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CHAPTER 15

T he dryads stood in a circle in the middle of the clearing. Rance sat in the middle, playing a game on his phone while they waited.

“You could at least pay attention,” Dawn, a blond-haired dryad, sneered.

“On what?” Rance snapped. He wasn’t going to take their shit anymore. “I can’t do anything until the other Grove is done. I’m waiting for a text.”

“Leave him alone, Dawn,” his mother snarled. “You’re lucky he’s even willing to help.”

Dawn muttered something too quietly for Rance to hear, but it wasn’t pleasant if the hard nudge by the dryad to her left was any sign.

Before they could get into a fight, the ground beneath Rance began to shimmer.

His phone pinged. Xavier’s text popped onto the screen. “It’s starting.”

Rance stood. His mother had told him to follow his instincts, but they all screamed for him to run. He closed his eyes to focus on his magic and breathed deeply.

“Easy, child.”

Rance’s eyes snapped open. Instead of a peaceful meadow, a gray fog surrounded him. In front of him stood a beautiful woman dressed in gossamer green fronds and cobwebs. Her face kept changing from ancient to young in an ever-fluctuating rotation. Rance flicked his gaze away before he went mad.

“Sorry, you can look at me now.”

Rance looked at her and immediately bowed. “My Lady.”

“It is nice to see you again, my Green Man. You have grown well.”

“Thank you, my lady.” Heat infused his cheeks.

“You are too young to grow a grove alone, but I want you to pay attention. This is a task you will need to repeat year after year. The Groves have fallen to fire, to humans, to pollution. Out of the ten Green Men I have revived, you are the only one who didn’t fall for one reason or another. I’m counting on you.”

“I’m the only one?”

“For now.” Her kind smile eased his growing panic.

“But not forever?”

“No. Each generation, I try again. Your mother’s Grove wasn’t as welcoming as I’d hoped, but maybe it will be better if we give the next one to your new guardians."

“Kat would love that.” The cheerful mountain lion had mentioned how he wanted a family.

“And Xavier?”

“You’d have to ask.” He didn’t know the Blood Mage well enough to speak for him. He suspected Xavier would give Kat whatever he wanted.

“That is for another day,” she agreed. “Now.” She smoothed her hands across Rance’s shoulders. “I need you to focus. I’ll feed you my magic in a slow trickle. You need to channel that into the earth. You will know when it is time to stop.”

Rance nodded, even if he winced internally. He preferred clearer directions, but he would not question her. He didn’t have a death wish.

“Ask,” she commanded.

“How will I know?”

“The magic from me will stop, and the meadow should hum with power.”

“Okay.” He set his feet shoulder-width and nodded. “I’m ready.”

“Are you?”

Rance didn’t have time to reply before magic slammed into him, stealing his breath. His bones burned as power filled him to overflowing. Opening his eyes, he was back in the clearing. Remembering his mother’s training, he released the magic in a small stream. If he rushed the outpouring, he might burn the grass and twist the magic, making the spot unusable.

Everything ached, and time became meaningless. He wasn’t going to make it. It was too much. Just as he was about to collapse, strong hands clasped his shoulders.

“You got this, kid.” Xavier’s firm voice snapped him back to the present.

He could do this. The Blood Mage wasn’t the type for false promises. If Xavier said he could do it, then he could. Rance shored up his strength and went back to transferring the power.

Abruptly, the influx ended. If Xavier hadn’t been near, Rance would’ve collapsed on the forest floor. Instead, with Xavier supporting him, he finished the final flow before falling into the strong body behind him.

“Is he all right?” Kat asked.

When did Kat get here?

“He’ll be fine after a good nap.” Xavier’s voice vibrated beneath Rance’s ear.

He yelped when Xavier lifted him. This must be what it was like for a child to be carried by their parent. A sigh escaped as he relaxed. He dared to peek through his half-closed eyes.

A circle of tall, straight pine trees surrounded them.

“You did well, son.” His Mother had caught him looking. She smoothed his hair and pressed a kiss on his forehead. “Take care of him.”

“We will,” Kat promised.

That was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.