Vines formed beneath me, and my skin felt warm, flush, as if I were laying out in the sun on a hot summer’s day.
My magic spread like wildfire, blooming like fresh flowers in the dawn of spring as it filled me, as it brought me back to life.
“Transference,” Norman murmured, as Bane broke our kiss.
His eyes were not red or pink, and his gaze no longer held fury.
It held love and devotion; it held hope and certainty.
“Well, it looks as if you are not the only one with anArdaim,”the queen said, breaking the strange air that surrounded us.
I realized the forest was now bright, brighter than anything I’d ever seen.
The trees flourished with bright pink and purple leaves, the walls of an abandoned castle, shimmering with gold as the black stain of dark faerie continued to dissipate, disintegrating into the air. In the absence of darkness, there was light.
So much light...
I watched as Delaney picked up a flower, a violet, and spun it around in her hands.
“But... but...” Wanda tutted. “Incubi can notascend.”
The queen’s voice was full of hope, of happiness.
“Have you ever heard of the legend of the incubus who was bound to a faerie, young lady?”
Wanda scoffed, as I watched a smirk play at Bane’s lips.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Wanda huffed.
Norman’s tentacles wrapped around her waist as he pulled her close.
“Come, we must make haste if we are to complete your ceremonies before the dawn,” the queen said as she placed a hand on Bane’s shoulder, regaling me with a soft look of pride.
So much pride.
Bane helped me to my feet, supporting my weight as I tried to find my footing.
“Does this make it official?” he asked with a twist of his lips.
“I beg your pardon?” the queen said as she looked between us.
But Bane was only looking at me.
“I mean, we never really had a first date or anything...”
I leaned into him with a smile of my own.
“Don’t go getting cold feet on me now,gancanagh,” I teased.
“I’m just worried the food’s going to suck, and you deserve better,” he said, running his hand up and down my back.
Delaney shook her head, her hand braced on her hip.
“What did I tell you, Vi? I said that one’s trouble,” she said with a smirk of her own.
Wanda chortled, but Norman just laughed.
“Every good girl needs a bad boy, right?” I said with a sly grin of my own.
