8

Not even a week later, there were so many wins that I didn’t know what to do with myself. The fairies who had been causing so many problems kept publicly apologizing at every turn. Most of them had been from the same area given how things had worked out, and they’d assumed everywhere else felt the same.

Now that they understood they were wrong and had a chance to see the change that was coming to their area and city, they were sorry.

I didn’t believe it for a second , especially after being around several of them and hearing their thoughts, but they shut the fuck up and got on board with the program. I didn’t care if they disagreed or wanted to voice different ideas, but they were disruptive and trying to cause chaos.

Clearly, it was a plan that had been successful before. A few of them were annoyed they couldn’t throw fits like children as they used to and get what they wanted. It was honestly hard not to smirk as I listened to their thoughts while they gave me bullshit apologies.

They were mostly pissed I was beloved and they couldn’t change the minds of people. It made me a bit petty, and I said the same thing to each of them in their minds.

“If you ever come at me again and try to destroy the peace in Faerie because of your selfish desires, you will end up like ancients who are dust on Earth. I’m the granddaughter of a god, the future queen who untied the realms, and grantor of miracles that saved all of Faerie and her people. You seriously thought bitching and moaning would take me down?”

Most of them took the threat as they should have and realized they fucked with the wrong bull, and if they did it again, they’d get my horns.

A few were enraged that a young stupid woman would dare taunt them or whatever their bullshit was. Whatever, they could end up dead like the others or just keep their bile to themselves.

I would be fine either way.

More than that, the people of Faerie were overwhelmingly in support of my proposed changes to the local ordinances and laws. They were stepping up all over both realms to demand fairness and support it, condemning most of the corrupt nobles I’d already tossed out of power and making clear that they never wanted them back.

That worked out better than I could ever have hoped.

And the fairies who were working with supes on injuries or conditions that couldn’t be healed by their own people were working out well. They were helping left and right, and people were bending over backwards to thank fairies and offer food and more at every turn. There had been a handful of kids that Neldor and I had to go help.

One was that morning, and that was how I got roped into doing what Neldor wanted that day. I felt horrible about the pain he had to suffer as the price of healing the child, and when he said he wanted something in return, I immediately agreed.

I just didn’t realize it had been a date.

“Just trust me,” he grumbled as he had me put glamours on both of us. He wanted us to both be dark fairies, which felt a bit weird to me, but I shrugged it off, assuming we were going to the dark realm and to blend in. He did tell people we were sneaking off, but Taeral told them all not to worry.

And they didn’t .

Huh?

Like… Huh?

“How do you get them to do that? You have to teach me that trick,” I hissed at him as he pulled me along.

“They know what we’re up to,” he drawled. “And you’re safe in Faerie. Well, you are now that the connection is broken, and you’ll be glamoured.”

Okay, if he said so. I was always safe since I was the strongest but sure, okay, whatever. I went with it because I’d promised him, and I got the night off from people hovering.

He made sure he had a lot of the currency of Faerie and in a range of denominations. Right, so we were going to have some fun in Faerie. I’d already figured that out. We were probably going to eat since we both needed to recharge.

No, it was so, so much more than that.

It was the first festival Faerie was having since the end of the war. I’d forgotten about that. Everyone had agreed that it would be wrong to have any of the normal celebrations or yearly events with fairies still frozen, but now that they were all awake… This was the first big one that people wanted. We’d approved it months ago.

“This is a nut harvest or something, right?” I asked Neldor in his mind as I glanced around.

“It’s way more than that, but yes.” He frowned and stopped pulling me along, staring at me a moment as if trying to think of how to explain it. “It’s like the celebration of peanut butter and jelly and all the kids it feeds. It’s the nostalgia of those sandwiches to humans, but also the story and worship of the goddess who first gave us the plants and knowledge to eat them.”

“Got it. It’s cool.” It was. I glanced around and saw the tree decorations. The nuts came from them, and they were almost like almonds in look but robust like peanuts. Healthier too. More like macadamia nuts? Whichever one was the super healthy one.

And the jam was the super cheap fruit that the poor could always afford. It was easy to grow, and that was why the goddess who gave it to fairies was praised. It was practically impossible to kill the damn plant and gave off a ton of fruit, so the bounty was celebrated.

Plus, it was pretty.

The streets were decorated with harvested vines. It almost reminded me of cucumber vines with the huge leaves, but they weren’t prickly. They almost shined in all of the lights and… Kind of reminded me of Christmas garland with the vibe and celebration. Odd, but they did.

Neldor told me what we got first from a stall and basically it was like a huge Uncrustable.

But so, so much more. It wasn’t just jelly but chunky jam almost like pie-filling chunky and not as sweet with processed sugar. No, this was all natural.

And it was so much more than peanut butter. It was chunky for one thing, and that added to the flavor for sure given the way the nuts were roasted. But it was like whipped? It was so fluffy at the same time and crazy good. The bread was unreal, so fresh that I swore they had to be grinding the damn wheat right there.

I glanced over and saw the round dough being slapped down inside some cooking tunnel thing like I’d seen in Middle Eastern cooking videos. Then while they were still warm, a slit was cut in them, and they were stuffed both with the jam and whipped nut butter.

Fucking delicious.

“Could you imagine this drizzled with Nutella?” I whispered.

“Shit, that would make this next-level,” he agreed, staring at his mostly gone one. “Okay, add it to the list of everything we want to eat. One more?”

I snorted. Did he really need to ask?

We got two more each. Of course we did.

It was crazy, but the whole festival revolved around all the recipes with that fruit and those nuts.

And it was awesome. Not just the food but how happy everyone was. People were smiling and laughing everywhere I looked. It was—I’d never seen fairies like that.

I mean, it was understandable after all they’d been through, and the reasons I was around them were always serious but… This was amazing.

“Can we get jars of this and have it with pretzels?” I asked him after we hit up another stall.

He nodded. “Now that the stores will start carrying it again because the farmers are harvesting and the economy is recovering.”

“We should sell this on Earth and—”

“Shut your brain off or I’ll stop feeding you, baby doll,” he threatened.

“Stupid fairy,” I grumbled even as I hurried after him. I groaned when I saw where he was bringing us.

A pie eating contest. For real.

“Oh, this isn’t even fair,” I chuckled.

“We have competitive eating like you’ve never seen,” he warned.

Sure enough, we got our asses handed to us. I didn’t care. I honestly felt worlds better that there were a lot of fairies who could actually shovel it in faster than I could. Seriously, the jokes about unhinging my jaw and eating so much… I saw the people who they really referred to.

I didn’t know it was physically possible to eat five pies as fast as the top three did. And the winner was a woman.

I bowed to her abilities.

Oh, and the pie was fan-fucking-tastic.

We bought bags of roasted nuts, and he hurried to pull me along. I wasn’t sure why, but he won, and I was listening to him for whatever he wanted.

At least for the night.

We sat on some benches that were brought in, and my heart melted as some of the cutest kids ever did a dance dressed as the fruit and nuts. It was clearly something done every year as people were doing some of the moves with them and cheering along.

“Tell me you did that when you were a munchkin?” I asked him quietly.

“Not with the local kids,” he admitted. “That would have made them nervous and the parents worried. But Father was a big believer in learning everything important in the realm so yeah, I know it. He also learned most of the dances the Guardians did.” He smiled as he watched the kids. “He used to jump in like I did when I showed you how they danced.”

“Glad you’re keeping the tradition alive,” I said as I bumped his shoulder.

“Yeah, me too.” He moved his hand to my knee. “Someday we’ll teach our kids this dance too, baby doll.”

I swallowed loudly but didn’t argue or tell him to stuff it. We both knew it had to happen someday, and since I was pretty sure I was in love with the stupid fairy, I didn’t… As long as we could make Faerie safe for our kids and they wouldn’t have to suffer as we both did.

We shared a look and I knew we were on the same page.

As long as they wouldn’t have to suffer as we did, we would have kids.

One day in the very distant future.

A large boom startled me, and I dropped my food as I stood and let my wings out, throwing up a barrier to protect everyone around us.

People all around us gasped, and I realized I’d also dropped the glamour to tap into my magic fully and protect everyone.

Shit.

“Tams, it’s just fireworks,” Neldor hissed as he got my attention and pointed up. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you. The fireworks go off when the kids are done.”

I glanced all around. “I’m so sorry. I thought…”

“Thank you for wanting to protect all of us, Your Highness,” a dark fairy who people clearly deferred to said as he bowed. “But none of us saw anything. Please go back to enjoying your first festival with whichever of your mates is clearly glamoured with you.”

“Aye, if anyone deserves a night off and to see the joy you’ve allowed us all to have again, it’s you, Princess,” the woman next to him said.

I smiled when I saw people all around us nodding. I glanced at the kids and beamed at them. “You guys were great. Really, I’m so proud of you for working so hard. Thanks for making my first festival memorable.”

They thanked me and then I cloaked my wings and changed into my glamour before we slipped away and I changed it again.

When we were alone, Neldor just looked at me and burst out laughing. I ignored him and walked away, watching the fireworks now that I knew it wasn’t a bomb or something going on to destroy peace in the realms.

Because that was a very, very real worry for me.

Constantly.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, baby doll,” he whispered as he hugged me from behind. “For all of our many, many flaws, fairies don’t ever behave like terrorists like you’re used to hearing about on Earth. The ends don’t justify the means. We do care about the collateral damage, and it’s not all okay in the name of the cause.

“There’s never been an attack or something like a festival hit. I swear it. We don’t believe in that. We declare war fairly and with notice to noncombatants so they can get to safety. Are there accidents and casualties? Yes. It’s war, but you saw how all the children were gathered in safe places and none of them were remotely hit. None of our hospitals were close to—”

“I know,” I interrupted, turning to face him. “But desperate people act desperately. There are people in Faerie desperate for us not to be at peace. Some of the thoughts of the last people I woke that lied out their asses that—some people would rather blow Faerie up than see the realms combine.”

He studied me and nodded. “Okay, then we take steps. We talk with Stefanie and make sure all the festivals and celebrations have extra security with telepathy runes. You’re right, and we can’t just go back to the way things were and assume people will behave as they did. If we’re going to do something so drastic like combine the realms, others might be drastic in return.”

“Thanks, Nel.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t listen sooner.”

I forgave him—all of them even. There was so, so much always and constantly that it wasn’t ignoring me but a matter of constantly prioritizing the crazy. And there was a lot of it.

We went back to our fun and of course eating. I honestly didn’t know there were so many ways to eat a nut and use them in cooking and baking. I guess I did if I thought about how diverse peanuts were from peanut sauce to peanut butter cups, but that was all over the world, and this was just in one city of the dark realm.

Then I realized it wasn’t.

Some of the stalls told the story of how the nut that was originally given to this city was traded to the light realm and how they had incorporated it into their cooking. How someone had invented something new with it and shared the recipe and idea.

Had given back and shared , experiencing it all together.

“We’ll have that again now because of you, Tams,” Neldor whispered as he hugged me to him, clearly knowing where my head was.

“Because of us. Because our mothers—our parents.” I turned in his arms when he went stiff. “No matter how things went off the rails for Elora, none of this happened without what she did, especially freeing me. I still had doubts taking the job and we both knew that. I was seconds from still bailing and saving myself—my future kids. So it took all of us.”

He nodded. “One day I’ll see it. Right now, I’m just trying to grieve and come to terms with that she didn’t think I would die. I… She always seemed to love Faerie more than me. It like doesn’t work in my mind that she would ever hurt the people of Faerie or this planet because of me.”

I simply nodded. I didn’t believe that for a second with even the glimpse of her love for him, but I’d never met the woman. He’d lived his life, and—everything was too complicated.

So instead, we enjoyed the night. We ate and ate. I checked out every stall and learned the stories and legends. I tried every dish and treat.

“Not going to lie, I feel pretty guilty we’re the only ones enjoying this,” I mumbled. “I would be so upset if they got all of this nummy food and didn’t invite me.” I glanced around. “This is too cool not to share.”

“They’ll understand and agree that your first festival undercover as a normal fairy with a fairy who knows about it all is exactly what you needed,” he argued. He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. “And we’ll all have many years to come see it all again and again.”

“Fine, but we better get jars and treats to bring to them,” I agreed.

He simply chuckled and shook his head. “You want more for second and third dinner.”

“That too.”

He ended up being a softy too, and we went to see our security and asked them to escort Izzy, Claudia, Julian, Hudson, Juan, Lucca, and Darby around so they could have fun also. Lucca actually asked if he could bring his mom and siblings since they were going through such a rough time, and I melted at how sweet he was.

Of course, we said yes.

Hudson ended up bringing his parents and siblings as well since they got along with Lucca’s family. People were shocked because it was seen as such a “commoner” event and everything was super cheap and not fancy.

They didn’t understand how really cool it was and unlike anything on Earth. It was magical and perfect and everything a proper fairytale needed.

A bunch of off duty Guardians ended up coming to make sure there weren’t problems and simply enjoy the event as well. I made sure Shael gave them each a stipend for food and their time that was about three hundred bucks basically. That was more than worth it and a good reason for them to want to keep doing it on the down low.

Once I experienced every booth as a normal fairy, I took off the glamour and joined the group for a while, making sure they hit the places that were my favorite.

“It’s really nice to see you smiling this brightly, cream puff,” Lucca whispered before taking a bite of what I was eating.

“You too. I’m glad your family could come last minute.”

“Thanks for letting them.” He brushed his lips over mine quickly but with a lot of emotion.

I might have said more, but pain flared near us and distracted more than me. I turned and saw Hudson’s sister grab her head.

Instantly, I was at her side and put the rune on her as Julian had once done for me. I squatted down and waited for her to blink her eyes open. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”

She nodded. “It’s so hard when the emotions are strong—bad or good. Everyone’s so happy that it’s like all over my skin.” Tears filled her eyes. “What’s wrong with me? That’s not what Aunt Tanesha has. Am I broken?”

I gave her a healing rune as I cupped her cheek. “No, not at all, honey. You’re powerful. You’re really powerful, and that’s super scary.” I raised my head and met Xavier’s gaze. “And it’s time to stop ignoring it.”

He swallowed loudly and nodded, hearing the chastising.

“I didn’t tell Mother or Father,” she admitted. “They’re so worried with Connor and everything else that nothing else can go wrong or off from normal.”

I gently flicked her forehead. “That’s not for you to decide. You let the adults be adults and protect you.” I glanced over and found Taeral, several of the commanders inserting themselves in the fun since I was going to be visible. “I would ask your sister to meet with Tanesha and let’s get something figured out. I can make this rune into a charm now for her.”

“Yes, Your Highness, of course,” he agreed.

I thanked him and focused on the scared girl. “She was a big help for me just as your aunt was. You’re simply more sensitive than I was. You might get more than normal telepathy the way I got my mom’s visions. Yours seems to be a more empathic side. You’re definitely not broken, okay?”

“Thank you, Sister,” she whispered before giving me a hug. “I feel so much better, like I haven’t in a long time.” And then she ran over to her siblings to buy more food.

“You look like you were hit upside the head, agra ,” Darby muttered. “What’s going on?”

I blinked at him and felt my face flush. “No one’s ever called me sister like that. I mean, I knew I’d get in-law parents, but I guess I never really realized I’d get like siblings mating you lot. I mean, I knew Freya but…”

He nodded. “You are always so adorable that I can’t handle it.”

We moved on, but Sasha made sure to pull me to the side a bit later and give me a big hug.

“We weren’t ignoring it. I swear it. I asked her several times if she’d had more symptoms or issues. So has Tanesha. Tanesha said she would be worried, but that was it. That she might catch a random thought, but—I had no idea my baby was suffering.”

“I’m sorry I got snippy that you were ignoring it,” I apologized.

“No, I would have thought the same with how we’ve acted,” she admitted with a sigh. “There’s just always so much and everything with Connor now—I worry the damage it’s done to my children. Protecting them isn’t having them live their lives.” She leaned in and gave me a half hug. “Thank you for giving them this tonight.”

I glanced over and smiled as I saw her kids laughing as Xavier made a mess of something he was eating.

Neldor and I went off on our own again while glamoured, and once the festival started winding down, I thought we were going home. Instead, he took me somewhere on his family lands. It was a gorgeous ridge overlooking the ocean. It wasn’t too windy since it was blocked by other mountains and… Breathtaking didn’t quite cover it.

“This used to be my spot,” he said quietly, his voice hesitant and unsure.

That confused me until he cleared his throat and glanced at me with worry in his eyes. “Oh, your hookup spot?”

“Something like that,” he mumbled.

I snickered. “Yeah, I could see this working.” I glanced around. “Build a fire. A couple of blankets. On the prince’s land.” I nodded as I stared out at the gorgeous view. “At sunset with a bottle of fairy wine would definitely get you laid. The sunrise must be killer from here too.”

“It is,” he confirmed.

“We’re so not having sex here. You get that, right?”

“Yes, thank you,” he drawled. “I’m not that much of a fucktard.”

“Sometimes,” I teased. “So what is this? Reminding me how popular you are? That normally doesn’t end well for guys, and I certainly never rub it—”

“Closure,” he interrupted before I got too petty.

Which I appreciated.

“It’s closure and letting you in when you’ve made several comments— valid comments that I can be closed off and I know everything about you. I want to make it clear that this is all behind me and I wouldn’t want it back if things were different. I love what we have.” He turned and took my hand in his. “And I want to find a spot with you.”

Like I had with Hudson. That was what he wanted without making it about my other mate or him being jealous. He wanted us to have something special too.

I bobbed my head as I glanced out at the ocean. “I’m open to you scouting locations. It’s going to be hard to find one this cool.” I gave his hand a squeeze and pulled away. “But you’re not getting laid tonight, Nel.” I winked at him when he seemed shocked. “I don’t have sex on the first date, and I’m not an idiot that you just snuck in our first date.”

I laughed when he winced and opened a portal to get home. Silly fairy. He really thought he’d pull a fast one on me?

Not anytime soon when it came to our relationship.