Thirty-Three

After a week of bed rest Darby was finally able to leave the dull hospital room. After the visit with both kings she spent most of her time alone, and although Seth did his best to visit for a couple of hours a day he had a kingdom to command. And after the disastrous first battle he had more on his plate that usual. 

All the time in the hospital gave her more than enough opportunities to think about what Kellen had admitted to her.

I still can’t believe it. 

But she finally decided that anything Kellen and her had was long over and she would have to cut him out of her life and dreams forever if she wanted it to work with Seth- which she did. 

And now that she was healed she was ready to take her place beside her king and help ease the strain off of him. 

Darby found him in their room gazing out the window. She smiled initially at the sight of him, but then it faded as she took in the differences that had taken place since she last saw him. His skin was darker than normal, probably due to the hours spent out in the crowd of faeries trying to update them on how their queen was doing. His hair was unkempt and eyes troubled.

There was so much she wanted to say to him but she couldn’t make anything come out until she took his hand in hers. “I missed you.”

He instinctively hugged her close, “I missed you, too. As did our empire,” he gave her a tiny smile. But there was something in his eyes that worried her that she just couldn’t put her finger on. 

“Well now you won’t be alone anymore,” she promised, pressing her lips against his. 

Seth held her fiercely a moment before saying, “Are you sure that you’re not in pain from the wound?” He checked. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She kissed his neck, “I don’t mind sunburns.”

He looked down at her and sighed, “Darby, we should talk about when you woke up.”

Darby’s heart sank, “What about it?”

“With Kellen. . .”

“Miele, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Actually I do.”

“Seth,” she said her tone losing all forms of joking, “I love you. Nothing can change that.”

“Honestly,” Seth kept his eyes on hers, “how did you feel when Kellen told you that he loved you?”

Darby shifted her weight, “What does it matter?”

“Please,” he murmured,  “just answer the question.”

She took a breath, “I was...happy at first I suppose. I mean, it’s what I always wanted. Well, what I thought I wanted. But it’s not anymore. You’re what matters, nothing he said would’ve made a difference.”

He closed his eyes.

“But it doesn’t mean anything,” she repeated. 

“Darby,” his voice broke off suddenly at the end.

She stopped, “Yes?”

“I’ve done a lot of thinking. . . and, I. . . I don’t think you belong as the Light Queen.”

Darby’s breath caught, “What?”

Seth smiled mournfully as he stroked her cheek, “You need to go to Kellen.”

She shoved his hand away, “No! Seth, I love you and you love me. You don’t mean this, you’re just upset.”

“I saw your face when he said he loved you. You looked at him like he was an angel. . . I haven’t ever seen you so in love,” he mumbled.

“But. . .” she was blown away, “you can’t do this. He was to late, I moved on.”

He kissed her cheek, “Darby,” he said tenderly, “you’re only telling yourself that because you didn’t want to hurt me. You love me, I truly believe you do. But it’s nothing like how you love him. And I need someone who is meant for me, and we both know that you aren’t that one.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she whispered, “I don’t want you to think I ever used you. Because I do love you.”

This time when he smiled she saw it brighten his eyes and he chuckled, “I know you weren’t. And, I love you too, don’t forget that.”

She sobbed into his chest, “This isn’t fair to you. . . you deserve to be happy.”

“I am happy,” he rubbed her back, “I was always happy with you. But now, I need you to be happy.”

Darby nodded and wiped away her tears, “And the war?”

“Is over. Sorus didn’t want it. That’s why he helped teach Kellen to love. That meant that we weren’t meant for each other.”

“I’m sorry. If I could change it-”

“I don’t want you to change it, I need to be happy and I won’t be unless you are.”

“That’s all I want, your happiness.”

“Then go. You’re only staying because you didn’t want to hurt me. And that just makes it worse for both of us. We both deserve to have the ones we are meant to be with.”

“You’ll still be in my life though, right? I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”

“Of course,” he laughed, kissing the top of her head.

She kissed him for what she knew would be the last time. She no longer felt or craved the burning on her tongue, but the comforting warmth of his embrace was still there.

He released her and told her softly, “Go to him, he’s waiting for you.”

She took a calming breath, “Okay.”

As she left he called out, “I don’t regret a minute of it.”

A slow smile crept across Darby’s features, “Neither do I.”

Darby knocked twice and waited anxiously for him to answer.

Please be home.

He opened the door and surprise flashed across his face. He looked exhausted, dark circles were clearly visible under his eyes and he looked paler than usual. He wore nothing but boxers and his midnight wings and tattoo were in plain view.

They stared at each other for a long moment until Darby threw her arms around him and kissed him. He wasted no time reacting.

She was to caught up to notice that she was in his bedroom and somehow her clothes were on the floor. She didn’t even notice them coming off. And she didn’t care.

His lips were eager in touching every part of her and didn’t hesitate when he reached her scar, just kissed it more delicately.

“Beautiful,” he murmured in reassurance, “absolutely beautiful.”

“I love you, Kellen,” she breathed.

“I love you, too. More than anything. I’ve been dreaming of telling you that since I met you. You were always different. . . I just never imagined how different.”

She held him close, “I can be anything you want. Tell me what you need and I’ll be it.”

“I want you to be mine for eternity,” he said without hesitation.

“I will,” she promised, her breathing becoming heavy.

And he stopped talking, allowing his body explain the rest. His wings wrapped them closer until they were one. She kissed the tattoo on his neck as her wings helped to bind them together. His darkness was so evident and delicious as it settled around them in an engulfing haze. Making it impossible for her to see anything but him. There was no doubt in her mind that she was making the right choice.

“I love you,” he kept moaning over and over.

And she knew with every fiber of her being, that he meant those lovely words.