Heir of Stardust and Secrets (Mythic Spark #1)

21. Summer’s Origin

Chapter 21

Summer’s Origin

T he power that thrummed from the high lord was charged like the still air of an imminent storm. There was no mistaking what court he hailed from.

His skin was a lustrous golden hue born of a symbiosis with summer’s caress, while his hair was the color of golden barley. But of all the clues pointing to his heritage, his eyes were by far the most striking. The never-ending depths held the raw majesty of a summer storm, illustrating the paradox of a season that could both nurture and devastate.

“Happy solstice, High Lord,” the king said, inclining his head slightly. I realized then that he would not bow to those who held the same rank.

“Thank you, King Thaddeus. Please, call me Caius.”

“Thank you for receiving us, Caius. Allow me to introduce my companions. This is my second-in-command, Tarrin.” Tarrin took a half-step forward and offered the high lord a formal bow before stepping back. “And this is my third-in-command, Nevander.” He followed suit. “And this is Nyleeria.”

I made to curtsy, but Caius stopped me .

My companions tensed. We’d discussed at great length the dangers of me coming, knowing we hadn’t the faintest clue if the fae could detect the ancient power that slumbered within me—but there was no turning back. I was here, standing before one of the most powerful beings that roamed Lumnara, and his attention was fixed on me.

“It’s been a time since I’ve laid my eyes on a human woman,” he mused.

From only a pace away, his fierce eyes bore into mine. Even from that distance, he towered above me. There was an unnatural grace and stillness to him that seemed familiar in a way. I had to stop myself from stepping back when I realized where I’d witnessed such characteristics before—they were those of a natural-born predator.

“But I don’t remember them being as stunning as you.” He brushed the back of his hand across my cheek. At the touch, I felt his power surround me, as if asking a question. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly before he pulled the power back. “It seems the Mother favors you.”

Forcing calm into my veins, I said, “I should hope she favors all of her children, Lord Caius.”

The high lord’s broad smile met his eyes before he took my hand and placed a soft kiss on it. “Welcome to my court, Nyleeria.” His words simultaneously caressed me and sent a bolt of electricity skittering down my spine.

Releasing my hand and focusing on us as a group, Caius said, “Artton and Sidrick have placed your belongings in your suites. Please, take a moment to get settled in, and I’ll see you shortly at the celebration.”

No sooner had my fae escort left than a knock came at the door. When I opened it, all three of my companions poured themselves into the suite .

“Are you okay?” the king asked.

“I’m fine.”

“What happened?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re a bunch of mother hens.”

“Nyleeria.”

I sighed. “I’m not sure exactly, but I can sense their powers, see them even. When Caius touched my cheek, his power encircled me like it was probing for an answer. It wasn’t invasive at all, and I don’t think he learned anything.”

“What question do you think it was trying to answer?” Nevander asked.

“I think…ummm…it was almost like… Have we met before ?”

“Interesting,” Nevander said. “That could work to our advantage.”

“Or it could really fuck things up,” Tarrin countered, crossing his arms.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now because we’re here, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” I said, trying not to panic.

It wasn’t my fault the fae could sense something about me, and I thought the introductions had gone rather well, considering the nightmares I’d had that our first encounter would have a drastically grimmer ending.

Music suffused the air, summoning us down the long corridor. Arm threaded through the king’s, we followed its invitation, Tarrin and Nevander in tow. They were to be the silent shadows of our entourage—there to observe and protect.

We rounded a corner, and I stopped short.

A bisecting staircase sprawled before us, like a stepping waterfall seamlessly merging into the lively sea of celebration below. The opulent space was brimmed with blithesome fae, their numbers easily exceeding five hundred .

At the heart of the room was an expansive dance floor; its shimmering mosaic stone reflected the mesmerizing synchronicity of sweeping movements of the dancers. Their elegance. Their grace. It was like watching a symphony that had transcended into physical form.

Like timeless sentinels, massive sunstone pillars held the terrace aloft, which traced the periphery of the upper floor, where some fae played the role of observer. Beyond the stoic watch of the pillars, and past the shadows of the terrace, grand archways yawned open, serving as portals to the darkened grounds beyond.

The king urged me forward and we descended farther into the unknown.

With only a few steps to go, Caius met us at the broad base of the stone staircase.

He flicked a hand and all festivities ceased.

“It’s been a time since we’ve shared celebrations with our human counterparts.” Caius’ deep baritone voice rumbled through the crowd like thunder.

Murmurs of excitement rolled through the crowd as curiosity and assessing looks stared back at us. I kept my posture straight beneath the weight of the onlookers as Caius went on.

“Over half a millennium has passed since the human realm forgot us. But on this blessed solstice, we received a response from a king who dares to dream, who deigned to respond, and who has brought us together once more. High lords, courtiers, and distinguished guests, I have the distinct honor of introducing King Thaddeus and his companion, Nyleeria.”

The crowd bowed before us.

Caius looked at us expectantly, and the king didn’t miss a beat as he said, “The honor is ours, Lord Caius. Thank you for the kind introduction and your invitation. Words cannot convey our joy in being reunited together as one. On behalf of me and mine, happy solstice to you and yours.”

Caius nodded in approval and stepped toward me with an outstretched hand. “Would you honor me with your first dance, Nyleeria?”

The king released his grip and offered my hand to the high lord.

The dance floor was now empty save for Caius and me, and with fluid grace, he guided us to the center.

He paused for a pulsating moment before drawing me in and moving us to the melody that sprang to life.

Even with all eyes on us, everything melted away as the music sang to my soul. It was enchanting, magical in its own right. I wondered whether it was because the music came from the fae or from the magic-filled room. Perhaps it was because I’d never been exposed to a live orchestra and its marvelous intricacies before. It was breathtaking, whatever the reason.

Caius was pure elegance, his commands smooth and firm. My body responded to the tiniest movements as he swept us across the dance floor. The rhythm was familiar to me, but this dance was not. I let myself yield to him, to the music.

Caius smiled down at me. “You move as one with the music.”

“I feel one with it. Like it’s in every cell in my body, calling me to sway in its presence.”

His smile broadened. “Do they not have music in the human realm?”

“Not like this.”

“How is it different?”

“This feels like a song the Mother herself would sing, like the melody of the wind and the grass—” I cut myself off, feeling utterly stupid at what I had just shared, and a warm blush flushed my cheeks.

“You commune with the Mother?” he asked with genuine curiosity and a hint of surprise.

“Don’t you?”

A smirk. “I do.” There was a laugh in his voice, which softened the moment into something more intimate.

“And what does she whisper?” I asked .

“She whispers all manner of things, either about my court and lands or smaller messages for me to decipher myself, to learn from.”

“You, after so many lifetimes, still learn from the Mother and about yourself?” I was genuinely surprised.

“Evidently.”

My brows knit, questioning.

“There are few things that surprise me in life. King Thaddeus is of no surprise. We believed a human monarch would answer our call sooner or later. But you…you are puzzling to me, Nyleeria.” My name on his lips caressed me, sending shivers down my spine, just as it had the first time. How my body responded to him was strange, like it purred in his presence, responding to his power.

I gave him a disarming smile. “Centuries old, and a simple human woman is puzzling to you?”

He quirked his head slightly. “Are you?”

“Am I what?” I asked.

“Just a simple human woman?”

The directness of his question, his gaze, almost made me falter, but I gathered myself instantly. “Well, I keep company with a king, high lords, and the fae, so I suppose not,” I said, willing a soft laugh to accompany my words.

Lightness came back into his eyes, and the intensity lifted from his gaze as a genuine smile spread across his features.

“Tell me, Nyleeria, what does the Mother say when you commune with her?” he asked.

I considered the question. It wasn’t something I’d taken note of before. Did she say anything to me? Was it that kind of exchange?

“I’m not sure she speaks to me the same as you, or maybe she does, and I’m not as versed in her language. I feel her more than anything. The pull of her, the connectedness, the exchange between us when we’re bound. Being with her is calm, soothing, even.” I felt like I was rambling, but the high lord hung on to my every word.

“What do you mean when you say exchange ?”

“Energetically, I’m not sure how else to describe it. ”

“I was right; she favors you indeed. Few fae connect with her on that level, let alone a simple human woman .” He winked.

“I spent a lot of time in the woods as a child—still do. Perhaps it’s less of her favoring me and more a familiarity with each other.”

“Perhaps,” he said, considering, not dismissing the statement as quickly as I thought he would.

“While you are a guest here, Nyleeria, would you join me to commune with her?” he asked.

“Really? Why?” I blurted out in surprise. It felt like an intimate thing to do together.

Caius’ eyes sparked, and they held a smile as he said, “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

“No.” The word came out before I’d thought about it. But it was true. Whatever made me feel familiar to him, made him feel safe to me in some way. Perhaps I was a fool, but in my soul, I was comfortable with him. Maybe it was the part of me that didn’t belong to the humans, the secret kinship between us, the spark that overrode my survival instincts while being close to those who could end my existence with a thought.

“There are few on Lumnara that can make such a declaration and mean it,” he said with raised brows.

We let those words hang between us as we moved across the dance floor, still in our own world.

“To answer your question,” Caius said, giving me a wry smile, “I think, with my power and the Mother’s fondness for you, I could help you hear her whispers. I’d like to see if such a thing is possible.”

I was fully aware that the high lord’s attention on me should evoke fear, but the kinship I felt with him, combined with my curiosity, couldn’t be contained.

“It would be my honor, Caius,” I said, and meant it.

Something like excitement flashed in his eyes, and we continued to dance.

As the music wound down, the hall fell silent. Caius took my right hand, placing a kiss atop it, and I curtsied in return. We walked arm in arm back to the king. As our footsteps echoed on the polished tile, I became acutely aware of just how many eyes were on us, on me . My skin crawled, and I had to stop myself from crumbling under their scrutiny, holding my back straight and head high.

Caius gave me a wink and whispered, “You’ll get used to it.”

“I don’t think there are enough lifetimes for that,” I said in jest and smiled back at him.

“Enough lifetimes for what?” Thaddeus inquired. I hadn’t realized we were within earshot yet.

“Nyleeria doesn’t think she could ever get used to all eyes being on her,” Caius answered casually, “but I have my suspicions she won’t have a choice in the matter.”

“I think you’re right,” the king said as he took my hand back. “Thank you for returning her to me.”

Now facing Caius, I gave him another small curtsy and said, “Thank you for the dance, Lord Caius.”

“It was my pleasure, Nyleeria.”

And I genuinely believed him.