Never Doubt a Fortune Elf
AILEANA
Every day brought a fresh onslaught of horrors into our lives. It was a cruel twist of fate that when we thought we had endured the worst that could happen, life took pleasure in proving us wrong. Xander’s sister was alive, and somehow, she wasworsethan High King Edgar. Had it only been thirty-six days since he died? It felt like a lifetime.
With Saena’s insatiable hunger for power, she had risen to take the throne. Chaos and bloodshed already marked her reign, and the future seemed bleaker than ever. No one was safe.
Every time the sun crested the horizon, something new and awful emerged to plague the land. The balance was destroyed, and whatever harmony had once existed in Ithenmyr was long gone. It was for this reason that I found myself in this grove, waiting for Xander to return from his run.
My bonded mate had invited me to join him, but I declined. No one in their right mind exercised the world was ending unless they enjoyed it—which I did not. Instead, I sat on the snow-dusted ground, leaning against the rough bark of a thick tree with my brown hood pulled over my head as the sun sank lower and lower.
A casual observer would glance at me and think that I was resting after a long day’s work. What they wouldn’t see—what I couldn’t allow them to see—was the magic unfolding beneath my hands. My bare fingers dug into the frigid, stony soil, edged with traces of the wintery wind that blew around us, sending waves of vibrant green ribbons into the earth.
They wouldn’t hear the land humming under my fingertips, nor would they be privy to the sweet, wordless lullaby the earth sang to me. They wouldn’t know that the heartbeat of the earth was a steady, low, eternal thrum that throbbed through all the land; nor would they hear the plants, animals, and insects as they all called out to me.
Those things were for me, and me alone.
Sitting cross-legged, my cloak kept the bitter wind away from me. The garment was a gift from Tiaesti, the small Spirit of the Woods I had met in the Sanctuary, and special magic protected the material against the cold. This was the third time today I had fed the earth, but I wouldn’t stop.
Everything in Ithenmyr was in flux. Sickly vines twisted around nearby trees, shrouding the entire forest in darkness. Inky stains crawled over bark, and dark splotches of death edged the few leaves that remained through the winter. I channeled my magic, a thrill running through me.
Blackened vines withered and shrunk, their grip on the trees weakening as the land grew stronger. The inky stains on the bark retreated, revealing a rich, healthy brown. The land hummed beneath my touch with vibrant energy. For a moment, everything returned to the way it was meant to be: Alive. Flourishing. Free.
The longer I remained connected to the earth, the further the freedom spread. Not just here, but through all Ithenmyr and the Four Kingdoms. No one was safe from the broken balance. If we didn’t repair it, everyone would be affected.
Losing myself to the thrum of magic in my veins, time slipped by as I fed the land. It took everything I gave it. I peeked within me, checking on my well of power. It was brimming. Satisfaction filled me as I glanced at the plentiful green ribbons, the earth feeding me as much as I fed it.
More, the land said greedily, vibrating beneath me.Don’t stop.
Even as I worked tirelessly, I could feel the land’s desperation. Every time I paused; the darkness crept back into the earth. The forests and mountains and trees and animals in Ithenmyr were parched, absorbing the green ribbons as though they were the first raindrops after a long, hot drought. I pushed and pushed my magic into the land, but no matter how much I gave, it never seemed to be enough.
More, it said again.
Shaking my head, I murmured, “I’m sorry. I’m working as fast as I can.”
Please, it begged. Leaves rustled, and animals cried out, their desperation echoing through me.Help us, Protectress of the Woods.
I couldn’t ignore their plea. At one point, there had been many Earth Elves in Ithenmyr. Hundreds of elves like me who could help the land and provide it with the magic it needed to survive.
Now, there was just me. By a cruel twist of fate, High King Edgar had saved me and kept me in a tower after he slaughtered the rest of the Earth Elves. I had grown up alone, ignorant of my heritage, until the day I escaped. Though I was free, there were many others in Ithenmyr who weren’t. His laws oppressed females, and I wouldn’t stop until equality spread throughout the land.
This was my purpose. My calling.
When I escaped, I did not know who I was. That was no longer the case. They called me Aileana of the House of Corellon, Earth Elf, daughter of Uhna, granddaughter of Niona, mate of Elyxander, the Last Dragon, Protectress of the Woods, the Keeper of the Earth, and the High Lady of Life.
I was the only one remaining who could feed magic into the land. One elf helping an entire country remain alive—it seemed almost too heavy a burden to bear. Many days, it felt like too much. With each passing day, the weight of the broken balance was growing heavier on my shoulders. If I didn’t have my bonded mate by my side, I was certain I would have collapsed beneath the expectations of what was required of me.
But I had Xander.
Even if he wasn’t right beside me, I always felt his presence through the magic that tied us together. Ever since my Maturation, our connection was stronger than ever. Tugging on the bond between us, a warm wave of love washed through me, strengthening me as I dug my hands deeper into the earth.
Inhaling, I wrenched forth as much magic as I could handle. The power that was my birthright thrummed in my veins, a strong song that echoed the pulsing of the green ribbons in my hands. My exposed skin glowed green, and I dropped my head, making sure my hood covered my face as I shoved my magic into the land all at once. The ribbons slithered into the earth, and everything hummed.
The animals, the insects, the tree roots, and the plants all shuddered as a burst of relief went through them. They cried out; the sound echoing through my veins as their voices came together as one, acknowledging my presence and my gift to them.
Thank you, High Lady of Life.
Their words echoed through me, and I continued to feed my magic into the earth. Nothing was as it should have been. Trees that had stood for centuries were falling, their roots weak and broken. Insects and animals alike were dying, their homes being torn apart from the inside out. The weather was… difficult. Though it was the middle of winter, some parts of Ithenmyr were experiencing harsh sunlight, while others were in near-perpetual darkness. Some rivers were drying up, while new ones were cropping up where there had been none.