8

AURYN

Home.

The roads are cracked, the edges crumbling like they’d been forgotten by the world, but people still move through them, hurried, tired, some excited… mostly the kids.

Buildings lean on each other for support, some patched up with scrap or metal plates. I have to admit, the human realm really is beautiful. I used to think my home was the most beautiful ever and rolled my eyes at the stories of the golden buildings in the human realm.

But I still love it here.

Not as beautiful as the human realm, or a place most would brag about, but it's home. A few years here and you get used to the gray skies hanging low, and the way the air smells faintly of rust and wet stone.

We were unjustly banished here centuries ago, but that doesn't define our life here. People made do with it. The market is alive with the usual chatter, vendors calling out their wares and children weaving through the crowds laughing and the smell of freshly baked bread and smoked fish mixing with the damp hair.

I've missed this.

Just then, I catch sight of a rift, an angry slash of darkness cutting through the sky where nothing should be. Something is wrong. It wasn’t there when I left. The chariot stops at the Palace where master is already waiting outside.

“I made your favourite cookies,” He says with a warm smile, heading inside with me quietly following behind. There's no need to ask questions. He was expecting me so he already knows why I'm here.

“Leave us.” Jarek gives a curt nod before leaving, not sparing me a glare. All through the journey, he didn't say a word to me.

It's better this way.

Makes it easier for me to get over him.

“How is it?” Master watches me eagerly like his skills haven't confirmed my verdict.

“Even better than I remember them to be,” I say through a mouthful of cookies, my voice muffled.

He chuckles lightly. “It's just been three weeks, and I made you more than enough before you left.” Thank God for that. Cookies were my breakfast, and lunch for one week straight.

The library descends into an uncomfortable silence, one I'm itching to break but I don't say anything, patiently waiting for him to speak.

“Did you see the rift?”

I nod. “It wasn't there when I left.”

“And it's just the beginning. Even before you left, the shadows in our realm had intensified but we've been able to keep them at bay and prevent things from escalating. And now we have rifts.” Leaning back on his couch, fatigue washing over his face, he sighs, “Who knows what else will come? The human realm is collapsing, so is our realm but at a more obvious level.”

“Then I should be here, helping out.” My tone is pleading. It hurts me to see him in distress especially when I can help out.

“The best way for you to help is to end whatever this is once and for all. It started in the human realm which is why I sent you there, and yes, so you can also clear our name. You're one of the few smart ones and besides my son, you're the only one I trust. As Prince, he can't leave his kingdom and his hot temper will make it difficult to work with someone like Killian.”

I don't want to.

I'd rather stay here and protect my people from whatever is coming but I know that'd be stupid. When it comes to power, I'm not even in the top hundred. Smarts are important, but here, power goes a long way.

“But why did you keep it from me? And how did Killian and that thing that attacked me know I wasn’t human when you sealed my powers?”

Standing from his seat, he turned his back to me, arms crossed behind him. “Because you wouldn't agree to it and Killian was on a trip. Knowing you, I'm certain you'd throw yourself in harm's way in the name of solving this problem.”

Crossing my arms, I give a light laugh. “I'm not that reckless,” I finish with a scoff.

He tilts his head to the side, his brows raised as he gives an affectionate shake of his head. “Let's pretend that's true.” Then he continues, “As for your powers, I instructed Zarek to unseal it when Killian is around.”

I almost roll my eyes. All this drama and stress when they could have just told us about the agreement, but he's not wrong, I doubt I'd have agreed to it. Now that the agreement is already made, there's no point fighting it especially when it could come back to bite my people.

“What—”

“Auryn. There's no need for too many questions. Just do what you need to do.” His tone is firm, yet gentle.

“Yes, master.”

“Good. Zarek will take you back now.” A beat passes and when he doesn't say anything else, I head for the door. “Stay safe, my child.”