Leeara. It was a beautiful name.
“My men told me where she was staying. The moment I saw her, with that long silver hair flowing like water around her perfect face…“ he trailed off, his eyes going distant at the memory.
“You fell for her?” I ventured.
A dreamy look claimed him. “I did indeed. I brought her here, and we were happy, Raynella. After a few months, she became pregnant with you. Not because I forced her, but because shewanted to have a child. I planned to tell her about the prophecy one day when you were older, but seven months after you were born she fled the castle with you for reasons we may never know.” He paused before continuing, bitterness now lacing his words. “She took you to the Walker that lived in the dark forest. By the time we found her, it was already too late. My men arrived just as the Walker murdered your mother and stole you away through a rift.”
My father lifted a hand to my cheek. His thumb wiped a tear away, and he held his palm there, tenderly cupping my face. “I have been searching for you ever since that day, Raynella. I found the last remaining Walker and convinced him to help me. Every lunar cycle when the rift could be opened, I sent one of my best men to seek you out. I was beginning to give up hope until now.” He pulled me into a tight hug. “You are finally home, Raynella. Rivella is where you belong.”
Ignoring the awkwardness of his touch, I let him hold me while I grieved for the mother I never knew and wondered about her possible reasons for stealing me away.
The sound of a throat clearing eventually pulled us apart. A short, elderly male in a red button-up frock hovered uncomfortably a few feet away.
My father waved a hand at him in acknowledgement, then turned back to me. “I must leave you in Dey’s very capable hands now, but I implore you, Raynella, please take some time before you reject your role in the prophecy. Now that you are in Vitaea, your magic will awaken, and you can save your people.” He gave me one last squeeze then stood. “Think about it. This could be your home.” And with that, he left the Sylvarium, his steward close behind.
Dey joined me on the bench. “Are you well, Princess?”
I was most definitely not well. My brain was reeling, and I was pretty sure my capacity for new and insane things had surpassedits limit. There was, however, one prevailing thought that begged immediate attention.
“Dey… do I have magical powers?”
The son-of-a-bitch just grinned.
Chapter eleven
“Where are we going?” I asked, accompanying Dey through the castle. He still hadn’t answered my question about having magical powers. He just grabbed my hand, tugged me out of the Sylvarium, and took off down a labyrinth of hallways.
When I was about to ask if maybe he had gotten lost, he halted abruptly in front of a wooden door. I followed him through, and the blinding sunlight on the other side caused me to miss the first step down. I let out a surprised squawk as gravity flung me unceremoniously into Dey and knocked us both to the ground, his body twisting to cushion my fall as I landed on top of him.
He burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but join him for a second, pulled in by the sweetly innocent sound of his unfiltered joy.
When his laughter subsided, I waited for him to shift me off his chest, but his arms only wrapped around me tighter. His heart beat out a brisk tempo under my ear, my own speeding up to match.
I pulled back far enough to see that the amusement in his eyes had changed into something more serious and heated. Brushing a lock of hair from his face, I felt him harden underneath me. My own body melted in response to his obvious arousal, but the sane part of me recognized that sex was a complication I didn’t need.
I extricated myself from his arms and rolled off his chest.
“You could have stayed where you were,” he offered tenderly.
I climbed to my feet and assessed my body for new bruises. “I was crushing you. I’m not exactly petite.”
“You are to me,” he pointed out. “And I was not complaining.”
He didn’t move from the spot where we landed, looking at me with something like wishful dreaming. I hated to see that light in his eyes go out when all I did was put out a hand to help him up.
“Where are we?” I asked. We had entered a courtyard similar to the one at the front of the castle but much smaller with only one fountain and thankfully no diamond veins in the stone walls.
Dey led me over to the sculpture that continually tossed a fine mist into the air, and we sat on the bench beneath it.
“This is King Verren’s private courtyard. The Sylvarium is lovely, but the crescia would have made conversation a challenge.”
“Why?” I asked, tilting my head slightly. “I liked their soft, gentle coos.”
“Yes, they are charming creatures, but I was worried they might become a distraction since they are drawn to the potential power inside you.”
“Insideme?” I asked, glancing down at my arms as if I might see some crackling energy leaking out.
“Yes, Princess. I am bonded to Thorell and the king’s crescia died many years ago so we are less appealing. You, however, are unbonded, and they can sense the rising power within you.”
