Page 10 of Lost Starlight
I took another spoonful of my soup. The savory flavor of the vegetables, broth, and crab sang a symphony on my tongue, and I hurried to finish the entire bowl.
Present Day
I paced back and forth on the navy blue and green carpet.
“You are going to wear out the rug,” Dominick said with a chuckle.
“I told you that you loved her. Three years, and we all saw it,” William, my closest friend, teased.
“Okay, fine, you were both right. I did not know my heart. I love that woman so much that it hurts.”
“Poetic. Another sign—” William began, and I sneered at him.
“Peter, why are you so nervous? You are betrothed now; all is well,” Dominick said with a confused look.
It was still shocking to have my brother back. I had dreamed of reuniting with him thousands of times. If it was not for him, I don't think I would've found Gwenafter she’d disappeared from Walden two months prior. I searched the sea, certain that Gwen had to have been kidnapped. I needed my storyteller, of course; I needed Gwen like I needed air. I would be forever grateful that my journey to save Gwen, also brought my brother back to me.
Dominick went through much in his life. So much more than Mother and I had ever suspected. Most importantly, we learned that he had never left us; he had been stolen. It was easier to forgive him than I believed. As soon as I saw him on the beach, my heart softened. I was happy to build a relationship with the brother I had lost, and I was so happy to see him married to his mermaid, Meria. I longed for a happy ever after for Gwen and I, too. If he could find happiness, so could I, even with my curse still intact. Dominick had been cursed far worse than I had. He was cursed to inflict pain upon anyone he touched. It was far worse than my curse.
I should not complain about my curse.
“I am not nervous.” I paused. “I’m just—”
Little did my recently found brother, and even my closest friend, know that everything wasnotokay, though. I had a secret, one I could not tell Gwen nor anyone—not because I wanted to hide things, but because I, literally, could not speak it.
Blasted pixies.
When rescuing Gwen, I had to make a deal with the pixies. I had not thought much about it at the time, but I should have. Every time I tried to confess the deal that I had made with the pixies, deafening bells rang in my ears, causing my head excruciating pain until I stopped that line of conversation.
“I am only—”
“He is afraid he will be a horrid lover,” William said with one of the widest grins I had ever seen. I was not expectingthat.
“Excuse me?” I shot back, my cheeks heated.
“You will be a great husband. Gwen is lucky to have you,” Dominick said assuringly. He then turned to William. “William, the Princes of Walden love as deep as the fathoms. They have unshakable love, and Peter’s Gwen will be happy, and satisfied, with him,” Dominick finished, shocking me a little. He appeared more like a rogue pirate than a prince, even sitting there in his Walden-blue coat and his dark hair, the same shade as my own, only combed back. There was a wildness about my brother–the scar on his cheek, the golden ring hanging from his ear, and the way he never buttoned his shirt fully, always exposing part of his chest.
Gwen’s cheeks would have darkened bright pink if I had unbuttoned my shirt in that manner. For a moment, I wondered if I should do it, just to see that adorable look on her face. I shook my head.I was no pirate.
“Thank you, brother. William, maybe you should focus on your own future bride? Where is she?”
“Oh—well.” He paused.
“Exactly. Worry about yourself,” I snapped, and as soon as I did so, I wanted to apologize.
Dominick stood and patted his hand on my back.
“All will be well, brother. All will be well.”
If only he knew that nothing was well, nothing at all. For the first time in my life, even though I was still cursed to want something different, I wanted nothing more than to stay there in Walden with Gwen, but soon, I would be pulled away–and not because of my awful curse.
What was my Curse?I was cursed to constantly crave adventure and exploration. That was the reason I needed a storyteller to read to me. It had always been important throughout my life. With a storyteller, I could listen and imagine doing all the things in those stories; it was a balm to my curse. Even though stories helped me, I always had a constant itch to leave home, an underlined and unquenchable desire to leave my kingdom, an itch I could not scratch to leave the castle–to sail the seas.
However, with Gwen, starting with even that first day she read to me, it was different. Almost immediately, I had no desire to be anywhere but where I was–there with her. I should have known then that something was different about her–but I was too naive.
“Just go kiss her some more. I am sure that will calm you down. I remember the time when you ran after her and called out to her—I knew it then. She was too pretty not to be yours one day,” William said.
“I do not love her for her looks, William. She is patient and kind and brave and the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
