Loyalty

“Once your father freed your mother, she didn’t hesitate. She climbed onto his back, and together, they disappeared into the night.” Nana’s voice was soft, her gaze distant as she recalled the memory.

I could almost see it—my mother, the fairy queen, draped across my father’s powerful form as they vanished under the cover of darkness. They had fled, leaving behind a world that wanted to tear them apart.

“I don’t know where they went,” Nana continued, her voice faltering. “Your mother severed our guardian link to protect us—to protect you. With that bond broken, we couldn’t track her, couldn’t follow their path. It was as if they had vanished from existence.”

A shiver ran through me. The idea of my mother cutting ties with her most loyal guardians, leaving them in the dark… it must have been devastating for them. Yet, even then, they had understood it was necessary.

Nana sighed, her fingers twisting a strand of silver hair as she delved deeper into the memory. “Two years later, I was in the royal library with Lola Maybe, sorting through ancient texts and studying the old runes. We had resigned ourselves to the fact that your mother might never return. But then… she appeared.”

I straightened, my heart racing. “She came back?”

Nana smiled, though her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Yes. She appeared out of thin air, as if she had never left. She was still as beautiful and powerful as ever, though there was a weight in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. She asked us one question—if our hearts were still loyal to her.”

I held my breath, imagining the scene—my mother standing before them, regal and imposing, but with a desperate plea hidden in her gaze.

“We didn’t even have to think,” Nana said softly. “We both nodded without hesitation. She was our queen, our reason for living. Nothing in this world could ever change that.”

I could feel my chest tighten, pride swelling in my heart. Despite everything, despite the danger and the betrayal from the other fairy queens, my mother’s guardians had remained loyal. They had never wavered.

Nana continued, her voice growing more emotional with each word. “She took our hands, and in an instant, she teleported us to this house—this very place where you’ve grown up. The moment we arrived, she reinstated the guardian connection with us, and it was like… it was like we could breathe again. She led us upstairs to your bedroom, and that’s when we saw your father.”

Nana’s voice cracked as she spoke, her eyes misting over. “He was sitting there, in the chair by the window, cradling the most beautiful baby we had ever seen—you. You were so small, swaddled in blankets, your eyes wide and curious, you would have been just under one year old.”

I felt a lump form in my throat. The image of my father—whom I’d never met—holding me in his arms was almost too much to bear.

“She explained everything to us,” Nana continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your father was her destined soulmate, the one fate had chosen for her. And because of that bond, they were stronger together than anyone had anticipated. She had placed a cloaking rune over you and this house, shielding both of you from the supernatural councils that hunted them.”

I could feel the weight of those words settle heavily on my shoulders. My mother had gone to such lengths to protect me, to keep me hidden from forces far greater than I could comprehend.

“As she spoke,” Nana said, her voice trembling, “I realized why she had brought us here. She asked if we would allow her to cloak our magic as well, to hide us alongside you. She wanted us to raise you as a normal child, to shield you from the world of magic and power until you turned eighteen—until it was time for you to take your place.”

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, the magnitude of their sacrifice washing over me. They had given up everything—their magic, their identities—to protect me, to ensure I had a chance at a normal life, even if it was only for a short while.

“And of course, we agreed,” Nana said, her voice filled with emotion. “We swore our loyalty to her, just as we always had. She told us that she would be safe with your father, but she could feel the supernatural council closing in on them, hunting for her. She was determined that they must never find out about you, Lenora. For as long as we could avoid it, we had to keep you hidden.”

I wiped a stray tear from my cheek, my heart aching at the thought of my mother and father constantly on the run, always looking over their shoulders, all to protect me.

“We swore on our lives to protect you,” Nana whispered, her hands trembling as she spoke. “And after many tears, your mother placed you in my arms, kissed you on the forehead, and teleported away with your father.”

I could see the tears spilling down Nana’s face, and I didn’t hesitate. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly as we cried together. The weight of everything she had told me was almost unbearable, but I knew we both needed this release.

After a long moment, Nana hiccuped through her tears, her voice barely audible. “It’s been over seventeen years since I last saw your mother, but I know she’s strong. She’s always been strong. And your father… he’s even stronger than she is. The last time I saw him, he slaughtered the royal guards like they were nothing more than insects. I know, deep in my heart, that they are both safe, even if they’re in a distant dimension.”

She pulled back, wiping at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. “I can still feel her life force, faint as it is. She’s holding on, Lenora. And so are we. Lola and I will continue to fight, to protect you, and one day, we will reunite with your mother. But for now, we must prepare you for what’s to come.”

Nana’s words echoed in my mind, filling me with both hope and determination. My parents were still out there, fighting for me. And I would do whatever it took to be ready when the time came to stand beside them.