by Skye Horn
“Hold it like this,” he told her, adjusting her fingers so they could grip the dagger more naturally. “And aim for the soft spot between the ribs.”
He pulled her hand forward to press the tip of the dagger against the very spot he’d mentioned, showing her.
“Okay,” she said in a small voice, visibly swallowing back her fear. Her hands shook around the dagger, so Kieran wrapped his own hand around hers to steady the blade.
“I will protect you, Thea,” he murmured, never looking away from her face. “I promise.”
“You never called me Claire,” Thea said with a sudden look of surprise. “Ethel called me Claire.”
“Iris told me that you go by Thea before I left to find you. She thought it might calm you down if you heard the name you know.” He gave her a small smile and then tucked the dagger back into its hiding spot for her as she blushed.
“So I’m Thea, not Princess Claire?” she asked.
“You are Princess Thea,” Kieran responded. “Claire was the name given to you by your mother and father, but you had more than one mother and father. It’s part of your identity. You’ll always be a princess though.”
He watched as Thea thought about his words, eventually nodding in agreement. She repeated “Princess Thea” aloud, as if it would help her adjust to being called by it. He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it, and lowered himself into a kneeling position in front of her. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her cheeks flushed the deep red of fresh roses. He felt nervous himself, but tried not to show it as he looked up at her from his kneeling position. He let go of her hand and unsheathed the sword he kept constantly at his side, inserting it into the ground between them, as was customary.
“Princess Thea, I pledge myself to you as the first of your faithful guard. If you will have me, I promise to protect you with my life.” He lowered his eyes to the ground, staring at the place where his blade met the earth. He realized she wasn’t familiar with their customs, but he needed this to happen before anything else did. He needed to know that she wanted him to remain at her side, and that he could protect her from the journey ahead. He couldn’t fight her battles for her, but he could stand at her side until he took his last breath if she would allow it.
“Kieran—”
“I need this, Thea.”
Silence passed between them as Kieran met her eyes. She looked beautiful with the sunshine kissing her freckled skin. The snow on the surrounding ground glistened beneath her. He could think of no better place than here to ask her to have him.
“Okay,” she said finally, “on one condition.”
Her eyes sparkled like the icicles hanging from the tree branches as she raised him up from his kneeling position.
“You are my equal, and I will treat you as such. If you wish to stand by my side and protect me with your life, then you understand I will stand by your side and protect you with mine. I won’t have you being a marauder, but I will have you.”
Kieran considered her words. Her newness to their lands and their traditions was clear, and yet he longed for what she said to be true. He longed to be her equal in every way, shape, and form. However, she would eventually discover their laws would never allow that.
“I’ll do my best to remember that, Princess Thea, but you’ll soon find that few will agree with those terms throughout the kingdoms.”
“Good thing a queen doesn’t have to be agreed with then,” she said, sounding like her mother. She looked around, her eyes troubled, and he followed her gaze. “Faylon left me,” she said with a pout so familiar to him that he couldn’t help but smile.
Kieran roared with laughter as he lifted Thea into his arms, a teasing smile playing across his lips. It had been ages since he’d laughed or smiled so much, but it felt good, like stretching a muscle he’d nearly forgotten how to use. Thea’s torn dress fell away from her leg, but he tried not to let his eyes linger for too long on the spot, focusing on the way she looked at him when he cradled her against his chest. He hoped she would never stop looking at him that way. Behind her gray eyes he saw the same trust he’d seen the night he left her in Ireland when he’d told her everything would be okay.
This time, he intended to make sure of it.
“I suppose that means we’re flying home.” He grinned. Her hands tightened suddenly into his shirt, and he pressed his feet into the ground as he ran toward a spot where the hillside’s elevation dropped. Kieran smiled as Thea squealed when he launched himself over the drop and into the air.
“I don’t think this is protecting me with your life,” she gasped, peeking around his arms to look down as they soared high into the sky.
“Trust me,” he replied loud enough for her to hear him over the sound of the wind. When she nodded, obviously having heard him, he spun through the open air, his laughter booming as she screamed in shock before he dove toward the ground.
“I do, but—”
He swooped across the snowy floor, just inches from its surface, and smiled at her. Her hair was almost completely undone now, and he admitted to himself that she looked stunning with it falling freely around her shoulders, just as he’d imagined she would. He had to look away.
He forced his wings to carry them higher once more, holding her tightly against his chest before falling into a gentle glide across the sky.
“Admit it,” he spoke without looking at her, “flying is the most fantastic and freeing thing you’ve ever experienced!”
Kieran caught her staring up at him. Her lips were slightly parted, the same way they’d been earlier, and her breath came more quickly than usual. He wondered what thoughts were crossing her mind, because the ones within his own head were driving him to the edge of the control he fought so hard for. He desperately wanted to close the small space between them by pressing his lips to hers. He wanted to fly her far away from the kingdoms to live a simple, happy life together, but if he did that, if they left now, Malachi would win and, eventually, so would the Goddess of Death. He knew fate had brought Thea home for a reason, and yet all he wanted was to rationalize taking her away from that reason. All he wanted was to protect her.
“What are you thinking about?” Thea asked as they flew over the village and neared his aunt’s cottage.
“Fate,” Kieran replied. Fate had brought Thea to Ireland. Fate had made sure he was stationed on guard duty that day. Fate haunted him with undeniable feelings for Thea. Fate both brought them together and kept them apart.
Thea raised an eyebrow at him and said, “Fate can be changed.”
Kieran didn’t have a response for that. He wasn’t sure he believed that fate could be changed, but thankfully, Ethel and Faylon stood waiting for them when they landed, saving him from the argument.
“You have a familiar!” Ethel said. She clearly didn’t sense the tension between Kieran and Thea. Instead, she stood stroking Faylon affectionately as he grazed.
“A what?” Thea asked as Kieran set her down on the ground and took a step away. She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow and then looked back at Ethel.
“A familiar is a bonded creature,” Kieran explained, glancing between Faylon and Thea. “I guess it isn’t surprising that yours is the offspring of the very one that saved our lives fifteen years ago.”
“What?” Thea asked.
“That’s a story for another day, Thea. For now, just know that not all Fae have a familiar. Most of the time, they show up when a Fae desperately needs comfort and they are almost always creatures of light, such as your Unicorn here.”
He smiled over at Faylon, who was enjoying the soft strokes of Ethel’s hands. Thea just rubbed at her temples, clearly overwhelmed with all the information Kieran had given her.
“Do you have one?” Thea asked Kieran.
“No, but Iris does. I’m actually surprised you didn’t see Gwendolyn in the stables.”
“Gwendolyn?” Thea lifted an eyebrow at him.
“She’s a Pegasus.”
“You’re lying to me… First Unicorns, and now Pegasi? What’s next? Mermaids?” Thea’s hands were on her hips now as she stared at him in utter disbelief.
“Ah, I wouldn’t go looking for the merrow—they’re nasty little creatures.”
“Oh!” Ethel gasped suddenly, staring at Thea’s leg. “What happed to your dress?”
“I guess I’m not used to wearing dresses,” Thea replied glancing down at the torn fabric. “You don’t think it’s possible for me to get some type of, I don’t know, pants?”
“Pants? But you’re a princess…” said Ethel, bewildered and oblivious to Thea’s blushing face.
“I’ll talk to my aunt,” Kieran assured her.
“I don’t know, Kieran. She might get a lot farther if we give her pants,” Ethel said with a hint of anger in her tone as she glanced at Thea. It appeared her pleasant surprise about the familiar was being replaced with hurt over Thea’s departure.
“I’m sorry that I ran away,” Thea mumbled, shuffling her feet in the snow.
“Thea, you probably should go change before we meet the king.”
“I’m sorry, what?” She glanced at him in surprise. However, Ethel’s face lit up, just as Kieran had known it would. She never stayed mad very long.
“You’re meeting the king?” Ethel grabbed Thea’s hand, dragging her through the front door of the cottage. Thea looked absolutely panicked, and Kieran gave her an apologetic smile as she disappeared. The smile faded into a sigh though as the door shut between them.
What am I getting myself into? he wondered, looking up at the clouds above him. He found the clouds comforting when he faced impossible choices.
“You look very much like your father when you do that,” aunt Iris said, appearing from inside the house. She smiled at Kieran, but a veil of sadness lurked beneath that smile at the mention of her brother. “He used to stand outside and contemplate the cruelty of the Universe too.”
“I was contemplating the cruelty of fate, but I guess that could be the Universe,” Kieran replied.
“Wouldn’t Ainé be fate?”
“I suppose.” Kieran shrugged his shoulders, kicking the snow beneath his feet. Iris often saw right through him, but at this moment he wished she wouldn’t. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“Do you now?” she raised her eyebrow at him and for a second it was she who reminded him of his father. “Tell me.”
“My emotions are clouding my judgements with Thea. I’m being reckless and foolish. I’m digging my own heart’s grave because fate has brought us to each other but will never allow us to be together.”
“I didn’t realize you’d become a mind-reader since you met her,” she said. Her voice carried a dangerous tone that told him he’d crossed a line, but he didn’t really care. For a moment, he wanted to be self-pitying and tell someone how terrible he felt. She came to stand beside him and mimicked him, looking up at the clouds. “I’ll never tell you who you should or should not love. I’ll also never tell you that love won’t break your heart.”
Kieran looked at her and frowned.
“I’m sorry,” he said, realizing the exact line he’d crossed. Iris’ eyes were far away, remembering something she rarely spoke of. “I’m beyond selfish.”
“You’re in love.” She smiled sadly at him. “Love makes you say and do things you normally wouldn’t do. That’s why people call it dangerous.”
“Would you do it all again?” he asked. He felt like a child asking her for advice. “Would you love her, even though you know the cost?”
“I’ll love her for the rest of my life,” she replied. “And yes, I would do it all again because our love was real. That is what you have to ask yourself—is your love real enough to risk it all?”
She rested her hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing it, and he knew the conversation was over. The ghosts of her past lurked behind her eyes when she walked toward the forest as she often did when memories threatened her control. Kieran watched her disappear through the tree line, repeating her advice to himself.
Is your love real enough to risk it all?
He knew the answer to the question, but feared the consequences.
The struggle to decide which dress was most appropriate to meet the King of Grimwalde felt endless. Thea stood half-naked in the middle of Kieran’s bedroom while Ethel held up each dress to her, mumbling about her skin tone, her hair color, and the way her freckles showed or did not show as much with certain styles. Thea’s frown deepened with every passing scrutiny from the pre-teen girl who apparently knew much more about high-court fashion than she did.
“How old are you exactly?” Thea asked as they settled on a midnight-blue gown that cut uncomfortably low at the neck. A piece of sheer blue material had been sewn into the V-line to make it slightly more modest, but it did nothing for Thea’s discomfort when she looked in the mirror Ethel had hauled into Kieran’s bedroom from her own.
“Thirteen.” Ethel beamed, tugging at the bottom of the dress so that it would fall straight. “But I’m quite mature for my age.”
Thirteen, Thea thought, feeling ashamed of how she’d nearly run the poor girl down with Faylon earlier. Of course, every thirteen-year-old thought they were mature for their age, but Ethel seemed to have forgiven Thea and moved on to focusing on dressing her up like a doll.
Thea admitted the dress was gorgeous to herself but never aloud. It was floor-length and hung perfectly over her curves, accenting only the places she wished to have accented. Like the black dress, Thea felt self-conscious, but even through her self-criticism she admitted the dress made her look more elegant.
“One last thing,” Ethel said and took Thea’s hair in her hands without so much as a warning. Thea protested, but the girl was relentless. She combed through the mess that hung halfway down Thea’s back. Her hair had a fair number of flow waves for Ethel to work with, and it amazed Thea how easily she untangled the knots that had formed during her afternoon adventures.
“There is no magic that makes this easier?” Thea asked with an uncomfortable laugh. Ethel glanced at her in the mirror with a shy smile.
“There may be, milady, but I’m human.”
Thea’s mouth fell open. It was true that Thea hadn’t noticed wings or pointed ears on the girl, nor any other Fae feature, but she’d assumed Ethel was a Fae because she lived with Kieran and Iris.
“Don’t worry,” Ethel said, her cheerful smile never faltering. “Kieran taught me how to fight so that one day I can stand by your side without magic.”
The idea of this small-framed girl in any sort of fight made Thea frown. She disliked anyone standing to protect her, and yet that seemed to be all anyone wanted to do today. Ethel’s hand was on Thea’s shoulder as she combed, but Thea placed her hand on top of it.
“I would be honored to have someone like you at my side,” Thea said. She squeezed Ethel’s hand, and the girl grinned at her much like Kieran did when he approved of something she’d said. Thea thought of her own world and how Ethel would thrive in a land where humans weren’t looked down upon like they seemed to be here, but this was her home. As Ethel continued to work happily on Thea’s hair, she hoped she could be the change they all believed she was. She wanted that change for her.
“You’re all set!” Ethel said, pulling her out of her own thoughts. Thea glanced in the mirror and saw Ethel had braided some of her hair into a crown around her head, like Iris’, but left most of the hair to fall into loose curls down her back. Tiny flowers decorated the crown, drawing attention to it, and for the first time since arriving, Thea saw herself as a Fae. Sure, she missed her jeans desperately, but she couldn’t deny the effect that the dress and the hair had on her. Ethel had dressed her to look like a princess, and she no longer felt like an imposter.
“Thank you, Ethel.” Thea rose and pulled Ethel into a tight hug. When they broke away, she saw the tears that filled the young girl’s eyes. “You’re a wonderful friend.”
Ethel sniffled, st
ill smiling, and bobbled her head up and down as she wiped her tears. Thea smiled back at her. She’d had no siblings, but she wondered if this was how older sisters felt for their little sisters or brothers. She’d hardly spent any time with Ethel at all, and yet she already felt the need to protect her.
“Are you ready, milady?”
Thea took a deep breath and straightened her gown out one more time before nodding her head.
“As I’ll ever be.”
Ethel led her from the house, insisting that, as a princess, they should announce her arrival. Thea tried to argue that it was only Kieran waiting for her, but Ethel rolled her eyes to say that was exactly why she wanted to announce her. Ethel handed Thea a shawl made of the softest fur she’d ever touched to drape over her shoulders, and after Thea’s wary gaze, assured her it was not made from any animal. She accepted it, immediately grateful for the warmth it brought to her shoulders.
Ethel opened the front door and cleared her throat. Kieran was standing a good distance away, facing the opposite direction as he stared out at the forest. His dark outline looked painted against the snow with wings folded handsomely against his back. A fresh powder settled on the ground as snowflakes fell from the darkening sky. It made Thea long for a piece of paper to sketch the irresistible image.
“May I present Princess Thea of Ivandor.” Ethel’s smile radiated as Kieran turned to look at them both. He cocked his head to the side, looking Thea over with an appreciative smile before walking toward them. Thea’s heart raced at his approach, and Ethel murmured, “I can hear that from here!”
Thea resisted the urge to kick her beneath her gown. Maybe this actually was how it felt to have a sibling.
Kieran reached them and bowed low to the ground with all seriousness.
“My future queen,” he said, sending a shiver down Thea’s spine. While Kieran’s eyes were lowered, Ethel moved to show Thea she should extend her hand for him; she did so clumsily.
He chuckled, taking her hand and pressing his lips gently against the back of it before rising.
