Then she inches closer, and her leg snaps out, her knee striking me right in my staff of life. Pain flashes through me, a searing jolt that brings my focus into sharp clarity as I collapse to my knees, instinctively holding onto my manhood, as if my grasp could undo the damage she’s just inflicted.
As if my reaction were an invitation, she turns and starts sprinting away, deeper into fae lands. She’s probably too panicked to even realize she’s going the wrong way.
Groaning, I climb to my feet and take off after her, my royal seed pouches aching with every step, the instinct to protect her overshadowing the pain. I see her up ahead, racing toward a drop-off I know all too well. Straight through the bushes is a deep, cavernous slice in the earth that leads to a raging river. The tiny human will be killed instantly on impact.
“Stop!” I shout after her, fear clawing at my throat. “You’re going to die!” My voice echoes through the trees, but she ignores me, sprinting harder.
Reaching out my hand, I command the earth to respond to me out of instinct, but my request is only met with silence. It’s a bitter reminder. My magic is ignoring me like it has done every time I've attempted to use it since the fae were cursed. Gritting my teeth, I speed up, nearly reaching her as her tired legs slow. She breaks through the bushes, and in one swift movement, I snap my hand out, connecting with fabric.
I skid to a halt when I hear her scream, a raw sound that echoes through the woods, then look through the bush to find her dangling over the chasm. Panic rips through me as I grip the fabric of her shirt tightly in my hand and yank her back to safety. She slams against my chest, the impact startling, and for a moment, I’m taken aback by the heat radiating from her body. She turns and presses herself against me with a tiny whimper, her heart racing beneath my touch.
The top of her head barely reaches the center of my chest, and I can feel the rapid tempo of her breathing against me. I’ve seen a fae woman who barely reached my shoulder and thought she was the tiniest woman in existence. But this... this is different. It’s strange having the human against me.Strange, and nice. There’s a warmth blossoming in my chest, an unexpected flicker of something I can’t quite name.
But then she pulls back and her eyes narrow into a glare. “Point me in the direction of the human lands, and I’ll be gone,” she tries to snap at me, but her voice betrays her terror.
I tilt my head, the corner of my mouth tugging upward despite the situation. “I don’t want you gone.”
She goes to kick me in the crotch again, but this time I’m ready. I smack her leg away, baffled as I stare at her. “What’s your problem? A horse kick to the head?”
There must be something wrong. The goddess wouldn’t send some addled human as our chosen one. Unless, of course, this is yet another chance for her to punish us for our mistake.
Her eyes burn with the hatred of a thousand suns. “What’s my problem? You kidnapped me!”
It’s hard for me to understand why she’s so upset.Could this be a human thing? They find being chosen by handsome fae kings particularly distressing?I know humans of the human realm are different from those raised to be our servants, but I never knew how. To my people, humans are more like... tools to help us. Not people. And yet, this human woman seems to have a lot of her own thoughts and feelings that aren’t aligned with helping me to live my best life. Which is confusing.They’re here to serve us, aren’t they?
I blink at her, baffled. “I believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding. I, a fae king, am in need of your service. Now, would you like to walk, or be carried?” I try to infuse my tone with calm authority, hoping she’ll understand what an honor it is for her to be carried by a king.
Her mouth opens and closes like she’s trying to catch a fly, then she speaks, seeming nervous. “Honestly? I don’t really care to serve you. I just want to go home.”
Frowning, I stare.What human doesn’t care what a fae wants?Every part of my being rebels against her ridiculous words.
“Listen…” I hesitate, searching for the right words. “Wait, I didn’t catch your name.”
Her gaze snaps around me, as if searching for a way out, but she manages to spit out, “Alette.”
Alette.I hide my laughter behind my hand, the absurdity of it all momentarily lightening my mood. Humans have such strange names.
“Alette, I’m King Sylvian of the Earth Fae,” I say, trying to soothe her, because, well, I feel like this whole thing would be a lot easier if we were on the same page. But instead of looking soothed, or even impressed to be in the presence of fae royalty, she just stares, so I press on. “You’re needed by the fae. This is important. It’s an honor. You are the only person who can help to fully restore our magic and allow us to access the elements once more.”
Her brow furrows at my words, confusion and disbelief flashing across her delicate features. “Honored? Why would I be honored to help you restore your magic? It has nothing to do with me. Please, just send me home.”
What?“Little human, that’s impossible. You’re the chosen one. Don’t you understand what that means?”
“The chosen what?” she asks, her eyes wide, and a flicker of something, fear perhaps, crosses her face.
I take a deep breath, letting my patience carry me through the explanation. “The chosen one. You see, Varua didn’t kill you like she did all the other human sacrifices for the last hundred years. She also gave you a dagger blessed by the goddess herself. You’re the chosen one. The person who will help us get our magic back.” I smile at her, though it’s a bit strained.
She simply glances around again, continuing to look for her escape.
Perhaps I need to explain this better.“One hundred years ago, on the night of Beltaie, our people made a terrible mistake. We spilled blood during the celebration, broke the most sacred rule in the fae world, and in punishment, Varua took away our connection to the elements. The only way to restore them is with you, her chosen human. And now, Alette, you get to be part of bringing back the magic to the fae.”
She stares at me, unblinking, her face an unreadable mask. “So, I’m supposed to do what exactly?”
My smile falters a little.How is she not getting this? Is it the brain thing again? Or am I not explaining this well?“The goddess erected a massive labyrinth, filled with danger unlike anything, human and fae alike, have seen. You will accompany fae royalty into the labyrinth. You’re the key to everything. You’ll help us unlock our connection to the elements again. You’re?—”
“I don’t want to do that,” she rushes out, her voice firm, defiance shining in her wide eyes.
“But it’ll help the fae.” I stare at her dumbly.
