The morning light spilled into the villa, golden and soft. You'na stretched faintly against the warmth beside her, only to find Fey'ha's arms still wrapped around her.
Her lips curved. He hadn't left.
His hand brushed through her hair lazily, fingers tracing circles along her back as though memorizing her touch. But then his chest suddenly tightened. His brows furrowed, eyes flickering with something she couldn't see.
A mind-link.
Two pixie guards waited outside, sending him the same message again and again: Morning council. The royal family demands your presence.
His throat worked, and for the first time, Fey'ha looked like he didn't want to answer. His arms only tightened around her.
"You're leaving?" You'na whispered, sensing the shift.
Fey'ha's jaw clenched. A rare wetness glimmered at the corner of his eyes. "I don't want to. But…" he trailed off, pressing his forehead against hers, "I have things to handle that I can't ignore. Not today gur'fid."
Her chest ached. She reached up, cupping his face gently. "Then Ill see you around?"
"Of course You'll see more of me again." His tone was fierce, burning, a promise made into her very soul.
From beneath the sheets, he pulled something small, glowing faintly with golden light.
A root, twisted into a delicate ankle bracelet, warm with living energy.
"It's from a golden Fiazza tree," Fey'ha murmured as he slipped it around her ankle, fastening it gently. He lowered his head, lips brushing her skin, then pressing a slow, sensual kiss against her ankle, then the arch of her foot, before finally moving back up to claim her lips one last time.
"You can come to pixie realm anytime. My doors will always be open for you." His voice cracked slightly as he pulled her into one last embrace.
He looked back beforehand.
Then, too soon, he was gone.
The moment the door shut, You'na's chest seized. Her breath broke, tears blurring her vision. Her PBA flared uncontrollably—laughter and sobs mixing, sharp and painful.
Her priest spirit stirred violently, weeping, restless, as though something sacred had been ripped away.
But then… her hand brushed the bracelet.
Instantly, calm washed over her. The spirit quieted, soothed by the root's golden warmth. A realization hit her hard.
Her first soulmate.
She was sure of it.
Her legs trembled as she stood, ready to run to her grandmother and spill everything—only to find the elder already stepping into the villa, her eyes sharp and knowing, lips curved with a smirk that screamed gossip.
"You look like you've been struck by lightning," Sylvia teased, her voice lilting as she set aside her cane and stepped deeper into the room. "Don't tell me it's already happened. Not even two days back, and you've gone and tangled with fate itself."
You'na didn't bother hiding her grin. "Grandmother… I think I found him." She held up her ankle proudly, showing off the golden root. "He gave me this. Kissed it too. Then my priest spirit—gods—it healed in one night! Just one night! How is that possible?"
Sylvia's smirk deepened, her sharp eyes glinting. "I had a vision three weeks ago. I saw you meeting one of your soulmates the moment you returned to this world. I didn't know who it would be—but I see now."
You'na's face warmed, shameless excitement spilling from her lips. "Grandmother, he wasn't just gentle. He was… wild. Fun. Gods, we didn't even stop talking until the sun almost came up. And then—" she leaned in conspiratorially, "he kissed me like no one else ever has. Not just lips. Everywhere. He even kissed my foot." She laughed, heat in her cheeks, not embarrassed in the slightest.
Sylvia only chuckled, shaking her head knowingly. "Ah, so he's bold enough to claim you and tender enough to worship you. No wonder your spirit healed. That's soulmate energy, child. That bond is older than this plane."
You'na's grin softened, more vulnerable now. "But it was so fast… I've only been back a day. What if I'm wrong?"
Her grandmother reached forward, cupping her cheek with warm, slender fingers. "Listen to me, girl. When it's a soulmate, it doesn't matter if it's one day or one century—you'll know. And you do know. That's why your spirit wept when he left."
You'na pressed her hand to the bracelet, her chest tight but glowing. "Then I'll chase him. Shamelessly. Fiercely. If he's mine, I won't let him go."
Sylvia laughed outright now, shaking her head. "You're my granddaughter, no doubt about it. Bold enough to scare the heavens themselves."
You'na smirked, mischief in her eyes. "Scare the heavens? Please. Grandmother, you should have seen his face when I bit his shoulder last night. The mighty pixie nearly melted."
Sylvia snorted, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "Oh, so he's the melting type? That explains the foot-kissing. None of your old flings ever had the spine to do that. They strutted, they preened, but they never knelt."
You'na's laugh rang like bells. "Exactly! They thought they could impress me with showmanship, with tricks. Fey'ha? He impressed me by looking at me like I was worth worshiping."
Sylvia arched a brow, teasing. "Careful, child. If you let a man worship you too much, you might start to enjoy it."
"Already do," You'na shot back shamelessly, stretching her legs so the bracelet gleamed. "And I don't intend to stop."
Sylvia cackled, leaning on her cane. "Good. Keep him on his toes. Soulmate or not, men still need reminding who they're dealing with."
⸻
Back in the pixie realm, music still lingered, but softer now. The wildest hours had passed, leaving only murmurs and laughter drifting among the trees.
Soren arrived late, wings heavy, cloak thrown over his shoulders. He greeted a few familiar pixies—shared a drink, laughed at a bawdy song someone strummed on a vine-harp. He almost managed to forget the ache in his chest, the centuries of loss weighing down his wings.
Almost.
Then he froze as whispers drifted over the firelight.
"…that exotic human girl," a pixie whispered, eyes wide. "She was unreal. Gorgeous, magnetic—her aura was like comfort itself, yet wild, dangerous, fun. Everyone was drawn in without knowing why."
"Her name was You'na," another sighed, their cheeks flushed pink. "She's the kind of gur'fid you dream of. Honestly, I wanted her for myself, but… Prince Fey'ha beat us all. Took her off, probably to his private chambers."
A third pixie chimed in, shaking their head. "Do you realize? This is the first time we've seen the prince truly interested in anyone other than a party or training. Did you see his face? He dropped everything for her."
Soren's drink slipped from his hand, shattering.
His heart pounded.
You'na…
The name ripped open something he'd buried long ago. A flash of an old friend, laughter from another age, a presence that had once lit his entire world. She had died—self-destructed when entering the void space. He'd mourned her for centuries.
Tammi had never healed. Still listless at their mushroom homestead. Still clutching the broken remains of Dowdo—her life companion, the enchanted carpet that once carried them across worlds.
But now…
Soren's wings spread, and he bolted.
⸻
He burst into the homestead, breath ragged. Tammi was there, hunched over the carpet, needle trembling in his hands.
But this time—Dowdo stirred. The once-lifeless weave rippled, tassels fluttering, its threads glowing faintly with magic.
Tammi clutched it tight, tears streaming down his face.
"She's alive!" he sobbed. "She's returned! She's really back after centuries of waiting!"
Soren dropped to his knees, pulling him into a desperate hug, his own tears spilling freely. "I heard them. The pixies at the realm—they said her name, Tammi. They said You'na. It has to be her. It must be true—Dowdo wouldn't stir otherwise."
Tammi's cries broke into choked laughter as he hugged Soren tighter, both of them shaking.
"She's back," Tammi whispered, voice breaking. "After everything—we were right to wait. She's really back."
And for the first time in centuries, their grief broke—replaced by raw, overwhelming joy.