Page 51 of A Fate of Wings

She shrugged. “You could be any of many things. A harpy, angel or demon, siren, djinn, fairy or even a pixie.”

I frowned. “How do I figure it out?”

“If you let your wings out, then we’ll see for sure which one you are.”

I concentrated on my back. How did you make wings appear when you didn’t even realize you owned them? Nothing happened. Not that I expected it to. I huffed in frustration. If my wings appeared, then I’d see what I was. I’d understand one thing about myself. Anything was better than nothing. The wings didn’t emerge from my shoulders as I pictured.

“I don’t know how.” Defeat poured from my pores. I sagged in the chair. How could I make wings appear when I didn’t know how?

“Never mind.” She patted my shoulder in consolation. “I’ll head outside and let you dress in private. Call out if you need me.”

I nodded and waited for the sound of the wooden door to close before standing and letting the robe drop to the floor. A shiver wracked my body as I wiped each bruised and battered limb clean before stepping into her soft blue cotton dress. The fabric clung to my body like a foreign object. It didn’t feel right. Nothing about being here did.

I shuffled over to the door on my bare feet since Cara hadn’t given me shoes, not that Cara had worn shoes herself. Was thata fae thing? I stepped outside into the blinding rays of the sun. I placed a hand over my forehead and watched as Cara stood a short distance away, her arms around a man while she kissed him fervently. Must be her mate by the looks of it. She whispered in his ear and his gaze snapped my way. He hugged her again, then took her hand in his and they walked over to me.

“Hello,” he said. “I’m Seamus. My mate tells me you don’t know who you are.”

“No. She thinks I’m fae, but I have wings, too.”

His red eyebrows hit his hairline.

Cara patted his chest. “I said she can stay with us until her memory returns.”

“Love.” He clasped her hand. “Is that wise? An immortal creature with no memory must have enemies.”

I sucked in a startled breath. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

“I know,” she said. “But if it was me this happened to, if it was me wandering around a strange place with no memory, wouldn’t you want someone nice to take care of me?”

He sighed. “I suppose she can stay, but if there’s so much as a hint of danger for you, then she has to leave.”

Cara squealed.

I grimaced. “I don’t want to put you in danger.”

My gaze snapped to the surrounding area, searching for any danger. In the distance, the shimmering blue ocean caught my eye as though drawn to the water. White waves rolled onto the beach at the cove below. I turned back to the green land behind us from where we’d walked. Where she’d found me. Logic said I should head toward the ocean if there was danger coming for me, and not back where I originated. Staying here might be a terrible idea, but fear crippled me that if danger arose, would I even realize it?

“It’ll be fine,” Cara said. “I’ve always wanted someone to take care of.”

Seamus dragged her into his arms and kissed her softly on the cheek. “One day we’ll have a child.”

“When Seamus? I haven’t enjoyed a heat since my first one many years ago. I should have never let you talk me out of mating then.”

His face twisted with regret and anguish. “Leaving you that day was the worst mistake of my life.”

Cara grumbled under her breath.

I felt like an outsider watching their most intimate of inner moments. I ducked my head, letting my long hair fall over my face, so I avoided looking at them.

“It’s both our fault,” she said, having lost whatever ire she held. “Seamus, please, let’s move past it and think about helping this woman for now.”

“All right, love.”

The wind picked up, blowing a cool breeze off the shore, a salty gust that whipped around my body and blasted my hair back from my face. A shiver worked its way through my body from the tips of my ears to my unshod toes. How weren’t Seamus and Cara feeling cold, too? My teeth rattled against each other as the wind grew even more until the breeze tore tears from my eyes.

“Are you cold?” Cara asked.

“Ye.. es,” I clattered.