After a while, I uncurled from my position, sniffling.
"Better?" Ember asked, his voice softer than I expected. I nodded, refusing to look at him.
He grabbed my shoulders, turning me gently to face him. His expression was a mix of sympathy and anger—anger that I somehow knew wasn't aimed at me. "Jay, how long were you kept in The Underground?"
"The Underground?" I blinked, wiping my cheeks with the back of my hands. "As in, under the ground?"
He frowned, his brow furrowing slightly. "Yes, the facility was underground. You didn't know that?"
I didn't. No wonder there were no windows.
I shook my head, feeling the weight of those years pressing down on me. "No. I know I've been there since I was five, but I don't know how long. No clocks, no windows… there was nothing to measure time."
His eyes widened. "Five?"
I nodded, staring down at my hands, trying not to let the flood of memories consume me.
He gently grabbed my chin, lifting my gaze back to his. "How old are you now? Do you know?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "They never told us the time, the dates. We were not allowed to ask."
"Gods," I heard someone mutter from behind me. I looked up, noticing we were surrounded by four people—two women and two men. One of the men was shirtless, his chest glistening with sweat.
My instincts kicked in and I jumped to my feet, immediately analyzing their body language, and the best way to fight them and get out alive, but before I could react, Ember grabbed my hands.
"Hey, no, it's okay," he said, his voice soothing. "They're with us. We got you out of the facility together. They're my men."
"Oh," I murmured, embarrassed. I'm pretty sure I would have been as red as Aethera's hair, had I not been dark skinned.
God, were they all this beautiful here? They all had their pointed ears, but the powers I felt from them varied.
The females were twins, and their powers felt just like that, like they both complemented and completed each other. They felt like the ebb and flow of the calm ocean, deceptively mesmerizing but potentially dangerous. The shirtless man felt like the earth, strong and stable. The other man felt like an electric storm. I swear my hair stood on end when I looked at him.
"The two females are Kali and Zura. The shirtless, bald one is Terran. The other guy is Orion," Ember introduced them casually.
"Hi," I said quietly, unsure of how to act.
"Hi," the sisters replied in unison, their voices oddly synchronized.
"It's nice to see you up and about, little one. You were in really bad shape when we found you," Terran said in a deep, rumbling voice, running a hand over his full beard.
"Thanks," I muttered.
Kali stepped forward, taking my hand gently. "Come on, you're probably hungry. Food's already being served." She said, leading me back to the cabin.
I hadn't noticed it before but as soon as I climbed back onto the porch, my body felt the difference. Curiously, I stepped back down onto the earth. Magic was surging into me from the ground, flowing up through my feet like a current I had never felt before. It was so… alive.
Everyone stopped and watched me as I stared down at the dirt beneath my feet in awe.
"What's wrong?" Zura asked.
"There's so much magic…" I whispered, my voice filled with awe. "Good magic."
"Oh, yeah. Every Fae land is filled with its designated magic." she replied casually like I was already supposed to know that. Well, I didn't.
Hold on....
"Fae land? I thought you said this was Autumn land?" I turned to Ember, my confusion mingling with a flicker of suspicion.
"It is Autumn land," he replied, his brow furrowing slightly. "I—wait. Do you not know what we are?"
I shook my head, trying to mask my growing unease.
"We're Fae," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And this is the Fae realm."
I blinked at him. Fae? Realm? Was that supposed to mean something to me?
Ember sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, like there are humans and the human realm?" he explained, watching me expectantly.
"Oh." The word slipped out before I could stop it. "I thought there was just... one world. You know, where humans and... everything else lived together?"
"Okay, looks like we have a lot to explain," he said with a sigh. "Let's eat first, then we'll talk."
Everyone went inside, but I stayed rooted to the spot, staring at the earth. I didn't want to go back indoors. I couldn't. Now that I was outside, I never wanted to go back inside any building again. I looked up at Ember pleadingly.
Please don't make me go indoors. Not yet.
Ember saw my hesitation and gave me a soft smile. "I'll bring your food outside. We'll eat here. How does that sound?"
I let out a relieved breath. "Sounds good. Thank you."
He left for a moment and returned with two bowls of steaming, deliciously smelling food. The rich scent of it made my stomach rumble. He handed them to me and gestured for me to sit on the porch steps beside him. I complied, staring at the bowl in my hand.
"It's pheasant soup," he said, "We weren't sure if you'd be able to stomach anything too heavy."
"Pheasant soup," I echoed. I didn't know what pheasant was, but it smelled amazing. "It's been so long since I've eaten… with my mouth."
"Wha—what does that mean? How did you eat?" Ember asked, frowning.
"Needles," I said quietly, my voice trembling. "They gave me nutrients through needles. That's how I ate."
"Fucking monsters," Ember growled, his anger flaring, startling me. "Sorry. Just… eat, please."
I scooped a little soup with my spoon and slurped it. Flavors exploded on my tongue, waking up my taste buds and firing up my brain.
I immediately started scarfing it down, all the while Ember watched me. I finished my bowl and eyed Ember's.
"Here." He handed it to me, and I scarfed it down just as fast.
"More?" he asked, eyebrow raised, clearly amused.
I nodded, and he went to get me more. He returned with two more servings, and I ate them both without hesitation.
"Thank you," I said after a while, as we both stared at the sky darkening with the setting sun, my hands fiddling with the cup of water I was holding. "For everything."
"You're welcome," he said, his voice soft but serious. "But you don't need to thank me, Jay."
We both looked up at the sound of footsteps. Aethera stepped out from the trees, her presence striking in the dimming light.
God, she's beautiful. I doubt I'd ever get used to how pretty she was. The setting sun did wonders for her hair and silhouette. My eyes stayed glued to her, watching the way her hips swayed as she walked closer.
"General," Ember greeted casually.
"Hey. You guys eaten?" she asked, stopping in front of us.
"Yeah. She had four servings of the soup," Ember answered, grinning at me.
I stared at my feet, feeling heat rise to my face.
"Hey," she squatted in front of me and lifted my chin, that same electricity passing through my body again at the contact but milder this time. She quickly withdrew her hand but smiled at me. "That's a good thing. I'm glad you ate well." She said softly.
I didn't realized that we had been staring at each other for longer than necessary until Ember cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
Aethera blinked and stood up, her cheeks tinged pink.
Ember raised his eyebrow, a hint of teasing in his voice. "Where did you go, anyway? I thought you were going to eat with us."
"I was um... I was patrolling the border for a bit, then bathed in the stream," she said, shooting him a playful glare. "Before heading back."
Ah, that explains why her hair was damp.
The mention of the stream made my mind wander. I thought back to how I'd never actually seen a stream before. Only in books. Then somehow, my brain took a u-turn and suddenly dove straight into imagining the sight of her in the water, all that beautiful skin naked and her hair floating like flames around her. I sighed wistfully.
It'd be an enchanting sight indeed.
"You must have looked really pretty," I said, staring up at her.
Aethera looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"Bathing in the stream, I mean. You must have looked really pretty. Your hair too. It's really beautiful. I've never seen color like yours before. It's...." I trailed off.
Why were they looking at me like that?
She seemed taken aback for a moment, her cheeks turning a subtle pink. "Thanks," she muttered, her voice soft.
Huh..... Should I not have said that? I wasn't sure. I just wanted to compliment her but I don't quite understand their reaction. These people are so confusing.
Ember chuckles, "Looks like your girl's got game, Aethera."
What now?
"Shut up," she muttered.
His eyes sparkled mischievously, knocking his shoulder with mine, "Careful with this one, Jay. We don't want her ego growing more than it already is."
"I'm not you, idiot." She flicked him on the forehead.
"Hey! Whatever does that mean?" He pouted, feigning mock offense as he rubbed his forehead. "Every compliments I get are based off facts, you know."
She snorted, "Moron."
I looked between them. Their banter felt lighthearted and casual, hinting that their relationship went deeper than just General and Second-in-command. They had real friendship between them.
I felt a pang in my chest. I had that with Mira too.
"Have the guys get prepared. We'll be heading back to base tomorrow now that she's awake."
"Sure. I'll have the brownies clean up after us."
Base? Brownies? Damn, I have a lot to learn.
"Good," she turned back to me. "We'll be moving out pretty early. You'll get to see a bit of Autumn court tomorrow."
I sighed. I had to go inside now.
Ember looked at me. "You can sleep in my room. It has a bigger window."
"Why would she sleep in your room?" Aethera asked, a hint of something in her voice.
He snorted, "Chill, General. She's scared of going back indoors."
She blushed again, "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize."
I shook my head, "No, it's okay. I don't wanna bother anyone."
"It's not a bother." Ember answered reassuringly. "We are merely exchanging rooms. Mine has a bigger window, and you'll get a better view of the sky."
"Thank you," I said gratefully.
"You're welcome. Come, let me take you."
We left Aethera in the common room after exchanging good nights, her eyes following us until we turned a corner into the hallway that led to Ember's room.
He hadn't been lying. His window was indeed larger. I could see the moon hanging low in the sky and feel the fresh, crisp breeze rushing in.
"Here. Let me light the fireplace for you." He went to the square box with dying coals in it and filled it with more wood.
So that's what it's called. Fireplace.
He snapped his fingers, and I felt as his magic leaped, eager and hot, and latched onto the firewood, igniting them.
I blinked, "Wow." I couldn't do that.
He smiled, his eyes glowing softly in the dim atmosphere. "Get some sleep. I'll come get you in the morning, okay?"
"Okay."
"Good night, Jay," he says, his voice low as he steps back toward the door, closing it behind him with a soft click.
"Good night, Ember," I whisper after him, sinking into the bed. It's so warm and soft, the sheets like a cloud around me. The pillow smells faintly of him—woodsmoke, spice, and something I can't quite place. Maybe it's just the way his presence lingers.
Just as I start to drift off, there's a knock on the door.
"Jay? It's Aethera. Can I come in?"
"Yeah," I call out, my voice thick with sleep, curling deeper into the cocoon of warmth the bed provides.
The door creaks open, and Aethera steps in, her presence like a quiet storm. "Um… I brought you this sweater. I figured, since you probably won't close the window, you might need it when it gets cold."
I glance at her, puzzled for a moment. Is it me or does she sound... nervous? Her fingers fidget with the hem of her sleeve, and I can't help but notice the way she shifts her weight from foot to foot.
"Thank you." I take the sweater from her, my fingers brushing hers just a bit, and then slip it on. The fabric smells like her—bonfire and something fiery, powerful, and just a little too intoxicating. It's the kind of scent that wraps around you, makes you feel like you're standing too close to a flame, and for some reason, I don't mind.
Aethera rubs the back of her neck, her gaze darting away. "Okay... Well, I'll go now. Good night."
I feel a pang in my chest. For some reason, I don't want her to leave.
"Wait," I say before I can stop myself. She pauses, turning back toward me, and the moment her emerald eyes meet mine, something shifts in my chest.
"Can you... stay with me? Just until I fall asleep, please? I... I don't want to be alone."
Her expression softens like she's seeing something in me that I can't put into words. "Sure. Of course."
She walks back to the bed, sits carefully on the edge, as if unsure whether to get any closer. The bed is large enough for the both of us, but it feels like there's a stretch of space between us that she doesn't want to cross.
I scoot over, making room for her. "You can lay down if you want," I suggest, my voice quieter than I intended.
There's a slight hesitation, but then she lies down beside me, her body just inches from mine, as she stares up at the ceiling. I turn to face her, hands tucked beneath my chin, my eyes tracing the curve of her jaw, the sharpness of her cheekbones, the soft curve of her lips. Even her side profile was beautiful.
For a moment, I just stared, admiring her features. But in the quiet, I found my thoughts straying back to Mira.
Memories of her trickled in without my permission. Of her and I cuddling in bed whenever we had a chance to stay together. She had been my best friend. Practically my big sister in every way but blood. My only escape in that hell. I'd like to think I was that for her too. But I had gotten her killed. If only Aethera had gotten there a little earlier. Maybe she would have been here with me instead. In this same bed. Holding me until I fell asleep. Maybe if I had prayed earlier, Aethera could have come to save us both.
I sighed, exhausted both mentally and physically. My gaze drifted back to Aethera.
I wonder how she had heard my prayers in The Underground.
Just before sleep starts to drag me under, she turns her head slightly, and her eyes—those brilliant emerald eyes—lock onto mine.
Emerald green filled up my entire world before it faded to black.