“Whenever things were bad at home, I’d climb out my window and run across the fields separating our farm from Myles’. No matter what he was doing, he had this smile like he was always happy to see me, like I was never interrupting no matter what I needed. He was the only person who ever made me feel like I mattered.”
Lochlan turned his head to rest his cheek on Brea’s damp hair. She’d always mattered in the fae world, even after she was exchanged for Alona. The first time Queen Faolan sent him to check on her in the human realm, he was fifteen. He’d hidden behind a barn as he watched her lay in the grass gazing at the clouds with a boy by her side—probably Myles.
There’d been a simple kindness in her then, a kindness he hadn’t seen since rescuing her from the swamp. But he saw it now in the way she lent him her warmth, in the way she spoke of her friend.
“It should be me,” she whispered, the words barely audible. “Myles is trapped in Fargelsi, but it should be me.”
Gathering his strength, Lochlan finally spoke. “It shouldn’t be anyone. I need to tell you more.” He sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to like this. “I learned of Myles’ fate from… Griff.”
Her head shot up. “Explain.”
Ignoring the pain speaking caused him, he went on. He owed her the words. “We spent weeks trying to find a way into Gelsi, but the magic on the border has been strengthened since your escape. Once, it only affected people of Fargelsian blood. Now, no one can cross without permission. One night, we were camped in the Vatlands and Griff came to us.”
“Why would he do that?”
Lochlan sighed, remembering the letter Griff had given him for Brea. It sat at the bottom of his saddle bags that Finn had carried across his shoulder for the last part of his journey. “He said he cares for you, and you deserved to know. For what it’s worth, he did look like he regretted his role in abducting Myles.”
“It’s worth nothing.”
“I know.” Giving her the letter would only cause her more pain. He’d have to wait until she had Myles back no matter how much it angered her.
She was quiet for a long moment, and pulses of warmth flooded him followed by searing heat. A cry left his lips, and he bucked up off the bed.
“What’s wrong?” Brea sat up but didn’t let go of him.
“How are you doing this?” His remaining strength evaporated, flowing from his mind to his body. The wound in his chest pulled together as the last of the infection oozed out, soaking the bandage. He yanked at the bandage. “Get it off me.” It was suddenly too tight, and he couldn’t breathe. The moon hung in the sky, it shouldn’t have been possible for her Eldur magic to rise.
“I can’t. You’ll bleed.”
“Brea,” he growled.
“Fine.” With deft hands, she unwound the bandage, her eyes going wide.
It took all his effort to lift his head and see that the wound was still there, though much smaller than it had been.
Brea sat back on her heels. “I don’t understand.”
“What were you feeling just then?”
“Sadness. Guilt. Some anger.”
How was it possible she shrank his wound and pushed the infection from his body?
“I don’t understand.” Her voice was small.
He didn’t either. Shrinking away from her, he pressed himself into the bed, wishing he had the strength to walk away. Brea Robinson had a power he’d never seen before, and he wasn’t sure if the feelings rolling through him were excitement or fear.
Probably a little of both.
After the revelation, Lochlan fell into blissful darkness as his exhaustion won the battle. Brea didn’t return to the bed, and he wondered if she was afraid of herself as well.
He woke gradually as one does when they have nowhere to be. Sunlight flickered across his skin, and he touched the wound to see if he’d been dreaming the night before. No, part of it had been healed.
It wasn’t completely gone, and he wondered if that was only because Brea couldn’t yet control the power. She turned eighteen soon and had to be taught.
As much as the girl frustrated him, he’d remember last night’s kindness for a long time. He lifted his head, hoping to see her skittering about the room. A sleeping gown lay draped on the end of the bed, but other than that, there was no sign she’d ever been there.
That she’d ever laid beside him with her warm arms wrapped around him.
The door burst open and a familiar woman bustled in, a tray in her hands. “Lady Brea, I brought breakfast.” Rowena circled the room before finally seeing him. Her jaw dropped open before her eyes narrowed. “Lochlan O’Shea, this entire palace has been searching for you all night.”
He sighed and tried to sit up.
“No, no. You stay until we can get someone to help you. As it seems Lady Brea isn’t here, you can eat her breakfast.” She set the tray on the table next to the bed.
“I will not eat in bed.” He finally managed to push himself up. “It isn’t proper.”
“Proper schmoper.” She placed her hands on her hips.
He raised an eyebrow. “Is that one of Lady Brea’s odd phrases?”
“Yes, and I quite enjoy it. If you get out of that bed, I’ll go find the queen and tell her just where I found you this morning.”
Lochlan met her gaze in a silent standoff before sighing. He’d never imagined eating in bed, but he could see he wasn’t getting out of this.
Rowena handed him a cup of tea.
“Do you know where Brea would have gone before even receiving her breakfast?” he asked.
Rowena nodded. “Possibly. She could be in the stables.”
“Why would she be in the stables?” A morning ride, perhaps?
“Her apprenticeship.”
He coughed. The queen’s daughter had an apprenticeship in the stables? Had this entire palace turned upside down while he’d been gone? “I must speak with her.”
“Well, you can wait until she returns. You are in no shape to ride to the stables. I will find some guards to help you back to the healer—and we won’t tell anyone where you’ve been.” With one final eyebrow raise, she turned on her heel and left.
Lochlan groaned as he slumped out of bed. The healer would never believe what Brea’s magic did to his wound.
Until he understood what it meant, no one could know.
He hadn’t been able to protect Alona, but he refused to let anything happen to another Eldurian princess.
Not even when her name was Brea Robinson.
Because that girl was not going to make any of this easy.
6
Brea
“Go away.” Brea rolled over on her bed and threw her blanket over her head. Everyone in the palace had knocked on her door over the last two days, but she refused to come out or let anyone in. She was so done with this place and everyone in it. After her one trip to the stables, she realized nothing could take her mind off Myles and decided she’d rather wallow in bed.
“Regan has Myles.” She whispered the words that sounded impossible. Here she was on the other side of the fae world with no way to help him. No one could get inside Fargelsi now that Regan had completely sealed the borders.