But I wasn’t ready to be Queen. I didn’t know enough about this realm. I hadn’t yet fully developed all of my powers. The strongest fae in the realm should hold that title, and the one with the most compassion and the steadiest hand. After everything that had happened to the fae of this world, they needed someone who would rule them gently but still rule them firmly. Someone calm and composed. Someone with the confidence to hold her chinhigh.
I slammed my fist into the punching bagagain.
Was I that kind of fae? Maybe one day, but I knew I wasn’t there yet. Sure, I was the rightful heir, and yes, the realm needed someone to lead them into the next stage of their lives. Things were changing. If someone didn’t step up, the confusion and chaos of the courts would only increase with every day that passed. But I hadn’t lived here for even ayear.
The truth was, the fae of this world might not evenacceptme as theirruler.
My stomach tumbled at thethought.
Because that was the true heart of myfear.
I was scared to step forward and take my mother’s crown. Because I was afraid they would refuse to let me haveit.
“What did that punching bag ever do to you?” Finn’s lighthearted voice drifted toward me from the open doorway. I didn’t look up or answer. Instead, I lobbed a flurry of punches at the bag in frontme.
“Are you imagining that the target is me instead of thatbag?”
“Maybe a little bit, if I’m being honest.” I lowered my fists to my sides and bounced on my feet as I caught my breath, stealing a glance in Finn’s direction. He looked one-hundred percent unfazed, as per usual. If anything, he looked two seconds away from breaking out intolaughter.
“I’m glad my frustration amusesyou.”
“Norah.” His smile faded. “We were only trying to do what was best for you. What’s a few more months of waiting when we’ll be able to spend centuries together? Our physical separation isn’t that long when you remember just how many years welive.”
Centuries. The lifespan of a fae was so much longer than that of a human being. It was a fact I still found hard to fully grasp. Fae were immortal in some respects. They didn’t age. They wouldn’t die of natural causes. But that didn’t make them invincible. They could still get killed. They could still be poisoned. They could still be injured just like any mortal couldbe.
Their throats could be ripped out byRedcaps.
The fae didn’t like to use the word forever because forever never came for anyone. Not even immortals could grasp onto that one thing that every living creature wanted most: to surviveforever.
With a heavy sigh, I stepped away from the punching bag. “I just wish that I’d been at least consulted in this little agreement ofyours.”
His lips quirked. “And what would have been your response if you had been consulted? I imagine it would have been something like this. You would have stomped off, punched some things, and then you would have said no. Besides, you were aware of our agreement in essence, Norah. Don’t forget that all of this started with Alwyn and herrules.”
I narrowed my eyes and raised myfists.
“Alwyn.” I punched the bag. “And her.” I punched it again. “Rules.”
“Although Alwyn isn’t truly the one to blame,” Finn said. “Would you like to know who came up with the ‘no touching’ rule between changelings and theirinstructors?”
“Let me guess.Alwyn.”
“No.” He grinned. “Yourmother.”
My eyebrows shot up. “But my mother loved this place. She loved the changelings. Everyone keeps telling me about much shecared…”
He gave a nod. “Queen Marin did love this place. She visited the Academy as often as she could and certainly more than any other Royal. She liked to keep herself appraised on the progress of each and every changeling here. She knew them all by name. She knew what year they were in and where they’d come from. Back then, we didn’t need to test the changelings to know which court they belonged to. We had records to remind us of who they were. Things were different back then. Simpler. Easier. But even then...there were rare instances of changelings and instructors getting physical when they would not end up as mates…followed by heartbreak. Marin saw the tears and the pain, so she made a rule. Train first. Mate aftergraduation.”
I took a moment for that new information to sink in before continuing. “You do know that rule isn’t always followed. Trust me. The changelings gossip. I’ve heard about plenty of times where things have progressed far past the ‘rules’ of this place. No one cares. It feels like there’s so much more emphasis placed on what I do. The others can sneak around and kiss their mates all they want. But if I do it? Alwyn would drive me out with apitchfork.”
“First, we don’t have pitchforks here in Otherworld,” he said with a low chuckle. “And second, the reason Alwyn holds you to such a high standard is because of who you are. Surely you see that, Norah. You’re Marin’s daughter. You’re the only surviving Greater Fae. Alwyn gives you a hard time because you matter. She gets angry because she wants you to rule the realm. She doesn’t want anything to ruin your training because you need it, far more than the othersdo.”
I blinked, shock flittering through me. “Well, if she thinks my training is so important then why would she kick me out if I broke therules?”
“Good question. It’s why I have found it extremely difficult to stick to the agreement with the others.” Finn’s eyes flashed with amusement and something else—desire. “Alwyn wants you to focus on your training and nothing else, and I think she’s scared of what will happen to the courts if you don’t take up the crown. She wants you to finish your training as soon as possible, and that means no distractions. Distractions like me. But I do not for one second believe that Alwyn would ever kick you out. She’sbluffing.”
Heat flared in my stomach, and I took a step closer to him. “So, you don’t think she’d actually kick usout?”
“Not in a million centuries,” hemurmured.
