Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,66
handle all the droplets, all the ripples will be hers, and that will be a mistake for us.”
Cluym didn’t answer for several moments. “For you, maybe.”
“Excuse me.”
“You are forgetting something important here.”
“Oh? I am? Enlighten me please.”
“I switched sides as you did. We swore our allegiance to the light.”
Neldor frowned at him. “Of course I know that. We sided with Queen Meira as was the right move because—”
“And her daughter,” Cluym growled, stopping Neldor in his tracks. “I swore my allegiance to the side of the light, Neldor. Many of us did to try and stop the war. Yes, I, at that time, agreed with your mating the heir of the light realm and combining the realms, a king maybe what we needed. Things are different but my allegiance is not. I am on the side of the light. I am on the side of Queen Meira’s daughter.”
“No, that’s—”
“And so are you. You are supposed to be, by your oath,” Cluym cut in. He sighed when steam practically came out of Neldor’s ears. “You swore it. Do with that as you will, but people know you did.”
Neldor deflated as he seemed to realize something. “It’s why you stopped referring to me with certain titles since you came back.”
“Yes,” Cluym confirmed. “I’m not a subject of the dark realm anymore, but the light. And with all due respect, you are not the dark realm heir. Even though you are the only royal still alive, you cannot be the heir.”
“I know that,” Neldor snapped.
“Do you?” he challenged. “Because you seemed to think I would address you as ‘Your Highness,’ as we do heirs instead of ‘Your Grace,’ as I would any other royal or commoners do nobles.”
It was Neldor’s turn to be quiet for a bit. “I don’t know what I expected, Cluym. I wished I could turn back the clock and this not be our future. I’m not so shallow I was focusing on the titles. I think I was shocked you didn’t immediately refer to me as your prince, but it was an afterthought of everything else we face.”
“I am glad to hear that because I haven’t been happy with your focus,” Cluym said gently. “And I’m sorry, I won’t side with you on this. I won’t push for her to honor the betrothal. I don’t think it’s what’s best anymore.”
“How can you say that? She knows nothing about our people, our world, and needs—”
“You don’t even respect her, Neldor,” he whispered sadly. “I’m ashamed at how I’ve seen you treat her, and I believe the others that you’ve been curbing it now that we’re here. But I don’t think she needs anything. I think she is exactly what we need.”
“You are mad,” Neldor scoffed.
“No, you are blinded with fear and guilt at what your mother did. She is what we need. Please just listen to me, Neldor.”
“Fine, enlighten me.”
“She doesn’t see me as a dark fairy.”
“That’s it? That’s your argument? That’s she’s ignorant and—”
“It’s not ignorance,” Cluym snapped. “She knows I’m one. She’s not daft. You take all of her different opinions as her being stupid. It’s not. She’s highly intelligent. She simply doesn’t agree with you. But hear me on this because this will touch all fairies as it has touched me. She does not see me as a dark fairy. I am simply a fairy to her. I am like her and that’s all that matters. I’m a person.”
“Yes, she’s a bleeding heart, according to all the supes and—”
“Kind! We need that to heal. No more wars, Neldor. Wasn’t that the dream? That was the goal and it was her first push. She stepped up and did what no queen has for over a thousand years and demanded champion warfare.”
“Only because she’s stronger than me,” Neldor argued.
“She wouldn’t have agreed to curb her power then. We need her, and I cannot push for the betrothal when I do not think it in the best interest of our people or what Queen Meira even truly wanted it!” He cursed several times and winced as rage about poured out of Neldor.
“What madness do you speak of?” Neldor demanded, his tone cold and deadly.
Cluym swallowed loudly, fear filling his eyes. “Queen Meira had visions. We all know this. She saw much. It was why she smuggled Princess Tamsin out of Faerie. She thought ahead to get the one person out of Faerie who could save us all because of the counterspell Queen Meira would place against your mother’s magic. She