Chapter 17: Great Balls of Fire
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A week of Air training passed quickly. For Ryssa, it went by in a haze of numbness. The only way she had any control over the wild magic that concentrated when she connected to the Earth was with Reggie’s assistance through the twin-bond. He seemed to instinctively understand how to manipulate the patterned lines of magic that she could help him see. It helped him get better control over his own magic, Ryssa still couldn’t perform magic without endangering everyone around her unless Reggie was there to help guide it.
It’s not fair, she grumbled and pouted frequently. The majority of her teammates seemed to feel it was better to keep a healthy distance from her. They sometimes whispered amongst themselves, but when she glared at them, they fell silent. Moira and Jet appeared to be the only ones not afraid of her. Moira worked especially hard to try to cheer her up, but without success. Ryssa found herself sinking deeper and deeper into depression, and she wasn’t sure how to climb out of it.
Meek didn’t seem bothered by her either. They spent quiet mornings together, sitting on the couch and munching on cinnamon rolls before the others woke up.
One morning, she brought out the little package of Magic Marvels that Madam Quiggley had given to her the day of the altercation with Blaze in the sweets shop. Each candy was individually shaped into symbols representing the seven different kinds of magic. Ryssa had popped a Water Marvel into her mouth and a cool sensation flooded her taste buds. It was a flavor she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but it definitely reminded her of a calm ocean. Not that it was salty—it was more like what the ocean would taste like if its essence could be captured into a candy.
Meek selected a Fire Marvel and placed it cautiously on his tongue. He hopped up and down, his eyes watering. Ryssa was concerned until he let her know with his hands that he was okay. She laughed at his antics, feeling the welcome release that came with the first enjoyment she had felt in days. She eyed the bird and beast shaped candies. Unable to think of any flavor related to them that would taste good, she left those alone. The star-shaped Celestial ones, however, sort of crackled and popped in her mouth. With each pop, the flavor seemed to change slightly. Those quickly became her favorites.
The Team uniforms arrived that week as well. Everyone critically examined them, holding them up and turning them this way and that. After a time they excitedly pronounced them the best of any they had ever seen.
Each uniform was a two-piece set with a top and pants. The tops had black mesh on one shoulder and white mesh on the other, coming together in a V, tunic-type neck. The front and backs of the top, together with the sleeves, were almost entirely comprised of flame-colored material designed in the shape of a phoenix. The sleeves, with their flowing arms and flame-shaped fringe, made up the wings of the bird. At the end of each flame was a symbol embroidered in gold, alternating across the sleeves and around the fringed bottom to make up the bird’s tail. Each symbol represented the seven different kinds of magic.
Inset at the waist of each top were triangles of white and black, alternating from the shoulder colors, which gave more definition to the shape of the bird. The pant legs, too, were of black and white, one leg in each color, alternating the colors back again to match the shoulders.
On the front of each top was another symbol set into the breast of the phoenix. A circle, white on one side and black on the other, was divided in half by a curving line. Set into the black half was a smaller white circle, and into the white half, a smaller black circle.
“Yin and yang!” Moira held hers up in delight. “Look, Lord Aurelius, a symbol for the balance of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts—how cool is that?”
“It is a very appropriate symbol for this Team,” Aurelius smiled. “Whose idea was that?”
Ryssa blushed as she raised her hand. “I’ve always loved that symbol.”
On the backs of each top was a unique embroidered emblem in gold, representing the different Houses for each Team member. From that day on, Team Phoenix wore their uniforms everywhere they went. Each morning, before the team members awoke, the uniforms would be laid out on their beds, freshly cleaned and pressed by the Brownies of the Sithin.
On this particular morning, Ryssa rose early, as had become her habit, threw on her uniform, and headed out into the common area. She couldn’t believe she was getting up this early every morning, especially without an alarm clock to rouse her or her mother to force her out of bed.
Just goes to show how unnatural this place really is, the thought leapt to her mind. Ryssa decided it was probably a good thing Debra couldn’t see her now. Her mother would keel over from the shock of her daughter becoming an early riser. This place was definitely bringing out some unnatural habits.
She entered the common area and smiled at Meek, who was sitting stiffly on the bench outside the boys’ room. He didn’t smile back, but had his eyes locked on a spot off to her side. Ryssa turned to see what held his attention, and found herself face to face with the Queen of Air and Darkness.
Once again Ryssa was mesmerized by the woman’s beauty. She had read stories as a small child about fairies and their queens. Even in school she’d been assigned to read a version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare. The fairy queen was always the most beautiful—and Medwyn was no exception. For all Ryssa had learned about Faery, their connection to the earth and shared human ancestral lines, when she gazed at the Queen of the Unseelie Court, she saw something beyond human—and her beauty seemed anything but earthly.
Deep, black eyes formed two rippling pools of darkness inside a flawless face glowed with a luminescent shade of alabaster purity. Her lips were the color of rubies, softened and shaped into an amused, almost mocking, smile. Ryssa looked back into the woman’s eyes and saw matching amusement there.
Her aunt, the Queen—Oh—her aunt—the Queen! She panicked, suddenly realizing that she was probably supposed to bow or something. With clumsiness born of mortified uncertainty, Ryssa sank into a deep curtsy, like she had seen in the movies, her head bowed. Warm laughter rolled over her, the sound of it reminiscent of the Sithin chimes.
“It is all right, Niece.” Queen Medwyn caught her wrist and gently guided her upright. “We are not at Court. I’ll not expect such formalities this morning. Here, let me have a look at you.”
Ryssa came to full attention. Medwyn’s hand cupped her chin as her eyes swept over Ryssa’s face in quiet appraisal.
“Amazing. You look so much like my sister. She had those same stunning, earth-brown eyes—” Medwyn looked wistful for a brief moment, but then the vulnerability vanished behind a polished mask of regality. She let go of Ryssa’s chin and one soft finger reached to touch the small, star-shaped mole to the left of her mouth. “And star-kissed to seal the beauty—and the power.”
Ryssa blushed. This incredibly stunning woman actually thought she was beautiful? She is just being nice.
“The power—that is why I am here today. I will be brief, child, but I have much to say and I would prefer—” Medwyn looked pointedly across the common area to Meek, who dropped his gaze. “I would prefer that what I say not be made public.
“Maryssa—” the Queen looked at her niece, all amusement aside and her tone serious.
“Ryssa.”
Medwyn frowned. She obviously wasn’t used to being interrupted, let alone corrected.
“Very well—Ryssa. Aurelius tells me that you hold great power within you—the likes of which Faery has not seen in a potential since long before we left Tir Nan Og. He claims it is great enough to rival my own—and that says a lot, especially for one as young and untrained as you.”
Ryssa nodded slowly, wondering just how powerful the Queen was, and more importantly, how she kept it under control.
“But it is control you lack,” Medwyn said, echoing her thoughts. “Is it true that the only way you have managed to achieve it is through the efforts of your twin?”
The heat rushed to Ryssa’s cheeks
. “Yes,” she responded, her voice hinting of the misery she felt.
“Do you understand what this competition is all about, Niece?”
“To find those who will eventually serve as replacement leaders for New Faery.”
“That is correct. And do you believe that one can be a leader if you only have control through another?”
When Ryssa didn’t respond, Medwyn answered for her. “No. A leader controls others. They are not—cannot—be controlled by someone else. That is not a leader—that is a puppet.”
“I thought a leader leads others, not controls them.”
“Semantics.” Queen Medwyn swept away her words with a wave of her hand. “It is all the same thing.”
“What is all the same thing?”
Ryssa was relieved to see her uncle enter the room. When his eyes fell on Medwyn, his expression grew dark. Regardless, Ryssa was glad to see him. She was becoming increasingly uncomfortable in the presence of this powerful woman, and even more disturbed by her philosophies.
“Medwyn,” Aurelius said coolly. “What brings you here?”
“I was just having a dialog with my niece.” Medwyn brushed her skirts, appearing unconcerned.
“Would you to care to elaborate?” Aurelius came closer.
“Not particularly.”
“I thought the rules were clear,” Aurelius had a note of warning in his voice. “The potentials involved in the competition are to be free of interference of Faery politics until it’s over.”
“This competition,” Medwyn gritted her teeth, “as you say, will take place over the next several years. Do you think to have me banned from speaking to my kinsfolk for that long—after you have kept them from me for all this time already?”
“If it means keeping them free of undesirable influences, then yes,” replied Aurelius, his nostrils flaring.
Medwyn stood, drawing herself to her full height. “And is it desirable to have this child sinking deeper into depression because you won’t address the emotional side of her well-being due to your Seelie ignorance?”
“It is my duty as Counselor—”
“Hey!” Ryssa shouted over the arguing voices of the two Faery. Her face was angry and defiant. “Right here—remember? Stop talking as though I’m not. No matter what either of you decide, I have the final say in my life, because I’m the one who has to live with the decision—so back off.”
Both of the elders turned to her with surprise on their faces. Ryssa heard noises around the room and saw the members of Team Phoenix coming sleepily into the common area. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Meek staring at her with shock.
“:Hey, Ryss—everything okay?:”
She ignored her twin, wanting to hold onto her anger.
“Impudent child,” Aurelius tried to get the situation under control, “you must address elders with better manners than that.”
“When elders stop acting like nothing more than spoiled children fighting over a toy,” Ryssa met his gaze with determination, “then I will give them the respect they are due. My foster mother taught me respect is earned, not automatically deserved. Until then, as you said, Uncle, politics need to be left out of this. I don’t want to spend the next several years of my life being the tool the two of you use to one up each other. If that’s all I am to you, then both of you can just leave me alone.”
She turned to leave, heading for the ramp that would take her out of the Team quarters. The Queen’s laughter, sounding again like the rolling chimes of the Sithin tree, filled the room. Ryssa stopped, looking back suspiciously.
“Well.” The Queen’s eyes danced with amusement. “I’m not sure whether to applaud you, or punish you, Niece. I can’t remember the last time someone dared to speak to the Queen of Air and Darkness thusly.” Medwyn walked over to her and stared down from her full height into Ryssa’s face. She shook her head and clucked her tongue. “But mind your manners, child. You must never leave a room where royalty is present without being dismissed, or until they make the first move to leave.”
With that, Queen Medwyn swept out of the common area, her black skirts trailing behind her.
Ryssa heard the shocked whispers of the Team.
“Did she just tell the Unseelie Queen—?”
“She called the Queen a spoiled brat—”
“Wow—I can’t believe Queen Medwyn took that—”
“Ryssa’s still standing—I can’t believe it!”
“Enough, children!” Aurelius snapped. “Now eat up and fuel your bodies—we head to the Fire training field today.”
Aurelius spun and headed for his rooms with one last, emotionless glance at Ryssa that made her heart sink down to her feet.