Disguised In Stardust ✔

Chapter Twenty

“What are you planning, rogue? I know your dirty ways.” Faelin spat. Seth gestured to the cavern on the other side of the rip, and Faelin’s eyes helplessly followed. There were glowing crystals lining the walls unevenly, some chipped and worn. Others were as sharp as a knife, and I could practically feel it grazing me with hatred.

“Since you're so eager, I can show you what lies beneath that harmless mask of yours. Only for my young, stubborn prince.” he bowed sarcastically. Faelin inched closer to the waving rift. I pulled him back by the wrist and made sure he could see the incredulous look on my face. My nails could puncture my palms any moment now.

“What are you doing? You know he means to do harm!” I insisted. Even though Faelin didn’t trust him one bit, was he really willing to go through an unknown portal to find what was so different about him? What if he wasn’t different at all?

“Dain, I… I’ve been searching for xaits. This is the reason I landed on your planet; it wasn’t just a coincidence. My father wanted me there, and it’s clear now. As my mate, you should be able to understand that, right?” He gently brushed my hand off of his wrist, and instead he held it firmly.

“I will be back, I promise.” The lonely, desperate look in his eyes brought me back to my senses.

He leaned up and pressed a kiss to my cheek; it seemed to come straight from the depths of his heart. He lingered there for a moment before pulling back. His fingers slipped from mine, and he slowly ambled towards the portal, but stopped when he was right in front of it.

“Make any moves and I will execute you after this is done.” Faelin hissed, to which Seth smirked and gestured before him. His eyes flicked up, and a new, poisonous fire lit behind them.

He hurtled for Faelin and gripped his arm. Before Faelin could react, he was being shoved into the portal. Stumbling on the other side, he gained his balance but Seth was right after him. The other human turned around, gave me a spiteful grin, then closed up the rift with a swipe of his hand.

“FAELIN!” I heard a voice scream out his name, only to realize it was mine, ripping from my throat with might that I didn't know I had. I found my feet moving without my consent, and I was sprinting forward before I knew it. My head reached out, I tried to grip the last fleck of the portal before it faded completely. I staggered and plummeted to my knees, a sharp sting coursing through each of them.

I sat there, unmoving, for a while.

_

It wasn’t long before somebody found me. At first, they were frantic. I looked up to them and, defeatedly, I raised my hands in surrender. Their eyes flicked to my wrist, then their rosewood eyebrows raised in recognition.

“You... You are the Prince’s mate, no?” they exclaimed in astonishment. Their accent was thicker than Faelin’s, their R’s sometimes rolling and TH’s forming vague Z’s. It sounded slightly French.

“Y-Yes?” I rose to my feet but stumbled upon feeling them go limp. Their wings opened and they helped support me until some feeling flooding back to my ankles.

“Good. Lord Halvor has been awaiting your presence. Where is the Prince?” they asked, glancing around briefly.

“That’s the problem. He was taken by another human. Seth Freeman, blond, a scar under his left eye… Have you seen him?” I urged. Their eyes widened in alarm, then they took a step back and seemed to muse.

“No, I'm afraid I haven’t.. But we must find him. Where did this Seth take our Prince?” they quizzed, their wings fluttering gently. They were longer than Faelin’s, but thinner and duller. The light barely reflected off of them.

“Some dark cave. A cavern with crystals?” I quickly replied, “It-It was through a portal or something.. Like a rift.”

“The Lemrior Caverns.. of course. The source of all our energy is down there, deep under the city. Probably 600 meters down at least.” They fidgeted with their four fingers, ivory eyes downcast. Their skin was a misty burgundy and their short hair was in an updo with four braids running back, above their rippling ears. A small clip connected the braids at the back of their head.

“I’m.. Dain, by the way.” They looked up and bowed elegantly, their white silken top slinging over their shoulders. The golden cuffs and light magenta adornments looked beautiful.

“My name is Elisen.” they glossed. I shuffled over and outstretched my hand, watching as they looked down to it in confusion. I let myself smile awkwardly.

“Uh, sorry. It’s a friendly greeting from my world.” I quickly retracted my hand and scratched the back of my neck.

“That is all right.” they returned the toothy smile. Then, someone burst through the doors and shouted out something incomprehensible.

He panicked, speaking in a rapid language that appeared to be their normal tongue. His shorter wings were buzzing as he floated a few feet from the floor. “Elisen..?” This time he spoke in something that sounded relatively English.

Elisen replied something quickly, gesturing to me with another note of their language. “Nelei, ozkito doh.” they coaxed, using their hands to communicate between us. The man drew forward and cleared his throat, lowering himself to the ground.

“I am sorry. I am not very good in this language, but I think you speak it?” His accent was thick, like Elisen’s.

I nodded.

“The Prince is missing. The city is losing Chapnian pow’r, and fast.” he slightly mispronounced ‘power,’ but I thought it was cute in its own way.

“Chapnian?” I repeated dubiously. He stared at me as if I should know what that was.

“Chapna is a pink crystal that powers us. The Prince—” Elisen covered his mouth before he could finish, a dangerous look swirling in their eyes.

“Do not scar him, Nelei.” they snapped at him, "he will know in due time."

I intervened when Elisen became angry. “How do we get to the Lemrior Caverns?” I asked the two Faeries. They exchanged glances, and Elisen communicated to him in their language. His face lightened a bit.

“A secret way through dungeons. We need to sneak you so Lord Halvor does not notice.” he explained bluntly.

“The dungeons are the lowest part under the citadel. I can lead you there.” Elisen told me, resting a hand on my shoulder. I looked down to it and they removed it reluctantly. “Apologies. Another miscommunication, yes?”

“No, no. You’re okay.” I assured, now looking over to the male Faerie who entered a few minutes ago.

“Elisen has good heart. Do not break it, human.” He gave me a little warning glare before taking off from the balcony, his wings fluttering rapidly as he darted away.

“That was my brother. He can be... disrespectful, to new folk.” they waved a hand dismissively, “That boy does not yet know that you are the next Lord. He will know soon enough.”

I shook my head with a simper. “How do we get into the dungeons?” I asked.

“Being the Lord’s royal advisor, I have a key to the gates. It is down below the first floor, at the back of the citadel.” they clarified.

“Don't you have, like, guards?”

They chuckled softly, “If they see you are the Prince’s mate, they are obligated to let you through. You will be fine.”

Even then, I couldn't help but sigh in discontent.

The mate instinct told me that Faelin was in major trouble.

__