Chapter Thirty-Five

                                    

                                          
Persimmon walked over to me, and I crouched down to look at him better. "How is this possible? Persimmon is an actual ghost."
"Hmmm... interesting. You could see Persimmon in the mortal world?" Ciaran crouched down to the ghost cat and held out his hand. Persimmon sniffed at his fingers, but seemed unimpressed. He padded away and hopped up on the table to sleep.
"Yes, all the time. Persimmon lived in Mike's magic shop."
"He was a forest cat that died in cat form, I suspect. He wasn't human; he was Fae."
I blinked, staring at the ghostly outline of my old companion. "Then how did I see him? And how did I bring him here?"
Ciaran's lips curled in a knowing smile. "Another delightful mystery of you, Princess. You may have always been able to see all spirits—not just mortal ones. And I suspect the bits of lifeforce you shared with Adrian and Luis made that possible."
I frowned. "What do Adrian and Luis have to do with this?"
"Hmm..." He tugged at his bottom lip as if debating how much to say. "Having a piece of their spirit within you allows you to draw on their essence. It's not a complete connection like the roots, but it gives you access to... more."
Great. I'd been using my friends like batteries. "Was I hurting them?"
Ciaran chuckled. "No, no, but their desire to stay close was intensified. They gave freely, which allows you to tap into their strength without harm."
I reflected on my actions with Brin and Noc.  I could feel a tiny spark of both inside me, tucked away like precious secrets I wasn't ready to let go of. 
I felt a moment of panic. I'd thought I'd only stolen a piece of Noc, but I'd stolen from Brin too?
Had I gone too far? Should I have pulled away sooner? 
It had felt incredible.  But it also left me questioning how much I might be changing them, or if they felt as affected as I did. I glanced at Brin, who seemed lighter and even a bit stronger after our last exchange. Noc's energy seemed more reserved, as if he'd only allowed me to touch the surface, yet that fraction of his essence was enough to leave me feeling as though I could wield ice itself.
Before I could get lost in thought, Ciaran cleared his throat. "Now, Princess, next is Master Rielte," he said, nodding to the faun.
I gave him a worried glance, wondering if I would steal from him as well. "Are you certain? I did what I did to Adrian and Luis to Brin and Noc. I stole a piece of their lifeforce."
Ciaran looked both shocked and delighted. "I assure you nothing was stolen. You can't keep a piece of their life without it being freely given."
He looked far too happy for my comfort.
Rielte stepped forward with a modest smile, a hint of shyness in his gentle gaze. 
"Ready, Mistress," he said softly, offering his hands.
As I reached for him, I reminded myself of the energy exchange with Brin and Noc, this time wanting to be more careful, more attuned to Rielte's essence. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, feeling for the pulse of his energy, ready to pull in whatever he chose to share.
The connection was immediate and gentle, like a morning dew settling over new shoots. Rielte's life force was different from Brin's and Noc's; it was nourishing, and rooted,  resilient yet tender.  It made me think of the earth, and rows of sturdy plants under clear skies, a simplicity I didn't know I'd been missing.
I could feel his essence moving within me, filling the spaces that had been left hollow by recent events. Rielte's spirit was a balm, restoring a softness I hadn't realized had hardened. As I slowly released his energy back, a sensation of gentle warmth lingered, a hum that settled in my chest and reminded me of the way plants reach toward sunlight. A little bit of that light was nearly thrust at me, and I grabbed it.