Page 41

NARIA

F or the seventh time that week, Prince Arenn knocked on the door to my bedchamber with a freshly prepared tray of breakfast and an eager grin across his jaw. And for some reason, just as they’d done every other time he’d knocked, my fingers lingered a little too long on the wooden edge of the door before I finally stepped aside and let him in.

He’d sought me out every morning – each day, more determined to help me remember everything about him that I’d forgotten. He’d taken me on tours of the underground villages, whisked me around bustling faery markets. At one point, he’d led me into a glowing crystal cave until we reached a small chamber with a waterfall cascading down into a sparkling pool. There, he’d pressed me against the wall, ran his hands down my bodice and kissed me until I could hardly breathe.

But it didn’t help me remember anything. Only left me with an uneasy feeling in my belly and an odd sort of ache in my chest – an ache that had me blurting out excuses every time he’d tried to kiss me again.

“How did you sleep, dear human?” The sweet scent of honey and berries wafted in with him as he carried the tray to a small table. “The offer still stands for you to join me in my bedchamber if you think it’d help with your rest. I can’t stand the thought of you tossing and turning alone when I could by your side,” his gaze burned into mine, “holding you.”

“I’ll be fine.” Averting my eyes, I hurried over to the tray of breakfast. “Like Lyssandra said, it’s probably just from the ritual she had to do to take my memories away.” I winced as I took a bite of honey toast. Even the food tasted so unfamiliar. “I just need more time to adjust.”

Arenn nodded. “Of course.” Taking a seat opposite me, he took my hand across the table. “And I’ll be here for you the moment you’re feeling well again.”

I gave him a tight smile. “Thank you.” But the discomfort crawling at my skin left me feeling anything but grateful. Swiping my hand away from his, I tried to keep my focus on my steaming breakfast as he watched me eat.

Once I had eaten and faery servants had swept in to change my plain night clothes to a more elaborate knee-length gown, Arenn tucked my arm around his and led me back through the grand faery palace.

As we passed through a quartz-walled corridor, I stiffened at the sight of my reflection in the walls. Even with glittering blush on my cheeks and the cherry-coloured gown cinched around my waist, I looked so wrong. Out of place. And I felt it too, despite Arenn’s assurances that I’d spent the last two seasons of my life here.

“Where are we going today?” I asked, desperate for a distraction.

“We’re meeting with my family.” He led me down a staircase and towards an arched willow door. “They’ve been begging to see you since the day I brought you home. I’d hoped for your memories of our love to have returned before you saw them again, but,” he sighed as he pushed the ornate door open, “I cannot keep you apart forever.”

“Elsie, look! Arenn’s bride is back!” A woman’s loud squeal paired with the overwhelming view almost forced me to stumble back into Arenn.

Ahead of us, a sprawling lush garden had somehow grown up from the rocky cave ground. Trees with violet fruits were surrounded by silver-leafed bushes. Glowing crystals hung down from the huge stalactites above, somehow providing light to the dainty plants and their shimmering blooms. Between the greenery was a soft carpet of neatly trimmed grass, running all the way down to a sparkling amethyst cave at the foot of the palace grounds.

It was magical, and I could’ve spent hours drinking it in – had a red-haired faery girl not slammed into my chest, thrown her arms around me, and sent me actually tumbling backwards into Arenn.

“Be careful with her. She’s not one of your toys,” Arenn growled, but I could barely hear him through the squealing in my ear.

“Oh, Naria, you’ve come back to us! I always knew you would!” The young faery pulled away from the hug for just a moment before another faery, completely identical to the first, swooped in and had her turn.

“She’s just as cute as she was at Luminessia, isn’t she? That adorable little nose,” the girl now squeezing me cooed. “Why ever did you run away from us?”

“Run away?” I mumbled. But before I could ask what she meant, another, more mature voice cut through the sweet air.

“Elsie, Elara, give the poor girl some space. You’re crushing her.”

“Sorry, Mother.” The girl hugging me stepped away to reveal an older couple, both wearing fine faery clothes and matching silver crowns.

The lady approached me first, her long auburn hair matching her daughters as she smiled warmly. “Hello, dear. It’s so lovely to see you again.”

I dipped my head, hoping the confusion on my face wasn’t too obvious.

“We’re so glad you came to your senses,” the man huffed. “I always knew that Drothmore boy would be no good for you. He’ll be just like his father, and we all know how that went for your people—”

“Father,” Arenn barked.

The Faery King blinked while I considered what he’d just said. Drothmore boy? My people? Just thinking about it sent a jolt of pain crashing against my skull. Wincing, I focused on a nearby silver-tinted shrub until the pain faded away.

“Naria doesn’t remember anything from more than a week ago,” Arenn continued coolly. “So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to confuse her by speaking of the past.”

“Your bride doesn’t remember anything?” his mother spluttered. “But surely she still remembers us?” Her gaze darted between Arenn and me before it settled on her son. “And you? She remembers your love, doesn’t she?”

“Nothing,” he replied flatly.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Sweeping up her skirt, she hurried past me to comfort him. While he struggled against her affection, I kept my gaze between the trees as a very human-looking lady strolled up towards us.

Her hair was a long silvery-white, and her skin appeared paper-thin, as if the faintest wind might peel it from her bones. Despite this, there was a healthy glow in her cheeks and a bright smile on her mature face. Until her eyes fell upon me. Then her smile dropped.

“Why are you back here?” she demanded. “Where is Lukas?”

My breath caught. Lukas? Why did that name make my chest ache? Before I could ask more, a hand crashed down on my shoulder.

“I was under the impression that you were just a temporary guest.” Arenn’s glare was fixed on the pale woman, his tone making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“Erissa may stay as long as she likes,” Arenn’s mother piped up as Erissa shot him a scowl.

“Your parents have been very kind to me.” She folded her arms. “Besides, I’d rather not return to my dead husband’s palace. Even if I did, I doubt my son would want me there.” Her eyes flicked back to mine, softening slightly. “How is he? Is he coping alright?”

Wincing, I opened my mouth to speak. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know who—”

“Ignore her, human.” Arenn spun me away from the woman before I could finish. “And you,” he snarled over his shoulder, “stay away from my betrothed. If you want to hear about your son, leave here and find him yourself.”

My jaw clenched. There was something I was missing. It was obvious from the awkward looks flicking between the group and the way the twins dug their heels into the grass. But there was no point in thinking about it. Not with my mind just as blank as it had been seven days ago, and not with that awful headache chipping away at my skull.

“Elsie, would you be a dear and fetch the croquet set?” the Queen said, breaking the silence with a nervous grin.

“Good idea,” Arenn agreed, holding me tighter. “We can play in pairs. Erissa can leave.”

Erissa scoffed, but before she could protest, a familiar voice rang out across the garden.

“I’ll play with her!” Lyssandra hurried over to the group, her green skirt twirling around her knees. “I’m actually quite good at croquet.” She grinned.

Arenn threw his head back with a groan.

Faery croquet was much more intense than I was expecting. We’d been playing long enough for servants to appear with carts of canopies and wine for us to feast on, and apparently we’d still barely made it halfway through the game. Not that I was bothered about winning. My terrible aim, paired with the not-so-disguised cheating from the other players, meant that Arenn and I were very, very far behind.

“Let me help you,” Arenn’s voice buzzed in my ear. Sliding up behind me, he wrapped his arms around mine and clasped his hands over my grip on the mallet.

“I think I’ll manage.” Chest tightening, I squirmed out of his hold. Unfortunately, in the midst of my wriggling, my mallet nudged the ball, and we both watched as it rolled in the wrong direction once again. “Sorry.” I winced.

“It’s fine, human,” he chuckled, but there was hurt in his tone – hurt I doubted was from my bad shot. “I have all the time in the world to teach you.”

“Elara, you’ve left burn marks in the grass!” King Bevan’s booming voice made us both flinch. “Setting the ball on fire won’t make it reach the hoop faster!”

Giggles erupted from the twins who proceeded to use their magic to set an entire shrub aflame. At the sight, Bevan threw his mallet to the ground, and the two girls cackled wildly as he stamped his feet in a fit of rage.

“Arenn, dear?” Queen Amabel called over to us. “Would you be a darling and fix the plants? You know your father hates when anyone ruins his garden.”

“Precisely why I never let the twins in mine,” Arenn grumbled before leaving my side to deal with the mess.

I tilted my head at the scene. An enraged faery king chasing two cackling girls around the garden. Arenn using his magic to fix a streak of charred grass. Erissa watching them all with a scowl—

“You never loved him at all, did you?”

I yelped, smacking my palm over my face. Turning around, I tried to steady my racing heart as Lyssandra stood before me, her slender arms folded across her chest.

“What are you talking about?” I wheezed.

“My brother.” Her eyes narrowed. “But I don’t blame you for it. He would be difficult to love, after all. It’d take a special kind of woman to put up with his nonsense.”

I glanced back at the scene behind us. Arenn had risen from the grass and now argued with Erissa while his mother tried her best to separate them.

“I’ve been watching you while we played,” Lyssandra went on. “Even if my ritual had gone wrong, you’d start to develop new feelings by now… But it’s like you can’t stand him. I don’t understand.”

Swallowing, I turned back to face her. I shouldn’t trust this faery. She’d stolen my memories – even if it had been ‘for the best’ as Arenn continuously assured me. Still, this was the first time the prince had left me alone since we’d arrived here, and if I didn’t tell anyone how I was actually feeling soon, I’d turn just as unhinged as Arenn’s fire-wielding sisters.

“He told me that we fell in love after he saved me from some goblins in the forest and that I’ve lived with your family ever since.” My voice dropped to a broken whisper. “But I don’t feel safe in these walls, apparently I have no friends or family aside from him, and every time he kisses me, I feel this awful churning in my chest.” The words bubbled out like the fresh tears wetting my cheeks. “I don’t understand any of this either, Lyssandra. But Arenn won’t let me out of his sight for long enough for me to try and begin to.”

Her lips parted while her forehead scrunched up with concern. After a few panicked moments, she muttered, “I think I may have made an awful mistake.”

Before I could demand she tell me what was actually going on here, footsteps crunched against the grass behind us.

“It’s your turn, Lyssa.” Arenn’s hand hit my shoulder, tugging me back against his chest. When his eyes caught the tears on my cheeks, he stiffened. “What were you just talking about?”

“Your wedding,” Lyssandra chirped without missing a beat. “Naria just asked for me to walk her down the aisle. Isn’t that wonderful?” She tossed me a nervous grin.

“She’s right. I did.” Sniffing loudly, I wiped away the tears from my face. “I’m just looking forward to it so much, I can’t help but get emotional.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but not as bitter as the dread crawling up my throat at the thought of actually marrying him.

I could thank the divine beings that he’d agreed to only hold the ceremony once my feelings for him returned.

Arenn’s gaze softened. “Really?”

I nodded, forcing a smile.

“In that case, let’s bring the wedding forward!” He beamed.

My stomach plummeted. “Oh no, let’s not rush anything—” But Arenn had already turned away to announce the good news to his family.

“Mother, Father, how soon can we hold a wedding?”

His sisters squealed with glee while his parents began to list off all the details, their croquet mallets forgotten in the grass. Off to the side, Erissa watched me carefully.

“I’m going to try and fix this,” Lyssandra hissed into my ear, taking my hand. “Just stay strong for a little while longer.”

Squeezing her hand back, I used the other to fidget with the soft petals of my skirt. I’d just about managed to steady my breathing when Arenn’s mother’s voice rang across the garden.

“My son shall be married in one week!”