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Ucafre was right. The hills were covered with small purple flowers that danced with the wind, just like the ripples in the lake they surrounded. It was breathtaking.
“ … Follow the river north until you pass the purple hills. That is where I last saw a fairy.”
My heart stuttered with the realization that we were that much closer to the fairy kingdom.
That much closer to the truth about my family. My family who hadn’t abandoned me at all.
I moved forward, still hovering just off the ground. My wings seemed to instinctively move on their own, as if they knew how to catch the breeze and float along it, even if my brain didn’t understand it. Maggie kept pace next to me, ignoring the men behind us, or bristling and hissing at them if they came too close.
I quietly praised her each time she did it.
Every so often, I would glance back at the two people I had once trusted most in all the world. They were often just as silent as I was, but every now and then I would hear them speak. Whispered, unintelligible utterances that made me wonder what new bargain they were trying to strike without my permission.
I hated feeling this way, but there was no pulling myself out of it. So much of my life had been a lie. So many of my relationships, too. Or maybe it just felt that way, because it was true of the relationship I had cared the most about.
I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. I could either continue being hurt by the life that had been kept from me, from the realization that I had, in fact, been a burden to everyone. Or I could try to think of what would come next.
I’m a princess…
That bit of information had taken longer than the rest to sink in.And is fairly hard to imagine it being true.
I tried to pick it apart, dissect it, run the possibilities through my mind. If I really was this person, this princess, then I had an obligation to Ellaria, to the fairies there.
Even if I have no idea what I’m doing.
I had never felt more overwhelmed or underprepared for anything in my entire life.
I tried to think of what would come next, of how I would even greet a fairy, or try to explain who I was or where I came from—or a million other conversations that could come up, rather than the mountain of information Uncle had shared through his memories.
But one thought kept coming back to my mind again and again.
My parents didn’t abandon me.
I thought back on the times I would ask him how he knew about people like me, where they were, if I would ever meet them, and his answer was always the same.
“They are long since gone, my child. There is no use trying to find them.”
But they weren’t. Not really. They were just on the other side of the forest...
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and spun around, much to the surprise of everyone.
“You could have trusted me with the truth.” I wasn’t sure exactly which of them I was talking to.
“You mean trusted you not to run off to the fairies after I told you it was dangerous?” Uncle deadpanned.
A flush went over my skin, but I ignored it. “You had no right to make that decision for me.”
“I had the right that any custodian has when they are the one caring for a child. I did what I had to do in order to keep my vow and keep you safe, and I won’t apologize for that.”
“You won’t apologize for holding the Adler family hostage to your whims for a decade?” I seethed.
A long, uncomfortable silence followed my words. I couldn’t even look at Edrich when I spoke next.
“If you ever had any love for me at all, you will release Edrich from this deal. I no longer wish for either of your protection, nor to be your burden. You owe me this much. And you will keep providing the medicine to him, or at least allow him to purchase it.”
Uncle’s eyes pinched shut, but he nodded his head.
“All right, Lina,” Uncle said after a moment, not bothering to glance at Edrich. “Consider it done.”
