Chapter 56

AURORA

“He’s a good guy,” Rin admitted after a few quiet moments. “I’ve never really had a problem with him, even when I struggled to accept myself. The past is the past. I’m just glad he’s still here, in his own way. I’m relieved he didn’t actually die, even though everyone outside our family believes he did.”

I shifted to sit up a bit more. “Are you okay, Rin? I know I scared you. You’ve been here the whole time, haven’t you?”

“I have, but I’ll be okay now that I know you’re safe,” Rin assured me.

His kiss was comforting, and as he rested his forehead against mine, I felt a sense of peace. Everything was going to be okay. The danger was over, and once I healed, I could start living my life with him again.

A knock at the door pulled us back to reality. We sat up as the door opened. Jekia and Rayne walked in, which wasn’t surprising. They’d both witnessed what happened to me and were probably just as scared of me dying as Rin was.

“Emelio thought he sensed you were awake. How are you feeling?” Jekia asked.

I nodded, lifting my tablet. “I’m okay. Sore, but I’ll get better.”

“It’s good to see your tablet still works for communication,” Rayne said, a relieved smile on his face. He looked much better too. He didn’t even need a bandage on his throat, though I could see stitches across the lower part of it.

“I’m glad you’re okay too, Rayne. I was worried about you after you pulled out that butterfly,” I admitted.

“I’m fine. Trust me, I’m tougher than most people think,” Rayne assured me.

“He means he’s more stubborn, even than me,” Rin grumbled.

“No one ever said that’s a bad thing between you two,” Jekia pointed out. He seemed more relaxed than before. I wondered if it was because the real threat to his lands and family was finally gone. “But there are still details to sort out now that this is over. I trust you’ll join us for that discussion.”

Rin sighed. “Yes, I can do that now that I know Aurora’s going to be okay. But I don’t think she should be left alone in here.”

“She won’t be alone. Your mother and sister will watch over her while we handle this, then you can come back to her,” Jekia promised.

I squeezed Rin’s hand and held up my tablet. “I’ll be okay. You should do what you need to, and I’ll wait for you.”

“Okay.” Rin gave me a quick kiss. “I’ll be back soon. Try to rest.”

I nodded, giving him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. But once he left with his brother and father, my smile faded. The weight of everything settled back on my shoulders, and I leaned back against the soft headboard, taking a deep breath as I processed everything.

So much had happened in such a short time. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d made the right decisions. Yes, I knew I loved Rin, and I knew I wanted to be with him forever. But I wondered if I could be accepted like Lana was. I might have proven my strength during the ordeal with Lila, or at least by destroying that stone at the risk of my own life, but would that matter to the other creatures here? Rin was going to be a ruler one day. Was it really okay for another human to be queen?

A soft breeze from my right side pulled me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see a familiar figure standing next to me.

“Emelio?”

He didn’t look as bad as I’d expected. There were four large scars on the left side of his face, and his left eye was closed, as if he’d lost it. Two similar scars marked the right side of his neck.

But he smiled at me when I said his name, a smile that seemed more genuine than before.

“I was relieved when I sensed you were awake. But I thought it would be better to wait to talk to you until we were alone. I figured I have a few minutes at least,” he said.

“Are you really okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine. The scars aren’t pretty, but I’ve decided to keep them. They’ll remind me of what can happen when I let my guard down,” Emelio replied.

“Did you know Lila was going to try to take my body?” I needed to know.

Emelio nodded solemnly. “Yes, I knew. I told Jekia as soon as I found out. But you’d already contacted Rin by then, so it didn’t matter. I must say, you’ve surprised me. You’re more adaptable than I ever thought, even though they told me you would be.”

“They?” I echoed. Then it hit me. Emelio was the Mage assigned to this royal family. He probably met with more than just the rulers. “Do you mean you know the fates?”

Emelio nodded, his eyes thoughtful. “Yes and no. I don’t usually get involved in such matters, but this family has been under a lot of scrutiny. The fact that the two heirs are from different fathers, who are also different species, has raised eyebrows. Many have never been comfortable with a fox leading anything in this world. But the idea of Rin and Rayne working together, balancing each other out, has eased some worries. The real relief, though, came with the revelation that there are now destined betas for these two alphas, much like their mother was for their fathers. So, they had to tell me about you. I had to be careful, though I’ll admit I made some mistakes along the way,” he explained.

“So, I was always meant to be with Rin?” I asked for confirmation.

“Absolutely,” Emelio replied, his smile returning. “And I can see now that it was the right decision. You two complement each other perfectly. Even in the short time you’ve been here, it’s clear that Rin is happier and more stable. I have no doubt that you’re a great Mistress of the Veil, even if you’re only a junior for as long as Jekia reigns.”

“Do you think her reign will last a long time, like Sage thinks?”

“I do. Having heirs is a good safety net, but it’s better for a ruler to stay in power as long as possible.”

“You make it sound like Jekia might live forever,” I observed.

“I wouldn’t rule it out for any of them. Their bloodlines are different,” Emelio informed me.

“What about people like us, though?” I asked. “Lana and I are human. We won’t live nearly as long as them, right?”

Emelio didn’t seem worried. “You and Lana are now linked to them. Your lives are intertwined with theirs. You’ll live as long as your alphas do, and you’ll stay young, just like they will.”

That was a strange concept to wrap my head around. But before I could think about it too much, the door opened. Emelio and I turned to see Lana and Selenia entering.

“I didn’t realize you were visiting her too, Emelio,” Lana said.

“I just wanted to check on her and chat for a bit. I have to meet with Lord Jekia soon, but I wanted to make sure Aurora was doing well. And I wanted to talk to her a bit.” He nodded at me. “Also, before I leave, I wanted to tell you not to worry about your voice. They’ve promised to find a way for you to speak safely again, and I’m sure they’ll keep that promise.”

I nodded, returning his smile. “Thank you, Emelio, for everything.”

“Of course.” Emelio patted my shoulder, then disappeared.

Selenia sat down next to me, her face filled with worry. “Are you sure you’re okay now, Aurora? We were so scared when they brought you back here. Even Lady Flora was worried you might not make it,” she said.

“I’m fine now,” I assured her. “Is Flora here?”

“She’s gone back to the Faerie kingdom to help them start recovering. They’ve been frozen and their souls captured for so long, it’ll probably take them a while to regroup. Plus, they’re still dealing with the fallout from what their queen did. They feel partly responsible,” Lana explained.

“But that wasn’t their fault. The queen was the one who did those things,” I protested.

“I think subjects always feel responsible for what their ruler does. That’s what Daddy always says. That’s why he’s so careful about his decisions. He doesn’t want his people to suffer for his mistakes, and he feels bad when they do,” Selenia explained.

That didn’t surprise me. Jekia might have seemed tough and unemotional, but from the day we met, I could tell he had a big heart. He just had to put on a front because of his position of power.

Lana sat down on my other side. “I hope you don’t mind, but I want to change your bandages and check your throat. Vishu has been worried about your stitches, considering how deep they are and how many there are.”

“That’s fine. It’s been itching a bit, so maybe it needs to be done,” I agreed.

Selenia sighed as her mother started to remove my bandages. “It’s so sad. I liked hearing your voice. I hope Emelio can find a way to help you speak again.”

“I’m sure he will, and that the Higher Ones will find a way. It wouldn’t be fair to Aurora if she couldn’t speak when she used to be able to,” Lana said.

“I want to be able to talk again. I don’t want Rin to be upset about that,” I admitted.

“You worry about Rin a lot, don’t you?” Selenia asked, a soft look on her face.

I felt my cheeks heat up. It was funny that I was feeling embarrassed about this now. Maybe everything was finally sinking in after all the chaos and distractions.

“I do,” I confessed. “I love him more than I think he realizes, and I still feel bad about some of the things that have happened.”

“While I can’t tell you it’s wrong to feel that way, I can promise you that regrets heal over time,” Lana reassured me.

“You mean like what happened with Rin’s father?” I guessed.

Lana gave a nod, her hands steady as she unwrapped my bandages. “I do. There was a time when I was all tangled up about what happened with him. But looking back, I can’t say I regret it all. Without those moments, Rin wouldn’t be here. And in a weird way, I think it made my relationship with Jekia stronger,” she said.

Selenia let out a giggle. “You mean Daddy’s always felt like he stole you away from Sage.”

“Now, don’t start that. It’s enough that your father still has his little victory dance behind closed doors,” Lana chided her.

I couldn’t help but giggle too, even though it hurt a bit. The thought of Jekia doing a victory dance over an old love rivalry was just too funny.

“Anyway,” Selenia said, turning her attention back to me. “If you’re up for it, I can help you to the bathroom and get you dressed after you’re all cleaned up. I bet it’s not fun just lying in bed, and moving around would do you some good.”

That did sound good. Getting cleaned up and moving around had to be better than just lying here, even if Rin might fuss a bit when he found out.

“I’d like that, if it’s okay,” I said.

“I don’t see why not. Your stitches look good, and you should be able to move around a bit now. Plus, we’ll be with you so you don’t overdo it,” Lana reassured me.

“Great! Let’s see what we can find for you to wear that’ll be comfy!” Selenia said, hopping up to dig through the wardrobe.

I felt a giggle bubbling up inside me again. Things were starting to feel normal. Now all I had to do was convince Rin that I was going to be okay. Then maybe we could finally move forward with our lives together.