5

FIVE

Willow

I dreamt of soft pink curls, fuschia eyes full of the brightest stars, plump lips, and mauve freckles. Silver heels laced up to mid-thigh and tied off with a bow at the back. Golden sparkles littered her skin, asking to be caressed and kissed–

I woke up with a massive hard on and no mate next to me to address it. I drag my hands over my face and let out a hiss of frustration. Normally, I’d take care of this problem myself but I can only think about Ember Amethyst and how badly I want to find her. How badly I wish it was her sleeping soundlessly next to me, not my mess of pillows.

Bless the stars.

It’s only been a few hours since we were first called to mate by the moons and I feel like there’s something major missing from my soul. Does she feel the same? My other half. My equal in every way. I don’t know her yet but this, this I know and trust in the cosmos.

Mates are determined by the moons and stars. They select a partner for you to grow with, love and dote on, and power share. That’s the key to having a mate, a second well of power is at your disposal. The only downside is that if you drain your mates powers, you can kill them.

Tearing your heart in half, forever.

I also know that mates can feel severe emotions, along with memory diving, in the first few months leading up to the completion of the bond at the next eclipse. Except we don’t have months to get to know each other like most faeries do. The next eclipse is only 14 days away.

That’s 14 days to find Ember, convince her to give me a chance at the bond, and complete it under the light of a total eclipse. This rushed timeframe is almost unheard of among the fae. I’m not sure why the moons and stars are rushing this bond, but I’ve believed in the cosmos thus far and know they won’t lead me astray. There must be a greater purpose to our connection and I truly can’t wait to discover the future we hold together.

I feel like my life has finally just begun. I feel as if I’m finally more than just my fathers shining successor that’s trapped within the walls of this stale palace. I have a new purpose to live for and that’s finding Ember and ensuring her eternal happiness.

Considering the way she challenged me in the woods, I know I’ve got my hands full. Although, thanks to my father’s grueling training, I’ve never been afraid of a fight. I trust my instincts enough to know she’s worth every ounce of strength I have.

I can feel her heartbeat trying to sync with mine in my chest, but she’s continuing to fight against it. Ember is not allowing herself to feel my heart rhythm which now beats for her and only her. I look around my navy and black bedroom, and I wonder if I’ll ever see her within these walls. Will she ever sleep in my chambers? Resting with the large window panes that let gorgeous amounts of starlight in, tussled in my sheets. The room is dark and moody, full of treasures and books I can’t wait to show her. I wonder if I’ll ever learn her story. Will she ever let me in?

I think of our first encounter and my heart aches from the news I received of her parent’s murders. According to some research I did last night, her parents were brutally killed on their anniversary and she was orphaned at a young age. I made a mental note to dig further into the incident today. Is that really the reason why she’s so against love and mate bonds? It’s so rare for faeries to fight a mate calling. Has she always been against love, or did something else happen in her childhood?

✶

Last night, I managed to sneak back into the palace grounds from the east entrance near the virgo district, after my encounter at the Twinkle Tap. Thanks to overhearing servants when I was younger, I use a small tear in the city’s wards that allows passage through the underground tunnels.  I don’t leave the city often, let alone the palace, due to my overbearing father. According to him, I must be focused on my studies and training in order to become a king of strength and power, something he’s proud of. But, as I grow older and venture further into our surrounding villages under the light of the moons, I’ve come to notice the Decay spreading further than ever before. Everytime I approached my father on the matter, I am either whipped or suffocated for lengths of time. Physical punishment is his favorite way to enforce lessons.

According to my studies of earth magic, the Decay grows slowly and is all consuming. It began over 20 years ago, when king Morak’s rage cursed the land in vengeance of his heartbreak at the loss of his queen. He was the most powerful earth faerie at the time. He was one of the last remaining bloodlines to have primal magic flowing through their veins.

Some say, he cursed the land with the blood of Queen Meelis, when he found her murdered in the library, a shadow beast hovering over her body before vanishing from thin air. Then, he joined her in the stars shortly after wreaking havoc on everyone in the palace for retribution. Every last guild member, handmaiden, and advisor was brutally bled to death by the king in order to avenge his wife’s death.

It’s all speculation at this point.

His throne ran deep with the blood of his people at the end of his rule. It was a stark contrast to the peace they brought during their rule of our lands.

When my father was next up to the throne, he hired an entirely new royal guild, gardeners, and more in order to repair the insurmountable damage caused in king Morak’s wake.

My quarters in the palace are on the 3rd floor. So, last night I used my air magic to propel me to the balcony. Softening my blow with a gust of wind, I snuck through the glass paned double doors. Being sure not to wake my personal guards just outside the bedroom door. The royal guild has become more and more tense in the past months, so if Father was to discover I had left, I’m sure the punishment would include 10 or more lashes.

Now, I lay awake the next day, dreaming of when I’ll see Ember next. With that thought, I pull the heavy covers back and spark a fire orb aflame to follow me to the washroom. I motion for the fire orb to rest in the center of my bathing tub, and begin turning the faucet to allow water to flow and rise in temperature with the glowing ball of heat.

While I wait for my bath to get to a comfortable temperature, I cross the chamber to brush my teeth and stop dead in my tracks. I stumble to the sink and stare shockingly at the silver glowing rings around both of my irises.

“Fuckkkk.” I groan and drop my head down to lean against the marble.

This is not something I can hide from him. How is he going to react to the fact that I’m mated? And that I left the palace grounds without his permission to find said mate? I didn’t even think about the fucking mate rings. The king is not one to forgive easily.

Panic starts to set in.

There’s two obvious options here. I can plead for forgiveness and kiss his royal ass. Or I can walk into breakfast this morning with confidence, pride and determination and make him kiss my royal ass. If the stars know me at all, definitely the latter. I love a good challenge even though I know this day will end with a lovely form of torture.

I turn my eyes back to the mirror and take in all that they mean. They’re glowing brighter than any mate rings I’ve seen before. It’s like they’re pulsing with the light of the 3 moons. I wonder how captivating Ember’s eyes look knowing they’re ringed to match mine. Knowing she’s destined to be mine and all the world can see it in her beautiful, star bright eyes.

She belongs to me now, and I am hers.

I sleep ass naked so I turn to face the near overflowing bath and begin stepping into the warm water. I move my warm fae orb to hover above the bath, providing a soft blue glow and keeping the bathroom steamy. Arms rested on the back of the black stone tub, I stared out the windows at our twinkling city. Even in the daylight, the silver and gold pillars that mark the 12 astrological districts shine bright for all to see. My bathroom window faces the Virgo, Libra, and Scorpius districts.

I use my air magic to delicately lift the oils and elixirs from their trays and begin pouring them into the bath. I prefer to bathe in solidarity and chase away any servant’s my father sends to service me. After grooming myself to my fathers approval, I stand out of the bath and use a blast of wind to dry myself in seconds.

My handmaid had laid out the proper attire for today’s meetings and lessons. A classic midnight blue tunic with silver threading, and black trousers. My crown was set to the side and I blissfully ignored it. Slipping on my boots, I prepared to face the hell this day was going to turn out to be.