Page 70 of His Dark Delights
Helping a garden grow and flowers bloom seemed paltry compared to her abilities.
Lunaric twined his fingers with mine, his presence a steady anchor amidst the storm of change. Peering up at him, I felt the first squirming nerves awaken in my belly. He watched me with a mixture of concern and pride. I never imagined what it would be like to have a brother. I was glad to have one with me now, and one I already shared a bond with, who stood beside me as I faced the truth of my heritage.
I laid down on the newly formed altar of flowers, comforted and embraced by them. Lunaric’s hand stayed on mine, keeping me grounded. Mother stood behind my head, breathing slowly as she placed her hands on my shoulders.
The Queen of Fairy sang a low, enchanting song in the ancient fae language. Her voice was haunting, daring, and soothing. Her hands on my shoulders, the melody of her voice, and the flowers at my back pacified the bristling nerves writhing like snakes under my skin. As the queen’s chant rose and fell, the change crept in.
Ribbons of magic curled out from her fingers, green and sparkled like threads of emerald. Gradually, shades of sapphire, silver, and sunshine flowed out, joining the green, and each one curled around me. Magic sparked and fizzed on my skin, a new yet pleasant sensation.
The fingers of magic pried into the craggy depths of my soul. They found a well, deep and untapped, full of untamed and trapped energy. Vibrant colors of magic within me reached up, grasping for the tendrils digging in the crevices of my chest. She poured that magic into me. Every ounce of it seeped through my skin and penetrated my bones. The weaving magic caressed my soul at first. My eyes shut, and a gentle sigh flowed from me at the converging magic settling on my chest—
The sound on my lips dragged into a ragged groan.
Sharp, venomous thorns lacerated my insides. My veins burst, burning like a wildfire, a searing heat that ignited every nerve. Every bone in my body shattered into shards and were barely held together by the flayed mass of my melting muscles. It was as though I was being remade, every cell, every fiber of my being unraveling and reweaving itself into something more.
I gasped, the air rushing into my lungs like a balm, the breath of life itself. My senses exploded into clarity, the world around me unfurling in vivid color and sound. I could hear the whisper of the wind through the temple, the soft murmur of the earth beneath me, the heartbeat of the world in all its grandeur and mystery.
The pain intensified, a crescendo that threatened to shatter me, yet I held on, drawing strength from the knowledge that this was my destiny, my birthright. The fae essence within me, long dormant, was awakening, unfurling like a flower in bloom, reaching for the light of my mother’s magic.
My groans became screams that scraped the inside of my throat. I screamed until my throat became raw, until it hurt too much to make any sound at all. I ground my teeth together, gnashing and gasping for breath.
Mother’s magic coiled around mine, latched on tight, and tugged. She unlocked the sea of untapped potential inside the core of my being. When my powers breached the surface, the dam she built upon my birth crashed inside of me.
Images flashed before my eyes, memories and dreams interwoven into a tapestry of past and future. I saw my father, his kind eyes filled with love and sorrow as he cradled me in his arms. I saw the farm, the fields and the animals, the simple life that had been my refuge. And I saw Soren, his face a study in strength and passion, the man who had captured my heart even as his duty demanded he destroy my kind.
Tears streamed down my cheeks, a release of emotion that mingled with the magic coursing through me. I was changing, evolving, becoming something more than I had ever imagined. The pain was a crucible, forging me anew, and with each wave of agony, I felt the barriers within me crumble, revealing the vast potential that lay beneath.
As the ritual reached its zenith and the pain faded, I heaved in a great breath of air, sucking it into my new lungs. Every smell was crisp and clear, and so sharp I knew them all individually. From the roses to the wisteria, to the daffodils, to the buttercups. From the types of the wood that made up the palace to the layers of dirt beneath us.
And I could smell the magic. A zipping, tingling, sweet, and earthy scent.
“You did good, brave girl,” my brother whispered in my ear. His fingers tightened on my hand, reminding me he’d been by my side the entire time. “Welcome home, sister.”
“Thank you. Thank you.” I hardly knew what I was saying. My mind remained clouded with lingering pain and the waning ache in my bones.
“You are truly one of us now, my daughter,” Mother said, her voice a soft echo in the silence that followed. Her words resonated within me, a balm to the wounds of being forlorn and forsaken for so long. I was no longer alone, not a creature caught between worlds, but a part of something greater, a family that spanned the divide that had once seemed insurmountable.
“Here, drink this,” Mother spoke, pressing a cup to my lips. I nodded, unable to speak, my heart too full for words.
Lunaric helped me up, and I rolled forward, cringing at the throbbing discomfort. I accepted the drink, swallowing every drop. The honeyed liquid eased the ache in my throat.
“Is that fae wine?” I rasped.
“Don’t worry, sister, it won’t affect you as it did before. Your body can handle it now.”
“Yes,” Mother agreed, “you’ve changed, darling. Your fae blood has fully awoken, and you appear as you always should have now. Fae blood is potent, Lilly. You’re barely human at all now.”
As the echoes of the ritual faded into the depths of the temple, I felt a sense of wholeness settle over me, a calm certainty that whatever lay ahead, I would face it with loved ones and courage. Because I was not alone—family surrounded me, as did tender emotion and the strength of my newfound identity.
Yet I wondered… How did I look now? Would Soren still love me in my new form?
Why… Why was I thinking of him? Had I not suffered enough?
Creaking, groaning wood cleaved through the silence. Ellaria and Lunaric glanced up to the temple doors. A dryad warrior strode into the sanctuary, bringing a cold, panicked energy. He wore armor like bark, and his hand curled tight on the sword at his hip.
“Your Majesties, I am sorry to interrupt.” His jade green eyes flicked to me where I trembled and forced myself upright on the altar. Surprise and hunger danced in his gaze.
“Well, what is it?” Mother prompted.
