Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 76

The Kingdom Londaros

When Miri returned to the modest cottage that Solara had called home the past few months, she was deep in thought. She sat down at the table and stared at the moonstone in her hands. The liquid in the moonstone seemed to glow with a soft, delicate aura. 

Around her the hustle and bustle of life seemed to be a dull tremor in her ears, she didn't know what to make of anything anymore.

"Miri? Miri, daughter, what is wrong?" Ithos sat down besides the young woman whose face pale and pinched. He felt her forehead, "Ye ain't ill, are ye?" 

She looked at her father, "Papa, I have something for you." She opened her hand and out came the moonstone droplet necklace that contained the drop of first fae blood. She looked at it, "You don't have to go to the castle to steal anything. This should be enough to save Ryion." 

The sound in the cottage stopped and they all looked at her with amazement and consternation.

Solara gently took the necklace and nodded, "This is what we've been looking for."

"How did you get this?" Myrai asked her child, "Who gave it to you?"

"Child, what's wrong?" Ithos grew more and more concerned at Miri's pale face. 

Miri didn't know how to answer, her face felt red hot and she suddenly stood up, "I...I...I found it." Then she rushed out. Solara looked at Ithos and Myrai, "One of you should go after her, the city is not safe for a First Blood Fire Fae. And the leader of the Fire Fae to boot."

Myrai stood up, "You and Ithos take care of Ryion. Make sure the boys don't burn down the house."

The Imp who was playing with the other boys only grinned, which was was less than reassuring in the adults' eyes. 

Myrai found Miri sitting underneath a giant purple fern, playing the with blossoms the tree had discarded with careless grace. She tapped it to her lips absently, inhaling the sweet scent and hoping to calm down her heart. She had a lost, bewildered look on her face, as if wondering how things had happened already without her knowing. How did it become like this without anyone asking her if she was ready?

Myra looked at her daughter and sighed, while she did not know the details, it had become painfully clear that Miri had fallen in love.

Sitting down beside her daughter, Myrai gently put the girl's head on her shoulders.

Miri looked at the flower in her hand, "Mama, when I was frozen in my youth form for hundreds of years, I aways thought that adults were quite silly. My mind aged when my body could not. I had always thought that when I was older, I would not be like those silly people who fell in love easily. How did it become like this?"

"Child, when I met your father, we were enemies." Myrai said quietly, "He hated the fae and I hated him for what he was." Miri blinked and looked up at Myrai's face, Myrai smiled, "But if mortal enemies could fall in love, why would it be surprising that you did as well?"

"I never knew." Miri said, her eyes full of questions, Myrai tapped her daughter on the nose, "How could you? It's not something we tell everyone. Now, daughter, tell me, what troubles you?"

Miri took a deep breath and said after a long, painful moment, "I made a promise to someone." She put her ring hand into her mothers and Myrai looked down.

On her daughter's fourth finger was a large onyx and diamond ring, set in the sigil of the ruling house of Londaros.

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The Road to the City of Light

"You know, you can have your horse back if you want." Cybelline said as she perched on the giant warhorse, she shifted uncomfortably as she examined the magnificent creature. Nearly six feet tall and built to break down men and city walls, it looked as uncomfortable as she felt.