Page 35 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

He pulls out the containers, and my eyes widen. The pastries are like nothing I've ever seen before, with colors so vibrant they almost look like they belong in a painting. I pick one up, taking a bite and closing my eyes as the flavors burst in my mouth. They're sweet, with a hint of tanginess that's irresistible.

“These are amazing,” I say, looking over at him with a smile.

“I’m glad you like them,” he says, his eyes holding mine for a moment before he looks away. There’s something in his gaze that I can’t quite decipher, a hint of something deeper that I can’t quite name. I take another bite of the pastry, hoping to chase away the sudden unease that’s crept into my mind.

Nyx pulls out another container, uncovering it and placing it next to me. It looks like the sugary berry muffins I had before.

“Twig told me you like these,” he says, handing me a berry muffin.

“Yes, I do, thank you.” I take it from him, not wasting any time before biting into the delicious muffin. “What are these muffins called?”

“Pink Pixies,” Nyx says before biting into one himself.

“Pink Pixies, really?”

“Yes, why?”

“My father, before he passed, he used to call me his little pixie. I’ve never heard anyone else say it.”

“I don’t know why the muffins are called that, but Pixies are tiny Faeries who live in the Dream Forest. They’re cheerful, mischievous little Faeries no larger than your hand. I wonder if that’s where he got the name from.”

“Impossible, my father has never been to Nighthold. He always used to tell me the Faery Realm was a dangerous place.”

“He wasn’t wrong. It is dangerous. But all the realms have their dangers. My realm is no different.”

“So far it doesn’t seem very dangerous. Beautiful and enchanting come to mind, but not dangerous.”

“You’ve only seen a very small part of Nighthold. The Faery Realm is vast.”

“Where do all the Fae live? I haven’t really seen anyone around the castle grounds.”

“Well, the castle is my home, and I’ve always enjoyed my privacy. No one lives in the castle except me. All the staff have homes nearby. There’s a little village not too far from the castle. I’ll take you to see it soon, if you’d like.”

“Yes, I’d love that.” I gently lean back into his touch. “Aside from the village, where do the rest of the Fae live? What is the rest of Nighthold like?”

“Nighthold is very large. There are four main territories. We are in the Noble Vale, which as you know is humid and wet and made up of vast jungle. The Fate Fields north of us make up the tundra. It's quite the opposite of here. Huge mountains, barren terrain, freezing cold, and snow most of the year. To the south are the deserts of Vision Valley. Then just west of us is Onyx Land; it's the smallest territory of the four but holds the highest population of Fae. Onyx Land has beautiful coastlines, vast country plains, and one large city. It's the largest city of any territory in Nighthold and Cloudrum.”

“Is Onyx Land named after you?”

“No, the opposite. My parents named me after Onyx Land. The city was my mother’s favorite place to be, and that’s where I grew up.” He nips at my ear.

I laugh and ask, “What happened to them? Your parents? Where are they now?”

“They left this world a long time ago, and that, Princess, is a story for another time.” He tries to sound stoic, but there’s a sad undertone to his voice, so I drop the subject.

“Will you at least tell me their names?”

“My father’s name was Callum, and my mother’s name was Scarlett.”

“Scarlett is a beautiful name.”

“Yes. She was very beautiful and kind. I think you’d have liked her.” He runs the tips of his fingers up and down my arm while we talk.

“I’m sure I would have. Do you have other homes or just the one here?”

“I have a home in all four main territories.”

“I’d love to see them all someday.” A smile spreads across my face as I turn my head to face him.