His mouth quirked. “Getting used to having me around, are you?”
Her eyes narrowed. “No, you arrogant prince. I just don’t like being kidnapped and then neglected.”
He was still smiling when his breathing seemed to catch. He leaned closer, all signs of humor gone. “Amund, do you see this? Her eyes…”
Amund inched closer too.
“Hey!” She swatted at him. “What’s wrong with you two? Ever heard of personal space?”
Amund straightened and looked at Garrin. “Her eyes have a light glow.”
Isle sighed. “Of course they do. I told you, she is like no one else.”
And then Garrin’s hand burst into flame. Well, not burst. It was more like the flicker of a cigarette lighter. Only blue.
“I thought we were being incognito?” Lex tried to blow out the flame. “Put that thing out before you burn the place down.”
But Garrin and Amund weren’t listening. They were too busy staring at her face. And down her body. And then at each other.
“Shite,” Garrin said.
“She has changed,” Amund said. “No longer Fae.”
Garrin tore his eyes off Lex to glare at her mother. “What is she?”
“I told you, prince, she is like no one. Now make good on your promise and keep my daughter safe. And get me out of here. If Casone discovers I’m inside his castle, we’ll have bigger problems than we already do.”
Isle squeezed Lex’s hand. “The king has never seen you. With me away, you have a chance at hiding in plain sight. I won’t risk you coming with me and rumors surfacing that you’re my daughter. If I’m caught before we escape, at least you’ll have a chance at survival. As long as no one knows you’re my child.”
“Mom, you’re scaring me more than I already am. You won’t get caught. And what is wrong with my eyes, you people?” Lex patted her face. “I haven’t gotten good sleep, so I probably look like a nightmare… Wait, what do you mean I’m not Fae?”
“You are Fae,” Isle said. “But also, more.”
“How much more?” Garrin asked.
Memories of her mother were coming back to the point that Lex felt her mom hadn’t been gone all that long. That Isle wasn’t a perfect stranger to her, but… “Mom?…Who is my father?I don’t remember him at all.”
“Later, darling. For now, do as theFire Princesays. Don’t think I didn’t notice you have an ability with fire as well, son of Casone. No wonder the king sends you on his errands. You are as powerful as he, only he cannot control fire.”
Lex felt her mother’s hand on her shoulder. “You will pretend to be his girlfriend. For now.”
Garrin swallowed. One of those nervous swallows. The kind Lex never saw him do because the darn Fae didn’t get outwardly nervous the way humans did. Until now.
“What’s wrong with you?” She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Why are you suddenly afraid of being my boyfriend? You were gloating a moment ago.”
“The girl’s energy level…” Amund said, shaking his head. “How can this be?”
Garrin blinked as though waking from a dream, and his jaw hardened. “I don’t know. But one thing is clear. She has come into her true being. And we must find a way to hide it.”
14
One thing was certain: Garrin couldn’t introduce Lex to his court. Not with her power level presenting greater than any Fae in the land. Not all Fae could detect power levels with precision the way Amund could, but some did.
They had minutes—seconds, perhaps—until the king’s soldiers discovered their whereabouts. Garrin hadn’t time to talk to his father first. He needed a glamour for Lex, and he needed it now.
Amund portaled them to one of Garrin’s dressing rooms, and Garrin took in the familiar surroundings. Ornate mahogany furniture brought from the Earth realm several hundred years ago filled the space, along with colorful tapestries woven by his people. The tapestries hung from tall ceilings and looked crisp, as though they’d been recently beaten of dust. They depicted springtime in Dark Kingdom before the land became frozen. The scent of magic burning in the massive hearth was sharp and metallic, bringing back memories of the last time he’d entered this room, before he’d journeyed to the Earth realm. A great many months had passed, and yet the room appeared untouched.
Satisfied the chamber was safe, Garrin turned to Lex—and his heart nearly stopped beating.
