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Ciaran laughed at her curiosity and the wide eyed expression she was surely wearing.
“Nightfell. It is the capital of the Night Court. There are many cities and towns spread throughout my lands.”
Etain wasn’t sure why she hadn’t thought the court’s land would be so vast. Probably because she had only lived in one town her whole life, until she came to the Fae Realm.
“While I am glad you are enjoying the view, this is not our final destination. This is merely where we will take off.”
Etain must have looked confused, she was not sure what he meant by “take off.”
“I could port us there, however we still have a few hours till crescent night and my wings are in need of a good stretch.” He watched Etain’s panic build with anticipation, and the adrenaline began coursing through her.
“You want to fly us there? While what…carrying me?” She gave him the wide-eyed panicked look of prey that was about to be caught while he strolled over to her.
“Yes – hang on tight, little witch.”
Before she could begin to tell him all the reasons this was a horrible idea, he scooped her up in his arms and shot them directly up into the sky. Etain thought her stomach was about to come right out of her mouth. She locked her arms around his neck as tightly as she could and buried her face into the crook of his neck. She felt a rumbling through his chest and knew he was laughing at her.
“Little witch, I promise I will not drop you. Now don’t be afraid andlook.”
Etain took a deep breath and peeled her face away from him. She gasped. They were in the clouds illuminated by the moon and stars. She was positive this was the most beautiful view she had ever seen.
“I have a feeling I will be constantly updating my number one most beautiful sight often with you as my guide,” though she was still terrified and kept her arms wrapped tightly around Ciaran’s neck. The beauty spread out around her was worth the fear she was experiencing.
“I have a feeling I, too, will be constantly updating my number one most beautiful sight. Since you are in all of my views, little witch.”
Etain’s cheeks flushed, and she bit the inside of her lips trying to hide her smile. Sometimes her prince said things that made her simultaneously molten while also making her incredibly flustered. She was never quite sure how she should respond when he said things like that. It was unsettling, and yet she could not find it in herself to be mad about it.
They were silent for most of the trip; a quiet comfort fell between the two of them. It was as if the physical touch was enough of an adjustment for both of them, and they were taking the time to relax into each other’s touch. After a while, his thumbs began to rub back and forth on the arm and leg his hands gripped. It was hypnotic and she found herself nearly drifting off to sleep. She leaned her head into his chest and relaxed her grip around his neck while they flew across the cloud strewn sky.
“We’re almost there, little witch,” Ciaran said as he began the slow descent.
She could hear them before she could see them; when they broke the cloud coverage she saw what looked like the edge of the world. Water plummeted over the edge for as far as she could see in hundreds of waterfalls. The water looked like flowing ink as it rushed towards the many drops.
Etain noticed they were closing in on a ledge which jutted far out over the fall and was higher than the water, keeping it dry. Ciaran touched down on it and slowly released her. He let her catch her balance before grabbing her hand and pulling her to the ledge.
“Come sit with me, little witch. I need to talk to you about something.”
His words made her feel a heavy pit of dread in her stomach, though she let him lead her to the edge and help her sit.
“Why does that sound like something I won’t enjoy hearing?” Etain asked Ciaran as he sat and situated his wings in such a way to protect them from the constant mist of water.
“I don’t know how much you will like it, but I know I am not looking forward to it.” He then fell silent for so long looking out at the vast nothing in front of them. Etain grew nervous in the silence.
“I like to come here because there is nothing here. No Night Court to rule, no Day Court to thwart, no games to play, and no one watching my every move.” He sighed heavily before he turned to meet her gaze. “In two nights time I will need to present you to my court during the Lunar Ball. Rumors have already begun to fly about the human woman I have kept in my room since the hunt two nights ago.”
Etain couldn’t believe it had only been two nights since the blood moon. It was difficult for her to track time here with it being constantly night.
“As you can imagine, my court is used to treating humans a certain way. They seem to think you are quite literally my pet and I have been keeping you locked in my room doing unspeakable things to you. I had to let them continue thinking this to keep any of them from looking at you any closer.”
If his words were not clear enough, his eyes appeared to glow brighter and carried a wicked gleam to them. “We both know I have been quite the gentleman. I am not even sure of the reason behind my actions. Etain, I mean it when I say I am a very wicked Prince. I have never once in my nearly seven hundred years ever cared for the well-being of another – not even Kes. I tolerate his company at best, but I do not care what happens to him. But you…I, for the first time in my entire existence, care if something happens to you. I can not be sure why.”
Etain didn’t think Ciaran knew his own heart. She had seen him with his cousin and could see the way they both tried not to care for one another, though it was obvious they were very close.
Etain had to look away from the intense gaze Ciaran was giving her. He was looking at her in a way that made it clear he needed her to say something.
“I didn’t do…well, at least I don’t think I did anything. I…I am not sure what to say.” Etain’s nerves began to fray, and she felt hot and cold all at the same time. She began to mess with her hands again and suddenly wondered if a ledge was the best place for a conversation such as this. She wondered if Ciaran thought her responsible for his feelings. Maybe he thought she had done some kind of witchcraft on him.
Ciaran wrapped his wing tighter to Etain, and for the first time she noticed his wings had little claws on the top tips like bat wings. “Worry not, little witch. I am quite certain it can only be one of two things, and neither is your doing. I am not certain which one it could be just yet.”
