Chapter 12
Nora could feel Noor's soft breaths on her shoulder as a gentle hand shook her awake.
"Nora?" Afet whispered. "Nora."
With difficulty, Nora opened her eyes and lifted her head. The cramp on her neck made her shift a groan as she slowly sat up, careful as to not disturb Noor.
"Did you stay here all night?" Afet asked, helping Nora sit up.
Nora nodded, "Yeah."
"You should go back to your room," the fey said. "Udara wants to see you for breakfast."
"Why?" Nora asked, feeling her head throbbing.
"I'm sure she will tell you over breakfast."
And with that, Afet left Nora to follow her out of the infirmary. The pair walked through the halls in silence. The guards paused and bowed to Afet and peered at Nora with curious eyes. Nora stared back with equal parts question and curiosity.
"Afet?" Nora hurried to walk beside the fey.
"Yes?" Afet turned her head.
"I hope I don't sound offensive but...." Nora looked over her shoulder. "I thought....."
Afet waited as Nora looked for the right wording. She arched her brow wondering what the girl wanted to say.
"In history books," Nora began slowly. "It said feys had snow white hair, eyes full of colors beyond our imaginations, porcelain skin...."
The corner of Afet's mouth curved up as she realized what Nora was trying to ask.
"You're wondering why we do not look like what the history books describe?" She asked.
"Yes," Nora said. "I hope you're not offended."
"No, not at all," Afet said, pausing in front of Nora's door. "We're common blood. We look more human than the nobles. You start to see some of those history book traits in noble blood. The higher you go up the bloodline, the more dominant fey features are."
"Oh..." Nora said, thinking of Birdie. "What about.....half feys."
"Half feys?" Afet asked, confused.
"Yeah," Nora shrugged. "Like what if a high blood had children with a non fey....what would their children be like?"
"That's very uncommon," Afet frowned. "Especially with high bloods."
"Why?"
"They're high blood for a reason," the fey laughed. "They do not like to mix with other races or lower feys."
"That's kind of messed up, don't you think?"
"It is what it is," Afet shrugged.
"So the possibilities of a hybrid child with high blood magic is.....low?"
"Very," Afet nodded. "Next to impossible. They did not tolerate hybrid children. And no high blood would be crazy enough to have children with someone below their class."
"So if there was a fey hybrid child....." Nora casually tested out the waters.
"If there was such a child," Afet laughed. "They would most likely be noble blood or common blood."
"Would noble blood be able to save the Shajara?"
With a deep sigh, Afet shook her head, "Unfortunately, no."
Nora's heart sank to the bottom of her empty stomach. Her face fell as she stood by the door, staring at the ground. A part of her, somewhere in her heart, sighed a breath of relief. There was no way she would have dragged Hayden into something this complicated. He had his own chaos he had to handle. Nora would hate to be the extra stress. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if Hayden's life was ever made more difficult because of her.
