Page 43 of Broken Lands

My own magic rose to greet it like they were old friends. The two energies pushed and pulled against one another as the threads of them wove together in my mind and soul.

Goosebumps rose on my skin as I stood frozen to the spot; my body simply a vessel for the joining of these two powers. I could hear someone calling my name, the sound muffled, like the speaker was underwater. It was a familiar voice, one that nearly pulled my attention away from the power roiling inside of me.

My body shook and I couldn’t tell if those hands gripping me were trying to shake me out of the reverie I was trapped in or if it was internal, a reaction to what was occurring within my very soul.

“The latter, it seems. You are familiar, girl. Like we’ve met before. Are you the blessed one? I think you are.”

My ears rang as the hissing voice faded away. The two energies inside me continued to knit themselves together as black clouded the edges of my vision. Just a little longer. I just had to hold on a little longer. I didn’t know how I knew that, but it felt like the truth.

My power finished joining with that of the swords in one last burst of energy that flooded through me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. The hands gripping my shoulders released suddenly, people around me shouting as my hearing and vision cleared.

I blinked once.

Twice.

My jaw dropped as I glanced around, the class suddenly falling quiet.

I was still standing in the combat field, but instead of an expanse of flat grass I had been standing on before, the entire field was covered in wildflowers as tall as my waist, and Lincoln…

Lincoln was unconscious on the ground, surrounded by the freshly grown flowers.

Chapter twenty-two

Riley

"Lincoln!"Ishouted,runningto where he was lying sprawled in the grass, Professor Florian already kneeling beside him. I fell to my knees on his other side and placed my hands on the hard muscles of his chest as I gripped his shirt and shook him a little.

"Lincoln, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." I sobbed.

I did this. Mymagicdid this; and the magic in that sword. That god's damned sword that said it knew me. Which was not possible. I'd never held a weapon like it before.

I leant over him, placing my forehead against his as panic coursed through my veins, my heart beating hard in my chest. This was what I'd been afraid of. Hurting with my newfound power instead of helping. "Please wake up."

"He will." Professor Flo said gently. "He's just unconscious. He hit his head when he… fell." I glanced up at her to find she was watching me, caution shining in her eyes. "I think if you gather yourself and focus, this could be a learning opportunity for you. I hear you possess healing power beyond anything known to Fae. Use it."

"I don't know how to use it. What if I hurt him more? Look what I've just done!" My voice was shrill, unfamiliar, even to me.

"You won't hurt him. I believe if your intention is clear, you will do just fine." She lowered her voice to just above a whisper, just loud enough for me to hear. "You have great power, Riley. You must learn to harness it sooner rather than later. Before it consumes you. This—" she said, gesturing to the wildflowers surrounding us. "This was the sword. We'll talk more about that later. Calm your mind. Try to heal him."

I swallowed hard, nodding as anxiety pooled in the pit of my stomach. She wasn't wrong. I needed to bridle my power. To take back control. That knowledge calmed me, and I took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before breathing it out, just like Colin had taught me. I repeated it a few times until my hands stopped shaking and I felt a little steadier.

I pressed my hands flat on Lincoln's chest and closed my eyes. The well of power in my chest felt full and eager to be released. But I didn't know how to access it, how to shape it into a form that would undo what I'd done to Lincoln.

"I… Nothing is happening. What do I do?" My voice shook again as I fought to stay calm, knowing there'd be no chance I could do this if I didn't keep my emotions in check.

"Visualize it. Follow the magic's path from where it lives in you, down to your hands. Feel its warmth and set your intention.”

I did as she said, keeping my eyes tightly closed as I concentrated, focusing on the well in my chest. Picturing my power as a white light—that's what Colin had said he saw when I healed Amy—I imagined it flowing freely through me, splitting in two in my chest and flowing down my arms, through to each of my fingertips.

Those same fingers began to tingle and heat, and I opened my eyes to find my hands encased in white light.

"That's it. Now push it in to him. Tell it to find where he's hurt and heal him." Professor Flo's voice was eager, excited.

Closing my eyes again, I imagined just that. I pictured my power sinking into his chest and sweeping through his body, looking for anything amiss. My arms shook with the strain, but there… There it was. He was hurt. It was only minor—perhaps a concussion. He wouldn't die and would wake soon anyway, but I focused my energy on healing it now. My power latched on to the part of him that was injured, surrounding it and knitting it back together.

I took a shuddering breath as I pulled my power back within myself, where I felt it settle in my chest. Keeping my eyes closed, I tried to calm my racing heart. Did it work? Did I do it?

"Give him a minute." I opened my eyes, glancing at Professor Flo, finding her studying me intently.

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