Miracle Child

An Offer of Protection

“Would you prefer Commander or Birdy?” I asked sweetly, and he blinked, slowly. It was my only sign that I had taken him by surprise, and my mouth curled into a fierce grin. Birdy it was then.

“Ryanni,” called my father as he stepped back into the room. I looked past the Fae male to the human man who approached us. I crossed my arms over my chest as I glowered at my father, ignoring the guilt at the hurt in his eyes.

He came to a stop a few feet away, obviously not wanting to get close to the male, but I really didn’t understand where the fear came from. Sure, I had been afraid in the forest, but only because the damn male had turned his head all the way around like a damn owl. It caught me by surprise. Now, however, I found nothing about the male scary. Maybe I was the strange one.

“Our princess’s belongings are being brought down,” my father said, addressing the male, “perhaps you’d like to help?” Usually my father gave orders. In fact, outside of his family, he rarely asked or suggested things. Even with us, he only asked because of how some of us, namely me, reacted to orders. It was surprising to not hear the commanding tone in his voice, but I knew this wasn’t about the Fae helping gather my things because I only had one single bag that I would be taking. This was about speaking to me alone.

The male didn’t make a move to go, and I glanced at him. His eyes were on me, taking in the way my shoulders had tensed slightly. I hated the dissecting way he observed me. I forced myself to relax and smirk at the male, “Try to keep your naughty hands out of my undergarment drawers, will you, little Birdy?” I said, diverting his attention from my body language. His eyes met mine with a burning irritation as his jaw clenched. I just smiled at him dismissively, even going so far to wave him off when he just stood there.

He took a step to me, his eyes burning intensely at me before he leaned in again, eating up my space. Then his eyes lowered, taking me in and leaving behind what felt like burns from his eyes as they devoured me. “I’ve no desire to know what’s beneath your attire, princess,” he said, his tone detached, cold until the mocking way he tossed my title at me. I hated the way it stung my pride to hear those words, but there was a relief that fluttered through my chest too. I had no real power against these otherworldly beings, and I seriously doubted that they would take “no” as an answer for long. Maybe, as an uninterested male, I could get his assistance in keeping the others away for long enough to figure out how to get out of this entire situation.

He, as it seemed he always did, read the emotion in my eyes, and he leaned over me, making me look nearly directly upwards to keep his gaze. Something in them softened a bit before he raised a gloved hand to my face. “You have my protection,” he said softly, his voice only loud enough for me to hear it.

“Except from the King,” I said, a question in my voice. I figured it was the case, but there was something about the way he said it that made me wonder if he would go against the king for my protection. His eyes, however, shuttered at the statement, and that was all the answer I needed. I yanked my eyes from his, stepping away from him. Of course, he wouldn’t, couldn’t. “I don’t need or want your protection, Commander,” I said harshly, not looking at him.

He didn’t respond. He watched me for a minute more before leaving. I stood there, tense, guarded until the doors closed behind him. I was alone with my father, and I didn’t particularly want to be there.

“Your mother seems to think that male could be your ticket out,” my father said after a few moments of quiet, and I looked up at him sharply. He was observing me, something sad in his face. We stood like that for a while, letting his statement hang between us. “But she also doesn’t think you should ever know the truth about us, about her,” he said finally, his voice barely there, guilt pulling his eyes away from mine.

“What truth?” I asked when he didn’t explain. He ran a hand through his curly hair with a sigh.

“I don’t have enough time to explain it now,” he said, his voice strained, “but I wanted desperately to believe Elana.” I just shook my head a little, confused at his words. “If you need that male, Ry, use him,” he said as he stepped to me. His tone was unrest, desperate, “but please be careful. He is powerful, dangerous.”

“I’m not afraid of him,” I said immediately, and his eyes softened. He dropped my gaze before pulling me to his chest. He crushed me into a hug that stole my breath.

“You’re so much more than you know,” he said, his words soft and careful, almost like he was afraid someone would overhear, “Just, don’t hate us when you figure it all out.”