Northern Lands: Bound by fate

Chapter 10

CALANDRA

Something simmered to life when I was with Zander. Something that had been hiding inside me all along, waiting to be let out to the surface.

I kissed him goodbye for the day as he opened his garage and began working on one of the motorcycles, snorting teasingly when I got into my own car, which made me roll my eyes at him. When I drove him home last night, the mumbling words leaving his lips said something about a ridiculously small vehicle.

I was still treading carefully. I wanted to explore this mate-bond with Zander, but it seemed that I lost myself in him every time we were in close proximity. He stole my breath and infused me with his own, sparking a fire of desire and longing in my lungs.

Although I hadn't even slept an hour last night, I felt strangely energized. Zander woke up without a headache from all the alcohol consumption, which made me wonder if there were any healing properties to the mate-bond. I really needed to sit down and read the book that Ilaria gave me.

As soon as I opened the backdoor to my house, I was propelled back by the impact of something hitting my chest. I ended up on my ass on the cold ground, almost hitting my car as I fell.

A cloud of gold dust erupted, the shrill voices of the pixies I had summoned to work on the store while I was away twittered in my ears like a bunch of angry birds. They took turns appearing before my eyes and showing their discontent at my disappearance. Their tiny sharp teeth flashing, the flapping of their pinkish wings surrounding me with fae dust; glowing eyes focused on my own as they stared me up and down. They pulled on my t-shirt with their tiny talons; Zander's t-shirt.

"Yes," I managed through the shrieking sounds. "I know you were all worried." The pixies flew back a little, some with their tiny arms crossed over their tree bark skin, as I tried to get back on my feet. "I was safe."

One of them growled at me and exploded into a small poof of air, right back to the Asterion realm. It would take her a while to cool off.

"Really, I was with Zander," I said to the one sniffing my t-shirt in a cat-like manner. I stood upright, my arms outstretched, so they could see for themselves. Once content that I appeared unharmed, they let me into my house.

I rubbed my bum, hearing the shrill snicker of one of the pixies, as we entered and I closed the door behind me. It was my fault I had worried them. Summoning their help was the only tether I had left to Asterion, my home. They knew how much I missed the forests, my wings, the magic of the eternal spring. It was a shame we couldn't communicate, to bring over messages so I could know how my cousin Priamos was doing.

The only ones who could speak to all animals and magic-bred creatures were the tree nymphs, immortal creatures that roamed Asterion. It was whispered through the legends of our existence that they had a hand in creating the realm of Asterion in their image. Designing blooming nature and the balance between the realms was their doing.

Once the pixies calmed down and flew back to their work spaces, a deep sigh left me. The reasons I had to leave Asterion and my evolving relationship with Zander would certainly raise eyebrows if we brought this to the Council.

It was the most logical step to take, certainly with Zander being a part of the group behind the formation of Northern Lands.

It was founded by leaders of each magical race. A goblin, a bear-shifter alpha, and a warlock were just a few of those among them. I hadn't met all of them, which made it difficult to gauge their reaction.

Knowing it was the strategic move to make, it still didn't make me feel any better as I mulled the idea over. I had been hiding here for two years, in fear of revealing the truth about my identity. The true meaning of having a missing heiress to a crown in their midst; I could not predict the outcome of such a meeting.