Page 51 of The Iron Fae
"I don't want to rush it. I've wanted my whole life to know who my parents were. Then I found you... and you were dead. This is my only chance to talk with you, I don't want to let you go."
The king laughs, dryly, looking to my mother for direction. She gives him a soft smile. Gently, she drapes her arm over my back, her fingertips rest on my father's shoulder and she pats him.
"There is a time limit once you've found your way to us. I put most of my magic into making the realms you have to find your way through to get to us and even then, only someone who is truly honest, someone who truly shares my blood, could lift the veil into this world that we live in. When your father was pulled away, called by the magic to fulfill his duty to the stone, I knew the time was near. I prayed that it was you and not someone else who had gotten their hands on the necklace. These powers are for you and no one else. I'd never let them through." She sighs. "But because so much effort was put into that, our current state is fragile. We only have a few minutes."
"I can feel the spells unraveling and time slipping away." King Rihst says, staring off into the distance. When my mother speaks again, it snaps him out of his haze and turns back to me.
"We need to give you your powers and we need to do it now."
"I have so much to say. So much to ask." My voice is a weak whine. "I don't know where to start."
"Oh, honey. I'm just glad to have seen you. Truly seen you." My mother gathers me in another hug, pressing the perfect skin of her cheek against mine. "It's a mother's dream to see her children grow. But seeing you now... that's satisfactory."
"We've had over twenty years to wonder what you turned out like, what you looked like. You got so much of your mother I'm not sure that it's fair." My father points out.
"That just means, I've finally won the bet. I didn't forget about it!" She laughs.
"I'll make sure to kiss you good before it all ends."
My heart fills with joy, listening to their innocent banter. It's easy to imagine in this moment, that I’d grown up in that mansion listening to them bicker and flirt. That would have been a lovely childhood.
"Don't dwell on what cannot be undone." Amelia turns back to me. She stands, smooths her dress and holds out her hand. As she is, in the physical form that barely lived in her twenties, she looks like she could be my sister. Or my friend. It's harder to picture her as a mother, who at the age of her soul should resemble someone with grey in their hair and laugh lines around their mouth and in the crinkle of their eyes.
"May I have your hand? I think it's time." She keeps her voice firm, without wavering, a testament to her strength. Still, her hands tremble and her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths. "Rihst," she reminds my father.
He stands and offers a hand. "One hand please."
I place one hand in each of theirs. Their palms are smooth and uncalloused, which could be in the makings of their false physical bodies or simply because they were both royalty and never had to do much laboring.
"I love you." Amelia looks into Rihst eyes.
"I love you." He smiles, genuinely back.
They both grip my hands a little tighter. Eventually, they look back down at me. Born from them, half this amazingly brave woman, half this strong leader who bore faults that were not just his own until the day he was murdered.
"I've always loved you." My mother's voice cracks. She brings her free hand up, gently touching her lips. "I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. This is a happy moment. This is what we've waited so long for."
"It's okay." I offer the measly bit of comfort. My eyes still sting as if I could break down at any moment. I’m holding myself together for now, but that effort is brittle and could easily be broken.
"Regret nearly killed me several times in my physical life. But I never regretted creating a child with your mother. I've never regretted you. I love you. Now it's time that you go get that crown. Get what is rightfully yours." He bends down, flipping my hand, and presses a kiss to my palm.
"Close your eyes, Briar." Queen Amelia whispers. "Our time is nearly gone."
I obey, letting my shoulders fall away from my ears. Their grips grow warmer, their voices a soft chant of a language I don't know in the back of my mind. The strong scent of decay and lavender fills my nose. Rain beats against the walls that surround me and a flash of lightning makes the back of my eyelids appear red for a minute.
I close my fist, their hands gone. The voice in the back of my head, the chanting unrecognizable being, continues then slows only a foot away from me. My eyes snap open.
Everything's gone. My parents are gone. My back arches, my body changing, and an untamed cry splits the air.
Fourteen
I Won’t Say I’m In Love
I awake surprisedat the softness of the cushions below me and the warmth of the blankets thrown over me. Fuzzy grey and white pelts are draped over my body, tucked underneath my chin. The hair tickles against my cheeks. A hand holds mine, their thumb stroking slowly over my skin. I can hear their breathing, not quite able to open my eyes.
But I’m back. The Iron Court welcomes me so sweetly.
The image of my mother flashes through my thoughts. It's followed quickly by the sight of my father kissing my hand as Kai had done many times.
