Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“ W e should at least use this time to strategize,” Carter said as they rode toward the crossroads. They would head north to Lake of the Gods. Arie perched on his shoulder. She hoped he had asked Carter about the power-sharing they wanted to try. They needed to confirm their suspicion before arriving at Lake of the Gods.

“What exactly are we strategizing about?” Luc asked.

“What magic combination should we try next?”

Juliette’s gaze roamed between the Compass Points, finally landing on Rose.

“What do you think, Juliette?” Rose asked, drawing her into the conversation.

“We proved the Compass Points can share power across elements.” Her gaze danced between Rose and Luc. “Maybe even more so than we originally thought.”

“What does that mean?” Luc’s voice was defensive. Rose wondered if Luc and Juliette’s distrust of one another would ever wane.

“Rose could reach into your power source.” Juliette narrowed her eyes at him. “It means exactly what we all should fear. We’re not only sharing the magic we choose to wield, we’re sharing the essence of our power. Are we allowing anyone with whom we merge elements to tap into that?” She looked to Rose.

It was a good question. “I think…” Rose considered her response. “I think we can decide who leads. Who has the opportunity to control the merged magic and the ability to dive into each of our powers.” Rose scratched the side of her head. “I can’t know for sure since it has only been two powers merging each time. But I certainly had to search for the connection to each of you—and how I ultimately gained access was slightly different for each.”

Juliette looked thoughtful.

“Our connection was very formal, Juliette. I opened a locked door, and I imagine I could only do that because your power let me.” She paused, wondering what this information would mean to the others. “Luc ceded power to me. His tunnel of magic was more of an open reservoir for my own lake of power. I had only to say I was in need, and it shared,” she concluded, glancing at him.

He nodded as Juliette asked, “He did?” She must have immediately realized how her question sounded as she tried to hide her disbelief.

Luc had not missed it. “Juliette, I’m not trying to steal the other Compass Points’ power. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I have plenty of my own. Of course I let Rose lead. I insist, if we’re to get anywhere in this attempt, that she is the one who leads us all.”

Juliette appraised him as if she didn’t know what to make of the statement, proving no matter how much progress they made as a unit, Juliette thought of Luc with distrust first, always.

Rose couldn’t quite figure out the picture of Luc that Juliette held. She understood Juliette’s protective instinct of the Osten and their magic. She was the sole connection to maintaining an even level of power with the other fae courts due to Zrak’s sacrifice. It must be a heavy weight. But did she really expect Luc was plotting to steal her power? Did she think the same of Carter?

All Rose had ever known of Luc was the depths of his magic. And after she saw that, she noticed his hesitancy with it. She didn’t expect Juliette to see his reluctance, but she thought everyone at Compass Lake knew the enormity of his power. Why would he need more?

“Those with power rarely take more because they need it,” Juliette said. “They take it because they want it. They take it because no one can stop them.”

Aterra was a perfect example, Rose thought. He was a god. What did he need more power for? He didn’t need it—he wanted it.

She turned to Luc, whose face had gone contemplative. “I don’t know how to convince you that’s not what I want.” He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Carter, who’d been observing the conversation, stepped in. “I think we should try to merge all four of our elements. Let’s let Rose lead.”

While not a shock to Rose, given Luc and Juliette’s conversation, she was a little surprised Carter was the one to suggest it. She didn’t object. As the newcomer and one heavily wronged by Aterra, she seemed least likely to subvert their attempt to overpower him.

Juliette nodded, though she didn’t say anything. Her gaze returned to the road as the compass directed them north.

“If that’s what we want to try, it would be helpful if I could spend some time on today’s ride trying to find the connection to your magic, Carter,” Rose said. “That way, we can practice all together at camp.”

Carter nodded as he looked at the others. “Is everyone able to use their element for a little bit while we ride?”

Rose smelled each of their elements flare to life. She closed her eyes immediately to start the search. Her internal lake of power was full, and she barely glanced to see Luc’s dark tunnel still open on the lakebed. She didn’t need to visually confirm it—she could feel it there, ready to answer her call. It may be her imagination, but his power seemed more stable since they’d established this connection.

Leaving the lake, she followed the wind to Juliette’s door. It was getting easier every time she found it. She was sure she could knock, and it would open, but this wasn’t what she was here to find. What was she here to find? She thought about Carter and his magic. The duality of shift and flame, the connection of the cycle of existence. What would represent the complexity of his magic? How would she connect to it?

As if brought forth by her thought, a large tree appeared on the western shore of her lake. It stood taller than those around it. She recognized it as a match of the tree under which the Vesten coin had been buried. Long, thin, draping branches covered with leaves parted to allow her entrance into a secluded spot. As she walked to the trunk, the weeping branches started swaying. Stopping her forward progress, she waited to see what it would do. The tree burst into flames around her. It burned hot and fast, incinerating the willow. The fire didn’t burn her, but as it extinguished, only the ashes of the tree remained.

So much for this being the connection point to Carter. She turned to continue searching when, all too quickly, a new sprout poked through the ashes. Was a new tree growing before her eyes? It grew large and broad, just as it had been, but this time, with a tunnel through the trunk. She could see from one side of the tree to the other. She peered into the opening, wondering if she should try to walk through. As she examined it, she saw a shadow-like fabric billowing in the non-existent wind.

Sending her own breeze through the tunnel, the rippling fabric was tousled even further, but it didn’t blow away, even though it had no anchor. Rose reached her hand through the opening, still a little unsure about walking through it herself. Her hand seemed enough; as she pulled it back, a small animal came through. A black cat—so similar to a form she was used to seeing Arie in.

As soon as the feline crossed through the tunnel, Carter’s power flooded in.

Rose’s eyes shot open, her smile wide as she locked gazes with the Vesten Point. “I found it.”

It was one thing to talk strategy and another to put it into practice. Rose knew they needed to do the latter when they made camp. Theory would get them nowhere when they found Aterra—they needed to be ready. It was another two-day ride to Lake of the Gods. They were running out of time to prepare.

Once they arrived, another host of problems would greet them. Like how to access the lake or where it would lead. She also needed Arie to test their other theory with Carter so they could be more certain of their conclusions. If power-sharing worked between Compass Point and patron god, outside of balancing Zrak’s sacrifice, she felt confident they understood Aterra’s plan. If not, they might be back to square one.

“Want to give this a try?” Rose asked once they set up camp.

“I’m game,” Carter said, walking away from his bed roll.

Luc and Juliette stared evenly at each other for a moment. “I will try with Rose in control. I’ll stop if anyone else attempts to guide our shared magic,” Juliette said.

Luc nodded his agreement.

Arie came to land on Rose’s shoulder. “Tough crowd.”

Rose rolled her eyes at him and mumbled, “Not helpful,” under her breath.

“So, now that you can find each of our powers, do you know what you’ll do with them?” Juliette asked.

“I think a unified stream sounds easiest to visualize. I’m not sure I’d be able to wield each one individually,” Rose said.

Juliette didn’t seem to object.

“Okay. I will try to aim our powers at the cluster of trees over there.” She pointed. “If all goes according to plan, we should be able to knock them down.” Her voice elevated at the end like a question, unsure of her overall goal. She just knew their powers needed to work together. No one objected, so Rose closed her eyes and slipped down to her internal lake to open their connections.

She didn’t have to dive into the water this time to alert Luc’s magic that she needed it. She only nodded in its general direction, and the connection opened. Carter’s tree, now that it had cycled through its life and death, stood with the weeping branches parted so the tunnel through its trunk was visible. She reached in through the hole, passing the billowing shadow fabric to make the connection, welcoming the animal that came through. It was still feline, but much larger. Rose wasn’t familiar with the species, but she felt the power flowing between them. She shrugged and moved on.

Her wind led her to Juliette’s door. Rose knocked. The door didn’t seem ready to open. She knocked again with no response.

Opening her eyes, she tracked the sharp hissing sound as flames met water. She smelled the familiar chocolate and sandalwood of Carter’s power as his fire and her water intertwined before them. She glanced behind her to see what Juliette and Luc were doing. The connection with Luc’s magic was there, but it seemed to be waiting for something before it sent its element into her and Carter’s joined stream.

It was a standoff. Neither moved. Rose wasn’t sure which would be better—for Luc to go first or Juliette. She bet Luc wasn’t sure either and was trying to let Juliette decide. Instead, Juliette averted her eyes, ignoring him. Luc shook his head as he released his power. His element poured into her lake, and the ground broke around them, sending rocks and debris flying into Carter and Rose’s merged stream of power.

She glanced again at Juliette. Thinking it might be a goodwill gesture, Rose tested her control. She felt the elements tightening around each other as she sought to steer them. Pushing the stream slightly to the left and back to the right, she turned again to Juliette to ensure she was watching.

Juliette rolled her eyes at Rose’s blatant display and stepped forward with the others. The smell of sage and citrus strengthened as she felt the door inside her burst open. The wind rushed through her, but it was moving too fast. Instead of uniting with the others, the wind struck through the center and broke them apart to make room for itself.

Even with the control she displayed, Rose couldn’t hold all four elements together with the force of Juliette’s wind. The streams diverged, and the Compass Points pulled back their powers.

“What was that, Juliette?” Carter turned to her, his hands rising to his hips.

Juliette’s eyes were wide. That at least told Rose that whatever had happened wasn’t intentional.

“Leave it, Carter,” Rose said. If Juliette hadn’t been in control of that, the last thing they needed to do was verbally attack her while her emotions were already heightened.

“No.” Juliette shook her head. “No, it’s his right to ask,” she acknowledged. “I don’t know, Carter. I think I lost control.” Her gaze darted quickly to Luc.

“Don’t look at me,” Luc said, raising his hands in defense.

“I’m not blaming you,” Juliette said, surprising herself. “What did it feel like when Rose reached for too much of your magic?”

“But I didn’t—” Rose started.

“No, Rose, I’m not blaming you either,” Juliette straightened, trying again to explain herself. “I am just wondering what it feels like to have lost control of too much power in this situation. Luc, you’re the only one I know that’s experienced it.”

Luc’s shoulders slumped a little, but Rose saw him recognize the value in the question. Juliette was asking for him to explain some part of his magic. She was willing to listen, and Luc seemed resolved to answer, no matter how challenging the answer might be.