It was an uneventful walk, which Kymra stated, was what she wanted.

"Don't worry about having a guard," she winked. "You have me."

I relaxed and laughed as she led me. She walked with me through the dark and stunning hallways then up the circular stairs to a tower.

"Which do you prefer?" I asked, trying to make conversation. "You said you would train and do magic."

She smiled as she opened a large wooden door at the top of the stairs. "Nothing beats the sword singing in your hand during battle."

The room we entered was large. Different colored bottles lined the shelves along the walls along the room. There was a large table in the middle of the room with different herbs and mortars.

Someone was working on something in the fireplace. Watching the pot bubbled over the open fire. I watched everything around me, following the iron stairs in front of me with my eyes to the top. The roof was open to the twilight sky - the stars finally coming into view. The massive brass telescope glinted in the torchlight, making the light bounce on the gold.

"Wow."

A man began to speak on the other side of the room. "Yes, it's quite ancient. Nothing else like it."

The man was older, couldn't be more than fifty, which surprised me given that any of the new fae I was meeting seemed to be in their twenties or thirties. His dark hair was pulled back away from his face, showing his strong jaw and dark eyes.

"I'm the Magister, how do you do?"

"H-Hello."

He approached me closely like he had to get a good look at me. It reminded me of the times we visited my grandparents in their home - no sense of personal space. I started to back away but he got closer still, examining me over.

"My, you really are the Lady of Elendil, aren't you?"

I watched Kymra laugh behind her hand, "Magister, yes, we went over this."

As he turned away, I looked at Kymra and mouthed, "Is he all right?"

Kymra shrugged like she didn't know but she seemed to be used to this kind of behavior from him.

His voice echoed through the room as he moved through it, picking up a bottle, then putting it back, then picking up another one like he was looking for something. "It's been centuries since that title was last used! Warren must have wanted to protect you, I imagine. He probably anticipated your arrival here, make sure that no one touched you, I think."

My head was spinning, I followed him through the small room. "Sir, are you saying that Damien's father thought I'd be here?"

He continued to look through the vials in front of him. "Why else would he give you the highest title beside the Alteazor himself?"

I couldn't dwell too much on it since he started screaming around the room. "Damn it, Kymra! Where did I put the blasted-"

Kymra sounded bored. "It's on the table, Magister."

The more I interacted with him, the more I realized he was probably the wise old grandfather figure in the castle and less cool and collected like everyone else I'd met.

He appeared again, popping up from the other side of the table, picking up a large magnifying glass. "Come here, dear."

I stepped forward as he placed the glass in front of his face. "Now, tilt your head back."

I followed his instructions as he mumbled something softly to himself. He turned back to the table, picking up a mortar and placing ingredients in it. Eventually, he created a paste in the mortar.

He handed it to me. "Go ahead, put it on your neck. This should help."

I did as he instructed again, placing the green, minty substance on my neck. "At least it smells good," I laughed.

He handed me something else. "Here, drink this."

It was a small purple vial as big and thin as my finger. "What is it?"

I uncorked and sniffed it. I almost gagged. "Oh, my God! No. No way I'm drinking this."

"You're right!" He bounded excitedly towards me and placed his hands on my shoulders, pushing me back.

I fought him. "What are you doing?"

He looked up to the observatory ceiling then at me. "You need to be under the moonlight for it to work."

Kymra spoke up, "Magister, I do not believe I have ever heard of moonlight being a factor-"

"Oh, hush!" The man kept pushing me until I was directly under the moonlight. "Drink."

I frowned looking at the vial.

He sighed. "He warned me you were stubborn."

"What? I am not stubborn. Damien is the stubborn one! Have you ever tried teaching him how to drive?"

"Drink!" He pushed the vial towards me again practically shoving it up my nose.

I drank it and almost threw up as I felt a strange tingle throughout my body. I hugged my middle. "I think I'm going to be sick."

He was still excited. "I know what I can use! Kymra, dear, I think I'm missing some poppy milk. Can you fetch me some from the garden downstairs?"

I watched Kymra hesitate.

"Come now," he tsked. "The girl hasn't got all day."

Kymra began to leave. "I will be right back, Emmy."

I nodded and followed her with my gaze as she left through the only door in the tower. The door echoed as it shut.

I stood in silence as I watched him and after several minutes, I tried to break the silence, "How long do I keep this on?"

He shook his head. "Not long. By the time Kymra returns, you should be able to remove it."

I looked through the colored bottles and vials lined along the shelves around me. They were labeled common things that I'd find in my kitchen, nothing like the movies. There were no bat feet, eye of newt or toe of frog.

"You know there was a time when being Marked was considered the highest honor."

I continued to watch him feverishly work over a new mortar. He spoke as he worked. "It wasn't too long ago, either. Women would often brag about being Marked." He was almost mumbling but he was making sure he was loud enough to hear. "A Mark especially on the neck or face was a sign of intention. It was to make sure no one else touched their woman."

He sighed. "Such a wonderful, simpler time then. That was before King Augus was crowned, he found the ritual barbaric. Women aren't property, you see."

I watched him, disgusted. Was he serious? A simpler time?

"King Robyn, you see, he wanted to bring it back, bring back real tradition - culture."

Suddenly, the man didn't seem like a grandfather figure anymore. I started looking towards the door anxious for Kymra to return.

He finally did look up, his blue eyes locking with mine. "In the times before, you see. Before Warren attacked his brother."

My throat was suddenly dry and everything in my body screamed at me to run. I nodded silently, trying to appease him. "I understand. R-Robyn, right?"

The door suddenly burst open and an out of breath Kymra appeared. In her hand, she held a small bush. "I found it!"

Frowning, the Magister looked at the door. "My goodness girl, did you run there and all the way back?"

She nodded and rested against the door she'd just shut. "Yes, Magister."

He beckoned her forward with a hand, "Well, bring it here."

She walked towards him and handed it to him. Once her eyes settled on me, she frowned. She knew something happened. She watched my frozen stance by the door then looked back at him in silence.

Suddenly, she changed her stance from student to warrior - standing protectively in front of me.

Nothing escaped her.

While I was still on edge I could somewhat relax while she was there.

"Kymra," he called out. "She can take off the ointment now."

Kymra grabbed a piece of cloth from the table and turned to me. "Stand closer to the light," she told me.

She pulled me in a direction away from him. There was enough light, it was a ruse to be away from him.

She frowned as she watched me, "Are you all right?" she mouthed.

I nodded then tilted my head back to let her work.

She rubbed at the salve with the cloth gently enough that it didn't hurt. She frowned then smiled. "It worked, Magister."

"Well, of course, it worked, dear girl," he said. "I've been doing this long enough."