I should have known from Queen Sirena's demeanour that she loved being the centre of attention. And from her last statement, she had it. The entire table, Mer Princesses included, gaped at her.

'Carnelian was a Prince of the Demon Kingdom, of course.'

Serenely, the beautiful queen tossed her curled hair over her shoulder and spread her elegant, webbed fingers around the goblet in front of her. Her four daughters, to my surprise, were just as shocked as we were to hear about Fabian's father or the presence of a demon kingdom.

Fabian was the first to speak.

Although— the poor guy, he didn't really talk. Not in any sensible form, anyway. No, Fabian, temper peaking uncharacteristically, slammed his fists on the table and let out a shrill laugh.

I stared at him, my hand left akimbo on his lap. My fingers curled up and I withdrew it, sneaking a glance at the rest of the table. Niamh was suppressing a snigger, Nautia looked disturbed, and the two younger sisters looked terrified to be sat opposite this mad angel. Several seats down, I caught Iggy's eye, and he was open-mouthed at Fabian, who was normally so composed. Likewise, Kirsten's eyebrows were raised, and she blinked at me with an expression that said, "We're doomed."

Scarlett, sat next to Sakura, gave me a badly-communicated signal. From the way she waved her hands, and Sakura nodded encouragingly, I think they wanted me to offer some comfort to my ex-fiancé having a meltdown.

My head creaked back to him, still making an odd sound between a laugh, a whistle, and a wail. Nope, it was too late to save him now.

'The demon kingdom, of course,' he said, 'what else can this bloody island fit on it? Dragons? Giants?'

Queen Sirena, not used to being laughed at and at a loss as to what her son was doing, narrowed her eyes. 'There are no dragons or giants on Angelica. Nor demons, save for the ones that have been turned from angels.'

Mermaids, it seemed, had no sense of sarcasm.

'Oh, of course,' Fabian snapped again, humourlessly. Still, Sirena didn't understand. She cocked her head, assessing her son for further signs of lunacy. Fabian continued, 'and if there's no demons, how the hell'— I let out an unwanted snort at this unintended pun— 'did I get here, if this Demon Prince isn't around?'

At my snort, Fabian glared at me, and to my slight fear, grabbed my hand once more.

Fingers entwined again, I realised he was shaking.

Soothingly, I stroked his hand with my thumb. Tension seemed to leak out of him as I carried on.

'Your father managed to cross over, even when the portal to his world, our old one, is shut. He arranged to meet with me, and offered for me. When I accepted, I showed him to—'

Fabian's hand gripped mine in alarm. His face was grimacing, and I realised that Sirena was really going to answer his question about how he "got here". Hastily, I stepped in, 'Queen Sirena, did you not know that this man— Carnelian— was a demon? Why would you agree to...have a child with someone you've described as evil?'

Sirena looked put-out at the interruptions. 'It was obvious he was a demon. He wasn't Mer, and his wings were not like an angel's; more like leather, I suppose. And we made a deal. I could keep the baby, if it were Mer.'

Fabian didn't speak. He'd shut his eyes, as if he couldn't stand hearing any more. And maybe he couldn't— his hand had gone limp in mine. Anyone, at this point, would be very upset.

I was just about to excuse him and take him out of the situation, when I heard someone whisper, 'If?'

Now it was my turn to shut my eyes. If goddamn Kirsten had to rub salt in the wound, it would be by asking another question.

I couldn't stop the queen's words, even when I knew what she would say. I couldn't stop them hurting Fabian.

'If the child was Mer,' the Queen reiterated, looking incredulous now at the bunch of very stupid angels that kept asking her to repeat herself. 'As in, I wanted nothing to do with it if it wasn't Mer.'

Even I felt ice, hearing such words. Gently, I grabbed hold of Fabian's hand with my other, so that I warmed his cold, trembling fingers.

'I think that's enough,' I murmured, standing to help Fabian. Ignoring the looks of everyone around the table, and someone hissing, 'You can't go until she dismisses us,' I took Fabian by the arm and pulled him out of his chair.

'Thank you for dinner,' I said, as gracefully as I could muster whilst keeping my friend upright. 'But I think that was quite a shock for anyone to hear, so I think it's best for now if we talk about this again tomorrow.'

My eyes met Sirena's; I saw the dark anger flash there at being snubbed. But I kept my chin high, reminding her that I, too, was a queen.

And a rebel one at that.

Fabian managed to get a hold of himself a couple of minutes after leaving that stuffy throne room. He was shaking all over and as pale as his feathers.

'Come on, it's okay,' I tried to sound encouraging, but in my most recent lifetime, kindness hadn't been my specialty. Pickpocketing the man whilst he leaned on me for support would have probably been something I was more comfortable with.

Lumina! I mentally cursed myself. Now is not the time.

He straightened, focusing on moving down the corridor with me at his hip. After a few metres, my brain went back into overdrive, and I realised something important.

'I don't know where I'm going,' I groaned. 'You can't rely on me, it seems! Where do we go?'

Fabian laughed weakly, flashing me a grateful smile. 'Gives me something to think of, doesn't it? Here, it's this way.'

Now it was his turn to pull me through the palace, albeit in a slow and sluggish manner. When we reached a stairwell, he climbed ahead of me, his head hanging low and his wings drooping.

I bit my lip, unable to help except to follow him.

Several winding flights up, we reached a dazzling turquoise corridor, lined with gold and silver shells. Fabian eyed it distastefully, before pulling my hand to continue after him. In silence, we stepped down the carpeted floors until we reached the farthest door. Fabian took the handle and swung it open.

Inside, a large double bed was made neatly, nightclothes folded away on top. The décor was similar to my own downstairs— it was rather like being on board a ship— but there were touches of Fabian. A startlingly red kimono hanging against his wardrobe reminded me of the first time I'd met him in this life. He'd been handsome to look at then, but now— his soul was beautiful.

I blushed. He had taken me to his room. I instantly hushed my overactive mind once more, reminding myself that Fabian had taken me here because he was extremely upset.

My cheeks grew even redder the more I tried to calm down. Thankfully, my companion didn't notice. He pulled off the golden necklace and flung it onto his desk, littered with open books and papers, spilt inks and quills. His torso, still bare, rippled with muscles moving as he prowled across the room.

I looked at the ceiling and counted to ten. When I looked back again, he'd thankfully put on a t-shirt, but, just my luck, it was black, hugging, and deadly in more ways than one.

Internally, I sighed.

He glanced at me, looked me up and down, and then, to my surprise, passed me the red kimono.

My anger rose, and my pink cheeks turned red with annoyance. 'Are you telling me to cover up?'

'No!' Fabian ran a distressed hand through his tousled hair. 'If you were cold...'

He wouldn't meet my gaze again. I dropped my anger; he hadn't meant it maliciously. In fact, he was trying to be accommodating.

I slipped into the red kimono and wrapped it around my body, fastening it at the waist. When Fabian looked over, I saw his eyes widen, heard his breath hitch.

I didn't think it was possible, but I blushed even harder.

Damn my traitorous cheeks!

'You look beautiful,' he said, and his smile was real. Cautiously, I crossed the room and took a seat next to him on his bed, where he was sat with his hands on his lap, clenched with tension.

'Do you want to talk about it?' I asked, knowing that the real thing he was thinking of wasn't me or my red kimono, but what had just been revealed to him.

He paused. He shook his head, whilst saying 'Yes,' at the same time. Then he nodded and said, 'No.' Confused, he groaned and put his head in his hands.

Hoping I wasn't crossing any boundaries, I put my hand on his back to pat him in what was, I prayed, a nice gesture of empathy.

'I don't know what to say about it,' he muttered into his hands. His voice was muffled, pained. 'I knew it would be bad, but...'

I swallowed. '...hearing it said out loud?'

He nodded. 'It's their way, but she was so nonchalant about it all.'

I wrapped my arm around him. He leaned into me, exhaling. 'You want to know the worst thing, Lu? I hoped. Even after all these years, I hoped there had been some mistake. They hadn't abandoned me because they didn't love me.'

His breath tickled my face as he turned to look at me. I gulped; he was so close, and his eyes looked straight at me as he said, 'I'm an idiot, aren't I?'

My heart broke for him. I shook my head. 'Never.'

'I can't believe I nearly broke down like that...'

'Anyone would have.'

'How am I going to face them?'

I pressed my forehead against his, shocking him. His head was so warm against mine. 'You're going to face them as we've faced everything else: together.'

As I pulled away, I saw the red cheeks disease spread to his face, and I couldn't help but smile. He reached for my hands again, and I didn't protest.

'Earlier,' he spoke up, a little awkwardly, 'I'm sorry I avoided you. It's just, I thought you might have forgotten who you are again. I was terrified of you saying it that I stupidly tried to avoid it.'

I shook my head. 'I didn't forget. But even if I did...wouldn't your Lumina have come back?'

Something like irritation flashed in his eyes. 'It's not like either of you will do! Your old life...things were different between us. You must remember that. Scarlett said your memories were coming back.'

'I don't remember much,' I said. It was a white lie, but after being told his father was an evil overlord and his mother didn't give a squat about him unless he had fins, I didn't think he could take that my brain hadn't yet placed him back into the picture, whilst showing everyone else. He had only just perked up from discussing something other than his genes. 

'Well,' Fabian chewed his lip thoughtfully, 'it's not like that. Gods, we grew up together before. We were like family even before we got engaged.'

I made a face. 'Isn't that odd?'

He looked relieved. 'Yes! But...no, at the same time. It was a different kind of love, I guess.'

Shock must have shown in my face because he paled once more. He'd said the L-word, and I felt my chest tighten.

Did he imply...?

'So, I'm sorry,' he continued hastily, before I could ask. My mouth shut with a snap. 'I didn't mean to avoid you. Although, it seems even worse now I remember that the last thing you did to me was kiss me.'

'You kissed me,' I said automatically, and I saw how his lips quirked in triumph.

'You dragged me onto a balcony and kissed me, you shameless cad!'

I stuttered; it was, admittedly, true. 'I was about ninety percent sure I was going to die! I had nothing to lose!'

Fabian's eyes glittered as his smile grew wider. 'Except,' he whispered, leaning forwards, 'that ten percent where you have survived, and I live to tease you.'

'Living only to tease me seems a dreadful shame. There is a matter of life and death, and the fact we're wanted criminals.'

Fabian looked thoughtful. 'That, too. But as you said: we'll face being on the run, hunted, and possibly killed, together.'

So we sat, holding one another, grinning like genuine idiots and lamenting on our fates, until a knock at the door came.

--

Happy new year everyone! What do you think of Fabian's parents? How about the Queen and her daughters? And was there enough Lumian for you? ;)

And do you think it's coincidence that he was given to Lumina's family...?

Please vote and comment, I'd love to hear from you and whatever your opinions are! 

Music is by Sia, who I probably spend 50% of my time writing to <3 

Larissa

xxx