THE ONLY PRINCE [High Fantasy Quest Adventure w/ Fae Romance]

Chapter Eight

"CONSIDER IT A gift," The stranger claps my father on the back. His booming voice shattering the quiet of our small cottage. I don't even question how they have managed to follow so closely to Solaris and I.

My head whips around to see just who he thinks he is, fury coursing through my veins. "A gift?" I seethe, my eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"I'll have my necromancer come by and revive her. She'll be back in a months time with years ahead of her!" His grin is sickeningly sincere, but his words fall on deaf ears as disbelief and rage drown out all sound.

Without hesitation, I find myself on my feet, marching towards him, the height difference suddenly irrelevant as the anger in my gut begins to boil.

"Kaia-" Orion rushes in between us.

The stranger stands confidently before me, entirely unfazed by my sudden aggression. The sound of his laughter is like wind chimes, each note a playful, silvery ripple. His smile is a marvel. Between perfect dimples, teeth gleam like polished ivory against the backdrop of his warm complexion. Each tooth meticulously sculpted, perfectly straight and as dazzlingly white as the snow he caused.

His eyes twinkle mischievously as he takes a step back, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

But they no longer freeze me in place. The sight of Aunt Elora, Solaris's mournful screams outside, Jovanna and Circe - they are all that flood my mind.

"Easy there," he says with a chuckle. " I mean you no harm. I simply have a solution for your current predicament."

My hands clench into fists, nails digging into my palms as I struggle to contain the rage threatening to consume me. His callous disregard rings in my ear.

"Predicament? She's dead!" The words come out through lividly bared teeth.

"Kaia," Orion warns again. "Stand down!" His voice slices through the air, sharp as a scythe as he firmly places both his hands on my shoulders.

But it is not just a warning. I finally meet Orion's gaze and realize what has left my father's mouth is a threat. The cold before was nothing compared to the chill in my bones now.

His usually warm golden honey eyes are clouded with something else, something darker, something I can't quite place.

For a moment, I simply stare, unable to comprehend the shift in his demeanor. The man before me could be a stranger, my fathers features twisted by an unfamiliar intensity. Gone is the gentle warmth I've always known from him, replaced now by a steely resolve that sent shivers down my spine.

I shake off Orion's hands and take a step back. My chest rises and falls, but I can't seem to catch my breath all the same. Now that I've looked away from Aunt Elora I can't seem to bring my eyes to her again. She has always brought me comfort, but now her presence only adds pressure to the room.

The stranger's smile falters for a brief moment before he regains his composure. "Please excuse me. You have my deepest apologizes for the destruction caused by my arrival. The fault is mine and I will personally see it repaired by daybreak. This is the only casualty and you have my solemn vow I will have it reversed."

I don't ask why the stranger is assuming Aunt Elora is the only one who died, but I hope for his sake that he is correct. Even so, it will take decades for our village to recover from a storm like this. The shops, the market stands, the fountains, the statues, the flowers, the gardens, the ships, the dock, the sea glass mosaics, the homes, the hurt people. Thoughts swirl in a frenzy so chaotic, I don't put together what reversing a casualty could even mean.

"We appreciate and accept your generous offer," My father forces through gritted teeth, and gives a stiff bow, his eyes never leaving the stranger's face, "Prince Noadok."