Page 64 of Vibing Unity

“So you just stop caring?” Neldor bellowed and moved like he was going to go at Darby, but Taeral stopped him.

“Fuck you,” Darby snapped. He gestured between himself, Hudson, and Julian. “We’refried, Neldor. This has been going on for years before you were even woken up. Since I’ve mether—fuck, thedayI met her she practically tried to get herself killed calling out some of the most powerful and lethal people at school.”

“Seeing her convulse when she took the medication to undo the human vaccines,” Julian whispered as he looked up and wiped his eyes. “I still have nightmares seeing that. Experiencing it with her and how much pain she was in.” He gave Neldor a hard look. “We’re not tapped out.”

“Our nervous systems can’t ride the swings all of the time anymore,” Hudson mumbled, his arms crossed over his wide chest as he stared at his feet. “And every time we beg her to not do it again but still, she fucking does. She always will no matter what we fucking say.”

Ouch. Just… Ouch.

But he wasn’t wrong which was why I curled into myself, even in the dream. I moved back from them a bit and sat, hugging my knees to my chest.

Lageos arrived and demanded to know what was going on and what my current condition was. Calarel confirmed I would be fine and nothing was broken. I just used way too much magic. Julian had shut it all down when he’d arrived, and the healers had immediately given me crystals with my power to help me.

My dad nodded and gave me some power as well and kissed my forehead. Then he spun around and demanded answers.

“We don’t know, Lag,” Iolas said quietly. “We have pieces. So just chill and we’ll tell you.” He nodded when my dad opened his mouth. “I know.I know. I was beside myself too, okay? Her nose was gushing blood and it was leaking out her fucking ears. I know.”

That seemed to calm my dad down somehow, and he let out a few breaths before glancing between them for answers.

“You were here helping when she woke the rest of the frozen fairies,” Shael said. “But she wasn’t happy like the rest of us. I assumed it was because she knew who she had to wake next.”

“I thought the same,” Neldor whispered, rubbing his arm. “I’m even more conflicted and—she just seemed to need space but—she was lost in her head a bit, not like super upset or anything worrisome.”

“Yes, it was like she needed space,” Ara confirmed. “I saw her moving off to the side of everything, and we asked she please come find us before she left Faerie because I didn’t want to getchewed out again. She nodded and then teleported away. So she just wanted—I thought she was going to go to her unicorns where she’s safe.”

Lageos calmed even more when several people nodded. It actually warmed my heart that so many of them noticed I was upset but did give me space and cared.

I shot myself in the foot for sure. They were going to hover after how I behaved.

Stupid princess.

“She went to the temple in the neutral zone,” Neldor explained.

“That’s her favorite temple,” Lucca muttered, finally saying something. He nodded when a few people seemed shocked. “She says it was the foundation for what she’s bled for—what so many have died for and will come true when she becomes queen. It’s her favorite temple.”

Neldor nodded but continued. “Someone found her there unconscious. Luckily, they immediately alerted Guardians and we were contacted. I felt something off, but I didn’t understand—I didn’tknowit was her—” He let Taeral give him a half hug in comfort.

“She made a comment about having your relatives set up a damn queue system,” Shael continued. “That the aunts and uncles were pushy. Then Prince Neldor tried to get her to settle, but she said she couldn’t because they were in pain and she had the answer.”

“The little girl she’s trying to heal,” Darby surmised. “She went to pray for help. That makes sense, but I don’t understand how waking fairies…” He sighed and several people nodded.

“There were at least fifty with mangled wings who will never fly again,” Onas said sadly but then snorted. “Or apparently, she can heal them now.”

“What did you just say?” Morgan asked as he joined them with over a dozen captains including Dalyor. “The princess healed a damaged wing?”

“By the gods,” people whispered when Shael, Onas, and Neldor all nodded.

“It’s not all better,” Shael started to say, but then Lageos slapped the wall and made it clear for her to focus. She nodded and met his gaze. “She came back to where we were helping those newly awoken and people say she was looking for someone. She found him and begged him not to give up on her…” She looked at Onas who swallowed loudly.

“We think she caught something that made it clear the man was suicidal,” he said gently.

Several people there swore, knowing that was such an issue for me.

“She said she couldn’t lose another this way,” Neldor confirmed. “She was all worked up and too—she was sobbing and begging him to let her try. It was—”

“I was shocked at her behavior as well, but now I understand it,” Shael said gently, reaching over and patting his shoulder. “There were already too many emotions all around us since we lost a few today as well.”

“This is about more than that man or her human friend she lost,” Julian said scrubbing his hand over his cheek. He shot Stefanie an apologetic look. “When I cut through her barrier and shut it all down, she talked in my mind before she passed out. She said, ‘I couldn’t heal her, but I can heal him.’”

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