Chapter 16 #3
“Aurelia, I want to circle back to what happened with you and the chains. I can’t get over how handling those chains could affect you.
You see, cold iron affects beings with arcana.
Humans do not have arcana. If you were a human, as you have claimed, those chains should not have affected you as they did.
So I will ask you again. What are you? Please keep in mind that my patience has fully run out, and I will not tolerate being lied to again. ”
The hair on my arms rose as the charged feeling in the room strengthened.
I knew this was where I should share my heritage, what my grandmother had shared with me, but I couldn’t shake the intuition that sharing that part of me would create more problems for me.
On the other hand, not telling the truth would also create problems, painful ones if the threats were to be believed.
“I have not lied to you. I am human. When I came of age, my magical abilities manifested, but they are only elemental in nature. My grandmother told me that this was something that happened to the women in our family. It is a maternal inheritance that is believed to be a gift from the goddess Nyxenia.”
The king looked at me with something that resembled uncertainty. “Have you been able to manifest any additional ‘magical’ abilities while you’ve been here?”
“I haven’t tried to use my magical abilities since I’ve been in this realm, so I don’t know if I am able to.”
The king nodded, seeming to have accepted my response for now. “Now, let’s talk about the portals. They have been sealed for hundreds of years, and not one fae has been able to pass through them until now. So how did you two get through one?”
I had really been hoping they would have forgotten about this.
I did not want to incur the king’s wrath, or the queen’s, for that matter.
But I could not tell him honestly how we got through.
I didn’t trust anyone here to share that information, especially not Forrest’s parents.
I had to quickly think of a way to explain this without giving away too much.
“Captain Evergreen asked the same question, and I will give you the same response. We were running away from a fanatical mob and happened upon the clearing I found Prince Sterling in, and when we approached what appeared to be a vine tunnel, it turned into a door. Without any other options available to us, we went through the door, and it brought us to this realm. I assume the portal knew who Prince Sterling was and allowed us passage.”
The queen cut in. “Why were you being chased by a fanatical mob?”
The king’s eyes rolled, and before he could respond to the queen, Forrest interjected.
“We were running away from a mob of religious fanatics who were trying to kill Aurelia. In the place where Aurelia comes from, her occupation is banned by a group called the Children of the Celestial Mothers, and those caught practising it are punished by death. She had assisted a friend’s sister in ending a dangerous pregnancy, and the Children found out.
After they killed her friend and her friend’s sister, they came to kill her, and we fled. ”
The king let out a loud sigh. “Yes, the humans are terrible and need to stop putting weight into the words of religious fanaticism. It is one of many faults they have. Let’s get back to the topic at hand—the portals.” He gestured to me to continue as he adjusted his seat on the throne.
I sighed, exhaustion settling in. I needed to sit down and eat something soon, or I was going to get angrier and grumpier than I already was. “Look, I don’t know what else I can tell you. That’s how we got through the portal. Maybe someone left it open when they dumped Prince Sterling.”
The king paused, contemplating my words.
“I’m not trying to be rude or anything, but we’ve both had a really long journey here.
Considering Prince Sterling’s condition and the fact that he is still healing, he needs something to eat and some rest as soon as possible.
Can we please take a break and resume our talk later, after we’ve all had some time to recuperate? ”
The queen scoffed, “You cannot be serious. You presume too much. This is done when we say it’s done.”
Crap. I had known that comment would go down in one of two ways, and it had gone the bad way. Apparently, making a case for Forrest gave us no extra sympathy with his parents. I hated having to apologize for asking for basic acts of courtesy, but here we were.
“I apologize, Your Majesty,” I offered, hoping I sounded more genuine than I felt.
“No, Oriana,” the king interjected. “She is right. We have been terrible hosts. Sterling, you will head to the royal healer immediately after you have rested. I want him to assess you and see if there is a way we can solve this amnesia problem of yours.” He then turned to me.
“As for you, ‘magical’ human, while you eat and rest, my queen and I will deliberate on what you have shared with us. Once we have come to a decision on what to do with you, you will be advised. Guardians! Please take them both away to their rooms!”
Two large guardians entered through the white crystal doors and headed toward us.
Forrest suddenly cut in, panic in his voice. “Wait. What are you going to do with her?”
The king smiled faintly, impatience painted across his face. “As I just said, Sterling, your mother and I will discuss that and then let Aurelia know.”
Forrest took a few steps toward the king. “No. That is not acceptable! She saved my life! Who cares about the rest? Aurelia stays here with me, or we both leave together.”
The king laughed, while the queen didn’t look as amused.
“Sterling,” the king said, “we need to have you assessed, and we need to discuss what Aurelia has shared with us. There is something dark at work here, and we need to be pragmatic in our approach. I promise you that no harm will come to Aurelia while in our custody.”
Their custody? I was to be held prisoner here, just as I had feared.
“Now, please, go and rest,” the king said, clearly exasperated by this conversation.
Forrest turned to me, his face lighting up as if he had just remembered something significant.
“There is one other thing,” he said to the king.
“Aurelia has two large cats: Nocturna and Astra. They travelled with us through the portal and are somewhere around here. Can you please make sure they are reunited with Aurelia should they come to the palace? Unharmed, obviously.”
The king was clearly barely listening at this point. “Yes, yes. Guardians, make sure her cats are brought to her room, should you come across them.” He waved dismissively.
With that, King Julian and Queen Oriana rose from their thrones and descended the dais. They exited the throne room through a door to the side.
Forrest grabbed my hand and gently pulled me toward him, lifting my chin delicately with his index finger. “We’re going to be all right, Aurelia. I’ll make sure of it once I’ve seen this healer. I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but please try to remain calm and trust in me.”
I could barely make eye contact with him.
Despite whatever feelings I had experienced on the way to the palace, I knew deep down I truly loved every fibre of his being.
Whatever was coming for us next terrified me.
What if his memories were restored, but he forgot who I was?
We would lose everything. I tried to hold back the tears, but I was too tired to fight my emotions.
“What happens if your parents decide I’m not worth having around and get rid of me? What happens if you are fully healed and don’t remember me?” My voice cracked, the sound mimicking how my heart felt. “This feels like a goodbye.” I broke down in sobs.
Forrest leaned in and gave me a soft, warm kiss on the lips. “I promise this is not goodbye, Aurelia. I love you. Nothing could ever change that.” He wrapped both his arms around me, pulling me close.
Our kiss deepened into the darkest depths of the realm, completely cutting us off from all that was around us.
A guardian cleared his throat loudly. “I apologize, Your Highness, but we do need to be on our way,” he said, with not one hint of regret in his voice.
Several moments later Forrest pulled away, his lips slightly swollen. “I could never forget this,” he said, his forehead resting gently on mine.
We broke apart and exited the throne room, each escorted by a guardian. We made our way past Thalos, who was leaning against one of the tables in the hallway, with a giant grin on his face. My mind went blank, and my body went numb as I marched toward what felt like the end of everything.