life?”
“I had orders.” He ran a hand through his hair, tugging wildly at the ends as his breathing grew more erratic. “I can’t… control…” He buried his face in his hands as his entire body shook.
“Brea,” Finn yelled. “He’s losing control of his magic. Get out of—” That was the last word she heard before light encompassed the room, knocking the breath from her lungs as she slammed back into a bookshelf, pain exploding from her shoulder as blackness crept across her vision. Again.
Just another day in the fae world, another time waking up in a strange place after being knocked out.
A groan reverberated from Brea’s throat as she flexed her limbs, making sure everything still worked. When she finally opened her eyes, she found a tall broad-shouldered woman with cherry red hair and kind eyes staring down at her.
“Amazonian,” she whispered.
“What?” A concerned look flashed across the woman’s face.
“Nothing.” Brea shut her eyes as pain throbbed in her temple.
“How are you feeling, dear?” Her voice was like a quiet symphony.
“Are you a healer?” She cracked one eye open. “Because if you are, I could totally do with some drugs right now.”
“Ah yes, Lochlan did tell me of your strange human speak.”
“Lochlan?” Her eyes shot open. “Is he okay?” The last she remembered he’d lost control of his magic.
“Yes, he sat beside your bed with Finn most of the night. He can’t forgive himself for hurting you.”
“It wasn’t his fault. His magic… I saw it take control of him. He couldn’t stop it.”
“I know that, dear, and so do you. But Lochlan is a stubborn man who likes to believe everything bad is his fault.”
“Where is he?” She tried to sit up. “I want to speak with him.”
“He left with Finn at daybreak to follow a lead in the search for Alona. In truth, I wanted to be by myself when I met you.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Tierney. I am the queen consort of Eldur.”
“You mean—”
Tierney nodded with a smile. “I am Queen Faolan’s wife.”
Brea already felt more comfortable in this woman’s presence than the queen. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Darling, I have longed to meet you since I first heard of your existence.”
“Why? No one will give me any answers.”
She brushed hair away from Brea’s forehead. “Oh dear, I have quite the story to spin. My wife would have us wait for the right time, but you have waited long enough. And frankly, Faolan could use something good right now.”
“Good?”
“You, Brea. You are good.”
For the first time since learning the truth of her aunt in Eldur, Brea believed someone was finally going to be honest with her. “Why am I here?”
“Because, Brea Robinson, you were born in the fae realm.”
Brea’s heart stopped as her mind tried to grasp that piece of information. “That’s impossible. My mom—”
“Is not your mother. You’re a changeling, Brea.”
“A what-ling?”
“When you were born, your fae mother wanted to protect you. But your father was of the royal line of Fargelsi. That kingdom believed you belonged to them and tried to make it so. They needed an heir after your father died and his sister took the throne. They sent many people to abduct you, but the kingdoms of Eldur and Iskalt protected you. Together, they decided you weren’t safe in the fae world.”
“Wait, so you’re saying I’m not half-fae?”
“No, Brea, this is your world completely. You mother sent her greatest friends to exchange you with a human child. It angered Fargelsi, but they did not know of your whereabouts, and you were safe.”
“Then why am I here if I was safe? Why did Lochlan and Griff come for me?”
“Because Queen Regan grows in power, and it was time to bring you home before you gain full use of your magic when you come of age. With Griffin on Regan’s side, it was only a matter of time before she found you.”
“Home?” Brea’s gasp made Rowena come running from across the room, but Tierney waved her away. Brea recalled the bits of information she’d learned before. Princess Alona had no magic. Was she the human girl? Regan tried to keep Brea in Fargelsi through marriage, thus securing the throne.
And Queen Faolan… her rambling… the way she’d stared at Brea as if trying to see something that wasn’t there.
“Queen Faolan is my mother.” The words felt right, somehow, as if a piece of herself fit into place as soon as she said them. “I belong here, in Eldur,” she whispered to herself. For the first time