Origins
Tucked within a verdant swath of forest was a small clearing that stirred memories of home. The lush forest floor was dappled in dew that glittered as it caught the rogue sunlight leaking through the dense canopy above. A spacious pit at the core of the clearing, promising roaring bonfires that blazed well into dawn, was encircled by handcrafted chairs. Although,chairsfelt like too pedestrian of a term for them—their very essence transforming the ordinary campsite into a makeshift court. Their wood held an old-world allure. Every grain and knot seemed to narrate a silent story of a time when the trees they were hewn from had stood tall and mighty. I allowed my fingers to dance across one of their arms. Unsurprisingly, the wood was silken from what I gathered were centuries of weather and wear. It reminded me of the perfectly worn-in leather boots from the day before.
“My father commissioned them,” the king said as I admired their beauty—his statement confirming their age.
The king eased himself into one of the chairs and I followed suit. My legs dangled off the edge of its deep-set design, and I tuckedthem in, allowing myself to nestle into the chair’s comforting support. A small chuckle escaped the king as he took me in.
“What?” I asked.
“It’s been ages since I’ve experienced anything new, Nyleeria. Seeing how you savor every detail and adapt accordingly, your sense of wonder, it’s…refreshing.”
A faint flush warmed my cheeks. Averting my gaze, I peered beyond the campsite. I had to crane my neck to find the tops of the old giants that surrounded us, and even then, their crisscrossed branches obscured that truth. Their circumference, clad in thick bark etched with the texture of time, could only be measured by the outstretched arms of several individuals reaching to touch their fingertips to one another.
I glanced over at the king and found him staring into the woods. Whether he was lost in thought or the moment, I couldn’t tell.
My eyes lingered, drinking in his features—an act I’d unconsciously avoided until then. He wasn’t dwarfed by the chair like I was. On the contrary, his relaxed form made them look less imposing. Golden threads in his dirty-blond hair caught the light easily, their brilliant shine accentuating his loose curls. His hair’s slightly tousled nature was at odds with the striking contours of his face. His high cheekbones and hard jawline were balanced well by the full, slightly pouty curves of his lips. He was clean-shaven, which did little to tame his innate ruggedness. Surely, maintaining that smoothness was a daily affair. He didn’t appear to carry a weapon, but I supposed being a magical savant had its benefits. His clothing was meticulously tailored to his frame—not tight, but it still revealed hints of the muscular form hidden beneath the layers. No doubt, his body was crafted from centuries of training. One thing was certain: he was not an idle ruler.
I couldn’t make out his eyes from here. Tracing through my memory, I realized I hadn’t cataloged that detail. I supposed every time I’d looked him in the eyes, I was more taken by what he was saying than detailing his appearance.
Certainly, a man of his position, with his looks and abilities, had someone to call his own. I hadn’t seen evidence of a family or lover, but I couldn’t imagine he hadn’t found love in half a millennium.
I checked for a ring.
“You’re not married.”
He continued to stare out into the woods. “No.”
“Why?”
His gaze shifted to me, and a faint tug played at the corner of his lips. “You’re very direct, has anyone ever told you that?”
They hadn’t. Was I? I thought it was a simple question, but maybe it was too personal. Then again, it wasn’t like we hadn’t gotten personal already.
“Does it bother you?” I asked.
He thought for a moment. “No. I’m just not used to people being so brazen with me. It catches me off guard is all.”
Right, he was a king. Of course people didn’t ask these types of questions, or maybe others already knew his business. Although, he seemed more of a private person to me.
“I’ve taken lovers over the years, but I’ve never opened myself to love in that way. I couldn’t imagine living in a world where my love, my family, was in constant danger. No, I’m waiting until I know my people are protected, until my being in someone else’s life doesn’t put a target on their back.” Sadness and resentment laced his words. For five hundred years he’d lived with this burden on his shoulders. I could barely imagine living one lifetime without letting love in, let alone multiple lifetimes.
His words triggered a deeper truth I’d missed until now—and a sinking sensation gripped the pit of my stomach. I swallowed. “I’mthe reason my parents are dead,” I said. The truth of the words was crushing. I understood what he meant. Why he hadn’t let anyone in. Eithan flashed through my mind, and I felt immense relief that he had moved far, far away. Fuck, I might not be cursed, but those who were close to me would be fated to a life of running, capture, or death.Theywould be cursed for knowing me.
That was the code my brain had tried to decipher at the cabin as I’d stared at my parents, thewhyof it all. The message was clear now—do as we ask, or we will torture and kill everyone you love. I wasn’t sure how, but I now knew that truth in my bones.
My blood ran cold, and a new heaviness settled in where the hollowness had been. This was going to be about survival over all else.
“They’re alive,” I said. “The twins, I mean.”
“What led you to that conclusion?”
“I think whoever slaughtered my parents wants me, or at least this spark you speak of. It’s possible your spell wasn’t the only thing triggered by my birthday. And my parents… That display was brutal…deliberate—a vivid preview of what would befall me and mine should I refuse their demands, whoevertheyare. Taking the twins as leverage only works if they’re alive; otherwise, I would have found them on that couch that day too.” My stomach roiled from the memory, my imagination adding the image of the twins to that gruesome, sticky mess.
The king offered me a solemn nod.
Given the brutality the fae showed toward the king’s family, I couldn’t imagine it being anyone else who did this to my family. “Tell me about the fae. I want to understand what we’re up against.”
We.A small comfort took root at knowing I wasn’t alone.
