by Allison Rose
There had been little talking the night before, and that trend continued as the light of the dawn shown through the small hole that served as a window. Sevelle itched to be outside.
Lex trusts Verity, she reminded herself. And Jae trusts Lex.
She rubbed her eyes in a vain attempt to erase her restless night.
The sudden flutter of a runa at the window startled both of them. Verity quickly scooped up the small feathered creature.
“Lex will be here soon,” Verity said, sounding a little relieved. After giving the creature an affectionate pat that did not match the still-guarded expression on her face, she gently tossed it into the air outside the window. Sevelle watched the whole exchange in fascination.
At the Day Court, written messages brought by the runa were received by Mera and her team, then sent along to the appropriate channels. She used to imagine what it would be like to manage her own affairs, to send messages, or to simply walk outside and communicate freely with others.
She could hear other faeries outside going about their day. It was much louder than the court ever was, and sounded so much…livelier.
Verity turned her back and busied herself with preparing what looked like food for a journey: an array of edible plants, berries, ground seeds pressed into round cakes. Verity had handed Sevelle a bowl of crushed loomberry for their morning meal, a much simpler meal than she was used to.
The silence grew even more uncomfortable.
Well, what do I have to lose?
“You dislike me,” Sevelle said, then clamped her mouth shut. She hadn’t meant to start on the offensive. “I mean—”
“I do not dislike you,” Verity said.
Silence stretched as Sevelle stared at the back of Verity’s wings.
What do I say to that?
“Uh…did you grow up in Farryn?” Sevelle asked tentatively.
There was a pause long enough that Sevelle thought Verity would not answer. “No,” the other youth then said reluctantly.
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.”
“What made you join the rebels?”
Verity suddenly turned and met her gaze. “Do you truly wish to know?”
Sevelle gazed steadily back. “Yes.”
Verity studied her a moment longer before turning back around.
“I grew up solitary,” she said. “Just me and my mother. Then my father sought me out and drew me into a courtly scheme. In a weird twist, I was saved by the faerie I helped take down. And since then I vowed to remain free of the court and fight for those who are less fortunate.”
Sevelle frowned. “What was this scheme?”
“I do not speak of it anymore,” Verity answered curtly.
The simple wooden door swung open just then, and Lex ducked into the opening.
“You did not fly off?” he teased Sevelle, one eyebrow quirked.
Irritation flashed through her as she met his gaze. “I am not returning home until I save my court.”
She thought she saw approval flicker across his features as he nodded to her.
“Is everything in order?” Verity asked him.
Lex took his eyes off of Sevelle, and she gasped a little at the loss of contact. She shook her head. What is wrong with me?
“All is in order and everything is in position,” he told Verity, snagging a small piece of cake from her as he did so. She glared at him.
Chewing smugly, Lex turned back to Sevelle. Then his expression became serious.
“Perhaps now you will tell me what happened with Jae?” he asked Sevelle. Verity did not turn, but her shoulders tensed.
So he sensed there was more to the story yesterday.
Sevelle sat straighter. “My mother found out we left the court. I asked her to let me go to search for a peaceful resolution, and she let me go. She said Jae had to stay behind, that this was something I had to do on my own.”
“We should break her out,” Verity said, still preparing the food, though her movements seemed to have gotten jerkier.
“You know why we cannot do that,” Lex replied quietly but with a stern edge.
Sevelle shifted uncomfortably, feeling like an intruder in their private lives.
The sharpened stone Verity had been using to cut the dried cakes clamored to the wood as she turned to give Lex a glare. “You promised her, Lex.”
“We risk too much by going in after her.” Lex met her glare and explained in a tense voice, “There will be time later for us to plan and get her out. After we deal with the current situation.”
He looked guilty, though, as he turned back to Sevelle. “What will become of Jae now?”
“I do not know,” Sevelle answered quietly. “But she chose to stay. And I chose to leave.”
His brows remained pulled together in a frown, and he said nothing.
“Now will you tell me something?” Sevelle prodded. “What exactly is the point of this blight?”
His expression darkened even more. “To weaken the court. It is my father’s invention, not mine.”
“You have nothing to do with it?”
“We used it as a distraction to take the Telk the commoners should rightfully have, but we had no hand in the planning or executing of the blight.”
Great. I really will have to wait until we get to the mountains for any answers.
“We don’t have much time,” Lex said. “Shall we seal our deal with an oath then? Assuming you still want to come.”
Verity turned as well to hear the answer.
Sevelle looked straight into Lex’s face. “I made my choice,” she told him.
A look of approval smoothed over his features and brought a light to his sky blue eyes. Wordlessly, Lex held out his hand. Sevelle panicked for a quick moment, then gave her head a little shake.
You agreed to this, she reminded herself. It is the only way.
Extending her hand, she clasped it with his. It was as warm and comforting as a beam of sunlight. An irrational anger sparked within her as Verity placed her hand over both of theirs, destroying the moment.
“Well then, Sevelle,” Lex addressed her. “Do you agree to do no harm upon my crew as we travel to the mountains?”
Sevelle listened to his words carefully. Faeries could get caught in the language of oaths. Once bound, there was no backing out until the task was completed. When sealing an oath, the spirit-user created a temporary bond between the faeries present. If Lex did not hold up his end of the bargain, Sevelle could use the new bond between them to cause him considerable pain, and he could do the same to her. They would remain forever bound and haunted by their unfinished duties.
Sevelle nodded. “I do.” And with those two small words, she felt the power inside her stir and then settle as if something had locked into place. It felt good and alien at the same time.
“With the light within, I swear to this,” Verity said. “Repeat.”
“With the light within, I swear to this.” Magic flowed from Verity into their hands. It felt electric and a little unwelcome.
“Lex, you swear to guide and protect Sevelle on this journey and return her home after she has been given the opportunity to discuss the rebellion with Lore, leader of the rebels, and once the Winds have passed?”
Sevelle listened to these words as well. She could object to any of them at this point if she wished, and Lex paused to give her the chance, but she did not see anything wrong with these words either.
Sun above, please tell me I am not being naive.
Taking a breath in, she met Lex’s eyes and nodded.
“With the light within, I swear to this,” he finished the oath.
Verity’s magic tightened over their enclosed hands and then dissipated. It was done. They were both bound to their words.
Sevelle’s hand still felt warm, and she looked down at a black sun etched onto her palm. She looked over to see an identical one on Lex’s palm. The marks would remain until they fulfilled both ends of the oath.
>
Verity looked expectantly to Lex. “It is done. Shall we go? The daylight is wasting.”
“Yes,” he answered. Then he turned to Sevelle with a dare-devilish smile. “Ready, Sunny?”
Sunny? Heat rushed to her cheeks, effectively distracting her from what they were about to do for the moment. Was that meant to be an endearment or a taunt?
Lex was still looking at her.
“Yes,” she stammered out. “Where are we going?”
“Before we go farther north, we have business in Farryn. It won’t take long.” Lex’s smile turned reassuring.
“What sort of business? Something to do with the Telk you stole from the court?”
“Exactly.”
“How did you even get into the court anyway?”
“Very stealthily.”
Frustration filled Sevelle. She opened her mouth to demand answers, but before she could say anything, he held up one hand. “The court was distracted. It was easy, really. Couren and I entered through the garden and stole the Telk in a moment when it was unguarded, what little of it was left anyway. And Verity placed the spirit mark on your tree.”
“To draw me out? You have a lot of faith in me,” Sevelle realized with a pang.
“They wouldn’t call you the Light of the Day for no reason, now would they?” Lex answered with a tilt to his head.
And yet my mother is so willing to strip me of my title, Sevelle thought pensively. She said nothing.
Verity crossed her arms and gave Lex a pointed look. He stepped forward toward Sevelle so that she could ease out of the door behind him. Once she passed, Lex stepped back and made to follow.
Sevelle hesitated as the gravity of what she was about to do sank in.
I will now be affiliated with a rebel activity.
“No use delaying.” Lex turned back to raise an eyebrow at Sevelle, one hand on the wood of the small door.
Though she now had the protection of the oath, her legs felt shaky. All she could do was nod.
Eyes forward.
Lex held the door open as she ducked out into the sunlight.
Chapter 16
Jae looked sideways across the table at The Glorious. Whatever story this was, she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it.
“Sevelle showed magical potential even before she used the power of the sun to revive that runa, the story everyone knows,” The Glorious started, leaning forward with her elbows resting on the table and hands clasped, excitement in her expression. “Her father’s identity was unknown, but her mother was a young water-user of the court, brought in from a small village up north.”
Jae took in a quick breath as her eyes widened.
Sevelle is not their daughter?
She struggled to focus as The Glorious went on.
“And when I passed one day, she was showing young Sevelle her image on the water. The surface lit up so bright—a brilliant yellow orange. It was only a reflection of her power, but I could feel my own mother’s power in it. The power of the sun. I knew then Sevelle was meant to be mine.”
Because everything you want was meant to be yours, Jae mentally scoffed in an attempt to distract herself from the dread churning in her stomach. This story could only end terribly.
“And the mother?” Jae asked.
“Her memory was cleansed,” The Glorious replied.
Jae almost winced. That could only mean the faerie’s memories were removed, a punishment The Glorious had at her disposal until the faerie possessing the talent—the Punisher—was banished to the human world. Jae doubted Sevelle’s mother was still a member of the court, but didn’t get a chance to ask as The Glorious continued.
“And so Drake and I adopted Sevelle into our family. And when she grew old enough, we named Sevelle heir instead of you.”
The air rushed out of Jae’s lungs this time.
Instead of you…
She met The Glorious’s gaze.
It can’t be true. My parents died not long after my birth. An accident. And it is not the way of things to name an heir that was not true progeny.
“Yes,” The Glorious confirmed with a small smile that also looked like a grimace. “You are the true heir, my daughter. Sevelle has shown her true self. She ran. It is time for you to ascend to the position of heir.”
No. These are lies spun by a desperate and conniving ruler.
Jae could only stare as her heart pounded and she worked to keep the emotions off her face. So this is why she cast Sevelle off so easily.
Sorrow cut through the shock and denial for one moment.
Sevelle left to save her position as heir—something that might not be within her grasp no matter what she achieves.
“I speak the truth,” The Glorious said into the silence. “You aren’t exceptional, but you could grow into a ruler. I am beginning to realize you are strong where Sevelle is weak. Perhaps I was wrong to claim her as heir.”
How? How could I not have known? Who would do this to their child?
Of course, she knew the answer to that.
“Who else knows?” Jae managed.
“Only Drake and Morlan.”
Morlan. Jae almost jumped at hearing the name. “Why—”
“Once he came of age and we asked him to train you, we thought it best he knew. So as to better prepare you.” The Glorious lifted her chin as she gave Jae a challenging look.
Jae’s thoughts became a confused jumble as she tried to make sense of this information.
Prepare me for what? For this to happen and Sevelle to leave?
“Sevelle left to prove she was worthy of the heirship,” Jae said softly.
“And therefore forfeited it.”
She didn’t know her actions would cause this. We didn’t know anything! I should have paid more attention. I should have used the winds to search for secrets within the ruling family.
The Glorious gave a small, disappointed sigh. “I must have shocked you. The answers will come to you,” she said in a voice that suggested they better. “And you will have until the blight is lifted to accept your position as heir.”
That isn’t an actual choice.
Fear clawed up Jae’s throat, and despite knowing it would anger The Glorious, she stood and fled from the room.
I need to find out if it is the truth.
Jae automatically went to reach out to the winds to search for Morlan, but the realization that the ara in her core was dwindling and would need to be preserved kept her from doing so. She gritted her teeth and glided on silent wings down the deserted hall to the training room.
She breathed a brief sigh of relief when she found him there, sitting against the wall in the empty room, head leaned back and eyes closed.
“Why did you not tell me?” she demanded and she landed in front of him.
Morlan opened his eyes slowly, then realization seemed to dawn on his face as he looked up at her.
“Would you have wanted to know?” was his calm reply.
Jae struggled to breathe.
So it is the truth.
She tried to answer Morlan in a calm manner, but there was a note of hysteria in her voice. “Yes. I thought you at least would want me to know.”
“And why did you think that?”
Hurt spread through her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Why did I think that?
Morlan was loyal to a fault. Yet, as her trainer and potential, she had believed he was the one faerie that wouldn’t lie to her about something so important. Especially if he saw any future with her as a potential partner.
My mistake.
“Did The Glorious tell you, or did you figure it out on your own?” he asked, seemingly oblivious to Jae’s pain.
“The Glorious,” Jae answered mechanically, still turning over his words in her head.
“Good.” Morlan nodded once. “Then she has finally seen sense.”
“What?”
“Sevelle would never have made a good leader
, at least not for the Day as a whole. You are much better suited to the role.”
“What is that supposed to mean? If you had always thought so, why did you not tell me?” Jae’s voice cracked on the last question.
“It was not my place to do so,” he said simply.
Jae let out a breath, some of her anger deflating. “I thought you were different,” she said in a soft voice.
Abruptly, he stood, advancing as he spoke. “Have I not taught you to defend yourself in any situation you may come across, with or without magic?”
Jae’s first instinct was to back up, but she tightened her muscles and held her ground. “Yes.”
“Have I not taught you to think for yourself, to observe others and not take anything for what you believe it to be on the surface?”
His eyes dared her to object.
“Yes.”
“What else do you think I could have done?” Morlan backed off slightly, his voice returning to something like normal.
She wanted to scream in frustration. Then his expression shifted, closing off. Jae bit off her reply as Morlan touched a palm to his chest.
“Drake,” Morlan greeted stiffly.
Jae turned the force of her anger toward the tall green figure at the door. The grim expression on Drake’s face told her he knew Jae had learned her true parentage, that she knew he was her father.
Morlan immediately exited the room without even a glance in her direction, ducking out into the hall.
Accusations and hurtful words swirled around in Jae’s head, but she could not think of one to start with. Drake had always been distant but kind to her in passing. With her new knowledge, she began to make sense of his past behavior. There was a chance he did not agree with what The Glorious had done, but the fact remained that he had let Jae live a lie anyway. And in that moment, she hated him for it.
He took a few steps toward her, stopping a few paces away. He crossed his arms, a nervous gesture. And in true Drake fashion, he waited for Jae to say something.
