A thousand emotions flashed across his face as his mind raced to understand the implications. Caius was telling him that in a choice between those he loved with all his heart and himself—like me—he must choose himself. My eyes prickled as I watched Kaelun physically wrestle with each objection he wanted to hurl at his beloved Uncle C. Painfully, he swallowed them, looking as if each new one was sharper than the last.
Slowly, so slowly, he nodded.
“I want you to know how proud I am of you, and while I am eternally proud as your High Lord for you stepping up when duty called, that’s not the kind of proud I mean here. The male you’ve become, Kaelun—” Caius cut off, choking on his emotion.
Stepping into his uncle, Kaelun wrapped his arms around his waist, pressing his cheek into his chest. “I love you too, Uncle C.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I watch them embrace, each afraid they’d never see each other again.
Caius kissed the top of his nephew’s head before pulling back. With big thumbs, he wiped away Kaelun’s tears, then said, “I love you so much, Kaelun. Please, be safe.”
Turning his attention to me, Kaelun held out a hand, and I took it. Flashing Caius a brilliant smile, he said, “See you on the flip side, Uncle C.”
And then, we valenned away.
We arrived at the northwestern edge of Summer’s borders, and it took me a moment to orient myself after all the emotions their exchange had stirred. Kaelun went to release my hand, and I tightened mine, looking up at him. He offered me a small smile as he squeezed my hand back, then released it to join the others.
I followed after him.
“All good?” Tarrin asked, shifting his attention from the conversation he was in to me, most likely noting the brightness of my eyes we both knew indicated tears.
“All good,” I said, shaking off the memory and stepping into the present moment.
“The four of us,” Artton began, the command in his voice setting the tone, “can cross in and out of summer from the human realm without issue. Because you’re human”—he nodded to Tarrin—"you’ll always need to be in physical contact with one of us, like when we valen."
“Understood,” Tarrin said with a nod, and honestly, I was surprised he hadn’t chosen some snarky response instead. Maybe there was hope for them yet. Or maybe that was wishful thinking.
“Any questions before we cross over?” Artton asked.
We all shook our heads. We’d been through the plan a dozen times over the last few days—although the wordplanwas generous. Without knowing exactly what we were getting ourselves into when we hit the Autumn Court—not to mention the secret orders thesummer commanders were under—it was more a mandate ofdon’t fuck shit upthan anything else.
“Okay then. Sidrick already checked the other side, and it’s clear. Remember, when the trail is narrow, travel single file. I’ll lead, then it’s Nyleeria, Kaelun, Tarrin, and Sidrick. When the path allows, we’ll be able to have a more relaxed structure. For now, though, single file.” Artton turned his back to us and began walking. “Let’s go,” he said over his shoulder.
He was there one moment, then the façade of never-ending summer shimmered like rippling water before he disappeared, and in that moment my legs became leaden, and I couldn’t make myself step forward.
The human realm, my homeland, was mere steps away, and crossing that threshold was like stepping back into the past that haunts my dreams, granting them flesh once more; because that’s exactly what I was doing.
“Are you okay?” Sidrick’s low voice asked.
“I haven’t been back since turning fae,” I said, voicing a fear I hadn’t realized I’d been harboring.
“Forgive me,” he said, “but I don’t understand the significance.”
Tarrin sidled up beside us. Addressing Sidrick, he said, “If you were now human, on human lands, staring at the path back to the fae realm, how would you feel?”
It was Kaelun that answered. “Like an intruder in my own home.”
I nodded, grateful for the clarity his words brought to the strange mixture of feelings I wasn’t sure I’d be able to name so eloquently, and a part of me wondered how acutely his unara tuned into emotions.
Regardless, it was time to intrude.
Chapter 39
There’s a Difference
Winter’s chill enveloped me the moment I’d crossed over, and it was easy to discern the truth in Tarrin’s claim that time now flowed differently between the two realms, as it should’ve been the height of summer.
We’d have to be careful with how much time we spent here. If I was the catalyst for this change, then only the gods knew if being back on human soil would make a difference to either realm.
