“I haven’t set foot in the Fae Realm for decades now, but I was once among the High Lords,” Emiliano confirmed, his expression tightening with a blend of agitation and something that looked almost like pain.
“So, you weren’t one of the Fae who surrendered their power?” Leonardo asked, his voice edged with distrust.
“No, he wasn’t.” I shook my head. “But the High Lord looked just like him.”
“My son, Edoardo,” Emiliano murmured, casting a glance toward the fire. In the glow of the flames, the golden and orange tones in Emiliano’s eyes and hair seemed to catch fire themselves, giving him an almost otherworldly presence. The weight in his voice held me silent, drawing an unspoken question to the surface: why was Emiliano here, in this world, and not in the Fae Realm with all its magic and b
