Inside, the two halves of him pulled in opposite directions—loyalty and longing, fear and guilt, the boy who wanted to belong and the man who’d been built to betray.
He followed Damian along the tree line, the weight of what he’d just done pressing heavier with every step.
Behind them, unseen, the forest whispered once and went still again.
The Lucent were coming.
Back in the Manor The smell of something savoury drifted through the air. In the kitchen, Davina stood in front of a pot that was bubbling enthusiastically, her curls tied up, apron far too big for her. A faint hum escaped her as she stirred, the tune skipping every few beats as she tried to remember the words.
Mary appeared in the doorway, arms folded, an amused look on her face. “There’s no need for you to do that, my love,” she said kindly. “Cooking is my job.”
Davina turned, beaming. “Oh, I know, but I wanted to surprise everyone. I’m setting up a double dinner date for me, Lucy, Corey, and Byron. Something nice for once. I’ve even made enough for everyone, just in case. But if it’s all right with you, could you finish this while I start decorating the conservatory?”
Mary smiled at her enthusiasm. “Of course, darling. I’d be happy to help.”
“Thank you!” Davina said, practically bouncing as she dashed out of the kitchen.
Mary turned back to the pot, tilting her head. “Let’s see what you’ve got here, sweetheart.” She dipped a spoon in, blew on it gently, and tasted.
The moment the stew touched her tongue, she froze. The spoon clattered from her fingers into the pot.
“Oh, heavens—” She coughed and reached for a cloth, her face scrunching. The taste was enough to make her eyes water. “Salt. Bitter salt.” She stared at the pot in disbelief. “What did youdo, dear girl?”
Mary looked genuinely horrified. She gave the spoon another cautious dip, hoping it had been a fluke. It hadn’t. “Oh no,” she muttered. “The poor thing worked so hard on this. How am I supposed to fix it without breaking her heart?”
After a moment’s thought, honesty won out. “Better to save the meal and her dignity both,” she murmured, wiping her hands. “Davina, dear! Come back a moment, would you?”
Davina came skittering back in, half-decorated ribbons in hand. “Yes?”
Mary smiled carefully. “Darling, have you tasted your stew?”
Davina blinked. “No, but I followed the recipe.”
“What recipe, dear?”
“This one!” she said proudly, pulling a slightly stained page from her apron pocket. And started reading off the ingredients “Three tablespoons of salt—”
“Threewhat?” Mary snatched the paper, her eyes narrowing at the smudged print. The abbreviation for “tsp” had blurred, the ‘p’ barely visible. Davina had read it as “tbsp”.
“Oh my god,” Davina breathed. “Threetablespoons?” She dipped a spoon in and took a quick taste, then immediately reached for water. “It’s awful! What am I going to do?”
Mary laughed softly and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You’re going to let me handle it. Go finish setting up and get yourself ready. I’ll make something special for the four of you. Give me an hour.”
Davina’s whole face lit up with relief. “Thank you, Mary! You’re a lifesaver!” She spun around and practically skipped out of the kitchen.
In the conservatory, the cheerful mood dimmed a little as she looked around. The flowers and vines she’d hoped would make everything magical were drooping, their petals curled and dull. “Oh no, not you lot too,” she sighed. When she reached out to fix them, her touch accidentally sent a pulse of energy through the stems, within seconds, the blooms twisted into dark thorns and black roses.
Davina groaned. “I forget I’m dark Fae sometimes.” She frowned at the roses. “I mean… itcouldwork, but maybe we need balance.”
She hurried out, searching for the one person who always made things brighter.
Erin was sitting on the floor, humming to herself as she coloured. Davina knelt beside her. “I need your help, my little fairy.”
Erin’s head popped up instantly, eyes wide. “Really? What are we making?”
Davina smiled. “The conservatory needs a little light magic.”
Erin beamed and grabbed her hand. Together they stepped into the glass-roofed room. “So,” Davina said, crouching beside her, “you know I’m dark Fae and you’re light Fae, right?”
