When I reach my father’s chambers, I knock on his door. He does not answer, but I enter anyway. My father has repeatedly told us he would always make time for his children, no matter what. Today, I will take advantage of this promise to speak with him.
I find him out on the balcony, staring up at the silver moon.
“What do you wish to speak of, my son?” he asks, sensing my approach. He does not turn around, even when I stop beside him.
“I spoke with Lorala and informed her that I cannot bond with her. We are close as siblings, she and I. It would never have worked.”
His expression is stern. “But she knows what you are, and she would have been able to balance your powers with hers. Did the human even know what you were?” Even as the question leaves his mouth, pity tinges his tone. “Is that why she ran from you?”
Clenching my jaw, I hold his gaze. “No, Father. She left because she wanted me to choose Lorala.”
He blinks across at me.
I continue. “She worried that because she does not possess magic, it would be too dangerous for us to bond.”
“She is right,” he says. “At least she was wise enough to fear for herself.
I shake my head. “You don’t understand. She was not afraid for herself, she feared for me. She worried that I needed Lorala’s Light Magic to balance my darkness and protect me from being discovered as Dark Fae.”
His expression softens. “I am sorry that you lost her. Truly. But she is human. Why would you get involved with one in the first place? Especially after what happened to your mother.”
“Not all humans are bad, Father. You cannot judge an entire race based on the actions of only a few.” I meet his gaze evenly. “Please. Allow me to cross the veil. I want only to see her one more time. I didn’t get to tell her goodbye.”
He shakes his head. “Can you not see that this is what is best for her? She wants to protect you, but in this way… you are protecting her. If you truly love her, you must let her go.”
“Oradon saw her in my future, Father,” I counter. “Her name is Ella—starlight in the ancient tongue. His visions spoke of starlight and the silver moon. What if she is meant to be mine?”
He turns to me with incredulity. “You are Dark Fae. Your powers are dangerous. At the very least, you need a Light Fae to balance you and ensure the power does not overwhelm you, causing you to harm anyone or bring death and destruction to our kingdom.” He places his hands on my shoulders. “You are my son. I have only ever kept you safe. Even when the sacred laws directed me to end your life because of what you are. Can you not see that I am trying to protect you?” He pauses. “You cannot bond with a human. It would be too dangerous for you and for her.”
I drop my gaze to my hands. He is right. I am dangerous. It would never work between us. There would always be a risk that I could hurt her.
Father wraps an arm around my shoulders and hugs me close. “I love you, Ryvan. You are my son, and I will always protect you with everything I have. But in this, you must trust me. If you love her, you must let her go.”
