Forever (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, #5)(63)

“That makes sense.” Mina chuckled. Just because she had legs and could do it, didn’t mean she would walk across the United States on foot.

“You, my dear, have what’s known as the lure. It’s one of the most dangerous and volatile gifts.”

Goosebumps ran up her arms. “How so?”

“Most sirens have a smidge of the lure. They’re able to sing and control non-sirens or trick their minds, but not like you can. You actually summon the Fae magic to do your bidding, and you use its allure on others. Your gift is tied to your emotions, so if it’s not properly reined in, you’ll find yourself affecting the world around you just by your own thoughts and desires. You’re even more powerful if you’re around water or rain. The magic listens, and things happen.”

“Yes,” Mina answered. “My jealousy caused my friend to die in car accident.”

“It can push your deepest desires into being.”

Heartbroken, Mina wondered again if that’s what she had done with Brody. Had she been so infatuated with him that she pushed him into falling in love with her? Yes, she could blame Teague for the first time, because he was intent on making her follow the Story quests to a T.

But what about the other times, when Brody’d lose his memories but then be drawn to her? Was she making him obsess about her?

“I suddenly don’t feel very good.” Mina had to go find somewhere to sit, which happened to be the deck steps.

“Oh Mina, it’s okay. We’ve all done things that we regret, but it may be what has kept you alive. If Teague is so filled with hate toward you, maybe your gift is also what kept him infatuated with you. Thank the stars that you sympathize with him a little, because he seems to be reluctant to harm you.”

“But what if I’ve been doing this since the beginning? What if I made Teague fall in love with me, like I did Brody? What if I doomed myself?”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I don’t think you’ve given your own charming self enough credit.” She tapped Mina’s wrists. “You were shackled and your powers bound while in the palace. If you felt any kindness or compassion toward him in those circumstances, then you can believe what you felt was real.”

A rush of relief ran through her. There were moments.

Yes. Moments when she felt a tug at her heart and could see the softening of Teague’s eyes. And she hadn’t imagined the time when he almost kissed her. So, despite her own misgivings, a real connection did exist between them. More connection than Winona realized.

“So what do I do now?’

“Well, I think you know what you’re capable of, so it’s just practicing to see if you can get it under control and make it work when you’re not angry, threatened, or scared.”

“Okay, give me something.”

“You said you’ve changed your appearance before. Change it again. Most Fae are capable of a simple glamour. Let’s see yours.”

Mina tried to relax and clear her mind. She could do this—she had to.

She concentrated on her pants, ones from her mother’s trunk. She didn’t really want to change or alter them—she liked them the way they were, but she needed to practice on something. Picturing them as a deep blue instead, she felt Fae power rush to her. Her fingers tingled, and the hair on the back of her arms rose. When she opened her eyes, her pants were blue. She grinned in triumph at Winona.

“Good. But clothes are one thing. Can you change your hair, your face?”

“Why would I want to?”

“What if you had to go into hiding, and your life depended on it?”

“Point taken.”

Winona took a small seashell out of her pocket and waved her hand over it, turning it into a seashell-shaped compact mirror. She opened the mirrored shell and handed it to Mina. “Now try your hair.”

How many times had Mina stared in the mirror at her plain brown hair and boring eyes and wished for something different? But now, given the chance, she wasn’t sure she wanted to change.

“How about blonde?” Mina tried to imagine Nan’s blonde locks on her head. The power came again willingly, rushing to her and almost overwhelming her, but it disappeared just as fast as it came.

Mina held the mirror up to her face and frowned. It was the same face, the same color of hair. “What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing I can tell,” Winona answered. “Try again, just so I can be sure.”

“Okay.” Once again Mina pictured in her mind what she wanted and tried to imagine the color change. This time, she imagined her hair in a braid. She pulled the mirror up a second time and saw her hair in a braid, but it was the same boring brown.

“What’s going on?” Mina asked. “Am I broken?”

“Hmm.” Winona picked up a strand of Mina’s hair and rubbed it between two fingers. “It seems you’re already wearing a glamour, and a very strong one at that.”

“What? That’s not possible. I’ve looked like this my whole life. I have pictures to prove it.”

“Yes, but remember that you’re part-siren and part-human. Your siren side is being suppressed. Maybe concentrate on revealing your true self.”

Doubt flooded Mina. She didn’t know if she wanted anymore surprises. She wasn’t ready to lose more of herself to the Fae world. Her appearance was the one thing that never changed. If she lost that, she’d see a stranger in the mirror. She couldn’t do that.