A Fairy's Guardian (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 18

Three days felt like an eternity when you're anticipating a gathering with some very important people. Levi had spent those three days slowly introducing me to the entire castle. Instead of showing me everything in one day like I had expected, he only showed me a couple of rooms at a time. The moment I looked even slightly overwhelmed by being surrounded by so many new people, he'd stop and take us back to his area of the castle.

When the time finally came for the council members to arrive, the entire palace was bustling with activity. The King had announced a feast scheduled for later tonight, and nearly everyone seemed to be buzzing with anticipation.

Despite the sun just beginning to rise, I'd been lying awake in my crib for hours. I couldn't sleep. There were too many questions running through my head. Too many what-ifs.

I'd noticed the great care Levi had taken to avoid mentioning what I was. He was quick to change the subject whenever a staff member asked about my fairy type, as if doing so would somehow stop them from whispering amongst themselves.

It didn't.

Rumors spread like wildfire. It starts with one little spark. A single whisper bouncing from one individual to the next. Those whispers had started the very first day I entered the castle in cuffs. They grew bigger when the royal guards spotted the mark of a guardian on their commander's wrist. They became unstoppable when their king requested the presence of the elders.

In a surprisingly short amount of time, the members of this castle knew who I was, well before I knew them. When they looked at me, their faces held the same look of concern as King Viktor's. Their eyes carried the same pity as Axel's.

Some were even bold enough to tell me that I had their support, whatever that meant.

But worst of all?

Some of them feared me.

Just a friendly reminder: fairies do not get very big. We're lucky if we even reach five feet. A giant orc who spends his days around anvils and sharp swords should not be afraid of something smaller than his pinky toe.

Yet he wasn't the only one to avoid my gaze.

The librarian had tripped over his own words while showing me his large collection of books. A handful of guards stiffened whenever I got too close. There were also the two maids who had practically run in the opposite direction when they saw me yesterday.

One could assume these mixed reactions had nothing to do with me and everything to do with the griffin prince constantly keeping close by. It was my first assumption as well.

But when I'd asked Levi why people seemed to fear him so much, he'd told me that it wasn't him they feared.

It was the unknown.

As if sensing my thoughts spiraling out of control, a soft knock landed on my bedroom door.

Levi stepped inside, his eyes immediately finding me still awake in my crib. The concern on his face was almost amusing.

"Didn't sleep much?"

"Not even a little bit," I groaned, stretching out my stiff limbs. "Mainly because a certain someone threatened death if I learned anything about my bloodline before the council arrived. Who needs sleep when you have that lovely thought circling your brain all night?"

The prince winced, looking almost guilty.

"I'm sorry, little one. It wasn't meant to scare you." He moved toward the crib, his voice softening. "I only said it because you needed to understand how dangerous it could be to ask questions you're not ready to hear the answers to. My job as your guardian is to keep you safe. Letting you run off and search for information on your own, especially through whatever connections you've formed on the streets, would have been a really bad idea."

I watched as he lowered the crib's side rails. The moment they clicked into place, a large knot began twisting in my stomach.

"What about the elders?" I asked. "Will the information they give me put me in danger?"

His hands paused against the wooden frame.

For a moment, he said nothing. He seemed to be weighing my question, trying to decide how much he should tell me and how much he should leave for the council to explain.

"Shailyn, you've been in danger since the day you turned eighteen," he finally said, his voice quiet.

I stared at him.

"Considering how long you've been left to your own devices, it's a surprise you're even alive right now." He sighed softly before continuing. "My father believes that's because your powers haven't awakened yet."

His expression became more serious.

"The elders won't make your enlightenment any less perilous. They're simply going to give you the tools and knowledge you'll need to have some control over what happens next."

He stepped back from the crib and offered me his hand.

"Come get some breakfast with me. The meeting starts in an hour, and trust me, you're going to need a proper meal before then."

I took it with a long, heavy sigh. Food was the last thing on my mind right now, but I was grateful for Levi's honesty. While his words were extremely vague and cryptic, I could respect the fact it wasn't being done with the sole intention of annoying me.

"Does your new mates plan to be there still?" I asked when we got to the breakfast table.

Even with the anxiety racing through my body, as if it were a formula one racetrack, it was hard not to drool over the build your own French toast set up in front of me.

Did I ever mention how well this man can cook? Because holy cheeses, this man can cook.

Levi chuckled at my casual facade. He slid out a chair before gesturing for me to sit. When I did, he pulled out a second chair next to me and sat down.

I swear, he acted as if he was a prince or something.

"Axel and Erik will most definitely be at the meeting," he responded to my previous inquiry. "They aren't just my mates, they're your guardians as well. The council requires their attendance. Since you reside in his kingdom, Father will also be there. I recieved an odd text from him this morning though. Something about 'ain't no big ooga boogas comin for my granddaughter'. Not entirely sure if his sanity is intact enough for this meeting, but he seems to be thinking positively."

With an arched brow, I stabbed a piece of French toast with my fork, planning to eat it popsicle style as I looked my guardian in the eye.

"With all due respects, your dad is bonkers."

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🐑 Hoi peeps, I got another update for ya! Was trying to get it in before I go on a family vacation in a few days. Hopefully you enjoyed it :) In the next chapter, we will find out why shadow faeries are so hard to find, and what dangerous powers they hold 👀