Chapter 36: Everywhere

"It's everywhere," August whispered in awe.

It was like she was seeing the world for the first time. The forest was alive with an energy she had always suspected was there but had never seen until now—only it was more brilliant, more breathtaking than she could have ever imagined. It felt divine and ancient.

She watched as a crow flew by with a hint of its aura trailing gracefully along behind it in a soft midnight blue hue. Now she noticed that there were trails like this all around them—traces of things that had been and gone. It was utterly breathtaking, and she laughed quietly, watching the splendor of life shimmer around them.

"I think you're having fevers because your body is fighting this ability, which is like an additional sense that seems foreign to it. It would take a lot of strength to fight it," Greta watched August as she took in her new sight. "You're essentially fighting yourself."

"How do I not…" August trailed off, distracted by another gust of wind that brought trails of mysterious things with it.

"How do you not fight it?" Greta finished. "It's something you need to figure out. Maybe you need to let go of the fear that it brings. When you accept it, I imagine you'll be able to control it and make it work in your favor," Greta smiled at her.

"Does this mean I'm a witch?" Fear laced her words when she finally turned to look at Greta.

"No, dear. No, not at all," Greta replied simply.

"Am I like the lycan witches? The—the alyko?"

"That was different. The alyko are lycan born. I suppose you could have genetic similarities. It's hard to say since we don't have all the data from Eliade. But the alyko, with their abilities, there was nothing inherently bad or dangerous in them like the label 'witch' would imply. Nothing more dangerous than typical lycans. If only the elders weren't so blinded by fear and hatred," she looked out into the trees as August was. "It's poison."

"There were children," August whispered. "Have there been any alyko children since?"

Greta's face fell at the question. Apparently it was something she had also considered. "None that I know of."

August noticed a change in the energy around Greta at these words, and her eyes narrowed into a heaviness settling in the orbit around Greta's chest. It was dark. As if acting on instinct, she placed her hand directly where it was, flat against Greta's chest. But something in her could reach deeper—to where the darkness was—and she extended that part of herself to retrieve the heaviness from around Greta's heart. She could feel the darkness on her fingertips, turning her touch cold.

A gasp escaped Greta's lips, and she grabbed hold of August's hand. "No, August. Let it go. Let it go," she said, eyes wide.

"But…" August looked at her hand caught in Greta's. "It looks painful. I can feel it…"

"No, leave it," the girl said, flattening her hand against August's and grabbing her arm with her other hand. Greta's face contorted in pain, and she started gasping for breath feeling the human's hand in her chest.

August pulled her hand away, leaving the heaviness where it was. And just like that, the energy around her disappeared from view again. She blinked her eyes in confusion and looked back up at Greta who was bracing herself against the railing now.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, backing away from Greta in shock. What had she done? She looked down at her hands that appeared just as they always had—solid, normal, human.

"No, it's okay," Greta gave her a weak smile when she seemed to have caught her breath. "I had no idea you could see that or—or do that. I would've warned you. If you can alter people like that…" her voice trailed off for a moment, which was typical of her brother but not her. "I was surprised was all. That's… You can hurt yourself."

"Did I hurt you?" She remained frozen in place, the terror of what she could have possibly done to Graeme's sister suddenly blooming in her mind.

"No, no, you didn't. It was just uncomfortable. I'm okay," the peach-haired girl nodded her head in reassurance, but she still held a hand against her chest. "You can't do that, even if you want to. Do you understand?"

August shook her head in confusion. How could she understand any of this?

"You're taking a darkness or obstruction into yourself to help the other person, but then what? If you don't know how to discharge it or let it flow through and out of you, it will stay with you," Greta said. "I don't want you burdened by something that belongs with me."

August swallowed hard. "Oh…"

"It's okay, you didn't know. It's a sweet spirit like yours that would want to help," Greta reassured her, walking to where the girl was standing. "We'll work on it, okay? Just be patient."

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"It's gone now. I can't see anything," August said quietly.

"My reaction probably did it," Greta sighed. "It's not something you need to fear. You just need to be careful, okay? For your well-being." August nodded without saying anything further.

When Graeme arrived back, he found the girls together out on the deck.

"Hey you two," he said, walking forward to kiss his beautiful mate on the head before doing the same to his sister. "Was the sleep okay?" he asked, turning to August. She nodded, smiling, but she appeared shaken about something.

Graeme gave his sister a questioning look. "Greta, can you help me carry up some lumber?"

"Of course. What are you doing to the treehouse now?" Greta got up to follow him out. She noticed that there were already bags covering half of the kitchen as they made their way out the door. "Wow, shopping spree?"

"Just some things for August," he said. Greta smiled to herself. "And I thought I would make the shower area more private for her."

"My thoughtful brother," Greta smiled. "Or you think the forest has eyes." Graeme raised an eyebrow at her.

'The forest does have eyes,' he thought to himself. "Humans are weird about nudity," he shrugged.

"So are jealous unmarked mates," she mumbled to herself.

"What happened while I was gone? She looks like she saw a ghost," he stopped halfway down the wood stairs and turned to look at his sister.

"She had a fever, but we made progress. That aura she saw around you? She can see it around everything. It was like as soon as she accepted that ability, the fever vanished. I think she's fighting it unknowingly, and that's what's making her sick," Greta explained. Her brother hummed in response. "But there's more…"

His expression turned grave. "What?"

"She asked about the alyko children, and she could see, I don't know, my fear? Or heartache? She tried to take it from me. Like out of me," Greta placed her own hands on her chest.

"What?"

"Yeah. That's…" Greta threw her hands in the air. "I mean, I could feel her lifting it from me, Graeme."

"Amazing," he whispered.

"And unbelievably dangerous. She doesn't know how to control it. What if it settles inside of her?" Greta had taken her brother's arms in her hands. "She can't do that. It's time I introduce her to Sylvia," she said.

"Sam's mom?"

"Yeah. She may be able to help. I'll see what her schedule is like," she answered for Graeme to nod.

When they returned to the deck with piles of lumber, Greta gave August a squeeze around the shoulders. "I have to get going, but I'll be back tomorrow. Have my brother call me if you need anything. Okay?"

"I got her a phone," Graeme interrupted for both girls to look at him.

"Oh, nice! Well, then you can call me directly if you need anything," Greta smiled at August. "Or text or whatever."

August nodded. "Thanks for helping me today," she said quietly.

Greta smiled in response.. "No problem, sis."

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