Page 121 of The Hidden Fae Prince
A bright nexus shines from the palace, warm with recognition. Primrose. Hundreds of miles away, her wild mirror Shalin roams a broken hillside. The wild bear does not pause at Seren’s presence.
Then Seren strikes darkness. Madness. Beyond the wildkeeper, shadows writhe. Seren’s flight falters. He can’t connect with anything in the nightlands, where Summer’s power has nopurchase. Seren yanks his attention away before his empathy absorbs the madness.
One mind reaches for him. A breath of Summer in the dark. A stranger calls out, “Calithel?”
But Seren is already recoiling. Pain lances through him. His mind blurs, overwhelmed, struggling to separate himself from millions of hearts. His wings shake, too new to hold him aloft for so long.
Summer offered power, not protection. Seren’s wings disappear into cold light.
As he falls, he has only breath and power for a single word. The summons echoes in rustling leaves and running rivers, murmuring across the realm.
“Nevander.”
37
Ready to Belong Somewhere
Nevanderisalreadyaloft,wings straining towards the realm’s new star. The blaze of glory and wonder. The compassion so stubborn, so expansive, it envelops all of Elladar. Nevander cannot feel fear in this moment, but instinct spurs him faster.
Then the summons seizes him. Magic bends the fabric of space, and Nevander ishere. Still skyborne, but no longer a faraway witness. He’s now embraced in brilliance, close enough to see its source:
Seren, crowned in light, falling in a scatter of feathers.
Nevander moves too swiftly for fear. Wings pinned close, he dives low, then snaps upwards.
Seren crashes into his arms. The force knocks them downwards, and Nevander’s feet skim the treetops. Hiswings steady, given strength by the blessing of slender arms around his neck.
Nevander cradles his prince close. No, not simply his prince. It wasn’t duty that drove his desperate flight. It was a love far stronger than any vow.
“You’re here,” Seren breathes.
Nevander buries his face in Seren’s tangled hair. “I couldn’t keep away.”
Seren laughs like sunlight, so brilliant and musical it doesn’t sound real. He loosens an arm to take Nevander’s face, and leans up for a feather-soft kiss. Gentle, secure, trusting Nevander to support him.
Nevander’s pulse settles with the heat of Seren’s bare hand. But when Seren pulls away, eyes shining, Nevander’s relief ignites into something darker.
“Who struck you?” Nevander growls.
A culprit comes to mind, and Gevain will face dire consequences no matter what. But Nevander would hate to miss anyone else who harmed his prince.
Seren touches his own bruised cheek. His gaze sharpens, almost physical. “You should get angry more often. It’s very attractive.”
“Seren.”
The scolding only sweetens Seren’s smile, before he hides against Nevander’s chest. “We can deal with Gevain in a minute. He’s not going anywhere, and I need to catch my breath.”
Nevander recalls Seren’s empathy with chagrin. Hovering above the green-gold trees, he tries to rein in his anger. Controlling himself has never been so difficult. He lost Seren.Again. But Seren broke free on his own and called Nevander to his side with impossible power. Royal magic. Summer magic. Without a crown.
“I’m sorry,” Nevander says, quietly restrained. “I should have been there.”
Except Seren hadn’t wanted him there. Yet that too was Nevander’s fault, for forcing Seren’s choices, for chaining to the role Nevander always imagined for him.
Seren covers Nevander’s lips, stifling any more apologies. “We can shoulder the blame together. I felt trapped. I’ve always felt trapped. But shoving you away didn’t help.”
“I should have trusted you,” Nevander says against Seren’s fingertips. “I should have given you time instead of forcing your hand. Not just with last night’s duel.”
Seren sighs, the sound almost lost in the sky. “How could you, when I didn’t trust myself?”
