The Lost Fae (The Twisted Crown #3) - A.K. Koonce Page 0,43
Before he can move to the door, a note slips in from underneath it. He tilts his head, looking at it for a moment before he decides to pick it up.
It's a small rectangular paper, the writing an old fancy scrawl of cursive. Lincoln flashes the script at me, then turns the note back to him. "Time to head down for breakfast, it would seem."
I groan and fall back onto our makeshift bed. Time to see if I've totally messed everything up or if it's about to come together in beautiful harmony. Worry nips at me. Dread makes my stomach heavy and my motivation slim.
"Come now," Lincoln stands over me offering his hands. "I want to see what this Fountain of Youth has done for Queen Anastasia. Maybe I'm keen to take a bath in those waters myself."
Now that's something that piques my interest. I lift a brow and the corner of my mouth tilts into a smile. Lincoln's grip is warm and gentle as he helps pull me up to standing. He watches me fondly, cupping my cheeks.
"A bath with you sounds like something I could be talked into."
"Don't tempt me. I'll skip breakfast and run to the queen's backyard butt naked right now." He tilts his head back with a chuckle and drops his hands, taking one of mine. "But you need to eat and I'm curious to see how this all plays out."
I'm not. I mean, I am... but... anxiety is a bitch.
Lincoln leads me forward, kicking my shoes toward my feet. He snaps his fingers and in a flash his boots are laced up and his coats layered on. It's that simple. "Your turn. Give it a try."
Flex your magic muscle. His thoughts echo.
I want you to flex your magic muscle. I think automatically without the thought to shield it from Lincoln. The image of his impressive member comes quickly to mind.
He rolls his eyes, but still manages to look smug. When I first met Lincoln I thought that he was the pervert... turns out that it's actually me.
Slowly, I release a long exhale and close my eyes. I forget about my raging libido and focus just on the strength of magic inside of me. My fingers snap and my body lifts ever so slightly with the height of my boots. I crack an eye and look down. Boots are on... not laced, but they are on my feet.
"The coats?" Lincoln points.
"I'm working on that. One thing at a time. My muscles are not as strong as yours."
He snaps his fingers and my laces tie up. I narrow my gaze on him, while he looks painfully innocent. Pursing my lips, I focus on the muscle again. I know exactly where the coats are and exactly where I want the coats to be. Instead of snapping, I squeeze my hand into a fist.
Thick fabric makes my limbs feel stiff with layers. My eyes flash open. Looking down, I run my hand over the coats, both buttoned up over my torso. It gives me a small confidence. I can do this. If I can figure out my magic, I can face any queen, Fae or mortal.
"You're like a child." Lincoln pats my head.
"Excuse me?" I sputter, taking a step away from his condescending touch.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that when Fae come into their magic as children, they have to go through all this training to learn how to use it. Teaching you is like teaching a child. Magic level: beginner. Please don't take offense."
"I'm not." The words are a bit stiff because even though I know exactly what he means I'm still slightly annoyed about it. A child. My faith in my magical abilities drops.If I’m at a beginner level in magic, then that means anyone with any magical abilities and more than a month of practice is going to be able to beat me. Which does not bode well for me. Or my kingdom for that matter.
Under the coats, my wings clutch my body, as if they huddle to me for warmth. Honestly, their presence has done wonders for my back support.
Lincoln slips his hand into mine and we stroll to the door. "Next up, you can learn how to fly."
Butterflies fill my stomach. One step at a time, I'll get there. And one day I'll be flying.
Fucking yeah! Being a Fae is awesome.
"Now, how do you think we get to the dining hall?" Lincoln asks.