A Human’s Guide to Surviving Magical Mishaps by Kit Bryan

The afternoon passes slowly and with every second Ashton is gone I feel an increasing sense of dread. The sun is just starting to go down when I realise that Ashton is almost back. I don't know HOW I know it, but I am one hundred percent certain that he is close. I jump to my feet and run to the front door. I don't bother explaining myself to dad or my friends, how would I? I don't even understand what's going on. I yank the door open and run barefoot into the driveway staring down the street. I even know which direction he's coming from. What the hell is happening to me? Everyone runs out after me, I must be freaking them out, I'm freaking myself out. I don't bother explaining, I just run out into the road and watch as the dark car with Ashton and Fin inside approaches. It stops in the middle of the road to prevent hitting me. Ashton leaps out of the back seat and using a burst of magical speed runs to me.

"Kat? Why are you outside? What is wrong?" He demands, grabbing my shoulders and looking me over for injuries. I don't answer, I'm too busy puzzling through my response. The moment I saw Ashton. that feeling of dread and anxiety vanished. I was able to take my first real breath since he left. There is something clearly not right here. I love Ashton, but that doesn't mean I should panic when I'm left alone, it shouldn't be physically hard to breathe without him. Fin has also joined us and the car carefully manoeuvres around us and drives away. Ashton is still trying to figure out what's wrong when Lucy rushes over.

"Kat? Did you know they were coming? How did you know they were coming? That's so weird." She remarks. Ashton freezes and the most guilty expression I have ever seen crosses his face. He meets my eyes and I know that HE knows what's wrong. And now he knows that I know something is wrong too.

"Ashton. What the hell is going on?" I demand. He looks nervously back at our audience and I shake my head dismissively. I don't care if they're listening, I need to know what's happening to me and I'm determined to find out now. Ashton takes my hands and when he answers his voice is calm.

"Kat, please let us go inside and talk. You are alive and safe. That is the most important thing." He tugs on my hands and tries to coax me back inside. I almost let him until I see Fin's reaction over his shoulder. His brow is furrowed and he is looking at Ashton with disapproval, something I have never seen from him before. Fin thinks Ashton is doing the wrong thing... I yank my hands away from him.

"If I go inside with you, are you going to tell me what's going on? The truth about what's going on." I amend. Ashton opens his mouth to answer but seems to be struggling.

"I- I want to... I plan to..." He can't seem to finish a sentence. I narrow my eyes at him. Damn it all he isn't planning to tell me anything. He can't even lie and say that he was going to tell me everything. I don't wait for him to find some strategic phrase to placate me. I walk away from him and approach Fin.

"Do you know what's going on?" I demand. Fin hesitates briefly before nodding. "Yes." He answers.

"Will you tell me?" I try not to let my words sound like pleading, but that's what they are. I'm asking for answers, but really I'm begging him to give me an explanation I can accept for why Ashton wants to lie to me. Why he is keeping secrets from me. Fin looks even more uncomfortable.

"It really is not my place to say. It should be Ashton who explains..." He trails off, looking at Ashton who seems to be practically frozen in place as he faces some internal dilemma. Or maybe he's just trying to figure out a way to lie to me. Lucy approaches me from behind and loops an arm around my waist. She glares at Fin with a venom I didn't know she possessed.

"Just be honest and tell it how it is Finvara. You're good at that." She bites the words out and Fin visibly flinches. I feel warmth on my other side as Marcus comes to stand by me. My dad has also moved, he's positioned himself between us and Ashton and is glaring with his arms crossed over his chest. He doesn't know what's going on, but he knows enough to know that Ashton has pissed me off. It's been less than twenty four hours since I begged dad to give him a chance. I'm really hoping that wasn't a mistake. I don't even know what's happening. I don't know that Ashton has DONE anything wrong. But that expression... He looked so guilty. He wouldn't look that way if there was nothing wrong, and he is clearly keeping something from me. Even Fin wants to take my side which says it's a big deal.

I don't know if it's his own conscience or Lucy's words that convince him. But Fin finally answers.

"When Ashton used his magic to save your life. It did not come without serious side effects. He did not want to tell you about it but his magic was not enough to keep you alive. He gave too much and according to the healers, he somehow anchored his own life force to yours. That is what was keeping you alive. Yours has recovered and returned to you, but his lingers. It is why you could travel between the realms, because his magic, his life, is part of you now." Fin explains. I stare. What? What does that even mean? And why would that make me feel so awful? How is that even possible? My head is spinning and I have so many more questions and no idea where to start. Actually, I take it back. I know exactly where to start. I tear myself away from my friends and stomp my way over to Ashton, ignoring the pain in my foot as I step on a particularly sharp stone.

"Were you going to tell me any of this?" I demand. Ashton looks like I've slapped him. He keeps glancing at Fin, his expression a mixture of shock and betrayal.

"I... I might have. Eventually." He answers after a long pause. Eventually. He EVENTUALLY might have said something? I don't think I've ever been so angry.

"Is there anything else you want to add to Fin's explanation?" I ask, giving him a chance to have a say, explain something, anything. Ashton hesitates which only fuels my temper.

"I did not expect that you would feel the connection, you are the one with a piece of me, not the other way around." Is his response.

"It hurts me when you're not around. It feels like a panic attack, a constant dread. I can barely think and I can't function. It wasn't like this before. Why now?" I ask, pushing for answers. I need to know what I can do to stop this from happening.

"I expect that the connection will only get stronger as you recover. I also believe that the reason it was easier for you in the castle was because you knew that I was safe, that I was nearby and that I would be returning for you shortly. The part of me that is attached to you... It knows it is not complete without me, that I am not complete without it, without you. The fear you experience is because it does not want to be separated from me." Ashton admits. I take a moment to process that. I'm stuck on the word separated. Ashton said that he wouldn't allow himself to be separated from me again. That's what he told my dad, that he wouldn't be leaving me again. He didn't say that he loves me. Because... He doesn't love me. If he did, then that's what he would have said, right? But the fae can't lie so he told the truth. He won't be separated from me, he won't leave me alone. What he didn't mention was that he can't. My heart is breaking when I ask my last question, the only one that really matters.

"Can we fix this? Get rid of it?" I ask sadly. I'm doing my best not to cry.

"No. It is permanent. It cannot be undone." Ashton says, a clear answer with no wriggle room.

"Right." I respond blankly. That's it. I'm done. I can't take any more of this. I turn and run inside and lock myself in my room.