He understood that laughing at her at that moment was the most terrible thing he could have done.

A woman’s heart reacted too sensitively.

All this hit Queen Catherine’s brain hard and he did not bring up this topic again, leaving her only those memories that she herself remembered.

- I’m fine. – the queen replied, smiling carelessly at her daughter, who put her finger in her mouth and smacked it with gusto. – She must be hungry.

Her voice was relaxed and melancholic.

Horel picked up a tiny lump wrapped in a soft cloth from the cradle and gave his daughter’s cheeks kisses with special trepidation.

Despite his secret affair on the side, which he greatly regretted and kept a secret from his wife, he was immensely happy when Catherine gave birth to his daughter. It was the most beloved and desired child from the woman he loved, and that’s why he weighed everything and made this difficult decision for himself.

He handed the baby Thea into his mother’s arms and kissed his wife on the cheek, left the nursery.

With a long stride, he stamped his heels on the marble floor, stepping heavily and confidently, when his feet led him to his own office, sealed with a magical seal.

There was no longer any doubt that he should take this secret with him to the grave, or erase his memories. But it wasn’t that simple. If he had done it on his own, then it would have been easiest to return them, just as others could use it by looking into his mind.

It was too dangerous and he couldn’t take that risk.

That is why he made this difficult decision for him to say goodbye to a part of his memories forever, so that no one could ever harm his special baby.

Thea hovered around him like a ghost, watching and listening to his incoherent chatter with himself. It was such a strange dream that felt too real, but it couldn’t be true.

After removing the seal, he entered and stopped at the portal flickering with blue radiance, Horel`s heart sank at the moment when HE came out of the vortex funnel...

Shining with snow-white robes embroidered with silver threads and precious stones, his long silver hair, tucked behind pointed ears, cascaded down his back.

The irises of his eyes were almost colorless, barely glistening in the light with soft silver.

He looked too majestic and even if his head wasn’t decorated with a crown, one would still be able to feel all his strength and obediently bow his head in his presence.

- I am grateful that you responded to my request, Your Majesty, King of the great race of elves Ivrim.

The voice of the great king of Riliya trembled as if he was a beggar, a rootless boy in front of a man who handed him a piece of bread. He slouched and his shoulders lost their former volume.

- I’m not doing this at your request or for your sake. - his thin, low voice spread through the room like harp music. - You will never be able to summon me again.

The Elf King glanced at the ancient gremoire lying on the table of the King of Riliya. It was one of the few books that described the ritual that opens the portal to the realm of the elves. All these books were destroyed long ago, but it looks like one copy was still lost.

Snapping his fingers, the gremoire immediately burst into blue flame and dissolved, as if it had never been there.

- But the book says that this portal cannot be closed, so someone else will be able to use it.

- I will make sure that no one can use this portal. - The elf replied, slowly looking around. All his movements screamed of nobility.

- Where’s the baby? - King Ivrim turned and inclined his head slightly.

- She is still with my wife, I would not want her to be aware of this. - he said, shifting from one foot to the other.

- Well, then we’ll start with you, I’ll deal with your daughter later. - his eyes flashed, as if exuding light, as he fixed Horel’s gaze on himself. – You yourself wished it, so why this fear?

- It’s a little different. - The Riliya King replied in a hoarse voice. – Did I really make the right decision?

- Didn’t we discuss this last time? You’ve had plenty of time to make up your mind. - The elf replied calmly.

- OK... – last hesitation and he nodded. - I’m ready.

Horel closed his eyes when he felt the elf’s hand on his head.

Warmth enveloped his entire skull and the nerve endings tickled ticklingly, causing his hair on his head to stand on end.

But this pleasant sensation very soon gave way to painful agony and he screamed, wheezing and gasping, feeling his brain melt, as the bones of his skull crack.

Drool dripped from his mouth as he burst into tears and the sight was not for the faint of heart, but that was the price of interfering with the human mind.

Everything in this life had to be paid for.

The radiance from under Ivrim’s palm spread to the very depths of Horel’s memory, searching for the right moment that he wanted to forget, but the elf did not stop there and thoroughly studied the whole mind, as if it was a room that needed to be studied by rereading the numerous volumes of books that were in it.

He fulfilled his promise to Horel and removed his hand from his head, enveloping his entire body with a silver glow, which was now in an unconscious state, which did not allow him to fall and hurt himself.

Instead, he levitated smoothly in the air until he landed on a small couch next to the desk.

When this matter was over, Ivrim went to where the smiling little girl, who was barely three months old, was lying in the cradle. Her blue eyes were like mirror-clear water, and the white undercoat on the top of her head did not resemble the color of her parents’ hair at all.

She was unique... exceptional... And only he knew why.

Reaching out to her tiny palm, he touched it with his finger, feeling as if the heat of the fire had scorched his skin.

- Who would have thought that we would see you again. - he smiled at the girl, enveloping her in a silvery glow. - It’s too dangerous for you to be so strong at such an early age, baby.

The sweet whooping and babbling of children melted the stern expression of the elf’s face, which he held in front of her father.

- I’ll have to block your powers. Temporarily. I’m sure you’ll find a way to get them back by the time we meet again. – he said cryptically, so that Thea, who had this dream, could not understand him at all. - Until then, I’ll be waiting for you.

He touched the little hand again, rubbing its soft skin, but he didn’t feel the burning anymore. He completely hid her powers.

The sound of heels in the hallway caught his attention and he hurried away, leaving the baby alone before returning to Horel’s office, where he had one last thing to do...

He had to seal the portal so that no one else could use it. And although in fact the portal still remained in this room, it was no longer possible to enter it without a personal invitation.

When he finished, he disappeared into the sparkling blue glow just as he appeared.

Thea had seen this portal many times as a child, but she could not even imagine that it was a portal to the land of elves. She didn’t even dare to think that her father had once summoned an elf.

She always thought that it was an ordinary portal that all magicians use to move through space, but it turned out to be something more. Apparently that’s why there was a magic lock on his office and only when accompanied by her father could she see him with her own eyes.

Stretching out her phantom hand, she wanted to touch the sparkling radiance, try to pass through it, but as soon as she touched it, her whole body was covered with heat and her chest was squeezed.

She was suddenly short of air.

Was it all a dream or not?

***

And she woke up.

When she opened her eyes, she realized that she was sweating profusely, and her nightgown was sticking to her skin. It was too hot and the reason for that was the heat of someone else’s body, which was pressed against her back. A strong body and so hot, like molten fire, enveloping and lulling in its embrace.

Raphael wrapped his arms around her waist like a snake, pressing her fragile body into himself, and her trembling breath burned her neck, making her burn from the internal heat and from the fact that she was covered with as many as three fur skins from above.

She moved to throw them off. But instead, she met with bloodshot eyes that opened wide, which looked both terrifying and fascinating in the darkness of the night.

- You’re cringing from the cold. - he said in a voice as calm as river water.

- But now I’m hot. - She whispered, turning around and snuggling against his chest, inhaling his scent. – I’m sweating.