Lorien’s POV

“You’re late,” Lior grumbled as I darted through the trees, the wind catching in my hair. I couldn’t stop smiling even if I tried.

When I’d first gone to train with the Fae, I had braced myself for the worst coldness, cruelty, maybe even rejection. But the tension had faded after just a few sessions. The more time I spent with my great-aunt, the more complicated my feelings became. I didn’t like her--her sharpness and her pride grated on me but I respected her ...