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Liu gives me an incredulous look.
"Why would you still want to see it with what I just told you?" he asks.
"What kind of mythology professors would we be if we were turned back every time we heard a scary story? We've traveled halfway across the world for this, surely you don't think we would turn back now."
"The fortress is lost, it is best kept lost," argues Liu emphatically.
"If it's just a legend, there's no harm in taking us near where it was claimed to be. Right Liu?" Beckham says, starting to use his persuasive tone. "You'll take us to where it is."
"I'll take you to where it is," repeats Liu in a far-away voice as he sets off towards the east.
Beckham gives Mason a wink, and me a glare, and then sets off behind Liu.
Chapter 8
Eva
The next morning, I find myself back in the fairy ring with Aiden, trying to coax my magic into behaving. I'm now utterly convinced that I possess magic, or at least that the mushrooms possess magic that somehow gets transferred to me, because golden sparks have been coming out of my hands all morning. Nothing else has happened, but golden sparks definitely qualify as magic in my book.
Aiden is trying his best to be patient but is failing miserably. He's so eager for me to come into my powers. It's frustrating seeing that magic doesn't seem to be something that can just be perfected overnight…but maybe I'm wrong. He certainly is acting like I'm supposed to be mastering it already.
"You're not trying," he tells me exasperatedly after my golden sparks fail to conjure anything else up.
"You're not telling me what to do," I snap back at him.
"I can't tell you what to do, you must feel it. Here, watch."
He holds out his hand and a black snake slithers out from the air in front of him. I gasp at its sudden appearance and watch awestruck as Aiden lazily moves his hand around minutely, directing the snake's movements. He has the snake slithering in circles for a few moments when suddenly it stops and turns its head towards me…and then starts to slither towards me at a high rate of speed. One glance at Aiden and I see that this was not planned. He's wearing a look of panic and muttering words under his breath as he moves his hand frantically.
It's almost to me when my magic finally reacts to protect me, the same burst of golden light as yesterday shooting out from me and incinerating the snake right before its fangs sink into my leg. I fall backwards from the surge of power and stare blankly at the burnt spot in the ground. The mushrooms are shining even brighter than yesterday, as if my bursts of power are also giving them power.
"My darling, are you alright?" Aiden asks shakily, helping me up from the ground.
"What happened?" I ask him.
"It must be the mushrooms," he reasons. "The magic they are giving off must have disrupted my charm."
I nod my head, thinking that it sounds fairly reasonable. Fairly terrifying as well, but I imagine that magic often feels that way.
"Let's keep going. I want you to at least be able to grow a simple flower before we're done for the day."
I gape at him. I don't think there's anything "simple" about growing a flower. He smirks at me, the snake incident seemingly forgotten already. I roll my shoulders back, attempting to relax.
"Do you feel the power inside of you? Have you figured out where its emanating from?" Aiden whispers, coming up behind me.
I withdraw inside myself, searching for the source of power that I know is hiding somewhere within. I finally find it, residing around my heart. I examine it in my mind. It pulses to the same beat as my heart and seems to be waiting…waiting for me to use it. Now that I've found it, it seems so simple. It's there for me to use however I want it. I turn my attention away from my magic's hiding place and attempt to visualize a flower. I open my eyes, expecting to see that a flower has grown, but the ground is disappointingly bare.
I go back to where my magic is waiting, hoping for some inspiration to strike. Suddenly the image of being given flowers appears in my mind. The man in front of me is gorgeous, dark black locks and brilliant emerald green eyes. My heart can feel the love emanating from him as he hands me the flowers. I grasp the bouquet of pink roses, a feeling of warmth spreading all over me as I do so. I open my eyes slowly as the image fades and I gasp in amazement.
Where there once was an empty glen, bare with the exception of the mushroom ring, there now is a forest of rose bushes…all bearing bright pink blossoms. The same blossoms from the bouquet that the dark angel gave me. A dark angel…
Aiden swoops in and spins me around, laughing with the same happiness as the day before. I smile at him in return but I'm still gazing at the roses, remembering the warmth I felt before they grew. How did I get it to work this time?
The roses must have been enough for Aiden because he brings me back to the castle, ordering the kitchen to prepare us enough food for ten people. Aiden is full of life, chattering the entire time about what we are going to try next, and how amazing I am. I try to smile and nod at all of the appropriate moments, but I'm distracted. I feel like I'm missing something.
"Eva?" inquires Aiden.
I turn to him, my smile ready.
