"Aurelia, are you okay?" A concerned voice sounded, causing her to snap out of her temporary daze. Her emerald eyes widened and her head shook as she attempted to rid herself of the remaining daze.

"Huh?" She looked up from the parchment to stare at where the voice had come from. Eyes the color of summer waves watched her with hints of worry as it was the salt in the seawater. She was so relieved that this voice wasn't in her head. She smiled weakly at Lucas. "I'm fine."

Serenity, Nyel, and Lucas all gazed at her, all appearing as worried as Lucas had sounded. They stared at her.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

The map wanted to show her more. She knew it. There was a strong thundering of pressure inside her head. She held the map stiffly, afraid to look down at it again. What had just happened?

"I'm sure." Aurelia replied.

With the swallowing of her confusion and anxiousness she peered down at the parchment once more. The lines and shapes began moving again proving her suspicion correct. It did want to show her something more.

It was hypnotizing as she gazed at the parchment. Her arms were lead and her gaze was stuck. She couldn't look away despite desperately wanting to. The enchanted energy was so strong.

This undoubtedly was real magic. She couldn't deny it. She believed.

It took everything in her to physically look away just as new figures formed. Aurelia thrust the map into Luke's arms.

"I- I got to go." Aurelia mumbled.

Serenity shared a confused look with Lucas. She reached out to put a hand of Aurelia in comfort. It was obvious that some was wrong.

Aurelia pulled back, refusing the comfort. She picked up her skirt and took off running. This was too overwhelming. She had to get out of there. She needed to think.

She nearly tripped up the grand staircase as she ran. It was the stupid shoes. She wasn't used to them, which explained how easily one of them slipped off. It fell behind her only to be left on a previous step. She didn't even notice. She was too busy thinking.

Aurelia could still feel the magical energy around her. It was a light and airy tingling sensation in her head, chest, and fingertips. It was as if the magic was inside her at that moment.

She threw open the door to the room Aurelia had changed in earlier. Nyel had given all his guests rooms. Serenity was staying in the room right next door and Lucas would be across the hall. She fell onto the bed.

Why was she so freaked out by it? She had been growing more open minded towards magic being more and more real. Heck she had even see it with her own eyes at the beginning of her quest! So why was she so freaked out? Why was the magic lurking?

She jumped at the sound of knocking and stared at the door, waiting.

"It's Lucas. Can I come in?" A voice from the other side asked.

"Come in." She mumbled out of habit. She groaned after the words left her mouth.

The door let out a soft creak as it opened. Aurelia looked down at her hands in her lap as Lucas entered.

"Lose something?" He asked. She looked up. He was holding a golden slipper. The map was rolled up in his other hand.

"My shoe!" Aurelia exclaimed. She mentally kicked herself. How had she not realized that it had slipped off?

Lucas walked over to the bed she was sitting on and sat next to her. He handed her shoe over. She smiled and slipped it on.

"Thanks," She mumbled.

"What happened back there?" Lucas wondered.

"I..." She didn't know what to say. "That map. Can't you feel the magical energy? Didn't you see anything weird? Hear anything strange?"

Panic flashed across Luke's face. He grabbed her hand in his worry. Lucas bit his lip. She sounded different... If he was being completely honest she sounded delirious.

"Are you feeling okay?" Lucas asked.

"I'm fine!" Aurelia snapped, jerking her hand away. She sighed. "Okay maybe I'm not." She flopped backwards on the bed.

"What happened, Lia?"

"Okay I touched that map and I saw things. Luke, Mr. Gold has a history with Atharia's royalty. That's what I saw. Gold promised vengeance on the nobility of Atharia! And it wanted to show me more, but-" Aurelia stammered, sitting back up.

"Aurelia, calm down. You've clearly got a lot on your mind." Lucas put a hand on her shoulder.

Aurelia took a deep breath. "I can still feel the magic energy. It's real, Lucas. All of it. We're up against a force we can't fight."

"Who said we have to fight?"

"What if we have to? Nothing can prepare us against an uncontrollable force. What if Mr. Gold tricks us or tries to hurt you or-" Aurelia's speech was growing more panicked every sentence.

"Aurelia, I thought we weren't supposed to be paranoid? You didn't want me panicking about this before." Lucas said.

The tingling sensation was present but fading. Aurelia shivered. She hated it.

"That was before! I don't know what to do now! And that energy won't go away. Look at me. I'm acting crazy." She threw her hands up.

"You're not crazy. You're just a little startled." Lucas comforted.

Aurelia gave him a soft smile. "Thanks, but I must sound mad."

"Well, Nyel did say it's enchanted. I mean nothing happened to me when you handed it over but clearly it's not all in your head. Your eyes glazed over, all silvery. It was strange." Lucas admitted.

Aurelia turned towards Luke. "What? Why didn't you say something earlier?" She hissed.

"You ran off!"

Aurelia sighed. "I guess that's fair."

"Aurelia," Lucas grabbed her hand once more. She bit her lip. "You can worry about this tomorrow when you've gotten some rest. Please, don't think about it for a while. Just try to sleep. I think you need it."

Aurelia nodded. Lucas smiled, weakly. He was about let go and leave but before he could Aurelia threw her arms around him.

"Thanks," She whispered in his ear.

He hugged back. "For what?"

"For being here. I'm just so confused and overwhelmed I-"

"Lia, get some sleep." He let go. Aurelia nodded again.

Sleep might help her clear her head, but with it this full she probably would never get any rest.

It was already a long night.