Solar Reign

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ANDORRA USED to be afraid of the Prophet, but not anymore. She nearly jumped off of Pyatt's back to reach her front door as quickly as possible. And the Prophet, as always, knew Andorra was coming. Knew, and opened the door for her.

"My Queen," Sivelle said with a warm smile as Andorra skidded into the cabin. She was standing in her kitchen, doing something over a pot on the stove. "Without her shadow. A surprise indeed. And without your love. Hmm."

Andorra stopped the words from falling out of her mouth. The immediate: "What do you know about the blood promise" halted on her tongue.

Instead, she thought about Sivelle's words. Shadow. Love. She tilted her head.

Shadow had to mean Callum. Andorra felt like the wind was knocked out of her when she realized that Sivelle was referring to her soulmate.

And, she was surprised to see Andorra without them.

"My love." The words were heavy in her chest. "You know who my soulmate is? Already?" There was desperation in her voice. She wasn't sure how it worked with Sivelle and the Festival of Stars. Did Sivelle always know?

"It's impolite to not ask what you wanted to know. Soulmate talk can be saved. Ask what you need."

She needed to know if Nohx was her soulmate, but she pushed that behind the other pressing matters. Sivelle was right, and Andorra needed that answer first.

"There is a blood promise that an acquaintance has made. I'm wondering if there is a way to break out of the promise, and you're one of the oldest fae I know."

"An answer for an answer."

Andorra leveled Sivelle with an assessing stare. She didn't really have an option, and she knew this. "Alright. An answer for an answer."

"What is your biggest fear?" Sivelle left the pot on the stove and moved towards Andorra. There was a curiosity in Sivelle's gaze, but it wasn't dangerous or predatory.

"Not living up to my true potential as Queen. Letting everyone down." Andorra curled her hand against her chest. "So many are depending on me, and look up to me. But I'm just a young fae who seemingly knows nothing." Andorra cleared her throat as Sivelle sat. A clear invitation for Andorra to sit as well, and so she did.

"I'm working on my confidence, though. And I hope that those fears will never come to fruition."

Sivelle reached up with her hand. A long thread began to unravel from a skein. It was golden in color, and Andorra watched transfixed as Sivelle began to knit with the thread as it hovered in the air. Andorra wasn't even sure if she should say anything about the strange behavior or not.

"A thoughtful answer. I shall give one in return. Blood promises cannot be reversed. But, memories can be taken and given. And that is the answer you seek. No need for the sun fae to erase anything."

Andorra's mouth popped open. She hadn't really thought about that, but why hadn't she? Andorra rubbed at her knees. "You're saying he can restore my memories to me and that'll ease his own blood promise?"

Siville continued to knit with her golden thread that glinted in the sun. "How would you feel if you never knew your intended soulmate?"

The question knocked Andorra off kilter. At this point, Sivelle was playing with her. She had to be. Sivelle knew Andorra longed to know, and she was simply holding the truth behind her back tauntingly.

But, even still, Andorra answered honestly. "Relieved, I think." She rubbed at her forehead. "I... not that you care about a young fae's love life, but I would rather never know if it meant I could stay with the person I love. I want him more than I think I'll ever want my soulmate, and having him is enough. Soulmate or not."