by E. A. Weston
“Nothing, son. Nothing at all.” Grabbing me, he hugs me tightly.
“Father, you are scaring me,” I say, still holding onto him as if I were a child again. He pulls back, smiling at me, then extends his wings.
“Look,” he tells me and I do. I see his wings as black as my own, with the same silver veins.
“Yes, Father, we have the same wings. I don’t understand.”
Panic has now filled my voice, causing it to waiver. Under any other circumstances, I would not allow my emotions to show through, but this is my father and I need to know what is wrong with me and my wings. My father pulls his wings back.
“Calm down, Son, you have nothing to be frightened of. Your wings are magnificent.” He smiles at me, but I don’t understand what he means. “Come my son.”
I follow him to the ballroom and he locks the door behind us.
“Now, extend your wings.” I do as I am told and extend my wings while hanging my head, not wanting to see if something has happened to them. I don’t rely on them much, but I know they are a part of me and I have neglected them. “Look up,” my father commands.
Raising my head, I look at myself in the mirror, noting my wings, which to me look fine. My father extends his own wings beside me.
“Now tell me what you see?” I look between both our wings.
“Well, they are the same color and shape.” My father nods. “But mine seem bigger?” I say, raising my voice in question, making him smile.
“Yes, my son, your wings are much, much bigger.” He laughs as I retract my wings again and slump to the floor.
“I don’t understand, Father, why is that news?” He joins me on the floor.
“Son, only those fairies destined to be great warriors have wings which are the length of their body, and you, my son, are clearly destined to be a great warrior. I could not be prouder.”
Raising my head to meet his eyes, I ask, “But why me? Your wings are almost the length of you.” He smiles again.
“Do not fret, my son. I will teach you all I know, but first you will have to go to the camp of the Tenebrosi for training.”
“What camp? Father, I fear you are not making much sense to me and I am truly bewildered as to why my wings are of such concern.”
Standing, he reaches down to me, pulling me to my feet. “Do not despair, Son, you are okay. I am sorry that your sister made such a fuss, but I am happy she did. Otherwise, we never would have known.”
We leave the ballroom together. I make my way back to my room, telling my father I wish to dine alone tonight. He frowns but agrees and allows me to find comfort in privacy.
Chapter 2
Over the last few weeks, I have stayed holed up in my rooms. Aurelia has begged me to join her, but I refused. She has also banged on my door and cried against it, but I refuse to speak or see anyone. I have been thinking about what my father had said, about my destiny to be a great warrior, and about that fairy, Claudia, who basically said the same thing. I have come to loathe my wings and refuse to extend them even though the pain of keeping them flat against my back does not allow me much sleep. Lying on my bed, I can hear the handle of my door rattle.
“Go away, Ari,” I whisper, but it rattles again. Climbing off my bed, I unlock it and pull the heavy oak door open, my anger simmering, but no one is there. Closing the door again, I lock it and crawl back onto my bed.
“Giving up so soon?”
My head springs up at the voice. Grabbing my dagger, I turn to kill the intruder when I freeze in my movements.
“Claudia?” I whisper.
I see the silver-haired fairy sitting on my window waving her delicate hand at me.
“So it would seem.”
She smiles as I replace my dagger in the sheath on my belt.
“How did you get in here?” I ask stupidly, which makes her laugh that beautiful tinkle sound and I can’t help but smile at her. I watch as she swings her legs and jumps off the windowsill.
“My prince, I fear you have not accepted your gifts well and apparently you have not been using them.”
“My gifts?”
I watch her pace my room as she looks at my personal possessions.
“Yes, Killian, your gifts,” she says, throwing open my windows. “Now, let us put them to use for I cannot stay all night.” She winks as she jumps out of the window.
Reaching the window, I see her suspended on the most beautiful silver wings I have ever seen. She motions for me to follow her, but I refuse.
“No, I can’t.”
Turning, I walk back to my bed. Just as I sit down, I feel an invisible force pulling me back to the window.
“You can and you will, Killian.”
Claudia looks sternly at me. “It will not do to anger the goddess.” With one flick of her wrist, my wings are extended and I cry out in pain she shakes her head.
“You must use your gifts, Prince,” she scolds, waiting for me to climb out of my window. When I do, she smiles and is back to her playful self. She flies toward the trees and I follow, not knowing if what I am doing is the right thing. But I am drawn to her for a reason I don’t understand. Maybe she is my true mate.
Feeling the beat of my wings as I follow her through the forest makes me smile. I just now realized how powerful they truly are. Claudia looks over her shoulder and laughs as I chase her all the way to the ocean where we hover, watching the waves. Claudia turns her face to the moon and smiles. I watch as she nods and turns to me.
“Come on, my prince, you need to keep moving.”
She takes off at a most incredible speed, and as I beat my wings once, twice, I can feel the power propel me forward. I catch her within seconds.
“Ha, ha! I have caught you.”
I call from behind her, making her swoop below me and double back the way we came. I follow her movements and find she is sitting on the edge of a cliff. Landing, I sit beside her. “Why did you come to me?”
“You need help and that is my job,” she answers, matter-of-fact.
“Are you my true mate?” Turning, she smiles at me.
“No, Killian, I am not, but your true mate will become known to you.”
My heart sinks as I listen to her. Turning, I look at the stars and moon high in the night sky, wondering, why me? Claudia laughs.
“Oh, my prince, you are a very confused fairy.”
We spend the next few hours talking about my family and practicing my flying with my new wings. By the time I reach my room at sunrise, I am exhausted and my wings feel heavy. Without retracting them, I fall on my stomach, sinking into my bed and closing my eyes. Claudia visits me every night for fourteen moons, but on the last night, we just sit on the cliff watching the moon. A waxing crescent hangs in the sky.
“I must leave you tonight.” Claudia sighs.
“Why? Do you not like me?” I ask, teasing her, making her blush.
“Yes, of course, I like you, Killian, but my job here is done and I have another imperative job ahead of me,” she says sadly.
“Which is making you sad?” Turning to smile at me, she shakes her head.
“No, it is a wonderful job and I am looking forward to it, but I have been having fun teaching you.” We smile at each other and I reach for the pearl she gave me a few weeks ago.
“Come, Prince Killian, we shall fly some more before I take my leave.”
Standing, we beat our wings and take off into the night sky. Just before sunrise, we land in my room. Claudia smiles at me, but her eyes are still sad.
“Claudia, my friend, don’t look sad. I am sure once your new job is over we will meet again.” She nods at me.
“Yes, Killian, we will, but it may not be for many, many moons. Take care of yourself and be strong. You will need it.” Before she leaves, I grab her to me, hugging her.
“Thank you, Claudia, for all your help.” She bows to me and I laugh. “Do not bow to me, my friend. We are friends?” She laughs her tinkle at me.
“I will not
bow to you, friend, but just remember that for next time.” We both laugh and she flies away on the last of the night sky.
The following noon, I enter the kitchen looking for food. My nights with Claudia have restored the self-belief I lost over time and I am feeling like a new fairy. Rummaging through the stores, I find some bread and fresh meat.
“Well, it is nice to see my son emerge from his rooms.”
My mother smiles at me as she stops by the door.
“Mother, how are you?”
“I will be better once you join me in the garden.” She floats through the door as I follow her command and join her in the garden. I sit beside her and we turn our faces towards the sun.
“You look too pale to be a summer fairy,” she says. She hugs me to her and kisses my cheek before releasing me.
“I will be okay, Mother. I have accepted my wings and I am ready to become a warrior father can be proud of.”
My mother turns slowly to face me, placing her hand on my arm.
“My son, your father and I are so very proud of you already. Do not mistake that fact ever.”
I nod and smile at her and we both sit back, enjoying the sunshine. I can hear Aurelia approach, but she is staying at a distance.
“I won’t bite, Ari,” I say with my eyes still closed and her steps move faster until she jumps on me.
“I am so sorry, big brother. I did not mean to upset you.”
I gently remove her arms from around my neck. “I know, baby sister.” I smile as she joins us.
“So father and I are going to the human realm tomorrow. Are you joining us?”
I look at my mother who waves at us as a warning not to start disagreeing about traveling to the human realm.
“Yes.” I sigh, closing my eyes again to enjoy the last few hours of sunshine.
By the next morning, my father, sister, and I are walking through the forest of souls.
“Where are we going?” I ask, looking around at the dense trees.
“To the portal between worlds,” my father answers in a whisper. He soon stops at a large rock jutting out of the ground.
“Before we proceed, you must swear never to tell a soul of this portal. It is sacred and only available to our family.”
Aurelia and I exchange glances as my father pulls a small dagger from his belt. Slicing his palm, he motions for us to do the same.
“Is he being serious, brother?” Ari asks through our bond and I nod at her. We both slice our palms and hold them out to my father. Taking our hands, we make a triangle, and as our blood drips to the ground, I can feel the air around us change.
“Goddess Celeste, we offer summer blood, warrior blood, and the promise never to reveal the location of this portal. Please accept our offering and allow us entry into the human realm.”
After my father speaks the words, the air around us shimmers like the lake on a summer’s day. He smiles as he holds Aurelia’s hand and steps through the shimmering air. I quickly follow and stop in awe and amazement as I look around the human realm. My father takes us through the streets which are filled with noise and people. We hear a loud “aruga” sound. Both Ari and I jump, making Father laugh.
“Please, my children, watch your surroundings or you will meet your demise by one of the humans cars.”
Aurelia and I stick close to my father, each flanking him discreetly, holding his clothing so we don’t get lost among the chaos that is the human world. We arrive at a building and my father pulls the door open, allowing us entry. We all sit at the table as my father orders us food.
“Father, why can we not just walk over and retrieve our own food?” Aurelia asks, making him laugh.
“That is not how the humans do it when they are outside of their own homes.”
Ari and I nod as we look around this room with tables and chairs and rows of food. We are awestruck by the sights and a little disoriented by the all the different sounds and noise. My father takes us on a walk around the street, pointing out various buildings and moving carriages, telling us the human names for each before we return to the small patch of green where we entered this world. My father walks behind a large flowering plant and we follow. Taking the dagger, we repeat the words but ask for entry into our own realm. Stepping through the shimmering veil, we arrive home.
My father turns to us and smiles. “Well, how did you like your first visit to the human world?” I can’t help but rub my ears.
“It was noisy.” I frown and Aurelia agrees.
“Yes, very noisy, but I liked it.” She smiles.
“Remember, do not reveal the location of this portal,”
He warns, using his King voice on us. “Yes, Father,” we answer in unison, and begin to walk back to our castle.
“Father, we have been gone hours yet it is still dawn.” He nods.
“Yes, Killian. Time moves differently over there, but we can not speak of it until tonight.”
Once we arrive home, I change into my training gear and make my way to the grounds to actually train with the warriors.
“Brother, you are well?” Avery asks when I arrive.
“Yes.” He looks skeptically at me then laughs.
“You look very pale for a summer court fairy.” Shaking my head, I strap my sword to my back.
“After today, I will look as handsome as always.”
Avery and I spend hours training together. We practice hand-to-hand combat, sword fighting, and ambush techniques. By the evening, we are joking and laughing as we walk back to the castle.
“Are you leaving for training camp?” I ask as we approach the castle walls.
“I hope to, but I have not heard if I have been chosen.”
I clap him on the shoulder. “They would be foolish not to have you, brother.” He smiles at me.
“Yes, they would.”
We agree to reconnect at sunset in the oak grove and meet with some female fairies. Reaching my room, I quickly wash the dirt and sand from my skin and hair, changing into my blue tunic and black pants. Making my way down the hall, I find Aurelia leaving the library.
“Sister.” Closing the book, she squints her eyes at me.
“Where are you going?”
Laughing, I shrug my shoulders.
“Killian, please let me go, too,” she begs, grabbing my tunic.
“Fine.” I roll my eyes as she runs to her room.
After an age, she finally arrives wearing a green dress and her hair is loose around her back.
“Looking for someone in particular?”
I ask, teasing, and her cheeks turn pink. We walk across the garden and make our way to the grove, arriving in time for the small fire to be lit. Aurelia’s breath becomes shallow and I turn my head to her.
“What is wrong, sister?”
“Oh, nothing, Killian, I am wonderful.”
She smiles and waltzes over to the small gathering of about twenty fairies. I sit by the fire as some of the girls dance with Ari.
“Who are you watching?” Avery asks, nodding at the females.
“No one, I am just making sure my sister is safe.”
He laughs at me. “Of course, you are, Prince of the Fairies.” Standing, he pulls me with him. “Come, my prince, let us show these females how it’s done.”
Rolling my eyes, I join the dancing. Avery dances with Aurelia, much to the annoyance of a blue-haired fairy. Tatiana finds me among the dancers and monopolizes my time. After a few hours of dancing, she pulls me into the trees.
“My prince, it has been a while.”
She smiles, pulling me closer. “It has,” I agree as I pull back.
“Don’t you like me anymore?” She frowns at me, letting my clothes go.
“Yes, Tatiana, I do.”
Before I can finish, her lips seal to mine as her hands tangle my hair. We kiss for a while before I pull away.
“I must return.”
Leaving before she can tempt me further, I walk back to the fire, looking for my sister.
“Aurelia,” I call as I walk around, searching for her. My heart speeds up when I can’t find her.
“Aurelia, Princess of the Summer Queen,” I shout through our bond, hoping she is near enough to hear me.
“Brother, please, I am not far from you.”
Taking a deep breath, I walk towards the trees. I can hear giggling and find her with Avery sitting on a small rock.
“Avery.” He jumps to his feet with wide eyes.
“Killian.”
I wave my hand to Aurelia. “We will leave now. Goodnight.”
“What! No, Killian, please let me spend time with him.”
I shake my head no and tell her to move. She stomps her foot and follows me through the trees back into the clearing.
“You didn’t mind leaving me when you went with Tatiana,” she snaps as we walk back to the castle.
“Ari, please. He is my best friend. Why would you choose him?”
Turning, I walk in front of her when I feel a slap to my back.
“I like him, Killian. I really, really like him.”
Turning back to her, I lower my voice. “You need to protect yourself, Ari, and if Avery is who you want, then you need to speak with father.”
She clenches her fists by her side and beats her wings, taking off into the sky. Within seconds, I am above her, casting a shadow over her.
“Killian!”
She gasps, trying to out fly me, but I am faster and stronger. Grabbing her hand, I pull her with me, beating my wings with such force that we rocket through the sky, landing on the cliff at the ocean in seconds.
“Wow, Killian, that was amazing.”
I just laugh and take a seat on the edge of the cliff, allowing my legs to dangle over.
“Sit, sister, we have much to discuss.”
She sighs as she takes a seat beside me. Looking up at me, her golden eyes filled with tears.
“Don’t cry, sister.” I have no idea why she would be this upset.
“I think he is my true mate, Killian.”
“Aurelia, you need to speak with our parents. I can not advise you on this matter. Trust me, matters of the heart elude me.” She laughs at me as her tears dry.
“Really, what about Tatiana?” Now I laugh at her.
