(Alnilam)

Amaia has left me utterly baffled. The magic she possesses is beyond anything we can comprehend.

My sealed magic, my inner light has returned. I don’t know how she has done it but there seems to be magic even in her tears.

The unconditional love she holds for me and my hair has made this possible.

And I haven’t even been able to say ’I love you’ back to her.

My hair spread behind me like silvery wings, happily waving and fluttering at being restored. They elongate and burst forward, wrapping themselves around her body, pulling her in. Crawling all over her body and face like moonlit vines.

Showing their gratitude for restoring them. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Amaia, I love you," I blurt out, my emotions so heightened, heart pounding. I can feel only her, see only her.

She embraces me, letting my hair show their affection. "I know."

The streak of my hair that I had gifted her, crawls into hers. The tips of my strands pick hers up merging them with hers, making a braid so they will be forever a part of my mate.

My lips landed in her soft hair, kissing them.

"This is forever yours." The braid in her hair is completed.

My silver with her straw gold. Our magic fuses, connecting us.

"I am sure this is not allowed but I am not parting from my hair again," I say.

"I don’t care what’s allowed. We are not going to be playing by their rules." Her eyes shine with determination.

I agree with her. "We are going to carve our own path."

Amaia strokes my silvery coils winding around her arm. "You guys have to remain hidden. No one besides Alnilam or me can know that you have been restored." They thrum with my magic as if agreeing to what she is saying.

"I will keep my bandana on, letting others think that they are still severed."

Her fingers reach for my forehead and her fingertips delicately brush against my burnt tattoo.

"Did it hurt?" She feebly asks. Her touch brings solace as no one else has ever done.

"Not much," I answer quietly, watching her beautiful swirling eyes focused entirely on me as if I am her whole world.

"Liar. You always protect me, even if it means getting hurt."

"I would never let them hurt you." I already failed with Jamina. I am not going to repeat that mistake, even if it means my life is on the line.

Amaia is worth it.

She takes the bandana from my hand. I bend down understanding what she wishes to do. Carefully she binds it around my head.

Heeding her advice, my hair slowly retracts from her body and hides under the bandana, not to be discovered.

She finally smiles softly at me. "They are so smart."

The knock on the door diverts our attention.

"I will check." Letting Amaia go, I head over to the door and open it.

Larissa is standing there with a bright smile. "He is awake and he is asking for Amaia."

My mate comes from behind me and exclaims in delight. "He is. Can I see him?"

Larissa heartily nods at her.

"Let’s go." We leave the room. Amaia takes large strides beside me. I can sense her exuding happiness through the bond.

"I hope no one knows about him?" Larissa shakes her head at Amaia’s question and turns her attention to address me.

"Two sentinels came asking. Headmaster Fallon wishes to speak with you."

I halt. "Take Amaia with you. I need to speak with Headmaster Fallon."

Amaia nods and whispers. "Be safe."

While the girls head over to the infirmary I make my way towards his office.

He is impatiently waiting for me, pacing his office with his hands behind his back.

He turns to watch me as I enter. His calculating eyes take me in.

"Alnilam, here you are. I wasn’t informed that you guys have already returned. Weren’t an officiator supposed to drop you off?" He asks, confused.

But I know he is prying, asking how we have arrived.

"We accepted help from someone else. Something happened and I didn’t trust them so I didn’t use their portal but a different one." I have to tell him about Amaia. Most probably, he already knows.

He shakes his head at me. "Amaia is a Fae. I know, they sent the word. The whole Istrale watched her transform."

Just as I had predicted. "Did you know about her?" He questions next, trying to remain impassive but struggling to keep his composure. His jaw is set too tight.

"I did. Knowing what happens to faes in our world, I merely protected her."

Fallon gives one nod of disapproval. "You should have informed me. This reflects poorly on us. Like we are harbouring them. We should have never sent Guild Leo, if I had known about her."

I clench and unclench my hands in frustration. There is so much pressure on my temples.

"Harbouring them? They have as much right to live as we do. Amaia is my mate, she is also my brothers’ mate. You or anyone trying to hurt her will be seen as an act of war by us."

My words make his throat move as if he is gulping.

"And haven’t you heard what Istrale is doing to the Faes?" I explain everything I have witnessed and learnt about their experimentation and horrors.

"Alnilam, I understand. But we can’t go to war with them. They are too powerful with technology we don’t possess."

"It’s not for you to decide. They come for innocent people and I won’t sit quietly, letting them do whatever they want."

Headmaster Fallon appears slightly taken aback by my words. "You took an oath, Alnilam. You are an Enforcer."

That makes me snort and I shake my head. "Not anymore. They took the title from me. Now I am just a protector of the weak and innocent, no matter who they are. I won’t be reporting anyone but protecting those who have no voice or have been suppressed for too long." I adjust my bandana and finally say.

"If you will excuse me, I have to visit my brother. And just a reminder. Amaia is off limits."