Last of Her Kind (Book 1, Part 1, of the LAST series)

call of home

He looked sad.

Why’d he look sad? Maybe I should go back and let him… No. Why would I feel bad, Faeda? He’s the one who doesn’t like me. He’s the one who keeps his distance. Maybe that’s why he barely talks to me.

I ran a hand through my locs in frustration, trying to push down the weight of sadness pressing on my chest. Feelings sucked. I missed the days when I didn’t have to deal with them—back when things were simpler.

I kept walking, but my mind was in turmoil, halfheartedly taking in the beautiful scenery of the sanctuary. But no matter what I did, my thoughts kept circling back to Sorin. Just thinking about him made my heart race. I shook my head, trying to clear him from my mind, but it was useless.

I soon found myself back at the large tree, my feet sore from walking. I couldn’t even remember what I had seen. Leaning back against the trunk, I watched the elves interact with each other, the sound of children’s laughter filling the air. It was a peaceful, warm scene—one that made me feel even more out of sorts.

A familiar laugh caught my attention. I turned my head and saw Sorin, holding a child in his arms, spinning them around as they squealed in delight.

Of course, he’s amazing with kids. Why wouldn’t he be?

The child clung to him, laughing as Sorin tossed them into the air before catching them effortlessly. More children surrounded him, jumping up and down, begging for their turn. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight. He looked so at ease, so... perfect.

Why did he have to be good at everything?

Our eyes met, and my smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. But his remained, his expression soft and warm as if we weren’t standing worlds apart emotionally.

My heart pounded in my chest, heat rising to my cheeks. Saints, his smile was gorgeous—those perfect teeth and that effortless charm. I wanted to look away, but I was rooted in place. Before I knew it, he was walking toward me, leaving the children behind with a promise of more play later.

It was too late to run. He was already too close.

He stopped in front of me, his smile faltering slightly. “Hey.”

I cleared my throat, letting out an awkward laugh. “Hey, back at ya.” I inwardly cringed. “The kids seem to really like you.”

He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I guess. They’re amazing.”

I didn’t like this. I didn’t like having his full attention. His eyes—those stupid, beautiful eyes—were locking me in place. I felt like I was going to melt, or worse, say something ridiculous. Quickly, I turned my focus to the tree. “I, uh, I really like this tree. It’s, um, it’s a very large... tree.”

He let out a soft breath. “It is. The elves help keep it alive. Come with me,” he said, motioning for me to follow.

I shook my head, already feeling overwhelmed. “No, it’s alright. You go ahead.”

But he didn’t leave. Instead, he stepped closer, his hand reaching out and grabbing mine. My breath caught as his rough fingers intertwined with mine. Why did this feel so... right?

“Trust me,” he said gently, pulling me along. “You’ll want to see this.”

I hesitated but followed him, my heart racing. He led me to a small opening at the base of the tree, just large enough for us to squeeze through. “Through here,” he said, gesturing to the narrow entrance.

We both squeezed inside, and as soon as I stepped into the hollow of the tree, my jaw dropped. Glowing green specks floated all around, like tiny fireflies illuminating the dark space. It was magical. I walked toward the center, gazing up in awe.

“What is this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“No idea,” Sorin replied, his voice soft. “An elf created it long ago. The specks help keep the tree alive.”

I smiled, spinning slowly in place, taking in the beauty surrounding us. “It’s beautiful.”

“It is,” he agreed quietly.

I turned to find him watching me, his gaze. My smile faltered under the weight of his stare. Not again. I couldn’t handle this again. I couldn’t handle the way he made me feel, the way his eyes seemed to see through everything I tried to hide.

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to look away. “Thank you for showing me this, but I should probably go find Azriel. He’ll want to show me where I’ll be staying,” I said, taking a step forward.

But Sorin moved with me, closing the distance between us. “You’re avoiding me again,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet sadness that made my heart ache.

I froze, his words hitting too close to home. “What? No, I’ve just been... I don’t know.” I couldn’t come up with a decent excuse.

“Why are you avoiding me?” he pressed, his eyes searching mine.

“I’m not,” I lied, my voice barely holding together.

He took another step, and I could feel the tension between us thickening. “Please, Faeda. Why are you avoiding me?”

I looked away, my emotions bubbling up to the surface. I was trying so hard to keep them in check, but I couldn’t anymore. “Because... because it’s you,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

Sorin’s brow furrowed. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” I repeated, frustration lacing my words. “I’ve been trying not to fall for you. I know you don’t want attachments, and we barely even know each other, but I can’t help it. I feel drawn to you. Every time I look at you and you look back at me, there’s this... this connection, and I know you feel it too. And it’s terrifying.”

I paused, my chest tightening as I forced the words out. “I’ve tried so hard to fight it, but I’ve already fallen, and it’s killing me because I know you don’t feel the same way. So, I’m trying to stay away from you because... because it’s easier that way.”

Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them back, embarrassed that I had laid everything out like that. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

He reached out, his hand gentle as it grazed my arm, but I shook my head, stepping back. “Don’t,” I whispered. “I know you don’t feel the same, so just... don’t. Until this feeling goes away, avoiding you is the only thing that makes sense to me.”

“Faeda, I—”

Before Sorin could respond, shouts erupted from outside the tree, cutting him off. Without hesitation, I bolted, running past him and out of the hollow. I froze when I saw the protectors standing in a tight circle, their swords drawn, surrounding someone.

Panic surged through me, but then I saw it—the familiar blue and gold cloak. Relief and joy flooded me. I couldn’t believe it. “Wait, I know him!” I shouted. Without thinking, I pushed through the protectors, and there he was—Jayce.

“Jayce!” I cried, throwing myself into his arms, wrapping mine tightly around his neck. My heart pounded with excitement, and I felt the tension that had built inside me dissolve as his arms closed around me. “I’m so sorry for leaving,” I blurted, my words spilling out in a rush. “I shouldn’t have left like that. I didn’t mean to—really, I just—”

“It’s okay,” he soothed, his voice warm and comforting as always. “I understand why you did.”

I pulled away, laughing breathlessly, hardly able to believe he was here. “How did you find me?”

“I saw him following me,” Nissa said, stepping out from behind Jayce. “He said he knew you, so I brought him here to see if it was true. If it wasn’t…” Her tone turned dark for a moment. “Well, I would’ve had him beheaded.”

“Lovely,” Jayce muttered sarcastically, flashing her a grin before turning back to me. The protectors lowered their swords, the tension easing from the air.

“I can’t believe this place is real,” Jayce said, his eyes wide as he took in the sanctuary.

“Me neither,” I agreed, still in awe myself.

Jayce’s expression softened. “But I think it’s time for you to come back home.”

My smile faltered. “Why? I really like it here.”

“I know,” he said, hesitating, “but trust me, it’s for your own safety.”

I frowned. “What could be safer than being surrounded by protectors?” I motioned to the armored men standing nearby, confusion growing inside me.

Jayce paused, his gaze shifting slightly. “I guess… I just miss you. It was nice when it was just you and me, you know? Maybe I’m being selfish.”

I studied him. He wasn’t telling me everything, and I knew it. But maybe leaving would be good. It would give me space—from all of this, and especially from Sorin. Maybe I needed to clear my head.

“You can always visit,” Jayce added, his smile returning. “I can portal you here whenever you want.”

A small voice interrupted. “Are you really leaving?”

I looked down to see Lily, her eyes wide and sad. My heart ached. I knelt before her, offering a comforting smile. “Only for a little while. I was searching for my kind, and I found you. My journey’s done, but I’ll visit, I promise.”

Her bottom lip quivered before she nodded. An idea popped into my head. “Hey, how about you take care of Nyx for me while I’m gone? Think you can handle that?”

Her face lit up, and she nodded eagerly. “Yes!”

I laughed. “Thank you.”

Standing again, I found myself locking eyes with Ilyana. She stepped forward, pulling me into a tight hug. “You better come visit,” she said, her voice filled with warmth.

“I will,” I promised with a smile.

I turned to Azriel, Ren, and Sorin. “Thank you all, for getting me here. For saving me.”

“It was our pleasure,” Azriel said, pulling me into a hug.

“You better come see me,” Ren chimed in, his usual playful smirk on his face.

“You know I will,” I replied, hugging him.

Then there was Sorin. My heart clenched painfully as I stood before him, knowing this was the hardest goodbye. “Faeda, can we—”

I cut him off, stepping forward to give him a quick, tight hug. “You’re going to make someone really happy someday,” I whispered, forcing a smile through the ache in my chest.

I didn’t give him a chance to respond, turning away quickly before the emotions could overwhelm me. I walked back to Jayce, my heart heavy.

Jayce nodded, raising his staff and slamming it into the ground. A portal swirled open before us. I could feel Sorin’s eyes on me, burning into my back, silently willing me to look back at him.

But I didn’t.

Head held high, I stepped through.