He smirked before turning to open, holding it for me. “One day, you’ll love Artton and Sidrick.”
I chuffed as I walked past. “Doubtful. Not to mention, that implies I love any of you now.”
He raised a hand to his chest. “You wound me, Little Star.”
Ignoring my heart kicking at the nickname, I rolled my eyes at him again as he stepped beside me and led the way through the maze they called a palace.
“There are hallways for hallways here, and rooms for rooms,” I groused, noting just how lost I’d been before running into him.
His smile broadened. “Shall we make you a map?”
“You jest, but it wouldn’t be a half-bad idea.”
He winked, then leaned into me conspiratorially. “But then how would we run into each other? I wouldn’t want to be deprived of the opportunity to escort you, lest you get lost and never find your way to the sustenance you so badly need.”
His over-the-top humor took me by surprise, and I laughed, actually laughed, the sound bouncing through the halls and turningmore than a few heads in our direction. “Funny, you’re a funny fae,” I said, wagging a finger at him.
“Don’t tell anyone.” He leaned in a little further and lowered his voice. “It might make them less inclined to fear me.”
“I think we can keep that between you and I,” I crooned, echoing the words I’d spoken during our first dance together.
Nostalgic recognition glinted in his cerulean eyes letting me know he remembered it too.
It only took a few minutes before we entered the dining room. A smiling Caius met Endymion hand to elbow in the traditional fae greeting before turning his focus on me. “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise. Here, let’s take breakfast outside.” He indicated for me to go first, and I was relieved to find the table empty—no Artton or Sidrick as promised.
Finally settled at the table, Caius’ bright smile faltered a fraction as he assessed me like he hadn’t quite seen me before. “You look… different,” he finally said. “Calmer perhaps.”
I looked to Endymion with questioning eyes, unsure if he’d told the High Lord about last night. “No, it’s not that,” Caius said as if reading my thoughts. “It’s something deeper than the release of excess power.”
Suddenly, deep insecurity wrapped me in its clutches. “I… I looked at myself in the mirror today.”
A deep-set line split Endymion’s brows. “You hadn’t looked at yourself since becoming fae?” he asked, words soft.
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I shook my head.
“And what did you see?” Caius asked, his question careful.
“The truth,” I whispered. They were simple words, but I knew I wasn’t the only one to feel the weight of them.
A few heartbeats passed before the High Lord reached for a decanter and poured me the delicious fruit nectar that’d been juiced in the kitchens this morning. “Right,” he said as he filled his and the commander’s cups as well. “From what Endymion sharedwith me about last night, you’ll need to learn how to dispel your magic so you’re not gripped by the excess in the future.”
Needing a moment to process how I wanted this conversation to go, I took a sip of the light pink liquid he’d poured me and let its seamless transition from sour to sweet linger on my tongue before I spoke. “I’m a little confused,” I finally said. “I’d had the same thought, but when I’d asked Fenyte for books on it, he looked at me like I’d grown a third eye.”
Caius chuckled. “That’s not surprising. Very few experience Starburn. In fact, I’ve only met a few in my lifetime. Usually, it’s contained to High Lords, which manifest at an early age, indicating who the heir apparent is. As a High Lord, I’m tethered to my court, so there’s always a constant, cyclical flow of magic, which helps, but even still, I can get restless too.” He winked, knowing as well as I did thatrestlesswas a kind—if not inert—word for it.
Plating some food, I looked to Endymion. “And you have this issue too?”
He nodded. “Actually, it was Caius’ father who taught me how to control it,” he said before taking a bite of food.
“Does anyone else know that I have this… Starburn?”
“We told Kai, Sidrick, and Artton this morning,” Caius admitted. “Best to have a few of us looking out for the signs, especially since your use of magic is unpredictable at present.”
I snorted. “That’s putting it mildly, and I think it’s pretty obvious when my power chafes like that.”
Endymion chuckled. “True, but there are more subtle signs to look for in the future so you don’t accidentally murder someone for bringing you food.” He cocked a brow as if daring me to challenge him.
I didn’t.
