Page 31 of Awakened Destiny (The Dark Ascendant #3)

Brigid

Callen leans against the doorframe. His black hair, usually so perfectly tousled, falls just slightly out of place, as if he ’ s been running his fingers through it in thought. The faintest shadow of stubble dusts his jawline, giving him a rugged edge that contrasts sharply with the refined elegance of his regal bone structure. The angles of his cheekbones are softened by the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, a smile that ’ s equal parts charming and dangerous.

"So, darling, how do you feel about a little trip to the fae kingdom?"

I freeze, my heart skipping a beat. "The fae kingdom? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious." He grins, pushing off the frame and sauntering into my room. "It's time I claim my rightful place on the throne. I want you by my side when I do."

My stomach churns with a mix of excitement and dread. "I don't know, Callen. That's a big step."

"Come on, Brigid," Lochan chimes in. "You ’ ve kept yourself separate from our world long enough." He ’ s still lying on my bed, though at some point he did put his trousers back on. Shame, really. I wouldn ’ t mind him staying naked in my bed for the rest of my days.

I bite my lip, weighing my options. The fae kingdom is so far from anything I've ever known. But the way Callen looks at me makes me want to do this for him. Plus, I ’ m curious. It ’ s not every day a girl gets invited to an otherworldly fairy realm. "Okay," I say finally. "I'll go."

Callen's face lights up, and he pulls me into a hug. "That ’ s our girl."

As soon as he releases me, panic sets in. "Shit. What am I going to wear? I don't have anything fit for a fae kingdom."

Lochan rolls his eyes. "You'll look fine in anything."

"He's right," Callen adds. "Though personally, I think you look best in nothing at all."

Heat rushes to my cheeks. "Callen!"

He laughs, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Just stating facts. Lochan and I need to get ready. We'll go back to our suite and see you back here in ten."

“ Uh, make it twenty?” I don ’ t spend a lot of time getting ready, but it will take me at least that to have a quick shower and swipe on some lip gloss.

As they turn to leave, Lochan pauses. "You know, it'd be a lot easier if you just moved in with us."

The idea sends a thrill through me, but I push it aside. "One step at a time, big guy." Still, I ’ m not averse to it. Waking up next to the four of them every morning would be amazing. But then, there ’ s Marius to think about. How would he feel about that?

They disappear through the portal, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I step into the bathroom, the cool tile biting at my bare feet. The mirror fogs up almost as soon as I turn the hot water on, and I can already feel the moisture clinging to my skin.

The shower is running hot, water cascading in a steady stream of heavy pressure. I step in, and the heat envelops me instantly, seeping into my muscles and loosening the knots of tension I didn ’ t even realize were there. The water slides down my shoulders, tracing the curve of my spine. I tilt my head back, letting it soak through my hair, which clings to my neck and shoulders in damp tendrils.

I reach for the bottle of body wash on the ledge, squeezing a dollop into my palm. The scent is faintly floral, lavender and carnations, and it lathers easily as I work it over my skin. My hands glide over my arms, my stomach, my legs, the water rinsing away the suds and leaving me feeling clean and refreshed, like I haven ’ t just participated in the sex olympics with two fitter than hell fae men. For a moment, I let myself just breathe, the steam rising around me.

I turn off the water and step out of the shower, wrapping myself in a towel. The mirror is still fogged over, and I swipe at it with my hand, revealing my reflection. My eyes stare back at me. I lean closer, searching for any sign of the Morrigan ’ s influence, but all I see is me. Just me.

I dry off quickly and slip into a simple dress—something practical, but pretty enough for a visit to the fae kingdom. I don ’ t bother with makeup beyond the lip gloss; if Callen and Lochan are fine with me as I am, then that ’ s good enough for the rest of the fae. I head back to the room, where they ’ re already waiting.

Callen ’ s looking every bit like the prince he is. "Ready?"

"As I ’ ll ever be," I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel.

Lochan steps forward, his hazel eyes scanning me like he ’ s checking for any sign of hesitation.

Callen takes my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine, and I feel a surge of warmth at the contact. Lochan moves to my other side, his presence solid. Together, they lead me to the portal that will take us to the fae kingdom.

The air around it shimmers faintly, a faint hum vibrating in my chest as we step through. The sensation is disorienting but brief, and then we ’ re standing in a completely different world.

My breath catches in my throat. The fae kingdom unfolds before me like nothing I've ever seen. Colors I don't even have names for dance across a sky that seems both close enough to touch and infinitely vast. The light here is different—softer yet more vivid, casting everything in a glow that makes each detail stand out in sharp relief.

"Wow," I whisper, unable to hold back my wonder.

Trees spiral upward, their trunks twisted in impossible patterns, branches laden with blossoms that slowly shift hues as I watch. The ground beneath my feet feels alive somehow, responsive to each step I take.

Callen watches my reaction, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Welcome to Eltherion."

I turn in a slow circle, taking it all in. A group of small, winged creatures dart overhead, trailing light behind them. Music drifts through the air—not from any instrument I can identify, but from the very environment itself, as if the kingdom is humming its own melody.

"I feel like I don't belong here," I admit, "but I also never want to leave."

Lochan's large hand grips my waist. "You belong wherever we are, Brigid."

The path we're on winds through a meadow where flowers open and close as we pass, following our movement like curious spectators. I reach out to touch one, and it sways toward my fingertips.

"Remember when we were kids," Lochan says suddenly, his voice softer than usual, "and you convinced me those flowers could tell fortunes?"

Callen barks out a laugh. "Gods, you believed me for years."

"I was seven," Lochan grumbles.

I look between them, charmed by this glimpse into their past. "What happened?"

"This idiot," Lochan jerks his thumb at Callen, "told me if I spoke my deepest wish to the royal gardens' goldenbell flowers, they would make it come true."

Callen's eyes gleam with mischief. "So he spent an entire summer whispering to flowers."

"And you never told me the truth," Lochan adds.

"Because it was hilarious! The stoic warrior-in-training, having deep conversations with plants."

Despite his complaints, Lochan's mouth quirks upward. "I wished for a sword like the King's Guard carried."

"And when he finally got one for his birthday," Callen continues, "he was convinced the flowers had granted his wish."

"I thanked those damn flowers every day for a month."

I laugh, picturing a small, serious Lochan solemnly expressing gratitude to garden plants. "Did you ever figure it out?"

"Caught this one," Lochan nudges Callen, "doubled over laughing while I was in the middle of my flower gratitude ritual."

"His face," Callen says. "I thought he was going to commit regicide with his precious sword."

"I considered it," Lochan admits, and I can see the young boys they once were, one mischievous and one serious, bound together despite their differences.

"Did you forgive him?" I ask Lochan.

"Eventually. After I chased him through the palace and dumped him in the reflection pool."

Callen sighs dramatically. "Ruined my best outfit."

"Worth it," Lochan says, and they share a look of such deep understanding that I feel privileged to witness it.

I realize I'm smiling, genuinely smiling, as we continue along the path. For all its overwhelming beauty and strangeness, the fae kingdom feels a little less intimidating now that I can picture these two as children, playing and fighting and growing up within its borders.

"So," I ask, "are there any other childhood secrets I should know about?"

Their matching grins tell me this is just the beginning.