The Fairy King and his Cursed Queen ✔

12 | MY JOURNEY

As I stared down at the princess, her clothed body covered in vines that twisted and coiled around her, I wondered if this was how passersby stared at my own near dead body when the first fairy queen had found me.

I was sending her back to Manoj. She could stay this way, stay here, being absorbed by the soil. With it being winter, she would wither away by spring.

The dirt moved around her, mostly disturbed by her weak attempts at crawling free. One hand stuck out, a vine dragged it back. Each plant continued to snake around, twisting and tightening in its coil.

I wanted to throw up.

She'd be gone by spring, but did she deserve to go this way? I'd imagined myself immune to passings such as these. It wasn't human death, not even mortal death, not really. For she returned to her source.

My body trembled and I found my fists balled. More than once, I had to will myself not to approach. That would be counter to Manoj. I wouldn't dare do that.

But then the crying came and I all but ran to the shield.

I'd make her a bed and bring her to Manoj faster. That way, she wouldn't suffer.

The shield, having settled into the soil, loosened with each push and pull until I dragged it out. Next was the remnants of the fur coat. That, I used to line the frigid metal. Finally, I turned to look at the princess's squirming frame yet again.

No amount of excuses would undo this. But if I headed back to Manoj, he would understand my loyalty.

However, that wasn't why it was difficult for my feet to hold me up as I approached her. This was my doing. I'd put her here and not once yanked the vines from her body. And when the plants formed faster, I'd stepped back and simply watched.

Worse yet, I'd put her in her funny clothes and wore my foolish kilt for I did not know what else to do.

And this was all my fault, I was certain, yet I didn't know why.

The moans to follow had me darting to her rescue.

I'd wanted a battle with her. Well, getting rid of the vines was just that—a fight.

Each I tore off came back faster. Finally, I reached under the princess and scooped her up. As I suspected, as soon as she was away from the soil, Manoj's power did not reach her.

The metal would take care of the rest but that did not mean she was safe. A tree, a stone, they all belonged to Manoj and as soon as she touched either again, much like the gnome she'd tried to save but met his end faster, the same would happen here.

Perhaps that was why I simply put her down. I arranged the hearthstones by her belly when she crouched up. Though I was hesitant, I climbed in as well. It took some time to take all the flowers and leaves from her hair and skin and cast them aside.

Day had come above us, yet nothing of the white against white of the sky took my particular interest. I just needed to look anywhere else but at the weak figure resting her face against my knees.

I snuggled her in the fur tight, making sure the hearthstones remained close to her skin. Color returned to her body; she was no longer purple.

"What's happening to me?" she asked in a whisper.

I hesitated only once then said, "What have you done to anger Manoj? Have you ignored his calls? Isn't there a voice in your head now and then? Have you ever answered it?"

She gripped my thighs, pulling herself closer. "I never answer it."

"But why—"

"Because it says to kill you."