Page 57 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

“Hold on, Lyra. I’m almost there,” Elspeth says, but it sounds like she’s very far away, her voice barely a whisper.

“I’m sorry, my little pixie. One day you’ll understand,” my father says before pressing a kiss to my forehead.

A fire erupts inside my chest, the heat spreading through my body. It feels like I’m burning alive from the inside out and I swear the bloodstone at my neck starts to vibrate. This time I know a scream leaves my lips. I clutch the pillow panting. I feel Elspeth’s grasp on my mind recede, and I blink at the blurry crack in the ceiling above me. The heat subsides, and Nyx’s face comes into focus over me.

“Lyra, are you alright? Lyra?”

He picks me up, and the moment he touches me I gasp, snapping back to reality and suddenly finding my voice. Nyx sits down on the chaise, holding me in his lap. I touch my temples and my forehead, almost surprised to find they’re intact after the pain I just experienced.

“I think I’m okay. I felt it. I felt my magic. My father, he apologized and kissed my forehead and heat radiated through me, then it was gone.” I sit up in his lap, finding Elspeth still sitting in the chair next to us. “Did it work?” I ask quickly, looking down at my arms and hands, expecting something to be different.

“We’ll know in time,” says Elspeth.

“What the fuck did you do? We could hear Lyra screaming from downstairs,” Nyx says while looking me over for injuries.

“I’m okay. I told Elspeth I wanted her to try to dig through my memories and release my magic.” I move, feeling the need to stand. “What does ‘in time’ mean exactly? How will I know?” I look down at my body, still expecting to see something different, like somehow the magic changed my appearance. I still look the same, and I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“I found the exact moment Euric buried your magic, and I released it. But, Lyra, you are half Fae and half Sorceress. I’ve never met another like you, and our history books on the subject are weak. As Fae, we are born with our magic, but we learn to wield it slowly over time. I imagine something similar will happen with you now. You’ll feel it soon enough,” Elspeth says, getting to her feet. “Now I’m feeling rather drained. You must excuse me while I retire.” She hurries out of the room, her husband extending an arm for her to hold onto. I’m still in shock by the whole experience, and by the time I realize I should thank her she’s out of the room.

“Come, let me take you home. We can talk about this there. You should rest.” Nyx scoops me up in his arms, and we channel to the castle. I don’t feel tired, and I don’t need him to carry me, but it feels nice, so I let him. We appear in my bed chamber moments later, and he gently sits me on the end of the bed before sitting next to me.

“Are you sure you feel alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I promise.” I move to cross my legs and face him on the bed. “When do you think I’ll be able to use my magic? Do you think what Elspeth did really worked?”

“If she says it worked, then I am inclined to trust her. Fae magic is a fickle thing, especially when it is so new. Fae magic differs from Sorcerer magic. It almost has a mind of its own. We must learn how to control it and trust it.”

“What do you mean it has a mind of its own?”

“It’s different for me now because I’m older and have spent many years learning to control my magic. For example, if you’re in a dangerous situation, your magic will want to be released. It will want to protect you. If I get really upset, I can feel my magic pulse under my skin, trying to work its way to the surface. Our magic is heightened with our feelings. It’ll want to protect you and respond to any extreme emotions you may feel.”

“That sounds kind of—alarming. What if I can’t control it? We don’t even know what powers I may have. What if I hurt someone?”

“I won’t let that happen. It’s a learning curve, but one I’m certain I can help you with. Just tell me the minute you start to feel anything unusual. Your magic may feel cold or warm. It’s possible it may have a tingling sensation. It’s different for everyone. Either way, you’ll know when you feel it. It’s nothing to be afraid of.” Nyx leans in, kissing my forehead and running his hand down the back of my hair.

“I know it’s already been a really long day for you, and you must be exhausted, but if we want to leave for Cloudrum in the morning we should still meet Flora and Bim in Nitross tonight. If you want to wait, I completely understand, but the blood moon is in less than two weeks’ time. If you’re to unlock the bridge to Zomea, we need answers fast.”

I sit up, meeting his gaze.

“No, I understand. I want to go. I need to go. I’ve also decided I want to bring Chepi with us. I know it might be dangerous, but we normally do everything together, and it just doesn’t sit right with me leaving him here.”

Nyx smiles at me. “As you wish, Princess,” he says, getting to his feet.

“There should be a pack in your closet. I’ll leave you to gather what you need. I have to take care of a few things before we leave. Come find me when you’re ready.” Then he vanishes.

Now that I finally have a moment to myself, I grab my bag of clothes from last night, shuffling through it until I find Callum’s journal still tucked safely inside my pants. I start skimming through the pages. Why would Colton give this to me? There must be something in here he wanted me to find. Or maybe he just wanted to create some kind of rift between Nyx and me. I pause on the last line of one of the pages. An uneasy feeling settles over me as I read it over again. Euric’s offspring will be born for darkness. I slam the book shut and hide it in the pack I’m bringing to Cloudrum. What does “born for darkness” even mean? How could Nyx’s father know anything? He sounds crazy.

As I pack my bags for Cloudrum, I try to occupy my mind with mundane tasks, but the gnawing sense of unease in my gut won't dissipate. My thoughts are consumed with questions about my mother's past and the possibility of dark magic being passed down through her bloodline. I know Fae magic is neither dark nor light, but the idea of something sinister lurking within me is unsettling. The journal I discovered was written long before my parents even met, so how could Callum have known about the dark magic that may run through my veins? Will I be cursed with it when I come of age? The thought sends a chill down my spine, and my stomach churns with anxiety. I shake my head, trying to dispel the negative thoughts, and focus on the task at hand. With my packing complete, I decide to seek out Chepi and head to Nyx's chambers.

“I figured you’d like to see this,” Nyx says, coming up behind me from where I now sit in his study. He drops the envelope I found the other day into my lap. It’s the one with my family’s seal on the back. I carefully open it and unravel the paper folded up inside.

Onyx,

You have something that belongs to me. It would be wise for you to return her or you will soon face more than just my wrath.

King Samael

“Are you going to return me?” I ask, looking up.