There went my ticker skipping another beat. I spun around to face the pool and my reflection showed me with one important addition: a small crescent moon-shaped mark on my forehead. My mouth dropped open and I furiously rubbed my skin as Grandmother had done. It remained.

  The ripples in the pool reminded me that I’d seen this mark before. That last time I had been standing in Dadan’s secretive island with a moon hovering over me.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried not to sound panicked. “What is it?”

  Grandmother sidled up to my right side and leaned forward to examine the mark. Her face was scrunched up and her eyebrows knitted together. “It appears to be some sort of rune mark.”

  Don’t panic, Anna. That doesn’t sound too bad. “Is that good or bad?”

  She rubbed her chin in one hand and shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  Okay, that didn’t sound that good.

  “Do you know why it appeared?” Arian spoke up.

  Grandmother dropped her hand and shrugged. “I suppose because it doesn’t like our two magics mixing, or at least covering up her true face.” She eyed me with a sharp look. “Your magic is most insolent but perhaps it shows a good quality in you.”

  I blinked at the old woman. “Come again?”

  She rolled her eyes and tapped a finger against my forehead mark. “Deception, girl. Your magic obviously despises deception and is trying to make its displeasure known by showing that mark.”

  I rubbed the worn spot on my head. “Then you don’t know what the mark means?”

  She scoffed. “Sylvine magic is most unpredictable. It could mean you have an affinity for the moon or perhaps you have a fondness for moon-shaped breads.”

  I looked down at my changed form. “Well, how do I un-anger my magic? I mean, how do I get your magic off me?”

  The old woman shook her head. “The magic will fade of its own volition.”

  My face drooped as her meaning fell on me. “You mean I can’t just get it off? I have to wait like Cinderella?”

  Grandmother leaned back and cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t know anything about cinders, but yes, you have to wait. I give it three hours before the pea passes through you and your true form returns.”

  Her grizzly description made me look down at my stomach. “Pass through me?”

  She poked at my tummy. “Of course! No magic lasts forever, just like my patience!” Her eyes darted between us and she stabbed a finger at the cave entrance. “Now both of you, out! I’ve had a long day already because of your mischief and I’m late for my morning nap!”

  I scrambled into my clothes while Arian stood in front of me and bowed low to our hostess. “Thank you so much for your help. I knew you could assist us.”

  Grandmother lifted her nose and the corners of her lips twitched upward. “Yes, well, I expect some fine meals at that restaurant of yours.”

  Arian’s eyes twinkled as I finished my dressing. “That is something I can most definitely guarantee.”

  I snatched my friend’s hand and nodded at Grandmother. “Thanks for the peas, sorry for the trouble, and we’ll be seeing you.”

  I dragged my friend past our hostess and out of the cave entrance. The fresh air of the village never smelled so fine as it did then. I stopped when we reached the first row of houses that occupied the forest of homes. One of their porches shaded our tired bodies.

  I leaned my side against one and released my friend. A faint smile danced across my lips. “That was an interesting meeting.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Arian clutched her hands in front of herself and hung her head. “I sincerely apologize for what happened. I had forgotten how. . .blunt Grandmother could be.”

  I genuinely smiled and waved off her concern. “It’s alright. We got what we wanted, didn’t we?” I held up the vial with the green pills. There were about a half dozen left. “Now we just need to wait until the festival.”

  Arian’s eyes rolled up to my forehead. “Perhaps we might need to hide your, um, new marking.”

  I rubbed my forehead and wrinkled my nose. “It’s that obvious, huh?”

  “I fear very much so.” Her eyes lit up and she reached into her pocket to draw out a small slip of cloth. “This may do to hide your mark until we return home and find something more suitable.”

  I accepted the wrapping but lifted an eyebrow. “Why are you carrying this around?”

  My friend blushed and dropped her gaze to the ground. “In case you should become injured. You have a gift for attracting trouble.”

  I snorted but gladly wrapped the cloth around my forehead like a bandanna. “I can’t argue with that.”

  Arian wrapped one of her arms around mine and gave me a good pair of puppy dog eyes. “Would you like me to show you anything else today or are you tired?”

  I laughed and patted her arm. “I’m feeling pretty refreshed after that-”

  That’s when it hit me. Not a premonition, epiphany, or a tingle in my spine, but a horrible wrenching feeling. The pain centered around my heart and spread outward, encompassing my whole body in a blanket of agony.

  I let out a strangled gasp before I dropped to my knees.

  “Anna!” Arian shrieked as she clutched my quivering arms. My whole body shuddered and twisted about as the searing pain shot into every muscle in my body. “What is the matter? What is wrong?” She whipped her head up and faced the cave. “Grandmother! Grandmother, please come quickly! I beg of you!”

  Grandmother poked her head out of the cave. “What’s wanted?”

  “Something is the matter with Anna!” she shouted.

  Her cries of terror reached the ears of a few nearby residents. They peeked their heads out and some scurried down their front steps. In a short while, we were surrounded by a dozen locals all clamoring to understand the situation.

  “What’s happened to your friend, Lady Arian?”

  “Is there anything we can do to help?”

  “Is that the goddess from the heavens? I thought she had silver hair.”

  I hardly heard a word anyone said. All I knew was the horrific pain that made my flesh crawl and my muscles jerk around. There was also a strange red light that nearly blinded me and left me with a feeling of being too close to a fire. The terrible agony was joined by a deep sensation of exhaustion, as though all my energy was being wrenched out of me.

  “Get out of my way or I’ll part you myself!” The shout came from Grandmother and the people scurried out of her warpath.

  She marched through them and up to us where she knelt by my side. The old woman leaned heavily on the cane as she took up one of my hands and inspected the pale, shivering skin. Her hand felt so warm and still against mine. I was jarred by the comparison, and a little freaked out.

  Her expression changed from irritated to grave and she turned her focus to one of the burlier men. “You! Pick her up and follow me, and be gentle!”

  The man nodded and gently lifted me in his arms. My body still jerked and twitched randomly. And I felt tired. Very, very tired.

  Grandmother hobbled her way back to the cave with my carrier at her back and Arian close at his side. She wrung her hands together and her face was ghastly pale. I absently wondered if mine looked as terrible as hers.

  I was carried into the cave and to the bedroom set apart from the main room. The man set me on the bed and stepped back. Grandmother hurried up to me with a bowl clasped in one hand. “Fetch me all the green herbs you can find on my shelves, Arian.” Arian only too eagerly bobbed her head and hurried out of the room. Grandmother’s eyes flickered over the man. “You can go. There’s nothing more that you can do here.”

  The man nodded but cast a pity-filled look at me before he left. I hoped his pity would be mislaid.

  Grandmother set the bowl beside me on the bed and dragged a stool close to my side. She plopped herself down and grabbed one of my arms which slightly twitched. The old woman wrinkled her nose and lay my arm back down. “What happened?”

  I managed to move my head from side to side but only once and my words came out in a hoarse whisper. “I. . .I don’t know. . .”

  “Then what did you feel?” she questioned me.

  “Pain.”

  “And now?”

  “Tired.”

  Grandmother leaned forward so she hovered over my face. Her sharp gaze studied my features but froze when she reached my eyes. Surprise touched her expression. She reached up a quivering hand and brushed her fingers against the side of one eye.

  “I believe I have found everything!” Arian shouted as she swept into the room.

  Grandmother leaned away from me and looked over Arian’s armful of goodies. She held vials and bundles of pickled and dried herbs. Grandmother inspected them and nodded. “These will do. Now help me make a mixture that will give some strength back to your friend.”

  “But do you know what caused her sickness?” Arian wondered as she began crushing some of the herbs into the bowl provided by our hostess.

  Grandmother’s focus remained on the plants as she shook her head. “I can’t be sure but let’s focus on getting her right before we waste our time and breathe on what might have happened.”