Page 105 of Crown of Wings and Whispers

“The residents there worshipped two jealous gods who were constantly at war with each other. And when people began dying, infected with some illness no one could cure, the king called upon the kinder god to save his people. But the kinder god did not respond. Soon, the king’s sons fell ill, and with no alternative, he desperately called on the more severe god for help, and the severe god answered.

“A bargain was struck. For a favor to be named in the future, the god agreed to save Hestia’s inhabitants by making them immortal. The king accepted. All of Hestia rejoiced. But in no time at all, the severe god demanded his favor. The king was ordered to sacrifice his two sons.

“Now, as you know, dealing with our kind requires…precision of language.”

I shivered. “Oh, I’m aware.”

Orion continued. “So, the king quickly agreed before the god could clarify. He volunteered to send his sons away, sacrificing the chance to see them again, but ensuring his heirs would survive.

“Unhappy with the king’s ingenuity, the god created the DeNoy, who would transport the sons away from Hestia. And he declared that, should either son return, the blessing of immortality would be lost. As my parents told it, they were a part of the contingent sent away with the two sons, the contingent that would thenceforth be known as the Fae. All immortal now, they traveled to Earth and enjoyed dominion over the resident mortals until the realms were separated, for the most part, and balance was achieved.

“Now, I must take you back, before the plague hit Hestia. Gloir and Afi had fallen in love with the same woman—Moire, a young prophetess who had tried to warn the king of the eminent disaster. Moire confided to the queen that she could not choose between the brothers, and she begged the mother to choose for her. The queen refused.

“Moire, too, fell ill with the others, but immortality not only saved her, it enhanced her powers. When plans were made to send the princes away, she foresaw that Gloir would become King of the Hestian Fae, and both brothers agreed she should be his Queen. Thus, her choice was made for her.

“The king bestowed upon Gloir the Naming Powers of Earth. For his selflessness, Afi was promised a position of power as well. Moire had foreseen a race of Earthmen set apart, who would have powers akin to the Hestians, and Gloir declared his brother would be theirSeanathair.

“The contingent consisted of both High and Lesser Fae. At Moire’s insistence, one of the first acts was to create Moire’s Embrace, a place where the spirits of deceased High Fae could dwell indefinitely, until they could be returned to Hestia to live again. Of course, the place has evolved since then…but I mustn’t stray from my story.

“Once here, our people settled on the most beautiful isle of the sea. Gloir and Moire began their reign while Afi went off to sort out the native folk. The Fae thrived, and the queen bore seven daughters, all beautiful and intelligent, all with differing talents. And life was good.”

Orion paused to check my reaction to his tall tale. I considered telling him it was all easy for me to believe since I’d already seen Hestia. But I chose to keep that little tidbit in my back pocket in case it might make a difference later.

“Shall I go on?”

“Yes, please.”

He settled back and gestured to the sky. “Because of our immortality, procreation is random and unpredictable. But during this time of thriving, I entered the world. While ambition was considered a vice in Hestia, I was born with an abundance. I grew up with the king’s daughters, always believing I would marry one of them and someday have Gloir’s throne. After all, immortality only goes so far. Accidents happen. Even High Fae are killed from time to time.

“Once I matured, I set out to woo the eldest daughter, Mercail. But Mercail saw my attention as ambition. Like her father, she viewed the attribute as a vice and rejected me.

“Uncowed, I moved on to the next sister, Thessa. She was wild, quick to love, and quick to move on. She dismissed me as soon as another Fae caught her attention, and again, I was left empty-handed.

“Gilliam, the most docile of all the king’s daughters, became my next pursuit. Like her sister Thessa, she was full of trust and loved easily. But unlike her other sisters, she had a temper that could devastate. And when she found she was only my third choice, she was unforgiving. And for a time, I exiled myself for fear of her retribution.

“When I returned a century later, I bore a different face and brought a new tactic. I took my time, watched from afar, and came to Deona as one who appreciated her talents. And like all artists, she was easily flattered. The day before our planned union, I had a foolish notion that I should confess who I was and thus earn, with my honesty, an added measure of her trust. But I was wrong and lost her heart completely. When she vowed to destroy me, I was forced to flee again.

“This miscreant the sisters called Ambition was long forgotten when a creature of light and beauty arrived in Fairy. With hair of gold and a face like a Greek god, he sought out Palida. There was no time for wooing—she recognized me clearly. Perhaps she’d been expecting me. In any case, I was promptly banished.

“But alas, Ambition did not leave empty-handed. I charmed Neia and took her with me. At that time, she was far too young to take to wife, however, so I kept her on a solitary island and waited for her to mature. But Neia remained young, stubbornly so. And she never gave up hope that her father, the king, would come for her.

“Decades passed. I finally returned her to Fairy, intending to slip out again with no one the wiser.

“After leaving the sleeping Neia at the door to the throne chamber, I hurried away in the dark. In my hopeless state, I found a boat and let it take me where it would. Rocked by the waves, I fell asleep. When I awoke, I had grounded on a pebbled beach that stretched to eternity. I walked along the shore for what seemed like days before I came across a young woman surviving on her own—a woman who did not speak.

“I was enchanted, all but forgot my ambitions, and fell in love. I was renewed.

“One day, a boat appeared on the horizon and we hid. As we watched the king’s guard disembark, she finally spoke. Her name was Rowena. She’d been sent away for her own safety, to keep her from Ambition, a man who’d stolen her sister and was expected to come after her. And if the guard was there to take her home again, it must mean Ambition had been thwarted.

“Tearfully, regretfully, she bid me goodbye and left me to my own devices.” Orion looked away, then, and I was almost convinced he had a heart.

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head, smiled, and continued. “I deliberated for a long time, whether to return to court or seek another life. In the end, I chose Rowena. Ambition wasn’t something that could be cured, only neglected for a time. And now that the woman I loved was also the last of the king’s daughters, I believed I could have everything I wanted. If I returned to court and Rowena declared her love for me, the king would have no choice but to approve our union. Or so I thought.

“Gloir denied us. But stubbornly, I returned each new moon to plead my case. Powerless to sway her father, Rowena silently looked on. Each visit, her heart grew more distant. Tears no longer filled her eyes. She had lost hope.

“One final time, I returned when I wasn’t expected. I held a blade to the king’s throat and demanded he hand over his powers, for if I controlled those powers, the throne would be mine…as would Rowena.

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