Page 12 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

Jaromir

The evening light starts fading fast as Rose treks behind me in silence. I can’t tell if she’s nervous, deep in thought, or just in shock at everything that’s happened to her in the last few hours. All of my attempts to lure her into a conversation have been met with noncommittal grunts.

I’m keeping the pace slow, carrying her small bag and using a torch to light the way for her, but she’s still struggling. The portal is only a short walk from her old home, and she stumbles and trips the whole way.

“If I was only sick because of the iron,” she huffs. “Why am I still so weak?”

A good question, but one which will broach the subject I’ve been avoiding. I’m doing my best not to unload everything on her at once, because I don’t want to overwhelm her, but when we cross through the portal, she’s going to need those answers.

“You have an innate connection to Faerie,” I begin. “When you’re separated from it, you will weaken, and in turn, our realm suffers.”

I’ve not been back home since I brought Rose to this realm, so I have no idea what to expect.

“Is that… normal? Do all fairies—fae, sorry—have to stay on one side?”

I stop for a second, letting her catch her breath as I consider my answer. “Not exactly. In your case, it’s something specific to the Nicnevins.”

“So Nicnevin is a species? Not a name?”

Oh, she thought… “Your mother’s name was Diana. Fae don’t like saying the name of the dead in case it calls the departed away from the peace of the Otherworld.” I pause, knowing I need to say the next part, but not certain how she will react. “Her rank was Nicnevin. It means high queen. There is only one at a time, and they are blessed by Danu, the Goddess of all fae. Your mother was the fourth.” I hesitate again, but there’s no point in stopping now. “You are the fifth.”

I start moving again, but she doesn’t follow. A glance behind me shows she’s frozen to the spot.

Goddess, she looks so lost. So fragile.

Leaving her here was cruel. I curse myself again for going through with it. She should’ve been raised with this knowledge and given years to come to terms with her destiny. The Nicnevin is traditionally raised by the priests and priestesses of the Temple, who teach them everything they need to know. So many times, I contemplated ignoring her mother’s warning and revealing myself—damn the consequences. But she was already an outsider in the village. I couldn’t risk being seen and making her situation worse.

“That’s… a lot to take in,” she stutters.

I turn around and kneel before her, bringing my eyes level with hers. “Nicnevin Rhoswyn,” I begin, using her full name. “There is going to be a lot thrown at you in a very short time. I can’t help that. But there are five of us who swore to protect you when you were born.” Including the damned Fomorian. “I will die before I let harm come to you. So will they.” They’d better or I’ll kick their asses. “You’re going to be fine. In fact, I’m betting you’re going to thrive.”

Her cheeks flush a pretty pink, and I find myself wishing I could see what she looks like beneath that glamour. It was a gift from Danu, given to her at birth and spelled to last until the moment of her twenty-fifth birthday, so it won’t be long now until it fades.

Already, there’s a hint of violet peeking through the brown of her eyes.

That’s going to be problematic. I don’t want to announce her presence until we’re safely in her palace in Elfhame, but the eye colour is a distinctive marker of who and what she is.

I rise to my feet and offer her my arm. “Come, we should get going.”

She slides her hand over my arm, and I suppress a shudder at the contact.

Goddess, if I ever needed more confirmation that this female is my mate, it’s right there in that innocent, uncertain touch. A spark in my soul lights up in joy, and my wolf just about threatens to explode through my skin.

It takes every ounce of control I possess to stop my magic from leaking free.

Can she feel it? Should I bring it up?

No, Jare, don’t be a dick. She doesn’t need that kind of pressure on top of everything else.

Goddess, I’ve guarded her platonically for years. Sure, I knew in theory once I swore the oath, she’d grow up to be my mate. I just didn’t realise that when she turned twenty-five, all those instincts would just explode into being.

Nope. Not going there. Not even going to think about acting on it until she’s settled into her new life. Even if her fever hits in the next few seconds. Doesn’t matter.

It would be an asshole move, taking advantage of her like that. And—friends or not—Florian would kill me.

So would my mother, come to think of it, and she’s infinitely more terrifying than the Knight Commander.

“I don’t feel prepared for this,” she mumbles. “Shouldn’t I at least know something about this other realm”—she plays with the word in her mouth, testing it out—“before someone makes me a queen?”

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