A Perfect World

Chapter 11

AELIN POV

Aelin's lips were pursed as she waited for Lysandra and Evangeline to respond. Her story—who she was and the basic summary of her adventure thus far—had sounded way more epic in her head. In reality, it had sounded pretty lame rolling off her tongue. What had felt like a few weeks of misadventure and mishap had only been a few days, yet she felt completely overwhelmed. It was finally hitting her that she really had left home in some sort of permanent sense. She had no idea when she was going to return and when it came down to it, the only person she could really rely on was herself. 

"Aelin," Lysandra whispered, "you're glowing."

Aelin looked down at her hands and, sure enough, a hot blue haze had enveloped her. 

"It's fine," Aelin said, "It'll go away." 

"You're burning through the boat!" Evangeline yelped.

Aelin looked down where the wet wood was being singed, and immediately began to panic. 

The blue haze glowed brighter, singeing faster. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Aelin chanted frantically, hopping from one foot to the other. 

"Just—jump out!" Lysandra suggested. 

"I can't swim!" Aelin shrieked. 

"Um... um... um." Lysandra too was beginning to panic. 

"Hold your breath!" Evangeline shrieked. 

Aelin did. It wasn't like she had any better ideas. She gulped in as much air as possible and held it in. She could hear the frenzied beat of her heart in her ears. The longer she held it, the slower it became. 

"Good," Lysandra said, "It's working. The glow is subsiding. Just a little longer, then you can release it. Slowly."

Aelin nodded and willed her lungs to hold out a bit longer. Then, slowly, she exhaled. What came out wasn't just air. With her released breath came a wave of raw power. It poured out of her like a pent-up sigh, rippling outwards and billowing over the water in every direction. 

Lysandra looked a little nervous. She and Evangeline were catching their breaths. "Good?" the shifter enquired.

"Good," Aelin nodded, glumly. 

Aelin sank to her knees, face buried in her hands and let out a frustrated scream. Moments after she felt thin, tiny arms wrap around her and a matching tiny head lean against her own. She bit back a sob. 

"It's okay, Aelin," Evangeline said sweetly. 

"I didn't have anyone to walk me through shifting either," Lysandra said, "so I have an inkling of how you're feeling."

"You didn't?" Aelin asked. 

"No," she confirmed. "It's a bit of a sad story, but I'll share it with you. You trusted me with yours and I trust you with mine." She came to sit next to her. "We're quite alike you know. Apart from the whole you being a princess of the realm thing." Aelin laughed and looked up at the shifter. Lysandra continued, "I know what it's like to have power yet still feel powerless, Aelin. I also know what it's like to be alone." 

Aelin smiled a bit. "Suddenly I don't feel so alone anymore, actually."

Lysandra smiled back. 

FENRYS POV  

Fenrys stood with Elide near the prow of the ship looking out into the ocean as the captain steered the vessel towards Skull's Bay. 

"Spot anything of interest?" he asked the girl, who was peering through a spyglass.