“There are farmers on that island who think they know how to run these lands better than I do, but they will only destroy our paradise. Show them we’re stronger, Lucinda. Bring fear into their hearts. Can you do that for me? Can you make me proud this time?”
“I won’t disappoint you, my king. I’ll be whatever you need me to be in order to keep our home safe.”
I’d gone to North Island and burned two crop fields and an orchard that day. I’d killed more than a dozen fae and put that fear right where the king had wanted. He’d even rewarded me with a new doll after that, but I’d never even touched it after sticking it in the back of my closet.
“Well, Finn Barlow of North Island. We have a bit of a problem.”
He narrowed his silver eyes at me. “And what would that be?”
“Well, besides the fact that I can’t remove spells like I’ve already said, I have no plans of returning to Fae Islands. Not a single one of them, so while I’d normally tell you I don’t back down from a challenge, I can’t do that with this one.”
His next words made me laugh out loud. “I’ll pay you.”
“Honey, there isn’t anything in this world you could pay me with that I can’t obtain on my own.”
“What about the king’s head?”
His question made my heart stutter. Breathing became harder, and my wings tightened around me. Clearly, I wasn’t as over my past traumas as I would have liked, but I pushed those feelings aside and laughed once more. “The king is untouchable, and not worth my time.”
He grinned, and it was the first time since he’d moved out of the shadows that he seemed comfortable. “A lot has changed since you left. The king is no longer the beloved leader everyone once thought him to be. His death would be celebrated across the islands if someone was capable of doing so.”
“Even the West?” West Island was where King Zephyr lived, and he allowed only the richest, strongest, most useful, and most loyal to stay within close proximity of his castle.
“Even there.”
A flicker of emotion I hadn’t felt in years sparked within me, but while I was reckless most of the time, I wasn’t stupid.
The purr of Black Widow entered the alleyway, and I was saved from responding. Neva parked under the light, and I took in her ashen face. She was scared to death of handling my pride and joy.
I waved her over as she inched out of the car with the utmost care and tossed the keys at me as if nothing made her happier than to no longer be responsible for my baby.
Neva joined me at my side but said nothing while appraising the fae before us.
Finn stepped forward, held out his hand, and introduced himself. “I’m Finn.”
Neva opened her mouth to reply, but as their hands touched, she jerked hers away before he could hold on for too long. His face creased as she moved to stand a little further behind me.
Now that Neva was back, I realized I’d let my curiosity stop me from taking what I needed from the fae: a release of my dark magic.
I’d been allowing myself to get distracted too often lately, further proving it was time for a change. I couldn’t become complacent. Not ever again.
“So, are you going to help my sister or not?” Finn asked as awkward silence settled around us.
My arms rose, and I tucked my wings away while faking a yawn. I was done dealing with him and the memories that he’d roused within me. “It’s late and I’ve had a long day. How about you stalk me tomorrow and I’ll let you know then? Say, around lunchtime?”
“How do I know you won’t disappear?” he challenged.
“If you know so much about me, then you should also be aware that I never run from anything. This town is my home now, and I won’t let another fae run me out of it. Now, piss off and come back tomorrow or don’t. I don’t really care. You’ve made me cranky, and I want sleep.”
He rolled his eyes before spreading wings that were leather and a green so deep, it was almost black in the dim light. I was only slightly disappointed they weren’t gossamer like I’d pictured earlier.
Without another word, he wrapped his wings around himself and disappeared.
I turned to Neva, who was trembling. “What’s wrong?”
“He is full of darkness, Lucy. You need to be careful.”
For the first time ever, she’d called me Lucy, but I didn’t dwell on that milestone. Instead, I was left wondering how the hell she’d read the darkness in him when I’d somehow missed it.
It was time to head out of town and let my darker side free. I was too distracted and needed to be fully present before Finn showed up again. Otherwise, I just might do something I’d regret.
After dropping Neva at the apartment, I’d taken off on my own, racing Black Widow through the traffic that never seemed to stop in LA, even at two in the morning. Once I was out of town and alone, only then did I scream my frustrations and let go of my hold on the dark magic threatening to consume me.
I ended up spending nearly two hours out in the wild, letting my power take charge and decimating half a forest in the process. I knew it was wrong to take my lack of control out on the earth, but it was either that or the humans.
When I was as satisfied as I was going to get, I’d made my way back home in hopes of sleeping, but for the rest of the early morning, I was assaulted by dreams—well, more like nightmares—of my old home every time I closed my eyes.
Memories broke through of my first days in the palace and believing when King Zephyr had promised to treat me like the daughter he’d never been able to have, to make me a princess. For the first year until I’d hit full maturity, he’d been the nicest fae I’d ever known. All of the mental conditioning I’d been through back then made me shudder now that I knew better.
Then, on my tenth birthday, he’d thrown me the largest party with more gifts than I had ever imagined, inviting every member of his guard. I’d never felt more special until the night ended and he’d come to my room with a gleam in his eyes I’d never seen before.
“It’s time for you to repay me, Lucinda. Tomorrow, you’ll begin putting those lovely wings of yours to use by training with the other guards and I want no complaints. Just remember how much I’ve done for you. You don’t want to disappoint me, do you?”
The feel of his fingers grasping my chin seemed so real as I shook the memory off, letting wrath rise to the surface instead.
I’d been so naïve. So afraid that if I didn’t do everything he asked, I’d once again be tossed out like the previous day’s trash. He’d known my fears and planned it all perfectly. He’d made me believe I needed the only thing I’d craved as a child—a family. He’d pretended to be my family, but none of it had been real.
And now, he was going to die by the monster he’d created.
Well, only if I decided to help Finn.
While my time under the king’s thumb hadn’t been the highlight of my life, it had taught me enough to know I couldn’t make emotional decisions. Finn’s favor had stirred up too much of my past, and I wouldn’t rush into making my final choice.
After deciding there would be no real rest for me, I trudged down the hallway from my bedroom to the kitchen where Neva was already waiting with coffee in hand.
I accepted the cup and took a sip, but the taste didn’t satisfy me like normal. “Do we have anything on the agenda today?” I asked her, hoping there would be something to distract me from my thoughts.
She shook her head. “Beatrix is the only one who has reached out lately. Seems the streets of LA are relatively quiet in the peak of winter.”
Of course, they were. Almost as if it was perfect timing for Finn to show up and ask for my help.
“What are you going to do about the fae?” Neva asked, as if she knew exactly where my thoughts had gone.
“I don't know. I swore I’d never go back, but all I could think about last night was the chance to cut the king down. He’s been a bastard ever since his sister died, but I hadn’t seen it until it was t
oo late. He doesn't deserve to rule those lands.”
Usually, when someone didn’t deserve something—and I knew it—I took it from them. At least, that was who I’d been the last couple years since I’d been banished, but I still remembered that final day like it was yesterday.
Standing guard outside the castle doors, I was staring up at the moon when Carden came snarling from the back side of the building. He was King Zephyr’s pet werewolf. Some poor shifter who made a deal with the king and lost. It wasn’t natural to keep a man in his beast form for long periods of time, but the king was insistent he had things under control.
“What’s wrong, Carden?” I asked, holding my stance even as he began foaming at the mouth. Though the wolf couldn’t respond with words, I hoped he’d show whatever had his tail ruffled.
Instead, his reply was a vicious growl right before he lunged at me with teeth bared. I was slammed with dark magic but managed to push him off me with my wings. Before I could grab on to the beast, he was headed inside the castle.
I yelled for help, but nobody responded. It was the middle of the night, and anyone who was on guard stood outside. Problems directly in the castle weren’t usually something we had to worry about. Realizing I was on my own, I gave chase and flew over the stairs to catch up with Carden.
I landed in front of him as he clawed at the floor. “What do you think you’re doing?” Magic poured off me in waves. I didn’t want to kill the shifter. Something was clearly wrong with him, but he seemed to be headed directly to King Zephyr’s chambers and I wouldn’t let that happen. No matter what.
But even as I thought the words, Carden had other ideas. He howled loudly and charged for me, but I was ready this time. With my feathered wings turned into weapons, I angled them in front of me and sliced at the wolf. Blood was seeping from his chest, but that didn’t hinder his attack.
He chomped down on my wing, barely making a scratch, but enough to distract me as Carden jumped over me and continued down the hallway. I wasn’t going to be able to stop the wolf without killing him. King Zephyr would be pissed, but at least he’d be alive.
Shaking the memory from my head, I did my best not to remember what happened next. I hated more than anything that the king’s betrayal still affected me, but it had also given me the freedom I hadn’t known I needed at the time.
It wasn’t all bad, but lately, I was having a hard time figuring out who I was, which made the decision of whether or not to help Finn even harder. If I let the past bring doubts into my mind, I wouldn’t be able to stop the king.
Neva stared at me expectantly but didn’t say a word. I knew what she was thinking, though I wasn’t ready to accept it and probably never would be.
King Easton Zephyr was my kryptonite. He’d been like a father to me, and when he’d cast me out, it had changed me.
That was the day I’d promised to never be vulnerable again. That day, I’d become the hardened, uncaring fae I was now.
Apparently, my badass persona only extended as far as the bubble I’d created for myself in LA, but I refused to show a single weakness to anyone else. This would pass, and I could go back to enjoying my life and forgetting about Fae Islands.
But then there was the little incessant voice in my head reminding me that I hadn’t really been enjoying anything as of late. I’d been out of sorts and uncertain what to do about it. I hated to believe this was my solution, that revisiting my past might be the only way for me to move forward once again.
But I’d worked too hard to go backward, or so I kept telling myself.
Don’t wait for Finn. Killing the king will set you free from the pain you’ve been wallowing in. Do this and live the life you’ve always wanted. My inner voice was calmer than it had been in days. It was almost soothing, which made me trust it even less. It was reminding me too much of the king.
“You’re a good person, Ms. Lucinda. You help those who need it whenever you can. If you’re not able to this time, then there’s nothing wrong with that. Whatever you decide will be the right choice. I’m sure the sister will be fine,” Neva added minutes after our conversation had ended.
I’d tried not to think about the sister Finn had mentioned. I didn’t want to be guilted into anything, but apparently, Neva wasn’t above that kind of low blow.
I was then wondering what the king might have done to the girl that had driven her brother to come all this way to find me when it was obviously so hard for him to do.
I groaned as I imagined all the things I knew the bastard was capable of, and the sliver of compassion I still had left in me—the parts I’d been unable to let go of no matter how many times King Zephyr beat me into submission—rose to the surface.
“Son of a bitch,” I muttered.
Neva smirked, trying to hide her happiness, but failing. “Shall I begin packing?”
“Not yet. Tell me about this darkness you sensed in Finn. What had you backing away from him?”
She carefully poured herself a cup of coffee before meeting my eyes. “Well, he reminded me of you… but a forced version.”
I leaned back in the stool, staying calm. “Care to expand on that?”
“You were born a dark fae. Even though every fae has a dark ancestor in their bloodline, some of them are called light fae. Do you know why that is?”
I sighed. “Of course, I do.” Every fae learned as a young faeling that the supernatural world depended on a balance. Where there was darkness, there would always be light, and vice versa, but no one person could equally be both.
I was born a dark fae. I would always be the darkness, no matter how many others I helped. There was no true redemption for someone like me.
“Well, Finn isn’t a dark fae. He’s a light one, but he’s taken on enough dark magic that he should be dead. Yet, somehow, he’s not. Last night, that fact scared me, but after spending so much time with you, I decided not to be frightened. Now, I’m curious like I think you are as well.”
That damn elf was too observant.
“That is certainly interesting. So, are you saying you think we should help him even though it could get us killed?” I asked, because she needed to know if we stepped beyond the borders of Fae Islands, there was no going back. I wouldn’t leave until either myself or the king was dead.
“May I be frank?” She paused, and I nodded because I wasn’t the only one who had changed. She deserved a voice. “I think you’ve waited long enough to find your way home. While you might adore LA, you’ll never truly be happy until you’ve buried your demons, Ms. Lucinda.”
Damn it all to hell. Why did her thoughts have to mimic mine so closely?
A dark laugh escaped from me. “I have been saying I needed a bigger challenge. I don’t think we can get much bigger than this.”
Killing King Zephyr wouldn’t be easy, but I’d grown in the three years since I was banished. He’d taught me how to be ruthless, but I’d grown to be smarter than he could ever dream of. Now, his choices were going to come back to take a damn chunk out of his ass.
A renewed sense of strength filled me. I wouldn’t be weak to the fear he elicited from me.
I was better than him, and I needed to remember that.
“Shall I find Mr. Finn?” Neva asked.
I smirked. “No. Let him find us. One thing you need to remember: a woman should never chase a man. It gives him the advantage, and that leaves her vulnerable, and in this house, that’s one thing we don’t do.”
She nodded, still standing before me, waiting for what to do next.
“Let’s pack, but not everything.” I glanced around the room. “This is still home. We’ll be back after we’ve killed the king.”
Neva seemed disappointed by my answer, but I brushed it off. Even if Fae Islands was no longer ruled by a psychopath, I had no intentions of staying when the task was done. There were too many shitty memories.
LA was exactly where I was meant to be, and it was what I’d keep repeating, even as something unknown swirled
inside me trying to convince me otherwise.
Chapter 5
Finn arrived exactly at noon. He was on my balcony staring through the glass while I enjoyed my lunch inside. I pretended not to notice him while I finished my salad and read the paper. I couldn’t help but enjoy the fact that the longer I refused to look up, the more it seemed to infuriate him. Based upon the increased pacing I could see out of the corner of my eye, he was livid.
I stole glances, taking him in under the light unlike I’d been able to the night before. His broad shoulders and dark blonde hair were just as sexy as they’d been in the alley, but it was his wings I was really able to appreciate from the table.
The deep olive leather was free of any blemishes and held together by thick veins. I’d thought he was a warrior, but the lack of scars made me second-guess that notion. If he wasn’t, it was a waste. He’d clearly been built for battle with his towering height and layers of muscle.
Nearly ten minutes after he’d arrived, his wingtips tapped on the glass, and I was impressed with his patience. Instead of rewarding him, I held my finger up, finishing the page I wasn’t actually reading before popping one last piece of tomato into my mouth. After I set the newspaper down, I folded my napkin and brushed it over my lips as I met his silver eyes and moaned. “Damn, that’s good food. Would you like some?”
There might have been a glass door between us, but I knew he could hear me. His head shook twice as he glowered.
“Neva, dear, can you let our guest in?” I called and put my attention back on the paper I normally only read for entertainment. The things humans fought over were ridiculous and pathetic. Sad, even. Maybe one day, the supernatural race would take over and show them a thing or two.
I chuckled at the thought. Like our leaders would ever let that happen.
Neva appeared and unlocked the balcony door, letting Finn in. He offered her a kind smile before returning his snarl to me, which further amused me. Mostly because I was the one he needed help from, yet he was furious with me. Instead of being irritated with his surliness, I focused on the fact his eyes hadn’t strayed far from mine.
Dark Fae Cursed (Broken Court Book 1) Page 4
