Chapter We are leaving.
If I stopped pacing and actually sorted through my feelings, I’d see I’m desperate to get back because I don’t want people to think I’ve abandoned them or that I’ve switched sides.
My eyes dart to the window, the outside world taunting me with its freedom. Felix’s sharp eyes track my every move from his perch on the windowsill, his furry face tilting slightly as if he’s trying to figure out what’s going on in my head. He probably thinks I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have.
“He can’t keep me here. I’m not his prisoner,” I snap, my voice cracking.
The words echo in the small cabin, bouncing off the walls and coming back to me, a harsh reminder of the reality I’m trying so hard to deny. I have absolutely no control of anything right now.
I stomp my foot against the wooden floorboards, the sound loud and jarring in the otherwise quiet room. My fingers flex and curl, itching with the need to fight, to break something, anything, just to release the tension coiled tight within me.
Suddenly, the unmistakable sensation of magic prickles along my skin, and I whirl around to see a portal materializing before my eyes. Pulse hammering in my throat, I storm over to Alivar without even giving him a chance to speak.
“We are leaving.”
Alivar’s eyebrow lifts in surprise, his arms crossing over his chest. “I don’t–”
“Now.” Irritation pulses through me like a live wire.
“–take orders from you,” he finishes, the portal blinking out behind him.
Nymeria and Anika flank me, their low growls rumbling through the cabin, rattling the icy windows.
A ghost of a smile crosses Alivar’s lips as he observes the three of us. “Fine.”
My head jerks back in surprise. “Really?”
Alivar is silent for a long moment, his gaze unwavering. “Yes.”
“Okay, then let’s go!” I say with disbelief and urgency.
“Where would you like to go, Princess?” he says, teasingly.
“Don’t mess with me, Alivar.”
“Wouldn’t dare, Princess.”
Felix gracefully leaps from the windowsill and approaches me. His emerald feline eyes flash, catching the light in a way that feels unnatural. I squint, tilting my head slightly as if adjusting my angle might reveal some hidden truth. Is that magic?
Before I can dwell on it, a sudden, swirling pulse of energy erupts from him, shimmering like a veil being pulled away.
My breath catches as I take an instinctive step back, only to collide with Anika.
The impact jolts me, and my arms flail out to steady myself, the air suddenly thick with magic.
It’s not just a trick of the light—Felix stands at the center of it all, the magic wrapping around him like a second skin.
“What the hell?” I whisper, my hand landing on my chest as if to keep my heart from free.
“Princess,” the fae standing before me purrs, his green eyes the only familiar feature in his transformed visage.
Short black fur covers his entire humanoid body, giving him a sleek, shadowy appearance.
A tail sways behind him, mirroring the restless energy in his stance.
Around his face, a tuft of fur forms a wild mane, accentuating the pointed ears protruding from the top of his head.
Long black hair cascades down his back, blending seamlessly with the dark fur.
His hands and feet end in sharp, formidable claws, completing the image of a creature both fierce and otherworldly.
I’ve never in my life seen a being quite like him, but that’s not saying much, I did grow up in the human world.
“Felix?” I whisper, completely off kilter.
“Yes.”
I blink several times, trying to process what I’m seeing. The cat—no, Felix—just transformed into the humanoid figure now standing in front of me, his form shifting with an almost fluid grace. My mind struggles to catch up with the impossible reality unfolding before me.
My voice is unsteady as I grapple with the bizarre sight. “What’s going on?”
Felix’s gaze meets mine, and there’s a slight hiss in his tone as he responds, “I was concealing you while you were here.”
“Huh?” My confusion deepens, the meaning of his words slipping through my fingers like sand.
Alivar steps in, his voice calm but tinged with something that makes my skin prickle. “Felix here is a unique type of fae. He can nullify magic, and is excellent at cloaking,” he explains, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.
The realization crashes into me, sharp and bitter like a blade twisting in my gut. “You had me watched and my magic concealed?” I snap, spinning on Alivar with a fury that sets my blood on fire. My hands clench into fists at my sides, and I can barely contain the urge to lash out.
Alivar just shrugs, as if my anger is nothing more than a mild inconvenience. He runs a hand through his hair, his expression indifferent. “I couldn’t have you drawing attention to yourself. To be honest, I’m surprised they found you,” he says, casting a frown in the direction of Nymeria and Anika.
The wolves bristle at his scrutiny, but before I can retort, Felix interjects, his tone relaxed, almost bored, “The frostflare lead them here.”
“What?” Alivar’s brows furrow, his confusion mirroring mine, but for entirely different reasons.
Felix’s tail flicks back and forth in an almost lazy manner, though there’s a sharpness in his eerie green eyes as he turns his gaze back to Alivar. “Doesn’t matter.”
Alivar’s eyes narrow slightly, but he doesn’t push the issue. Instead, he faces Felix and gives him a nod, a gesture of respect—or, perhaps, resignation. “The cabin is yours if you wish to stay.”
Felix regards him coolly, his feline eyes holding an unsettling intensity before shifting back to me. “It was a pleasure, Princess.” His voice is smooth enough to be almost mocking. “May you have good fortune in your quest to retrieve your mate.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I can feel the weight of the task ahead settling over me. I give him a quick nod and grab my cloak, fastening it around my shoulders. The familiar snap of the clasp echoes in the quiet room. I take a slow, steadying breath before turning to face Alivar.
It’s time to go home.