Page 11 of Entwined

Chapter Five

Bram dragged a luminescent comb made of a rare pearlized shell through the long strands of his hair. He’d traded a silver basket, a rose and lily garland and a flute he’d made from maple wood so he could have the precious item. The sea fairies loved to craft jewelry and other adornments, and Bram had always wished for one of their beautiful combs.

It’ll be worth everything if it pleases my Alpha.

He had a lot to make up for due to the snit he’d thrown the night before, had to look his best. His ma was right. He hadn’t given the poor human a chance. How was Darby supposed to know about magical things? After all, the earthly plane was so boring. Nothing good ever happened there. Bram figured that once his alpha understood how much better it was living in the land of the fae, he’d take Bram’s hand and leave everything else behind.

Bram examined his reflection in the oval mirror framed with twisted tree branches. It hung on the wall of his small, oval shaped room that was part of his family’s house in the tree. Once Darby returned with him for good, then they could choose which tree they wanted to build their own home in. It would have to be large, because Bram wanted many, many children.

Bram swung his hair from one side to the next, delighted at how shiny it was. He’d washed it in the river and softened it with lightly scented oils. The decorative eye paint he’d applied was perfectly in place and he completed his grooming by added a few dabs of raspberry tint to his lips. With a sigh, he determined he was ready to visit his Alpha again.

For a fairy to travel beyond the veil, it took a lot of energy. The soft mosses where he loved to sleep were a decent location. There was plenty of greenery pulsing with life, a dense forest which was ideal for him to be lulled into a deep, meditative sleep that would then help carry him beyond the stars. However, nothing was more perfect than the waterfalls.

At the southern end of the Tine Ban was a small canyon that had been carved out by the water as it traveled to the sea. The river split into three arms at the end of the canyon, then fell separately into the ocean below. One waterfall carried diamonds, one rubies and the other carried opals, the gems cascading over the precipice then into the sea.

The mossy banks, cool mist and the whoosh of the churning water would swiftly lull him to sleep. The heat of his maturity had begun in earnest, so once he flew to his destination, he’d fall under the spell of the river without delay. Rushing to his beloved’s arms was all that mattered.

As he left the privacy of his bedroom, Bram discovered his family waiting for him by the front door. Bram gasped when he saw that Glynnis’ shoulders were shaking and that her chin was almost to her chest.

Bram scurried to her side then kneeled next to her. He patted her head then tried to get her to look at him, but she turned away.

“What is it, Glynny? Why are you so upset?”

She hiccupped on a sob. “Y-you’re n-never coming back!”

“Oh, little lightning bug, of course I’m coming back. You know fairies can’t live on the other side of the veil. It’s impossible!”

She wiped a finger under her nose as she slowly lifted her head. “But what if something bad happens to you?”

Bram harrumphed. “That’s silly. What could possibly happen?”

His da cleared his throat. “Bram? May I see you in the front room, please?”

Bram glanced up at his ma, and for the first time, noticed the worry etched in her features. He’d been so focused on Glynnis, he hadn’t realized that his parents were upset too. What could possibly be so bad about being with his fated mate? Surely, destiny hadn’t placed him in danger.

Did it?

With uneasy steps, Bram followed his da into the common area of their cylindrical home. He chewed his lip as he waited for his da to speak.

“Da? What is it? Is Glynnis right, I can never come back?”

His da adjusted the sheer sparkling robe he wore that was an indicator of his standing in the moon fairy council. The back remained open in case he needed to use his wings. But as an elder fairy, he tended to stick close to the glen. After straightening the shimmering blue and turquoise garment, he tapped his chin while furrowing his brow. The longer he went without speaking, the more anxious Bram became.

“My dear boy, as your ma explained to you already, there hasn’t been a mating between a fairy and human in ages. We needed to consult the ancient scrolls to determine if any harm could come to you by crossing the veil so often.” He sighed. “I’m afraid that there are some restrictions that you need to be aware of for your safety, as well as the safety of your child.”

Bram’s hands flew to his belly. “But I would’ve thought ma told you. He didn’t accept me. There is no child.”

“No, not yet. But I imagine there will be soon?” He arched one eyebrow at Bram.

“Oh.” Bram’s face heated. “So, what does all this mean?”

“Once his seed has taken hold, you’ll have to convince him to leave his earthly plane forever. Otherwise, without your mate, you’ll eventually wither away and die.”

Bram gasped, slapping one hand to his mouth. Tears welled in his eyes. “Our baby will die too?”

His da shook his head. “No, but your little one will use all your life force until you no longer have any left. Once your child is born, you will be no more.”

Since fairies rarely died unless they were horribly injured somehow, it was unusual for the withering to take one of them to the Golden Light. Most mated pairs lived happily together into eternity. As their population grew unchecked, the enchanted forest of their ethereal plane merely expanded to accommodate the new inhabitants.