With Her Heart

Liam nodded to Ryle, who promptly disappeared with Aiden.

"Aiden!" Agatha shouted.

She stood up in a panic, looking around for Aiden. In her worry and concern, she belatedly realized that Liam had already embraced her tightly.

The surroundings darkened, then alternated between cold and hot. She was blinded by an intense light before her vision returned to clarity.

She stepped back, realizing they were no longer in the forest. They were before a huge iron gate, and hundreds of guards stared at them. Horns roared, and the massive gate opened. The guards bowed solemnly, though Agatha could still feel their curious stares.

She expected Liam to release her, but her eyes widened when he continued to hold her tightly despite the many eyes on them.

Agatha forced herself out of his embrace. "Let me go," she demanded through gritted teeth. "Where's Aiden? And why did you destroy my boat? Did you know I just bought it? Do you even know how much it cost me?"

She kept pushing away, but Liam never let her go.

"I'll buy you a ship," Liam whispered. "If that's what you want."

Agatha was about to kick him in frustration, but Liam suddenly soared into the sky, carrying her. She gripped his arms tightly, afraid of falling.

"What the heck are you doing? Put me down, Liam! Now! Wait... wait! Why are we rising? We're too high, Liam!"

There was a soft pause. "We're not that high."

Agatha pinched Liam's side while her other hand clung tightly around his neck. Liam entered a huge window surrounded by sparkling curtains.

They were inside, but he still hadn't let her go. If everyone outside had been staring, now it seemed all eyes were on them. Even a cleaner dropped her pail of water in surprise.

"Yeah, you're right," Agatha said, rolling her eyes. "Our flight wasn't that high. Just enough to break my legs."

"Do you think I would let you fall?" Liam said, clenching his jaw. "And don't move so much; you might really fall if you do."

"Just let me down," Agatha commanded. "And where the hell did you take Aiden?"

Agatha kept thrashing, but Liam only hastened his flight. She screamed as her hair flew around, clutching Liam tightly. He finally released her once they were inside an expansive chamber.

"How could you be so reckless, Agatha?" Liam said, irritated, staring at her darkly. "Why did you just leave? Do you know how worried I was? I might never have seen you again if it weren't for Ryle finding you in the town." He panted heavily, and the room seemed to heat up. "Do you know how dangerous that was?"

"Why?" Agatha asked. "Is Nysander still alive?" She had thought he was dead, which was why she left complacently.

"No," Liam answered firmly. "I made sure of that."

After years of wishing for Nysander's death, she thought she would finally be happy to hear it confirmed. But all she felt was relief and satisfaction, not happiness.

"And what do you want from me here?" Agatha wondered, tears threatening to fall. "Do you want me to stay..."

"Agatha," Liam interrupted. "You're the Queen. You're my Queen. And now someone is threatening to dethrone me, and they might use you against me." He looked away. "I can't let that happen."

She hadn't considered that when they left. All she wanted was to live peacefully and raise Aiden as best she could. She hadn't thought Liam would be worried or determined to find them.

"What if they hurt you?" Liam added. "What if they hurt Aiden? How could you not think about that?"

Anger exploded from her heart. "Do you really think I wanted this? Do you think I desired to be the Queen? To be your Queen? No, Liam, no." She shook her head. "This isn't the life I want. So why are you scolding me for leaving? We're not your prisoners, and I don't want to stay here!"

A mix of surprise and pain flashed in Liam's eyes. Even Agatha was surprised by her own words, but she knew they couldn't be taken back. Perhaps it was for the better. She'd rather he hate her for saying this than imprison her later for her irredeemable crimes.

She wouldn't be the only one affected. What about Aiden? He was just a child. He couldn't live on his own.

Maybe she was a coward, running from her crimes. But she needed to do whatever it took to protect the only loved ones she had left.

She had failed to protect her mother, father, and Aunt Isa. But now, she would not let fear defeat her again. She swore to protect Aiden at any cost, even if it meant her own life.

Liam sighed softly. "I'm not holding you prisoner. Why would you even think that? You're free to go anywhere you want, as long as you want, you and Aiden. But I wish you had at least informed me. You should have told me so I wouldn't worry so much. I'm just... scared you'll get hurt again. Now that someone is planning against me and aiming for the throne, I can't let that happen, Aggie..."

AgAgatha breathed in deeply. "Well then, do you want me to tell you? Fine. I want to go back to Primotheus Capital. There, I said it. Now, shall we go?"

Liam's forehead creased. "Why are you returning there? You have everything you need here. You have a home with Aiden; this is your palace too. You don't have to worry about your next meal, where to sleep, or anything else. You'll be comfortable here, peaceful, and free. Don't you like it?"

Agatha tried to stretch her patience. "But I won't live peacefully, Liam," she said matter-of-factly. "You know why."

Liam stepped forward and reached for Agatha's trembling hands. "But I will protect you, Aggie. With everything that I have and everything that I am. Just please… all I'm asking is for you to stay with me."

Agatha's unwavering stare made it clear that she hadn't changed her mind. Liam's expression fell, and he looked away.

"Is it really that hard for you to stay by my side? Is it really so hard to be with me? I'm not asking you to love me, Aggie, if that's what you think. I'm not even asking you to trust me because I know it's hard for you to do so. All I want and need is for you to stay. It doesn't have to be because of me."

Agatha lowered her gaze. She could feel the sincerity and sadness in Liam's quivering voice. The way he exhaled like he was already giving up made her weak.

"But I can't…" she said.

"Why?" Liam's eyes were full of confusion. "Have I done something you don't like? Is it too fast? Am I asking too much? Do you…" there was a long pause. "Do you like someone else? Have you already loved someone else? Is it the Metamorph?"

Liam's expression turned to immense fear, but he immediately masked it by looking away and clenching his jaw. "Did he give you something I can't?" he pressed on softly. "Am I too late, Aggie?"

It would have been easy to say yes, to lie and finally be free of all this. But she couldn't. She couldn't hurt Liam. He had done nothing but care for and protect her and Aiden. He deserved the truth. But could she do it? Was she capable of trusting him if she told the truth? Would he not imprison her?

He was a kind king. Should she hope that everything would turn out alright?

"Do you love him, Aggie?"

When Agatha couldn't speak at all, Liam became more gloomy and weakened. He clenched and unclenched his fists a dozen times before taking a small step back.

Agatha cleared her burning throat. "I killed someone," she whispered. "And I don't feel guilty about it." There was a pause as a tear fell down her cheek. "She deserved it."

Liam halted his departure. Instead, he closed the door and swiftly went to her.

He didn't ask questions or look at her with judgmental eyes. He simply embraced her comfortingly and warmly.

Could she trust him? Should she trust him?

Although her mind was filled with questions, her heart seemed to have its own mind and suddenly spoke on its own. "Ksaver killed my father, Henry," she said. "And he was my father's closest friend. When we tried to escape, my mother Lorelei went to her friend Eva for help. But Eva… she killed my mother. It all happened in one night. All my loved ones lost, all died in front of me by the hands of those they trusted."

Agatha's eyes burned, and the words were heavy to utter, but she continued. She continued not for pity but for understanding. She wanted Liam to know why all of this was so hard for her.

"Eva imprisoned me in their dungeon. I don't know how long I stayed there. I had no one to ask for help but my mother's sister, who had been missing for weeks. I was losing hope. I thought even she was dead or killed. But she came. My Auntie Isa saved me…"

Liam's tight embrace loosened, and when he looked at her, his eyes were wide with fear and sorrow. "I-Isa? Missing for a few weeks?"

Agatha nodded firmly. "It's the same Isa, Liam. She is the only Nymph named Isabelle that lived in Etherealis."

Liam weakly sat on a nearby bed. He was gasping. "I-I didn't know. If only…"

"She saved me from the dungeon, and we left Etherealis. As the Werebeasts learned, we went to Elderwood. We stayed there for almost seven years. But my Auntie Isa learned that my father's only brother was looking for us. Philippe was looking for us. He said Eva and Ksaver were in jail and would be publicly executed. So… as foolish as we were, we returned to Etherealis. I was fifteen at the time…"

Agatha also sat beside Liam. She couldn't bear standing while saying all this. "I thought, finally, we didn't have to hide. I thought we could finally achieve justice. But we were so wrong. After all these years, I realized that it was Philippe himself who planned everything and that Eva was his ally. Once we reached Etherealis, he had us cornered, and we couldn't do anything. That was when I learned everything. That was when I saw Nysander. He was with Philippe…"

Liam stiffened beside Agatha.

"Eva took me and brought me somewhere, but she gave my Auntie Isa to Nysander as payment. Fortunately, I escaped during the carriage ride. I tried my best to stay alive, but during my escape, Eva found me near a cliff. There was a fight. I… almost died. But… Eva fell and died. She didn't just fall accidentally. She fell because… I pushed her. I pushed her down with my own will. And I wanted it. I killed her. I killed a Blue Blood."

Agatha's heart pounded furiously in her chest, unable to calm. Any moment now, she feared she would be arrested. Despite her fear, she continued to reveal the truth she had hidden for years.

"I managed to get Auntie Isa back, and we escaped toward the Forgotten Fjords. But when we reached Primotheus Capital, I read that the authorities of the Water Fae Kingdom were looking for me for the crime of murder. There was a bounty of ten gold on my head, and a public execution awaited me."

A long, tense silence stretched between them after Agatha finished speaking. Her mind raced with thoughts while she watched Liam's expression. He looked deeply disappointed, which only made her more worried and anxious.

She had prepared herself for this moment since learning he was the King of the Water Fae Kingdom. Countless times she had envisioned this scenario, and it always ended badly in her mind. Even with all the preparation, it still hurt. It hurt to see disappointment in Liam's eyes and know she was the cause of it. Yet, she felt a strange relief. She would rather see disappointment in his eyes, knowing the truth about her, than see care and affection for a version of her that wasn't the real, complete Agatha.

"Is that your reason?" Liam asked softly, his voice tinged with deep disappointment.

Agatha shyly stared down at her clasped hands and nodded slightly.

"This is why you don't want to stay by my side?" Liam pressed on. "Because you thought I would turn you over to the authorities?" His question was full of disbelief.

Agatha continued to nod lightly. Liam deserved the truth, and that was the truth.

"You don't trust me…" Liam's voice was so low it was almost silent. He leaned back in his seat, sighing heavily.

"Have you never thought that I would never give you to them? I said I would protect you, Aggie. And I don't lie or make promises I won't keep. I'll die first, Aggie. Remember that."

Agatha soon replied, "You're an honorable man and a king, Liam. Once the citizens learn, or someone else does, that your Fate is a criminal—not just a common one, but the killer of a royal—they will probably dethrone you."

Instead of being serious, Liam just grinned as if mocking her words.

Agatha raised an eyebrow. "Why the heck are you smiling?" she said. "I'm serious, Liam…"

"You just said you're my Fate…" he said, the smile never leaving his lips. "You finally acknowledged you're my Fate. Our Fate Bond is finally unified…"

Agatha's eyes widened as she realized what she had just said. True to his words, she felt it. The Bond seemed to strengthen inside her. She could feel Liam's delight. He was so warm. They were now united because she had finally acknowledged it, not merely with words, but with her heart.