Page 15

CHAPTER 15

ROSALYN

W izard Thorne’s shop smelled of ancient books, sulfur, something vaguely citrusy that I couldn’t quite place, and burnt bread—which actually turned out to be exactly that, a problem for which my magic came in handy.

With a snap of my fingers, I magicked the wizard’s burnt cinnamon bun back to golden-brown perfection.

“Thank you, Rosalyn,” the wizard said, stuffing a bite of his perfectly baked cinnamon roll into his mouth.

“Ever the clever pixie.”

“You’re very welcome,” I replied, making my way around the shop as the wizard hunted through his things.

Every surface was covered with an assortment of magical odds and ends…

crystals that hummed when you passed them, feathers that occasionally floated upward of their own accord, and jars of substances that seemed to shift colors when you looked their way.

The wizard himself was exactly what you’d expect.

Wizard Thorne was tall and thin with a wild mane of silver hair that seemed to have a mind of its own.

His beard was tucked into his belt, and small sparks occasionally danced through the silvery strands.

His eyes, however, were kind behind his round spectacles, which had several additional magnifying lenses that could be swung into place for detailed work.

“The Ley lines, you say?” He peered at me over those spectacles.

“Fascinating. And the wild fairies spoke to you directly? Most unusual.”

I nodded, then perched on the only stool in his cluttered workspace that wasn’t occupied by books or devices.

“They said the lines were shifting unnaturally as Midsummer approaches.”

“Hmm, that aligns with what I’ve been sensing.” Thorne moved to a large cabinet and began rummaging through drawers.

“The magical currents have felt discordant lately, like an instrument slightly out of tune.”

Merry, who I’d brought along in his basket, peered out cautiously.

His curiosity got the better of him, and he hopped onto the floor, sniffing a crystal ball that rolled away from him as if alive.

“Careful with your caticorn there,” Thorne warned.

“That crystal has a tendency to teleport people…and pets.”

I scooped Merry up quickly and plunked him back into his basket.

“Sorry about that.”

“No harm done.” The wizard pulled out a large roll of parchment and spread it across his workbench, weighing down the corners with unusual hunks of metals.

“Now, let’s see…”

The map was unlike any I’d seen before.

Instead of roads and buildings, it showed Moonshine Hollow and the surrounding countryside crisscrossed with lines of magic.

“This is how they should look,” he told me, gesturing to the map.

Then, he rolled out a similar map.

On this map, the Ley lines pulsed with magical blue light.

In some places, the lines curved and flowed smoothly.

In others, particularly near the unicorn fields, they kinked and twisted unnaturally.

“This is a living map of how they look now.”

“Look there,” I said, pointing to the section of the map where the unicorns resided.

A fragmented Ley line pulsed, vibrating wild strands extending to the farms outside of town and to Silver Vale, the magical forest on the other side of the river.

“Frayed,” Wizard Thorne said, tracing his finger.

“The anomaly starts near the standing stone the fairies showed you.”

He pulled out a small wooden box to reveal two wands.

“These are calibration wands. They can be used to help realign the lines. They are used during the realignment ritual.”

“Ritual?” I asked, suddenly nervous.

“Wizard Thorne, my magical abilities are pretty much limited to unburning cinnamon rolls.”

“Nothing too complicated,” Thorne assured me, “but it will require both northern and southern magic working in harmony. Your pixie magic and your Rune elf’s northern magic should be the perfect combination.”

“He’s not my Rune elf,” I said automatically, then felt my cheeks flush.

After our night together, that wasn’t entirely true anymore, was it?

Or was it?

Now, I wasn’t so sure.

Last night, I could have sworn Bjorn and I were at the start of something magical, but come morning, something had shifted between us.

Had he gotten scared?

I didn’t know or understand.

Wizard Thorne, distracted by his thoughts, seemed not to hear me.

He began gathering items and placing them in a leather satchel.

“You’ll need these maps, the calibration wands, and this”—he added a small glass vial filled with shimmering silver liquid—“essence of moonlight. It will help amplify the natural magic of the standing stone, giving you more oomph to pull the Ley lines back in place.”

As he worked, my attention was drawn to a small orb on his desk that had begun to glow faintly green.

Inside was what appeared to be liquid light that swirled in complex patterns.

“What’s that?” I asked, pointing.

“Ah, a truth orb. Custom order for Elder Thornberry. He wants to keep it in his office to help him sort out liars. It detects when someone has been lied to.”

“What do you mean?”

The wizard picked up the orb.

“Lie to me,” he instructed, giving me an amused grin.

“All right. Wizard Thorne, you keep a very tidy workshop.”

The orb flared to life at that, bathing the workshop in green light.

The wizard chuckled.

“ Touché , dear Rosalyn.”

“I know a charm for brooms and dusters if you ever want to learn it,” I offered, making the wizard laugh.

He handed the orb to me.

It suddenly flared to life, its light intensifying to an almost blinding brilliance.

I nearly dropped it in surprise.

“My word!” Wizard Thorne said, quickly taking it back from me.

The light dimmed considerably.

“That’s…unexpected.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“What does it mean?”

Thorne looked uncomfortable.

“Well, it means someone has told you an enormous lie. Someone close to you, judging by the intensity.”

The implications hit me like a physical blow.

Most of my friends I’d known for years and knew them to be truthful.

It could be only one person.

I barely knew Bjorn, yet we’d become so close so quickly.

And this morning, there had been that strange distance and a hesitation in his eyes.

He said there was something he needed to tell me.

He’s married.

That has to be it.

Ugh!

“It’s probably just picking up on café gossip,” I said, trying to sound casual.

“You know how people can be.”

Thorne didn’t look convinced, but he nodded.

“Perhaps.” He finished packing the satchel and handed it to me.

“The important thing now is addressing the Ley lines before the magical disruptions worsen.”

I took the bag, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.

I had a mission to focus on.

Whatever was going on with Bjorn would have to wait.

“Thank you, Wizard Thorne,” I said, gathering Merry and the supplies.

“I’ll take these to Bjorn and Kellen right away.” I fluttered to the old man, set my hand on his arm, and then gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Sweet girl,” he said, chuckling lightly.

“Good luck. And, Rosalyn, remember, sometimes people lie, not to hurt us, but because of their pain. Never assume.”

I paused but didn’t turn around.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t make it right.”

“No,” he agreed, “but it might make it forgivable.”

With those words lingering in my mind, I stepped back into the sunlight, my heart feeling heavy.

Trying to push my worries aside, I went to Elder Thornberry’s estate, where I found Kellen and Bjorn prepping to set off for the cabin.

They looked up as I approached, and something flickered in Bjorn’s eyes—warmth quickly overshadowed by that same guarded expression I’d seen this morning.

“Rosalyn,” Kellen greeted me warmly.

“Guardian,” I replied, giving the keeper of Silver Vale a polite nod of respect.

“Hello, Bjorn.”

“Well met,” he replied.

“You spoke with Wizard Thorne?” Kellen asked.

“I did.” I held up the satchel.

“He’s given us maps and tools to perform a realignment.”

Bjorn’s eyes briefly met mine.

“Thank you, Rosalyn,” he said then turned back to Kellen.

“I admit I’m relieved the unicorns are not sick, but this is magic with which I have little experience.”

“What form does your magic take?” Kellen asked him.

“I can do many runic enchantments, but my strength lies in fixing things.”

“Then I would say your magic is perfect for the occasion,” Kellen replied, clapping Bjorn on the back.

I tried to get Bjorn to meet my gaze, but he wouldn’t look at me.

Was this the man who had held me so tenderly just hours ago?

The one who had whispered my name as our bodies moved together?

Pushing aside my hurt, I opened the satchel and took out the maps of the Ley lines, spreading them on a garden table nearby.

“According to Thorne, the disruption is centered near the standing stone. These twisted sections are affecting the unicorn fields, and the fraying is impacting other areas where horned magical creatures, like Merry and the snufflecorns, live.”

Kellen leaned in, studying the map with interest.

“This explains why my connection to the forest has felt strained. The Ley lines run through Silver Vale as well, and the residents of my forest have been more mischievous than usual. Something has them irritated. This makes sense.”

Bjorn stood with his arms crossed on his chest.

His eyes were focused on the map.

“The fairies mentioned a ritual to realign the currents. Did Thorne explain how that works?”

“He gave us these calibration wands,” I said, opening the wooden box.

“And this should amplify the stone’s natural magic,” I said, gesturing to the potion he’d given me.

“And the realignment itself?” Kellen asked.

“That’s where it gets complicated. Thorne says it requires both northern and southern magic working together.” I glanced at Bjorn.

“Luckily, he mentioned that Rune elf and pixie magic will work. Our magic can pull the Ley lines when we use the wands.”

Bjorn nodded slowly.

“Very well. Let’s work together.”

I studied him for a moment.

“I’d like nothing more.”

Bjorn smiled softly, but there was a sadness in his gaze I didn’t understand.

Kellen looked between us, clearly sensing the tension.

“Perhaps we should consult with Elder Thornberry before proceeding,” he said, gesturing to the house.

“Good idea,” Bjorn said, relieved at the subject change.

I collected the supplies and slipped them back into the satchel.

“Lead the way,” I said simply, but my heart thumped in my chest.

Whatever Bjorn needed time to consider was now weighing heavily on him.

I felt its denseness deep within me.

And to my great despair, it felt like the end to something that had barely begun to bloom.

Elder Thornberry welcomed us into his study, a cozy room lined with bookshelves and dominated by a large desk covered in papers and small magical artifacts.

Maps and diagrams covered one wall, while another featured a collection of embroidery circles, all made by his wife.

“Ley lines, eh?” The elder stroked his beard thoughtfully after we explained the situation.

“Now, that makes sense. I think I have something for you.” He moved to a bookshelf, pulling down a heavy tome bound in weathered leather.

“I remember a story… There was a similar disruption in Moonshine Hollow many, many years ago. I only remember it because my great-grandfather wrote about how rainbows filled the sky. His description was gripping and never left my imagination. It’s in the family chronicles.”

As he leafed through the yellowed pages, I stole glances at Bjorn.

He stood by the window, the sunlight catching in his golden hair.

His profile was so perfect it almost hurt to look at him.

Last night, I’d traced those features with my fingertips, memorizing every line and plane by touch as much as sight.

Now, he felt a world away.

“Ah, here it is!” Elder Thornberry exclaimed, pulling me from my thoughts.

“They called it the Great Divergence. Flashy name, isn’t it? The Ley lines shifted dramatically that year, causing all manner of magical chaos.”

He turned the book so we could see an illustration depicting a scene remarkably similar to what we’d witnessed in the unicorn fields.

There were magical creatures surrounded by chaotic bursts of uncontrolled power and rainbows filling the sky overhead.

“How did they fix it?” Kellen asked.

“Did they use calibration wands as the wizard suggested?”

The elder turned the page to reveal a drawing of a perfect circle of stone with an opening at the center.

There were intricate spiral patterns carved into its surface.

“Ah-ha! They used the Thread Stone. The fairies were right that the stones were the key. The Thread Stone acts as a… Well, think of it as the eye of a needle. Thread the Ley lines through, and voilà !”

“Where is this stone?” Bjorn asked, moving closer.

“Deep in the Whispering Woods, not far from where you met the fairies,” Elder Thornberry said.

“It’s been largely forgotten. Few have need of such old magic these days.”

“Seems like we need it now,” I said.

The elder nodded.

“Indeed we do, dear Rosalyn. And we’ll need to work quickly. According to this,” he said, tapping the tome, “if the lines remain disrupted through Midsummer, the magical disturbances could become permanent.”

Bjorn and Kellen exchanged looks.

“We should make ready to head out immediately,” Kellen said.

“This is deep in the forest.”

Bjorn nodded.

“Thank you, Elder Thornberry. We appreciate your assistance.”

“I need to attend to something,” I told Kellen.

“I’ll meet you outside in fifteen minutes or so?”

The dryad nodded.

Bjorn, however, did not meet my gaze.

As the men continued discussing logistics, I slipped away to beseech Emmalyn’s help.

I found her in the stables, grooming a beautiful chestnut mare.

She looked up as I entered, her face breaking into a warm smile.

“Rosalyn! What a lovely surprise.” She set down her brush and dusted off her hands.

“Come to brighten my day with baked goods?”

“Not exactly,” I said, trying to smile but not quite managing it.

“I’m headed out with Kellen and Bjorn to Whispering Woods. I wondered if you would mind going by the shop to let Zarina know I might be detained for a while?”

“Of course. The Whispering Woods?” Her eyebrows rose.

“What business do you have there? Those woods are not for casual wandering.”

“We think we’ve discovered the source of the chaotic magic. It’s a long story involving unicorns, wild fairies, and magical disruptions.” I leaned against a stall door, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“And apparently, a stone circle that can fix it all.”

“Hmm,” Emmalyn mused, then looked me over.

“I’ll see to Zarina, but what’s really bothering you? You look like you accidentally used salt instead of sugar in a birthday cake.”

I hesitated, but the concern in her eyes broke through my defenses.

“It’s Bjorn,” I admitted.

“We had a moment… A rare, magical night, but this morning, something changed. He’s pulled away, and I don’t understand why.”

“Men are strange creatures.”

“It’s more than that. Wizard Thorne had an orb that detects lies, and when it came near me, it lit up like a Midsummer bonfire. And now I can’t stop wondering?—”

“If Bjorn lied to you,” Emmalyn finished for me.

I nodded miserably.

“And about what? He’s built a wall between us, and I don’t know why.”

Emmalyn was quiet momentarily, then said, “Some secrets are hard to share, especially when you’re afraid of how the other person might react.”

“But after what happened between us…” I broke off, not wanting to be too explicit about our night together.

“Lord Thornwick level?”

“And then some.”

Emmalyn sighed softly.

“Vulnerability can be terrifying.”

I sighed.

“I just wish he’d talk to me. Whatever it is, we could work through it together.”

“Have you told him that?”

“I haven’t had the chance. He’s barely looked at me today.”

“Rosalyn, I’ve known you since you came to Moonshine Hollow. You’ve never been one to sit back and wait for things to happen. Talk to him.”

“And if he has a girlfriend? Or worse…”

“Better to know than wonder.”

I managed a small smile.

“You’re right. Once this Thread Stone business is sorted out, I’m going to corner that Rune elf and get the truth, whatever it is.”

“That’s the Rosalyn I know,” Emmalyn said with a grin.

I hugged her.

“I smell like horses,” Emmalyn said.

“I love you just as you are.”

“Horse smell and all?”

“Of course.”

We pulled back.

“I’ll wash up and head to your shop,” Emmalyn told me.

“I’ve been craving chocolate chip muffins all morning anyway.”

“Thank you.”

“Anything, friend. And good luck. Something tells me that Bjorn is a good man. Have faith.”

“I’ll try.”

As I went, I sighed heavily.

No matter how distant Bjorn was today, I couldn’t forget how he’d held me last night or how his runes glowed when we touched.

He was keeping something from me.

That was clear.

But what we had together?

That hadn’t been a lie.

That had been real.

And I wasn’t ready to give up on real just yet.