Page 24 of Faeheart
Wild was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Through our bond, I felt a complex tangle of emotions, anger, disappointment, and surprisingly, concern. For me.
“Did you know?” he finally asked.
“No,” I said quietly. “But I should have. There were signs... comments he’d make about other magical beings, his insistence that I maintain ‘proper associations.’ I just never thought he’d go this far.”
Wild’s hand found mine on the bedspread, his fingers intertwining with mine. The touch sent another wave of connection through us, stronger than before.
“It’s not your fault,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. “Parents have a way of hiding their worst parts from their kids. Believe me, I know.”
I felt a rush of curiosity at that last comment. Through our bond, I caught glimpses of Wild’s own family, elegant fae nobility with cold smiles and calculating eyes behind their glamorous façades. Nothing like the carefree, chaotic persona he projected.
“Your parents...” I started, but Wild squeezed my hand, cutting me off.
“Not important right now,” he said, his mental walls slamming up with surprising force. “What matters is that the Purity Front thinks you betrayed them. That makes you a target.”
I sighed, running my free hand through my hair. “They said my father promised I would join their cause. That I understood the need for ‘purity.’” The disgust in my voice was palpable. “But I never agreed to any of it. I didn’t even know.”
Wild’s thumb traced small circles on my palm, the gesture oddly soothing. “And now you’ve gone and bonded yourself to a fae and a half-dryad. That’s gotta be daddy’s worst nightmare.”
Despite everything, I felt my lips twitch into a small smile. “I suppose it is, even if I didn’t do it on purpose.”
He paused, those green eyes looking up at me. “Do you regret it?”
“Honestly?” I sighed, giving him a good long look. “I don’t know. I don’t want to be part of hispurityrampage… but I don’t think I want to be forcefully connected to…anyone.” Another deep breath as I felt Wild’s curiosity surge. “Being this close to anyone is new, especially non-witches.”
“You really have been brought up away from everyone else, haven’t you?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “The last person in my family to even talk to a fae for more than five minutes was probably my grandmother. And I only found out about that the day I came back to Widdershins.”
Wild’s eyes widened with interest, a spark of energy returning to his weary features. “Your grandmother knew fae? Tell me more.”
I hesitated, glancing toward the door to make sure we were still alone. “Our house witch, Varina, gave me some of her things before I came back to school without telling my parents. A journal, some artifacts, and...” I paused, remembering the photograph. “A picture of her with someone from the Seelie Court. At Briar Hall, actually. I… I wonder if Varina knew what was going to happen.”
“Briar Hall?” Wild’s voice cracked with surprise, and he tried to sit up straighter before wincing. “That’s... that’s my family’s estate. The main seat of our house in the fae realm.”
“What?” I stared at him, processing this revelation.
“Obviously! Why do you think Professor Blackwood calls me Mr. Briar Hall? That’s where I’m from!” He paused, smirking at me. “I thought you were supposed to be smart?”
I glared at him for a moment before continuing. “So, you mean my grandmother knew your family?”
“Probably. Or maybe she just attended one of the summer gatherings. Briar Hall hosts a lot of diplomatic events.” Wild’s expression grew thoughtful. “What did this fae look like? In the picture?”
I closed my eyes, trying to recall the details. “Tall, willowy. Hair that seemed to be made of autumn leaves and copper. Eyes that were almost too bright. And they were standing very close to my grandmother, like they were...” I trailed off, heat rising to my cheeks.
“Like they were lovers,” Wild finished softly. His grip on my hand tightened. “Elias, I think your grandmother might have been bonded to one of my ancestors.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. “That’s impossible. My family has records going back centuries. There’s no mention of any fae connections.”
“Of course there isn’t,” Wild said with a bitter laugh. “The Thorne family would hardly advertise that their precious bloodline had been ‘contaminated.’ But it would explain a lot.”
“Such as?”
“Such as why our magic worked so well together during the attack. Such as why the binding between us formed so quickly and so strongly.” Wild’s eyes searched mine. “Elias, I think we’re connected by more than just those resonance stones.”
Before I could respond, the infirmary door opened and Professor Blackwood entered, her usually pristine appearance somewhat disheveled. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her normally perfect hair was pulled back in a hasty bun.
“Mr. Thorne, Mr. Briar Hall,” she said, her voice carrying an edge of exhaustion. “How are you feeling?”
