Xandros glared at Samian, his nose curling. “Give me one good reason, soul-meander, and I will gladly cut you down.”
I glanced between the two, praying for Samian to keep his mouth shut. I had never seen him this way. Never so disheveled—so ruffled. I looked at Edris, his eyes meeting my own as I silently pleaded for him to step in.
“Enough, Xandros,” Edris said flatly. “The halfling didn’t grow up in our court; he does not know our ways, nor does he know his mistake, I suspect. He was coddled by Queen Cassia, not taught to respect those higher than him. Let the boy go.”
Xandros growled, the war god bristling at the thought of releasing his prey, but dropped his sword, sheathing it before he vanished, reappearing on his throne. “Leave; we will send word once we have our answer.”
Viv bowed before the council, forcing Samian and me to follow suit. Edris appeared in front of us, his eyes sharp. “Come, I will walk you out.”
We followed Edris in silence until we reached the bridge, our faces grim.
“I apologize for the others,” Edris said softly. “We are old; the recklessness of our youths has passed. We have seen many kingdoms come and go, along with the creation of the realms. It has made us unhurried and apathetic towards others. And Samian, I apologize for Xandros. His words were too harsh. You all have my support, with or without the council. I will come to your aid when you need it. Solaris, too, though she may not say it out loud.”
I stepped up to Edris, stretching out my hand. “Thank you, Edris. Your support is greatly appreciated.”
Taking my hand, Edris squeezed hard, his smile sharpening. “Don’t take this as my not planning to kill you later, Kieran. You and I have a score to settle.”
I laughed, ignoring the pain splintering across my hand, and clapped him on the shoulder. “Anytime, anywhere, my friend.”
Viv huffed and crossed the bridge with Samian following, not daring to look or speak to Edris.
“He had a difficult life here, though he has been lucky not to run into the other council members during his recent visits,” Edris said, catching the concern flashing in my eyes. “He has not told you his story.” A statement rather than a question. The god of fate knew of our lives. He could see them in his mind.
“No, though I didn’t ask. I figured it was something he would tell me when he was ready. Why do you call him halfling?”
“That is not my story to tell. Now go. I don’t want to keep the council waiting for much longer.”
I exhaled, knowing it was no use to ask more questions. Edris would only allow small details, even to his most trusted followers. I waved him goodbye and crossed the bridge, taking Viv’s hand to return home. Once we were back in the small room in the camp, Samian made to leave, but I grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“What did Edris mean when he called you a halfling?” I demanded. Though I never pressed to learn more about his time before the queen, I would not let this slide any longer. Not when Sybil was our mate, making our bond deeper than brothers.
“It’s nothing. His words meant nothing.” Samian hissed, trying to pull his arm from me. I refused to let go, my grip tightening. Samian growled, but cursed when he realized I would not stop until I had my answer. “Fine, release me, and I’ll tell you.”
I loosened my grip, letting go of his arm and backing away, my hands raised in surrender. Samian took a breath, looking at the wall. His eyes were distant, but I could feel the nervous energy growing in the room. His fingers were drumming against his thigh when he swallowed nervously.
“I’m originally from the Seelie Court,” Samian finally murmured, slumping into a nearby chair. “I’m part fae, part elf, though my ears take after my fae heritage. My father was from the Seelie Court and met my mother during his travels beyond the mountain. Though she wasn’t part of the Seelie Court, he ended up staying at her village. This is why I have earth magicandthe soul-bonding ability.”
I swore and sat in the chair beside him, Viv sitting to my right. “Why did the other council members call you soul-meander?”
Samian paled and swallowed. His hand trembled against the table. “I can do more than create bonds, feel and see emotions and memories,” he said, his voice cracking. “I can also twist a person’s soul. I can bend it, morph it into something new.”
Viv inhaled sharply beside me, her eyes wide with shock. “It was you all those years ago, wasn’t it? The one that killed those soldiers?”
Samian nodded, his face pinching. “My family and the village kept my ability a secret, but it somehow got out. My ability is dangerous because I don’t have to form a bond with someone to change their soul. I just have to touch them. One day, a group of seelie soldiers came to investigate the rumors. With one single touch, I was able to shred their souls apart like it was nothing. But I was young. They were hurting my family, and I didn’t know any better. I just wanted to protect them.”
Tears were falling from Samian’s eyes, and something in my gut twisted, sinking low.
“That’s when Xandros and his men came. They killed my entire family and everyone in the village as punishment for keeping this from the council. My family distracted them long enough for me to flee, but the mountains between the fae kingdom and the Seelie Court are dark and dangerous, the magic too wild and ancient. I got lost and walked for days, climbing the trees at night to hide from the beasts that roamed in the shadows. After the fifth day, I saw a beautiful female walking among the trees. I followed her, and when she turned and saw me, she smiled and said, ‘I’ve been waiting for you. Come, child, you will live with me.’ Ever since then, Queen Cassia has cared for me as her own.”
“Did she know?” Viv whispered, tears freely falling down her face.
“She did, though I’m not sure how. I’m sure Edris had something to do with that. But she never held it against me, never feared me. Instead, she taught me how to wield my power so that I wouldn’t make that mistake again.”
All three of us sat in silence while Samian mindlessly traced his finger along the scar on his cheek. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t have the words to even begin to reply. My mind went completely blank. Instead, I let Viv speak for us, her voice trembling with every word. “Thank you for telling us, Samian. For trusting us enough to share that memory.” She reached over, putting her hand on top of his. “This does not change how we think of you. You are still the Samian we know and love. You are still our brother, still Sybil’s mate and worthy of the love you receive.”
I blinked back my own tears. “What she said,” I muttered.
Samian snorted and shook his head. “Thank you, both of you. It’s growing late, so I will head back with Aster. But with Sybil knowing we are her mates, we need to talk to her tomorrow.”
