Page 12 of Fairy’s Forbidden Touch (Wings & Whispers #2)
Hand in hand, we walked the path that seemed both endless and instantaneous, emerging into that clearing surrounded by massive silver-barked trees. But unlike my previous visit, the clearing was not empty—dozens of fae of various sizes and appearances stood in a semicircle, all eyes fixed on us.
“Word travels quickly in the court,” Thalen murmured, his grip on my hand tightening slightly.
At the center of the gathering stood two figures who could only be the King and Queen.
They had Thalen’s otherworldly beauty but amplified, with an aura of power that made the air around them seem to shimmer.
The King was tall and imposing, with silver hair longer than Thalen’s and eyes of such a deep violet they appeared almost black.
The Queen was willowy and elegant, her hair a paler silver with strands that seemed to float as if underwater.
“My son,” the King’s voice resonated without seeming to increase in volume. “You have brought your resonant one.”
Thalen inclined his head in a slight bow. “Father, Mother. This is Jesse Parker, to whom I am bonded. Jesse, my parents, King Aethril and Queen Lyrianel of the Winter Court.”
I had no idea what the proper protocol was for meeting fairy—fae—royalty, so I settled for an awkward half-bow. “Um, pleased to meet you. Your Majesties.”
The Queen’s lips curved in a smile that reminded me startlingly of Thalen’s rare ones. “The pleasure is ours, Jesse Parker. We have been most curious about the human who can touch our untouchable son.”
There was warmth in her voice that eased some of my tension. The King’s expression remained more reserved, but I caught a flicker of something that might have been approval in his dark eyes.
“The hour grows propitious,” the King announced. “The stars align for the acknowledgment. Are you prepared, both of you, for the binding?”
Thalen looked at me, a question in his eyes. I nodded slightly, and he turned back to his father. “We are.”
What followed was both simpler and more profound than I had expected. We were led to the center of the clearing, where a circle had been inscribed in what appeared to be light itself. The gathered fae arranged themselves around us, their presence creating a sense of solemn witness.
A small fae with elaborate robes approached, carrying a crystal bowl filled with luminescent liquid that reminded me of the patterns beneath Thalen’s skin. He spoke in that language that seemed to slide around my comprehension, then repeated in English:
“The resonance bond forms naturally between souls that complement each other across realms. Tonight, we merely acknowledge what already exists, bringing into conscious harmony what the universe has aligned.”
He gestured for us to extend our hands, which we did. With deliberate movements, he poured some of the luminescent liquid over our joined hands. It was cool but not unpleasant, and seemed to sink into our skin rather than dripping away.
“Speak your acknowledgment,” he instructed Thalen first.
Thalen’s eyes met mine, and in them I saw a depth of emotion that took my breath away.
“I, Thalen, Crown Prince of the Winter Court, acknowledge and embrace the resonance bond between us. I offer protection, fidelity, and partnership for as long as our spirits endure. My magic recognizes yours, my soul calls to yours, my life intertwines with yours by choice and by destiny.”
The liquid that had sunk into his skin began to glow, the patterns beneath intensifying until they seemed to extend beyond his body, reaching toward me.
“And you?” the officiant prompted me.
I hadn’t prepared anything, hadn’t known what to expect. But looking at Thalen, the words came naturally:
“I, Jesse Parker, acknowledge this bond between us. I offer honesty, loyalty, and partnership through whatever comes our way. I may not understand all the magic involved, but I understand what I feel when I’m with you—and that feels like the most important magic of all.
I choose you, Thalen, across worlds and centuries. ”
As I spoke, I felt a warmth spreading from our joined hands up my arm and throughout my body. The patterns from Thalen’s skin seemed to reach me, merging with a light I couldn’t see but could somehow feel emanating from within me.
“The acknowledgment is spoken and received,” the officiant declared. “What resonates in harmony, let no force divide.”
Around us, the gathered fae began a soft humming that seemed to vibrate at exactly the frequency of the warmth flowing through me. The light from our joined hands intensified, expanding outward until it encompassed us both in a sphere of luminescence.
Within that sphere, it felt as if we were completely alone—just Thalen and me, connected in a way that transcended physical touch. I could feel his emotions as clearly as my own—his joy, his relief, his love.
Love. The word we hadn’t yet spoken aloud but that flowed freely in this space between spaces.
“I love you,” I said, the words feeling both momentous and perfectly natural.
“And I love you,” he replied, his musical voice resonating through my very being. “More than I thought possible.”
The sphere of light pulsed once, twice, then gradually faded, returning us to the physical reality of the clearing. But something had changed—a constant awareness of Thalen that hadn’t been there before, like a gentle hum at the edge of my consciousness.
“It is done,” the King declared, his voice carrying across the clearing. “The bond is acknowledged and sanctified. Jesse Parker stands now under the protection of the Winter Court, consort to the Crown Prince, bridge between realms.”
A murmur went through the gathered fae—mostly approving, though I caught glimpses of displeased expressions among a few. Thalen’s hand tightened on mine, his awareness of the mixed reception obvious.
“Come,” the Queen said, approaching us with graceful movements. “A celebration awaits. The court has prepared a feast in honor of this momentous occasion.”
What followed was a whirlwind of introductions, congratulations, and explanations that left my head spinning.
We were led up to the palace complex I’d visited before, but to a grand hall I hadn’t seen—a space that seemed to exist partially outside normal dimensions, with walls that shifted between solid and transparent, offering glimpses of stars that seemed too close and too bright to be the ones I knew.
The fae celebration was unlike any party I’d experienced—music that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, food and drink that defied description, dances that followed patterns I couldn’t begin to comprehend.
Through it all, Thalen remained at my side, a steady presence in this overwhelming new reality.
“Are you well?” he asked during a rare moment of relative quiet. “I know this is… a great deal to absorb.”
“I’m okay,” I assured him, though ‘overwhelmed’ would have been a more accurate description. “Just trying to process the fact that I’m apparently married to fairy royalty now.”
“Not married, precisely,” he corrected gently. “The bond acknowledgment is both more and less than human marriage. More permanent, less institutional. And fae,” he added with that hint of amusement, “not fairy.”
I laughed, the familiar correction grounding me. “Right. Fae royalty. Much better.”
His expression turned serious. “You do not regret your decision? It was made with such haste…”
I considered the question honestly. Did I regret acknowledging a magical bond that would tie me to another realm, extend my lifespan by centuries, and embroil me in fae politics? By all rational measures, I should be having a complete meltdown right now.
But instead, I felt… right. Like a piece that had been missing had finally clicked into place. The constant awareness of Thalen humming at the edge of my consciousness felt natural, necessary.
“No regrets,” I said firmly. “Unexpected life choices are kind of my specialty, remember? This one just happens to be more magical than most.”
Relief washed over his features. “I am… very glad to hear that. I had feared the urgency might lead to resentment.”
“Not resentment,” I assured him. “Just… questions. Lots and lots of questions about what happens next.”
“We have time for those,” he said, his cool fingers intertwining with mine. “Centuries, in fact.”
Centuries. The concept still hadn’t fully sunk in. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“As will many aspects of our shared life,” he acknowledged. “But we will navigate them together.”
As the celebration continued around us, I found myself thinking about the strange path that had led me here—from crashing on Maya’s couch after yet another life disaster to becoming bonded to the crown prince of the fae. It was absurd, impossible, and yet undeniably real.
“What are you thinking?” Thalen asked, noticing my distraction.
“That this might be the first impulsive decision I’ve ever made that actually feels right,” I admitted. “Like maybe I was making bad choices all along because I was trying to find my way to you.”
The patterns beneath his skin brightened at my words, and through our newly acknowledged bond, I felt the surge of emotion my statement had evoked.
“Perhaps the universe has been guiding you all along,” he suggested. “Leading you to that café, to that moment when you first touched me.”
“Maybe,” I agreed. “Or maybe I’m just really lucky that my cousin got tired of me sleeping on her couch and forced me to find a job.”
He laughed—a full, genuine laugh that drew surprised glances from nearby fae, clearly unaccustomed to seeing their reserved prince express such open emotion.
“Either way,” he said, his violet eyes holding mine, “I am grateful for whatever forces brought you into my life.”
As he leaned in to kiss me—in full view of the court, breaking who knows how many protocols of royal behavior—I felt that hum of connection intensify, the bond between us vibrating with shared joy.
Whatever challenges lay ahead—and I had no doubt there would be many—we would face them together, the human and the fae prince, bound by magic but choosing each other freely.