Page 21 of Touched

What was I thinking? I should have stayed in Laric.

I just can’t. Breaking my promise to Callum would taint my tongue with regret. The idea of leaving him adrift, in an ocean of uncertainty, is unbearable.

How many nights would he lie awake, consumed by the mystery of my absence?

A sharp pang grips my heart as I imagine Callum trapped in an endless search, a mirror of the tormented heroes from my cherished romance novels. That’s a destiny I can’t allow him to endure.

Get a grip, Aeris. It’s not like you know he would be tormented by your absence if he had no idea what happened to you.

I’d like to think he would. His concern, evident from our first encounter, persists and entwines my heart. It’s there as a palpable thread of emotion, stitching our lives together from that moment. The moment I clumsily bumped into him. It resurfaced when his vehicle collided with my body, the force of the impact jarring loose any remnants of common sense or sanity I thought I possessed. His constant worry continues to shine, a bright beacon in my storm of uncertainty.

Perhaps not this storm.

Focus, Aeris!

Pouring every ounce of my energy into fighting my way toward the storm’s eye, each stride is a battle against the relentless forces that assail me. The wind tugs at my hair and tunic, the chill sinking deep into my bones. As a young Fae, though I’m in my early twenties, my skills and understanding are still that of an elder fledgling compared to my Da’s accomplished mastery. His proficiency at manipulating and controlling air, the elemental affiliation we both possess, inspires me. When I’m not the one his skills are directed toward anyway.

Just as I reach what feels like the storm’s core, I find myself standing in our home’s communal area. An icy dread grips me as I meet Da and Ma’s expressions, both carved with disappointment. Da’s silent fury sweeps over me, causing an instinctual step backward. His temper is usually as serene as a mountain lake. I can count on one hand the times he’s raised his voice at me. But that doesn’t equate to me being the picture of obedience. In fact, it’s often the opposite. My antics, accidental or not, regularly as humans say, “stir the pot.” Still, Da’s unfaltering calm ensures my rule-breaking earns me nothing more than a raised eyebrow and a lecture at worst.

“What were you thinking, Aeris? Consorting with a human?A mortal?” The weight of Da’s words hang in the air, his frustration so tangible it’s as if another storm is brewing right here. He’s pacing, each heavy footfall on the mossy floor a metaphysical echo of his discontent. “Why would you drop your Glamor?”

“I didn’t.” The words escape my lips before I can stop them. I close my eyes for a moment, grappling with the bitter reality of our Fae truth-telling constraint. Not that I want to lie. I don’t. But how I long for the freedom to withhold certain truths, when necessary. To my mind, keeping silent isn’t quite the same as lying, per se.

Da’s eyebrows draw together in a stern knot, a silent testament to his concern. His measured and pointed words resound in the air. “You were conversing with the human. Were you not?”

I find myself nodding slowly, the movement almost a surprise to me. “Yes, but I didn’t drop my Glamor. I didn’t. The human… he sees me where others do not.”

“Mingling with humans is forbidden, Aeris,” Caira, my Ma, interjects. The familiar tone of her voice is a gentle reprimand, a soothing note among the harsh chords of the situation. Lowering my gaze, I work hard to keep the tiny smirk dancing at the corners of my mouth from blossoming into a full-blown, rebellious grin.

“I wasn’t mingling, Ma. We were just… talking.” The words tumble out before I can reconsider, even as my attention snags on the sight of Cyrus sidling into the room. An unexpected surge of anger twists inside me, but I stifle it, choosing to stow it away for later. It’s a bitter flame that I’ll have to grapple with when the time is right. I remind myself not to direct my anger at him; like me, he’s bound to the rules of truth we Fae cannot break. Yet, a gnawing irritation remains. He had to be the one to give me away.

“Don’t split hairs, Aeris.” Ma’s voice carries that certain lilt that shrinks me back into a five-year-old version of myself. An uncontrollable sigh tugs at my lips, leaking into the tense air. Ma reaches out, laying a soothing hand on Da’s arm, a silent peacemaker. Their eyes lock in a quiet conversation steeped in shared years and unspoken understanding. It’s a deep-seated love I yearn to discover for myself, one day. If they ever trust me enough to leave the house again, that is.

“Are you trying to get yourself banished from the colony?” My gaze darts to Da at his harsh words. “Had I not pulled you from that human, and had your Ma not Spirited you back to Laric, we can’t imagine what could have unfolded.”

I highly doubt anyone would have even been aware. We were simply having a conversation. We did nothing scandalous.

He didn’t lay me down on the ground under the tree and ravish me.

My eyes betray my exasperation, rolling skyward of their own accord.

“This is a serious situation, bean óg!” Da’s voice ratchets up, hitting notes usually reserved for heated debates.

He’s using native tongue…

He just called me young lady in Gaelic. He’s very angry.

He continues. “The Elders would not blink before banishing you, Aeris! Even as our daughter. My low-level council position would mean naught! Interacting with humans isforbidden! Especiallythatone!”

“Then, why do we have Glamor, Da?” I throw my hands up, my exasperation spilling into the room.

Seriously, why would we have Glamor? For hells bells, if not for this?

We live in a colony of Fae!

Why would we even need Glamor of we are never supposed to leave the colony?

And what does he mean, “Especially that one?” What does he know about Callum?

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