The Offering

Chapter Sixty One - Daella

I sit nervously with my hands on my lap trying my best to sit still and breathe normally while Quirin stands in front of me, hovering over me. His hand roams around me, not touching me, just sensing me as he called it, using his magic to reach inside me and see me in a way I doubt I would ever understand.

I let out a soft yawn, there was no point in trying to hide it, anyone with eyes could see how exhausted I was.

"You're still having the nightmares when you sleep?" Quirin asks, eyes still closed as he concentrates.

"Yes."

He hums in reply. "I can sense a basic shield in place protecting your mind from the nightmares, but I fear when you sleep your shield no longer remains in its place and they are able to return." He says quietly, his voice familiar and warm.

"How do I make them stop?" I ask as he takes a step back looking down at me, his navy robe falling around him and to the floor.

"You need to strengthen your shield so it remains in place at all times. It is something those with magic are trained to do at a young age." He explains moving back to the table and sitting down.

"But I would need magic for that...I don't have magic...do I?" I ask looking down at my centre where this supposed space existed inside of me.

"No." He answers flatly. "As far as I can tell you do not possess any of your own magic, but there is definitely magic within you, otherwise you would have no shield at all and you would not have woken up."

"So how can I strengthen a shield I have no control over?" I ask, growing more confused by the second.

He lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm not sure. I have been reading up on the ancient texts, trying to find any information we have on the binding ritual but it is limited. Once it was banned many of the texts were destroyed to stop fae from learning how the ritual worked and trying to do it themselves." He explains, his expression troubled.

"No one has even explained this ritual to me properly, at least not in a way I can understand."

Another heavy sigh. "The Princes were desperate for any way to save you My Lady, I felt it my duty to provide a solution, it left little time for explanations. The ritual is one I learned of many years ago in my studies and was designed to share fae magic. In the beginning it even helped develop new magic, joining two or more together to create something new. Kings and Queens used the ritual to strengthen their soldiers or themselves. There were risks involved, and there was no guarantee that the ritual would work or what would be left if it did. The body is a complex system, and magic even more so. Some were more adept at acclimating to new magic while others were resistant and then there were those that didn't even survive the process." He tucks his hands into the sleeves of his robe as he looks over at me. "By the time the ritual was widespread it had become unsafe, not just to those who were killed during the ritual, but to those that refused to the ritual but were forced into it anyways. Males and females, even young ones were stolen from their homes and forced into giving up their magic so others would grow strong. It became clear very quickly that the ritual was too dangerous. It was outlawed across the world and all texts were ordered to be destroyed. It took many years to track down those who knew and performed the ritual and put an end to it. I only stumbled onto it by accident, it was something unheard of to my peers and the idea of sharing magic and creating new magic piqued my interest. The information I found on the ritual itself was basic and clearly written by someone who was no scholar." He smiles sadly. "I never expected I would use it, or present it to the Princes as a solution to your condition, not until there was no other option."

"So if anyone found out what you did, what would happen?" I ask watching him closely.

"When the ritual was banned the penalty for anyone who performed the ritual willingly was death, I fear it would be the same today." He says looking at me and I can't help but stare back at him in shock.