Chapter 23
The sun still shone brightly overhead as Glade and I made our way through the castle gardens. The scent of fresh roses drifted on the breeze, intoxicating my senses and revitalizing me in the most delightful way. I had won the battle and would be travelling to meet the Fae.
Strapped to our backs were bulky leather packs, filled with everything we would need on our long journey.
Kaiyah had assembled mine with her usual thoroughness, no doubt including a few fancy dresses I would never wear.
Still, I felt grateful to have such a devoted friend, even if being mine was technically her job.
Glade strode a few paces ahead, the bag on his back apparently weighing nothing at all.
His shiny shoulder-length auburn hair caught the breeze, carrying its faint, woodsy scent back towards me.
I inhaled deeply, savouring every moment I could linger in it.
I was very much still attracted to him—despite my vow to never be in his arms again.
“Come on, Jane, keep up!” he called over his shoulder. “Do you need me to carry that bag for you?”
I furrowed my brows in vexation. “I’m doing just fine, thanks,” I muttered under my breath, my shoulders aching under the strain. What on Earth had Kaiyah packed?
That dazzling smile, the one that made my breath catch, appeared over his shoulder. “Yeah?” His left brow rose. “I could have sworn I heard you huffing and puffing back there.”
“Nope,” I lied through gritted teeth. “I’m great—more than great. This is a piece of cake.”
Glade only hummed in response.
“You know what? Just give me ten more years to grow these muscles, and I’ll be right where you are. I’ll catch up to you—you’ve had way more time to gain strength and train,” I managed to spout through heavy breaths.
Glade stopped in his tracks and pivoted to face me fully. “Ten years? What do you mean by ten more years?”
“Well…” I began, spreading my hands to the sides. “Because you’ve got at least ten years on me.”
Glade’s brows bunched together, and his nostrils flared in a mixture of frustration and bemusement. “No, I don’t,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“What are you talking about?” I nearly stomped my foot. “You’re ten years older than me!”
Glade repressed a laugh, nearly choking through his words. “No, I’m not!”
“Look,” I pressed, “I’m not sure what the whole education system is like here on Ornath… I mean, you’re the one who told me you received the highest, most sophisticated level of it. But on Earth we have this thing called mathematics. Thirty minus twenty is ten.”
Glade’s expression shifted from delight to something more jagged—almost annoyed. “See that’s where you’re wrong, Princess. We do, in fact, have mathematics. That’s not the problem.” He stepped closer, and my heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings. “The problem is…you’re not twenty years old.”
My eyes blinked rapidly as all the tension and blood drained from my face. “What?”
Glade’s grip tightened around the straps of his pack. He leaned forward, stopping just inches from my mouth, his voice so low it barely carried beyond us. “You are not twenty years old, Jane Smith. I am, in fact, incredibly good at math.”
“I… I don’t understand this joke,” I stammered like a record skipping.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a slow, knowing smirk. “I’m not joking, Princess. It may come as a shock, but here—on Ornath—you are twenty-two.”
My eyes searched the gardens for some semblance of an explanation. Though, I wished he were merely kidding, I knew in my gut that he wasn’t. By now, I had learned that Glade did not lie. He was honest to a fault.
“You must understand that time is relative to a planet’s cycles—its rotation and its orbit around its star.
One year on Ornath is three-hundred and twenty-eight days.
Eight months of forty-one days.” He paused, watching my reaction.
“One Ornathian year is only a fraction of a year on Earth. If my calculations are correct…” A glimmer of smug satisfaction crossed his face. “I would only be…twenty-seven there.”
Heat flushed to my cheeks as the revelation settled in. I should have realized it myself. How dense could I be?
Embarrassed didn’t even begin to describe the sensation flooding my body. Once again, I had made Earthlings look uneducated—ignorant of the universe’s truths and rules.
Still, I adjusted my posture and tilted my nose up at the tall man standing before me. I let out a huff. “Doesn’t matter. You’re still older.”
Glade fought back a grin as he held my gaze. A faint twinkle of intense mischievousness sparkled within his irises, making it impossible to look away.
But a sharp whistle cut through the air behind him, and Glade whirled toward the sound.
Further down the garden path, two slender men approached with easy joviality, waving in greeting to the prince.
Both wore long turquoise robes trimmed in gold that trailed lazily through the grass.
The necklines of their tunics dipped into deep Vs, revealing sun-kissed, bare chests that caught the light as they moved.
Their hairstyles were identical—wavy, sandy-blond hair falling loosely to their shoulders, thin intricate braids woven through. And it was not just their hair. Their faces mirrored one another so closely that, the nearer they came, the more obvious it became—these two men were unmistakably related.
Glade nearly skipped with delight at the sight of them. An excited screech escaped his chest as he bounded down the path. Within moments, he was upon them, crushing their slender frames against his in the friendliest of embraces.
I, on the other hand, stood motionless further up the path, awkward and thoroughly dumbfounded.
Glade pulled the younger of the two back at arm’s length, beaming as they exchanged animated greetings. “I was thrilled when Father said you’d be arriving soon,”
“Well,” the older one began smoothly in an accent I did not recognize, “of course we came. It wasn’t as though we had much of a choice.” He snickered under his breath.
The younger blond elbowed him lightly in the ribs. “What my father means, is that we are honoured to attend such a sacred day. I mean, who else gets to say they attended the saviour of the universes wedding?” His smile widened. “We do.”
Though Glade’s expression remained bright and elated, I didn’t miss the hardening line along his jaw betraying his comfort. It was fleeting—gone in a heartbeat—but it had been there.
“Well, I for one am glad you are here,” Glade replied. “The Harpies arrived days ago, and by Goddess, they are dull. They rarely leave their chambers. Now that my two favourites of the Seven have arrived, we can finally have some fun.” He hesitated. “Well…eventually.”
The two men exchanged matching troubled looks, so perfectly mirrored they might have been reflections.
“You see,” Glade continued, warily rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m heading north this afternoon. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me, son!” the elder nearly shouted, smacking Glade’s chest with the back of his hand. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to escape us.”
Glade raised both palms in surrender. “I would never do such a thing. I’m travelling to Cylvaris on official crown business.” His tone shifted. “It’s quite important.”
“Well, that’s a real shame,” the younger man solemnly said. “What are we ever supposed to do without you? We were hoping to visit Janint’s tavern tonight. Jion would never…”
His gaze drifted past Glade and landed on me.
“Why, hello,” he added, softer now. “And who might this little peach be?”
The younger man earned a fierce elbow to the ribs from his father, though the look they exchanged suggested they had already drawn their own conclusion about me and my proximity to the prince.
Glade pivoted and signalled for me to come forward. Though I had been perfectly content observing from a distance, I reluctantly made my way down the path, clasping my hands neatly before me.
“This is Jane Smith,” Glade announced before I could speak for myself.
“Jane Smith,” the younger man vivaciously repeated, a hint of flirtation lacing the timbre of his voice. “I am Prince Hydros of Pelagos, and this is my father, King Thalassic of Pelagos. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Though the elder rolled his eyes at his son’s theatrics, King Thalassic inclined his head politely. “The pleasure is mine, young lady.”
Prince Hydros was undeniably handsome; charisma clung to him as naturally as his own shadow, ego, and all. But standing beside Glade, he seemed …diminished. Ordinary.
As though a mere mortal had taken his place beside a God.
“Jane,” Glade said, gesturing towards me, “is actually the reason you’re here.”
For a moment, both men tilted their heads in puzzled unison. Then, understanding dawned all at once. Prince Hydros’ eyes widened in horror, while King Thalassic’s mouth fell open in shock.
Shifting his gaze sideways towards Glade, Prince Hydros muttered under his breath, “Last Daughter?”
Glade gave a subtle nod that contained a glint of delight.
“Oh, Goddess,” Prince Hydros groaned, smacking his palm against his forehead. “Of course, this would be the first impression I give the saviour of the universe.”
“Please forgive my son and his…enthusiastic tendencies,” King Thalassic said earnestly, rubbing his palms along his face.
I gave a small shake of my head. “There’s no need. It’s nice to meet you.”
King Thalassic’s gaze drifted to the pack strapped to my back. “Are you going somewhere, Jane?” His eyes then flicked to the bag on Glade’s shoulders.
Glade and I swapped a glance. His mouth parted. For a heartbeat, our eyes locked as I searched his for some explanation. Why did it feel like we were being caught in something?
But Glade said nothing.
“Erm,” I began, straightening instinctively, “I’m actually accompanying Glade to Cylvaris to meet the Fae.”
Prince Hydros gasped.
King Thalassic’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. Before I could elaborate, Glade interjected gracefully, “Jane needs answers from the Fae elders. Important ones, regarding Amantius and the prophecy.” His tone remained casual—too casual. “She asked if she might accompany me on my journey.”
“I see…” King Thalassic said after a beat. “In that case, we should present you with your gift now. Though, we would not wish to disrespect Jion.”
“Of course not,” Glade replied, his eyes softening with understanding. “I know my brother. He would not take offence.”
“Very well.” King Thalassic dipped his chin toward his son in approval.
At once, Prince Hydros reached into the satchel slung over his shoulder and retrieved a large honey-coloured conch shell. He cradled it reverently in both hands. The shell coiled into a perfect spiral, its surface sparkling faintly in the sunlight.
“We Mer believe,” Hydro began, “that in moments of grave danger, one need only to sound this conch and their nearest ally will hear the call.”
I accepted the shell carefully. It was heavier than it looked, its weight dragging in my hands. As I studied the smooth ridges, a question slipped from my lips, “Mer?”
King Thalassic blinked, taken aback. “Mer-people, my dear. Pelagos is an oceanic planet. There is no land—only water. Our people are born and raised beneath the waves, bearing tails like fish.” A hint of pride laced his words.
“When we travel onto land, those tails transform into legs. Though we must always remain near water.” He swept a hand towards the south.
“Fortunately, Britavon rests along the continent’s coast.”
Mer-people.
I felt my chest tighten in shock. Once again, a creature I had thought belonged only to storybooks on Earth revealed itself as real, alive out there in the cosmos.
I imagined a civilization beneath the waves, tails splashing gracefully through glittering waters, a vibrant colourful world I longed to see with my own eyes.
“Pelagos possesses infrastructure that accommodates outsiders safely. Hopefully—one day—after the wedding—you can visit and meet my daughter, Prince Hydros’ twin sister, Princess Hydra.”
“There’s nothing I would like more,” I admitted, every word from the heart. Each new world I learned of among the stars tugged at me—a constant pull toward the unique and mystical places beyond. Another reason I wished to destroy the Tenebrae.
Glade shifted on his feet and gave a small, pointed cough.
“Unfortunately, Jane and I must be on our way if we are to make it to Cylvaris before nightfall,” he said, offering his hand in farewell to the king and prince.
“Please take care until I return. I promise, then I will show you what this town has to offer.”
King Thalassic and Prince Hydros shook hands with Glade, then bowed courteously in my direction. After a final nod, they departed, winding through the gardens toward the castle doors.
As Glade and I continued down the path toward the gatehouse, he leaned closer and spoke under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. “And there you have it, Jane. Just four more pairs to arrive…and you will be his.”
I swallowed hard, wishing I could blink the thought away.
Glade was right.
Three more pairs… and there would be no turning back.