Fly Free (Light of Faerie Book 1)

by Allison Rose

  A branch hitting her face was a harsh reminder to watch where she was going. At her sound of surprise, Lex looked back with concern only to quirk his lips up in a smile at Sevelle. She glared at him.

  A short while later, Lakera came to a halt beside the Great Divide. The rushing of the water and the swifter winds of the more open area hit Sevelle at once. She had the urge to cover her ears, but the moon and stars reflecting off the water, turning it to sparkling silver and the darkest of blues, was beautiful.

  Lakera gave them one last look and sauntered off.

  “Thank her for me,” Sevelle hastily told Lex.

  “She heard you. And she understands,” he said. “Mezra are the only beasts with the ability to think and communicate in our language.”

  Right, Sevelle winced. I come face to face with a mezra and suddenly forget most of what I know.

  Fatigue hit her hard then. She wrapped her arms around her torso as she suddenly felt exposed as well. She looked to Lex for what to do next.

  Lex rubbed at his eyes and swiped the braids at the hair blowing into his face. “More than a day has gone by.” He gestured up at the night sky. “We will have to travel fast to make up for lost time. The Winds will be here in full force soon.”

  He turned and walked upstream just outside the tree line.

  “Will the others be waiting?” she asked through a yawn as she followed.

  “We can hope,” Lex answered tightly.

  Chapter 20

  Jae used the winds to propel her forward as she flew toward the Night Court, encountering only a few of the Nym patrolling the sky once she crossed the Great Divide. She slowed as she passed them so they could recognize her guard uniform. Most barely gave her more than a glance.

  She hadn’t anticipated how the force of the winds and being disconnected from the ara would weaken her. She breathed hard by the time she touched down just outside the Night Court, a large structure made from several trees grown together. On the rare occasion the Day rulers visited, Jae was always amazed by the labyrinth of hallways within, the rare lumin flowers adorning the walls, and the ethereal effect of the Telk stones’ light bathing the bark and assorted plant life in a bright glow.

  The doors to the Great Room were propped open, giving Jae an odd feeling as she folded her wings to her back and walked forward.

  The rulers of the Night are so much more relaxed with their kind.

  The cavernous room was bare to the dirt floor except for the leaves and plant life growing up the bark walls, leaves scattering the floor, and two thrones made from intricately twisted branches. As Jae entered, she realized it was deserted except for its last remaining heir, Kallyn. She stood in the middle of the room and surveyed Jae with arms crossed and one hip cocked. The leaves woven into her dark blue braids stuck out so as to look more like an accident that purposeful. She wore a wrapped garment of the same dark blue as her wings over her purple skin in a style that was slightly more comfortable and functional than the fashion of the Day Court. Jae stopped a few paces away from her, trying not to look down on the shorter faerie. She bowed her head respectfully.

  “What is your business here?” Kallyn asked in a bored voice.

  “I only wish to speak with Sevelle and the rebel faerie you have taken prisoner.”

  Kallyn did not move. “Why?”

  “Matters of the Day,” Jae snapped without thinking.

  “Oh.” Kallyn’s eyebrows rose. “I see.”

  “I only meant that I do not have time to explain,” Jae tried to amend her words.

  Kallyn remained looking affronted until a yawn split her unremarkable features. “It is a shame that they escaped earlier,” she said in a different tone that suggested she was too tired to care anymore. “They are not here.”

  Jae stared at her. “Escaped?” she repeated, the words not quite sinking in.

  “Yes.” Kallyn turned to walk toward the opposite side of the room where the thrones sat, oblivious to Jae’s inner turmoil.

  No. No, this was my chance!

  Despair flooded Jae, making her limbs weak.

  I could’ve seen him. Maybe ended this right here.

  With effort, she clenched her jaw and tightened her muscles in an effort to appear outwardly calm.

  “And how does one escape the Night?” Jae burst out, a challenge in her tone.

  Dark blue wings fluttered slightly as Kallyn turned toward her again. “They were quite resourceful.”

  Jae glared. “The Glorious will not be pleased.”

  “She is never pleased.”

  With a frustrated sigh, Jae asked tightly, “What happened? Did Lex charm his way out?”

  “Wrong.” Sounding bored again, Kallyn turned and continued on her way.

  “Are you going to tell me or not?” Jae stepped forward, wondering if it was her right to demand it of the other faerie.

  “What did you come here for?” Kallyn shot back.

  Jae started to grind her teeth as Kallyn collapsed onto one of the thrones.

  “I was hoping to tell Sevelle the true nature of her parentage,” Jae answered as she stood in front of the throne in which Kallyn sat, again trying not to look down upon her, as the thrones were level with the ground.

  Well, it is the diplomatic answer.

  Drooping purple eyelids snapped open at that. “And what would that be?” Kallyn asked, a slight mock to her voice.

  “I am the true heir.” The words felt foreign and wrong on Jae’s tongue.

  Kallyn’s gaze flicked down and up again, reevaluating her. “Shame.”

  Shame? “That is all you have to say?”

  “The Day faeries are not my concern.” She winced and added, “Except when they create colossal messes such as this one. I was kind of hoping the bright, happy one would eventually take over and we would not have events like these that threaten the very balance of Faerie.”

  White-hot anger sparked as Jae glared. “I could turn this around. You do not know me. What if I am the better choice?”

  “I do not see it.”

  Jae’s palm itched to come into contact with Kallyn’s face. She curled it into a fist. “And why not?”

  “Well, Sevelle and her potential escaped. If they were so confident in your ability to fix this, they would not be so keen to get away from the courts.”

  “Potential?” The question practically ripped from Jae’s mouth.

  Kallyn waved her hand in an unconcerned manner. “Whoever he is.”

  Jae’s breath quickened.

  No. It isn’t true. She does not have a spirit affinity to be able to sense such things. She is mistaken.

  “Where did they go?” Jae ground out one last question.

  “North, I would imagine. Isn’t that where these rebels of yours live?” Kallyn answered.

  Without a word, Jae turned, spread her wings, and took off toward the entrance. Kallyn’s murmured words followed her as she fled. “So touchy, the Day.”

  Bursting out of the Night Court, Jae took to the skies as if she could fly fast enough to leave her problems behind.

  I could try to find them now. I could leave the court forever and join the rebels. I could be with Lex.

  She could almost ignore the warning voice in her head that reminded her it would be harder than that to escape The Glorious.

  But how far would I make it in this condition?

  Her wings felt heavy as she hovered, beating them furiously to resist being tossed about slightly by the winds. There was an ache in her core now, a fatigue she felt no sleep would cure.

  And Lex wanted me to stay. I am the strong one.

  But I am tired of always putting others before myself.

  She looked to the far north, to the mountains that housed the rebels. They called to her.

  And then her heart jumped into her throat as a hand encircled her ankle. With a yank, her body was flung backward.

  Sun above!

  Jae pulled her wings in so as to protect them from harm and
twisted her body midair to face her attacker, hand going to her spear as she did so.

  Morlan grabbed both her arms to stop her free fall. Jae’s hand froze on her weapon.

  “What are you doing?” she shouted in shock and anger.

  He gave her a knowing look. “I’m saving you from yourself.”

  With a move she didn’t see coming, he grabbed her spear and held the tip to her throat, supporting her with his other arm on her lower back, beating his larger wings to keep them in the air.

  Jae glared at him, mentally cursing herself for allowing him to get the better of her. And hating that he was the one to do it.

  “Are you really threatening me?” she spat at him.

  “Yes.”

  Jae forced herself to weigh her options through her outrage. “What is it you want, Morlan? Did The Glorious send you to spy on me?”

  He avoided her last question. “Return to the court. Consider taking your rightful place.”

  Frustration threatened to overwhelm Jae. “It doesn’t feel like my rightful place.”

  “Not now. But it could.”

  Jae met his gaze then. The words sounded hopeful. And there was indeed hope in his expression—and something deeper.

  I could test whether or not he will actually jab this spear into my throat, but would it be worth it?

  “Morlan, will you let me go?” she asked quietly.

  He held her gaze for one charged moment, brow furrowed. “No.”

  Frustrated tears poked at her eyes.

  If I try to fly, he will only pursue me, she thought in defeat. And I don’t even know where Lex and Sevelle are.

  She let her body sag. “I will return,” she agreed, voice close to breaking. “Give me back my spear.”

  Morlan studied her a moment more before letting her go, but he kept her spear. She rolled and snapped open her wings, looking back up at him with reproach. He only extended his other arm in an invitation for her to fly ahead.

  I will never forgive you for this, Jae vowed as she gave him a glare and took off toward the Day Court.

  Chapter 21

  Sevelle and Lex skirted the river. As they crept up to the riverbank, cautious of any of the Nym patrolling the river, Lex gave a soft whistle, different from the one he used to call Ash. Sevelle startled and looked to him with wide eyes.

  The Nym will definitely have heard that.

  He gazed back at her calmly. Then an answering whistle came from across the river, and he broke into a grin.

  “We are going to need to fly over,” he told her.

  “What?!” Sevelle nearly squeaked in alarm. “When the Nym find us, they will bring us right back to those cells in the Night Court.”

  “We haven’t seen any yet.” Lex craned his head to look up and down the river. “Now is our chance.”

  Without waiting for a reply, he spread his wings and took to the air, leaving Sevelle staring open-mouthed after him.

  He is way too fond of risk, she thought. But as her only hope of survival disappeared into the trees on the other side of the river, she leaped into the air. Tired as she was, her flight was not as graceful as his, and Lex steadied her as she landed on the other side.

  “You made it out,” a male voice said.

  Sevelle’s heart jumped, and she whirled around to see Couren grinning at them.

  “Uh, yes, thanks to Lex,” she stammered as Verity melted out of the woods to join them.

  Lex gave them both relieved smiles. “Anything to report? What is the state of Farryn?”

  Verity spoke. “No faerie casualties from what we saw, though it took a while to clean up the Gathering. Only one exchange was accomplished before the Night showed up.”

  Couren held up a pack he carried.

  “We can give the remaining Telk to the solitary on our way north,” Lex decided.

  “And now that you are here, will the Night still come after you?” Couren pressed. “Why did they interfere?”

  “They captured us on behalf of the Day, but Sevelle convinced Kallyn and Lakera to let us out of the Night Court,” Lex answered. “I doubt they will be following us.”

  The pleasant surprise was evident in Couren’s and Verity’s faces. Sevelle looked down as heat rose to her cheeks. She stifled a yawn.

  “It is late.” Lex gestured into the tree line. “We should sleep and start heading north before the dawn.”

  The others nodded. Sevelle and Lex followed them a short way through the trees to a spot so densely covered with underbrush, Sevelle could barely spot the blankets rigged into shelters. She looked nervously to Lex as the others retreated into separate shelters.

  “You can stay with Verity as we travel,” Lex said.

  Apprehension still twisted in her stomach, but she nodded.

  “Get some sleep. I promise no harm will come to you.” He held up his sun-marked palm as a reminder.

  Sevelle held up hers in an answering gesture before reluctantly crawling under Verity’s shelter to join her.

  The purple faerie was already curled toward one side. She said nothing.

  I hope she does not blame me for us getting captured. Even though it was my fault.

  Sevelle debated saying something for a long while, but succumbed to sleep before coming to a decision.

  That night was just as restless as the last. Sevelle awoke in the early hours of the morning. The other makeshift shelters were nearly packed by the time she emerged. The winds whistling through the trees immediately blew her hair into her face. With an eye roll, she tied it back. Lex caught her gaze briefly and nodded, causing Sevelle to self-consciously run a hand through her hastily tied up hair and then redo it. The others moved around silently as if used to the routine.

  Verity wordlessly handed her a sweet mash of crushed berries and grains presented on a large leaf. Sevelle gave her a nod, but was not sure if Verity even saw it in the dim light.

  Biting into the mash, she was surprised at how good it tasted.

  Verity barely let her finish eating before wordlessly grabbing her arm and guiding her away from the others. They came around a bend to a stream hidden by dense vegetation.

  “Wash up,” she said, handing Sevelle a sack of flower extract.

  She accepted it from Verity with a soft, “Thank you.”

  Verity’s gaze revealed nothing as she moved to the side of the stream and entered the water, keeping her cloth wrapped around her.

  Timidly, Sevelle dipped into the water behind her.

  “What is the real reason you are here?” Verity asked suddenly.

  Sevelle tensed and then closed her eyes in frustration.

  “Jae wanted me to go,” Sevelle said without looking up as she dipped her hands into the water and began to wash her arms. “She would not have told me to if she did not believe it was for the best.” Homesickness washed over her. “And I need to do this. I need to show my mother I deserve to be the heir, even if I cannot call upon the power of the sun.”

  “Not at all?” Verity questioned. She turned to give Sevelle a sharp look. “I heard the rumors but thought they couldn’t be true.”

  Sevelle’s cheeks burned, and she dipped into the water up to her chin.

  That’s me. The failure they call the Light.

  There was a tense pause, then Verity switched the topic. “Jae will survive the aftermath?”

  “She has survived so far.”

  Verity spoke no more. Sevelle was not sure if that was acceptance or disapproval. She washed quickly after that, keeping her eyes down.

  But just before they headed back to the others, Verity looked straight into Sevelle’s eyes. “You should hold your secrets closer, Light.”

  Then she turned and walked away, leaving Sevelle unsure whether she meant that as a helpful gesture or a taunt.

  Shaking off her shock, Sevelle hurried after Verity.

  She was in a sour mood by the time they joined the others. But then Lex gave her a smile, and some of her anxiety slipped away.
/>
  He gestured to the right with his head. “Come, there is someone else you need to meet.”

  Someone else? Sevelle thought with trepidation as she followed.

  Lex stopped near the edge of the stream without warning and gave a low hum. Then came the sound of feathered wings on the wind. Sevelle yelped and ducked behind Lex as a large figure dove out of the trees across the way. The halkyr swiftly landed in a rush of wind directly in front of Lex.

  “Glad to see you unharmed, friend,” Lex greeted softly. “I think it is time you two met. Ash, this is Sunny.”

  She dared a peek at the creature from around Lex’s wing. The creature only had eyes for Lex as he ducked his head to the same level. He closed his eyes as Lex laid a hand on his beak. Sevelle swallowed. The beak could encompass Lex’s head without a problem.

  Despite her apprehension, she had to admit this creature was magnificent. He had feathers of a rich dark brown in color with speckles of white. A white streak crossed his face from between his eyes to his black beak. The feathers of his plumed tail and wings tucked to his sides were of the same coloring. His two taloned feet with three long toes each made her swallow as she remembered them coming at her when he attacked at the court.

  The halkyr’s head snapped up, eyes open and trained on her. A squeal escaped Sevelle’s mouth, and she jumped back, wings tensed in preparation for flight.

  Lex chuckled. “Relax. He will not hurt you.”

  A little anger at his nonchalance tinged the fear coursing through her body. Sevelle fought every instinct in her body and just managed to keep still as Ash bowed his head to look into her eyes. This was different than meeting Lakera. Sevelle could fly away from the mezra.

  I wonder how many faeries actually get this close to these beasts.

  A low coo started in the halkyr’s throat, a sweet sound at odds with his massive size. Then, to her utter surprise, Ash closed his eyes as he had done for Lex. Then he opened them and bumped her arm gently with his beak.