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He’d been to Waterborn House and seen how River had been raised. She was used to an elaborate lifestyle with fancy dinners, shopping sprees, and endless funds. His heart ached to admit it, but he couldn’t provide the kind of life she was used to.

She deserved the entire gods-damned world, and he couldn’t give it to her. Not like a Representative could.

And that… that hurt more than he was willing to admit. He had enough money left over at the end of the month to help his mother and sisters, but he couldn’t picture a world where he made enough money to support River comfortably.

He wouldn’t ask her to sacrifice for him. Not when he knew firsthand how painful that could be.

A wrinkled hand twisted around the smaller box. Nysa popped open the lid, her eyes widening as she peered inside. She whistled low before shutting it and tapping the top.

“Would you like my advice, sir?”

Why not? At this point, she already knew more about Nikhail’s love life than anyone else. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d shared so much with someone. Not even his sisters knew this much about his romantic connections.

“Lay it on me,” he said.

She slid to the edge of her seat, leaning forward.

“If you care about this young woman, and I think you do, you should tell her how you feel.” Crow’s feet formed around Nysa’s eyes as she smiled, looking at him with kindness.

“There are very few guarantees in life, but the one that comes for us all is death. Even you fae, with your long lives, cannot outrun it forever.”

The wise words echoed the ones he’d spoken to River the morning after the storm, and they kindled warmth in his soul.

She drummed her fingers on top of the desk, holding his gaze. “Pick the one that feels right , sir.”

And with that, Nysa stood. She wished him luck, taking her clipboard with her as she left him alone with his gifts and thoughts.

Pick the one that feels right .

Easier said than done when his soul was pushing him to choose one, and his brain was telling him to pick the other.

But he had to make a choice, and time was running out. It took most of the afternoon, and he had to rush through his report for the general, but he picked a gift.

He just hoped he made the right decision.

Nikhail had always enjoyed the train ride into Golden City. Something about the rumbling tracks beneath him, coupled with the scenery passing by in a gentle blur, soothed him.

He spent the first hour responding to emails before shutting down his laptop and crossing his arms, settling in for a rest. The seat beside him was empty, a welcome change from the usually packed train.

The reverberations soon lulled him into a light sleep. Over the years, Nikhail had trained himself to wake at the slightest disturbance, so he was confident he’d hear if something happened.

“Twenty minutes till we reach Golden City!” A fae with ash-blond hair shorn close to their head slid onto the train bench beside Nikhail. The train car was packed, filled with military recruits from the Southern Region headed to base camp. “Have you ever been to the capital?”

Nikhail shook his head, raising a hand to run through his black hair before remembering that Mama had buzzed it yesterday.

The short, spiky ends felt odd against his hand, and his pointed ears were cold without the protection of his longer hair.

This was the cut the military demanded for new recruits, though. He’d had no choice but to abide by it.

He was fairly certain he’d get used to it in time. Besides, his hair was a small price to pay for the stability the military would provide for him and his family. For the first time in over a decade, his mother wouldn’t have to scrimp and save.

“This is my first time leaving the Southern Region,” Nikhail admitted.

Mama couldn’t afford to send him or his sisters on trips. Not when she had to carefully conserve every bit of money to help pay for Laney’s medication. He’d helped as much as he could, working two part-time jobs while in high school, but there had only been so much he could do.

Now, though, Nikhail would make sure that his family was taken care of.

Turning to see the other fae better, Nikhail fiddled with the lanyard around his neck. He’d been given it before boarding the train, along with a stern reminder that he was to wear it at all times when not sleeping or showering during boot camp.

“Same. The name’s Arlo.” The blond fae held out their nametag so Nikhail could read it.

Arlo Night

They/them

Water fae

Southern Region

“Nice to meet you.” Nikhail showed Arlo his own name tag before he put his hand in theirs and shook vigorously.

“The pleasure’s all mine. This is my first time out of the Southern Region, too. I’m so excited!” Arlo gasped, practically vibrating in their seat. “Look!” They pointed out the window. “The arches.”

There was no masking the awe in their voice, and for good reason.

Nikhail had seen photographs of the golden landmark in the past, but it was far more impressive in person.

The three enormous arches that gave Golden City its name seemed to reach for the sky, stretching across the metropolis in a welcoming manner.

They were larger than life, bigger than anything in Barren Ridge.

He’d always thought the desert town had been decently sized, but now he was beginning to realize he’d been wrong .

The capital city was massive, and he couldn’t look away from it even if he tried. Pulling out the black-and-silver flip phone that he’d worked overtime to afford, Nikhail snapped a grainy picture and sent it in his family’s group chat. Made it, the caption read .

His phone started vibrating almost instantly as replies flooded in.

Mama

Be safe and have the best time, my son. I’m so proud of you.

Laurie

You’re so lucky that you get to explore the world.

Nikhail snorted at the reply. Laurie had spent the past month vacillating between being angry at him for leaving and begging him to bring her with him.

Even if the military had allowed for younger sisters to visit during boot camp—they didn’t—Laurie was only sixteen. She had two years of school left.

When he pointed that out, Laurie had pouted before declaring that she’d drop out and join him. Mama had quickly jumped on that , explaining in no uncertain terms that the Southern Region would sooner be covered in twenty feet of snow before any of her children dropped out of school.

After the ensuing fight—because Mama and Laurie couldn’t go a single day without bickering—Nikhail had hugged his sister and whispered in her curly black hair that she could visit once he was out of basic training.

Laney

Love you, Nikky. Kick their asses .

Biting the inside of his cheek, Nikhail’s fingers flew over the keys.

I love you all so much, and I’ll call as soon as I’m able.

He closed his phone as an ache started in his chest. This was the furthest he’d ever been from his mother and sisters, and he would miss them immensely.

The apartment they shared was cramped, and it often felt like they were living on top of each other, but they were his family.

It would take time to get used to being on his own.

I’m doing this for them , he reminded himself.

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Nikhail turned his attention back to his new friend. Arlo was chatting away, pointing out landmarks as the train headed for the center of Golden City. They were a wealth of knowledge, and Nikhail happily let Arlo teach him about their new home.

The closer the train got to the base, the more a deep sense of rightness settled in Nikhail’s soul. This would change the trajectory of his life; he could feel it in his bones.

“Thirty minutes to Golden City!”

The train conductor’s voice pulled Nikhail out of his sleep. He blinked and rubbed a hand over his eyes, shaking off the remnants of his memory.

He’d been right that day. Nearly twenty years had passed since his first train ride into Golden City, and he could confidently say that joining the military had altered the course of his life for the better.

Propping his chin on his fist, he stared out the window as the capital came into view.

A few snowflakes descended from the sky, a reminder that winter was setting in.

Millions of stars shone, but none were as brilliant as the golden arches that gave the city its name.

It was just as beautiful now as it had been when he was eighteen.

Those first few years of military life had been intense, to say the least. Even on the hardest days, though, Nikhail had never regretted his decision to join the military. Not when it gave him the opportunity to provide for the ones he loved.

Besides, without the military, he never would’ve gained so much control over his air magic.

He wouldn’t be able to whisper to the wind with such skill, nor would he have met so many of the amazing people he was privileged to call his friends.

His path never would’ve crossed with Ryker’s several years later, and he certainly never would’ve met River.

At the thought of the alluring water fae, Nikhail sucked in a breath. Gods above, so many of his thoughts revolved around River. It had been this way since they met, but ever since her storm, it had gotten worse.

Nikhail used to try and force himself to stop thinking about River, but eventually, he’d learned that asking himself to do that was akin to asking his lungs not to breathe and his magic to stop commanding the air.

It would never happen.

His fingers found the box in his pocket, and he traced the smooth black velvet. He was tired of ignoring River, tired of pushing away that part of himself that had been drawn to her since the day they met.

That day was permanently etched into his memory.