by Allison Rose
What if this doesn’t work? I don’t even know what I’m doing. What if The Glorious still goes after Lex?
Finally, The Glorious smoothed over her expression, addressing Sevelle in a clipped tone. “You will have to meet with Kye and Baron, as well as me and Drake. All of us will have to approve, to decide whether this new court of yours is best for Faerie.”
She is not challenging me, Sevelle thought in awe. Yet.
Nerves fluttered around in Sevelle’s stomach, but a sort of excitement came alive as well. Her heart swelled.
Maybe this is what I was always meant to do.
“So it will be,” Sevelle said.
The Glorious turned from her immediately. For once, the dismissal didn’t hurt.
But Sevelle stifled a gasp as she noticed Jae glaring up at her.
I do not deserve this hate, Sevelle thought in dismay. But she couldn’t stop the guilt from welling up as she realized what would happen now.
Jae was now tied to the court she despised and would be forced to leave Lex behind.
Sevelle made her gaze kind, racking her brain for a way to get Jae out of this as well. But before she could come up with something, The Glorious glanced back up at her sharply and demanded, “You will come before us after the Winds.”
The Glorious nodded sharply at Morlan—and then fixed her gaze on Jae.
Chapter 34
Jae struggled to breathe.
Sevelle found her power. She killed Lore. She claimed Lex.
The last thought caused her throat to constrict. She hadn’t been proud of her plan to save the rebels, but it had meant she would be with Lex. Now Sevelle had taken that away from her.
She turned to Lex. The adoration on his face as he looked at Sevelle was nauseating.
He never even glanced her way.
Jae felt like breaking down right there in front of everyone. She barely heard the words The Glorious spoke to Sevelle.
I tried so hard to fix this. I wanted everyone to be happy…but I wanted to be included in that.
She felt the bond with her tree that kept her bound to the court, what felt like the only life inside of her at the moment, and disgust rose up to mix with the dismay and rage.
This can’t be the end.
The shadows moved out of the corner of her eye. She reflexively turned as Morlan stepped forward. She saw pity in his gaze, and she looked away immediately, eyes seeking the sky blue ones that had always brought her comfort.
Lex still looked up at Sevelle, and one corner of his mouth turned up slightly into something resembling a smile.
Even as he stands next to his dead father, he looks up at the killer with warmth.
“Sanjae.”
Numbness kept Jae from flinching at hearing her given name. With stiff movements, she turned away from Lex and walked forward beside The Glorious and Morlan, gaze trained on the stone wall in front of her.
It is over. He chose her.
Chapter 35
Sevelle sagged nearly to the ground once The Glorious, Morlan, and Jae swept out the door. Verity and Couren both dove forward to catch her, and she leaned on them for support as her thoughts caught up to reality.
I challenged my mother. I claimed my own court.
But I also took a life. And aided in destroying another.
“Sunny.”
She startled at the voice and looked up as Lex folded his wings and stepped down from the balcony rail.
“I’m so sorry!” Sevelle burst out. “I only wanted to save him—your father. I didn’t mean to kill him.”
She remembered the others in the room and threw apologetic looks to Couren and Verity. “And I didn’t mean to claim you all like objects. It was the only thing I could think of. I am no better than my mother—I mean, The Glorious. I—”
Lex stepped forward and put one finger to her lips, effectively stopping her apologetic rambling.
“You saved us,” he said softly. There was sorrow in his gaze, but also gratitude and warmth.
“I killed your father,” Sevelle repeated in disbelief.
“You said yourself it was an attempt to save him. As I asked you to do before. And so I cannot blame you for it. Thank you for trying.”
Sevelle shifted on her feet. I do not deserve thanks, not for this. “I will work on my power, so that I will never take a life again,” she vowed.
“You will make a great ruler,” Taria said from the corner. Sevelle turned surprised eyes to her, having forgotten she was even there.
Ruler. The word sent a thrill through Sevelle.
“I agree,” Verity said.
“Standing up to The Glorious…” Couren smiled at Sevelle. “For us lowly rebels…I am honored.”
Sevelle gaped at them as they both placed a palm over their hearts. Lex followed. And then Taria.
It felt strange and exciting at the same time.
“Uh, thank you,” she stammered.
Lex gave her a small smile, but then turned to Taria. His smile slipped as he did so. “Father should be returned.”
Taria nodded solemnly.
Lex was the first to glide off the balcony. Sevelle waited until the others followed. She hesitated, looking down at the faeries forming a ring around their fallen leader.
What right do I have to join them when I caused this?
But now I am to lead these faeries. I have a duty to face my fears and failures.
Sevelle climbed over the rail and touched down. Verity and Lex shifted to let her into the circle without looking at her. She bowed her head and folded her hands in front of her.
Taria kneeled in the soil and touched a hand to the silvery puddle that had been Lore. Lex kneeled next to her, one hand over his face.
“So life returns to life,” Taria said softly.
The puddle gradually seeped into the soil, joining with the ara once more.
Lex stared at the soil long after his father was gone. Taria stood, but the others didn’t move until Lex finally rose. Without a word, he turned and strode from the room.
Sevelle watched him go, emotions now a mixed jumble.
“He has already forgiven you,” Taria told her.
Sevelle nodded, mind unable to form a coherent sentence.
Verity sighed. “Rest brings clarity.”
“We could all use some of that,” Couren agreed. He shook his head as he looked up from the ground.
“Come.” Taria guided Sevelle to the same room where she had spoken to Lex what felt like ages ago.
As Taria turned to leave, Sevelle grabbed her arm. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
Taria nodded with a small smile. “You were the one who succeeded.”
Succeeded doesn’t seem like the right word. But Sevelle kept the thought to herself.
“May we remain here through the Winds?” Sevelle asked.
“Of course,” Taria answered. “Now rest.” She pulled the door closed behind her with a soft click.
She slept as soon as her head touched the pillow.
Chapter 36
Jae felt an increasing awareness of the air around her as they entered the garden at the rear of Taria’s dwelling. With a start, she felt the ara within her core stir. She breathed in, savoring her rejuvenated connection to the wild winds, the ara again in the soil beneath her feet.
The blight had been lifted. But she still felt as if she carried death inside her.
Morlan glanced back at her with concern as he opened his wings and moved to stand in front of The Glorious as a shield from the winds.
“I can fly,” she bit out at him with a glare.
He nodded, expression unaffected by her sharp reply.
“Away.” The Glorious waved a hand impatiently.
Jae took off after they did, trailing behind. She manipulated the air currents with ease this time, weaving them around her or using them to propel her forward. Jae lost herself in the roar of the winds, trying in vain to forget the pain in her heart.
It is over,
she told herself more than once. Nothing can be done.
Morlan kept them flying, using his own affinity to spurn them forward, straight through until the Day Court came into view long hours later. A fine layer of mist surrounded it in the darkness, and some of the vines were torn off the walls. The branches of the garden that poked above the structure swayed violently.
Jae viewed it with a strange numbness.
I do not belong here. But I belong nowhere else.
Morlan guided The Glorious in through one of the openings in the wall leading to the Throne Room. Jae dove in after them, executing a perfect landing near the dais.
They turned to face the entirety of the court.
Jae shook her wings out as she beheld their wide-eyed expressions. Already, their colors were darkening once more as their restored connection healed them. Their shock gave way to happiness, gratitude, and hope as they looked up at the dais.
A stab of nausea broke through Jae’s numb fog.
They will never know what truly happened. Only that we supposedly saved them.
As Jae’s gaze roamed the crowd, she caught the piercing purple eyes of Mera. The Singer of Court gave her an outright glare. Jae turned away immediately.
I tried to save them. I tried to help. I never wanted this.
But it is all I have now.
Jae vaguely registered Drake embracing The Glorious.
Morlan turned and stepped over to stand by Jae’s side.
The court waited in near silence for them to speak.
“Darkness has been defeated today,” The Glorious finally addressed the crowd. “Give thanks once again to our Lightbringer and the leader of the guard, for they have vanquished the rebel leader and brought peace to the Day!”
The crowd emitted a rumble of thanks and well wishes.
Jae attempted to swallow down her revulsion.
So she is painting us the heroes.
Morlan’s hand found her own, and she didn’t bother to pull away. She looked up at him.
“You win,” she whispered.
Chapter 37
After a deep sleep, Sevelle awoke to an insistent knock on her door. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.
Verity breezed in before she could get up to answer the door. “You need to eat,” she said impatiently.
Sevelle merely blinked at her.
Verity offered her a folded cloth in a delicate shade of beige. “Dress and join us for morning meal.”
Sevelle nodded, dragging herself out of bed as she took the cloth. Verity nodded and stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind her.
The winds whistled through the thin slat in the ceiling as Sevelle stared down at the cloth in her hands, then at her dirty, ripped pink-colored garment from the court.
It had been her favorite, its color changing almost to lavender as the sun hit it, the feel of it soft like no other garment she had worn.
But today is a new day, Sevelle told herself.
She carefully unwound herself from the court garment, letting it come to rest on the floor. After using the water basin in the corner to wash up, she wrapped the beige cloth around her, keeping the simpler style she had worn when traveling.
It took her another few minutes to untangle the mess her long hair was in, but she managed. Then she joined Verity in the hall, who gave her a satisfied nod at her ensemble.
Couren waited for them beside the long table in the room that had held the events that changed their lives the day before. Sevelle hesitated before crossing the ground where Lore’s remains had been.
“Mistress.” Couren nodded deeply.
Sevelle looked up, expecting to see Taria, but then realized he was looking at her.
She frowned. “I do not want to be called that.”
“Then what?” Couren raised his eyebrows at her.
“I am not officially a leader yet,” she hedged as she forced her feet forward to the table.
“You will be,” Verity said as she sat and selected a handful of small berries from the assorted roots, mashes, and fruits adorning the table.
“You really think the Night will agree to my court?” Sevelle allowed herself to hope for a moment, then shook her head. “The Glorious will get to them somehow.”
“You will have the support of the rebels,” Couren reminded her. “And the goal to right the balance. If that isn’t what Faerie needs, I do not know what is.”
Right. Hope bloomed within Sevelle again. There is a chance. Eyes forward.
Then she narrowed her gaze at Verity. “You are not upset that I could not save Jae?”
Verity’s expression darkened for a moment, then relaxed as she looked at Sevelle. “I wish I could have spoken with her—and that she wasn’t so entangled in the court—but she made her own choices. She almost trapped us there with her.”
She did make her own choices. That doesn’t make it any better.
They each stared at their food, lapsing into silence.
Sevelle nibbled at a conse berry. The empty chairs at the table drew her eye.
Will Lex be as forgiving today as he was yesterday? she worried.
Both Lex and Taria were still absent by the time their meal was over. Sevelle fought not to feel rejected.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she rose from the table to hastily turn away from the others.
“Sunny.”
She froze at Lex’s voice, heat rising to her cheeks. She sniffed quietly as she lifted her gaze.
He leaned against the doorway, his multitude of braids redone and garment refreshed. His eyes still held sorrow, but there was also a brightness to them as they beheld her.
“Come,” he said as he pushed off the wall and disappeared into the hall.
She rushed after him, heart pounding.
Couren snickered a little behind her, but she was too anxious and excited to care.
Lex led her back to the room she had slept in.
A million thoughts swirled through Sevelle’s mind as he shut the door.
What if he really wanted Jae? What if he is mad that I basically turned her away after I killed his father? What if he secretly hates me forever for all of it?
But Lex’s voice held warmth as he faced her and said, “I would like to join you.”
“What?” was all Sevelle could think to say.
“You know we are potentials,” he said.
So he did sense it.
Sevelle nodded, averting her gaze.
But what if he doesn’t want it?
He stepped forward and lifted her chin up with one finger. “I do not know what the future will be for us, but I think it would be the brightest with you. I can help you unite the rebels.”
“So we rule together?” Sevelle asked.
“Yes.”
Could we? A pair that aren’t partners have never ruled before.
Though never has a creation of a court besides the Night and Day.
“And if we never become partners?” she prodded. She imagined them growing to resent each other because their hearts rested with others.
Is this what you really want? She studied him closely, trying to ignore her own feelings.
Lex paused. Then he leaned forward, gently placing his lips on hers. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her insides went molten at the touch.
He leaned back, and the moment was over too quickly.
“I am not worried,” he said with a quirk of his lips.
Joy spread through Sevelle, despite it being a tentative union and a quick brush of a kiss. She smiled at him. He held up the palm containing the sun symbol.
Seeing it brought a spark of anxiety, but then she held up her palm and joined it with his.
He chose to be here with me. We will figure the rest out together.
* * *
Sevelle, Lex, Verity, and Couren all remained at Taria’s through the Winds, a span of several weeks.
Lex waited outside Sevelle’s room every morning, and they spent their d
ays together talking strategy, planning for the future, and recounting their pasts. And as he returned her to her room at night, he gave her a soft kiss that made her forget most of her worries.
When the Winds became too much, Ash holed up in the greeting room. The table was pushed against the wall to accommodate him. When he wanted attention, he squawked until someone came to him. Sevelle couldn’t help but laugh at the creature.
“Thanks for the warning about the darkness,” Sevelle whispered to him one day. “Lex is lucky to have you.”
The halkyr nuzzled her with his beak in response.
Sevelle peppered Taria with questions about Analare, learning that her ancestor had struggled with the power of the sun as well. Hearing this settled something within Sevelle.
I am not alone in this.
Taria urged her to reflect on her limited experiences with her power and to rest for the time being.
“It will come easier when you are whole, more in tune with yourself,” Taria explained.
Verity and Couren took it upon themselves to teach Sevelle about the other rebels and life in the mountains. Lex added in his opinions every now and then. And once Sevelle and Lex were alone, they would discuss how they wanted to form their new court.
The weeks passed, and the roar of the Winds died down to a whistle and then to a deafening silence.
Sevelle awoke in the predawn hours to a knock on her door.
“Let’s fly,” Lex said with a roguish smile when she opened it.
A thrill went through her. After an answering smile, Sevelle shut the door and freshened up quickly.
They headed down to where Ash was still holed up in the greeting room. The creature anxiously hopped from foot to foot. He let out a squawk when he caught sight of them.
“Shh,” Lex said to Ash as he rushed forward. “Calmly leave the room and you can fly.”
Ash quieted, then readily followed them out into the garden, where he promptly spread out his great wings and shook himself.
Sevelle couldn’t help a small laugh as she, too, breathed a sigh of relief at being outdoors.
The garden was littered with branches and leaves, flower petals strewn about. The sight looked grim in the early morning darkness, but Sevelle refused to be discouraged.
