When Nero woke, he was back in Willowbrook’s home, curled up in bed. He wasn’t even sure how or when he’d gotten there. His memories were muddled, and his body and head ached.

Willowbrook wasn’t there. Where had he gone? Maybe it was later than he thought, and he had gone to the Court for some business.

He lay back on Willowbrook’s pillows with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. He had a lot to drink the night before. He closed his eyes to stop his head from spinning, thinking back on the night before.

He vaguely remembered leaving the festival with Willowbrook. They’d both had a lot to drink—some blue wine that was made of Moon Apples and mushrooms. He’d never had anything like it, and he didn’t really drink anyway, so it had a powerful effect on him.

When they returned to Willowbrook’s home, Nero struggled to recall the events that had occurred. As he rested in bed, his head started to clear, and the memories started to become clearer.

Nero stood in the doorway to Willowbrook’s room, swaying a bit. He’d had too much too drink, but it didn’t matter. He’d had fun, and he felt good.

Willowbrook went to his closet and removed his robes, and Nero felt his face get hot as he watched him. Willowbrook was all broad muscle and flawless skin. He forced himself to look away as he changed into some loose pants.

Feeling a bit bolder than usual, Nero went over to him.

“What’s wrong?” Willowbrook asked, looking curiously over Nero. He had a lot to drink too, and his cheeks were flushed. He pushed Nero's robes off his shoulder and ran his fingers across the scar, and it sent a shiver across Nero's skin. “How does your wound feel?”

“Much better,” Nero said quietly. He ran his fingers up Willowbrook’s forearm. “Did you really mean what you said earlier?”

“I would never lie about something like that, Nero,” he told him, and Nero’s heart started to race as he pulled him against his body. “I love you.”

He kissed him again, and Willowbrook lifted him up with his arms around his back, carrying him to the bed. He was still very drunk and unsteady, though, and tripped, dropping Nero onto the bed. They both laughed in between kisses as Nero wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him close.

Nero felt happy. It had been a long time since he felt so light and carefree, and he cherished his relationship with Willowbrook. He didn’t know what might have become of him if he’d spent all this time in Ombra alone with someone who hated Humans.

Nero wiped his eyes. He had spent the night in Willowbrook’s bed, and they’d stayed up together for hours. He wondered if he could be happy in Ombra. Could he stay with Willowbrook? What about Anzino and Daemon? He couldn’t just leave Daemon to his own devices as a tyrant could he?

He got dressed and went about his day as normal. Willowbrook was absent regularly, so Nero had just gotten into a daily routine without him. He made a bit to eat, drank some tea, read a book… just things around the house to keep him occupied.

Willowbrook had even given him paper and ink. In some of his free time, Nero would try to access all the memories he kept of Anzino as the Keeper of Knowledge. Faeryn had never told him how to access the knowledge before he died, and most of what he could access was just in his regular day to day thoughts, like Willowbrook asking him a question that he didn’t think he knew the answer to. At those times, he'd write it all down. Maybe someday he could restore the library back home with new knowledge.

Once the sun had set, there was a loud knocking on Willowbrook’s front door. When Nero answered it, two of Aiken’s guards were there. They seized Nero without a word. They tied him up and gagged him so he couldn’t speak before hauling him off to the Faerie Court while he struggled in vain.

He was thrown to the ground before the King and Queen, bound and gagged, unable to say or do anything to defend himself. His eyes went wide with shock when he saw Willowbrook.

Willowbrook looked as regal as ever, dressed in beautiful robes, sparkling jewelry, and an elaborate circlet on his head. He stood tall and proud between his parents, but he didn’t speak. He couldn’t. He was also bound and gagged with Nephila’s golden ropes. The glowed strangely, as though they’d been infused with magic. Something to prevent him from using his own magic? He also had a black eye and blood on his face. What was going on?

“It seems you just can’t keep yourself out of trouble, can you, Little Nero?” Tana brushed her hair out of her face, looking down on him critically. “Do you know why you’ve been brought here this time?”

Unable to speak, Nero shook his head. How would he know? The guards hadn’t told him anything. What could he possible have done wrong this time? He hadn’t left Willowbrook’s home. And why was Willowbrook in trouble too?

“You’ve broken more laws in this kingdom than any Human before you, and yet somehow you’ve found a way to prevent being executed at every turn,” Aiken said, looking down on him with pure disgust. He spat on the floor in front of Nero. “Now you’ve poisoned my son’s mind and broken more laws. You won’t get away with it this time.”

Nero looked back and forth between Willowbrook and his parents. What were they talking about?

“One of the oldest laws in this kingdom forbids Humans and Faeries from ever being together,” Tana explained. “You violated that law under the Wolf Moon last night.”

Nero breathed heavily through his nose, his heart beating wildly as he thought back on the night he’d spent with Willowbrook in his bed. There was a law against it? He must have known—he was the Crown Prince of Ombra. Why hadn’t he said anything? Why hadn’t he stopped it from happening? Nero never would have pursued his feelings if he knew the trouble it was going to cause.

“Now…” Tana waved her hands, and both their gags and restraints vanished. “What do you boys have to say for yourselves?”

“I have nothing to say,” Willowbrook told her, still standing tall, his voice firm. “I don’t care what the law is—I love Nero, and the ridiculous laws of this kingdom won’t change that.”

“How unfortunate,” Tana said with a sigh, an incredibly sad expression on her face. “You know what the penalty is for this.”

“Willow…” Nero swallowed hard, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He didn’t want to see Willowbrook end up like Faeryn… executed wrongly while Nero could do nothing to save him. “He doesn’t mean that, Queen Tana! It was a mistake! He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

Tana and Aiken shared a look, then looked back to Nero curiously. He bowed his head, willing himself to keep his composure while they all stared him down. He didn't want to see the look on Willowbrook's face. He couldn’t let anyone else die because of him.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “This is my fault, not his. Punish me. I manipulated him to ensure my own safety here. He’s innocent. Banish me, execute me, do whatever you like… just release him.”

“He’s lying,” Willowbrook said. “I’m not—”

“Don’t you see?” Nero interrupted. “He doesn’t even know what he’s saying anymore. I’ve tricked him into believing that we truly love each other. He needs to be separated from me.”

“That’s a lie!” Willowbrook took a threatening step forward, glaring at his parents. “If you execute him, I’ll never forgive either of you. I’ll bring this whole kingdom down singlehandedly, and you know I’m powerful enough to do it!”

“Shut up, Willow!” Nero demanded, and even Aiken seemed taken aback by his outburst. Nero was never angry or firm, but his shaky voice was now full of anger. “I don’t love you. Last night was a mistake… a trick to get you to trust me. You and I can never be together. Everything between us was a lie.”

Willowbrook was quiet, and Nero could see him trembling as he lowered his gaze, a pained grimace on his face. He hoped that even if he didn’t believe his lies, Tana and Aiken would. It was difficult for him to maintain his own composure as tears ran down Willowbrook’s face.

“I’ve heard enough,” Tana said. “Aiken, please take Willowbrook home.”

They left without a word or even a glance at Nero, and once they were gone, he pressed his forehead to the floor. He couldn’t stop shaking, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe while he struggled to hold back the emotions that tried to completely overwhelm him.

“Why did you lie to him?” Tana asked, and Nero sat up to look at her.

“It’s not a lie,” he told her, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt, and she laughed.

“Please… Aiken was my prisoner once, just like you. I can spot true love from a hundred miles away. My son may have believed you just now, but you can’t fool me. I can see you trembling.”

Nero was quiet. It was physically painful to try to hold back so much. He was completely devastated by the look he’d seen on Willowbrook’s face. He wanted to scream and cry. He wanted to run to him and beg for forgiveness.

“We’re all alone,” Tana told him. “You don’t need to pretend anymore.”

He didn’t say anything, but his lip started to tremble. He felt horrible. Would he ever be able to make things right? Would Tana execute him or banish him from Ombra without ever giving him the chance to apologize to Willowbrook? He’d already lost Faeryn without a proper goodbye… he couldn’t lose Willowbrook the same way.

“Nero…” Queen Tana went to him and knelt on the floor before she hugged him tightly. It reminded him of his own mother, and he couldn’t hold back anymore. He clung to her like a child and sobbed loudly until he was completely exhausted. “You should go talk to Prince Willowbrook.”

He sat up slowly and sniffled a bit, wiping his face with his sleeve. She wasn’t going to have him executed?

“I thought—”

“You saved Ombra from destruction. It’s only fair that we repay our debt to you, just as we demand others repay their own debts. Besides, I am the Queen of Ombra, after all. I can change the laws however I like.”

Nero ran out of the Court as quickly as his legs would carry him, all the way back to Willowbrook’s home. He wasn't there, though. He searched all the usual places. The Faerie Circle, the beehive, the Court… but he still didn’t find him.

He went to the hidden glen where he would usually find him, but he wasn’t there either. Where had he gone? Had he driven him away? If Willowbrook has believed his lies, would he ever want to see him again?

Nero sat in the moss by the brook and cried. He didn’t know what else to do or where to look. He wanted to apologize, to take back every awful thing he’d said. Even if Willowbrrok didn’t forgive him, he at least wanted him to know how he really felt.

He lay in the moss and closed his eyes, tears still running down his face.

Willowbrook was exhausted, making his way to the hidden glen. He just wanted to be alone.

“Your mother and I warned you about that Human,” his father had said. “You’re better off without him.”

Was he, though? He thought Nero loved him. He thought he was different.

As he entered the clearing by the brook, he saw Nero laying in the moss, fast asleep. Willowbrook’s eyes went wide, and his heart started to race while his breath came out ins small, anxious huffs. Nero hadn’t been executed or banished? Why was he there? What about everything he’d said—had it all been a lie?

“Nero!” He grabbed him firmly by the shoulder and shook him. There was no way he could wait until later. “Wake up!”

Nero opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He wasn’t really awake until his gaze landed on Willowbrook. He had a firm grip on his shoulder, looking over him with a strange expression. He thought of everything he’d said to him, and Nero started to cry.

“Willow…” He gripped the front of his robes. “Willow, I’m so sor—”

Nero was cut off as Willowbrook leaned down and kissed him. It was a hungry, desperate kiss, and he wrapped his arms tightly around Nero.

Tears ran down Nero’s face. Willowbrook wasn’t angry with him? He still wanted him after everything he’d said?

He decided not to think about it. Instead, he focused on Willowbrook. He didn’t really care about the laws of Ombra either. He loved Willowbrook, and laying with him in the moss, he couldn’t bear to think of hurting him that way ever again.

Late into the night, they lay together in the quiet glen. Nero ran his fingers gingerly across Willowbrook’s cheek. He had his eyes closed, and he breathed softly, one arm firmly around Nero’s waist.

“Willow,” Nero whispered, even though there was no real reason to be quiet. It just seemed appropriate in the stillness of the woods. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything I said. I just didn’t want you to get hurt because of me. I love you.”

Willowbrook was quiet, and he didn’t open his eyes. Was he asleep? Then he let out a long, shaky breath and laughed nervously.

“You really hurt my feelings,” he said, looking at Nero with a sad, pained expression, and there was a hint of tears in his eyes. “Even my father felt bad. He was unusually kind to me. You were really believable—I started to doubt myself.”

“I’m so sorry.” Nero hugged him tightly, and Willowbrook kissed the top of his head. “I’m never going to that again. I won’t leave you.”

He felt Willowbrook tense up a bit, and he tightened his grip on him.

“Nero,” he said, barely above a whisper, “you have to leave.”

Nero pulled out of his arms and sat up quickly, looking like Willowbrook had just slapped him in the face. What was he talking about? Was he angry about what he’d said? What about the nights they’d just spent with each other? Had he used him?

“Willow, what—”

Willowbrook turned onto his back, his lavender skin practically glowing in the moonlight. He was still mostly undressed, and Nero felt his face get hot before he tore his gaze away from his muscular body. He didn’t understand what Willowbrook might be thinking or feeling.

“Nero,” he said, sitting up beside him and reaching out to touch his cheek. “You can’t stay here. You—”

“Don’t,” Nero said, backing out of his reach with a scowl. Angry tears welled up in his eyes. “You really want me to go?”

“Of course not. That’s not why you have to go.”

“Then what is it?” Nero asked, quickly getting dressed. He felt too vulnerable next to Willowbrook without his clothes on. “Am I not good enough for you? Is it because I’m Human?”

“Nero.” Willowbrook’s voice was serious and firm, and Nero froze. He kept his gaze lowered so he didn’t have to look at him, but he could feel Willowbrook’s hard stare. “Stop it. I love you, and if it were possible, I’d let you stay here forever, but you can’t.”

“Why?”

“It’s because you’re Human, but not for the reason you think. You’ve been here too long already. You’d die at a young age if you never left. Humans can’t survive the passage of time in Ombra for that long.”

Nero scowled, and the tears he’d been trying to hold back started to run down his cheeks. He knew time passed differently in the Faerie Realm, and he was likely aging much quicker than he seemed. He wasn’t a Faerie, so the difference in the passage of time would be hard on his body, wouldn’t it? If he stayed in Ombra for a few years, he’d age probably four or five times more quickly than that, and would eventually die, even if his body didn’t look that old.

“So, that’s it, then?” Nero asked, not bothering to hold back his feelings. “I love you and I can never be with you?”

Willowbrook’s expression changed at Nero’s words, like he was conflicted and in pain. Was he just now realizing the weight of what he was saying? He inhaled a sharp breath that sounded more like a sob, and tears started to fall from his eyes too.

“I’m sorry, Nero,” he whispered, closing his eyes. “That’s how it has to be.”