Magic

Serenity stood in the center of her bedchamber for a moment after changing into a thin black floor length night gown staring at the open windows. Wind was blowing gently into the room, moving the curtains in rippling waves. The curtains danced like the flames that had engulfed her in the vision she shared with Killian. Her stomach clenched as the mere memory of the vision caused her skin to prickle and grow warm.

The evening breeze chilled her just as quickly and brought her back to reality. If she had no intention on mating with the Crowned Prince, how long should she stay? Obviously, it was not safe for her to do so. Not that she thought it would be to begin with. Killian's warning was ringing in her eyes and made her stomach squeeze uncomfortably.

There was a gentle knock on the door that startled her. She turned around quickly, her nightgown spinning around her dramatically, and grabbed the matching black robe off the bed. She pulled the robe on as she moved towards the door.

She opened it slowly but was not surprised to see Mason standing before her. He looked her over just for a moment as if he did not want her to notice that his eyes were taking her in. She smiled at him with raised eyebrows.

"The Crowned Prince is here," he said softly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Alright," she said coming out of the room. She closed the door tightly behind her. "You can go to bed. I'll be fine."

"I'll be in my chamber, but I won't be asleep," he advised. Serenity bowed her head in understanding. Before she got too far from him, he grabbed her arm, pulled her back towards him. She looked up at him with high eyebrows. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him by speaking first.

"I'm wearing a dagger on my thigh."

He closed his mouth and nodded. "Alright. Let me know when you go to bed."

"Yes, Father," Serenity said in annoyance and roll of her eyes. Mason gave her a weak smile before he released her. She watched as he disappeared into his bed chamber, then quickly made her way down the hall to the sitting room of the suite.

Serenity was surprised to find the room empty. The cool breeze from outside caught her attention. She turned and saw the monstrous figure of Crowned Prince Fallon standing outside on the balcony. He was leaning against the railing looking out at the night sky as dusk fell. Serenity closed her robe over her chest and walked out onto the balcony.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, your Majesty," she said.

Fallon stood up straight and turned to her. "You came with only your guard, you did not bring servants?"

Serenity shook her head as she approached him. "No, I am a modest woman, your Majesty."

He laughed lightly as he took in her appearance. His eyes did not linger on her the way that Mason's did, which did not surprise her. She knew that he was not interested in her physically.

"You are going to bed?" he asked.

"It is getting late, I have had a long day," she nodded.

"Will you forgive me if I keep you from bed?"

"Yes," she said with a warm smile. She was trying to be polite, but she was not sure what he would want to speak to her about now. She was studying him. He was wearing the same clothes as before, but he looked tenser. She wondered what had happened that needed his immediate attention when they were eating.

He turned away from her to look out at the sky again. She moved to stand next to him. His elbows rested on the railing as he stared up at the sky. Serenity looked up, following his gaze, and saw that the stars were just starting to shine.

"Have you thought about my offer?"

Serenity glanced at him. "I haven't had much time to think about it. You only asked me less than an hour ago."

Fallon nodded his head. "Killian said you seemed distressed when he left you."

This peaked Serenity's interest. "If I was distressed it is because he caused me to have a vision."

Fallon looked at Serenity quickly. "He touched you?"

"Is he not supposed to touch people?"

"My bastard of a brother is a very gifted individual—"

"—he's a phoenix," Serenity said looking Fallon in the eye. "His species is rarer than mine."

Fallon shook his head as he stared at Serenity. He brushed her blonde curls delicately behind her ear. She had let her hair down from the tight bun she'd worn to dinner. His fingers grazed against her ear and neck as he stroked the silver blonde curls.

"You are one of a kind."

"You don't have to try to charm me, your Majesty," she replied looking out at the stars. "I know that you are asking me to be your mate because you have to, not because you want to."

"Yes, I am bound to a certain time frame. I must have a mate within the next few weeks otherwise I will surrender my rule."

"What will happen to you?"

"I'd be forced to live my days as an outcast," he replied softly. "Or serve on the council, which might as well make me an outcast."

Serenity smiled politely. "That won't happen," she responded. "Even if I deny you, you could ask any bird."

"I think you are the only one who is worthy."

Serenity looked at him. "I appreciate your compliments, your Majesty, but I told you I will not mate with someone I do not love. I will not sacrifice myself to a new form of bondage."

"That is what you think being my mate would be? A form of slavery?"

"If it's not the life or love I want, then yes," Serenity said with a stern expression. "You are choosing me as a political figure. You are choosing me to bare your children, to save your reputation, family line and kingdom. I'm sure you'd be able to still have your affairs, to love who you truly love, but I would not. You will not permit to be with anyone else because it would risk me baring another man's child. That is a great burden to place on any woman. But I am sure there are many who would willing do it for you."

Fallon did not like what Serenity was saying. She could see that he was growing angry with her. He turned away from her to look out at the night sky.

"Will you fly with me?" he asked.

Serenity was surprised by his question. She was not expecting him to change the subject.

"I—uh…"

She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to say no, but she also did not want to go without telling Mason.

Fallon took her hand and cocked his head out towards the open air.

"It's a beautiful night; let me show you the territory from the proper vantage point."

Serenity frowned but nodded her head. "Alright," she whispered.

"Stay close," he said. He stepped up onto the railing and dived off the balcony. Serenity admired his style as he dove down. She watched with excitement as his body plummeted down away from her suite. He transformed effortlessly into a beautiful enormous falcon with gleaming brown and gold feathers. He swooped back up before her, let out a loud caw then dove away from her heading out into the open night.

Serenity stepped up onto the railing and jumped after him. She transformed as she fell. Her arms spread into wings and caught the air. She flapped her wings as hard as she could and took off after Fallon. Within moments she caught up to him. She soared over him as he lead her onward over the Nest and bustling capital. Serenity was surprised that even at night, the city seemed to be alive. She followed Fallon for what seemed like forever. He led her around the Nest and north towards the mountain range where the wolf packs resided. Serenity had no problem keeping up.

She was not surprised as they swooped over a dark forest that Fallon began to descend into the trees. She followed him easily. When she ducked under some brush she rolled onto the ground, transformed into her human form, and stood up easily. She dusted some dirt and leaves off of her nightgown as she looked around for Fallon. She took in the beauty of the trees around her. She had never seen such trees. They were tall as the buildings at the Nest, with trunks so wide at least twenty people could wrap around them to hold hands. She turned as she took in the massive trees. She felt small next to them and stared up at them in wonder. How was it possible that something so majestic could start from something as small as a seed?

She heard tree branches snapping behind and turned quickly to see Fallon approaching her. She smiled at him. He came close to her in the darkness, closer than she expected or wanted him to.

"Good job keeping up," he said.

Serenity shrugged. "It was easy."

Fallon shook his head. "Not many can."

"Where are we?"

"You don't know?"

Serenity shook her head as she looked around. "No," she responded.

"This used to be a dove territory," Fallon said as he walked forward between the trees. "Over a hundred years ago. The homes and buildings have been destroyed. They used to be up in the tranquil oak trees." He pointed up over his head to the high branches.

Serenity's heart sunk as she looked around her. She touched her cheeks with a frown. Why would Fallon bring her here? Surely he didn't think this would convince her to marry him.

"I thought you would like to see where your people came from."

"You mean where your people took them from?" she said bitterly.

Fallon looked at her with raised eyebrows and a sad expression. "I will admit that there are many despicable things my ancestors did, but my father and I have tried to redeem our species of their wrong-doings."

"Is that why you support the Lupus pack that relies on avian enslavement for most of the production of their goods?"

There was a cross look on Fallon's face now. Serenity stepped forward when he said nothing and touched one of the trees near her. Her hand light with a yellow light. Like spider webs shooting from her palm, the light jetted across the tree's bark in multiple different directions. She stepped back in surprise as the light traveled all over the tree, up its trunk and through its branches. The leaves turned bright yellow, like the sun, and illuminated the forest. Serenity stared up in shock. She had never used her magic in such away before; never to light something so massive.

Fallon came to stand next to her, looking up at the leaves in shock. She looked at him and bit her bottom lip suddenly realizing that perhaps he had brought her to the forest to see what her magic could do.

"You kept no doves alive in the Nest?"

Fallon shook his head. "My father said they were all killed, but that is what his father told him."

"Why does your kind fear my magic?"

"Because it is stronger than ours," Fallon looked directly at Serenity. He glanced up at the tree because the light was beginning to fade from the leaves and the forest was growing dark again. "I have never seen magic do that before."

Serenity frowned deeply as she looked up at the fading leaves. She had never seen her magic do that either.