Kaleidoscope (Faylinn Series) (32 page)

The weight of his words hit me with a heaviness I’d never experienced in my life. I had realized the decision I had made was not one to take lightly, but the full weight of my acceptance hadn’t truly set in until he spoke those words. As soon as I acknowledged Faylinn as mine, it became mine. Their loyalty was to me now. Their lives were in my hands.

• • •

Before sunset Declan was going to guide me to Faylinn. I suppose it was crucial for me to be prepped and ready for my Dawning in the morning. I was going to be sleeping in a completely new place tonight. A place I was going to eventually call my home.

After deciding I needed a few days before going to Faylinn I was then reminded of the way Cameron and I had parted ways and I wanted to escape to Faylinn as fast as my feet would carry me. It was spineless, though, so I didn’t do it. But it took a couple of days before I built up the nerve to show up on his doorstep.

“It’s really happening?” he asked.

“I leave Saturday evening,” I confirmed as we sat on his front porch swing.

We shared a moment of silence before he spoke. “Do you remember when I told you what the worst day of my life was?”

I nodded. How could I forget? Cameron’s mom walked out on him and his dad when he was ten. He didn’t tell most people why she left or that she even did, but when the day came that he felt confident enough in our friendship to tell me, that was the day I knew we’d be friends forever. Most kids didn’t recover after something like that, but Cam did.

“This is a close second,” he murmured, staring straight into the woodlands across from his house.

“Cameron,” I breathed, lowering my head.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that in the way it came out,” he said, laying his hand on my leg. “I just. . .I want you to stay and there’s nothing I can do to keep you here. Not being able to have control over the most important things in my life makes me feel. . .” he trailed off.

“Helpless,” I finished the sentence for him. “I know. Trust me. I know,” I murmured.

“I love you, Callie, you know that? I know it doesn’t change anything. I know it won’t make you stay, but it’s out there. I’ll always be here, waiting in the wings if you decide to come back. No pun intended.” We chuckled. “All of my cards are on the table and I have no regrets.” He peered over at me, his light hair draping just across his blue eyes. His hand, still comfortably resting on my leg, squeezed gently.

I leaned in and lightly kissed him, barely brushing our lips, a whisper of a kiss. “I love you too, Cam. I always will.”

• • •

My parents stood on the edge of the trees, delaying the goodbye more than I was.

“Are you sure it’s not possible for you to come with me?” I asked, hopeful. A part of me was still in denial. I wasn’t actually doing this by myself was I?

My dad shook his head. “They closed off Faylinn to me after I left. They saw my passing down of the kingdom as a betrayal. I won’t ever be welcome there again.” He peered over at my mom.

I nodded, though I felt, as queen, I had to have some power to be able to get him back. There had to be a way. I was on my own from here on out.

My eyes met Mom’s and tears fell down her cheeks. She pulled me to her; embracing me so tightly my breath was all but smothered. We held each other silently, taking in our last moments. When I attempted to pull away she held onto me even tighter. I wasn’t sure if she was going to let me go.

“Mom,” I softly scolded.

“I know,” she said. “I encouraged you. I told you it was the right decision, but I don’t want you to go anymore.”

“Now you tell me,” I chided, only half-joking.

She released me, holding me at arm’s length. “Why should they get to take you from me?”

“Melody,” Dad murmured, resting a hand on her shoulder.

“No,” she resisted, tearing her arm from his touch. “She’s my daughter. My
only
daughter.” I heard the tears rasp her voice.

“Mom,” I breathed. Why was she making it so much harder on me? She had the power to make me change my mind.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to be,” she muttered, putting her hands tenderly on my face. I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t bring myself to reply. There wasn’t anything she could say to make this easier. She swallowed, struggling to gain her composure. “Okay,” she exhaled. “I know. I know. You have to go. You should go. I’ll stop blubbering.”

Mom didn’t blubber. She was the no nonsense parent. She clenched her teeth fighting more tears.

“Faylinn will be honored to have their rightful heir back,” Dad said, bringing us back to the reason for our blubbering. “I’m so proud of you for making this decision. No father could be prouder.”

I chuckled without humor, peering over at him. “They won’t feel honored. They’ll feel cheated. I have no idea what I’m getting myself into.” The words Favner had spat rang in my ears.
She knows nothing of our kingdom. She knows nothing of our fae.
I felt so inadequate. I was just some ignorant seventeen-year-old
half-breed
with only the royal blood to tie me to the kingdom.
You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, little girl. This is bigger than you realize.

“It’ll come to you,” Dad confirmed.

I gulped back my rising insecurities. “They told me that humans tend to forget fae. . .for our protection. Does that mean you guys will lose your memory of me?”

My dad shook his head. “Your mother and I won’t. You are our flesh and blood. I can’t say the same for Lia and Cameron. There really is no telling, but I assure you. . .we will always know who you are.”

Gosh, I hoped so.

Before he said a word I felt him. I turned back to the woodlands to see Declan, hovering behind the first row of trees. He smiled warmly and nodded. That was my cue and now I wasn’t ready. I hesitated when I turned back to my parents. It wasn’t as if I wanted to drag this out, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave, feeling the finality of it all.

“The fae are waiting, Calliope,” Declan prompted respectfully. “It’s time.”

But I needed more time. This couldn’t be it. This was coming too fast. I wiped the tears from my eyes and gave my parents one last hug.

“I will be back,” I said into my mom’s neck.

“I know,” she said. “I know,” she whispered as if to reassure herself.

I took a deep breath and turned toward Declan. He stood as a safe harbor, ready and waiting for me to take sail. His face brightened with encouragement and it filled me with a confidence I hadn’t realized resided inside of me.

“I love you, Calliope,” Dad called to me.

I gulped back the tears in my throat and nodded. “I love you back,” I said over my shoulder.

It was time. I released my wings at last, letting them stretch unrestricted and wide. Declan bowed his head slightly to me when I stood before him and he lifted his palm for me to take.

“My queen,” he greeted with a smile and every part of my body tingled as those words echoed throughout my mind.

I accepted his hand as we began our journey to Faylinn.

I
grew up in San Diego, California exploring my interest for singing and playing the piano. I first discovered my passion for reading when I had to make my first flight alone to South Carolina to visit my, then, fiancé. My love for writing followed shortly after. My husband and I have now been married for five years and live in Summerville, South Carolina.

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