“Power? Me?” I squeaked, looking at him in the mirror. “What are you talking about? I don’t have any power.”
“Yes, you do, Emma,” Bran said patiently. “Remember how you tamed a kelpie just a little while ago? Do you know how dangerous they are? How many unwary travelers they kill?”
Lachlan nodded. “Even a High Sidhe would steer clear of a brook horse,” he remarked. “But you walked right up to it and tamed it to your hand—I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I think he was just lonely,” I protested uneasily. “He wanted a friend. I didn’t do anything special—I was just friendly.”
“Just friendly?” Lachlan snorted laughter. “Right. And I suppose you were just being friendly with the iron nails I saw you handling as though they weren’t red-hot to the touch.”
“But they weren’t red-hot,” I said, frowning.
“A full-blooded Fae would find them so,” Bran said quietly. “But those weren’t even the first signs of your power, Emma. Remember how you healed the little chimeling with your tears?”
“She can heal too?” Lachlan demanded.
Bran nodded. “I saw her bring a creature back from the very brink of death just by crying on it.”
“His name is Spike and I don’t really think he was that injured to begin with,” I protested uneasily. “Really guys, you’re over-exaggerating everything. Under all this…” I waved my hands at my new face, which felt like a mask, though Bran kept insisting it was the true me. “Under how I look now, I’m still just plain-Jane Emma,” I told them both. “I’m not magic and honestly, I’m not even sure I’m really Fae—I mean, I was raised human and my mom is human. So please stop making me out to be some kind of magical fairy princess or something because I’m not. There’s honestly nothing special about me.”
Lachlan looked at me for a long moment after my irritated little speech. He cocked his head to one side as though trying to understand me, then he chuckled and shook his head.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” he told Bran. “A High Sidhe female as beautiful as the dawn and with powers that rival those of The Queen of Light and Shadows and yet her defining attribute is modesty. Where-ever did you find her?”
Bran shrugged.
“She’s my lab partner.”
Which for some reason, made Lachlan start laughing again.
Bran’s lips twitched and then he started laughing too.
Personally, I didn’t see anything funny in the situation, but somehow their laughter mixed together was contagious. I felt the corners of my own mouth drawing up and then, before I knew it, I was laughing as well.
It all seemed so ridiculous—me, plain-Jane Emma somehow transformed into a beautiful, powerful Fae. It was just so silly I couldn’t help myself—I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt, as I grasped both their arms for support because after a minute, I could barely stand up.
Lachlan looped an arm around my waist and Bran’s muscular arm supported my shoulders. In the mirror three beautiful people laughed and their laugher somehow made them even more gorgeous and attractive.
We look like some kind of advertisement, I thought. Or maybe an Instagram post for some beauty product or skin care regime.
Somehow that made me laugh even more until finally I had to turn away from the mirror, still clutching my stomach, until I fell on the bed.
“Emma, are you all right?” Bran was suddenly right there beside me, looking anxious.
“Yes, little one—are you feeling okay?” Lachlan flopped down on the other side of me and sprawled all over the bed, taking up most of it with his long, lean frame.
“I’m fine—just fine,” I told them both. It occurred to me that it was nice to have someone with me during this weird transformation—two someones, actually. Though presumably Lachlan would go back to the Fae Realm at some point and it would be just me and Bran again.
The thought made me sad, for some reason. I liked Bran a lot but I liked Lachlan too. I didn’t like to think of him leaving.
“Tell me how the two of you met,” I said, looking at both of them—the light and the dark, Bran’s face so intent and earnest and Lachlan’s always ready to make that mocking, one-sided grin. “I’m sure there must be a story there.”
“Oh, there is, little Emma.” Lachlan’s voice was a bit grim. “But I’m afraid it’s not a very happy one.”
“No?” I looked between them and saw that Bran had a sober look on his face.
“Lachlan is right,” he admitted. “Our past has been a bumpy one.”
“It can’t be that bad, though—can it?” I asked. “After all, Lachlan came when you called to ask him for help.”
“I came because I owned O’Connor—Bran—a life debt,” the Dark Fae said, frowning. “The debt is paid now and I should go.”
“But you’re not going to—are you?” I asked anxiously. “Not yet, anyway?”