21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Sídhetír is an amazing burden, which can turn deadly. As the mantle switches from lord to heir, the heir cannot live without Sídhetír. The time in which one can be away from the land is short. If the one ruling stays away for an extended time, he will sicken, possibly to the point of death." – Lord Edmund, Second Lord of Sídhetír.

C ethin lay beside me, stroking my spine. The walls and ceiling in the bedroom were clear, allowing me to see the full moon and the stars twinkling in the inky sky. The moon would crest the horizon for a bit before waning or waxing and rising once again. The night might never leave, but the moon followed the same phases as in the human realm.

"Tell me a story."

"Hmm," he muttered. "What do you wish to hear?"

"Anything."

"Anything," Cethin repeated. "What about the star-crossed lovers who made the seam?"

Rubbing my face against his chest, I said, "Sounds good."

"The worlds used to be arranged differently. The fae world used to be two separate realms: the Realm of Night and the Realm of Day. The only way to reach the other was through the human realm. Our realms mirrored the human one. We brought the seasons and changed the time from day to night."

"What happened?"

"A young princess of the night realm journeyed to the human world. There she came across another fae. The light fae was a man with brown hair the color of soil and eyes the color of a fern. He looked much different than her own pale white hair, and gray skin. He was the loveliest thing she'd ever seen, and the instant she laid eyes upon him, she knew he was her mate."

"She knew like you did with me."

"Yes," he answered. "We simply know. Her mark had hinted the light fae was her mate, for she bore a small sun next to her moon."

My fingers found the seven-pointed star. "This is me?"

"It is." Cethin kissed my forehead. "The light fae do not sense their mates as we do, though they also have marks like ours. The light fae prince didn't know she was his mate, but he fell in love with her at first sight. They courted in the human realm, but whenever they returned to their respective homes, they longed for the other. One day, the prince proposed a plan to leave their realms for the human one. Neither was the heir, so they could."

"What happened?"

"They were stopped. The queens of the fae realms barred the young prince and princess from leaving, separating them forever. We weren't always the allies we are today. The night princess concocted a plan from her prison of glass and magic. She reached for the moonlight above her and stretched to the human realm to find him.

"It's said the human world experienced a day and a night at the same time, for that same day the prince reached through the sun to search for her. When her magic brushed his, he held on. They tried to drag themselves to each other, neither letting go, but the realms began to shift with the pull of their magic and the strength of their love.

"The prince and princess were ordered to stop, but they refused in their desperation for each other. The queens tried to stop them, but the prince and princess' love was too great. Nothing would tear them asunder.

"The Realm of Night collided with the Realm of Day, causing a fracture. Magic seeped out of the wound, polluting both fae words and the human one. Magic ran rampant, ripping the worlds apart. The only way to heal the wound and stem the tide was to fuse the fae realms together, creating the seam."

"And the prince and princess?" I asked.

"They died."

"What?"

"They used too much magic, depleting their very lives until they vanished."

My eyes moistened. "They died for their love."

"They did, but it brought our realms together."

I touched the star on his chest. "This is me."

His fingers rested over mine. "I knew once the contract was struck and the Byrne family mark became the seven-pointed star, that one of the Byrne family was my mate."

"You knew I was a Byrne?"

"I did, though I didn't guess you were the heir until later. There are quite a few Byrnes—cousins and whatnot."

"How did you find me? Why were you even in Sídhetír?"

"Every time the mantle passed from father to son, I went to Sídhetír to search for my mate." Cethin gently brushed my hair. "I have waited my entire life for you, Aidan."

I swallowed, fingers sliding over his tattoos. "When did you receive these?"

"When we reach maturity, both light and dark fae go through a ritual to receive our marks."

"You've been searching for me since you became an adult?"

"Yes, dearest."

My hand slid lower to palm his bare stomach. "Who stabbed you?"

"I don't know. I was walking through the woods when a figure darted out of the shadows and stabbed me with a poisoned iron blade," he replied. "While I don't know who stabbed me, I'm grateful to them."

"You are?"

"They brought me to you."

That was the truth, but I couldn't be happy he'd been injured. If he hadn't been, though, I wouldn't have met Cethin. The very thought was horrifying. I couldn't imagine dealing with everything without him. More than that, I couldn't imagine my life without him.

At the thought of the current situation, my mind raced back to all of the secrets I'd learned. So many had slipped from Lord Byrne because of Blodwen's interference. I doubted the light fae had wanted this outcome, and yet, the truth had come free as it always did. I was the future Lord of Sídhetír. I was engaged to a fae prince.

My eyes turned to Cethin. He held my gaze as his fingers slid through my hair. I rested my chin on his chest. The secrets revealed hung around us like a fog we both ignored, but needed to address.

"We should go for a walk." I shifted off him, sliding across the silky sheets, and stood. My knees trembled and my stomach roiled. I swallowed the sudden nausea as pain bloomed in my ribs and spine.

Cethin hooked an arm around my waist. "Are you well?"

"You like to worry, don't you?" I teased as I shook off his hold and headed to the washroom, but my clothes were nowhere to be seen. "Where are my clothes?"

"They're being washed."

"So you do have servants."

He chuckled, snagging me close, and pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder. "Yes, I do."

"So am I to wander around naked?"

"I have no problem with that." He grabbed my ass, squeezing. "You are lovely."

I frowned at him, and Cethin laughed, rocking me in his embrace. The slight movement made my bruised ribs throb worse than before. Not only that, my stomach rose, burning the back of my throat.

What the hell?

"You can borrow some of my clothes. We're nearly the same size."

"Thank you."

"Think nothing of it. I relish the thought of you in my clothes."

The trousers were too long and tight because he was taller and slimmer than I; the shirt hung oddly, exposing more of my chest than was strictly appropriate, but all in all, the clothes fit.

He took my hand and led me through the corridors of the castle. This time, I paid more attention to my surroundings, clocking that Cethin's room was in a tower. Rugs lined the opaque floors; paintings of people, battles, and scenery hung on the walls. Delicately carved furniture was perfectly placed and topped with expensive-looking baubles.

We stepped outside the double doors and the flowers greeted me. They bobbed in the slight breeze, which bore a chill that raised gooseflesh on my arms. In the distance, clouds hovered and snow drifted down, an odd contrast to the golden browns and reds of the fall leaves.

With no destination in mind, I walked around the clearing with Cethin at my side. I bowed to touch one of the many flowers, the petals smooth as silk beneath my fingertips. The silver glimmers of pollen came off the yellow stamen and drifted on the wind like miniature stars. My bare feet dragged through the thick grass, not finding any rocks or sticks. The dew clung to the leaves and grass, flicking onto my trousers.

Cethin remained beside me as I wandered aimlessly. When I approached the treeline, I settled on the ground, ignoring the dampness.

Cethin lay down next to me. I drew his hand onto my chest, right above the mark. "Are you a prince?"

"I had planned to tell you before Blodwen announced it."

"Are you going to inherit the throne?" Already, I was inheriting the mantle of Sídhetír—a burden I wasn't prepared for but couldn't refuse. I couldn't handle Cethin being the next in line to the throne as well.

"No, dearest. The throne will eventually pass to my younger sister. The fae courts are always ruled by women."

A long breath rushed out of my lips. I had known that, but in the moment, the fact had quite escaped me.

"Were you going to tell me about being the Heir of Sídhetír?"

"I planned to tell you when you came to the cottage. I meant what I said. I will keep nothing from you."

"When did you figure out I was half-fae?"

His fingers tightened around mine. "The first time your blood spilled. When we rescued the humans from the trolls, I could smell the magic. Until then, I assumed what tingled my senses was the mark binding us together."

"And that I was the heir?"

"When you were attacked by the light fae. He should have killed you, or at minimum damaged you further, but you survived. Something I am extremely grateful for. But when that happened, I thought back to the way the weather changed in accordance with your emotions. It simply made sense. It also made sense why Jonathan hid you."

I rolled onto my side and took a sharp breath from the sudden stabbing in my ribs. Cethin's eyes flickered as his brow creased. I didn't comment, ignoring the ache. "What's going to happen to us?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to be Lord of Sídhetír."

"So?"

"Do I have to pick the Night Court to align with? Can you even stay in Sídhetír? What are we going to do?" I asked rapidly.

His fingers began to tug my shirt off, and I frowned, shoving his hands away. "What are you doing?"

Cethin laughed. "I'm not trying to romance you. I simply need to see your mark."

Shaking my head, I pulled the black shirt off with his help, and Cethin ran his fingers over the mark, lingering on the blooms. The flower on my forearm was fully grown, while the bud on my collarbone had been joined by a second smaller one.

"When five flowers bloom, our marriage and bond will be solidified. That is one thing we have to wait for. As for your other concerns." Cethin shrugged. "I will stay in Sídhetír with you. I care not what my mother, father, or sister say. You are my reason for breath. You can align with whomever you like. I have no opinion on the matter. We will have to see if the contract can be made with your mixed blood first."

"You would give up your realm for me?"

He cupped my cheek. "I would give up everything for you, Aidan. You are my everything."