Free Betrothed by Wanda Wiltshire Page B

noticed a faint rumbling. I looked up to see an enormous waterfall in the distance, plunging from a cliff taller than my five-storey apartment building. Within moments we were there, hovering at the precipice, watching the water leap from the edge. He drew my attention to a white haze in the distance.
    ‘Do you see the mountains, Marla?’
    I squinted, separating wispy clouds from snow-covered mountains. ‘I think so.’
    ‘My home is there.’
    ‘Will you show me?’
    ‘Soon,’ he said, then flew slowly down the length of the cliff face, hovering at the base where the cascade collided with a roar and a rush of spray and mist. Behind the waterfall was a cave of smooth pale rock, its opening lit with sunlight. Leif took me there and set me on my feet. I looked through the gaps in the rushing water to the beauty of the forest beyond. I glanced at Leif—his wings had vanished and he stood watching me.
    ‘Aren’t you clever?’ I said, smiling.
    ‘I’m glad you think so.’ He pulled me against him and I looked up into his face.
    ‘Can I do that too, Leif—flip wings out of my back and fly?’
    ‘Of course, you are Fae, but it’s not possible with those clothes in the way.’ Any other guy would have added some sleazy comment, but Leif just watched me.
    ‘Um . . . ’
    ‘I will teach you now if you wish.’
    ‘Maybe later.’
    We sat quietly for a while, the sun on our skin, watching the play of colour and light through the waterfall. But Leif was distracted, and when he lifted my hand into his lap, he said, ‘Marla, I have been speaking to my mother and after revealing my relationship with you she told me some things I must confide to you.’
    ‘Go on,’ I said when he didn’t speak after a long moment.
    He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he began. ‘Faera comprises many kingdoms, each one ruled by a sovereign king and quite separate from the next. When the next prince in line inherits his kingdom, along with the power his new role as king bequeaths him come many obligations. One is that he is expected to quickly provide the next prince. So when his marriageto Finelle did not eventuate, my father was under enormous pressure to find an alternative partner to realise this commitment. Eventually he chose my mother, Atara. They married in haste and soon after she became pregnant with me. The birth of the new prince is a huge celebration, particularly in the kingdom to which he is born and, in all of the festivity, your parents hoped that should they go ahead and conceive a child of their own, the king might show them some leniency.’
    ‘Sounds like a bit of a gamble to me.’
    Leif sighed and wove his fingers with mine, keeping his eyes fixed on the knot our hands created. ‘It was, and after my father learned of your birth, he sent his guard to claim you, but he was too late because your parents had already fled. When eventually they were captured, they refused to tell my father where you were.’
    ‘What did he do?’
    ‘I do not know, my mother has heard nothing of them since. Nor has anyone else I have questioned.’
    My heart sank at the impossibility of it all.
    ‘What do you think he did?’
    After a moment’s hesitation, Leif said, ‘Perhaps he had them imprisoned, or exiled to another kingdom.’ He lifted our joined hands and pressed mine to his lips before adding, ‘I just don’t know.’
    I frowned. ‘How powerful is your father that he can get away with being so horrible?’
    ‘Ah, Marla, my father is more powerful than you can conceive of. He is king of Telophy, an immense kingdom—much larger than most. He has great armies ready to do his bidding and as ruling king possesses many extraordinary gifts.’
    ‘He sounds like a massive bully. I bet everyone hates him.’
    ‘The opposite is true. He is much loved and revered.’
    ‘How could he be when he’s so awful?’
    ‘He is king, Marla. It is reason enough.’
    ‘I get that he’s powerful, Leif, but