Page 106 of Where Broken Wings Fly

Urram and Gliocas were nothing more than parrots by the time we all wrapped our heads around what had just happened.

Surprisingly, it was Raegan who spoke first.

“It won’t be long before word has spread.”

Shea’s eyes were wide as she stared at her new King, but Killian simply nodded along.

He knew, and he hadn’t said a single thing.

“A day, I’d guess,” Killian added and Raegan bobbed his head side to side.

“What were you thinking, Raegan?” Shea asked with a lethal calm, enough to make me gulp and take a step away from her. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

The darkness was back across his face, which meant that he knew exactly what he had done.

“It’s not just Choilltean and Cluaineach, Raegan,” she continued to spit, her voice climbing in volume and terror. “All four kingdoms will be outraged. You’ve just spurred a war like the one of our founding kin.”

Killian winced as he swallowed behind Raegan, his eyes refusing to meet either of ours.

“This will… This…” Shea shook her head, disbelief clogging her throat as she began to pace. “This will be the end of Saoghal,” she finally gasped, speaking to herself instead of us.

Raegan was staring at me.

“Killian, go to the healers. Get the powder ready. Olivia goes home tomorrow.”

My mouth fell open, an objection ready at the tip of my tongue, but it was Urram who interjected. “Absolutely not,” he croaked.

Everyone turned to him, perched on a nearby branch. Raegan motioned for Killian to get going.

“No,” Urram squawked again, finally earning the King’s attention.

“She goes home tomorrow, Urram. I will not have her put in harm’s way, not with what is likely to fall upon us in the coming days.”

I frowned at Raegan. It wasn’t like him to care, certainly not about me.

“Agreed, young King—” Urram nodded his grey head— “but no powder.”

“Urram–”

“Please, Raegan,” I finally broke, placing myself between the two of them. “Do not take this from me. I beg of you.”

He looked prepared to argue, so I continued.

“Take this from me and you may as well kill me and let me die here. I cannot fathom returning to my world without knowledge of this place. Without the knowledge of the pixies. Without… Without the knowledge of you.”

His brows finally relaxed as his gaze softened. No longer the fox-King of sly plans and mischief, but the young pixie of Cluaineach with golden, feathered wings once more.

“I… I promise I’ll stay away… I won’t seek Saoghal out, I won’t come back. But please… Leave me this one thing. Leave me you.”

A thousand gears turned behind Raegan’s eyes before he finally nodded. I could breathe once more.

“And me,” Urram said.

It took me much longer than I’d care to admit to understand what Urram was saying. “What?”

“Me, too,” he said again.

“You…” I cocked my head at him, “You wish to come with me?”