But that wasn’t my true intent.
All I wanted was for her to understand not just me but Typhos, too.
And, hopefully, this history lesson was the key in achieving that understanding.
Let me know if you need me.Typhos’s soft words were very unlike the Hell Fae King. But he knew how sensitive this topic would be for me. And he was offering his strength should I need it.
Thank you.
He didn’t reply, the connection not necessarily closed, but not fully open either.
Cami sipped her coffee while she watched me, her patience a virtue I longed to reward. Which I supposed I would—with the truth.
I joined her while indulging in the coffee for a moment, then set my mug aside and twisted on the couch to face her. It forced me to draw up one knee, my opposite leg dangling off the side while my foot remained on the ground.
Her gaze flickered down to my exposed tattoo, her appreciation evident in the way her pupils dilated. But rather than tease her for it, I said,I need to start by telling you about the Virtuous Fae. However, I can’t say the words aloud.
It was hard to know who might be listening in on this conversation.
And I didn’t want to risk anyone else overhearing it.
She dipped her chin in understanding, her mind otherwise quiet.
I’d asked her not to interrupt me until I finished. It seemed she’d translated that to mean no speaking at all.
Or perhaps she was demonstrating her understanding of my request.
Regardless, I was thankful for it. Because I needed silence to process everything I needed to say—a whole history of pain.
The Virtuous Fae are the first fae to have ever existed. Because of their magic, the various fae kind were born. They were creationists, I suppose. Similar to what humans see as deities. Except the faedoms don’t know that they ever existed. They assume their fae sources are the ultimate creators, and in essence, they’re right. But those sources were created when Typhos fell.
Rather than elaborate, I carefully deconstructed the wall between us and allowed her to see the moment in history from my point of view.
Only, as I began to play the memory for her, a similar one ignited in her own mind—a recounting of that day from Typhos’s point of view.
I arched a brow. “Did Melek show you that?”
She shook her head. “No,” she answered aloud.The book did,she added mentally.I thought it was a dream, though.
Not a dream,I told her.That moment created all the faedoms—it’s the moment the Virtuous Fae Source shattered into pieces.
I showed her the aftermath, how those pieces became their own sources of power throughout the realms, creating all of fae kind.
Virtuous Fae are fae with creation power. They’re essentially beings who can make any form of magic imaginable. Some are more powerful than others, but the key to their abilities is the energy they harbor inside. And Typhos has more energy than most Virtuous Fae. He’s a beacon of light—and that light is power.
I tried to show her what I meant by displaying a memory of Typhos wielding that light to save a fallen Shifter Fae. Like most of my kind, she’d been created as a passing amusement by some Virtuous Fae. When that Virtuous Fae grew tired of his “pet,” he stabbed it with a silver blade and left it to die.
Typhos saved her, I explained.By reigniting her light.
Cami’s eyes widened as the vivid memory played out for her in my mind.
Is that how you met?she asked, then immediately said,Never mind. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Keep going.
I smiled.It’s fine. But no, that’s not how we met.
I lifted my arm and stretched it out along the back of the couch, my side leaning deeper into the cushion.
As I said, the Virtuous Fae essentially own creation magic. Similar to the concept of gods in the Human Realm.It seemed to be the best analogy, given Cami’s roots.
