“I hadn’t really thought about it.” I take a minute, weighing the option. He doesn’t say anything, letting me work through it on my own. “I think, yes? But also, I don’t know them. I’m nearly twenty-one and I’ve never once met them. And they don’t knowme. I don’t even have any stories about them to go off of.” I can feel the burn of tears behind my eyes and squeeze them shut in an attempt to keep them at bay. “Apparently they’ve asked Fleur about me in their frequent conversations and correspondence,but how much about me can they really know if they’re getting it second hand from Fleur, you know?”
He hums in agreement. “I can help you try to locate them. If you truly want to find them, that is.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think it will be too terribly difficult to track them down. I know where they live. Well, sort of.”
“What do you mean,sort of?” he asks.
“Apparently it’s the big palace in the Seelie Court,” I say with a snort. Like I said, it’s either laugh or cry. “I just need to figure out where that is. So maybe I will need your help with that part if you really are willing to help me… again. Unless,” I sit up quickly and look at him in concern, “are you allowed to enter Seelie lands? Would it be dangerous for you?” I can’t fully describe the look on his face, but I catch flickers of confusion and maybe even… fear?
He tilts his head at me in question. “I’m sorry— What did you say?”
“Well, it turns out that not only am I Fae, but I’m also the Seelie princess. Which is the hardest part of all this to wrap my head around really,” I sink back against the stump. “I mean it should be exciting, right? Going from a small life in a cottage in the middle of nowhere to finding out you’re aprincess? It’s every little girl’s dream. But right now, it feels like a nightmare…” As I trail off, I start to notice how much more Bastian’s body has tensed up the longer I spoke.
“You’re—No,” he says, shaking his head. “That’s not possible. They never had any children,” he says, still shaking his head, voice full of disbelief.
“According to Fleur, it was all very secretive. I was snuck out of the palace and here to the human realm shortly after my birth. There are apparently very few who know of my existence… I guess you fall into that group now too.”
“But, how? That can’t—” he stops talking abruptly and his eyes widen. “When is it you were born?”
“It’ll be twenty-one years ago on the Solstice. At least that’s when Fleur and I have always celebrated my birthdate.” I can practically see the wheels turning in his mind as he works through everything I’ve revealed. “Why? What are you thinking.”
He looks away, hiding his expression from me but I can tell he’s still trying to put the pieces together. But to what puzzle?
When he meets my gaze again, he looks stricken. “It happened,” he breathes out.
Confused, I ask, “Whathappened?”
“The Fates. They did it. We always thought they had lied to Oberon and Diana. There was never a child seen and when the century mark passed, we assumed the cost was too high for them to pay.”
My head rears back. “Wait, how do you know—” I think back to what I know about Bastian and stumble on his connection working in the Unseelie palace. “You were there that day, weren’t you?” He gives me a stiff dip to his chin in affirmation. “Fleur showed me a vision of the gathering, but I didn’t see you there… Granted, I wasn’t looking at the courtiers and other court members so much. I was more focused on the royal families.”
His lips bare the tiniest ghost of a smile. “No, I don’t suppose you would’ve recognized me immediately, unless you knew to look for me,” he says coolly. “They weren’t wrong though, to hide you away. The Unseelie Queen won’t be pleased to know you exist. I’ve told you how it’s common knowledge that she wants to overthrow the Seelie Court and rule over all of Alinea. You’ll be another obstacle in the way of her goals.” I can see the blood draining from his face as he speaks.
“So, you really think I’m in danger, then?” I ask, worried.
His hand reaches up to cup my cheek in a gentle caress that sends sparks radiating out from the source of the contact. “Liv, you’ll always be in danger. Especially while you’re at a disadvantage where your magic is concerned.”
I close my eyes and can’t help but lean into his touch. I take a deep breath before I open my eyes and meet his concerned gaze. “Then I guess I should probably start figuring out how to tap into my magic then.” I say, determination bolstering my words.
Time to head back and get some more answers out of Fleur.
