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“My Queen,” Royce started to say as she sat “First, allowHence, it wasn’t as though I was bringing him back to life …” The words she had just blurted sounded absurd even to her, but it was the truth, at least as she saw matters She immediately observed the queen’s reaction and stopped any other words that wanted to tuether in her lap and tried again,to say, Queen Aaibhe is this: I did not really infringe on the path of destiny … and even if I did a little, it was totally necessary because he would not have been in that awful and unacceptable situation—well, it was in essence, our fault, wasn’t it … I mean …”
“Our fault?” The Queen of the Seelie Fae raised her lovely brow and interrupted “How so?”
“The Dark Fae escaped because we couldn’t stop the David, reached for him, and the child stepped backwards into the street He was hit by a car and would have been paralyzed for the rest of his life Our fault”
“I see,” Aaibhe said so softly Royce almost couldn’t hear her, and then she asked, “So then, my Princess, do we make it our business to round up any humans that survived an attack by the Dark Fae but are in critical condition and heal the?”
“No, I know that is not possible, although I wish it were I knoe can’t reveal ourselves to the general population, but in this case I was right there! I saw it happen, and before I could do anything to stop it …” She shook her head “David and his fareat affection for them … and … I … I couldn’t …”
“You were there because you were involved with a human family—and overly involved and attached with this child It put you in a precarious situation You lent your aid without per yourself and us to humans, for what? So that you could heal the boy I am not without compassion, my dear I do understand I do see it all very clearly The question is do you?” Aaibhe said grimly
“I am their friend—they don’t know that I am a Fae … let alone a Fae princess They didn’t know that David’s injuries were serious I healed hi They si untoward had occurred”
“Letthat e happen to be on the spot … and a favored hu precautions or worrying about the repercussions?”
“No … that is not what I a” Royce pleaded with her eyes and hoped her queen would understand “These were extraordinary circumstances The Dark Fae were our responsibility, and they escaped because we didn’t keep the, and David was there, right before my eyes, and he would have been crippled all his little life and …”
“And as I have said, I quite understand, do not think I don’t … but what I want to know because I aive soht to what it would mean to the future if you healed him?”
“I … no, there wasn’t ti her head and then raised it
“Besides, we can never be sure what is destined and what is not Perhaps there was a reason I just happened to be there when this took place … perhaps I was meant to heal him?”
“You have this all worked out then, have you?” the queen said with a cluck of her tongue Then with pursed lips she took Royce’s chin in her hand and made her look into her eyes once more
“I … didn’t think about anything else He is a child, and I care for him …” Royce pleaded
“Of course you did, and I do believe you know that when you broke our rules, rules that were put in place after great consideration and necessity, you walked the edge of danger with regards to the workings of our beliefs We Fae understand that ta with the fates is a serious act” Aaibhe clucked briefly and then added, “Your parents are concerned about your obsession with humans, and unlike Prince Breslyn, you don’t have the maturity and experience to deal with the intricacies of ‘breaking the rules’”