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Chapter Twenty-Six

RAIN

B racken had returned with an armload of stuff. I was given a potion to prevent dreaming that night. There was another to heal mental trauma. A third was for relaxation, and Jack took a sip of it too. Then there was the nectar.

Liam filled wine glasses with it, handing one to each of us. Once he got me talking, I couldn't quite figure out how to stop. Not until the potions kicked in and my eyes began to close. Bracken found me a blanket, Liam got pillows - one for me and one for Jack to flop on.

Then, just as I was almost out, I heard Bracken whisper, "I'm going to go check on Keir. I'm sure he's pushing himself as hard as she is."

"Check the twins while you're at it?" Liam begged.

"Always," Bracken said.

I didn't remember anything else until my phone began to beep and bop with the cheery little alarm I'd picked.

Groaning, I rolled over - realizing in the process that I was on my dad's couch.

Yeah, that helped me pull my mind the rest of the way from sleep, but when I looked over and saw Jack lying on his back, wings loosely spread, and sleeping hard?

"Hey, Jack," I whispered. "Jack!"

Caw .

His reply was the crow version of a whisper, so I'd take it. "We gotta get ready for school, Jack."

"Rain," he croaked.

"I mean, I'm sure my dads will let you crash here if you want."

"Jack-Rain!" he insisted, rolling over and ruffling his feathers.

I had a feeling that was the avian version of a yawn, but he was up. Next, I had to tip-toe into the bathroom so I wouldn't wake anyone else up. I made it, pulling out the toothbrush I now kept here and making myself presentable.

But when I stepped out, Bracken was leaning against the wall, still in his pajamas. "Ivy said she thought you'd choose class. I want you to know you're allowed to change your mind. Doesn't matter when, Rain. If it gets hard, come back here, or to your suite, or even Torian's, ok?"

"Ok," I agreed.

So he passed over one of my clean uniforms. "I had Aspen get this for you last night. Weapons classes are canceled, so talk to Keir about whether or not you're doing a session with him."

I nodded again. "Thanks, Zez."

Which made a little smile appear. "You're starting to make me like that word, kid."

"Humanizing you, Zez." And I headed back to the bathroom to get dressed.

I came out to a mix of coffee and cocoa in a school-branded coffee mug. Taking a sip, I tasted a little something different. Nectar, I realized belatedly, but it put a tiny spring in my step. Maybe too much of one, because on my shoulder, Jack was not impressed.

The halls were mostly empty this morning. I wasn't the only person heading to class, but I only saw about a dozen others, and most of them were older students who were also heading to the Never. Once down there, I aimed for our regular room, stepping in only to stop hard.

Ms. Rhodes was already sitting at the table. Today, her hair was in a simple ponytail, making her look even younger. Her elegant skirt suit had been replaced with casual slacks and a fitted blouse. Then there was the thing in her hand.

"Good morning, Rain," she said, glancing at my coffee cup.

"Bracken mixed in some nectar," I admitted. "And cocoa, which is like the human version of a 'make it better' potion."

She laughed, the sound calm and easy. "I'll remember that."

Then she pushed a chain towards me, lifting her hand to reveal a crow pendant dangling from the end.

It was small, slightly larger than a quarter, but carved.

There was a ring around the outside, with a crow flying through it.

Ridges marked the grey stone, making it look both rough and elegant simultaneously.

"Can you touch that for me?" she asked.

"Ok?" I reached over, palming the whole thing.

Ms. Rhodes watched carefully, but nothing seemed to happen. After a moment, she nodded as if pleased. "Now push some Wild magic into it?"

"Uh..." I made a noise in the back of my throat, hoping I could do it.

But nothing came. The harder I pushed, the less I could feel anything at all. It was as if the magic was just out of reach, taunting me.

"Morrigan," Jack pointed out.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Ms. Rhodes assured him.

Then she flicked a finger at me and green filled the room. I looked up to see sparkles, like glitter raining through the air, but this wasn't physical. It was merely light flickering as it all sank towards me.

"Can you try again once the rejuvenation conjuration has completely settled in?"

"Yeah..." I mumbled, watching the sparkles land on my skin and get absorbed. "That's rejuvenation?"

"It seems like something that might be useful," she explained.

Nodding, I pushed at my magic again, trying to figure out exactly what I'd done in the middle of yesterday's fight. I'd managed to send daggers at the Huntsman, so I had to be able to do this.

"Rain," Jack said gently. "Rain-Morrigan. Rain, Rain."

"I'm trying, Jack."

So he shook his head. "Rain." Then he closed his eyes. "Rain," he said again, more lazily this time.

"Oh, I should relax?"

The crow nodded, so I tried that. I didn't need to tense up. I simply had to find the thing inside me, then direct it. Just a tendril, and I wanted it to go to the necklace. So if I couldn't push, then maybe I could let go?

A dark waft swirled from the tip of my finger and into the crow pendant. More followed, almost like it had a will of its own. Right, this was Wild magic. That meant I needed to treat it like a wild thing. Turning it loose seemed to work better than trying to force it to behave.

But on the table, the pendant was starting to - well, glow wasn't the right word. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Shadows clung to it, emanating a strange blackness which was almost light. Purple, but not quite.

"Is that black light?" I asked .

"I do believe it is," Ms. Rhodes agreed. "Technically, it's ultraviolet."

"Cool," I muttered to myself.

"Morrigan!" Jack affirmed.

"That was never in doubt," Ms. Rhodes told him. "I just wasn't sure it would work, but clearly it does."

"What does?" I asked.

She tipped her head at the pendant. "The reuci. Rain, do you remember how I said I took many trinkets when I left Faerie? Well, one of them was a rock. A very specific type of rock that is rare and hard to find there. It doesn't even exist here. We call it reuci ." She said it like ree-oo-see .

"So this is reuci ?" I asked.

"It is. The anti-magic stone." And she smiled.

"Wait, what?" I asked.

"Wildlings like them," she explained. "Stories say the Crow King's throne is made of it, but since few wildlings can direct magic with intention?"

I lifted a finger. "You just lost me."

"Wildlings are magical," she explained. "Their abilities are a natural part of them.

Mermaids can breathe underwater or above.

They do not have gills. They use Wild magic to make it possible.

Gargoyles protect themselves from daylight by shifting into stone.

Crows, however, can direct their magic. That's why they claim the throne.

They're one of the few legendary creatures who can use Wild magic that way. "

"Oh." Ok, that made sense.

"And that," she said, tapping the nearly-purple light reflecting beside the pendant, "proves this stone reacts to Wild magic. Because this thing has a special power, but to use it, you need to learn to use your shadows on command ."

I groaned. "Great."

"But you've already done it," she said. "Rain, when you called forth shadows on the Winter Solstice, I went home and rummaged until I found that. I had it carved into that shape so you would wear it. Do you know why?"

"No?" Was this a pop quiz?

She leaned in, tracing her finger over the outer circle that held the crow.

"Because reuci is the one thing that can be used as an amulet for Wild magic.

It can bond to a thing and will transport it, as an example.

Your sword? Armor? You can bind them all and be ready for battle with the snap of a finger. "

My mouth dropped open. "Is that how you were in full armor yesterday?"

"My version is slightly different. It runs on Summer magic."

She reached into her shirt and pulled out a long chain with a simple crystal on the end. Amethyst, maybe? It looked purple, but could've been pink. The light down here was off a bit.

"So that's enchanted?" I asked.

"It is," she said, dropping it back under her shirt.

"Once, the Queen expected her court to be beautiful.

Having her general in armor seemed brutish, she told me.

I was expected to dress as well as any other attendant, but also to be ready.

I made this, and it has served me well. Now, we're going to teach you how to do the same with your own magic.

" She tilted her head slightly. "Which means I can't do it for you. "

"I'll learn," I promised.

"I know you will," she assured me. "I also know you perform better under pressure, just like yesterday."

"Yeah," I drawled. "Speaking of that, can I ask something?"

"Always."

"What happened to him? To Fin's body, I mean?"

"Wilder thawed the ground, I moved the dirt, and he was buried beside the gate. There is a stone there with the name of every person we've lost to the Hunt. A big one."

"Oh."

"And you are allowed to visit it when you want."

I jiggled my head yes, but my mouth said, "I really don't want to."

"And that's fine too," she assured me. "Rain, you don't have to mourn them all. It's fine to hate that you couldn't help. Trust me, I am well aware of what Fin could do - and likely would have, if Keir hadn't been so vigilant."

"Rape someone?" I asked.

She nodded slowly. "That's why his room was warded by more than just Keir. I hoped he would learn, and we all tried to teach him to consider others, but not everyone is good. That doesn't necessarily mean they're bad either."

"They're just fae," I said, nodding to show I understood. "That isn't an excuse for rape, though."

"But in a society that believes the stronger deserve to do what they want to the weaker?" She hummed softly. "Taking what one wants is considered normal. Here, we're trying to teach them other options. "

"To be a little human," I realized.

"Exactly, because while the stories of us have been passed down through the centuries, the stories of you have as well, on Faerie. Noble and unstoppable warriors clad in a poison called iron. Beautiful monsters who seduce and kill. Creatures from nightmares who have no fear."

"But I have fear," I countered.

"Oh, I'm sure the knights and soldiers in our lore did as well, but that's the thing about humans.

You might be scared senseless, but it doesn't stop you.

" She reached over to nudge the stone even closer.

"Rain, it didn't stop you. You fought hard, thinking quickly in the moment, and Aspen is alive because of it. "

"But Fin isn't," I countered. "Ms. Rhodes - "

"Ivy," she told me. "Rain, you are the Morrigan. I am a mere headmistress at a fae school. I promise I will not be offended if you call me by my chosen name."

"I picked," I told her. "I saw Fin being carried away, and the Huntsman had already let go of her, but I still picked!"

"We all pick," she assured me. "It's how we choose sides."

"But Fin was fae. It's not like he was a hunter!"

"And Aspen is dear to you," she pointed out.

"A man who didn't care who he hurt, or a girl you truly care about.

Those are sides, and it is ok to value people in your life, Rain.

If the Huntsman came for me and Liam, I would be horrified if you didn't pick your own father!

It's called love, and whether that's family, friends, or anything else, it still means more than all the magic in the world. "

I nodded, because I knew she was right. I did, I just hated it. "I want to be strong enough to never need to pick again."

"Then keep pushing shadows into that pendant," she told me. "When the glow is itself a shadow, you'll be ready to learn more."

And I smiled. "Did you just challenge me, Ivy?"

"Yes, Rain. I did. I also think you're going to prove you're up to it."