Never would I have thought I’d wed a female, fall in love with her, and be willing to give up everything I was before I recognized she was mine and that I was hers. That we were two parts of one soul, our fates destined and woven together by the stars.
My gaze turned to Neve, standing at the door to our room and still speaking with a bleary-eyed Ronaldo and a smiling Lei, who stopped by to bid us farewell. My heart warmed. I should have paid more attention to my inklings about Neve, but it did not matter now. We were bound forever, even when we entered the starry halls of the afterworld. I no longer doubted I should be with Neve, and would do my best to live up to the great fate the stars had gifted to me.
“Hello there,” Neve said, alerting me that someone else was stopping by.
A small voice came from the hallway. “I apologize for my interruption. I have a package for the prince and you, Princess Neve.”
My mate stepped aside. “Could you give it to Vale while I finish my goodbyes? He’s packing up.”
A human we’d led to Dergia entered our room. She was around Filip’s age and reedy, malnourished in a way that made her brown eyes appear too large in her gaunt face. Although she had put on weight in the days since I’d seen her, the girl still had a long way to go before she was healthy.
“Hello.” I’d only spoken to this girl twice and didn’t know what she could be bringing us.
She curtsied, bobbing erratically with the motion. “I’m working in the royal household until I come of age to have my very own cottage. I’ve been at the forge since dawn, and Master Kolmot just finished these for you.” She held out a leather package tied up with a thick string.
“From the forge?” My throat tightened. The royal familyhad mentioned that they’d gift uszupriansteel daggers, but after our first meal together, nothing further had been said. It seemed, though, that the Fellhelms hadn’t forgotten.
“Do be careful,” the girl said as I took the package. “They’re sheathed but sharp, and the smith warned me that they might slip out.”
“Thank you. Are the dwarves treating you well?”
“They are, Prince Vale. I sleep in a room with others who are around my age. I feel safe and so far, I enjoy what I’m doing. This world is so fantastical.”
“Do you think you could be happy here?
“It’s not what I’d imagined my life to be, nothing like where I come from, but I know it’s better than being a blood slave. The dwarves are kind, and soon enough, I’ll be able to get a job outside the palace. Until then, I get to save coin and learn how things work around here.”
I knew next to nothing of the human world, and little more regarding the magical beings that lived with humans. From what I knew, though, our realms were quite different. I only hoped that this girl’s desires came true, and she could make the best of this life.
“Good luck to you then.” I bowed my head, and she performed another clumsy curtsey before scurrying off.
“That was sweet.” Neve swept over the instant the girl was gone. Lei and Ronaldo had left too, and we were alone.
“I hope she’ll be happy here. That they all are.”
“Ronaldo and Lei told me that most of the humans have already found jobs, and some have their own stone cottages too. Those who were ill or injured are remaining in the castle until they’re well, but positions are lined up for them.Ronaldo and Lei plan to work in the mines for a while until they find work that suits them better.”
“It truly worked out,” I murmured. There had been many doubts as we traveled, but this outcome was better than expected.
“It did.” She glanced at the package in my hands, and fanned herself. We were already dressed in furs for the journey. The furs, combined with the fire blazing in the hearth, made the room warmer than we liked. “I overheard the girl. So those are the daggers?”
I nodded.“Perhaps we find Anna and Caelo and open it together? They each have one too.”
“Excellent idea! They’ll already be preparing the horses, and I want to get out of this room. It’s sweltering.” She held up a finger. “But before we meet them in the yard, I have one thing I want to do.”
“What’s that?”
“The night I seduced you,” she winked, “I saw a Drassil tree in the garden. I forgot all about it until now. Anyway, it was looking like it needed a magical infusion. I’ve touched them before, but I could try?”
“No.”
She straightened. “Why not?”
“The Drassils are all connected, my love.” I took her hand. “It’s not likely, but my father could learn where we are if you infused one with your power. More importantly, he could learn of Dergia. I’m sorry to say, but their tree will have to continue to rely on magic being infused into the network elsewhere.”
Her shoulders fell. “I didn’t think of that.”
“One day, you’ll be able to help,” I assured her.
