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nine

I returned to my room to freshen up. Too soon, Galen was leaning against my door frame in a dark green tunic and tight breeches that showed off his muscular legs. “Ready to go for a ride?”

I smiled up at him instinctively, like I’d been trained to do my entire life. No . I was in a new world, and I was making new rules . I let my face drop into a scowl. “It depends. Do I get my own horse this time?”

“Whatever you want, it’s yours.” He grinned.

I raised my brows. “In that case, I’d like to go home.”

Our eyes locked and he approached, stopping just short of touching me. I backed up, hitting the bed. He brushed a lock of hair from my face and I flinched away from him.

He frowned. “Do you think I’m going to attack you?”

“I don’t know what to think. We’ve just met.”

“I promise, I won’t bite you—unless you ask me to. You could be the savior we’ve been waiting for. I’m not going to hurt you. I realize it’ll take some time for you to trust me…” His voice trailed off as his eyes shamelessly traveled down my body.

He was delusional. “It’s almost impressive,” I spat.

“What is?”

“ Your Prince-sized ego . I didn’t ask to be your savior—and I have no loyalty to your people.” Morbid curiosity wormed its way into my brain. I chewed at my nails, huffed a sigh, then finally asked, “Why would I ever ask you to bite me?”

He gave a low chuckle. “Because, Marigold… it would feel good. Very good. In fact, some people beg for it.” There was nothing subtle about his heavy-lidded gaze. It flipped my stomach inside-out. I ducked around him, putting more distance between us.

“And if I can’t use magic—if I’m not your savior—then what? Your mother will throw me in the dungeon to become someone’s next meal? I’m not so convinced that would feel good!”

How dare he presume that I’d put his people before mine. I thought arriving here might give me a break from responsibility, but instead I was supposed to be a hero for the Fae? My blood was boiling as I bared my teeth at him.

“I’d never let her throw you in a dungeon,” he said earnestly.

“And you do have magic. Like I said, all Fae have a particular scent, a specific taste, that’s unique to them—whether magic flows in their blood or not.

I can feel it beneath your skin, thrumming like an electric current.

Humans may have magic in their veins, but they are not one of us.

There’s nothing human about the power that radiates from you. ”

His tone was seductive, but his message was clear; faeries were better than humans. He sounded like the aristocratic men of Aurelius who thought they were superior because of their blood—because of their money—because they were men .

“You’re not subtle about your distaste for my kind,” I growled, pointing a finger at his chest.

“I do not have a distaste for humans. In fact, quite the opposite. They taste lovely,” he laughed.

The thin ice he’d been walking on cracked.

I snarled and launched forward, attempting to smack him.

Instead, I found myself gripped in a firm hold.

“I do not dislike humans,” he murmured into my ear.

“They’re not my enemy and neither are you.

Some Fae do hate humans and think themselves better than them.

I’m not one of them. However, you’re not human and the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can stop fighting this . ”

I tried to jerk away from him, but he held me close.

Heat radiated from him, causing my pulse to quicken, frustrating me even further.

My body was traitorous. He was trying to prove some point.

If he thought I’d submit to him, just because he was stronger, then I’d teach him that I had fangs too.

I sunk my teeth into his forearm and he growled in surprise, letting go.

“Did you just bite me?” he asked in disbelief, staring at the crescent-shaped imprint on his arm. It hadn’t even broken the skin.

“I wanted to see what the fuss was about,” I panted. I tried to hold back a grin, before we both broke into laughter.

“You’re a feral little thing,” he said as his eyes flashed. “And if you think that biting me is going to deter me, then you’ve got a lot to learn about faeries.”

I rolled my eyes. “As long as you understand where my loyalty lies."

He sighed. “You’ve had enough years as a human, it won’t kill you to spend a little time discovering your faerie side.” He moved to sit in one of two cushioned seats that faced the fireplace and I joined him.

“Arriving here was the first magical thing that’s ever happened to me. Wouldn’t I have sensed it before now? Yesterday I lived in a much simpler world. It’s difficult for me to comprehend what magic is—what it feels like.”

“It will come naturally to you. You just turned twenty-one, you’re very young still, especially for a faerie that’s part-human. You might be just starting to manifest your powers. It’s no coincidence that you ended up in Nymera when you did.”

“I’m a human that might be part-faerie,” I reminded him. Humanity would always come first. Human is what I identified with, no matter what he thought I was.

“Whatever you are, I’m glad you’re here. Try to let go of the things that are beyond your control.” He stood up and offered his hand. “Now let’s go for a ride.”

Galen had a snowy white mare named Hibiscus waiting for me when we arrived at the stables. Galen’s bay horse, Napoleon, was tacked up as well. We’d brought Robert along, leaving me to wonder why we needed a chaperone. Surely Galen could protect us if needed.

“We’re going to Monrovia’s city center,” Galen said.

“Our castle sits on the outskirts of town; our kind prefer not to live on top of each other. Faeries like to be surrounded by nature rather than buildings, although some do choose to live in the village. Monrovia is our capital and was the first town to be established when we arrived here. It’s the largest in Nymera, but might feel small compared to Aurelius.

We’ve only been here two-hundred years, after all. ”

I nodded, feeling quiet and contemplative after everything I’d learned. If Galen wanted to be a tour guide and just talk at me, that was fine by me.

“Due to the magic shortage, I usually travel with at least one guard. Tensions are high amongst our people right now and I’m not risking your safety. Faeries become hot-tempered when they’ve been without magic for too long,” Galen explained.

Magic shortage was a very diplomatic way to say that the human population was declining.

I didn’t like that he was sugar-coating the situation, especially when it concerned my people .

Did he not think I was smart enough to read between the lines?

I had yet to see another human since arriving, making me feel even more like an endangered species.

We weren’t even welcome in his home. Was I supposed to feel grateful that his mother had made an exception for me?

Everything I’d grown up believing was a lie.

I’d spent my life blissfully ignorant and I didn’t understand why— how ?

Faeries had been completely erased from Erador’s history, as far as I knew.

Humans could make magic, but couldn’t access it.

Faeries could wield magic, but couldn’t produce it.

They drank from humans like… like vampires . And vampires were real .

How was I supposed to process so much new information? I’d spun in too many circles and now everything felt fuzzy. If only I’d inherited Ophelia’s even temper and sharp mind instead of my mother’s sensitive nature. How was I going to navigate this dangerous world without getting myself killed?

It was difficult to talk on horseback, giving me the perfect excuse to observe the scenery, while Galen spoke.

“The Kunzite Mountains surround us. Lavinia, our second largest city, sits in a valley tucked inside the middle of the range. Most of it has been built into the cliffside, connected by sky bridges. It’s stunning—built with Kunzite stone, the color of lavender, and surrounded by waterfalls.

It attracts artists, musicians, writers… you’d love it.”

I gave a stiff smile as I peered at the monstrous lilac snow-capped mountains that loomed over us.

“Nymera is one large land mass full of different biomes and habitats. Monrovia is located in the tropical grasslands, surrounded by lush forests. It’s warm and humid most of the year, which makes it an ideal location for growing food and raising livestock.

Plenty to hunt and forage for as well. Merivale Lake is behind us.

It’s so large that it looks like an ocean. Beyond that lies the actual sea.”

Monrovia was sprawling—wild and untamed.

Bright green grass blanketed rolling hills, while puffy clouds drifted across brilliant blue skies.

Bowing jacaranda trees hung over the trail, exploding with purple blossoms. They shaded us from the beating sun, but the heat was still sweltering.

My curly hair couldn’t be contained—coils sprang to life as sweat formed at the nape of my neck.

We passed fields of crops. People hard at work stopped to wave at us. Their children came closer, playing alongside our horses. Some homes were made of stone, while others were built into hillsides and around trees, blending in with the scenery.

Butterflies flitted around us as I tried to study the elaborate patterns of their neon wings.

Beetles that glittered like jewels buzzed by as well, leaving colorful trails of glowing dust in their wake.

Ribbons of pink, blue, yellow, and green hovered in the sky before dissipating into the atmosphere.

Animals walked along the road as we passed; I didn’t have the nerve to ask if they were faeries. Dogs, deer, foxes, and bobcats… black bears, porcupines, and even a zebra. I wasn’t an artist, but felt compelled to start sketching, just so I could remember every detail.