"We're supposed to be forgiving, Marissa. That was in the past," Father mumbled defensively.
Michael slammed his hands onto the table and stood up. "That was in the past?! I guess if Daniel had died, you'd be able to marry the woman whose child drove YOUR son to the edge. Cecelia is the cause of cycles of bullying, spreading rumors about me across the school and realm! But wait, that's in the PAST too!" Michael snarled.
"I won't argue about this. I've already informed them and the rest of the castle workers," Father dismissed.
"You told your family LAST!" Marissa threw the napkin onto the table and walked toward Father, who frowned.
"I'm not required to tell you," he retorted.
"Not required? King Moore, Daniel, and Michael are YOUR children. They deserve to know anything that's going to change their life. What if Cecelia begins to bully them in their own home? Your house is supposed to be a safe place for them. Not a war zone of torment!" Marissa exclaimed. Her eyes were flickering back and forth in anger.
"Marissa! Remember your place," Father said coldly and Marissa looked shocked by his remark.
I thought she'd apologize, but her eyes changed to a bright gold and she moved right into Father's personal space, pressing her finger to his chest.
"Eric Moore! I've served you since the day you became King. I was Isabella's best friend and I'm the reason why your sons are actually HUMBLE unlike all those other royal children who think they're oh-so-perfect just because they're angel shifters. I only serve you out of respect for my best friend's memory and the beloved children she left behind. You can go ahead and get rid of me, but you won't find ANYONE in this kingdom that can replace what I do."
The room was silent and Marissa turned around to address both of us. "Both of you are excused. Go to your rooms," she instructed.
We didn't even blink, immediately moving past Father who looked stunned by Marissa’s defiance. We had just reached the stairs when we heard Marissa harsh words.
"One day there will be a time where someone close to you will wait to tell you something vitally important last, and then you'll know how much it hurts. Maybe then you'll understand a fraction of how Michael and Daniel feel right now," she scolded, before we heard her footsteps walking away toward the hall.
Then the footsteps stopped and she spoke again. "If your sons pull away from you, Eric, don’t blame anyone other than yourself. Accept responsibility for breaking up your family. I bet Isabella is crying wherever she is, because if I was her, I'd be mourning the man who once put his family first rather than believing the rumors and gossip of his kingdom."
After that, Marissa had a serious talk with us and asked what we wanted to do. We trusted Marissa with our lives and I told her about all the visions I'd been having about Heila. She'd been told about the Princess' disappearance because of her closeness to the royal family and her cycles of essentially raising us and assisting other royal families during their stay in ArchAilennia.
She told us to relax for an hour and then she'd be back. When she returned, she had luggage for each of us and told us to pack our favorites clothes and bring anything of significant value.
She'd already informed two of her coworkers of the plan and they were in the process of securing transportation for us and would make sure any remaining belongings would reach us.
Father had locked himself upstairs again and I knew he'd ignore any noise we made. Regardless, we had been as quiet as we could. We were packed and loaded. Marissa made a few meals for the journey, seeing as we hadn't finished our meal.
We left the kingdom at two in the morning through a series of secret underground passages. Every kingdom had them for several purposes and it made it easier for us to leave undetected. Marissa would come with us and stay for as long as we needed her. She wanted to ensure our safety and that we'd be in good hands so we could figure out why I was getting all these visions.
When we finally emerged from the tunnels, we were outside the walls of the kingdom where a carriage awaited us. Marissa thanked her two female coworkers, one of whom was a maid and the other a guard. Then we set off in the carriage, heading to the transport ships.
Marissa said she had connections and had a friend who agreed to give us a private ride to Heila with no issue. In that moment seeing someone willing to go out of their way to help her, I realized the importance of kindness and loyalty. As Marissa said, we should strive to "build bridges instead of burning them."
I rested my head on Michael's shoulder during the ride and tried my best to stay awake, but before I knew it, I drifted off.
I woke up next to Michael who was in deep sleep. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, looking around the little room. I noticed Marissa sitting opposite from us. She was flicking through what looked to be a tablet with a sad smile on her face.
"Marissa?" I asked.
She lifted her head and her smile warmed. "Morning, Daniel. Do you need something?" she asked.
I didn't like her sad expression so I quietly got out of the bed Michael and I shared. As I walked over to her, I rubbed at my eyes which did nothing to clear my vision.
I didn't know where my glasses were but that was the least of my worries. I wanted to know why Marissa looked so sad. She patted the spot next to her and I sat down and turned slightly to face her. She reached into the small bag next to her feet and pulled out a black case.
I looked at it curiously, wondering what was inside. Marissa smirked and gestured for me to take it. I accepted it and opened it to find a pair of glasses. I squinted to get a clearer view of them and happiness bubbled within me.
"Gold? Marissa! They're gold!" I exclaimed quietly, not wanting to wake Michael up.
She giggled quietly. "Yes, they're gold. Want to try them on?"
I quickly nodded and she helped me put them on, pulling out a little mirror from her bag to let me see how I looked. A teeth showing smile formed on my face as I marveled at my reflection.
"Marissa. They...look nice on me," I whispered in surprise.
"They do. I put in a special request to a dear friend of mine in Heila. She's a healer and second in command for the King and Queen of Heila. I told her about what happened and she made a whole collection of glasses just for you. I wanted to wait till your birthday, but I think an early gift doesn't hurt," Marissa explained.
I laughed. "Marissa, my birthday is rotations away." I couldn’t contain my excitement as I stared into the little mirror.
"You deserve it, Daniel." Her expression softened.
I stared into her eyes and she lifted her hand to ruffle my hair gently. "Marissa, why can't you be our mommy?" I asked.
"I wish I could. But I feel your mom wouldn't want me to replace her in your heart," Marissa replied.
I tilted my head in confusion. "Why would I have to replace Mommy? She'll always be my mother. You would just be Mom Two!" I suggested.
"Well, you never know. What if your mom came back one day? It might hurt her feelings," Marissa whispered the second part.
I frowned, thinking about it. "Hmm. I guess she might be sad. But if Mother came back wouldn't she be more upset that Father's getting married...again?" I rolled my eyes at the last bit.
Marissa took a big breath and let it out slowly. "Daniel. I know you and Michael are upset with your father. I'm just as mad, but he's lonely," she confessed.
"Lonely? Why? He has Michael, me and you. There are maids and the guards too. He has a whole kingdom that follows him. He doesn't need Cecelia or her mom!" I argued.
"Your father just isn't seeing what we see. As King, it's his duty to listen to his people. They complain, saying he needs a queen. He has no choice but to follow their request and find someone, even if his heart will always belong to Isabelle."
I was quiet for a moment, thinking about what she said. Father still loves Mommy?
"I still don't think it's right. If I were King, I wouldn't listen to anyone's opinions. It's just gossip and it’s not right for Father. Why have a Queen that do
esn't love you?" I considered, remembering Claire’s insults.
She didn't love Father. I understood that now. Yet, Father had stayed with her regardless. It made no sense to me when it was clear, even at my age, that she needed him. Not the other way around.
"I agree. Would you want a Queen that loves you?" she inquired.
"Of course! My queen will love me THIS MUCH!" I emphasized, spreading my hands wide. "She'd love me and our people and won't listen to their mean words. She'd bring change and we'd be happy together."
Marissa ruffled my hair again and let me rest my head on her arm. "That sounds fun. I think you'll find someone perfect for you."
"Marissa? Are you lonely?" I asked.
"No. I have you and Michael. But when you guys grow older, I may be a little lonely," she admitted.
"When we're older? Why would you be lonely? We aren't leaving you." I looked into her gold eyes.
"You’ll have to go find your Queen. Not to mention go to knight school and make a difference across the realms. I can't come with you."
"You can't? That's depressing. Are you sure?" I demanded.
She laughed. "I'm positive, Daniel. You need to become independent and learn to not rely on me when you're older. I'll still be there for you, just at a distance."
"I don't want you to be lonely." My shoulders sank at the thought.
"It’ll be okay. I'll have friends and maybe I'll find my own King one day," she reassured me.
"Marissa, will I have friends like you? Ones that will help me when I really need it?"
She nodded. "You certainly will. They will love you for who you are, not based on your looks. They'll support you and always look out for you. When you’re sad, they'll be there and if you’re mad, they'll help you calm down. They will be loyal and when you need them the most, they'll be at your side."
We both smiled and I took another look in the mirror. "Marissa, don't be sad, okay?" I whispered.
She looked down at me and nodded. "You want to see what I was looking at?" she asked.
I sat up and nodded. She grabbed the tablet from where she had placed it next to her. She turned it on, resting it on her lap for me to see.
"Is that Mom?" I exclaimed happily, placing my hand on the screen.
"Yes. That's me and Isabelle after she came back from her honeymoon with your father," Marissa replied.
She looked so beautiful and the simple image of her wide smile brought tears to my eyes.
"I get why you were sad. Seeing her happy makes me miss her," I confessed, looking up at Marissa.
She used her right hand to wipe away a tear that rolled down my cheek. "I miss her too. But maybe she had a purpose elsewhere?" Marissa considered.
"You think the Starlight gods needed her help? Father said Mother loved to help everyone."
Marissa grinned and looked up at the ceiling. I followed her gaze to the little window above us that gave us a glimpse of space and the multiple colored stars above us.
"Maybe. We can only hope."
We continued to watch the stars for a few minutes before Marissa showed me more pictures of Mother and her when they were younger. She even had a few images of Mother and Father I'd never seen, which intrigued me.
"Father looks happy," Azriel said softly in my mind.
I agree. Maybe he is lonely. I let out a yawn and lifted my glasses slightly to rub at my tired eyes.
"Go back to sleep, Daniel. We'll be in Heila before sunrise."
I nodded, yawning again and got up to head back to bed. I stopped halfway, then walked back to Marissa who eyed me curiously.
"Can I have a hug?" I asked.
A wide smile formed on her lips and she opened up her arms. "Of course."
I gave her a tight hug and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Marissa. You're the best."
"I love you more, Daniel," she whispered back in a choked voice.
I knew no matter what happened in the cycles to come, this wouldn't be a farewell.
"How can you two be okay with just waltzing out of here when we don't even fucking know each other?"
I looked to my right at the ginger-haired boy named Kai who looked rather upset. "Um, I don't know. Why are you angry?"
My head turned to my left to the purple-eyed boy, the one from my vision. His name was Ryder and just like in my vision, he was a born leader.
"Because this is stupid," Kai argued.
"How is this stupid?" Ryder retorted, looking like he was losing his patience with Kai.
"We followed a weird sensational pull to this pillar place, with no fucking instructions, and now I'm taking orders from some purple-eyed brat, to go and get Elias assistance," Kai scoffed.
Ryder rolled his eyes. "First off, I'm not a brat. It's Ryder. Second, Elias needs to see a healer at the medical center here in Heila. We'll go there, make sure he’s alright and—"
"No."
We all turned to the little boy named Elias who was shivering, shaking his head vehemently. His emerald green eyes were wide with fear as if we'd told him he was going to die instead of seeking assistance for what looked to be a fever,
"What?" Ryder asked.
I noticed the sudden change in him and using my healing powers told me he wasn't feeling well all of a sudden which made me frown. I didn't want my future friend getting sick, let alone any of the other boys around me.
"Elias? You don't like medical centers?" the boy named Marcus inquired.
He was built for his age and his long caramel hair was intriguing. It wasn't often I saw someone with long hair like me unless they were an angel shifter. He definitely wasn't one. Maybe a bear shifter?
Elias nodded, shivering. "Please...no. They'll strap me to the table and force me to stay still..." he whispered with tears in his eyes.
We all frowned at his admission and I unintentionally sent a wave of calm to him. I didn't want him fearing our assistance. He seemed to relax slightly and his eyes met mine for a few seconds.
"Okay. We won't go to the medical center. We...can go to one of the rooms in the private section of the castle and Karen can check you out, okay? Don't cry," Ryder reassured him, reaching out to rub his head.
Elias nodded. "Okay."
"Let's just go, please?" Ryder asked, turning to Kai.
"I'm not taking orders from you," Kai argued.
"Are we really arguing right now? We just met," Marcus pointed out.
"Exactly. We just met, meaning I don't need to take orders from any of you! I'm going home," Kai announced and I knew without a doubt he was going to waltz out of here like nothing happened.
I was getting tired of the time we were wasting arguing when Elias looked like he'd pass out any second and Ryder was looking rather pale and uncomfortable, even though he was trying to hide it.
"Stand still and shut the fuck up!" I declared, using a smidge of my gift.
Everyone glanced my way and I knew my eyes must have been copper in that moment. I was usually a patient person, but I was tired from our journey here.
After landing, we'd stayed at Marissa’s friend's place. This morning I felt an undeniable pull, like a force telling me to come here to the Heila library. I didn't know where this place was located, but I found my way easily, guided by the pull. Michael followed behind and was now outside waiting with two other adults.
Both of them looked to be of royal lineage and were similar in appearance to Ryder and Kai respectively. Michael reassured me he'd be fine and that he recognized the two men, shooing me away to do my searching.
I would never have imagined the library to hide a secret entrance to this circle pillar paradise. Now that we'd been gathered, I had many questions I needed to be answered. Arguing wasn't going to get me them.
“Did...you just use your power?" Ryder asked.
I nodded and crossed my arms. "Stop acting like a bunch of spoiled brats. Elias needs treatment and you’re standing there bickering over who's leader? Ryder's in the center of this in some way and he knows Hei
la better than any of us. Stop being a fucking ass and listen. We can deal with your hurt pride later," I ordered.
"So much for making friends," Azriel tutted and I mentally groaned.
Admit it, you'd do the same.
"Probably," he replied, sounding amused.
Everyone was silent and Marcus and Ryder stared at one another before turning to Kai who was still under my gift’s control. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, retracting my power.
Kai shook his head. "Mother fucking ugh...why did the gods make you a fucking Archangel? I swear to Starlight, use that stupid skill on me again and—"
He was interrupted by a "splat" noise. Our gazes turned to Elias who was motionless on the floor. Just great.
Ryder and I were at his side in seconds and Marcus began shaking him. "Elias? Elias, can you hear me?"
I lifted my hands over Elias and let my power of healing take control. My eyes felt warm and tingled with magic, going from their normal blurry view to a perfect vision as I scanned Elias from head to toe.
"Fever and dehydration," Azriel sad calmly. "He's definitely been through a lot on his journey here."
"He's running a high fever. He's dehydrated too," I announced to the group. I could tell from the quick analysis he'd really been through a rough couple of days, appearing to have lost weight too.
"I suggest you all stop lingering and take him to Karen."
We all looked over our shoulders to see a woman. She had beautiful black hair, the roots showing hints of grey.
Her hair was tied up in a red ribbon, the same color as the traditional garment cloaking her small frame which I’d remembered reading was called a kimono.
She was short, only a few inches taller than us. Even though her skin was pale, she looked strong and healthy, her skin-tone and facial features cluing me in that she too was of Asian descent.
I was shocked that none of us had sensed her. We were trained in basic combat and to sense shifters and humans at a close distance. She must have used a cloaking spell strong enough that none of us could hear her arrival.
DANIEL (The Starlight Gods Series Book 6) Page 7