Page 53 of Bonded By Moons

TWENTY-FOUR

Willow

“This area of Virgo is beautiful,” Ember says as we ride through district after district on our way to the newly renovated orphanage. We’ve taken my personal carriage and Artie is driving it. Artie will be accompanying us nearly always since he’s blood sworn to protect and look over me. If I die, he dies. His life purpose is to ensure I stay alive, which is shitty of my father but thankfully I enjoy his company.

As we approach the new orphanage, I’m truly looking forward to showing Ember this place.

We round the corner and I instantly feel something is off. There’s a sensation of fear trickling down my spine, tingling my limbs, and making me itchy. I let go of Ember’s hand and pound my first on the roof of the carriage. Artie abruptly stops us and Ember and I exit the car immediately.

There’s a cloud of smoke in the air that wasn’t there when we left the palace before. Is there a fire close by?

My skin prickles with gooseflesh as I take in our surroundings. I didn’t notice from inside the carriage, but there are barely any citizens walking the streets and it’s the middle of the day. Usually, I see the city moving with life from the palace windows.

“Do you hear that?” Ember says while covering her mouth and nose to help her breathe through the thick smoke and fog.

I don’t know what she’s referring to, but then I hear the sounds of magic blasting and crackling up ahead near the orphanage. My heart sinks. I flash into my faerie form and take off flying in that direction.

“Willow, wait!” I hear Ember shout after me but I’m already gone. Artie will stay with her because he knows I’ll kill him with my bare hands if anything were to happen to my mate. She’s more important than me now, especially if she’s truly the lost princess of the Moonblood bloodline. If that’s true, that means she’s closer to being a prime fae than she is common fae. I don’t have time to think about that further since I rounded the corner and the orphanage came into view.

Or what’s left of it.

I see him, standing among the ashes and rubble of what was once a beautiful safe haven for the children of Estrallume.

My father. He destroyed the orphanage and there’s nothing left to save.

Don’t do it, Will.I hear Ember shout down the bond.

He deserves to die for this. He’s a monster. I can’t believe he cares more about weapons and a stupid storage bunker than these children.I hover in my faerie form far enough away that my father hasn’t noticed me yet.

Come back to me, Will. We will stop him together, but right now neither of us has the strength to match his unknown powers.

Ember reminds me that my father has changed. There’s been a switch in his elemental powers and he has access to new things I never experienced before. The invisible hands he’s capable of accessing which choke, throw, and kill faeries without him actually getting blood on his hands is just daunting.

Gritting my teeth and with clenched muscles, I turn around and fly back to my mate.

Flashing back into my human form before them, I apologize. I clear my throat and walk straight up to Ember, kissing her deeply before walking us both back to the carriage doors. We slip back inside and allow Artie to change course for Comet Cottages, the home of my mate.

“I’m so sorry, Will. He’s despicable but we just can’t face him in this state right now. We need to find a way to enhance our powers or figure out what magic he has access to before we do anything.” Ember softly speaks to me. She knows I'm furious and seething still. Her calmness grounds me and helps me see sense.

Ember reaches for my hand and tangles her fingers with mine. I’m still cooling off from the rush of seeing my father destroy something so dear to me. I was looking forward to Ember meeting the children, leaving gifts for them, and teaching them tricks with my magic. I know my little dragon would have adored all of it.

We travel together mile after mile and I get the opportunity to see how terrible the Decay has ravaged our lands. Ember wasn’t lying, it’s killing everything. The outer villages are still safe but Ember tells me Comet Cottages has just had its first touch of the Decay, and there’s only a few years left of good crops. Scholar-talented faeries still haven’t found the origin or solution.

Ember fell asleep about halfway through our journey, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I have so much gratitude for her agreeing to complete the bond, but I don’t understand why my father wanted her to do it so badly. Is it because of our combined strength? He was willing to make a spectacle of my torture just to bribe Ember into finishing our pairing. I want to know what’s going on inside his head. Before I can venture down the rabbit hole of thinking, Ember rests her head against my shoulder and softly snores.

I smile to myself at how adorable she is.

We finally pulled up in front of her shop and apartment. I’m already so proud of my girl for accomplishing something as large as owning her own business. Fuck, she’s so incredible. The more time we spend together, the more in love I am with her.

Artie stops the carriage and drops us off before taking the horses to a local stable to be boarded. Ember is such a deep sleeper, she won’t wake even when I try to rouse her. I end up just carrying her out of the carriage and through her front gardens. “Little dragon,” I whisper and lean down to kiss her forehead while cradling her in my arms. “We’ve arrived. I need you to wake up and unlock the door now.”

She groans and squirms in my arms, trying to get comfortable, and falls back asleep.

“Shit.” I laugh to myself.

I hear a door close somewhere and footsteps fast approaching, then Amara appears from around the building and rushes towards us. “Oh my stars! Is she okay? What happened?” She pants and brushes the hair away from Ember’s face, neglecting to greet me.

“Hello, to you too.” I chuckle. “She’s completely fine. Your friend here really loves to sleep.”

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