Page 88 of The Fae King's Labyrinth

“And Soren is rarely wrong.”

“True.” My secretary and my wife had formed an uneasy truce. Especially once she convinced him she supported me being productive and had the kingdom’s best interests at heart. I caught my wife’s hand and gently squeezed her slender fingers. “This is why you wanted to check in person.”

“Thank you for coming with me.” She stepped closer and leaned against my arm.

“Always.” I tucked a curl behind her ear. “Soren informed me that the elves said your sister and her husband are expecting us.”

Calypso nodded, her expressive mouth betraying far more than she probably realized of the mixed emotions this visit was stirring up.

“We can go home if you wish.”

She shook her head. “No. I need to face them.”

In the year since she had last stood on this land, both of our lives had changed for the better. I suspected the same could not be said of her sister’s family. Even one inexperienced as I was in human agriculture could see the difference between the fields we trekked over and the others surrounding the village. The signs of neglect were clear—especially to Calypso.

Reaching the main road—a wide dirt path that wound, without clear purpose or direction through the fields—we began encountering humans.

Groups of men walking home after a long day’s work regarded us solemnly from beneath wide-brimmed hats. They slowed as we passed. Whether it was to stop and stare or to give us a wary berth, I didn’t care.

Women and children also trod the dusty path. We came upon clusters of two or three, and each group gasped at the sight of us and drew closer to each other so they could bend their heads and whisper. I doubted Calypso heard their words, but I did and glared at them.

“We should’ve let Ghost come. He would’ve silenced the lot without a word,” I grumbled.

“More likely he would’ve murdered someone.” Calypso nudged my side.

“Calypso!” A group of children crowded onto the path. She ran to greet them, and they surrounded her.

My hand went instinctively to Vorpalus on my hip when I heard the use of her name. A passing group of women gasped in shock. I rolled my eyes and dropped my hand to hang by my side instead.

I closed my eyes for the briefest of moments, andI reminded myself, for the umpteenth time, that it was safe for her to be called Calypso. She wanted to be called that. After all, we had gone through a whole naming ceremony so I could give her a new name and allow myself and others to call her Calypso openly. I smiled to myself. I alone knew her true name now.

“Azulin.” My wife approached where I had stopped in the path. “May I introduce my nieces and nephew to you?”

I nodded.

“This is Piera, Melly, and Dion.”

The pre-adolescent girls regarded me with varying degrees of wariness. However, Dion—a filthy lad of perhaps four perched on my wife’s hip—regarded me boldly while tugging on his ear.

“Azulin is a strange name,” Piera commented.

“He is fae,” Melly replied.

“Girls, don’t be rude,” Calypso chided.

Piera rolled her eyes and crossed her scrawny arms over her narrow torso. “Mother said we didn’t have to be polite.” For all of her brashness, a wary light lingered in her eyes.

“Sounds like foolish advice,” I responded.

“Oh?” Melly’s eyes widened.

“After all, I am a king and fae.” I snapped my fingers and sparks crackled harmlessly in the air between us.

A twinge of fear crossed the girls’ faces and their eyes rounded even more.

“He has a point,” Calypso commented. The note of laughter in her tone brought my gaze to her face. The warmth and amusement in her expression melted my mild annoyance at her sister. I could tolerate most anything if it made my wife happy.

Refocusing on the children, Calypso began smoothing Dion’s hair back from his forehead. “Where is your father?”

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