“She was born here—her beauty was legendary. So much so that my father decided to house her in the castle, as one of his personal consorts. He treated her well, protected her… until she died.” He glanced down at the cup of tea in his hand. I moved closer, resting a hand on his back. We were both parentless.
“I was only two,” he continued. “I don’t have any memories of her, but I can still feel the love she imprinted on me… if that makes sense. It has guided me in the darkest of times.” We stood together, thinking about those we’d lost. And those who’d be next, if we didn’t act soon.
“Let’s get you back to the castle.” Raf dropped my hand. And with that simple gesture, we built our walls back up, brick by brick.
We crossed the drawbridge as the orange glow of dusk dusted the mountain peaks. Galen was waiting for us, clearly worried and agitated. I watched the two men size each other up as we approached. If they had antlers, they would’ve been locked in a display of strength. I was transferred from Raf to Galen, like a paper-covered parcel.
Were all Fae men this tiresome or was it just these two?Rafael disappeared into smoke and Galen led me up to my room.
“You look terrible.What happened during training?” He eyed me warily. “I’ve been waiting hours for the guards to alert me upon your arrival. I was beginning to think he kidnapped you.” His voice was dripping with disdain for his brother. And I couldn’t blame him.
“I burnt out. I let my emotions get the best of me… It wasn’t his fault.” I let him support me as we walked up the stairs. Everything hurt.
“It wasabsolutelyhis fault. I don’t like this arrangement. I’m going to find time to train you myself,” he said vehemently. His uhra flashed bright red, letting me know just how mad he was.
“You don’t need to do that—you have enough to worry about. He isn’t so bad. I wish you would try to get along.”
He dropped his supportive arm around my waste and grabbed me roughly. “Heattackedme. Whose side are you on?” He held my arm, twisting, until I yelped in surprise and he loosened his grip.
“My loyalty lies with you, of course, but Louis and Raf are onmyside. They’re teaching me to protect myself. Meanwhile, you’re working with the Elders. Maybe I should ask you whose sideyouare on.” I regretted the words as soon as they were out.
We arrived to my room and Galen silently unlocked the door before gesturing, “After you.” I hesitated, afraid of the heat I could feel emanating from him. His flames were barely contained. I took a deep breath and walked through the threshold. He slammed the door behind us and I flinched.
Pushing me against the door, his fiery eyes danced over me, lingering on the fluttering pulse at the hollow of my neck. This is where he'd first kissed me. His heat seared into me as he pressed his body into mine—untilI could feel every part of him through the layers that separated us, until we were molded together. He kissed me deeply… possessively, marking his territory with scalding assertiveness.
He looked down at the tunic I was wearing, grabbed the collar, andrippedit… like it was made of tissue. And then he was ravaging me, cupping my exposed breasts, needing me as desperately as I needed him. He nipped at my neck, my collarbone, my breasts.
Mine, his eyes said, pinning me in place. “I’m on your side… And I willkillanyone that lays a finger on you. I’ll disintegrateanyonewho threatens you. It's in my nature to defend what's mine,it'sin my blood. Asking me to sit back whileheputs you in danger is like asking a lion not to hunt. I’ll claim you over and over until you believe me when I say thatI love you,Marigold.”
I didn’t know how to respond to his declaration, so I kissed him with everything I had, then used my wind to push him onto the bed, earning a look of smoldering approval. I hadn’t heard those words from many people and I could only imagine he hadn’t heard them often either. I certainly hadn't expected him to say them so fast.
“I love you,” he whispered against my skin as he undressed me.
“I love you,” he growled into my ear as he kissed his way down my throat.
“I love you,” he purred between my legs as he made me climax.
And I couldn’t say it back, even though I felt it. My heart wasracingfor him. My thighs were shaking for him. My fingers gripped his hair as I pulled him on top of me.
I love you, he said with his eyes as we swayed together. And my heart felt as full as the moon above.
twenty-nine
Days ticked by as I trained with Raf and spent each evening with Galen. I’d been wielding my magic effortlessly since the burnout. It seemed I’d mastered a new level of control after losing it so thoroughly—though I wouldn’t forget how close it had come to killing me. It wasn’t a lesson I wanted to learn again.
Galen hated that I was spending so much time with Raf, but with Louis still gone, he reluctantly allowed it. He didn’t have a choice; he was too busy to monitor me. I rarely saw him in the hours between sunrise and sunset, but he was always waiting when Rafael dropped me off at the castle gates.
It usually went something like this: Galen’s eyes would simmer and Raf would flash his teeth with a warning growl. I’d stumble over to Galen, exhausted from training, and he’d protectively put his arm around me, while they continued to glare at each other. Then Rafael would disappear in a cloud of smoke and Galen would usually mutter something like, “bastard,” under his breath.
The tension between them was palpable. It seemed inevitable that moon and sun would eventually collide—and I hoped I wasn’t anywhere near when it happened. Or maybe I hoped I was close enough that I could stop it. I didn’t want to see either of them hurt.
Galen arranged a meeting with the Queen and her council as promised, and too soon, the day was upon us. I’d been dreading this moment, but there was a bright side—it was a step forward; a step towards going home.
As long as they didn’t deny my request to go to the Oracle.
Raf and I had decided that when we went to the witch, he’d be asking about the kidnappings as well, since every path he took kept leading to dead ends. Meli had confirmed that healers were missing from nearby towns, but she didn’t know where they’d gone. Meanwhile, people were continuing to get abducted. Mostly humans, but also healers.
Desperate times called for desperate measures and going to the Oracle wasabsolutelyan act of desperation. I’d seen enough worry in the Princes’ eyes when we talked about her to know that no one in their right mind willingly went to the witch.
