Page 81 of A Wolf in the Garden

“Ellie,focus.”

“Sorry,” I whisper. Van squeezes my hand gently, only a slight change in pressure, but enough to make me smile.

I reach back for the magic once more, pulling, pulling, and this time I can feel the moment my form shifts, the moment my body changes shape. It’s only antlers, but I feel the weight of them this time, sighing in my soul, becausethis is me.

This is still me. This is me in my power.

“Very good. Open your eyes.”

I do as she says, releasing their hands and reaching up to tentatively feel the base of my antlers. The bark is surprisingly rough under the pads of my fingers, and I shudder at the thought of any of these branches getting caught and snapping on something. I bet that would hurt.

“Definitely a garden fairy,” Nerilina comments. “No wonder you’re so good at your profession.”

“I’ve thought of that, just recently.” I screw up my nose. “Now I feel like a cheat.”

“Don’t be silly. You can’t cheat when you’re simply being who you are.”

I laugh nervously at her snappish tone. “Okay.”

“Ellie.” She leans forward, violet eyes wide and piercing in their intensity. “I know these changes and discoveries about yourself take some getting used to, but there is nothing wrong with you. It’s important you realise that.”

“I-I do.”

“Good. Alright. Grow a mushroom.”

“What?”

“Grow one, right here.” She taps the grass in the centre of our circle. “We know you can do it involuntarily. Grow one here,now. Intentionally, this time.”

“I don’t know —”

“Youcan.”

“Oh-kay.” I know I sound like a pissy teenager, but I can’t help getting a little defensive when she turns into a version of the grumpy teachers I had in high school. I sigh, touching the grass. Part of me wants to go,“See, nothing happened!”but I know I do actually need to try first.

I close my eyes, going back to that sense of magic that I have, now that I know where it sits within me. It’s strange to know that it’s been there all along, buried beneath layers of assumptions and fears about myself, and I pull at it with the intention of what I want to do, pulling that magic out and through my body, down my arms and to my fingertips. There’s more magic here, though, more than my own, because Ineedthis additional magic to achieve what I want. I open my eyes, watching the caps of mushrooms push up from the earth, feeling the green of my magic and the gold of Van’s combined. Five mushrooms, pink and purple spotted things, form a tiny circle.A fairy circle.

“Did you feel that, Evander? How she borrowed what you have?”

“Yes.”

I look between the both of them. “Is that a bad thing?”

Nerilina shakes her head. “No. It’s simply how you work. We already know you’re mostly human, and alone, your magic reflects that — it’s not that strong. However, you possess that fae ability to draw on the magic of others, andthatis a powerful thing. Now, I don’t think you’re a risk to anyone, because anyone who has enough magic that’s worth stealing would also know how to block you out.”

I lean back. “Why would I be a risk? I’m not dangerous!”

“Anyone with power has the potential to be dangerous, Ellie.”

Van strokes my back. “So, she draws on my magic, specifically,” he says. “Is there any harm in that?”

“I don’t think so,” Nerilina replies. “Like I’ve said before, you two are soulmates, your magic is definitely dyadic — I feel you draw on her, sometimes, whether you realise it or not. You two are a unique case for sure, but I think the nature of your relationship has also trained the magic to be that way. You’ve both known each other for so long. I would be curious to know if there’s any incidents from your childhood where perhaps the magic came through.”

“That was pre-Unravelling,” I say. “I didn’t know a thing about any of this stuff back then.”

“I can’t think of anything, no.Seriously,” Van adds with a laugh, “I was shocked when I found out she wasn’t fully human.”

“Mmmhm,” I nod. It’s crazy to think that was just over a month ago, now. So much has changed in so little time.

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