Groans fall out between her lips as she feels the ground beneath her. Opening her eyes slowly, the first thing she recognises are branches, or maybe roots? They cover the ground, making the flooring. She pushes herself up, holding a hand to her head. Everything hurts anew.
Blinking rapidly, she takes in the room. All she can see are Harmaa's gems, glistening with song. Turning around, she sees the portal. She's in Kadotaru.
Rinley scrambles to her feet, feeling for her necklace. The gems are asleep around her neck. She lets herself breathe, before taking in the room a second time.
There's a table set up against a wall. There's nothing on it. And there's no exit, no way out. Panic starts to play with her lungs again.
"I will set up a contact system." Aramis's words filter through her mind, and her eyes try harder to pry information from the room. "Do not leave the room." Hide. She keeps scanning the room, searching for literally anything that might help her contact Aramis.
She ducks, looking under the table. Crawling on her hands and knees, she presses against the wall there, but nothing is askew. Turning her head, she looks at the underneath of the table. And it's there he's hidden something. She brings herself completely under the table, leaning over so she doesn't hit her head. Reaching up, she pulls on the parchment stuck above. The sentence makes no sense, just like the texts, but she calls on her knowledge to crack it.
Time ticks by before she finally understands there's a lever she needs to pull. Feeling around the foundations of the table, her fingers brush against something metal among wood. Smiling, she grasps it and yanks on it with all her strength. Something clicks and dings against the wood, then everything falls silent. Rinley waits a few moments before dropping her hand.
Now she waits.
Gingerly, she lies down on the floor, bringing her knees to her chest. The table is the only cover she can find, unless she summons the strength of odenatis. From her shallow breaths, she knows that's not an option.
Her memories catch up to her.
Percy proposed. Or at least tried to. That's Lela must have been smiling about in the bakery. And Cyra must've wanted her to stay close by so Percy wouldn't have to go searching for her. A tear rolls onto the floor. They all would've been in on it. They all want them betrothed, married.
Life isn't meant to be spent alone, chasing faerytales.
They aren't faerytales. They're real. They're not called faeries, though. They're Jix, and Natura, and Anaceri. Creatures of Kadotaru.
We can use your curiosity and creativity to change the world.
She squeezes her eyes shut. How had none of her family thought to ask if she wanted that? The realisation is standard. Of course, they knew she would've said no; better to put pressure on her and force her to make a decision that could either destroy or praise Percy Durbridge's manhood.
She feels sick.
They're all going to need an answer when she returns. Saying yes would please everyone. Keep everyone safe. It would be Aramis wouldn't have a distraction. Vaxalan and his friends would stop returning as a way to mock their future Duahlin.
But she doesn't love Percy, and probably never will.
That's something she will have to sacrifice for the safety of her family. This can all be fixed with one simple yes. She opens her eyes, more tears rolling over her nose and dripping onto the roots beneath her. If only—
Something pops, making her flinch. Light pours into the room simultaneously with a scraping noise. She pushes herself against the wall, keeping herself curled up tight. Then three pairs of legs appear. Two green, and one purple. Defeat wracks her.
"Is this seriously how you want to spend the day?" Vaxalan asks, stopping near the entrance.
"Do you not take joy in this chaos anymore, dear prince?" Knell asks, the mockery in his tone so loud, you can't hear past it.
"I just believe there are other ways that will not make us fall out of favour of my father."
"You have never been scared before," Haemal adds. "Why now?"
Vaxalan rolls his eyes. "Who are you to question me?"
Both of his friends snarl, putting distance between them.
"That human insulted you, insulted us. We must get our revenge," Knell spits. "And if anyone is nearby, they will suffer the same fate."
Rinley stops breathing. She can't let them crossover. Can't let them out of her sight.
"Besides, we remember her scent. Finding her will be easy, as will humiliating and killing her. You cannot say no to this, Vaxalan," Knell jeers.
"Let us defend your honour," Haemal adds.
Rinley frowns. Scent? How can they not smell her now? Must be something to do with the portal majiiki that's washed her anew. That, or they're bluffing.
"You are my closest friends," the prince says. "And I do not agree with your desires. However, I will not stop you."
Her jaw falls open. That son of a bitch.
Knell and Haemal cheer, reaching for Vaxalan, before moving to the table. Rinley scrambles to keep herself as close to the wall as possible. Things thud above her head, so loud that she has to cover her ears. Panic sets into her bones, and she makes a decision.
They chatter nonsense as they near the portal. She's on the balls of her feet, muttering alucentio under her breath. Making sure her palms are free and directed towards them, she prepares herself to take on the weight of odenatis.
"STOP!"
She falls back, landing hard on her tailbone. But she knows that voice. Aramis.
"Do not enter that portal, lest I bring the Duahlin and his Majesty in here," he growls.
Knell, Haemal and Vaxalan step away from the portal. Rinley puts a hand to her heart.
"Are you going to let him speak to us this way?" Knell asks, side glancing at Vaxalan. The crown prince says nothing.
"Do not test me." Each word Aramis speaks has a newfound power, shaking the room. Rinley has never seen him this angry. Upset, maybe, but not angry.
"Th-There is a human who has insulted Vaxalan," Haemal says, getting a nudge from Knell. "I—"
"No Jix, or Creature of Kadotaru, is to pass through to the human realm," Aramis sneers, taking a stark step towards them. Knell and Haemal flinch. "Unless instructed by King Malefic."
"We have his permission!" Knell cries. "Vaxalan, tell him!"
Aramis laughs, and it's like fire crackling in the air. "Shall I go retrieve his Majesty, then? Once he signs off, then I guess—"
"Okay!" Haemal holds up his hands in defeat. "We will leave."
Knell grunts, pushing Haemal towards Aramis, towards the door. The both of them start filing out, grabbing things off the table as they go. Vaxalan holds his gaze with Aramis, not giving away anything, before following them.
"And do not come back or try again!" Aramis calls after them. "I shall get guards stationed here!"
Now Aramis is the only one standing in the room, though half his body still hangs out the entrance. Tears wet her face again, this time from relief. But she doesn't move, not yet. Only when Aramis retreats back inside, and ducks down to see her. He reaches for her, as she does to him, and they embrace.
Her feet leave the ground, but she doesn't care as she clings to his neck. Aramis holds a hand against her back and head, pressing her close.
"Is everything okay?" he whispers, and she shakes her head. "Okay. We cannot stay here." He sets her on the ground. "I brought something to cover you with. But we have to move fast. And as much as your height is adorable, you will struggle to keep up."
"Huh?" Words get stuck in her throat. Did he just say adorable?
Suddenly, a blanket falls around her. The weight of it almost sends her crashing to the ground, the light disappearing completely. But Aramis drapes an arm over her shoulder, lifting the blanket slightly, letting a slither of light in. He starts to take off, Rinley preparing herself for another mad dash, but is suddenly pulled backwards.
"Is this yours?" he asks, lifting the blanket back and holding a book to her.
Her jaw drops. "Yes." It's a miracle those buffoons didn't see it.
Aramis doesn't wait another second. They're off. And as he predicted, Rinley struggles to keep up. They make it made thirty steps away before his arm goes from her shoulders to her waist, lifting her off the ground again, and carrying her with ease and lightning speed.
Now Rinley struggles to hold on to her notebook and Aramis. Annoyance grasps at her. How useless can she be?
Her options weigh out in her head again. But there's only one real option. She has to say yes to Percy. Everything else will fall into place. Everything will go back to the way it's supposed to be. No creatures visiting the human realm. Ever.
When the running finally stops. Aramis sets her down a second time, but pain laces up her side. There must be bruising. He takes the blanket off her head, and finally she can breathe again.
"Some guards mistook you for my sister," he chuckles nervously. "Good to know I can use that as an excuse on the way back."
She stares at him. "I don't ever want to do that again."
Aramis grins and steps aside. "These are my private quarters."
Rinley moves her eyes from him to the rest of the room. It's huge. There's a four-poster bed against the furthest wall, which could at least support six humans, bookshelves lining a few of the walls, a large arch window leading to a balcony, a lounge facing the bed, and an empty space on the floor. She frowns at it, but continues taking the room in. There's a bathroom hidden in the walls with no door visible, too. She raises a brow.
"Never thought you would have the chance to see them," he says with an anxious laugh. "Apologies for the mess."
She shakes her head, finally bringing her gaze back to him.
Her face must be full of pain, because his face suddenly crumbles. "Rinley, what is wrong? Why did you come here? You know how dangerous it is."
"I... I've come to say goodbye." She can't use him for comfort anymore.
"Goodbye?"
Tears threaten her again, and frustration finds her. "Knell and Haemal won't stop coming after me."
"They need someone of the royal family to get into that room. Vaxalan will not go again."
"They will find another way."
"Rin—"
"I was proposed to today," she blurts. Aramis takes a step back, like he's been hit. "By Percy."
"The science boy with his head in his ass?"
She smiles sadly. "If I stop seeing you, cut all ties, Vaxalan and his friends will stop using me as a way to get at you. My family will stop being worried about me. Percy has some respect, and he will help my family. I can live with that."
"Can you?"
She looks up at him. The sorrow in his face makes her stumble. "No." The word comes out as a sob, and he pulls her to his chest.
"There has to be another way," he whispers, stroking her hair.
She shakes her head. "The only other way is if I stay in Kadotaru. Knell and Haemal will stop threatening my family, and they will only come after me."
"I can protect you from them here. But..."
"But I am human," she says. "It will not work."
"We can try?"
She meets his eyes again. "I'd like that."
He strokes the hair from her face, planting a kiss on her forehead. "We will find a way. But you cannot stay here, not yet. We have to test Knell and Haemal."
"I will have to answer Percy, if I go back."
Something like anger flickers in his eyes.
"But I also have something else to tell you... show you."
"Yes?"
She steps back, pulling the gems free of her shirt. Aramis frowns, watching her carefully. "I know you said to not make them sing. But I couldn't help it," she says, not meeting his eyes now. "Alucentio." Their song fills the air. Breathing deeply, she turns her palms outwards, picking the bear from earlier. "Odenatis."
The animal materialises in fronted them, but doesn't move.
Aramis looks at Rinley, shock riddling his features. "Chosen," he whispers. "Child of Harmaa."
She nods, and the bear disappears.
"We can find a way to use this," he says, suddenly grabbing her by the shoulders. "There are others in the palace who can help us. I will find all the books I can about Harmaa's gems. There has to be a solution here."
"So, you're not mad?" she asks, begging herself not to cry again.
His smile is soft. "I could never be angry with you," he says, running a thumb over her cheek. "And we will find a way to save your family, and your happiness."
Rinley smiles as he suddenly leaps to the bookshelves and silently vows to protect him too.