Chapter 28

As twilight began to drape itself across the sky, Emelio guided us back to the palace. The courtyard was a maze of long, deep shadows, swallowing up patches of space around the trees and gate. The only sounds breaking the silence were the occasional distant calls from the forest beyond.

I exhaled a long breath, relief washing over me as I took in the familiar scene. Everything was as we had left it, which meant that nothing had happened in our absence. All I needed now was to see Nanash, to reassure myself that he was safe.

Navine turned to Emelio, his wings folding neatly behind him. “I appreciate your honesty, Emelio,” he said. “I just wish you’d been upfront with us sooner. It might have made dealing with all of this a bit easier.”

Emelio responded, “I understand your feelings, but I believe things would have been much more difficult if we hadn’t stepped in—especially considering Raelina’s young age at the time.”

Navine sighed. “Well, what’s done is done. Raelina is safe, and we managed to prevent her from losing her mind.”

Emelio didn’t seem entirely convinced. “I would still urge caution, Lord Navine,” he said.

I could feel his gaze on me as I moved toward the palace doors. His warning followed me: “Just because she seems stronger now doesn’t mean it will last.”

His words hung in the air, a bit ominous, but I was too focused on finding Nanash to care. I had so much to say, so much to ask him. I needed to find him.

I headed straight for the conservatory, the most likely place to find Nanash. It was his favorite spot in the palace and one of the warmest, which suited his Snake nature.

The room was bathed in a golden glow as I stepped inside. The soft sound of water and my own footsteps were the only noises until I heard a gentle slithering from one of the nearby trees.

“Raelina? Are you okay?” Nanash’s voice was filled with concern. His dark eyes were shining with worry as he moved toward me.

I closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” I whispered.

Nanash stiffened for a moment before returning my hug. “That’s my line. Why wouldn’t I be safe? There’s nothing in this palace that would harm me.”

“No, there shouldn’t be,” I said, pulling back slightly to look at him. “I’m okay now too, and I remember everything.”

“Remember?” He tried to sound confused, but I felt his muscles tense at my words.

“It’s okay. I’m not mad at you for not telling me. I know what happened. That’s why you’re here on this mountain with Navine. He’s been protecting you because of what you did for me,” I explained.

Nanash’s eyes glistened before he lowered his gaze, his hands still on my shoulders. “It’s been so long,” he murmured. “So long since I’ve been able to face you. I spent years thinking you’d hate me for that night.”

“I don’t hate you,” I assured him. “You saved my life. You knew what was coming, and you still risked everything to save me.”

Nanash looked up, a soft smile on his face as he gently stroked my cheek. “How could I abandon my only friend? I was determined to save you, even if it meant giving up everything—even my own life.”

“I believe that,” Navine’s voice cut in.

I turned to see him approaching, his casual stride betraying no discomfort at my closeness with Nanash.

“You remember too, my lord?” Nanash asked.

“I do,” Navine replied, resting a hand on his hip as he joined us. “But you have some explaining to do. You’re the missing piece of the puzzle from back then.”

Nanash nodded solemnly at both of us. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know, but I can’t promise I’ll have all the answers you’re looking for.”

“Whatever you’re able to share, Nanash, will be enough,” I reassured him, wrapping him in another hug. “Just be honest with us. I need to know the truth about what led to my family and sect being wiped out.”

“I promise, I will,” he assured me.

Soon after, we found ourselves nestled under one of the largest trees in the conservatory. I was a bundle of nerves, but also filled with anticipation. It felt like I was finally on the brink of understanding why the Sun Fae were targeted—and if it was all because of me.

“Can you tell me how this all began?” Navine asked. “I can’t believe the Snakes were observing the Sun Fae for just a short while before that night.”

“Not at all,” Nanash agreed. “It all started about three years prior. As I’ve mentioned before, being a male Snake, I wasn’t usually privy to much within my clan. Our clans are typically female-dominated, and they see us as only useful for breeding and territory protection. So, it was quite a shock when Nikita, our clan leader at the time, approached me. She said we’d received an offer we couldn’t refuse, and she needed all of us to make it happen.”

“That sounds fishy right from the get-go,” Navine remarked.

“I felt the same,” Nanash admitted. “But I decided to hear her out. I guess you could say curiosity got the best of me.”

“So, she laid it all out for you beforehand?” I asked.

“Well, some of it,” Nanash replied. “She said an alpha had asked us to spy on a Sect of Faeries living in a small valley a few miles away. This alpha claimed the Fae had something of his, and he wanted us to spy on a young female Fae born into their sect. I was immediately skeptical and questioned who this alpha was. Like most creatures, we knew the alphas in our region.”

I leaned in closer. “Did she tell you who it was?”

“She didn’t give a name, but she did say it was one of the Dragons,” Nanash revealed.

“Emelio did confirm that he seems to have tracked down Raelina’s soul repeatedly, so it’s likely it was Dominick,” Navine conceded. He shifted slightly, resting his arm on his knee. “What else did she tell you?”

Nanash paused, thinking. “It’s been a few years, so my memory is a bit hazy. But I can tell you that we took turns spying on the Sun Fae’s village for the next few years, reporting back to Nikita about the young female children. I can’t pinpoint when the focus shifted to Raelina, but there was a point when it was clear they were very interested in her.”

A small smile played on his lips. “Raelina, do you remember when we first met?”

I shook my head.

“Not really. I know I’ve known you since I was very young, maybe two or three, but it’s all a bit blurry.”

“Actually, I’ve known you since you were born,” Nanash said, looking thoughtful. “I was tasked with watching over the newborn female Faerie at one of the main homes, and I often lingered there as part of my duties. But I admit, I became quite fond of you during that time.

“It was odd for me to realize this, and before I knew it, I was always trying to look out for you. I guess it didn’t help your parents that you were quite the little adventurer. I think there were a few times I had to guide you home from the shadows, making sure nothing came after you when you’d wander off.”

“It sounds like you’ve always been protective of her, like a big brother,” Navine observed.

Nanash’s hand was gentle against my cheek, his gaze soft. “I always did my best, you know. There was a certain peace in protecting someone, a feeling I’d never experienced before. That’s why it stung so much when I discovered the truth about everything.”

His gaze dropped and he exhaled deeply. “I made a mistake, a big one. I told Nikita that you’d mentioned growing up to marry an alpha you hadn’t met yet. I genuinely thought that the alpha who hired us was the one, and I thought it would be better if he knew where you were. But within days, Nikita announced that we were no longer guarding them. Instead, they were about to be slaughtered by the lycans.”

I moved closer to him, my heart heavy as I touched his face. “It’s not your fault, Nanash. You thought you were doing me a favor. How could you have known the truth about that, or about your family?”

“That’s the messed-up part. We were clueless, yet they all died right after the attack. I returned to our nest to find them all butchered, and within minutes, the mage was whisking me away. He told me that they’d been killed for their involvement and that my life would be in danger unless I stayed close to an alpha who would protect me,” Nanash explained.

“I remember that I did,” Navine confirmed. He let out a long sigh. “Nanash, has Dominick been hanging around this mountain when I’ve been away?”

“Not until recently, but I think it’s because Raelina has been here,” Nanash replied. He shifted the topic as he looked at me. “Speaking of, she seems to be mostly back to herself. Did they find an antidote that worked for her?”

“For the most part. I still feel a bit off, but it’s nothing like before,” I reassured him.

“Still, be careful, Raelina. You may feel like yourself again, but there could still be lingering effects from that spell on the fruit,” Navine cautioned me.

“I know, and I’m being careful,” I promised him. “I just don’t want anyone to think that I’m weak and can be taken advantage of. I’ve been through a lot, but that doesn’t mean I have to be some scared little kitten.”

Navine chose his words carefully. “I would never say that you aren’t strong, nor would I ever compare your strength to what happened to Rosaline. I’m just trying to protect you and help in any way I can. I think it’s best if you’re cautious for a while. Can we agree on that?”

“That’s a good way to look at it, Raelina,” Nanash chimed in. He held my hands to emphasize his point. “We don’t want to restrict you. We just want to do everything we can to keep you safe.”

I knew they were sincere. They just wanted to protect me, and I couldn’t deny them that. Their desire to protect me was a testament to their love for me.

We had to find a way to agree on this. But for now, I decided to relent. We probably all needed some time to process everything.

“I understand, and I promise I’ll be careful. At least until I feel more secure with myself.”

I meant it, especially seeing their relieved expressions. But I couldn’t ignore the part of me that was still fuming over everything I now knew. All these years, all these lives, Dominick had been stalking me and wreaking havoc. And for what? Because he was mad that I’d chosen Navine over him?

As the day wore on, I stewed over this more and more, finally deciding that I needed to talk to someone about it. Someone mostly removed from the situation. That’s why I found myself in the library, using one of the crystals to call Anika.

It had been a while since we’d talked, and she could probably lend an unbiased ear. Of course, this required some explanation. While Anika seemed to sense that something was up with me, she had no idea how deep it went.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry you’ve had to endure all that,” she sympathized after I finished my story. Through the crystal ball, I saw her hand reach up to touch her face. “You’ve grown to love Navine, I know. But are you sure you’re okay staying with him now? You could always come stay with me for a bit—clear your head.”

“I’m okay, Mom. I do love him, and I want to be with him. We just need to figure out how to handle all this so we can finally put an end to it,” I reassured her.

Anika nodded in agreement. “Then it needs to happen. You deserve happiness now. If he can’t respect that, then he’s not a respectable alpha.”

“I’m not sure he’s ever been that respectful. Not with everything I’ve heard,” I confessed. I propped my elbow on the table, resting my cheek in my hand. “I would like to see you, though. It’s been a while, and I miss you. Could you come here and visit me for a day?”

“I’d love to, but I’m not sure when I’ll have the time. I’m already behind on gathering some herbs for my potions, and I need to go to the seashore tomorrow for a few special ones. It’s going to be a long trip,” she sighed.

“Are you talking about the shoreline near the mountains? If so, I could meet you there. I’d love to spend some time there, and I could help you find what you need,” I suggested.

Anika’s face lit up with a smile. “That sounds wonderful! Do you think Lord Navine would be okay with you doing that tomorrow?”

“I’m sure he won’t mind. We don’t have any plans for tomorrow, and I’d love to spend the day with you.”

“That’s great! Let’s do that then.”

I felt a weight lift off my shoulders as we ended our conversation, even though I knew things were far from resolved. But for now, I decided to let it all go and look forward to spending time with my adoptive mother. I was confident Navine would be okay with it, but I planned to ask him anyway, just to be considerate and not cause him any worry.

I found Navine in the front parlor, engrossed in some paperwork. He looked relaxed as he leaned back in his chair, but he looked up as he sensed my approach.

“Is everything okay?”

I was prepared for this question and answered calmly. “Everything’s fine.”

I stood before him, my hands clasped behind my back, a smile on my face. “I just finished talking to Anika, and I was wondering if you could take me to the shoreline tomorrow. I’m meeting her there to help gather some herbs she needs for her shop.”

“I suppose. What time are you meeting her?” Navine asked.

“Around eleven.”

Navine shrugged, placing the papers he was reading on the oak table next to his chair. “I don’t have a problem with that. I have a few things to take care of tomorrow, so I’ll give you a crystal to wear. You can use it to call me when you’re done.”

“Okay. We can do that then,” I agreed cheerfully.

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Navine asked again.

“Absolutely.” I climbed onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his shoulders as he held me. “I feel fine and I’m not scared. Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Anika, so I want to enjoy my time with her.”

“That’s good. It’s important to maintain a close relationship with her as family.”

I leaned against him, closing my eyes and savoring the closeness. I loved being with him. Being with him felt like home.

“You know you’re my family too,” I reminded him.

Navine’s arms tightened around me, his head resting against mine. “I know, and I choose to look forward to our future together, regardless of the past,” he told me.

“I won’t let him win this time. I won’t leave you again,” I repeated for what felt like the thousandth time that day.

“I believe you,” Navine sighed deeply. He relaxed with me. “And I mean what I said. You’re my Raelina, and I feel like I’ve truly fallen in love since the day we met.”

That caught my attention. “Do you think you might not have loved Rosaline as much as you thought?”

“I won’t deny it. I guess I’ve just come to understand what it truly means to love someone. Maybe it’s a product of growing older, or maybe it’s just because of who you are.”

“I don’t see how me being me could make such a big difference.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Navine said, planting a kiss on my temple. “Just relax with me for a bit. You can spend some quality time with your mom tomorrow.”

A smile spread across my face as I nestled into his arms. A wave of comfort washed over me. Despite everything that was going on, I knew our love was genuine. I was sure it would carry us through whatever was on the horizon.