The New World Fae series is a journey of self-discovery and understanding for Fiona and Faeryn, and also for many of the important secondary characters who are based on the real people in our magical family.
While I work busily on editing Book 2, I want to make no secret of the fact that Fiona’s journey is one of queer discovery, but every journey has to start somewhere, and in Intermagical, that starting place is a straight-appearing relationship.
Although we do eventually learn that her Book 1 romance is not as CisHet as it appears, another queer writer was kind enough to point out that this is unfair to my queer readers, who want to be able to see themselves in these characters. And, I realize, now that I have examined the trilogy more closely, with drafts of the second and final installments fully manifested and in-hand, there is a perfect moment for that revelation to take place, within the text of Intermagical.
If you haven’t read it yet, there are spoilers ahead, so please bookmark this page to read at the end of Chapter 39…
If you’ve read Intermagical already, please accept this additional short conversation (which appears in the second Print Edition, and will be included in following additions) as a cannon end to Chapter 39.
SERIOUS SPOILERS AHEAD. SERIOUSLY. You’ve been warned…
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“You know,” I said, propping myself up on my elbows and looking at the man next to me, “it feels a little funny to keep thinking of you as The Gullah, I mean, considering. Is there maybe something else I can call you?”
He smiled, stretching lazily like a large cat.
“That’s fair enough. Alright, call me Jaah, then. It’s one of my names.”
“Jah,” I said, trying it out.
“With two a’s,” he corrected, smiling, “Jaah. I can hear it if you don’t pronounce the second one.”
“Jaah,” I tried, elongating the sound.
“Nope, now that’s three a’s. Try again.”
I shot him a look, and saw from the sparkle in his eye that he was teasing me.
“You wanna be a funny man, huh?” I asked, brandishing the pillow again with mock ferocity, but the expression on his face made me lower it again.
“There’s one more thing you should know, actually,” he said, meeting my gaze with his deep brown eyes, “I’m not exactly a man. I’m not a woman either, I’m just-” He spread his arms wide, looking vulnerable and a little shy, “I’m just me.”
“Like, nonbinary?” I asked, and he nodded. “Okay. Sure. No problem. I knew some nonbinary people in college. Do you use them/them pronouns, or-” I trailed off, not sure what to say next.
“No,” he said, shaking his head, “I look like a man, and I don’t need other people knowing my personal business.” He met my eyes again and I nodded, understanding.
“Network security!” I said with a grin.
“Exactly!” he agreed, leaning over and kissing me soundly. I let myself be pressed back down into the soft pillows. There was still a little time before we had to face the challenges of the day ahead.
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