Page 60 of Legacy of the Heirs
“I should have told you,” he mumbled.
“What were you going to say? ‘Excuse me, Your Majesty, I have fucking wings growing out of my back.’” She let out a soft laugh, trying to reassure him. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he squeezed her hand. “Did one of your parents have…” Farid firmly shook his head before she could finish her question. “Did anyone in your family?”
“It was only me and my parents. I do not know if any ancestor bore this monstrosity.” Farid pressed his mouth into a firm line, and Nyzaia frowned.He truly believes he is a monster.
“I do not like to ask, Farid”—Nyzaia waited for him to meet her eyes and, finally, he held her gaze—“but I must. The creatures… is there anything that ties you together? Any link?” While Nyzaia did not expect there to be a connection, she would fail the other rulers, her syndicate, and her duty if she did not question it, especially when the only other winged creatures she knew to exist had just attacked Garridon.
“Nothing,” Farid said firmly. “I knew nothing of them until the ball. When I picture them, I think only of my duty to protect you.” Farid’s voice wobbled.
“You have given me my life, Farid, and for that, I could never trust someone more,” Nyzaia reassured him. His hand was tight around hers as his lip quivered. Their hands warmed, and a thin amber thread danced across their palms. They frowned, peering down at their interlocked hands as the temperature climbed. Farid tried to remove his hand but could not.
“Ah,” Nyzaia winced as their palms burned. Farid’s wings retracted—there one moment and gone the next—and the glow of his eyes returned to their usual blue. The burningsensation remained as the threads spiralled tighter around them, binding their hands together. It was unusual for Nyzaia to feel affected by fire, but it felt like someone pressed a hot iron against their connecting palms. Farid reached with his other hand for Nyzaia’s arm, bracing against their shared pain until it halted. Nyzaia dropped his hand and peered at her own.
A raised scar etched the centre of her palm. It was similar in size to the marks on Elisara and Kazaar, though she did not recognise the symbol. It reminded her of something she would find within the pages ofMyths and Lies of Ithyion. Wide-eyed, Nyzaia looked up at Farid. Nyzaia did not need to look at his palm to know the truth. She felt an immediate awareness of his presence, but looked, regardless, to where a matching scar sat amongst the other scars on Farid’s hand.
“But I do not… We do not—” Farid began.
“No shit,” Nyzaia said, staring at their palms. While they were not connected like Elisara and Kazaar, the scars on their palms were a clear sign.
“We are tied,” Farid breathed. “How?”
Nyzaia leaned back, and Farid mimicked her, crossing his legs.
“The book is missing pages, but the only passage about the celestial ties says they are bestowed upon two individuals who share a destiny.” Nyzaia recalled the passage from memory. “It is a bond only presented by the Celestial Gods when two beings finally acknowledge their connection to one another and allow their essences to merge.”
“Is that what the threads were?” Farid asked. “The essence of our power?”
Nyzaia nodded. “I assume so.”
The two sat in silence, the weight of another presence weighing heavily on their souls.
“The passage said that some were granted access to one another's powers, memories, and minds,” Nyzaia finally said, breaking the silence. Her eyes lit up with hope. “Do you think that means I canhave wings?” Farid scoffed.
“It is not as easy as it looks.”
Nyzaia refrained from smiling at Farid’s attempt at humour and imagined what she would look like with wings and if they would be the same deep red as Farid’s.
“Memories and minds,” Farid said. “Does that mean we can do what the queen of Vala and her commander do?”
Nyzaia leaned forward and frowned, trying to send a thought to Farid. She did not know how the pair did it, but she doubted it was an arduous task.
“What are you doing?” he asked, and Nyzaia shifted again.
“I guess we do not share minds in the same way,” she said, though a part of her wished they did. She had so many questions for Farid, like how long he had wings, and why he kept them hidden.
“Ask,” said Farid.
“So, youcanhear my thoughts? Nyzaia asked, but Farid shook his head. He rested his elbows on his crossed legs and propped his chin on his fists.
“It is more like I can sense what you are feeling. I can feel that you have questions.”
“Is it difficult for you to talk about?” she asked, and he nodded. Nyzaia did not wish to pain him. “Perhaps you could try showing me?” She reached for his hands. While they may not share minds like Elisara and Kazaar, perhaps they could share memories. “Take a deep breath, and think about it,” Nyzaia said calmly and waited for Farid to close his eyes before she closed her own. Nyzaia steadied her breathing and allowed Farid to focus. The darkness in her mind shifted and morphed until she saw the inside of a small bedroom.
“He is an abomination, Sanaa!” yelled a voice outside the closed door. Nyzaia stepped forward. The voice was familiar, a sharp tone that presented as polished and noble despite the gruff lilt sneaking through certain words. She pressed her ear to the door to listen.
“He is five! You cannot call him an abomination simply because he looks different!” a female screamed back.
“He is either an abomination, or you are a whore, because those arenotmy eyes, Sanaa!” His fierce tone tugged at Nyzaia’s memories.
