Page 37 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

-Telepathy

-Pyrokinesis

-Midnight Mind

This can’t be right. I read it over multiple times. I cannot deny my father’s name and picture, but my father was a Sorcerer. This says he was Fae, which doesn’t make any sense. If he was Fae, how did he and my mother rule over the Sorcerer Realm as king and queen? Was he lying about his lineage? My mother had to have known, which also means she’s been keeping the fact that I am part Fae from me my entire life. For all I know she was Fae too. Why does Onyx have a notebook about my father’s lineage? My lineage? Why hasn’t he shared any of this information with me? I knew he was too good to be true. I’ve been letting my feelings for him blind me. He must have ulterior motives. At the very least, he’s keeping secrets, and I need to figure out why. If this notebook is right, if my father was Fae, then the prophecy from his journal must be about me. A chill runs down my back at the thought.

I carefully make sure everything is the way I found it and hurry back to my chamber to clean up and get ready for dinner.

Chapter Eighteen

As I stand in the closet, browsing through the clothes, I'm torn between wanting to impress and wanting to remain comfortable. Eventually, I decide to go all-out, reasoning that it's better to be overdressed than underdressed. I choose a slinky, all-black dress that sparkles, with a deep V neck that dips between my breasts, which bulge between the fabric. A slit goes up one side all the way to my hip, revealing the entirety of my leg when I walk. This dress should help me achieve my goal of distracting Onyx and making him regret deceiving me.

I take my time with my makeup, adding dramatic smokey eyes and rosy cheeks and lips. I let my hair flow in loose, tousled waves. The dress is form-fitting, and the fabric accentuates every curve. I feel self-conscious for a moment, but I shake off the feeling and slip into a pair of sparkling black heels to complete the look. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I can hardly believe it's me. Chepi is already passed out on the bed, bored to death from watching me get ready.

As I wait for Nyx, I pace around the room, my nerves getting the best of me. In an effort to calm myself down, I wander over to the drink cart and pour myself a glass of amber liquid from one of the decanters, hoping it will take the edge off. I take a sip, wincing at the taste, but the warmth that spreads through me is comforting. With each passing moment, I grow more anxious, wondering what tonight will bring and whether I'll finally learn the truth about my father.

Finally, there’s a knock. I hurry to the door then pause to adjust myself before opening it. When I do open the door, Nyx is standing there in black pants and a long-sleeved black tunic. His messy hair falls a bit over his forehead. He looks so sexy, and I have to remind myself he’s a liar. I will deny him. He looks me over closely, and when our eyes meet his are glowing slightly.

“You look incredibly beautiful, Lyra,” he finally says, holding my gaze. His eyes trail down my body again. “Are you sure you’re ready to be around other people? It’s not too late to have dinner here.”

“Yes, I’m ready,” I reply, studying him. Liar. He extends his hand to me, and I take it, letting him pull me close. His arm wraps around my lower back, his fingers brushing my bare skin and sending a thrill through me. Liar. Then I hold my breath as the room goes dark and the wind picks up, swirling around us, and we channel.

We touch down, and I almost stumble over, but Nyx holds me close until I get my bearings. I turn away from him expecting to see—well I don’t know what I was expecting to see, but it wasn’t this. We stand before an enormous obsidian palace, the starry night reflecting off the ornate structure.

“Bim and Flora live here?” I ask quietly.

“Not exactly. Some of the Fae elders live here, and they throw the occasional dinner party. I need to speak with them, and Flora and Bim will be here for the party tonight, so what’s that saying? Two birds, one stone?”

I’m glad I decided to go with the fancy dress tonight. I’m also a little nervous about having chosen something so revealing. I take in a breath, trying to calm my nerves, and continue up the steps with Nyx at my side.

“Stay close tonight,” he says, and then we entered the palace.

We’re greeted by servants immediately who usher us to the courtyard in the center of the palace. I thought Nyx had a large castle, but this place is huge. Where Nyx’s home is more simplistic, this place is the opposite of that. The open-air courtyard in the center of the palace is surrounded by black and gold pillars. Ivy twists around them, stretching all the way to the ceiling. There must be at least a hundred people here, and I need to find a way to get away from Nyx. This could be the perfect opportunity for me to see if anyone at this party knew my father.

“Lyra, this is Granger. Granger this is Lyra,” Nyx says to an older gentleman with a peculiar look to him.

“Pleasure to meet you,” I say, giving him a slight smile.

“The pleasure is mine,” the peculiar man says, eyeing me in a way that makes me uncomfortable. “Granger is one of the Fae elders. He’s been around for over a thousand years. He was friends with my parents,” Nyx says to me.

“I’ll let you two catch up. I need to find the privy chamber.” It’s the only excuse I can come up with to step away.

“I’ll take you,” Nyx says.

“No. Please stay and visit. I can manage on my own.” I don’t give him a chance to protest, walking into the crowd.

I wander through the courtyard, taking in the breathtaking sights before me. Faeries flit and dance with their delicate wings on display, each one more stunning than the last. They remind me of Twig’s, yet with a full-sized grace. The pastel attire they wear, paired with their shimmering, translucent wings, is a feast for the eyes. Meanwhile, I feel out of place, a solitary figure in my all-black attire. It seems I’m the only non-Faery present, surrounded by a sea of ethereal beauty.

“Stardust, miss?” says a woman dressed in an all-green suit with pink flowers in her hair. Startled, I turned to see she is carrying a large tray of drinks. I take one, slamming it back. I place the empty glass back on the tray and take a second to sip on.

“Thank you.”

She gives me a bewildered look at first, then a smile spreads across her face, and she winks at me before walking away. I guess the Fae don’t slam back liquor like the Lycans do. I look down at my glass, sipping the silvery, sparkling liquid. It's sweet and minty. The way it sparkles reminds me of starlight, and I finally understand why it's called stardust. It's not too strong, which is nice, but I’ll probably need another one to rack up the courage to start questioning random Fae about my father.

“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” A man’s voice snaps me out of my reverie. I’m stunned I hadn’t noticed him earlier, as I’d been so entranced by my surroundings. The centerpiece of the courtyard is a magnificent fountain, with water dancing high above the crowd in a dazzling display of purple and pink. As the pink and purple bubbles drift across the room, Faeries stop and pop them on their tongues. Finally, I turn my attention to the man who’s addressing me. His appearance is undeniably striking with shoulder-length, messy, dirty blond hair and skin that exudes a golden-tan glow. It’s as if this man’s beauty is a result of his Faery heritage.

“No, we haven’t. I’m Lyra.” His emerald, green eyes glow at the sound of my name. “Pleased to meet you, Lyra. My name is Colton. This is my home.”