“No. It’s not.” Even at my own words, my heart betrayed me, beating harder with fear and hope in equal measure. Well, not really equal.
“Quay, come on! Allow yourself some happiness.”
“I’ve told you never to call me that. What if you are heard?”
“What if any of it is heard? You worry too much. I am the prince. I can do what I want. Including having a relationship with my brother.” A knowing smirk crossed his handsome moonlit face. “As for your relationship with Flesser… I could give it my sanction.”
For the billionth time, I considered telling Xenith everything. He wasn’t a child any longer. He needed to know. As every time before, for the past nine years, I stuffed the harsh truths away. Despite the fact that an adult sat across from me, I still saw the six-year-old who had wept when he saw me after my own rebirth. I’d told him that my metamorphosis had gone wrong. Which it had. That I was no longer able to see him in public. That he must keep our late-night meetings a secret from our parents, from everyone.
I told him that I would always love him. Take care of him.
I told him he had nothing to worry about, that when the time arrived, his own metamorphosis would be perfect. I promised.
I told him I’d never leave him. That I’d always be there for him when he needed me.
I never told him it was our mother’s decree that left me branded. That she not only maintained the expectations for the betrayal of her royal blood, but compounded them. Never told him that my wings were plucked—allowing him to believe the stubs were another result of the malformation.
I convinced him it was only custom and tradition that dictated our family ties be severed, which was true, in the purest of senses. I convinced him he was in no danger of my fate. I convinced him all would be fine.
Maybe I should have fled. Left Xenith alone. He would have forgotten me in time. Maybe I shouldn’t have trusted a child with our secrets. But I had, and Xenith had never intentionally nor accidentally betrayed me.
Even as I stared at him in the clearing, despite his grown face and body, I still only saw my brother who had wept the night I returned, the child I held until he fell asleep. The child I vowed to love and protect for my entire life. Nothing good would come of the truth now. It was too late for the truth, it would cut him too deep.
“No, Xenith. I shouldn’t be meeting with Flesser, and I am certain he does not feel the same about me, whatever my feelings are—”
“See! You do have feelings for him. Let me talk to—”
“No. Please. I know you mean well. Let me give this time.” I searched for an excuse. “Let me figure it out, to see if Flesser truly does care for me.”
His brows furrowed in frustration. “Fine. But I am certain—”
A snapping sounded in the distance, startling us both and cutting off his words. I shifted to be invisible. It wouldn’t fool another fairy if they were looking for me, but if they were unaware, chances were low that they’d notice.
After a few moments and further gentle cracking, a young buck stepped out of the darkness of the trees. An arrow protruded from its upper flank, and its left hind leg was twisted causing the animal to limp. Dropping my invisibility, I stepped toward the creature, Xenith moving beside me.
Xenith knelt in front of the deer, stroking his hand along the side of its cheek and muzzle. “It must have fallen down a hill or something when it was shot.” He motioned toward the velvet-covered antlers, one of which had snapped off halfway down. Dried blood crusted around the break and down the buck’s side from the arrow’s insertion. With each small motion, a trickle of fresh blood made its way through the crusted mess.
I looked off into the woods, as if I could see through the trees. “I neither heard nor sensed humans.”
“Nor I.” The deer nuzzled against Xenith’s palm. “From the looks of our friend, I think he has wandered a long distance.” He motioned me closer. “You remove the arrow while I keep him calm.”
I did as he said. My blood ran cold as I saw the arrow’s point slide free. It glowed blue. Not a human arrow. Wrapping my hand around it, I absorbed its power. When I removed my grasp, the glow was gone.
It was less than a minute’s work, using my power to effortlessly slide the arrow from the deer’s body, then lay my hand over the wound to encourage it to heal. In another instant, I’d also healed the fractured bone in the deer’s rear leg. I stroked along the animal’s side. The deer was beautiful and appeared to be a yearling. Still not losing the comforting contact with the deer’s hide, I again looked into the forest. Already I felt guilt for misleading Xenith, but I couldn’t cause him fear. “Should you go alert the guards to the possibility of humans?”
Standing once more, Xenith gave a final stroke to the deer, then stepped away. “No. Our defenses are intact. We are in no danger.”
I didn’t argue. I was certain Xenith was correct. But still, the deer’s injury, the way the arrow had so easily sliced into the strong beautiful creature, sent a chill of dread down my spine.
Before encouraging the deer to be on its way, I moved my hand up to the injured antler. As the antler regrew, a soft glow from its core illuminated the darkness between the three of us like a small candle. The singular long spike reminded me of my own disfigured protrusions. Unlike the deer, there was no hope of those ever fulfilling their destiny. “Go along now, young one. Some day you will have a head heavy with your crown of spikes. Wear it with pride. May you never lose your majesty.”
Four
Flesser arched, letting his head fall back slightly as he moved rhythmically above me. I was near to orgasm but forced myself to wait, to be satisfied watching his body undulate. He began to stroke his cock with greater fervor and impaled himself upon me with such force that each impact hurt.
Just as his seed shot across my chest, his grasshopper wings unsheathed. The crystalline front wings rising on either side of his head, the rust-hued rear segments unfurling from the sides of his back. The sight of his wings, more than his orgasm spraying across my skin, was my undoing. With a muffled cry, I let go of my resolve before Flesser issued a final groan and collapsed onto me.
His whispered breath tickled across my chest. “Don’t change back yet. Let me see you one last time.”
