Yeah, I’d say I was ready to lose it.

  Kai started a count down. “Ten… nine… eight… seven… six…”

  But I can’t. I won’t.

  I exhaled and turned back around. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

  “There’s my girl,” Dad said with pride.

  “Cameron is staying with me, though,” I said, not giving any room for argument.

  “I think that’s wise,” Dad replied. “Good to see you, Cameron. I assume Adair dragged you into this.”

  My dad probably wanted more of an explanation, but he knew there was no time for that.

  “That he did,” Cameron replied.

  “You’ll want to keep him close, Calliope. The four of you can go to Novalora together.”

  “The four of us?” My voice squeaked. “Meaning… Sakari, Cameron, Kai, and me?” I didn’t mean to voice that thought out loud, but it spilled out before I could shut myself up. Sakari slipped his hand into mine again and squeezed once.

  “I assume you want to stay with Sakari, as well, and Kai knows Faylinn the best. Do you know how to get to Novalora?” he asked me. I shook my head. “Okay, then. And while Kai is capable of handling himself, I would feel better knowing he was around more than one faery.”

  Daring to look around, I saw Kai and Sakari share the same look of dread as they eyed one another and turned back to my dad. Something told me I was going to be playing referee a lot. Cameron raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, telepathically communicating how awkward this was going to be. Once again I thanked my lucky stars that he was here, in spite of the kind of danger it put him in. While he slowly lost his sanity, he would help me keep mine.

  “I’ve got to spend some time regrouping,” Dad said. “It’s been twenty years since I’ve been a faery, and the second transformation is taking a little getting used to. I want to be prepared when I see Adair again.” Rolling his shoulders back and stretching his neck, he continued, “Now, you’re not looking for a normal flower. The purus is quite large and nearly translucent. It’s filled with opalescent nectar. There will only be one, and it will be found growing in a pond. It thrives in the murky water. If it’s there, it will be hard to miss. All you’ll need to get is the nectar. That’s the cure.”

  Where’s a black hole when you need one? I’m ready for it to swallow me whole.

  “We can handle that, Your Highness,” Sakari said respectfully.

  My dad looked to Sakari and nodded graciously. “No need to be so formal with me. I am technically your father-in-law now, Sakari.”

  It was in that moment that our bonding hit me like a sack of bricks. Up until now, it attempted to settle in, crept little by little into my mind to ease me into the idea. Acknowledging our bond was a slow process. It only happened yesterday morning, but that was a lifetime ago. Making my father a part of it somehow made it feel real.

  “Yes, sir.”

  I could tell my dad wanted to say more to him, but he decided against it. If he asked Sakari to call him Dad, I would die here and now.

  “We should get going,” I said, so he wouldn’t get the chance.

  “Calliope, I need to speak to you in private before you go.” My dad motioned for me to step aside with him.

  “Dad, it’s really important that we get going now.”

  “So is this,” he firmly said. I let go of Sakari’s hand and joined him. With his back to the group, I peered around him and saw Sakari watching us intently, concerned. Kai and Declan continued their conversation, while Cameron tried to take in the scene. Dad lowered his voice, bending down to me. “Listen to me. You know the Waking Oak is a powerful tree, but only a True Royal can do what needs to be done.”

  “What do you mean?” I whispered.

  “I know I said we were hoping it would regenerate on its own, but that’s not entirely true. If it’s not too far gone, that may be possible, but if not, only you have the ability to bring it back.”

  “Me?” I gasped—too loudly. The four of them looked our way at my outburst. I shrunk back.

  “The True Royal reigning heir,” he confirmed, paying no attention to the rest of the group. “You know about your power over the elements?”

  I nodded. “Sakari taught me a little bit.”

  His head shook. “You’ll need them all to regenerate the Waking Oak, if it’s necessary. When I see if I can get through to Elfland, I’ll see if it can restore itself. If not, it’s up to you.”

  “But how, Dad? What am I supposed to do?”

  “You’re connected to that tree. That pull you’ve always felt to the forest, that need to be among nature… the source in Faylinn is the Waking Oak. Every faery you’ve mentioned it to is baffled by your pull, right?”

  I nodded, thinking of Sakari’s baffled expression.

  “It’ll come to you. The Oak draws all True Royal heirs to their rightful home, to their rightful place. Latch onto that connection, Calliope, and bring it back. I know you can.”

  “So, you’re saying the fate of the Waking Oak rests in my hands? The ability for all of the kingdoms to get back to their homes is my responsibility? No pressure.” With pursed lips, I nodded.

  “Calliope,” he said confidently. “You can do it. I know you can. I’ll guide you through it. When the times comes, I’ll be by your side.”

  “Okay.” I nodded, feeling more assured. I could do this with him.

  We joined the group once again.

  “I’m going to go to the Waking Oak to investigate,” Dad said. “Meet me there when you get back. I’ll wait.”

  “Are you sure you’ll be all right alone?” I asked. “What if they find you?”

  “I’ll stay out of sight. The four of you need to go now.” He kissed my cheek and nodded encouragingly. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

  “Okay,” I said before he darted west into the trees toward the Waking Oak. I turned to face the guys.

  “I’m heading back now,” Declan informed. “Good luck.” There was an underlying meaning to those words. We all knew it.

  “You too, Declan,” I said.

  And then there were four. The awkwardness weighed me down like a boulder on my back. Right then it clicked that we had another problem. Two humans. Two faeries. And we had no time to waste. Sakari and I would each have to carry one of them. We seemed to have the thought at the same time because I instantly felt his discomfort and irritation. So, as not to prolong the inevitable, I made the decision without asking.

  “Well, Cam, it’s your choice. Would you rather Sakari carry you or ride on his back?”

  “Again? Man,” he complained.

  “It’s either that or get left behind, and I’m nipping that option in the bud, so that brings us back to my question. Ride or carry?”

  “I don’t like either of these options,” he griped. “I feel as though my masculinity has been called into question.”

  “You can get on Sakari’s back,” I offered, only slightly teasing. “He’ll promise not to let you fall.”

  “This is so humiliating,” Cameron mumbled with his eyes to the sky. I chuckled. “Okay. Fine. I’ll get on his back.”

  “We’re running out of time,” Kai grumbled. “And I’m not getting on anyone’s back.”

  As much as I knew Sakari didn’t want Kai anywhere near me, it would have been worse to make them travel together. “We don’t have time to argue, Kai. Just get on my back.” I turned my back toward him and squatted down. My wings fluttered nervously before laying down to accommodate him. Kai didn’t budge.

  I turned around. “I could just carry you. While my strength isn’t stellar, it’s not too shabby. And I’m not above forcing you at this point.”

  “I’m human now. Your Supremacy doesn’t work on me.”

  “But my strength works just fine.” I stepped toward him. “Especially now that you’re weaker than normal.”

  His warning glare shot lasers, but I didn’t back down. I took another step. “Fine,” he relented sharply, raising his arms in the air so I wouldn’t touch him.

  I put my back to him again without letting him see my triumphant smirk. He climbed on, and I grabbed his legs to keep him steady. It was strange testing my strength. I felt like I was carrying a three year old on my back, not a grown man. It hardly felt like I was carrying anyone at all.

  “You ladies ready now?” Sakari asked. Surprised by his snark, I shot him a look. He remained unapologetic, but I couldn’t blame him.

  I sighed. “I think so.”

  “Lead the way,” he said, holding Cam with one arm and sweeping his other in front of him. I darted up and off into the trees.

  “North,” Kai murmured.

  My wings trembled at the feel of his breath on my ear, but I forced them down. We traveled for a couple minutes in silence, the wind flapping in our ears as I leaped.

  “I’m going to have to agree with Cameron,” Kai muttered. “This is humiliating.”

  “You chose to be human. You don’t get to complain now,” I said over my shoulder.

  “I did this for you.” He paused. “East,” he directed.

  I sighed. “I know, Kai. And I understand why you did it, but it jeopardized everything. You should have told me your plan. We used to be a team.”

  “Calliope, I couldn’t have told you. I didn’t even know that was going to be my plan until after I dropped out of your window. I couldn’t come back. There wasn’t any time to waste. Do you know how difficult the transition process is? Not to mention the time and strategy it took to find a pastelline lily and get your father to Lake Haven. I searched for three days for that flower before I could even get to your father.”

  “Lake Haven is nearly in Oraelia. How did you get through the Waking Oak with it being so heavily guarded?”

  “North,” he interrupted.

  I continued, “Declan said it was nearly impossible. And why then didn’t you come to me?”

  “Nearly being key. Keepers nod off, Calliope. And I'm one of the best Keepers in Faylinn. Stealthy should be my nickname. I can get past anyone.”

  “Declan couldn’t.”

  “Declan isn’t me, now is he?”

  “Well, you’re lucky.”

  “I didn’t say it wasn’t without difficulty, and I had nothing to lose,” he said honestly. “And, as for coming to see you, I did. You weren’t there.” His head shook. “I waited at your window, but I could only wait for so long. I’ll reiterate the time restraint and your human father who I needed to convince.”

  “You came back?” I breathed. “When?”

  “A day before the bonding, before we went to Lake Haven.” He sounded so crushed. “I came to tell you the plan.”

  I had so much more to say, but I didn’t know what Sakari could hear. This wasn’t the time for this conversation. “I’m grateful, really grateful you brought my dad back. I know he will be key in taking down Adair, but everything is different now.”

  “It doesn’t have to be,” Kai whispered.

  “But it does.”

  “I don’t want it to be.”

  I didn’t reply. There was nothing I could say. And I didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with what that meant. I waited and listened for Kai to tell me where to go. Our world’s survival was a little more important than the outcome of our relationship.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  SAKARI

  I followed closely behind Calliope and Kai, dodging branches as Calliope made swift turns, navigating the forest. Her emotions were all over the place now that Kai was back. She was conflicted; I was able to deduce that much. What exactly she was conflicted about, I could only assume. She loved him, but she was trying to fight it. For me.

  “You’re a much more pleasant faery to travel with,” Cameron commented, interrupting my thoughts. “Declan is like a faery on steroids. I’d have flown off his back by now.”

  Steroids? Human expressions were so strange. How am I supposed to respond? Thank you? I decided to ignore him altogether.

  I selfishly wanted to keep Calliope to myself, but how was I going to live every day with Kai in the same kingdom, knowing what I know about them? Though he was here now, he made his decision before. He left. The reason didn’t matter. She was mine now.

  “So, this faery world isn't too bad,” Cameron rambled. “I’m thinking I could stay here. Deal with the losing sanity bit. Or better yet, Rymidon. Sarai thinks it'd be a fun idea if I moved there. I wonder what the weather’s like. Do you think I'd need a coat?”

  I looked at Cameron out of the corner of my eye. “What did you say about my sister?”

  “He speaks! I was beginning to wonder there for a second.”

  I sighed, pushing onward. “Don’t talk about my sister.”

  “Sister. Touchy subject. Check. Anything else I should know?”

  I don’t like meaningless conversation. “We have a cure to find, and I’d rather not be distracted.”

  “Serious. Dedicated. Check, check.”

  “What are you checking off?” I asked, partially annoyed and partially curious.

  “The qualities of my best friend’s husband. I only get one day to get to know you. I figured I should make it count.”

  The corner of my mouth turned up. “As long as you’re not trying to get to know my sister, we’ll be just fine.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  CALLIOPE

  Once we passed the vined passageway, we entered a completely different world. Novalora was just as magical as I remembered. The bursting color somehow muffled my fear of the looming warfare, at least for the meantime. The pixies busied around the idyllic landscape, landing softly on our shoulders and talking to us as if we could understand their gibberish.

  “Are you freaking joking me?” Cameron coughed as he climbed off of Sakari’s back. I chuckled, looking at him with his mouth on the floor. “What in the world is this place?”

  “The land of the pixies.” I couldn’t help but smile.

  “No wonder you don’t want to come back to the real world, Callie. Nothing compares to this. Can I live here? I’ll just sleep on top of one of these flowers.” Cameron ran his hand over the red petal of a sunflower-like blossom that he honestly could have made a bed on top of. It was huge.

  “We really should get started. Let’s spread out,” Sakari said as he took in the giant foliage. After he said it, he regretted it, but there was only one solution to finding this cure quickly, and he knew it.

  I wanted to give him the option on who to take. This situation might be awkward for me, but it was twice as difficult for him, and I could feel that. “What do you suggest?”

  “I’ll take Cameron,” he muttered. “You take Kai.” I could tell it took everything he had to keep the disdain out of his voice when he said Kai’s name. As much as he hated the arrangement, it was the only solution. And I felt that he trusted me. If he paired off with Kai, nothing would have been accomplished. We’d probably have some bloodshed on our hands. Just a bit counterproductive.

  When Sakari finally looked at me, his expression softened. He was trying so hard to keep his cool. “We’ll meet back here when we’ve scoured every last inch of this place,” he said.

  “Okay.”

  We parted ways, beginning the search.

  “Who died and made him the one in charge?” Kai grumbled. I rolled my eyes and ventured deeper into Novalora. “Oh, c’mon, Calliope. He might be bound to you, but he’s a Rymidonian. I won’t take orders from him.”

  “Then take orders from me. Not that you ever listened to what I said before,” I muttered. “Just listen to what he says. If I think he’s off base, I’ll protest. You know I’m not inclined to keep my mouth shut.”

  “Why are you defending him? How can you be on his side? Did he do something to you? Has he threatened you?” Kai’s voice rose. “I swear if he has some sort of hold over you, I’ll—”

  “No! Stop it, Kai. No.” I halted and faced him, wishing I hadn’t. His gaze still did things to me. I shook my head. “Sakari’s on our side. He’s helped me more than you know. I trust him, okay? This bond… it’s so much more than just a vow. I feel Sakari. Every emotion that flows through his body flows through mine. He can’t hide from me, nor I from him.”

  Kai didn’t say anything, but everything was written on his face. He saw me slipping away. “Why did you say yes?” he uttered.

  I swallowed. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “Don’t throw that at me now. It’s an excuse, and you know it,” he snapped.

  “Adair was going to kill Cameron,” I thundered. “And once he was done with Cameron, he was going to go down the line, starting with my parents. Then you. And probably Declan and Allura after that. He was going to start taking away everyone I loved, one by one, until I complied. I couldn’t risk even one life.”

  Kai looked like his worst nightmare had just come true. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You don’t think I wanted to?” I choked on my words. “Adair wouldn’t let me!”

  “Calliope, we need to talk about this.” He reached for me, but I backed away.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  “Say there is a possibility that we can figure this out.”

  My chest tightened like a boa constrictor wrapped itself around me and squeezed. “If I did, it would be a lie.”

  “Do you love him?”

  “Kai,” I sighed and began walking again, trying to focus on searching the land. I needed something else to concentrate on. We needed that purus. I really couldn’t do this with him, not right now. “Whether I love him or not doesn’t make a difference. I’m bound to him. It’s irreversible.”

  “It makes a difference to me,” he said quietly as we walked.

  “If I tell you I love him, it will hurt you. If I tell you I don’t love him, you’ll be even angrier that I have to be with him and not you. Either way, Kai, it’s going to suck. So, can we please just let it go?”

  We walked a few steps. “This can’t be it.”

  “Kai, unless there’s something you know that I don’t, I’m in this bond for life. There is no getting out.”

 

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