The Last Daughter of Elysia

Chapter 15

Morgana was lying on her bed, where a cloud of blue butterflies had settled over her. She woke, sitting upright, and the butterflies scattered like fluttering petals. They flew back to the gilded mirror in the corner of the room. Her mouth tasted bitter, and her head hurt.

What happened?

Then it all came back to her slowly like a vague dream. She was in the training room and magic had exploded out of her. Morgana's heart quickened. She looked over herself, searching for any signs that the magic had injured her, had started ripping her apart. But there was nothing, except for a mild ache in her muscles.

Morgana let out a sigh of relief. She'd gotten lucky.

But she wasn't lucky where Erik was concerned. He'd seemed angry that she couldn't repress Elysia's magic. Was he worried that if she didn't control the magic then her death would be a burden? A burden to console Larania and Damon, a burden to organize a funeral for a human. All her life it seemed he didn't care about her, so why did he care about her training? It left Morgana feeling confused. Or maybe he was just disappointed and saw her as a failure, annoyed that she couldn't do something that was rudimentary to all fae.

By her bed was a pitcher of water. A note was propped against it: You did well with your training today, there should be less magic absorption from now on. We'll do another session in a couple of weeks. Let me know if anything changes.

Damon.

Morgana blinked. She'd done well? But magic had exploded out of her. She gulped a glass of the water down, washing away the taste of vomit. A bath would be in order because she reeked of sweat.

There was a soft knock on her door and Morgana placed her glass back down. "Come in," she called.

The door cracked open, and there was Aelys, wearing a floaty yellow gown, golden hair a sheet of silk down her back. Morgana blinked in surprise, and Aelys shut the door.

"I didn't see you at lunch. Damon said you had a headache?" She walked over.

"Yeah." It was partly true.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Okay."

An awkward pause followed.

"I need to have a word with you." Aelys sat down on the end of Morgana's bed, eyes on the floor. Her freesia scent was like a heady bouquet.

Morgana stiffened, wondering what nasty thing her sister was going to say next.

"Since you saw Brighid and I the other day, I've been waiting for the rumors to spread." Aelys looked at Morgana.

"I told you I would keep that secret."

"I know." Aelys's throat worked. "I just thought it would've been the perfect thing for you to use against me, because..."

Morgana frowned.

"Because I've always been so horrible to you, and it would've been within your rights to get me back."

"I'm not that kind of person."

"I know and... I'm sorry I've always treated you differently."

Morgana's heart skipped a beat.

"I'm grateful that you kept my secret. I love Brighid with all my heart, so it means a lot to me that you haven't said a thing."

"I don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything. I know that I never gave you the time of day when you were a child, and I never grew out of that," Aelys said. "I guess I was always a little jealous of the friendship that you and Damon had. I should've been a better sister."