“No.” My smile faded remembering all that was lost from our library. “Any book that once contained your stories was…” I exhaled. “Burned.”
Silence held like an unnatural divide between us as I watched the embers shift.
“My mother made sure I knew as much as I could.”
“So, you would know the truth,” Lioran spoke as if he knew.
My smile faltered as my eyes filled with water again. “So I would know the truth,” I repeated, digesting his words. “I think I’d like to rest now.”
As I rose, my muscles resisted. Each step toward the sleeping mats brought me closer to the book—to the answers I needed. I waited for Fyn and Lioran to speak again before I pulled it from my satchel. With an exhale, I pressed it open, breathing in its scent. Something about it felt like home.
I wondered still if they were telling the truth. About the war. About me. About my magic.
Each letter formed quickly.
The fae prince speaks the truth.
It is how your story began.
The war started from hatred and jealousy.
You did not make the decision—it is not your burden to carry.
A chill trailed my spine. So many truths had been hidden from me, and now I was uncovering them all. All my life there was something within me that felt unnatural. It was a pain that hovered in my chest even long after I walked through grief.
King Ardyn and Lord Joran were so quick to act on the marriage pact. Maybe they knew that in time who I was would be revealed and then they couldn’t hide it anymore.
I still saw glimmers of the destruction I caused in Evyn. They danced through my mind. I didn’t know what my magic was, or what it would do if left untamed. The ink dashed across the page, catching my eye.
Your magic is a gift from the stars.
You were chosen to be one with the land—it is a rare and special gift.
It was a gift I couldn’t control.
I slid the book into my satchel. There would be a time I’d open it again, but for now, I needed only the starlight. The stars twinkled in an uneven cadence as I lay back on a mat. Maybe they knew I questioned them.
An unfamiliar, melodic laugh echoed. I turned on the mat to see a wide smile spread on Lioran’s face as Fyn spoke. The wind drowned out their words, but still I watched their joy with envy.
The day had been warm, but the night brought a crisp chill. The wind bit at my cheeks until I trembled, yet a gust of warmth trailed through me. A calm and quiet energy that left me feeling as if everything would be okay.
“You’re shivering,” Lioran said. I hadn’t heard himapproach. He knelt beside me with a wool blanket in his hands. I was already draped in my own. The lines around his eyes softened as he looked at me. “Take my blanket.”
“I’ll be fine.” My hand met his as I shook my head. His warmth flooded me and I pulled back.
“Maybe, but I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re awake shivering.” The scratchy wool sifted over my skin as he lay the blanket on top of me.
“I would hate for that to happen.” My smirk quickly shifted. I spoke that freely with Cael before, but never another. “Thank you,” I quickly whispered.
“You’re welcome, Your Highness,” Lioran said as he lay down on the mat beside me.
I froze—I hadn’t thought to shift the mats, to give myself space, and now I would have none. Lioran rolled over on his mat, until only his back greeted me.
My body relaxed. I trusted him. I trusted them both. Maybe I would regret it, but for now, I felt safe.
Fyn pulled his mat off to the side, shaking his head.
Then only the stars held my attention until my eyelids grew too heavy.
