by Erin R Flynn
I wasn’t the only one who laughed at that. Really, people were sometimes so stupid, it shocked me it didn’t hurt them.
I noticed Darby ducked through the portal to get more balls or frisbees to play with, the fairies he handed them to hesitant with him. He went back for another errand and I stared down the group.
“He is one of the main reasons we’ve made it as far as we have,” I reminded them. “He’s done everything he can to help us and the hobgoblins adore him. The fae dogs as well. I understand we have history with vampires, but they’re not—”
“It’s not that, Princess,” one of the Dark Guardians interrupted, glancing at the portal quickly to make sure Darby hadn’t returned. “It’s shock. Some of us were filled in on how his family was one of the branders who abused fairies and used them as blood cows they bred for that purpose. It’s unheard of that a vampire would go against their own clan to fight against that and help disable the network.”
I nodded, understanding the hesitation better. “It’s who he is. It blew up because we were together and he didn’t know, but I’ve heard his thoughts time and time again. He would have done it even if we weren’t dating. His family stopped being his family to him the moment they treated people as food and behaved like monsters. He’s on our side all the way. He’s one of us.”
“Plus, I love you, agra,” Darby said from behind me. “I don’t care that he’s my grandda. He wanted to brand you as property and force you to make babies with lots of people he would feed from. I love you, and he would have done that to you. That’s no blood of mine. He could put money and feeding before the love of his own kin and that made him no clan of mine.”
I smiled at him over my shoulder. “I’m sorry it took me so long to see that and worried you’d regret giving up your family for me. I’m sorry I doubted your love.”
He gave me a watery smile. “You were sort of traumatized by what he did to us. You have not a damn thing to apologize for. I thank the gods you gave me the chance to win you back. Chances even, and I don’t deserve you.”
“No, you don’t,” Iolas grumbled from my left.
I used the wind rune to send him flying as I reached with my right hand to pull Darby in for a kiss, amusing lots of the fairies around us. And a lot of the hobgoblins, from the way the kids cheered.
“Darby’s the best boyfriend ever,” Elasha bragged to the Dark Guardian still holding her. “He made her an ice sculpture before they were dating. He said she was like Maleficent when she was good and fighting for everyone. He was super in love with her then. And he models for the co-op to help Tamsin when she’s nervous. He protects her at the photoshoots from all the dogs. Momma calls them dogs.”
“I think that’s enough of you repeating the adult talk,” one of the hobgoblins said as she changed colors to show she was embarrassed.
I didn’t focus on that though, but the first part of what Elasha had said, blinking at Darby. “You knew before I told you. Did you know then?”
“No, no I didn’t,” he chuckled. “I had no idea before we started dating. I figured it out when you were preparing for the Power Playoffs. You were reading a book written in Faerie. I thought I’d lost my mind, but you had been for a while and set it down and it slid off the pile after you left the room. I picked it up and it was in Faerie. I swore it was the wrong one, but then I started checking the books you read.”
“And you busted me,” I sighed, shaking my head when he nodded. “Yeah, I got a bit lax. My mind was focused on keeping all the runes straight and which ones I couldn’t use that would give me away as being a fairy that Craftsman had busted me a few times too.” I gave him a sweet kiss and brushed my nose against his. “That statue did mean everything to me. It touched my soul, my prickly pear.”
“It’s still how I see you, agra. You fight for what’s right and will never stop fighting, even if you lose your wings—even if you don’t have your wings yet.”
“Who’s Maleficent?” someone asked quietly.
Not quietly enough since we all heard him.
“Way to ruin the mood, jackass,” someone else replied.
I glanced up to see a light fairy ribbing a dark fairy and I didn’t give a single flying fuck that they’d ruined the moment I’d been having with Darby. The two guys were joking around and not giving a shit they were light or dark.
And that was one of the best presents ever.
And then we all enjoyed a massive brunch spread. The hobgoblins had brought a ton of food; so had others coming from the hotels, and a fuck ton from deliveries as well. We had blankets set up and runes to keep us warm in the winter weather.
It was honestly one of the best mornings of my life. There was only one thing—one person missing, and I was honestly tired of missing Mel, so I told my heart to stop. I wasn’t going to let her ruin this for me when my soul needed this.
Oddly enough, it worked. Sad, but it did. We all had a blast, and Faerie got to have some real joy liven it up in a way it hadn’t in twenty years.
Even if it was just one section of it.
Even if it was a fraction of its population.
Even if it was just for a morning.
It was a huge fucking win that we all appreciated.
23
After the picnic and it was clearly time to come in from the cold—since even magic could only do so much—I decided to push a bit. Everyone had been enjoying themselves so much and crossing the lines that I couldn’t help myself.
Plus, I thought it might really help us.
I walked right up to Taeral, a captain of the Dark Guardians who was a trusted advisor to Neldor’s mother and still fiercely loyal to her. Basically, Iolas’s counterpart in the other realm.
And supremely distrusting of me and Neldor’s biggest fan because of it.
Needless to say, the Light Guardians weren’t a fan of my ever approaching him or going near him alone. Which I counted on, Iolas at my side before I even reached the darky fairy. I glanced between the two of them and tried to keep my nerves at bay, projecting my calmest smile.
“I’d like a word with both of you in private at my house. Please. I found something and I need seasoned eyes to look it over and see if it’s worth putting time into the idea.” I held up my hand to hold off what I knew Taeral would say first. “I’m going to ask Neldor to join us also. This is about our world. He’s not wrong my magical educational is lacking compared to most fairies. I get that.”
“You’re much more powerful than him already,” Iolas defended.
Taeral gave me a surprising inch with his reply. “I agree with some of the others that your unconventional upbringing might be what we’ve needed to solve age-old problems. You’ve shown exceptional intelligence to move us forward from unprecedented problems, Princess.”
“Thank you. Will you review what I’ve found then?”
He dipped his head to me. “Of course. I thank you for finding me worthy to ask my counsel.”
I gave him a genuine smile. “If Neldor’s mother found you a worthy mind to bounce ideas off of, I would never be so pompous to think I could do better or know more.” I headed out on the win they would at least hear me out, asking the guys to give me a bit for some fairy stuff and then turning to talk to Neldor… Who had steam coming out of his ears.
“What are you plotting with Iolas and Taeral?” he demanded, cornering me away from the others.
“I asked them to help me look over something and—”
“How dare you seek counsel from a Dark Guardian without me,” he blasted. “And a captain, on top of that! You have four men in your bed, no matter what I have demanded and repeatedly told you how it’s improper for you to behave. And still, you flirt with any man who looks at you, kissing cheeks as you wish and—”
“Do we need another talk, Neldor?” I asked, miraculously keeping my voice even. “I’m getting really tired of this. You’ve been behaving so differently since the other fairies have been coming back that for a moment, I thou
ght maybe this shit with you was just shock getting unfrozen and adjusting. But it’s all an act, you behaving well because you’re around them—isn’t it?
He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me closer, pissed when he couldn’t move me. “Your behavior is unacceptable and needs to stop this instant.”
“As does yours, Prince Neldor,” Taeral seethed from behind us. The man was seconds from raging out when I glanced over my shoulder. “You dare grab any female fairy like that, much less the light realm heir? Your mother would fall to her knees and beg Princess Tamsin’s forgiveness were she alive to witness this. Have you gone mad?”
Neldor instantly let me go and stepped away. “I lost my head.”
I had a totally different reaction. “She would have?”
Taeral glanced between us, focusing on me in the end. “Yes, she would have. Women are not allowed to be treated this way. Not in either realm, as your mother wouldn’t have allowed it either. It was why I found these whispers among your people of Prince Neldor’s behavior so distasteful and below you to spread to push dark fairies to your side of the rift.”
I shook my head. “I’m not trying for any of that. None of this is about power to me, Taeral. Neldor’s all about taking over Faerie and being king or whatever. I just want our people all unfrozen and safe. All our people. I don’t give a fuck who’s light or dark. I truly don’t.”
“Forgive me for doubting you, but you are the first fairy I’ve ever met to feel that way. It is quite the pill to swallow. I believe that is still a phrase used that makes sense to you. I do believe you now, after seeing this display. I never thought our prince capable of such behavior.”
“It is not the first time,” Iolas bit out. “Princess Tamsin has forbidden us from getting involved or handling the situation as she does not want any more conflict between light and dark. Prince Neldor does not worry over such matters.”
“That is not true,” Neldor snapped. “I want the warring to stop just as much, but I actually know about fairies and our world, not these fanciful ideas full of ignorance that fill her airhead and will never work.”
All of the dozen fairies—both light and dark—who were standing there were completely horrified that he had spoken of me in that way. I felt… Not vindicated, but relieved that Neldor truly was an asshole and not of the normal fairy mindset or whatever.
Yeah, it was a relief for sure.
“Not today,” I cut in when Iolas looked like he had lots to say. I glanced at Neldor. “I was coming to invite you to join us. I think I found something. I wanted all the adults to discuss it and see if it could work.” I should have left it there, but I was a bit salty he was shitting on my awesome day. “Or, if it’s another of my fanciful ideas full of ignorance that would never work, like the one that fucking saved your ass.”
I felt better when several people snorted, turning on my heel and heading for the portal. Chief had hung back even though the pack had gone through and bumped my leg, so I turned on my telepathy.
I sighed and glanced at him when I heard what he wanted. “No, you can’t come to the meeting. You’re still grounded from coming into the house.” I stopped and faced him with my hands on my hips when his thoughts argued with me. “Do you remember why you’re grounded from coming in my house?” I nodded when he ducked his head. “That’s right, you burned an expensive and old rug.”
“Neldor jerk. Got mad.”
“I know Neldor was a jerk, but he might be again, and I need my house not set on fire, Chief. I can handle Neldor. Okay? Have some faith in me.”
“We do. Take shield.”
I couldn’t hide my horror as he sent me an image of Elasha’s face. I reached out and thumped him on the head. “No, I’m not taking one of the hobgoblin kids with me so Neldor behaves and doesn’t touch me. Don’t ever suggest that again. They’re not—you don’t risk kids like that, goof. If he’s bad, I’ll beat him up again, I promise.” I turned for the portal, clearly saying the conversation was over.
But Chief pushed on, not liking how Neldor never quit, and it upset all of us. He never took the punishments or lectures seriously, so I couldn’t even threaten another lecture from Irma.
I glanced over my shoulder at Iolas as I kept walking. “Can fae dogs give only a burn? Not just turn people to ash with their fae fire or whatever? I mean, I’ve seen that, but Chief is trying to—it’s like a mark.”
“Yes, and one that cannot be healed with any known magic except by the fairy the pack is sworn to. It’s a mark of dishonor given by fae dogs to those who shame their master.”
“That’s cool,” I muttered, glancing at Chief. “You guys are full of the neatest tricks and do all the best stuff.” I reached over and rubbed his head, glad when he soaked up the praise. “But no, you can’t fucking mark Neldor if he’s rude to me. He’s rude to me any time he talks to me. Let’s be realistic.”
“Lovely, even the princess’s fae dogs are at their limit with your behavior towards their master,” Taeral seethed.
“Enough with the judgment,” Neldor warned, his voice cold and dangerous. “You’re not my father, no matter how much you wish you’d been.”
Oh good, so Taeral truly was Iolas’s counterpart, down to loving the queen he served. Geez, this was fun.
“No, may the gods rest his soul. He was a great man who is probably trying to return from the afterlife to beat your ass all over the place for even speaking to the princess as you did, much less grabbing her.”
I snorted. “If only that’s all he’s done. Hang around more often, Taeral. You try and get him to behave. I give up.” I sighed when Chief practically knocked me over bumping into me again. “Fine, okay? Fine. You can give him that burn if he super upsets me again. If it comes to the point I would beat him up or he seriously demeans me, you can burn him instead.”
That seemed to make Chief happy.
“For the record, you’re not really doing much but taking my fun away since I enjoy beating him up when he’s a dick,” I reminded my dog as we reached the portal. “It’s funny when I kick his ass and he pretends like nothing ever happened, like that night I froze him in the pool after he…” I smirked at Neldor over my shoulder. “Oh, you’d be in huge trouble if I snitched on that.”
Neldor went pale as he glanced at Taeral and a few of the other Dark Guardians.
I laughed as I went through the portal and didn’t stop for several minutes after we were all in my kitchen. Damn, it was funny. He’d honestly deserve my snitching, but I wanted us all to work together and get along, not more bullshit.
“Just the four of us for now,” I said to the group. “Help yourselves to food, or you can take the ATVs to load up from the greenhouses to take back to the hotels if you want.”
One of the Light Guardians took the hint, nodding. “I know where everything is. Thank you, Princess.”
“Always.” I smiled at them and then led the three men towards the secret rooms I’d added to the Townsend estate.
“Conall Townsend was a great man,” Taeral muttered. “It was a great loss for Faerie when his bloodline was wiped out. They were a clan of goodness and the best of your kind.”
I stopped our procession and spun on him, jabbing my finger in his chest and staring daggers at him. “Our kind. We are all fairies. Change your fucking vocabulary. You are a leader as a captain of the Dark Guardians, and it is unacceptable for you to be so fucking racist!”
“Princess, he’s not—” Iolas tried to defend.
But I wasn’t having any of it. “No, it is, Iolas. We are all fairies. We might be different races, but we’re not different species. It’s not our kind versus their kind. It’s not human versus fairy.” I gestured between them. “You have blond fucking hair and he has brown. Brown eyes versus blue. Oh my fucking gods. It’s life altering differences. Crazy differences. You’re even the same fucking height and build.”
I rolled my eyes and stormed off when they simply stared at me. I was not the weird one there. For real.<
br />
“You’re right,” Taeral muttered as they caught up to me. “I apologize. The way we were all raised, its not meant to be racist or a slight but…”
“The difference between wolf and bear shifters,” Iolas offered.
“Yes, like that,” Taeral agreed. “They’re shifters, but simply different.”
I sighed. Heavily. “I sorta get it, but not really. They turn into a wolf or bear. You guys have different fucking hair color and eyes. I mean, really. Yes, I understand you have different natural magic tendencies or whatever, but so do witches and warlocks, and they’re not separate races. Izzy’s not an aura witch because she’s got a knack for auras and someone else, a potion species. Get over it.”
“We can try. Today was a good start,” Taeral replied.
I let it go because he was right and earlier was a good start. I didn’t want to ruin that, but sometimes people were so busy looking at the differences and only seeing the few before them, they missed the glaring list of all the similarities. Which really mattered in the end?
“This is clearly not to be shared with everyone,” I instructed as we reached the area.
“I didn’t even know about it and I’ve been living here,” Neldor grumbled.
“I trust Taeral,” I threw right back as I unlocked the biometrics. “And apparently, he’ll smack you back if you go too far over the line since you won’t listen to me for shit.”
I didn’t give him a chance to respond—not that he would have a valid defense—and headed right for the book I wanted to show them. I brought it over and opened it up, pointing out the passage and handing it to Iolas first.
“What I think that’s about is how fairies put up the first glamours over the huge area of the dragon royal castles. That’s what it sounds like. Instructions how to recreate that sort of massive barrier and ward that has glamours and all kinds of goodies included.”
Iolas scanned a couple of pages. “Yes, it looks to be exactly that.” He handed the book to Taeral. “I’ve heard stories about it and studied it somewhat in school. It took massive amounts of power to build the original glamours. You should absolutely study and learn from these writings, but another time when you have less to currently focus on, Princess.”