Simply Mine: Perfectly Stated

By Kae Galla

Brin
Tossed aside like garbage, I never knew who my true parents were. The woman who raised me never showed an ounce of motherly affection toward me, only a sense of responsibility.

 

When I'm forced to flee from the only home I've ever known, I fear death is all that awaits.

 

Until he finds me.

 

My life will never be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kayla Galla
• Release date: Feb 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201796983

Book preview

Prologue

The Healer’s Assistant

Hushed whispers fill the room as Princess Lara waits for the healer to hand over her newborn. The distraught wails of an infant drown out the other voices before she can discern what they were saying. Despite her exhaustion after so many difficult hours of labor, Lara’s only concern was for her young. As the healer’s assistant, I have no place providing any information to the young mother. I was forced to watch in silence as the family struggled.

Why won’t they bring me my baby? she asks her mate.

His handsome face has distorted into an expression of pure horror. Lara...I’m so sorry, my love. His voice is filled with remorse.

What’s wrong? Lara asks, becoming more concerned by the moment.

When the healer brings the young over, it’s sprawled out in a basket that’s far too large for her tiny body. The healer would not touch the young one. He wouldn’t even cover her with a blanket. Every baby gets put into a soft warm blanket as it enters the world. As a royal infant, the baby should have the ceremonial one, adorned with the family crest, signifying its place in society. For the healer to purposely leave the baby bare, there must be something very wrong.

The moment Lara looked down into the basket, her eyes showed understanding, as well as pure pain. She knew why her mate had been so horrified. I could feel the way her heart was breaking. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in the infant’s pale, almost glowingly light skin, mangled wing, mismatched eyes, and the dusting of hair she had on her head was pure white.

This is not the perfect young for a member of the royal line of the Unseelie court. They cannot claim her as their daughter without shame. The Unseelie court is meant to be strong, a broken and mangled wing would never survive, not to mention the distinct opposite coloration of both hair and skin. Desperation was clear on the young couple’s faces. What do we do? She and her mate look to the healer for guidance.

Taking a deep breath, the healer seems to steel his resolve before speaking clinically. The young is disformed, an oddity who would only be a strain on society. My advice, we put the young one out of its misery now, before it has a chance to suffer because of its deficiencies.

My heart races and my breath comes out in quick bursts. This poor young couple trusts the healer so completely. They believe that it is better for the young one to die than for it to be different. I can see the desperation in the princess’s eyes. She does not want to do this nor does the prince. It may be how things have been done for millennia, but that doesn’t make it right. Every fiber of my being screams at me to not allow this to happen. They can’t murder this innocent child simply because it is different.

Lara buries her face into her mate’s chest as she cries, allowing him to answer for the both of them. Do it. His voice cracks as he responds, refusing to look at the young one again.

As angry as I am at the situation, I can feel the waves of anguish pouring off of the young couple. They don’t wish for this to happen anymore than I do. I’ve seen how different life is for the royal family, I’ve seen them have to make decisions based on what is best for their people despite the personal loss they experience due to those choices. This is too much. This is wrong. Their baby may be different, but that does not mean it will be any less of a functioning member of their family.

On instinct, I rush forward. Healer, I’ll perform the procedure while you attend to the princess. It’s hard for me to keep my voice calm and clinical in order to appear as though I’m on board with the plan.

Not giving it a second thought, the healer waves me toward the basket. I’ve been training under this particular healer for so long that he trusts me to do what needs to be done without question. Normally, that would be true, but I can’t kill this otherwise healthy young. She may be small and have a few oddities about her, but even with a crimped wing, she could lead a happy life...just not here, among the Fae.

Discretely exiting through the back, I take the infant away from its parents. I need a plan, something that will benefit and protect all involved. Quickly, deciding on the only course of action that comes to mind, I take the infant home where I have the tools I’ll need to bind the young one’s natural powers and camouflage her wings. If she seems mortal maybe one of the shifter clans will take her in.

Making up my mind, I decide to