Page 26 of The Pixies' Chosen

What is better is that it does not end for the rest of the night. After scraping off the pumpkin’s innards to the best of our ability, and bathing in the stream of warm water that Candy provides for us in her sink, Tryst fulfils his promise by flying Ammayi up with a black marker that she can barely wield. Tryst tries to keep his flying steady, but it doesn’t seem to help any as they work together to paint on the most bizarre face I have ever seen while Grimsal regales us with stories of things he has seen of late in the city. I laugh at the sight of it to which Ammayi and Tryst respond with their own laughter in answer, but the merriment quickly subsides when Grimsal’s stories turn toward fairies.

“I’ve never seen so many fairies arrive for the hunt before,” he murmurs with a shake of his head. “Not all fairies meanharm, but a good number are not safe. In recent years certain segments have been forbidden access to the portals because they’ve shown themselves to be too great of a risk to humans they catch on these dark nights.” He glances meaningfully at me. “So you’d best watch out. I never trust that one might not find their way through.”

I nod in agreement, my stomach twisting as I recall the fairies that I let through as part of our agreement. Grimsal did not mention the fairy races by name, but it still settles uncomfortably within my stomach when I think about it. Surely there was no such restriction for bone fairies. Boneflint pixies often come back and forth to collect the teeth they utilize as building material and powerful magics.

Although the relationship is unusual between the two species, being one of the few pixies that bone fairies do not go after due to the toxic nature of the pixies’ bones to them, I cannot imagine that there is danger there. Bone fairies seldom have any interest in other races when pixie bones and small animals were far more convenient for their spells. I imagine that they had simply wished to arrive early before the hunt to enjoy the human world in peace as they looked for their companion. In fact, they have probably already found him and are waiting to depart with the end of the hunt.

I shrug it off with a promise to be wary as I dig into the food Candy spreads in front of us while Grimsal’s tales to turn to other adventures and the frightful and haunting sights among the fae kingdoms. It is in this spirit of merriment that we consume large chunks of the baked treats and drink the thimbles of refreshments until I feel like I am ready to explode. Or maybe that is just this new feeling of contentment trying to burst through my chitin.

Either way, it is a good night, and I feel a warmth radiating through me as I crawl into bed next to Ammayi. She is alreadyasleep, but that is a good thing. The rest will do her good. Tryst blinks and smiles sleepily at me from her other side and curls his arm around her to drape his hand lovingly against me.

“I am sorry,” I whisper, keeping my voice low so as to not wake her. “You were right about everything, and my actions… they were no less than despicable. You have been my heart for countless years, and I hope to look forward to many more such years, but this time with both of you… if you think you can forgive me.”

A shimmer of tears wets his eyes. He does not speak for a long moment, but a wealth of love flows along our bond as he nods. “Always, but our queen may not be so easy.”

I glance down at Ammayi and my heart softens. My eyes rise to meet his gaze and I smile confidently. “Whatever it takes.”

Tryst nods in approval and I burrow into the bedding as I tuck myself close to them, allowing this new contentment to wash over me. I feel as if I am home at last… but it is not our comfortable nest in the Dark Forest that comes to mind, nor the pixie lights dancing through the gloom of the woods. Instead, it is being curled up next to Tryst and Ammayi in our crudely and hastily made bed. It is waking up to the hope of seeing Ammayi grin sleepily at me and for once not seeing that smile falter in response to a cold glare. It is sitting with them and eating together, but rather than strained silence interrupted with small bouts of conversation between them, there is only warmth and laughter that we all share in. Then there is the image of Ammayi that comes unbidden of the female staring longingly at her books that she is too small to hold between her hands and read, and I swear that I will make her a library even if I must copy every single one of her beloved books by hand.

I am likely now bonding with our queen, but it is good. I finally look forward to it with a sense of excitement rather than dread. My queen, my hive, my family. Drinking in herpheromones, I allow them to banish the dark shadows within me that have been weighing me down and lull me into a peaceful sleep.

CHAPTER 21

TRYST

My wings hum with excitement as I lift into the air to careen playfully by my queen, her laughter sweet in my ears as her sheath that she has long informed me is called a kurti flattens against her legs and the squirrel fur wrapped snugly around her ruffles with the breeze. Bit by bit, my queen is regaining her spirit as we find new ways to join her old life with her new world, much of it by Havoc’s clever suggestion.

There was a carnival with a costume contest that had provided amusement, costumed children doing some sort of activity begging for treats along a decorated path set up through the park, and peaceful days flying among the brightly colored trees. There was a constant and odd need to dodge crows every time that we left our nest, but even that had become an entertaining challenge over time as they seemed to become a regular part of our environment.

I must hand it to Havoc, though, he has made good by his apology and his vow. I am seeing more and more of the male Iremember—the male that I knew still dwelled deep within him. His eyes brighten with wicked humor as he scoops Ammayi into his arms to follow me as we zip with a pixie’s freedom through the skies.

“Where are we going today?” Ammayi shouts as my hive brother drops level with me.

I drop to the side, tangling my limbs with theirs as we spin together for a moment in the air until she is breathless with laughter before peeling away with chuckle. “Did you not say that you wish to enjoy the haunted house amusement?” I shout.

Her eyes widen with such delight that my heart lightens with pleasure. Way to go Havoc.

“How? Wouldn’t it be a little dangerous to fly recklessly through a dark, enclosed space? Especially one set up to do unexpected things to frighten people?”

“That is why we are not,” Havoc replies easily as he banks hard at my left, forcing me to turn in a wild spin to keep up with him. “We will be leisurely enjoying it in style.”

Ammayi casts me a questioning look but I grin cluelessly back at her, my shimmer fluttering flirtatiously for her. I am as much in the dark as she is, but I hear the pride in his voice, and I am just as excited. Of all the things I could have imagined, I am not prepared to see Inika and her mate standing just outside the entrance. At first, I think it is merely a coincidence, but Havoc goes directly to them with a pleased bounce to his flight. As usual, our light draws some attention of those passing by, but Inika smiles in welcome and I understand that she has been waiting for us. I also notice that she is also wearing a wide-brimmed hat that Havoc immediately drops down onto, his violet wings folding as he sets Ammayi on the stiff brim.

“Inika? What are you doing here?” Ammayi asks, her voice bright with curiosity. “You don’t usually enjoy things like this.”

The female shrugs casually but her nose wrinkles slightly as she turns toward the building in front of us. At that moment a loud moan echoes from inside that makes me frown at the building with misgiving. Perhaps I am not as enthusiastic about this as I thought I was. There was a reason that I was happy to not return to the Dark Forest with our mate. I can certainly empathize with Inika’s obvious reluctance.

“I’m not really a fan, getting little thrills out of someone trying to scare you isn’t really my thing, but you can thank Havoc. He wanted to make this happen and so when he earnestly approached Dishan, we couldn’t really say no. And besides, Dishan says he will protect me so maybe a few cheap thrills won’t be so bad,” she adds as she hugs her smiling mate’s arm to her. Her eyes suddenly lift toward the brim of her hat as they walk together towards the entrance. “Mummi said that you quit going to school.”

I drop beside Ammayi as she hesitates uncertainly, my hand coming around her waist in silent support as I nod encouragingly. She smiles her thanks and glances over to Havoc as well, instinctively seeking out his reassurance as well. A flutter of contentment deep within my chest brings a smile to my face as Havoc’s expression gentles and he squeezes her hand. His eyes slowly lift to mine, however, and I can feel the connection between us, even though the bond between Havoc and Ammayi is still only half-formed. It is like a circuit between us, the beginning of a fully formed connection between hive and queen. This is potent magic, however, and it settles within me in a sense of complete rightness as things settle between us exactly how I had always hoped they would and how they were meant to be.

“Oh. Um, yes.”

Inika hums softly to herself but smiles. “I hope you don’t have any other Halloween shocks for her. I know you always takepleasure in trying to scare us all at least once but I think one a year is about all she can handle, and this year has been a little extra special with all the surprises.”

“No. No other surprises,” Ammayi agrees with a wry laugh. “I’ve just been trying to get a handle on my new life, and you are right, what Mummi and Papa planned for me hasn’t been what I wanted for a long time. It was past time to make a change, especially since it wasn’t really going to work anymore.” She takes a deep breath and slowly releases it. “It was time to commit to the future that I want—the sort of future Havoc and Tryst have been showing me that I can have.”

“Good,” Inika replies. “Now that things have been made clear and you have devoted yourself fully to this life that you want with your… ah… mates, our parents can only be happy for you when they watch you grow and succeed.”

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