Cassius pulled the horse to a stop. “Whoa boy.”
The horse stopped quickly and gently. It was as if we had only been walking forward and suddenly came to a stop. Cassius hopped down and offered me his hand. I reached out, and he had slipped me down onto the rocky earth and held on to me for longer than was good for either of us. I took a quick step to the side.
“Thank you.” I blushed and tried to cover by looking at the ground.
“Rirc, stay here. We will be close by.”
His gaze fell upon my empty hand. I could tell he thought about taking it in his, but decided against it. With a light smile, he led the way toward the awaiting home. Following close behind him, I tried to take in all of the details, knowing I would want to remember this place…if only in my dreams. Cassius led me around to the back door. Without taking a second to think about it, he twisted the tarnished steel doorknob and stepped inside.
I wasn’t even sure where we were, but I trusted Cassius, so I followed behind him.
Chapter 24
Trix woke up more rested, than she thought was possible.
It took her a few minutes to realize where she was. The sun was just coming up over the mountains. She was in Fara, in the most picturesque suite.
Things had turned out much differently than anyone could have guessed. Fara was willing to help them oust King Tommit. She wondered how Paradan would feel when they heard the news Fara wasn’t as big and bad as they all thought.
Looking down, she was surprised to see someone had covered her up in a thick coverlet. It was the softest thing she had ever had against her sparkling skin. It had her yearning to curl up in a ball and make an eternal cocoon, but she knew she needed to get up and go check on Tiden. The last time she had seen him, he was living it up. She was sure he was suffering from a food coma somewhere. He had eaten almost his weight in food before she had gone to bed.
Trix guessed he was sleeping it off somewhere close by.
She wondered what his room looked like.
Part of her wanted to get going back to Paradan. Cassius would be thrilled by their reports. Having Fara on their side, and an understanding King Calas, made ousting King Tommit and his band of destroyers a real possibility. They could actually have a happy life again. No more friends or family disappearing—never to be heard from again. The thought lightened her heart. Pushing the cozy coverlet off of her aching body, she stretched from head to toe. Her wings were well rested after her contented night of sleep.
It had been so long since she had slept so deeply.
As if there wasn’t a single worry in the world weighing on her tiny frame as she regenerated, Trix’s wings started fluttering—craving flight. She relented and was in the air, making her way to the door. She dipped down for a brief second to get the heavy door, and found that it opened easily. Waiting out in the hallway was Lilet. He smiled widely at her emergence.
“Good morning, Trix.”
Trix smiled at the boy. She wondered how long he had been waiting at her door. His eyes were sparkling with excitement, and a little touch of mischief.
“Good morning to you.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. It was heavenly. Thank you.” Her glowing words had his smile shining.
“I can take you to breakfast…” His voice trailed off, wondering if she would accept his offer.
“That would be wonderful, but I need to check on my friend, Tiden, first.”
Lilet started laughing.
“He is already at breakfast. Tiden woke up hungry, so Galen took him down early. Man… can he eat.”
Trix giggled.
“Goodness. I thought he had eaten enough last night to last him over a month. Guess I was wrong. I would love it if you would take me to breakfast, Lilet.”
The tiny boy beamed at her. He reached out to take her hand, her heart grew a little at the child’s touch. They flew down the hallways and made their way back to their kitchen. It was the happiest Trix had felt in so long. Her face hurt from smiling, but no matter what she tried, her happy grin remained. They entered the kitchen and hovered in the entryway. Trix couldn’t believe her eyes.
Tiden was seated at one of the tables he had been arm wrestling on last night. He had a stack of at least one hundred enormous pancakes. Too caught up in the syrupy goodness to notice his friend, he gobbled down the entire stack before looking up. It was quite a sight to behold. Tiden turned his face to hear the familiar flutter of fairy wings.
“Trix! There you are.” His mouth was still full of pancakes. Trix let go of Lilet’s hand and flew over and landed on the table, balancing carefully to avoid the puddles of spilled syrup.
“Hey, big guy.”
He smiled at her familiar name for him. She knew more than anyone how much he hated being treated like a child. He saw himself as a man, since his parents had been killed. Tiden was just waiting for the rest of the world to see him the same way.
“Don’t tell me you’re still hungry after that huge plate.”
Tiden looked down sheepish.
“It wasn’t my first plate.”
Somehow this didn’t surprise her.
“Ok—so, how many plates are we talking?”
“Twelve.”
Trix was shocked. She knew how giants ate a great deal, but the fact he could eat so much proved how little he had survived on, during their trek to Fara.
“But they told me to eat as much as I wanted.” The familiar long lines in his mouth were forming, the ones that formed when he thought he had done something wrong.
“That’s good. Just don’t expect a pancake eating contest out of me.”
He relaxed at her words.
“I was just going to eat something myself. Tiden, I want you to meet a friend of mine.” She motioned for Lilet to join them. He did so, with trepidation. Fluttering to a stop, he stepped into a position where he used Trix to shield him from Tiden’s prying eyes. Trix giggled. “Don’t worry—you will like him, I promise.”
Lilet stepped around her and was wringing his hands.
“Hi.”
“Hi, buddy.”
Lilet smiled.
“Tiden, this is Lilet. Lilet, this is my friend, Tiden. He has been helping me.”
They both smiled at each other.
“Nice to meet a friend of Trix’s.” Tiden's words were warm, and put the little fairy at ease. He stepped closer to the towering giant. He carefully sidestepped the large puddle of syrup next to his new friend’s plate.
“Did you sleep well?” Lilet asked, gaining his courage.
“Yes. Thank you. Galen has been very helpful. I have never felt so at home before. Everyone has been very kind to us. We weren’t sure what to expect when we walked into Fara.”
Lilet looked surprised.
“Really, why?” He asked curiously. Tiden looked to Trix, wondering how he could explain. Trix turned back to her little friend.
“Well Lilet, we were scared. We didn’t know what we would find in Fara. We didn’t know if you would be nice or mean.” Lilet giggled.
“Mean? No one here is mean.”
“We know now. It was just we were raised to fear Fara. Looking at it now, we should have looked a little deeper before just blindly believing.”
Trix felt foolish having not come to Fara sooner.
“I understand. Sometimes meeting new people is scary, but once you do then you know they can be a friend instead of a scary person.” Lilet reached out and put his tiny hand on one of Tiden’s fingers.
“Yes, always a friend.” Tiden glowed with glee.
*
For the first time in years, Aura was up on her own steam and bathed before Talas came in to wake her. She was standing instead of in her usual spot, her rocking chair. Tears were still flowing, thinking of the loss of her one true love…Windom. Regret filled her thoughts. There were so many mistakes in her past, and so much pain caused by her own choices. Talas hovered nearby, leaving her alone with her grie
f. Aura had a right to mourn, but she wasn’t only mourning for Windom. She was grieving for her child and all of the moments she had lost with her only child, all because she had been afraid.
It seemed silly now.
Aura had let fear of her father’s reaction change her fate forever. There was still time to change it, but only if her child had survived the awful King Tommit. She would join in the fight to save Paradan and her child. Would she know her child by first glance? Would there be forgiveness, or would there only be fury? At this point she was aware she deserved the fury directed at her, but she knew she had to start being honest with everyone…including herself. Turning toward Talas, she spoke.
“I need to see Calan. I have to tell him everything. It’s my only shot at saving my child. Maybe, there might still be a chance ….” Her words trailed off. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but she prayed it involved her having a relationship with her child.
Talas wiped away the tears as they fell from her tender eyes. “I will go get him now.”
She flew out of the room with express speed, bypassing all of the guards on the way. They were used to seeing her fly in a hurry. She almost never left Aura, who had never been coherent for long, so when she was, Talas was always in a rush.
She made a beeline straight to King Calan’s chamber. There was a good chance he was still sleeping, but she knew his sleep would be happily interrupted for Aura. A surly guard fought her plea to wake the king, but when she told him how Princess Aura needed the king, he quietly stepped aside. She flew into his room. He was still sleeping in his immense bed. Calan had been up most of the night, wondering what to do with Paradan, and why the news had caused such an extreme reaction from Aura. Talas worried how he would respond to Aura’s confession. She also knew if Aura got her secret out, then she might resume a happy life—and Talas wanted this more than her own life.
“King Calan! King Calan! Wake up! Wake up!” Her frantic words had him sitting up, ready to fight off a nearby foe. He was startled to see Talas hovering over his bed shaking her fist at him.
“Aura? Is Aura alright?” He started to jump out of his bed.
“Yes, but she wants to see you right away. It’s very important. Please.” This mad the groggy king pause. His eyes finally focused on her. He could see the worry in her face, but also there was something new. Relief? This made him want to see Aura for himself.
“Wait outside, I will just need a moment.”
She nodded and rushed through the open door. As the door shut behind her, he leaped from his bed.
Calan grabbed the nearest clothes he could find. When he had left Aura last night he had been incredibly disturbed. It was only when Talas told him how he was upsetting her more by staying that he finally agreed to leave the room. All night he paced his room, the weight of the world on his shoulders. Whatever he did in the next few days would change Fara and Paradan, possibly forever. There was risk in every step, but there was no way he could not act. He was dressed in record time. Pushing through his door, he searched for Talas. She was hovering nearby, glaring at the glowering guard.
“Lets’ go.” He was off and running. She had to increase her speed just to match his pace. They arrived at Aura’s suite in no time. On their way, they had several of the other guards surprised and nervous. Taking a breath before entering Aura’s room, King Calan knocked, warning of his entrance. He waited for Talas to follow behind him, but she pushed her hands forward—urging him to enter on his own. He was shocked when he pushed pass the heavy doors.
“Aura?” He couldn’t help, as it slipped past his lips. Aura was standing near the window, but this was different. Normally when he looked at her eyes, there was a vacant lifeless stare. Today the world reflected back in her crystal blue eyes. It gave him hope for the first time in so long. Was she coming back to them?
Aura turned to see her beloved brother standing near the door. She was certain he had dressed in a hurry, because his clothes were in disarray.
“Calan.”
The sound of her voice sent his spirits soaring. He rushed to her, taking her hands in his.
“Aura—are you well?” She forced a smile.
“I am better than I have been, but I need your help to find myself again.” Her words elated him.
“Anything!”
“I will hold you to your promise, but I warn you what I am about to tell you will not be easy to hear.” She waited for his nod to continue. “Years ago, I used to love life. My days were filled with my daily rides of the kingdom, and beyond. One day I met someone…from Paradan. He was all I ever wanted; he was strong, kind, loving, and generous. We fell in love immediately. We planned on marrying, and then father changed it all. He initiated a war with Paradan. I was heartsick. My world was falling apart around me. My love and I started to meet in secret. There was no way Father would have understood. We made plans to run away. I escaped and made my way into Paradan. We were going to meet that night, where we had first met.”
She paused as the pain rushed through her, reliving the agonizing moments.
He couldn’t imagine that she had suffered in silence this entire time. This answered so many of his questions. Calan would never be prepared for the words that came next.
“As I was traveling, I became sick. The pain was like nothing I had ever experienced in my entire life. I found a nearby vacant home and crawled inside. It was the worst thing I have ever experienced. I was so alone…so scared. Then the impossible happened—I gave birth.”
Calan gasped in shock. Tears started building in his eyes.
“A baby?” He whispered, with pain choking his voice.
“Yes. My baby.” It felt so good to say it out loud. Aura had been holding it in for so long it was beginning to feel like a dream. “I was so terrified. I loved my child instantly. I couldn’t wait to show my love our child. It was the next morning before I was able to move. While delivering our child, I had missed meeting him. Rushing to the bridge, the whole way hoping he had waited for me. Then, I heard others talking. Windom had joined in with King Winston and the war against us.” Her eyes rose to meet his. Calan looked dumbfounded.
“Windom?”
“Yes. Now that you know who I love…Loved. Maybe you will be more understanding of what came next. Calan, I was terrified—you have to understand. Bringing my child home to our Father would have been the right thing to do; but I worried how he would react when he learned who fathered his grandchild. I panicked. Taking my newborn child, I told him how much I loved him and how sorry I was. I bundled him up and put him on the bridge—then I waited. In minutes, a fairy couple arrived looking for my baby’s family. When they didn’t find me, they took him with them.”
“A son? You have a son?”
Aura nodded through the tears.
“I have a son. You realize this is the first time I have said those words out loud? It feels good. Can you understand why I was heartbroken yesterday when you told me that Windom was dead? Fear seized me when you said many had been killed. All I could think about was my child. Was he alive? Was I too late? Had I lived in my misery so long that I had lost any chance of knowing my son? Calan, we have to help them. We have to find my son.” Aura’s voice had lost any of the sadness which she had started with. It was fierce and powerful.
It brought him great joy, even in the sadness she had suffered, to hear that he was an uncle.
“Aura, why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped you. Of course we will find your child. I will move heaven and earth to bring your son home to you.” Reaching out, he took his sister in his arms and hugged her.
Chapter 25
Cassius stopped short after walking into the vacant home.
I ran into him, thinking he would keep walking. I fumbled as my hands touched his back. His hand grabbed one of mine and he held it strong. Trying to pull away was not in his plans. When I did, he just pulled me closer. Giving into him, I could feel a change in his mood. I looked around the room and could see a q
uaint home. Whoever had lived here had put a lot of love into decorating it and keeping it. Sadly, an inch of dust had accumulated on all of the surfaces.
I wondered why anyone would leave such a wonderful comfy retreat.
“This is the first time I have been home since my father died.”
It hit me hard. This was Cassius’ home! He had grown up here. My heart softened, knowing what it must have taken for him to bring me to this painful reminder.
“Oh…Cassius.” My brain was blank. What words could I say that would make any part of this ok? The answer was simple, none.
“So, there are many memories…happy memories. I had an incredible childhood. My parents both loved me fiercely. Even though I was different from the rest of them that didn’t stop them from treating me like I was one of the family. The only reason I ever knew I was different was the simple fact that I didn’t have wings.” He laughed, remembering something. “I used to pray at night I would wake up in the morning and my wings would appear. It was so silly, I know, but I honestly believed it was a possibility. I was twelve years old before I realized it wasn’t going to happen.” Cassius stepped forward toward the large wooden table in front of us.
“My mom used to make sure we were all home in time for family dinners. It was a little thing, but she was always so happy when we were around the table together. What I wouldn’t give for just one more of those dinners. You would have loved my father. He was a joker. There wasn’t a day that passed where he didn’t have us all laughing. He was also strong and fierce, when he needed to be. My dad wouldn’t accept anyone taking advantage of anyone. This is why he fought against Tommit. He would have done anything to save my mom and my sisters. And he did—he died for us.”
My heart was breaking and I didn’t know how to heal his pain. I doubted anything could.
“My mom.” He said, then paused, looking toward the small kitchen just off of the dining area. “She is—was…I don’t even know if she is alive. It makes me crazy. She is the reason Evver snuck out. Evver wanted to find her and bring her home. Evver was so sure she was going to be here, at home, waiting for her to return. Everywhere I look around here, there are ghosts taunting me. I couldn’t save my dad, and now possibly my mom. My sister will never fly again. Do you have any idea what that feels like? I was supposed to protect her. I’m her big brother. I failed. Now you—”