Page 76 of Storm

“I prefer not to get in the way of fae who cannot control their true nature. It’s a recipe for disaster.” She looks over Melek, a frown furrowing her pink skin.

“It’s time we all head out before reinforcements are sent.” He gives Sunny and me a once-over, lingering on my midsection. I have the innate need to protect Phoenix from him, so I pull my free arm around my body.

“I’ll take care of these ones.” Sera pushes a braid behind her ear, woven with what looks to be gold thread, a jingling sound coming from her ears, golden jewellery skimming the edges of the points.

Ren groans. “Please, don’t put your scent all over her. I need Melek lucid to answer some questions, and he cannot be feral to do that.”

Seraphina goes up to kiss his cheek. “I know it’s been a few years, friend, but I’m not such a menace as you remember.”

“I’ll see it when I believe it,” he grumbles, walking away. Stopping before he gets too far from earshot, he adds, “Do what Seraphina tells you, human.”

Sera leans in, placing her hand over her mouth. “Don’t listen to him. He’s a big softy, and I can tell we are going to be best of friends, and I’m never wrong.”

I admire her conviction. And she did just heal me from the brink of death. This woman has power beyond the likes I’ve ever seen. I want her in my corner.

“Let’s go!” she calls, practically gliding over small rocks and dirt to a singular midnight creature, away from the others. Tugging Sunny’s hands, we follow along, the tree line looming in the distance, calling us home.

Seraphina grows on me, her frivolity a breath of fresh air as she guides us towards the lush-forested tree line of the Fairy Lands. The men trail behind us, Melek being pulled along as he walks, tied to the bodies of the four kelpies. Sera had told me of the magical creatures as we led the way—a species from the lake within the Willow, the fae village we will soon be calling home.

Ren walks in front of them, and Sera guides my kelpie with Sunny, wide-eyed, sitting in front of me as I ride sideways, my bump restricting me from putting my legs down either side of the beast.

Sunny was wary about travelling on the solid animal at first. Actually, we both were. Ren had to hoist us on top of the kelpie, who is surprisingly dry, considering it lives in a lake. Melek did not like another man touching me, snarling from afar like a rabid creature. Sunny understands his father isn’t himself right now, and we need to get him to the Fairy Lands for help. The stories I’ve told my little boy late at night have prepared him for this fate.

On our journey closer and closer to the growing wall of tall, bushy trees, Sera tells me the tunnel we travelled through was part of the old mining system that was overrun by the fae ten or so years ago when they took over this land. It cuts through the mountain overpass, so it’s the only accessible route that isn’t heavily guarded by Halo. Apparently, they have shot a couple of drones that passed through this area out of the sky with fire magic, and they haven’t seen any since. Due to dwindling keeper numbers, Halo needs everyone at the fighting front, especially when yesterday, the fae once again advanced and were nearly on top of the factories. To see my fellow seronds saved would be beyond my wildest dreams.

As our kelpie walks along, Sera is eager to tell me about everything fae, talk of Halo, a melancholy topic we avoid. It is the longest conversation I think I’ve ever been a part of, her enthusiasm matching Sunny’s. “There are all sorts of fae. Renfir is an earth fae. I’m a water fae with a talent for healing, a rare but cataclysmic mix. We also have oracles, spellbinders, and shapeshifters.”

“What do you mean by a water fae and a healer?” I interrupt her before she continues.

She barely takes a breath before continuing. “My father was a very skilled earth healer. A drop of his blood in the right potion would cure anything. My mother is a water siren. A physician of the heart and soul. She can sense hurt in the body through a simple touch. A great beauty. Usually, when two fae species mix, one trumps the other, and you get one speciality, but I got both. My healing and my siren grew in equal measures, which means I can heal through touch, kisses, and s—” Before she says any more, Seraphina notices my newly coloured steel eyes bugging out of my head, my hands going to cover Sunny’s ears. “Oops, sorry. Well, you get the picture. When I was kissing Renfir, I could sense all the hurt within him, and my saliva alone was able to quickly fix any bruising and cuts he received from fighting your mate. Anything deeper, and he would’ve needed my blood. However, I don’t see the need to prick a finger when a kiss does the job. I’m very much a siren in that respect. Don’t worry, I used my blood—what you call solence—for you and some simple touches.” She makes sure to reassure me.

I nod like it all makes perfect sense, when it does not. Magical beings that can heal through a kiss. It goes beyond the stories Nix told me. I extract my hands from Sunny’s ears. “Mama,” he whines. “I want to hear what Sera says.”

“Some things aren’t meant for tiny ears,” I whisper, tickling his side.

He cackles. After he gasps for air, he asks our pink companion, “Do you have other children I can play with at your home?”

Sera beams at him, all white teeth and dark pink lips. “I’m so glad you asked, little one. There are so many children of all ages, and they love making new friends.”

Sunny nearly vibrates out of the seat. “Did you hear that, Mama? You were right!” One of the hardest things about watching Sunny grow up has always been our segregation. Guilt became my greatest companion. I knew we had to stay separated from them. He just never understood why. Finally, I’ll be able to give him the childhood he deserves. And Phoenix will never have to wonder what it’s like to be without friends. She’ll have them from the very beginning.

I give myself grace for the one time I tried to go out into Halo to find Sunny friends at Melek’s request. It fills my stomach with knots, thinking about it. For an allotted time, I sat and played with Sunny in a grey room surrounded by the watchful eyes of other Halo mothers. Me, the odd one out, the anomaly. The group was all about indoctrinating new mothers into how they should raise their children. I spent most of my time trying not to throw up. When the class finished, I went home, put Sunny to bed, and cried in the shower. I tried again when he was three because I saw how desperately he wanted friends his own age. Melek never pushed it the second time. He went with me and waited in the car until I was finished. I lasted the time it took to walk into the playroom and back out again, Sunny clinging to me, sensing the hostility. I gave up on finding friends for him that day.

The poor kid only had his father and me as playmates.

I felt like a failure. In those moments, facing a group of Halo women, weakness took hold of me, not the girl my brother would be proud of. Not the woman who stood up to Melek. The hurt in my heart for my little boy was insurmountable. It made me realise how we needed to find a way out of that place. If they didn’t accept me, they would never accept my children.

Now, the stories I tell him of the Fairy Lands are true. The stories Nix used to tell me. I sag in relief. Did I finally do something right?

Placing a hand on top of my bump, I can actually say I’m excited about the girl growing inside, how she might live in a world accepting of her from the time she vacates my body to come earthside. As much as the hostile commander roped behind me holds the majority share of my heart, no place will ever hold me captive again. Giving my children a true home means everything.

As we continue to ride, Sunny turns on the charm, asking Sera about what he can expect from the Fairy Lands. I let them talk, mulling over everything that has come to pass in such a short period of time. One word keeps jumping out at me—mate.

“What does mate mean to the fae?” I need her to answer the question. I can’t have the unknown rattling around in my head.

“Yes, mates.” She cocks a perfectly carved brow my way. “It’s something truly magical. Mates are created when two souls come together and find their equals, choosing to bond to each other for life. Once they make the choice, there’s no one else for them. All they see is that person.” Sera holds stars in her eyes as she speaks. “I’ve still yet to find the soul my heart calls to. You are lucky to have found yours at such a young age.”

I blanch, sputtering, “But I can’t be Melek’s mate. I’m human. And besides, he’s a pain in my ass most of the time.” I grumble the last bit and cover Sunny’s ears, but he waves my hands away, intent on hearing everything we have to say.