Chapter 39

AURORA

“You know how much you mean to me, right?”

The den was hushed, save for our labored breaths as we lay in Rin’s bed, coming down from the high of our recent lovemaking. I’d only been with Rin for a couple of weeks, but I was already settling into my role as his.

We hadn’t missed a night of sex yet, and I didn’t mind at all. I loved the intimacy with him. But his words had taken me by surprise. Rin had a romantic streak, even back then, but this felt more profound than just pillow talk.

“You mean that? I mean more to you than just this?” I asked, my voice still breathless.

“Absolutely.” Rin smiled at me, a tender look in his eyes. “I didn’t choose you just because I wanted a lover. The moment I saw you, I knew you were the one I was meant to find.”

I smiled back, reaching up to touch his cheek, savoring the softness of his skin. “Maybe I was meant to find you too, and that’s why I ended up here. But I’m glad I did. I love being with you, and I want to stay with you forever if I can.”

“Then we’ll have forever.”

That memory was hard to revisit as I walked through the forest, a quiver of arrows and a bow slung over my shoulder. That night was one of many beautiful ones I’d spent with Rin, even if I hadn’t fully appreciated it at the time.

Was this what it felt like to be in love? I’d never really understood love before I came here, and I wasn’t sure I understood it now. I wondered if that was why everything had happened the way it did. Maybe I was too naive to realize that I might have been in love with Rin all along.

I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. No, I couldn’t let myself get sidetracked by self-blame, even though it was a habit I’d had my whole life. I needed to stay strong and help Rin. Then I could sort out my feelings.

I stopped in my tracks when I heard a rustling in the bushes ahead. I slowly pulled out an arrow and readied my bow. Despite the ache in my abdomen from my tense posture, I forced myself to ignore it and stay strong. Showing weakness could get me hurt, or worse.

The bushes rustled again, and a figure emerged. I stayed still, taking in the sight of her. She was a woman, not much older than me, with dark brown skin and bright green hair that flowed down her back. She wore a stunning deep green silk dress that hugged her curves.

Her eyes were large and almond-shaped, pure brown with no whites, shining in the dappled light. She looked as surprised to see me as I was to see her.

“Please,” she said in a soft voice, raising her hands. Her fingers were long and twig-like. “I mean you no harm. I just wanted to talk to you. I sensed you out here. I’ve never seen a human here before, and you seem to be in pain, so I was worried.”

I didn’t sense any hostility from her, and I’d gotten pretty good at reading creatures in this world. So, I slowly lowered my bow and arrow, stowing them away. I pulled out the tablet I’d tucked into the top of my dress and held it out to her, hoping she’d see it without me having to get any closer.

“I can’t speak, but I’m here because I need to find something. Can you help me, or are you trying to trick me?”

The woman didn’t make any sudden moves. She just stepped forward a little and touched her chest. Her dark eyes were sincere as she replied.

“It’s okay. I would never want to harm anyone. My name is Sasha, and I’m a tree nymph. I’ve lived in these woods for many moons, and I was surprised to see a human here.”

A tree nymph. I remembered Rin telling me about them, but this was the first time I’d seen one. She was as beautiful as he’d described.

“I’m Aurora,” I introduced myself, stepping closer to her.

Sasha looked at my tablet. “Oh? Are you Lord Rin’s Beta? I heard he’d taken a human woman as his recently. But why are you out here without him? It’s dangerous for you to be here alone,” she said, concern in her voice.

“I know,” I admitted. “But I had to come out here by myself. I’m trying to find information to help him and his family. Can you help me?”

“Maybe. I know a lot about these forests. I hear many things when I take root. What information are you looking for?” Sasha asked.

I glanced around us before answering. “I need information about the Golden Queen and her spells. I know it might scare you to talk about her, but I’m desperate for help.”

Sasha stiffened at my words, but quickly composed herself.

“If that’s what you need, then I think I know someone who can help you. But you’ll have to go to the forest that borders the Northern Lands. There’s someone there who knows a lot about her and would probably want to help you defeat her,” she said.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but can you help me get there? I need to see this person,” I pleaded.

“I understand.” Sasha held out her hand. “Come with me. I know someone who can take you there.”

Despite the risk, I let Sasha lead me off the beaten path. We trudged through the underbrush and trees until we reached a hidden embankment. We stood at the edge, looking down at the mossy rocks and the sparkling stream far below.

“Stormy, are you here?” Sasha called out.

To my surprise, a stunning winged unicorn emerged from a nearby cave within the embankment. It was a light blue, with a shimmering dark blue mane and tail, and its eyes were as deep as the ocean. Its golden horn was impressively long and ended in a sharp point. It shook its head and flew up to us, landing in front of us with a gust of wind from its wings.

“This is unusual. There is a human with you,” the unicorn observed.

“Yes. This is Lord Rin’s Beta, Aurora. She needs your help.” Sasha turned to me. “This is Stormy. He’s one of the winged unicorns that live around here.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Stormy,” I wrote.

“Aurora can’t speak, but she needs your help. She wants to see Lady Flora. Can you fly her there?” Sasha asked.

“I can and I don’t mind doing it for Lord Rin’s love.” Stormy knelt down for me. “Climb onto my back and hold onto my mane. I’ll keep you safe as we fly there.”

I turned to Sasha before climbing onto Stormy. “Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.”

“I couldn’t do anything else. I’ve always felt a deep loyalty and respect for Lord Jekia and his family, and you’re now part of that family.” She gave me a quick hug. “Take care and be safe.”

I thanked her again, then climbed onto Stormy’s back and held on as he took off into the sky. Rin’s voice echoed in my mind as we flew.

“~We’ll have forever…~”

~Yes, we will have forever~, I thought. ~I’ll make sure of it.~

The landscape below us changed from forests to towns to fields as we soared through the sky. I hadn’t realized until then just how vast this place was. It was no wonder Rayne had such a hard time finding Rin before. We were just a tiny speck in this vast world.

I wondered if there would come a day when I could explore these lands with Rin and his family. I really hoped so. I wanted that happily ever after, even if nothing ever really ended.

We finally arrived at a barren forest on the outskirts of a large, cold-looking mountain. Stormy landed among the bare, white and black striped trees, allowing me to dismount. I shivered a bit from the cold. This place felt different from where I’d been, and it wasn’t just the chilly air. There was something else about it; something ominous.

“Lady Flora lives in the cabin just beyond those trees,” Stormy told me, nodding his head in the direction. “She’ll know you’re a friend and let you in. But don’t stray from the path to her home. This area can be dangerous, and you don’t want to end up on the mountain’s path.”

“What’s up there?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“The one who has been sealed for thousands of years, along with those who would blindly follow her. But let’s leave it at that. Take care, and be safe, my lady.”

Stormy nuzzled me and I petted his silky mane before he took off into the air again. I watched him fly away, then turned to face the direction he’d pointed out to me, shivering a little more. I was alone now, and the silence around me was unnerving. The ground was so cold that it crunched under my shoes as I started walking.

I couldn’t help but glance at the mountain near me, taking in its imposing size and frozen appearance. This ominous feeling seemed to be coming from that mountain, engulfing everything around it. Stormy’s words echoed in my head as I stopped and looked at it.

~The one who has been sealed for thousands of years along with those who would blindly follow her.~

~Her.~

Could he have been talking about the Golden Queen? Was this where she and her kingdom were sealed away?

I tried to push those thoughts away as I continued walking. I didn’t want to cause any more problems with this stone embedded in my neck.

The barren trees soon gave way to a run-down looking cabin. It reminded me of a tiny cabin in the woods that settlers might have built centuries ago, but the wood looked worn and the roof was slightly caved in.

~Is this even safe to go into?~ I wondered.

But there was no turning back now. Lady Flora was supposed to be here, and if she lived this close to that mountain, then she had to know something about what I needed to know.

I walked around the cabin, finally finding the front door. The frame was warped, but the door opened easily. The smell of must and lavender greeted me. I leaned into the doorway, looking around but seeing no one.

Had I been led to the wrong place? Was Lady Flora no longer here?

“Don’t be scared, child. Please, come in.”

The sudden female voice made me jump, and I turned to see a figure sitting in an old wooden rocking chair on the far side of the room. She was a bit intimidating with her long black lace dress and matching black veil. Her long white hair was stark against all the black, and her pale, gnarled fingers were clutching the arms of the chair.

I slowly stepped inside, unsure of what to do. I wanted to talk to her but was afraid to use the voice I’d been given with this stone. So I stayed near the door, waiting for her to make the next move.

The woman rocked slowly, continuing to speak to me as she did.

“Welcome to my home, dear. Don’t be afraid. I would never harm anyone, especially not a beautiful young human woman like you.”

Her voice was raspy, sounding like she’d had damage to her vocal cords long ago. I slowly held up my tablet, taking a few steps forward and hoping she could read it.

“Sorry to bother you, but are you Lady Flora?”

“Yes, I am,” she confirmed, her gaze drifting to my left hand. “That’s a unique foxfire ring you’re wearing. It means you’ve been intimate with a fox. But the power I sense from it... are you Lord Rin’s partner?”

“You know Rin?”

“I do,” she nodded. “Years ago, I was summoned to the palace when the young lord fell ill. Rin was always a bit of a troublemaker, and he’d accidentally eaten some berries that were toxic to young foxes. I brought the antidote, but there was concern about lingering effects for a while. It was lucky he had such a powerful father and inherited that strength.”

“Sounds like it,” I agreed.

“Back to now, if you’re here, you must want information to help with what’s happened to you and them. I can sense the power from the stone embedded in your throat. What a crude way to gain an advantage over the alpha family that’s supposed to rule these lands,” Lady Flora continued.

I nodded. “Yes. Rin wanted this stone for me so I could talk again, but he didn’t know it had this spell on it from the Golden Queen. No one seems to know much about her except Lord Jekia and Emelio, and they haven’t figured out how to break the spell she’s cast,” I explained.

Lady Flora was already a step ahead. “And this spell has taken over the minds of the two sons because they both desire you and your body.”

“You already knew?” I guessed.

“It wasn’t hard to figure out. Everyone in the Veil knows that young alphas, especially the powerful ones, develop a strong lust and longing for a partner as they grow. Plus, from the time he was born, there was a prophecy that Lord Rin would choose a human woman as his beta. A woman who would be as beautiful as a spring sky, and like his mother, would attract the attention and love of another powerful alpha; his own twin brother,” Lady Flora explained.