“Good! That’s a good first step!” Calix yelled up to me.
We spent the next few hours this way, until I was a bit more confident in my shifting abilities and beginning to understand how to release my rage in a healthier way. Though, I feared I still had a long way to go. This was all stuff Calix learned as a kid, and here I was, twenty-one and unable to handle my own emotions.
Or my magic.
I’d tried several more times to summon it, but it still wasn’t answering me. It left me frustrated and feeling decidedly useless, but Calix promised I’d get there.
But I wanted to get therenow. I hated feeling like I was failing at being Fae. I may not have wanted to be Fae, but Iwas, and I didn’t want to be this bad at it.
“Come on.” Calix swung his arm around my shoulders, leading me back to the palace. “We’ve got places to be.”
“Where are we going?” I asked, eyebrows furrowing.
“Out for the night.” Calix smiled wickedly, with just a hint of fang, “I had Ilta plan it out for us, but I figured you could use the night to blow off some steam after this afternoon.”
A part of me melted. Knowing he’d thought ahead and arranged this for me, anticipating the truth I’d learned and everything after would be difficult for me… I had to choke back tears, but I let myself fling my arms around him in a hug.
He froze for only a moment, before his gigantic arms swallowed me up and hugged me back.
“Thank you, my dorchadas,” I mumbled into his chest, feeling overwhelmed by the strength of my emotions in this moment.
His breath hitched, and I realized I hadn’t called him that since I’d learned the truth about our bond.
“Of course, my réalta,” he murmured into my hair, some of the stiffness leaking out of his limbs as he hugged me to him.
We both stood there, suspended in this moment, until the sound of someone clearing their throat had me jumping back.
Priscilla stood there with a smile on her face, looking slyly between Calix and me. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve got to get you ready if you want to be on time to go out.”
I raised a brow in disbelief. “We’re on a timetable?”
Priscilla rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly. “You know Ilta.”
I couldn’t help the laugh I let out, and I turned to Calix with a shrug. “I guess I’ll see you soon.”
Priscilla grabbed my hand to pull me with her, but Calix caught my other before she could. “Of course. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
The words were so innocent, but his tone sent shivers down my spine. The sultry promise within made me suddenly glad we’d talked out some of our issues.
But I had to remind myself we weren’t there yet.Iwasn’t there yet. I had so much to figure out and not much time to do it. Not with a war on the horizon.
Priscilla giggled as she dragged me back to my room, “So…” She dragged the word out, waggling her eyebrows at me.
I rolled my eyes at her, pushing her shoulder playfully. “So, what?”
It was her turn to roll her eyes. “Don’t yousowhatme! You two obviously talked. Are you going to make me drag information out of you kicking and screaming?”
I laughed as she put her hands on her hips, looking entirely willing to do just that.
“I’ll tell you if you tell me about you and Callisto,” I countered, raising a brow. Priscilla blushed, and I couldn’t help but laugh as she pushed me into the door to my room.
Delia was waiting, and she also had an expectant look on her face. “How’d it go?”
“Asteria wasjustabout to tell me.” Priscilla teased, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. I noticed it had grown out a bit. It had been shoulder length when we’d first met, but it was now past her shoulders, and I realized I’d actually managed to keep a female friend for long enough to see such changes. It was novel and exciting all at once.
The two pushed me into the chair at my vanity to begin getting me ready. While Priscilla wasn’t technically my lady-in-waiting as Delia was, she enjoyed helping me get ready when she could. It was a familiarity we both enjoyed.
“Well, as it turns out, I’m the lost princess and heir of Day Kingdom.” I tossed out as casually as I could, just waiting to see their reactions. Keeping my smirk contained was a herculean effort.
