“There are over five hundred new Fae here now. We can’t take them to camp, we don’t have the room" Maddox points out and I frown at the dose of reality he just gave me.
“But here they have shelter, food, and comfort,” Jacob points out.
“Though no protection,” Maddox and Emrick both add.
“I think it would be best to offer them to come with us if they want, this castle holds many bad memories for them. If they stay it’s without extra protection until we can get a representative to stay here with them. Possibly Bella’s parents?" Bowen offers.
I nod in agreement before laying out my ideas. “Good point. Before we leave, we can spell the courtyard in case the Spirits release more creatures. I may even be able to repair a few walls and test out the magic bending a bit. That reminds me… I need to speak to Andras. I want to create a portal that allows me to go from castle to castle, including our place in New Faerie. There has to be a way.”
“He’ll just hate a reason to lock himself away with research,” Jacob says sarcastically.
We continue throwing ideas around, the mood much lighter now that we have the stone where it belongs. My energy drops again, my body needing rest more than just holding onto my bonded kings. I’m just content listening to them talk around me, drifting off to sleep warm, comfortable, and safe.
Chapter 15
Fuck, I really need to work on not passing out.
This time I wake up on the couch in the common room of our suite. The fire is roaring and it’s quiet.
“Good morning, sweet girl.” My mother’s voice drifts over to me and I sit up quickly to look at her. The movement causes my head to spin and I groan, clutching it and breathing through the nausea. I take a moment to feel normal, before speaking to her.
“How are you feeling?” She has color now, and even gained back some of the weight she lost. She no longer has hollow eyes and that’s the biggest improvement. Now they are full of love and kindness.
“I
’m a new woman. My powers are still drained and will be for a long time, but I feel healthier and I have you back, my sweet girl. Thoughts of you being alive kept me going, having you and your father is more than I ever thought I would get,” she explains with a soft smile, a tear leaking down her cheek.
“I never thought I would see you," I confess in a shaky voice. I have so many questions racing through my head, but I don’t dare to ask yet, in fear of crying.
“I’m so sorry it had to be that way. The fact you didn’t grow up in a cell is enough for me, but I realize it’s not easy for you. I would never have left you if I had another option. Just know that your father is nothing like the king… and you won’t be either,” she says as she stands up and pulls me into her arms. The warm hug from my actual mom is more comforting and amazing than I ever dreamed it could be. A feeling of pure love and acceptance sweeps over me, settling something within my soul. A family… a real family.
“We have to leave today," I confess, curious if she would be coming with us or not. I leave my unspoken question hanging in the air between us, dreading her answer.
“I know, and I think your father and I need to stay. I won’t be able to make a long journey quite yet. Don’t worry about us, love. We will see each other again, and hopefully by then I’ll be whole." The genuine sadness in her tone at having to part ways mirrors how I feel. But I nod at her admission, knowing it’s for the best. I just wish we’d had time to really get to know each other.
“We’ll come back,” I promise. “I’m working on finding a way to create a portal to the castles, so travel isn’t so tedious and long.” Her face lights up with a gorgeous smile, making her look years younger.
“I’m so incredibly proud of you, Arabella. You’re a wise and thoughtful Queen, and an even more accepting daughter than I could have hoped for," her voice is full of emotion as she pulls me in for another hug.
“I’m just happy to have you back, even if it’s not enough time yet. We’ll make time once Faerie is in a better place.”
“We will,” she agrees. “For now, I believe your kings are antsy to see you. They’re in the ballroom waiting.
The rest of the day is a whirlwind of chaos. We call a meeting and explain to the fae about the city we’re establishing in the former neutral grounds. This time as I speak, and we stand before them, the suspicion is gone. We’ve already proven we’re on their side and they’ve accepted us.
Over two hundred of the survivors want to come with us and we agree. Even if space will be tight, I’d never force someone to stay in a castle they’re uncomfortable with. Hell, I won’t stay in Winter either. Not yet at least.
The other three hundred want to stay and rebuild, and with the mix of courts they have a real chance of doing so. They even seem happy to have my mom and dad here with them, it’s easy to see that the Winter and Spring fae loved their prince and princess more than the higher royalty.
We all pack our things and say our goodbyes, which isn’t easy. It seems crazy that we’ve spent a few months in the Winter Court. The trip was never meant to last this long, but that’s the thing about changing a realm, nothing is a safe bet or easy to predict.
As we walk through the ruins of the Winter compound, I can see the potential for change. The compound is still strong in the parts that weren’t blasted open in the war. I figure with a little bit of teamwork, we can patch the holes and clean up the rubble. You won’t be here for that. The thought bothers me, but hopefully I’ll be back before everything is underway and help them. I don’t want total control of the land, but I do want to ensure that everyone has what they deserve.
“Did you find anything on portals, Wyn?” I direct my attention away from the land and onto him, desperate to have a way to travel within the realms.
“I found a little, mainly something speaking of mirrors. Mirrors in Faerie were always used as a communication tool, so it wasn’t a far jump. You may be able to travel via mirrors with your magic alone," Wyn explained.
“That’s how we traveled here, isn't it?” I question, realizing I’ve already seen the mirrors.