Rainbow Comet Chapter 19

“Be careful, prince Flint. I am not afraid to touch him, if he wants it.”

Flynn

The next day, mom calls. I take the tablet with her face on it outside of the palace and sit on a breezy bench in the courtyard, tilting my head back and thinking of Boreas eating grapes for a moment before I hear her voice chime in.

“So when are you coming back, Flynn?”

My eyes open sharply and I look down at her. She has never been much of a mother, at least in the emotionally supportive way. But she guarded us all in a world that was nearly impossible to be safe in as fire fae. My loyalty is strong towards her, because my safety was always paramount to her.

I don’t mean that she denied me anything, but she was never able to be soft and nurturing. She never said follow your dreams. Those are things said to frost fae children.

She said fight for your peace and save your people. And she was right.

“You’re not ruling the light kingdom anymore, and I hear you’re not with Callie, is that true?”

I nod. Shame waves through me at what she might say if she knew what I was doing. All my life, I have tried to please her and my people. Be a good prince.

My initial trip to earth with Brett and the others was taken to try to prove myself, and get us all a better life.

When you come from a dark, poor place, all you want is to see everyone you love out of it.

“So what are you doing now?” She asks, purple eyes flashing as she peers at me. “I hear you’re in a vale, are you on a diplomatic mission?”

I rub the back of my neck. “I’m visiting a friend.”

She frowns. “What kind of friend would take you away from your people when you should be hunting for another mate? As a fire fae male, you should not stay unattached.” She raises a tablet with many faces on it. “In fact, since I heard of your separation, I have prepared a list of all those you should be able to mate now.” She cocks a head. “You should always have shared your strength with a fire fae, you know. You never should have been with a light fae. But it was advantageous, and you were in love, so we didn’t want to stop you. Now that it has gone as we all figured, and she has abandoned you—“

“Callie didn’t abandon me,” I say. But she waves a hand and I know she won’t listen.

Besides, I don’t know if I’m ready to tell her why I’m the the who left Callie. Even if it was mutual, and no abandonment on both sides. I hate myself for caring so much how people feel at times.

“What are you doing in the vale, if not seeking a bride?” She asks. “Are you getting wishes granted for our people?”

I rub the back of my neck again, sure my face is flushing. But she was never as aware as Boreas is of such things. All business. I respect that about her.

Sometimes I wish I could be like her. Hard as stone, letting everything else break or bend as it cuts around me.

“If you aren’t granting wishes, and you aren’t finding a queen, then what are you doing?” Her eyes narrow. “You aren’t just having fun with that prince you were writing, are you?” Her eyes flash now, red showing at the centers, meaning she is pissed. “You wouldn’t dishonor our people by doing something…forbidden.”

I swallow tightly. “It is none of your business, mother, what I do in that sector.”

Fire fae culture is very conservative.

“If you’re going to stay there, then if I send some fire fae bride candidates, would you consider them? I hear the king there is seeking a bride, surely he wouldn’t mind.”

“I am being his guard.”

Her face takes on a sneer. “Using our prince as a simple sentry. Surely as the king of kings he can guard himself. See how he looks down on you? Uses you for his own agenda? They all do that. They always will. They never see us as people with lives of our own.”

“He asked me as a favor. As a king. He says I have skills he doesn’t.”

“And has this so-called king had trouble fighting anyone? Does it really look like he needs protection, or is he just wasting your time? Maybe playing with a hot fire fae until it’s time to take the throne?”

My neck burns with shame, then rage. And then something I’m not proud of, that can’t help but trickle in in the cracks she has opened in my armor. Doubt. In me and Boreas.

Sometimes I do wonder if he takes anything seriously as I do, other than defending his kingdom. And what am I really doing here? He has defended me at least twice. He was even handling that queen who invaded his harem with no fear. There’s no way such a powerful fae, who can turn into a dragon, needs me.

So is he just wasting my time? Just turned on by me? Using me as emotional support?

I don’t dare tell her he offered to be my lover. That he wanted to be public. She would still say he was just using me, since he would still be taking a queen.

“I’m fine with youthful indiscretions,” she says. “Whatever you two are doing, I suppose it is no ones business as long as you are discreet. But in the end, you know he will take a queen for the sake of power in his kingdom, and you will need to take a queen as well. So the energy the two of you are expending is just a waste of time when you could be bonding to a soul bond that could truly save both of your lives in the future. Queens have far more magic you know.”

I think of the dragon fight, of him kissing me before hand. It seemed like I gave him strength. But could a queen give him more?

Guilt fills me for even thinking about it, but my mom is right. Fire fae have never been able to live in the clouds about such matters.

We are firmly grounded, bound by fire.

Brett lives in the clouds, I suppose literally at times.

Can heaven and hell ever truly meet?

But it feels like heaven with him.

“He needs me for now, and he’s the seat of the galaxy, so that settles it,” I say, though in my heart, I’m not so sure. On some level I agree with her. I’ll never be happy watching him with a queen. I’ll burn with jealousy, maybe die, if I’m too bonded, of a broken heart. Or maybe I’m being dramatic, but where is this leading?

Us staring at each other across a table before being led away by two queens?

It’s sure to cause chaos.

The fact that it has been so wonderful, all my fantasies wrapped up in one situation, has surely led to be being blinded by the situation.

But I can’t let Brett hear any of this. I need him to be happy. Everyone does.

He truly blindly believes we will just have a happy ending somehow, even though I don’t see a way.

It has been enough to now to just enjoy him. To keep stealing and hoarding moments of love and assume it will conquer all.

But as I saw with Callie, it rarely does.

This is different, but in some ways harder than that situation is. Because my mother is right. For my people, I still have expectations, just like he does. And if he doesn’t truly need me, then we are both letting our people down with this dalliance that keeps us from truly allying with them in a way that kings are expected.

“Anyway, think about it,” she says. “I will continue to contact candidates, but you should keep your head out of the clouds, Flynn. Be realistic about what you want at the end of this, versus what can truly happen. Because I don’t want to see you broken hearted and unable to bond. That would truly be a loss for the fire fae we couldn’t sustain, since you are the strongest of our princes, because you were a king. Don’t let us down.”

I swallow. “I won’t. You know I won’t. I worked my way up to ruling you know. Took down the light kingdom.”

She waves a hand. “Right. So don’t undo all of that with your current actions. Don’t be something you aren’t.”

I want to tell her she doesn’t know who I am. That I’ve been so bound by duty my whole life I wasn’t even allowed to figure it out, but maybe she is right. Right now I’m his guard, but I’m also the future king of my people. I must make an alliance that fits as surely as he must. More surely, since we live with chaos right outside our door always, while he can just turn into a dragon and guard that tiny gate he calls a portal all by himself.

No matter what queen he takes, the mushroom people will be safe. And while I was worried about his safety, I’ve seen nothing he couldn’t have gotten out of himself.

Instead, he’s been saving me. I put a hand to my head. The whole thing has been ridiculous.

But then I see his face, smiling and teasing. Pleased and tense, walking beside me in the gardens and offering me a berry.

Telling me he loves me and I should love myself.

They seem like childish thoughts now. Like the two of us have been living in a dream.

I’m glad I’ve been here, to see he is safe and share his trauma, and to have him help with mine.

“Don’t do something to disappoint us, Flint,” my mother says finally. “So many people rely on your strength.”

I feel anger move through me, despite myself.

“I will be honorable, mother, you will see.”

I close the tablet after saying my goodbyes, and talking to a few of my sisters.

I look up to see Boreas entering the garden, his face lighting up happily as he walks over to me.

Gods, it makes my heart light to see him. If only we could be together always.

But then as he walks out from behind a hedge row, I see someone walk out behind him.

With jealousy burning through me, I realize it’s a male fae, with pearlescent, dark gray hair dyed rainbow in a streak, a pretty face, deep skin, and a lean, toned body.

His hand is on Brett’s arm, and Brett doesn’t seem to mind it.

He grabs the other male and pulls him over to me.

“Flynn! You’ll never guess what just happened! We have another compatriot!” He shoves the fae warrior at me, who gives me a curious look and then an apologetic smile.

“I had no idea prince Boreas would be so amenable to my propositions,” he says, flushing. His gaze on Boreas is as appreciative as mine, and I realize what Boreas means by compatriot.

I narrow my eyes.

He puts up his hands. “No, not like that. Boreas told me he was already bonded to a partner, though I didn’t know who it was until now.”

I fold my arms. “Who are you again?”

The fae straightens. “My name is Moonbow. I’m from the kingdom of Nytall. A shadow fae kingdom.”

I nod.

The dude is so pretty he could almost be a girl, with a willowy figure that is still muscly enough for me to appreciate as male.

But I prefer Boreas’s build, as I'm sure everyone by now realizes, with my ability to fill his tank.

Moonbow stands tall as he appraises me. I can tell he’s not sure what to think of me yet. “I’m an emissary fighting for warrior rights. Gay rights. I want the galaxy to accept warriors being together, they way they accept queens. I have fought on many planets for it with my rainbow powers.”

“He has rainbow powers,” Brett says. “Not genetic like ours, but gained through permission by impressing different gods throughout the galaxy.”

Moonbow beams at his complement. “I have worked hard, king.”

Jealousy runs through me again, and after my call with my mother, I’m worn out.

But with the way this fae looks at Boreas, I’m more determined than ever to stay by Brett’s side, regardless of what my family thinks.

After all, they had nothing to say to me for many years, when I was married to Callie. They didn’t approve of that either.

But I will do what my heart wants, this time at least.

And right now that is to protect Boreas.

I put thoughts of my mother’s call out of my heart.

Moonbow folds his arms, looking at me. Can he read minds too? I wonder what rainbow powers entail. “I wonder where you stand. I have allied with many other gay fae who leant me their powers in my quest. There are more of us than you know, on every planet. Who want to be together. Who want to love freely. That is why I have come seeking support from King Boreas, or a wish. That warriors can be together, like queens. With his powers, which could make anything possible, maybe we could even mate. Something like the omegas on Titan planet.”

Brett perks happily. “My sister says the male male alignment is practically the dominant one right now.”

For fae, alignment is essential, so that we all agree on a cause and work together, rather than using our magic to fight against it.

Moonbow bumps Boreas in the side, then flushes, and looks him up and down. “I’m so glad you’re one of us, prince Boreas. And you, prince…?”

“Flint,” I say.

“You’re one of us? And clearly, you’re with Boreas. Look at that possessive glare! What do you say to going public with him? It would be essential to our cause. A former king and a future king, together. No one could gainsay us. A very strong start to an alignment.”

And there it is, my fear again.

And Boreas hasn’t yet said his father or kingdom would be okay with it either.

We just haven't talked about it enough.

Right now, as we’ve discussed it, we both have to go and be with other queens at the end of this.

Even if it feels like it will tear my heart apart.

It just isn’t our choice, it feels like.

But I’ll be damned if I hand him to Moonbow.

Boreas may be bi, rather than gay, but I know how he feels about men now. He will want another warrior if it’s not me.

I swallow, as Boreas looks at me, cocking his head while waiting for my answer.

“Boreas, can I talk to you alone?” I ask, sweat beading at my forehead.

Moon watches keenly, cocking his head, then smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. I don’t think he really likes me.

Right now, I’m not sure I like me either.

He finally sighs, folding his toned arms. “Of course anyone would want to get such a dish alone.” He grins, running his eyes over Boreas. “Such a pretty man, with such a figure, I’m sure I’ve never seen. If you’re not interested, let me have him. I’m a prince as well, to my people, and I’d be willing to go public. Own everything about him. Make him mine. Imagine the alignment.”

He can put his alignment where the sun doesn’t shine. Boreas is mine.

“There it is, that possessive look again. Well, I’ll leave you two alone then.” He begins to sashay out of the garden, but then turns back to face us, his eyes moving over Brett with longing one more time.

I feel like I’m about ready to duel him.

“I’ll be in the palace, trying to get an audience with the advisors to the king. But think about this,” he says, cocking his head. His stupid, pretty head. “Given how bad it is for gay warriors in the galaxy, with some actually being eaten on certain planets, we can’t afford to wait in our mission. We must make gay rights a priority for all.” He stops, watching a butterfly go by. He raises a hand and it gently lights on his finger, fluttering its wings for a moment. Then it takes off. He smiles over at us.

“A good sign of strong radiant energy!” Boreas says. “Tiny things feel safe with him!”

Gods, Moon seems as innocent as Brett.

Perhaps they’d make a better pair than I could with him, I think darkly.

“Let’s go talk, Flynn,” Brett says, face  going serious as he looks at me. “Alone. Whatever you need, I’m here for. You’ve done so much for me.” He brightens as he reaches for my hand, but I don’t take it.

Gods, I’m ashamed of myself as I watch Brett’s hand fall to his side.

But we agreed we wouldn’t touch like that in front of others.

It would reveal us. And he seems to be very excited about such things after talking to Moonbow, but I can’t move that fast yet.

Moonbow watches the interaction, and a small smirk lights his lips. “Be careful, prince Flint. I am not afraid to touch him, if he wants it.”

Brett goes deep red, looking shocked. “I, uh, I, well—“

“This is not your business,” I say, grabbing Brett by the hand then and jerking him along with me.

I’ll be damned if Moonbow gets to comment on anything else about us.

Damn it.

I look around for a mushroom person, expecting them to shout ‘swears’ at any moment, but we truly are alone, except for Moonbow.

Wasn’t he going to leave?

But he’s peering at us with that knowing face.

I didn’t know it would be so soon that we would meet a gay warrior, let alone one fighting for public rights.

Finally Moonbow goes, rolling his eyes as he heads back to the palace.

I follow Boreas to a door that leads to a private side room on the other side of the palace.

Privacy at last, to talk to my prince.

At least for now, he is still mine.