Watching on, I see my little Dove shaking hands with the male of the family she is conversing with, and I can’t help the utter reverence I hold in my heart for this female. She shows me a strength of character I’ve never known.
She turns towards me and bounds down the stairs with purpose in her eyes. “They are coming,” she beams up at me as she grabs onto my tunic, plastering herself to my body.
Natural.
Comfortable.
Home.
Damn it all to the underworld.I grasp my hands around her body and hold on tight.
We will not be able to be so familiar in Terra.This bond is making us too desperate for each other, however unintentional it may be. I pull her back at arm’s length.
Dove’s smile dips, barely noticeable, and then she retreats a step. “Come. We are walking to the north gate with Lucas’s family.”
She doesn’t wait for my response as she hikes the steps back towards thisLucas and his female. Looking around, I see some excitement—hope—on the children’s faces. The adults look more confused, and some steal glances my way.
A large, shadowed figure swoops above my head. “Your little human bonded seems to have found herself a troop.”
Solen perches on the tavern’s stone shingles. “Hmm. She’s convinced she can save these humans.” My whispers ride the air to Solen’s ears.
“And what do you think?”
“I think she’s biting off more than she can chew. But we are bonded, and…” I run my hands over my cloaked head. Solen squarks. “And if I were her, I’d probably be doing the same thing, but I’ll be glad when we are back in Terra.”
“To marry your Silver Sands female?”
A lump forms in my throat as a pain sears through my middle. “Yessss,” I hiss.This bond will be the death of both of us.
Looking around, I wonder,what are the chances all these humans will make it to Terra?
The trek from Haven to Terra is not fraught with beasts and dragons, but impossibly hard terrain. I continue to look on at the families before me.
Have we taken on an impossible task?
twenty-two
Dove
As we stand bythe north gate, we look up at the imposing, forested mountain range before us. The gate is more of an open circular stone walkway with one warden—a lookout.
Anyone is free to leave the gates of the kingdom, but you will not be granted access unless you are under the king’s orders. So, basically, if you leave, you will not be granted access to return.
I’ve never heard of anyone leaving Haven.
My hands quiver as I take the first step separating myself from my home. Connecting my booted foot to the soil below, a gust ofterror grips me.What have I done? Did I really kill the high priestess? Will the dyre wolves seek my death? Is the king truly a liar?
My own mind fights the new truths of the past turn of the suns.
I’ve never felt so much panic, my whole body visibly trembling. Even facing my death wasn’t this scary. Surrendering to death was easy. This? This is hard. Questioning everything I’ve ever known. Leaving behind the places and people who made me and broke me.
My body frozen, I find it hard to pursue my new course until fingers slip through my own, my fae prince a soothing presence beside me.
Closing my eyes, I look towards the impossible in front of me and remember a soft, tiny face.This is for you.The sigh echoes through my soul, landing on the wings of an angel. Argus rears his head and roars.
“Let’s go.” I move our procession towards our difficult task.
It turns out my guide is quite good at what he does. When I tell him so, he acts hurt in his surprise, explaining that he would often lead scouting missions around Terra. I am surprised the prince of the fae does more than sit on his arse all turn and be pampered, but he says everyone within Terra is assigned work to contribute to the community.
