High Fae Academy - Year Three: Paranormal Fae Romance

by Kaylin Peyerk

  Only Mother Earth can know that. Most dark fae that I've met say that every living thing is on a clock. A tree, a snail, and a person. People die when they are destined to, just as you were destined to begin your journey in the fae realm [DST3]when you turned twenty-two. These things happen for a reason.

  And that's enough for you? I ask, desperate for answers.

  No. It is not enough for anyone.

  Then what do you do? What do I do to become holy fae? To accept who I am?

  Entirely fae you say? That's not the point. Accept yourself for exactly who you are, human love and empathy paired with the cold iron that is fae blood. Accept your elements, Tiana. Bring them into your human body and allow yourself to merge. And only then will you be set free from your guilt.

  He grips my hand in his, and the calluses there are similar to the pattern on my father's fingers, making me smile. Is it that simple? Will I be guilt-free as soon as I accept myself for who I am, human flaws and all? Well, when you put it that way it doesn't sound simple at all. I want to enjoy my life here, to love and be loved, and to become the woman I meant to be. I want to be the fae queen. I want to make a difference.

  With that thought, I close my fist, all five elements within it.

  ***

  I wake suddenly, gasping for air and clutching my chest. My body flounders across the floor for several seconds before the king holds me down. Every nerve ending feels like it's on fire, and I grit my teeth against the pain. The king flushes my body with cool water out of nowhere, and it heals every piece of flesh that it touches. My throat is raw from screaming, and the door behind the king slams open. I'm sure Rowan is there, worried for my safety and wellbeing. The water continues to cascade over my skin as the king rips apart my clothes, giving it more to work with.

  “Breathe, Tiana,” the water king commands.

  I do as I'm told, taking one gasping breath after holding it in for so long. With that one breath the pain fades, and my chest feels whole in a way that it hadn't before without Rowan. Ever since his soul had left mine, I had felt empty and void. Have my own elemental souls taken residence there? Am I now a full fae?

  Yes, yes you are, Rowan replies, sounding emotional.

  I turn my head to look at him and smile through the water dripping down my eyelashes. My thoughts have never felt this balanced, have never been this easy to comprehend. I love him. I love Rowan, the king of the fae. When I opened my mouth to say just that, Adrian burst into the room, a panicked look on his face. Octavius steps up behind him, and my stomach fills with dread. If he is here, that can only mean one thing.

  “The dark fae are on the border. Their army is here!”

  “I'm sorry Tiana,” Octavius says, “I could only hold them off for so long. But I informed the other masters that we were marching toward the Water Kingdom. That's all I could do before my father dragged me to the warfront.”

  My body shoots upward, but quickly sways from side to side, a sudden sense of exhaustion washing over me. Both the water king and Rowan grip my arms to give me support. Apparently, completing a water walk is extremely taxing on both the mind and the body. How am I supposed to fight to protect the Water Kingdom when I can barely sit up without help?

  “Why would they be here? This isn't a war zone,” I whisper, my voice cracking from the force of my earlier screams.

  The king hands me a glass of water before speaking. “They are here because this isn't a war zone. They plan to make a statement.”

  Octavius runs two fingers down the side of my face, an affectionate warmth radiating from him. I can feel Rowan’s slight irritation at the closeness, but I'm glad that he doesn't intervene. He must know that Octavius and I are nothing but distant family. Almost as if he could have been my brother in another life.

  “You've looked better,” he snarks.

  I laugh. “Shut up, I'm the first halfling to live through a water walk.”

  He raises his eyebrows. “All right, I'll give you that, but how are you supposed to confront my father and Julian when you're in this state?”

  “Julian?” I ask, my face blanching of all colors.

  “Yes, my father convinced him to ride into battle with him. This will be his first in five hundred years.”

  That statement perks my interest. From the little time that I had known him, Julian had not seemed like a man who would do things on a whim. He must be here for a reason, and since he can tell the future, it gives me hope. While he had told me not to trust him, he had also let me go. He wants me to succeed. At least that's what I'm going to tell myself.

  “Do you have any women's armor?” I ask, directing my question toward the king.

  “Yes, I believe my wife's armor will fit you. If you believe you are strong enough to face them, we will not stop you. However, I would like to pledge my allegiance to you before you go into battle.”

  The water king steps up to me while holding out his forearms to me to grasp. I do so, gripping tightly. Magic flows through us and aqua light flashes once, twice, before settling to a slow glow. He smiles at me then and the media disappears. Is he like this because he never uses the full extent of his power for anything other than peace? Is he simply holding in too much?

  "I, King Vladimir of the Water Kingdom, pledge both my power and allegiance unto you, Tiana, Queen of the Fae."

  The aqua light flashes once again before dissipating completely, and our hands slide apart. My water element sings within me now that I have accepted myself as a whole and not simply two halves. One human with empathy and love, and one fae of iron and blood. It invigorates me and a new sense of energy and brightness surges across my skin, propelling me forward.

  “Take me to the armory. I want to suit up and look the part before speaking to the dark fae. There will be no battle today.”

  The others step forward, pride shining in their eyes.

  “We are with you,” they say in unison.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I never knew that armor could be so uncomfortable, almost as uncomfortable as riding bareback on a horse for almost two days straight. That's the only thing I allow myself to think about as we move forward, the five of us together, followed by the water fae army, which is pitifully small compared to the mass of dark fae I see in the valley below us. While getting ready to travel, we came to the conclusion that some fighting may have to happen in order to distract the dark fae masters. This would be the perfect opportunity to get closer to Julian, and to face him with the might of all the fae kings’ alliances.

  Rowan had estimated that I will only have about thirty minutes to plead my case. The dark fae had chosen the Water Kingdom for a reason. They have the smallest standing army and have never been in direct combat with their dark fae brethren. If it weren't for Rowan, the water king, Adrian, and Octavius, it would probably end much sooner. We instructed the water fae army to focus on regular foot soldiers while the others keep the dark master's occupied.

  The other light masters are supposedly going to meet us on the other side of the valley, trapping the dark fae army between us. That way they will have nowhere to run. Dark Lucien and Julian will have no choice but to speak with me, creating peaceful accords that all fae will follow under the rule of the new King and Queen of the Fae. At least that's my plan. But lately, nothing in my life has gone according to plan.

  “Are you sure you're up for this?” Rowan asks, bringing his horse up next to mine smoothly.

  We stop our horses, and the water king raises one hand, immediately halting the army behind him. I'm not even sure why Rowan is asking that question, even if I'm not ready or I’m tired, there's nothing else for me to do. There's no other time than now to fulfill my destiny and the prophecy all at one time. This is what I was made for. This is exactly what Mother Earth had in mind when gracing me with the power of all five elements of the Earth. I am her vessel, and I will end the pain and suffering that this war has caused her.

  “Yes,” I reply, not looking at him.

&
nbsp; “Then let us descend—” The king grins at me. “—bringing hell unto them.”

  A loud booming horn blows throughout the valley, and I can't tell which army it came from. Both forces charge toward each other, the dark fae surging up the hill in a swirl of smoke and shadow. I can see dark Lucien at the helm, a striking iron black helmet covering most of his head. All I can distinguish from them is the same lavender eyes I had come to know, yet they hold a distinctly larger amount of malice than his light fae copy. I stay where I am as the army surges around me, rushing to meet the even larger force.

  It sends a surge of pride through my chest and I throw my hands out, giving each and every soldier that passes me as much magical energy as I can spare. It's the only way I can think to show them my gratitude. Rowan grins at me as he passes, twin fire staffs twirling in his fingers.

  When the bodies crash against each other in the center of the valley, the sound is deafening. Metal shreds against metal, magic explodes in showers of sparks, and the anguished cries of men fill my ears. The sight is unlike anything I have ever experienced, my eyes following Rowan through the massacre. He had promised me to leave as little casualties as he could; so far, it looks like he is sticking to his word.

  Forcing myself to look elsewhere, I scan the horde for Julian, my main target. It's impossible to see anyone through the throng of people at the center, and I'm almost positive that there's no way he's there. He must be on the outskirts, watching silently as I am. Waiting. But where could he be? Is he hiding from me, and if so, is that a bad sign?

  “You do not have to search for me,” a familiar voice says.

  Using the reins, I turn my horse around to discover Julian standing there, in nothing but a simple black tunic. He has no weapons, but I won't be fooled by that he is just as powerful as Rowan. What is his game? What does he plan to do? He doesn't move to come closer, and I slide off my horse, giving her a few pats when she neighs in distress at my absence.

  “So we meet again,” I say with a feline smile.

  “Indeed, we do. However, I wish we would stop meeting in these circumstances,” he says, gesturing to the bloodshed below.

  I cringe at the sounds, but don't dare to look back. “Yes, I wish that as well. What is your endgame here? Octavius informs me that you have the ability to read the future, or at least somewhat predict it. Do you know the outcome of this?”

  He shrugs, looking far away into the distance. “That boy believes I know a lot more than I do. I cannot tell the future nor predict it, but Mother Earth whispers things in my ear from time to time. She has informed me of how tired she is, how weak she has become. It would be in our best interests to allow her to heal, and the only way to do that would be to cease fighting.”

  We lock eyes. “Is that something you're willing to do?”

  “You tell me.”

  Within his storming gray eyes, I can sense a power that is unfathomable. There is no trusting a power so strong, especially when it can go unchecked. The only way we will ever have peace, the only way dark Lucien will accept our rule, will be to ask Julian to pledge his allegiance to me. A small smile forms on his face, as if he knows exactly what I have been thinking.

  “Will you pledge your allegiance to me, King Julian of the Dark Fae Realm?” I ask nervously

  “Yes, but only under one condition.”

  Dread coils in my stomach. “What is your condition?”

  “You must defeat me in battle.”

  “Defeat you? Right here, now?”

  He grins, and this time it's not friendly. “Yes, here and now.”

  “Fine. On your mark,” I say, gritting my teeth and forming two long fire swords down the length of my arms.

  The King of the Dark Fae steps closer to me, and with the sounds of dying fae in the background, he strikes. Julian rushes forward with the force of one thousand winds, and I just barely dodge before he can sink a shadow dagger into my side. One sword parried it away and we danced back from each other again, both of us grinning like fools. Despite not enjoying fighting and hurting others, I always have a sick sense of satisfaction when going head to head with someone of my skill.

  Julian circles me, and I keep up with him, always making sure he stays in front of me. Black shadow seeps from his skin into the air, and the more he expels, the less I see around us until even my horse disappears from view. The only thing keeping my vision from going completely dark are the fire swords blazing in my hands. In an attempt to bring more light to my situation, I call upon my elements. They surge across my skin, flashing color after color faster and faster until it looks like a disco ball illuminating a dark Room.

  “You've gotten quite good at this.”

  “I know,” I reply smugly, despite my weak body crying out for rest.

  Julian disappears from view, sinking back into the darkness of his shadows. I hear constant rustling around me as if he is everywhere and nowhere at once. Slithering laughter comes at me from all sides and I spin, keeping the fire swords in front of my body. Each and every sound seems to echo, and I lose my sense of direction. I stagger forward, slicing the air and shadows at random.

  Hundreds of laughing voices fill my ears and I refuse the urge to clap my hands over them. It's all in illusion, I tell myself. The dark fae have a power all their own, and I'm especially sure that Julian has special skills up his sleeves and at this may be one of them. Just as I'm about to call him out for being a coward, he strikes, a now-massive blade in his hands.

  I parry his blow, but I'm forced to stagger back several steps. The force of it surprises me, and I merge my own swords to create one large enough to rival his. Instead of hiding in the shadows, he uses them against me in our fight, blinding me here, toying with me there. For the first several minutes, I'm able to parry him fine, and only make out with a few scratches that leak a concerning black smoke. He is using a shadow sword on me, the kind that drains a person's life force from them slowly, allowing them to eventually win no matter their skill.

  We danced back from one another again, both of us breathing hard. I had managed to get a few blows on him as well, one of them is almost immobilizing his left arm. And yet, I still don't believe that I can win. My strength is not at its fullest, and I'm not exactly sure how to utilize the powers of the fae kings.

  Julian charges again, quick as a snake, and this time I'm not fast enough to dodge in response. He sinks the shadow sword deep into my thigh, making me cry out in anguish. I rip away from him, forcing the sword out of my skin, in mass amounts of shadows pour from the wound.

  “You will not win, Tiana. Not like this. The fae kings aligned themselves with you for a reason. It's not for show, I promise you. Utilize that power, draw it out from deep within you.”

  “Why are you helping me?” I pant.

  “I told you, Mother Earth is tired, yet she always likes a fair fight.”

  Instead of dwelling on what he says, I call on my elements. Julian dashes forward and I parry his strikes over and over as my elements build. Each one of them grows in size within me, taking up limb by limb. Fire surges down my left arm, while water circles my right. Vines rip from the earth below me, climbing up the right side of my body. Air surges between us, pushing back Julian enough to where I can get the upper hand. After that, it surges around my left leg, leaving just enough room for Spirit to fill the entirety of my chest, putting me at ease.

  I call on the elements of the kings, lend me your power.

  All the while Julian, continuously pounds his sword against mine, getting slice after slice into my skin. Shadows are leaking from both him and I now in equal succession, filling the air with choking magic. My chest is vibrating with the force of the elements and I can barely contain them as I throw my sword aside and gripped his between two bare hands. I can see my reflection in his irises, and I'm surprised to see that my eyes are glowing the same golden color as Rowan’s do when he uses all five elements.

  “You've lost,” my voice says, sounding like the force
of all the kings in one.

  His sword snaps in my grip and I yank him forward so that we are eye to eye. Using his own broken sword, I hold it to his throat and yank his head back by the hair. Fear shines there and I grin in response, drunk off the power of my own magic. So this is what it feels like to be the true Queen of the Fae. I have to say that it feels damn good.

  “Pledge yourself to me and you will live,” I demand, yanking on his hair for good measure.

  His voice is steady. “I, King Julien of the Dark Fae, pledge my allegiance and power on to you, Tiana, Queen of the Fae. May your power guide us all.”

  His power surges through me through the grip of his wrists on mine, and I've never felt anything like it. This feels wrong in my body, almost like ice moving through my veins. This power is pure light inside me, and it wiggles its way to my head, claiming residence there. It burns and stings for several seconds until he lets go, and the magic settles. I let out a sigh of relief and grip his shoulders. We smile at each other, then and I can tell that he has been on our side all along.

  Weakness from all my wounds overtakes me after the rush of adrenaline fades. I stagger and Julian studies me, a worried look crossing over his features. My mind seems to slow down and everything around me moves in slow motion. The weight of my body sags into Julian and I wrap my arms around his neck as he picks me up bridal style. Black shadows seep into the edges of my vision and I can tell that I'm about to pass out, but before I do that, I must make my first order as the official queen of both the light and dark fae.

  “I, Tiana, Queen of the Fae, command my subject, Julian, King of the Dark Fae, to cease the fighting and declare peace,” I whisper, just before blacking out.

  Epilogue

  The sound of beeping machines wakes me, and I squint my eyes open. The first thing I notice is the searing pain all throughout my body from the shadow sword. It must be some type of fae poison. Are they able to cure it? Well, that's kind of a dumb question as I'm still here. When moving my hands up to my face I discover that I'm wearing an oxygen mask, and I have an IV attached to my hand.