Shadowborn Queen - G. Bailey Page 0,27

the blink of an eye. I feel like the goddess Selena herself weaved my fate, so I met your father and fell in love with him.

But our love was not meant to be.

I was well known as a consort of your father’s and when I became heavily pregnant and unable to hide the truth any longer; we agreed I should leave the court and pretend the baby was not his. You were born at Dawn's first light and I swear Selena herself blessed you in that way. Your father held you, kissed your forehead and loved you instantly. It broke both our hearts when he had to leave to save your life, to make sure you could live free and not as the royal bastard-born child.

We lied to you to keep you safe. I hope you can understand that now.

You are a princess of the Light Fae Kingdom, destined to be something special. I have always thought the Light Fae throne was meant to be yours and one day you will find yourself sitting upon it.

Take care, my sweet child, and remember the throne is only as strong as the queen or king who sits upon it.

Now I wish to tell you one more secret of mine. I have chosen a wrong path at Princess Eva's side, and I find myself stuck there to keep you alive. Eva lured me in, promising me nothing but knowledge of Shadowborns and Light Fae, but when it became too much, she took you. She changed you and then locked you away.

And there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you from death.

So I did what I had to, and I am sure you must hate the choices I will make. I write this in the prison you are locked away in, hoping you will understand my actions.

I am with Selena now and we will see each other once again.

My love for you is eternal, my sweet Izora.

Love,

Mum.

I close the letter, wiping my tear-filled eyes as I cry for my mother and father, for all the secrets and lies that it took them both to get me here. But somewhere in the sadness, I find the knowledge that they loved me and believed in me.

And that I was worth fighting for.

Now, I'm going to fight for who I have left.

Chapter 13

Izora

"Want to talk about it?" Axel asks, sitting down next to me near the tree. I shake my head, crumbling my hands around the letter. His dark gaze meets mine as I turn my gaze to his. Sometimes I forget how breathtakingly beautiful Axel is. The Light Fae magic has only made every one of his features stand out more, his hair that more shiny and luxurious. "Oh-kay. How about we talk about what you would do if you were never taken from the academy?"

"I don't know," I reply instantly, the truth pouring out. "I never planned my life out like I should have done. What was your plan as a kid?"

"To go to the moon. Original, I know," he tells me and I chuckle. "But I did fall in love with a woman with hair as silver as the moon. Therefore, I got my dream in the end."

"Sweet talker," I mumble and he laughs, wrapping his arm around me. We sit in perfect silence for a long time, staring at the forest, feeling the warmth of the house right behind the tree we are sitting under. After a long time, I hand him the letter and wait as he reads it.

Axel closes it and hands me it back. "I'm sorry this is your goodbye. You deserved a funeral."

"I have an idea," I whisper. Using a little magic, I float the letter into the air and close my eyes. I whisper a spell for long burning embers and push a tiny bit of light magic into the mix. When I open my eyes, the letter bursts into bright white embers that mix with the wind and fill the air around us. Axel tugs me closer as tears fall down my cheeks and I watch the magic embers float away into the forest, taking what is left of my mother with it.

But truthfully, I know she isn't here anymore. Her soul is with my father and I hope she is happy. I couldn't imagine leaving any of the men I love to save my child. The pain she must have felt, and the love she must have had for me to do it.

"What in the