure barrier all the way to the ground and then above her head.

“What the hell,” she murmured.

“Callie?”

She whirled to find Ash behind her, smiling sheepishly. “You scared the crap out of me,” she said, pressing a hand to her heart.

Ash shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and shrugged. His hair was darker than usual, damp. “Sorry.”

“What is that thing?” Callie jabbed a thumb toward the room.

Ash’s eyes slid past her.
“The cauldron of Dagda.”

“The what?”

“It was a gift to our people. It connects all of us, combines our energy. It’s where we store all our magic.” He reached out a hand.
“Never mind that.” His eyes met Callie’s and then lowered to his offered palm, an invitation.

She hesitated before setting her fingers in his.

“Come on, Sapphire was worried when you didn’t return from the palace.”

“I didn’t know
how
to get back.” They all seemed to think she held some repressed knowledge of this place or the ability to magically disappear. The thought gave her pause. Maybe she
did
have that ability.

“I’m sorry—I assumed someone would show you the way.” Ash slowed to walk beside her as the passageway widened. He searched her face. “I’m guessing you have tons of questions.”

“This power I have,” she said, feeling ridiculous, “what can I do with it?” She conveniently didn’t mention the situation with Elm.

“Hmm,” he said, holding up their intertwined hands. “You’ll figure that out in training. I can tell you that you’re very strong—maybe the strongest here.”

Callie glanced at him, surprised, but Ash wasn’t looking at her. She’d never been particularly strong at anything. She hadn’t even been able to bench press the bar in gym. The image of Elm, hands pressed over his bleeding ears, flashed through her mind. She hadn’t done that…had she?

They reached the main room. Ash caught and lifted both of Callie’s hands, leading her to the flowers hanging from the walls. The spicy scent increased to intoxicating. “We all have a connection to all living things, even though our powers are different.”

“You know that sounds crazy, right? I’ve never done a single
magical
thing in my life,” Callie said, echoing her earlier thoughts. All she could think of was Rowan’s hands as he healed the scrapes and the pleasant numbness that chased away the pain.

Ash plucked a huge purple bud from its stem. The sealed bloom was larger than Callie’s hands. He set it carefully in her cupped palms; the petals were velvet soft and warm.

“Shut your eyes,” he instructed.

She obeyed, letting her eyelids flutter closed. Her stomach gave an uneasy zing at Ash’s proximity, near enough that she could feel his breath sweep her cheeks. He covered the backs of Callie’s hands with his. Her heart rate increased.

“What do I do now?” Her words were breathless. Did she really believe she had some secret magical powers? Stupid,
stupid,
she scoffed.

“Do you feel the heat in our hands?” Ash said, pressing tighter.

She nodded.

“Focus on that energy. It comes from within you, your core. You should feel it build there and expand until it flows into your fingertips, into the flower.”

Callie tried to do what he said, imagining the energy bursting within her, but nothing happened. “It’s not working,” she grumbled, pulling away from him and dropping the flower. This was stupid. She
felt
stupid, if only for wanting it so badly.

“You’re not trying,” he said, picking up the discarded bud. “You have to feel it here.” He touched the center of Callie’s chest, pressing against her sternum. “Try again.” He held out the flower until she sighed and took it.

Callie closed her eyes again and focused on the spot where Ash’s touch lingered on her skin. Was it her imagination or did it grow warmer? Ash’s hands cradled hers.

“Push that energy into your shoulders, let it flow down your arms, into your fingertips. Feel it enclose the flower, connect to it,” he instructed. Heat rose from his hands and seeped into Callie’s flesh, as though they held them over a fire. A moment passed while Callie focused everything she had on the energy inside of
her. “Callie,” Ash whispered, “look.”

The flower was opening, peeling away layer by long layer, its diameter over a foot wide. The violet petals revealed a fuchsia core, with a round, vibrant orange center. Callie laughed.

Ash laughed too, throwing his head back and holding the flower over them so all she saw was the dark bloom and the star scattered sky. The petals curled and fell around them like snowflakes, bursting into tiny flowers no bigger than Callie’s fingertip with glowing orange centers. They dusted the floor, opening as they fell, scattering like fireflies at their feet.

Ash’s smile faded as his gaze met hers. They dropped to her mouth. The remaining petals fell to the floor with muted, papery thuds. When his fingertips touched Callie’s face and left a warm trail across her cheeks, she closed her eyes. They found the tender spots on her neck where Elm had strangled her.

She sucked in a breath, eyes popping open.

“Well, isn’t this romantic?” Rowan snarled, suddenly appearing through the entrance.

Color rose in Callie’s cheeks and she stared at the floor, unable to meet Rowan’s eye. Her heart pounded against her ribs, and bile burned the back of her throat.

“Sapphire is looking for you,” Rowan said. “Ash was supposed to bring you back, but I see you two are otherwise engaged.”

“Oh shut up, Rowan.” Ash brushed past him. “Come on, Callie. Let’s go find Sapphire.”

Callie followed Ash toward the archway where she could see the hills of
Eirensae
waiting. She chanced one last look at Rowan. He stared at the spot she’d been standing with Ash, expression a mix of distaste and disbelief. One of his hands clenched into a fist, and then they were on the other side and all Callie could see was stone.

As soon as Sapphire saw them coming up the path she rushed from her house and pulled Callie into a hug. Ash let go of her hand and she hugged Sapphire back, relieved to see her familiar face.

“I thought for sure we were too late,” she said, pulling away to touch Callie’s face. “I saw you leave.”

Callie frowned.
“Really? Did you see a way for me to get back through the pond?” She thought of the binding spell that still burned her hand. She should tell Sapphire, but it felt like a secret and lodged in her throat.

S
apphire clucked and slung an arm over Callie’s shoulder, leading her toward the cottage and through the door.

“There are good things here for you, Callie. I know a lot has happened, but things will settle down now, you’ll see. Besides, we have so much catching up to do,” Sapphire said, easing Callie into a wooden chair at the butcher-block kitchen table. Sapphire sat in the opposite seat. “I want to know everything—what you like, what you don’t like.” She raised an eyebrow. “The kind of boys you like…”

Callie’s eyes narrowed.

“Or girls,” Sapphire amended.

A smile tugged at Callie’s lips. Here was the sister she’d always wanted. She could’ve wept. “Where should I start?”

Sapphire leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table.
“The beginning. Don’t leave anything out.”

***

Rowan exhaled as he crossed into the cool, crisp air of the library. It was dusk and the fading sunlight slanted through the glass ceiling, creating prisms of light on the floor and shelves.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Callie.

Her memories were bitter on the back of his tongue as he withdrew a heavy, leather bound book from the shelf and settled himself at the table. He lit a candle and closed his eyes, letting her emotions wash over him.
Terror, hopelessness, pain.

There were flashes that he couldn’t quite piece together. The color pink, cold, the feeling of sinking. He could ask her what terrible thing had happened to her, but part of him was certain he didn’t want to know. The familiar scars on his back itched. Rowan rolled his shoulders.

He didn’t have time to worry about it now, not with the city at risk.

Rowan flipped open
the cover and pulled the candle closer.
Fraeburdh,
The City of War. He scanned the pages, nausea roiling in his gut.

“Research again?” Ash interrupted, appearing in the doorway.

Rowan sighed and shoved the book away. “I don’t know where else to look. The forest, the river, the palace, the caves. Where else could my amulet be?”

“Not in
Fraeburdh,”
Ash said, sitting across from Rowan and closing the book. He folded his arms. “So…”

“If you’re here to lecture me about Callie, save your breath.”
Rowan held his hand over the flame until it hurt.

“Actually, I’m here to apologize for earlier.” He scrunched up his face and knocked Rowan’s hand away from the candle.

“Yeah,” Rowan said, knowing he should apologize, too, but also knowing that Ash wouldn’t make him.

“Yeah.
So who do you think murdered the prophetess?”

Rowan lifted a shoulder.
“The Fallen?
Fraeburdh?
I don’t know. I’m not exactly high on the information list around here.” He picked at a bit of left over wax on the table. “It feels like a set up. We haven’t had a breach in—”

“Ever,” Ash supplied.

“So, what? Someone on the inside then? You don’t mean Callie.”

“Of course I don’t mean Callie.”

“Then who? Cypress? Sapphire? What are you getting at?”

“I don’t know,” Ash huffed. “You’re the knowledge guru.”

“You’re the teacher. I’m just playing at something I’ll never be.” Rowan licked his fingers and extinguished the flame, casting the library into deep blue shadow.

“Aren’t we all,” Ash agreed. He was quiet for a moment. “Did you hear what Callie did to Elm? She has some sort of destructive power. She almost killed him. Made his ears bleed when he tried to strangle her.”

Rowan went cold all over. “Strangle?”

“I guess he blamed her for the prophetess.”

“Who told you this?” Rowan demanded.

Ash shrugged. “Hazel. I get to train Callie. She wanted me to be prepared.”

“Mm,” Rowan agreed, thinking back to what Sapphire had said about a prophecy. He needed more information, especially if they were to keep Callie safe.

***

Ash set a small, round rock in the center of dirt floor and glanced at Callie. “Move this.”

Save the stone and a cabinet pushed against the wall, the training room was empty. Callie stooped, picked up the rock, and set it a few feet away, ignoring the sting where Hazel had sliced through her palm. The wound had scabbed over, the puckered, red line a constant reminder that Callie could no longer leave
Eirensae
. Two days had passed, and still, Callie felt lost.