“I was leaving for an evening stroll, if that is allowed, of course.” She definitely didn’t want to get into the fact that she was actually trying to track down Taryn, her supposedMate. Even thinking about it now felt so surreal.
“Of course. You are allowed to come and go as you please, you aren’t a prisoner here.” Roz’s face flickered with seriousness before the corners of his mouth upturned. “Do you mind if I join you?”
Airess never expected the kingto want to walk with her, but she obliged with a polite nod and they began to walk. “It certainly is different here. Where I come from, no royal would ever dare to stroll with a commoner, much less ride on horseback.”
“I see, the customs in Luciena are dated, in my opinion. However, you’ll find I quite enjoy my horse.” Roz mused. “Though, I could hardly classify you as a commoner. You were a woman of nobility where you lived, were you not?”
Airess stared at her sandals as they walked on, “My…father was a governor, yes, before they merged my province to join Luciena. I’m not so sure I could claim to be a highborn Lady now.” Airess said with a grimace. She paused, because her father wasn’t her father, and her name wasn’t her name. She could only wonder who her real father was. The only thing Airess knew about him was that he was a Human man that lived in Tevye.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Roz commented, clearing his throat as he changed the subject. “Have your lessons been going well with Ismene?”
“Yes, I’ve mostly learned the forgotten history Luciena buried. And…” Airess cut herself short, not knowing if she were to mention the brief history of the Godlings or the prophecy.
“And what else?” Roz prodded.
Airess stopped walking and looked at him. “She told me thatyouare a Godling.”
Roz stopped and turned to her, a surprised look of relief at her words. “Yes.” He admitted.
“Why didn’t you mention it sooner?”
“If I would have told you upon your arrival, not knowing everything you do now, would you have believed me?”
“Fair enough,” Airess conceded. “However I’m not quite sure what we are supposed to do now that we know the truth.”
Roz waved a hand carelessly, “Worry not, my friend. There is plenty of time for that in the future. Tell me, are you a fan of balls?”
If Airess wasn’t in the presence of a King, she would laugh at the question.
I’m not quite sure, Roz, considering the last one I attended changed my life entirely.
“I don’t mind them.” Airess said instead, falling into her old ways of responding mechanically, as if she angered this King enough, he would morph into Arzhel himself.
“The Salamoon Ball is tomorrow night. We would love for you and Tarynon to attend.”
“We would love to attend.” Airess said as she looked forward, not really present in the conversation as she was reminded about Taryn again. Her Mate. Could it really be true?
Would it be wrong of her to lean into this so-called Bond? Did she even have a choice? Arriving in Rune had been unlike anything she had ever expected, the culture vastly different than Luciena. The Fae lived differently here. She loved it.
Airess loved the idea of starting over, of becoming someone new, chasing after a life she was destined for. Whether this prophecy talk was bogus or complete truth, she felt deep in her heart that everything in her life was about to change. Again.
She wished Taryn would come back, so she could tell him that she wanted to try. That she accepted the Bond. That she accepted him–allof him, even the parts he was too ashamed to name. She saw the way his aura flickered with hot shame as they realized what they were to each other. She needed to tell him that she didn’t care about his past. She didn’t care what he had done.
“ – are friends, but I was wondering if you wanted to share a dance with me at the ball?”
Airess snapped out of her thoughts at the last half of Roz’s sentence. She remembered to respond, “Yes, of course.”
Roz paused and gave her a look, stopping in his tracks. She did the same and pivoted to face him.
“Airess, you are free here. You can speak as you’d like. You candoas you like. You are not Rune’s prisoner, or evenmyprisoner. Please, be as you are with me. I may be a King, but I am a person too.”
Airess truly looked at Roz and blinked her Sight forward. His aura shined bright, the azure tendrils shining true with every word he spoke. Although it was nice to have the reassurance, she still had many questions about her and Taryn’s fates.
“If we are truly free, what does that mean for mine or Taryn’s fate here in Rune?”
“You can live here as a normal citizen in society. Given your status, I’m sure we can find a place for you and Tarynon at court.”
“What about housing, what about our livelihood?” Though they were living in the guest house, Airess knew they needed to figure out what their next move would be. Everything comes with a price, even if it is free lodging.
