Princess of Faerl

*Elentari*

After lots of teasing about being locked away for almost a week, the commotion calmed down. In two days it was time for my siblings birthday. Scottie and Lily were doing their own thing most of the time. A couple times I caught him chatting with Khalith in very hushed tones, so I could only guess he was asking for a ring for her. My son was going to make quite a name for himself as a jeweler. Maybe he will be a patron of jewelers some day.

Everything was changing rapidly. I seemed to understand people better, seeing glimpses here and there of what people had been through or what they would go through. The saddest was my brother. His ties were unclear when it came to Eliza, and I knew that was breaking him. I knew he could see it too. Now that his mates would be granted immortality as well, Eliza was coming around, but not because it was what she wanted. She was being forced to say and do things. Part of me wanted to send Khalith and Hep to her house and scare the shit out of her father, but I knew she had to stand up for herself, or at least ask for help herself.

I walked through the garden, thinking back to my own wedding not a week ago, a smile sitting gently on my face. A shadow appeared to my side, and I took a step back. I wasn’t threatened by it, but I did know this being. “Greetings sister goddess. I am Kali. I come to you because one dear to you is walking a path that will put them into my care. She may not survive unless you intervene in a timely manner. I cannot tell you who, as you will figure out there is only so much we can do or say to affect the course of events. But the sun may stop shining for a time if this were to come to pass.” The shadow disappeared and I was left with a strange feeling of dread. The good thing about being a goddess, I can tell when people are telling the truth. And if someone gave me their name, I could know whatever I wished about them, within reason. Kali was a mother goddess of death. That didn’t bode well.

The next couple of days went by without incident, and the excitement for the coming of age for the Duke and Duchess of Faerl was beyond at a high. Most did not realize they were already mated. So many unmated individuals came to the celebration hoping to be the mate to the siblings of the goddess or the mate of the future King of Faerl. Joke was on them. But I did hope some of them would find their mates tonight. That was one thing Selene wasn’t going to hand over to me for quite some time. She was going to continue making the pairs until we worked together enough that I could manage on my own without bringing about the end of time.

Hep has been glued to my side the last couple days as well. It was absolutely glorious not to have to worry about being too close, or if we would get too excited. We were now married and no one could say anything about us being intimate. Though I did try and limit it around the parententals and our son. That was just weird. I don’t know if I will ever get used to saying I have a son when I just lost my virginity a week ago. Anyway, Hep was amazing. His every touch and caress lit my skin on fire and made me feel loved.

“Love, I need to go see the girls. Maybe pull the guys to the dojo for some sparring?” I smiled up at him and stood on my tippi toes to peck his lips.

“Only if you promise me we’ll get our own workout in, later?” His grin was enough to soak me right then and there.

“Of course, my sexy god.” I winked at him.

I went to a special room I had prepared as a spa for us ladies. I sent a text to all the girls telling them they had 20 minutes to come down to the foyer or they’d be missing the pampering of a lifetime. Ten minutes tops, everyone was there. Even Eliza. Yes, I still included her. She’s still mated to my brother even if things were strained. She’d lost her haughty look and most seemed like an empty body. Soulless. I brushed the thought to the back of my mind, plastering a smile on my face.

“So, who’s ready to feel relaxed and pampered?” I looked around at the smiles, then linked my arm with Eliza. Normally I would do this with Alke or Stacie. Sometimes one of my moms or Lily. But today, Eliza needed a little extra TLC. The others gave me a funny look, but my smile, I hoped, put them at ease.

“Welcome ladies, to our spa day!” I put Eliza on one side of me, Stacie on the other. That way there was some separation but we could try and work on all of this. Most of the time was fairly relaxed, Stacie didn’t seem bothered her ex mate was sitting on the other side of her sister, but looks can be deceiving. “Happy birthday to you, Stacie! A picture of beauty as always!” I smiled at her, letting her know this was still all about her. “Did you and Scottie pick the theme or did our parents decide it for you guys?” I winked over at my moms.

Belle scoffed and waved her hands like she had nothing to do with it, but I knew Alisee totally took over the planning. “Mom definitely had fun.” Stacie grinned. “She was going crazy trying to figure out what all of our favourites were and what to do, and where to go for things, and who was making what, it was absolutely nuts.” Her laugh was infectious.

I turned my head to catch Eliza out of the corner of my eye. She looked as if she was ready to cry. Her heart was truly broken and I knew right there and then, breaking the bond truly wasn’t her idea. Maybe that’s why it has still held on. Neither of them really wanted to let go. I was going to have to talk to Selene about this at some point.

The rest of the conversation was light and lively though. I directed more of the romance questions to Lily and Alke. First askling Alke if any further planning for their wedding had happened, then asking Lily if Scottie had brought up the possibility of an engagement or wedding on the near horizon. Lily’s blush was adorable. It crept up from her neck all the way up her cheeks to her forehead. Alke shook her head, “I was going to wait for the mother of the groom to be available for some planning. I’m not much of a girl in the sense of weddings and romance and whatever. I’m going to need some serious help.”

All of us giggled and jumped at the chance to make Alke all girlie. Except Eliza. She was still much too reserved and withheld. My concern was growing. Was that who Kali was talking about? Was Eliza considering taking her own life to escape whatever was going on? I had to get to the bottom of it and fast. I wasn’t going to let my brother and sister go through the pain of the death of their mate. That would be too much for them to bear.