I followed behind her and once we reached the top, she turned to sit, pulling her knees to her chest. The hint of a smile danced along her lips as I plopped down beside her, leaning back on my hands, splaying my wings behind me.
“Worth the stop?” I asked and she glanced sidelong at me.
“Definitely worth it,” she replied, returning my smile. A genuine smile. My heart skipped a beat and I swallowed hard, turning my eyes to the field.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome.”
We sat, listening to the leaves bristling in the wind and the birdsong from the treeline.
“I don’t know why I told you what I did earlier. I’m almost embarrassed, but—” She hesitated and I didn’t dare look at her. “But I really, truly never thought I’d leave there. It was a terrifying thought—being shackled down to a place that drains you so. To people who don’t see you. Don’t know you. This”—she waved a hand—“is so much more than I ever expected to see. Especially when Evander tried to give my hand in marriage. I don’t know if you know that, but he tried to force me into a marriage with my childhood friend. Nowthatwould’ve really shackled me.” She released a sad laugh.
My fingers gripped the ground, digging into the soil as anger shot through me. Jealousy closely followed.
I’d been so close to leaving Auryna. So close to missing her. And then she would’ve been married and this would’ve never happened. Never existed. My heart twisted at the mere thought.
But then I remembered who she was talking about.
Anxiety churned in my gut.
“His name was Finley. He was my only friend—well, I thought he was a friend—and he was the only person my father let me leave the estate with. In retrospect, it should’ve been obvious that he was going to hand me over, but I had been so blindsided, so… hurt.”
I glimpsed at her. She was staring out over the blooms, lost in her memories.
“I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore, though.” Her hand found the point of her ear. “I do wonder what Evander has told the town. Maybe they think I died in some tragic accident. Or maybe they all just think I’m locked away in the manor. Wasting away.”
I stared down at the ground, my heart aching for her.
“The—” I started, but she jumped and turned away, wiping her cheek. I hesitated before continuing, “The discontentment you felt there was probably due, in part at least, to the curse that was placed over your Fae side. When a Fae’s connection to their magic is severed, their life is left… lacking. They never feel truly comfortable or happy. They’re never satisfied. That’s why I—” I stopped.
“Why what?” she asked.
I closed my eyes, silently kicking myself.
“That’s why I ordered Alden not to tell you of Vaelor. That curse, it should’ve been unbreakable. You were going to live a life of discontentment, and I thought if you didn’t know, it would make the burden a little less,” I explained, opening my eyes to her.
Her face was slack, her eyes brimmed with tears.
“I have been so angry at you for that, for keeping it from me, and you were just trying to what? Protect me?” she whispered, processing it aloud.
I cringed and jerked to my feet, needing this conversation to be over.
“Yes.”
Extending my hand to her, she took it, her expression unreadable. I hoisted her up before quickly dropping her hand and stepping down into the water.
“You should also know that even if you had returned, you most likely wouldn’t have married Finley,” I said without turning around.
“Why is that?” she called out.
“Because I burned his farm and house to the ground.”
I heard her stop and I continued forward, avoiding her reaction. Her anger. Her disgust.
But when she burst out laughing, I whipped my head around to her in disbelief.
“You—” She wheezed. “You burnt down his farm?” She laughed again, wiping tears from her eyes. “You know what? Good.” I gawked at her as she slid past me, patting my arm. “Serves him right for trying to force my hand.”