Page 71 of Hidden Kingdoms

“Mmm,” he murmured. “Your other half, mate, love of your life—whatever you want to call it. There’s no walking away once you’ve found them. Human or Fae. They’re yours forever.”

Being with someone forever seemed like a big decision, but the idea that there were people who had chosen to stay here, surrounded by the magik that permeated this place was unexpected but not that surprising. Wasn’t that what we were all looking for, a little magik in our lives?

Finding my voice, I said, “I just can’t see how I could be Fae. It doesn’t make sense.”

“It makes more sense than a human holding magik, and you, Goldie, have a fuck load of magik.” I couldn’t deny that – the energy pulsing through me wouldn’t allow it. “You also had access to that magik back home, didn’t you?”

I started to protest but again, it was true. “Not much,” I replied.

“Enough that you were going to use it against us when you found us in your room.”

“You mean when you broke into my house in the middle of the night?” I accused, nudging him with my hip, using any excuse to touch him.

“Ooh low blow.” He laughed. Fingers brushing against mine as red carpet replaced the stones under our feet. “What were you reaching for anyway?”

“Oh.” I smiled, thinking back to the moment my life had gone to shit. “A bat. I used to keep one there before Titan, though the wards were more than enough to keep anyone out. Until you.”

“Until me.” He frowned at that, brows creasing and I had the strongest urge to reach over and smooth it away.

I kept talking, whether to find my answers or to stop that look on his face, I wasn’t sure.

“So, humans don’t have magik? None of them?”

“I’ve never heard of it, doesn’t mean it could never happen. Although I’m pretty sure that’s not the case with you.”

“Maybe it’s some sort of mutation?”

Would it really be so bad to be a Fae?

Considering I knew next to nothing about them except the stories Nanna told, maybe.

“I mean it’s possible, but likely not. Tell me about your parents.”

I stopped and he followed suit, grey eyes fixed on my face.

“Why?”

“Somewhere to start.” He shrugged. “As I said, getting you answers has proved difficult so far. Without even knowing what element you connect to, I can’t even look into any specific kingdom.”

“They died.” He didn’t speak, giving me the space I needed to continue. “They died when I was young, and then I went to live with my Nanna. I don’t remember much about them.”

“How?”

I swallowed.How?Such a simple question and yet the fact I couldn’t give him a definitive answer niggled at me. I was a full-grown adult yet I still didn’t know how they died, not properly.

Why had I never asked for that information?

“An accident.” I answered because truthfully that was all I knew.

Whatever Kaius saw in my face must have told him I was struggling with that realisation because he linked a hand with mine, and that small touch lit me up inside. He twisted a lockof hair around his finger, watching as he manipulated the white strands.

“I’m sorry, Goldie.”

“Like I said, I don’t remember them much.” I brushed it off, wondering why I had never given them much thought, or why I wasn’t sadder about being an orphan.

“Did they have magik?”

“I don’t know,” I breathed. “My memories of them are hazy at best. But Nanna?—”

---