Storm Born Chapter Fifteen

I dont care how old you spawn or how tough you are. No amour, nonhing at totally, kindle ever replace your mother taking care of you when youre sick.The feel of a cool, wet material touched my head, and the sound of familiar busyness unspoiled barely penetrated my weary brain. I opened my look and saw the same funny-shaped pieces of sunlight cast through my blinds onto the hindquarters populate ceiling. Only this time, their positions had changed, their colors dimmer and darker orange.The humming abruptly stopped.Eugenie?Mom, I croaked. My throat felt torn and raw.She moved into my field of vision, face drawn with worry. I couldnt believe it. She looked almost entirely normal. Her hair had a bit of a wind-swept look, and I could cipher a hardly a(prenominal) bruises. Other than that, she seemed fine, not like shed just endured a paranormal attack and subsequent conjuringally induced maelstrom. For just a moment, I questioned my own memories. Had I imagined what happened? Had it been a trick or a vision? No. I felt like shit. No delusion could have caused this pain.Youre okay? I asked doubtfully.She nodded. Fine. What about you?I tentatively attempted to make contact with the muscles in my body. They told me to leave them the fuck alone.I cause to be perceived.She adjusted the cloth on my head, making it fractionally more perfect. As she leaned everyplace, a lock of her hair slipped forward, and I do out muddy fingerprints on her fuck. No. Definitely not my imagination.I beefed Roland. He was up in Flagstaff with Bill. Hes on his way back now should be here in a couple of hours.Momhowd you recover?What do you compressed?You were really messed up from those spirits. Dont you remember?I got a little shaken up that nothing worse. Nothing like you. She frowned, giving a little sigh. God, how I wish you were a lawyer instead. Or peradventure a pharmacist.What do you remember mishap?Not much, she admitted. I remember going after one of thosecrea tures. After that, its a blur. I must have panicked. Your lively room is, uh, going to need some help.I closed my eyes, flavor tired. My living room would probably need to be bulldozed and rebuilt from scratch. No telling how the rest of the house had fared. It could probably analyse at any moment. My room really looked kind of normal. A few things were knocked over, probably casualties of stray gusts of wind.Youve got mess here who indigence to see you.I opened my eyes. Who?No one I know. A globe and a woman.Is the man a fox?She stared at me, confused. A fox? Hes very handsome, yes, only, sweetiemaybe I should send them international. You dont sound like youre wear out yet.No, no, let me talk to them. I had a feeling the missing pieces of what had happened during and after the do lay with Kiyo. And I need to talk to themalone.My mother looked hurt.Its not personal. Its business.She started to argue, hence shook her head and stood up. Ill go sire them.While she was g one, I dared a hasty assessment of my appearance. I was still in my underwear and camisole. The top in particular was ripped and dirty. I pulled the covers up almost to my neck and ran a hand over my hair and face. I could feel more dirt on my cutis plus a scab on my cheek, distantly reminding me of a shard of something flying out and neat me. My hair stuck out everywhere. I attempted to smooth it down, merely then my mom returned with Kiyo and a odd woman.Ill be in the kitchen if you need me, Mom utter protectively. She pulled the door closed behind her, all but a crack.Kiyos face told me all I needed to know about the way I looked.You should see the other guy, I said.A small grin broke over his face. I did. Hes in pieces in the other room.Oh.He beckoned to the woman. Eugenie, this is Maiwenn, queen of the willow tree Land.I started in surprise. She didnt look like a Willow Queen. Of way, Im not authoritative what exactly I expected maybe something akin to Glinda the Good Witch. scarce this woman looked like Surfer Girl Barbie. Her skin glowed with a deep bronze tan. Platinum blond hair savage in supermodel waves to her waist. Her eyes were the color of the sea in the sun, blue-green with long lashes. She wore a simple blue dress, a bit old-fashioned but nothing that screamed, Im a fairy queen. It was looser than the form-fitting gowns other gentry women seemed to favor but was still quite pretty. My feelings of inadequacy about my appearance increased tenfold.Nice to collaborate you, I said. I could hear the tentativeness in my voice. Kiyo might swear to her character, but I still carried a lot of apprehension around the gentry, monarch or no.And you, she said. Her voice was rich and sweet, her face serene. Im morose I could not retrieve you too.Too? Ohwas it you? Did you heal my mother? She doesnt remember anything.She nodded. I didnt have the business leader to heal you both. She was more severely injured, and with your age and stamina a nd your blood well, I belief youd have an easier time recovering.I thought about the aches and pains shooting through my body. Easier? That might be a subjective term.You made the right choice. Thanks. Ill be fine.Kiyo stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. Eugenie doesnt like to admit weakness. Its one of her more charming traits.I shot him a glare, and Maiwenn offered a small, polite smile. Nothing wrong with that. She approached me and extended a hand toward my face. I think I have enough strength for a small healing. May I?I nodded, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to.Her fingertips grazed my cheek, icy cold but gentle. A rush ran through me, and she drew back, suddenly looking pale and tired. Kiyo started to help her when she stumbled, but she waved him off. There. No scarring this way. My fingers examined the place she had touched. No more scab.Thank you. Silence fell, and I looked from face to face. With me in bed and them hanging around so casu ally, I didnt really feel like I was having a meeting with a bona fide queen. It was all so informal. What happened?They exchange uncertain glances. Were not really sure, he said. You and your mother were both unconscious. The elemental was dead, and your living roomit looks kind of bad.Butthat was it?His eyebrows rose. What more could there be?There was no storm when you showed up?They exchanged conspiratorial looks again, and something about their solidarity rankled me.Tell us what you remember, Maiwenn said.I did, starting with the spirit attack and ending with the brute(a) storm.Neither spoke when I finished. Kiyo sighed.What? I demanded. What happened? You obviously know.Its complicated.Everythings complicated lately. Let me guess. It was the magic, wasnt it? Storm Kings inherited power?He didnt answer. She did.Yes. It seems it has been passed down after all.Can I stop it? Keep it locked up so it doesnt act out again?Not likely. You might be adapted to bury it so it isnt con sciously used, butif its there, its likely to burst out again when your emotions let loose. Youll get the same kind of disastrous results if you dont subscribe to to manage it.I dont want it. I shuddered, recalling that horrible blackness and deadly lightning. Uneasily, I remembered what Volusian had told me, that embracing my magic could protect me and those I loved. I looked at Maiwenn nervously, hating what I was about to ask. But I dont want to hurt anyone either. Can you t for each one me to use it? Or at least control it?Kiyos eyes widened. Eugenie, no What do you expect me to do? I demanded. The expression on his face mirrored what I felt inside. Its not like I want to do this. But you saw what happened. I destroyed my house, and worse, I well-nigh killed my mother. And myself.He sighed but didnt argue. Maiwenn regarded him calmly.Shes right.I know. But I dont have to like it.I dont know if I nookie teach you or not, she murmured, turning back to me. Your magic storm magi c is a very physical, outward sort of power. Healing is more internal. Less aggressive. Some of the basics will be the same, but well probably have to find you a teacher with similar powers.Like someone who can call up pieces of the earth and rip castles apart, I thought. I didnt reach voice to that. Kiyo and I might be friends, but I immediately knew he wouldnt like me get close to Dorian.Kiyo says youre against the invasion thing, that you werent a mavin of Storm King.Yes. That was part of the reason I wanted to meet you. Im happy you survived today, Eugenie Markham, butthis possibility of the forecasting coming true alarms me. Ive spent years believing Storm King had no children. Your existence causes all sorts of complications.It occurred to me then that Maiwenn might have slept easier if Id been killed today.So is it true? she asked. You have no intention of fulfilling the prophecy?Of course not.Turning ones back on such power cant be easy. Even now, youre considering his magic.Thats a necessity. I dont want it. Besides, none of this is about power. Its about keeping my world safe. You forget that until a few weeks ago, I had no clue about any of this. In most ways me whipping up a storm aside I still consider myself human. Im not going to let some army quash or destroy my race.You see? Kiyo said to her. I told you.I could still see the doubt on her face.Im serious. I dont want to usher in some terrible era of gentry domination. I sure as hell dont want to be a plaything for every gentry guy. And even if the switch happens I shuddered, remembering the elementals proximity well, there are ways of making sure I dont actually get or stay pregnant. I didnt feel like getting into logistics with her. Hopefully, I can just keep up the avoidance, though. Im not jumping into anyones bed soon.Sympathy replaced Maiwenns doubt. Yes. Im truly sorry for what youve endured. It sickens me. I candidly cant imagine it. Youve surpassed your fearless reputation. I couldnt have coped so bravely.I thought again about the menace that had filled me when the elemental had me trapped. The tears. The desperation. I didnt know how brave Id really been.Kiyos eyes met mine then, and while Maiwenn looked deflect with thought, I think he might have glimpsed a little of my emotion. Affection for me burned on his face, and I fell into it. The moment shattered when a loud voice sounded outside my room.What the fuck happened in here? No way am I cleaning this upKiyo straightened up, alarmed, but I waved away his concern. Dont worry. Its just my housemate.Sure enough, Tim burst in, outrage written all over him. He wore buckskin pants and a matching vest over his bare chest. Feathers decorated his black hair. Beads ringed his neck. His face fell as soon as he saw me.Oh God, Eug. Are you all right?I started to give him the other guy line, then opted for simplicity. Fine.He jerked his thumb behind him. That rooms in pieces.I know. Dont worry. Ill clean it up .What happened?Youre better off not knowing. Tim, this is Kiyo and Maiwenn.Remembering himself, Tim raised his right hand in a sort of How, snowy man kind of way. I am Timothy Red Horse. May the Great Spirit smile down upon you. This latter part seemed to be for Maiwenn in particular. She smiled formally. Kiyo appeared to oscillate between hilarity and disgust.Greetings done, Tim walked over to me, agitate his head ruefully. Youre into some crazy shit.You might want to find another place to stay, I said seriously. I dont think itll be safe around here.Are you kidding? Im never going to find this effectual a deal. Whats a little death and destruction?Tim His face sobered. Dont worry, Eug. I know what you do. If things heat up, Ill get out.Did you see the living room? Thats pretty hot.Yeah, but so long as the house is stand upYoure more difficult than I am. I remembered I was supposed to find a witch to make headway the wards around my house. Id forgotten. Instead, I had created some wards of my own, but they werent very strong, as evidenced by the recent invasion. A witch couldnt keep everything out but would do a better job than me.Tim grinned. Well, lets not get carried away. Anyway. You look like youre in the middle of something. You want anything? Chicken dope? Foot massage?You can get me a Milky Way. And see if my Def Leppard CD survived the war zone.Dont get your hopes up on that endure one. He said goodbye to the others and left.An odd man, mused Maiwenn.You have no idea.Yet, while Tim and I had bantered, Id noticed Maiwenn and Kiyo verbalise quietly to each other in the corner. She had rested a hand on his arm as they talked, and there had been something almostintimate in the way they stood together. Like they were comfortable being in each others personal space. Very comfortable. I remembered Kiyos resolute support of her, his claim that he worked with her because he believed in her cause. But was that truly it? Or was there more? She was a go od friend. They stood apart now, but a jealous, misfortunate feeling kindled in my chest.She finally turned away from him and gave me a small, tight smile. I dont mean to be rude, butIm not feeling well and must return home.Its no problem. Thanks for coming, and convey you for healing my mother.Maiwenn nodded, and I could tell she really was sick. Weariness ringed those lovely eyes. Im happy to. And Im glad we were able to talk. You have no idea how relieved I am to see where you stand. Ill do what I can to keep others from trying totake liberties with you.Kiyos fingertips brushed her arm to stop her, and I watched that contact with a circumstantial eye. Wait for me outside.She nodded and then swept out of the room in all her golden beauty. Kiyo walked over to my bed and sat down, running a hand along my cheek.Im glad youre okay. When I walked inI thought you were dead.Im hard to kill, I said lightly.He smiled, shaking his head with exasperation. I can believe that. stretching dow n, he picked up my hand and brought it to his lips, eyes on mine. He lingered a moment, and my skin burned where he kissed me. Then carefully, gently, he laid my hand back down, lacing his fingers with mine.Im going to make sure she crosses over okay, and then Ill be back to stay with you.You gonna take care of me? Massage my feet and feed me chicken soup?Anything you want, he promised. Thats what friends do. He kissed my hand again and then stood up. Be back in a few minutes.I could still feel where hed kissed me, but for once, my infatuation with him went on hold. I was thinking about the conversation Id just had. It still bothered me, but Id meant what I said. Learning gentry magic was about the scariest thing other than rape by a mud elemental that I could imagine right now. Yet, I wanted no more storms in my living room, no storms anywhere that I was incapable of controlling.And for what it was worth, that meant getting a grip on my power. I knew whom I had to go to for that control, and it held its own set of terrors. Necessary evils, though. I had no choice.So while I waited for Kiyos return, I began a mental to-do list. Summon Volusian. mend strategy. Buy high-heeled shoes