Fae of the South (Court of Crown and Compass Book 3)

by E Hall

  At the word blood, I buck against the bonds. I open my mouth to scream, to bellow, but nothing comes out.

  “By making the choice, I also retained access to parts of myself.” Lea speaks again.

  I strain with all my might, desperate to get to her.

  “How do you know that?” Soren from the Humvee says. “I’ve seen plenty of shadow fae. They’re husks of their former selves, driven to do grim deeds and so far out of balance, they cannot help but harm.”

  “Perhaps that was a sacrifice I was willing to make. Glandias told me she had big plans. She said, ‘The best part, no one will see what’s coming.’ I decided right then that she’d be the one who wouldn’t see what was coming because it would be me. Lea, the fae she was making her prize warrior. I called forth my light, the best parts of me. Committing myself to it so I could access it when I’d need to. Then I let it go.”

  “But that’s the thing. When a fae’s shadow is rended, there is no more light. It’s all shadow,” Soren says.

  “You’re right, but it’s still out there somewhere. It didn’t die or disappear. It’s in the world, the ether, or wherever it goes. When I need to, I’ll summon it back.”

  “How do you know?” The female’s voice is small, unsure.

  “Because I made the choice to give it up,” Lea says. “It’s mine. It’ll return to me and reunite with the light.”

  The other female makes a sound as though interested.

  “Now, where is Tyrren?” Lea asks.

  I burst free from the chair and storm into the other room. I see red. Blood. Prey. I will feed. Soren is nearest, the biggest, the juiciest. I go into a wrathful hunger and tackle him. I try to open my mouth to pierce him with my teeth, but it’s stuck shut. I punch and pummel, get him in a hold, and try to bare my teeth again.

  Then in a flurry of black feathers, he slips from my grip and becomes a raven, flapping out of reach and toward a turret.

  “Tyrren,” Lea says. “Tyrren, no.”

  I blink a few times.

  Her almond eyes, slender nose, and full lips appear carefully arranged as if captured in the still of a beautiful black and white photograph. But I remember her vibrancy, her freckles, her midnight eyes. I’ll always know what the real Lea looks like. Now, she’s in shadow.

  But it’s not enough to slake my thirst. I lunge at the others. I force the bonds that seal my mouth to break. If I can’t feed on human blood, shifter or fae blood will have to do. Baring my teeth, I leap toward the other two fae girls, the ones who look remarkably like Lea.

  The shining edge of a sword, aimed directly at my chest stops me. “Don’t move,” the woman wielding the sword says. She wears a police officer’s uniform and the badge says, Heather Bond.

  “Yes, we’ve met. No, I won’t hesitate to end you.” Her voice is as unyielding as the weapon.

  The other two fae send spikes of frosty energy my way, binding my arms and freezing me in place.

  A tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome man strides in.

  “Ivan?” Lea’s eyes widen.

  “How is he going to drink this blood if his arms are bound?” Lea’s uncle asks.

  “You can feed him,” the fae with dirty blond hair says dismissively.

  “I’m all for vampire rights, but it stops there.” Ivan turns to me. “I promise to give you all the blood you desire if you promise not to hurt anyone here.”

  “Or anyone period,” adds Soren, the raven shifter. He brushes off his jacket. A single black feather flutters to the floor.

  I nod. My magical shackles loosen, albeit reluctantly, and I begin to feed.

  Heather lowers the sword. “So this is the safe house, huh?”

  “We thought Rose Court was fitting,” says one of the fae.

  Heather lifts an eyebrow.

  “It’s a Borea thing. Anyway, thanks for your help,” the fae with whitish hair says.

  “Don’t mention it, Kiki. I learned what I could about the Nefral Weapons Trade.” Heather slices the air with the sword. “It’s a perfect blade especially for slaying demons, but it’s not part of the weapons trade. There are no swords involved.” She passes it to Kiki.

  The hilt, the contours of the metal, and the way it glints are familiar. “I made that sword.”

  “Yep, and it’s the ploy I used to get you locked up,” Ivan says.

  “That’s a criminal offense.” Heather jerks her head in his direction.

  Ivan smirks. “I’d never deny that I’m a criminal but more of the Robin Hood variety.”

  “You can get behind that, Val,” Kiki says to the fae with dirty blond hair. “Rob from the false king and give to the unseen.”

  “Except I rob from gangs and other crooks and give to the vampires.” Ivan reaches for the sword. “And this particular item I asked Huxley to make for Lea.”

  He passes it to her. I remember working the pommel into a perfect sphere. I crafted the flames on the hilt with care, hammered the heck out of the blade, and practically imbued the thing with my blood, sweat, and tears.

  “Why?” Lea’s hard eyes land on Ivan.

  For a second, he flinches like he was kicked in the chest.

  “If I’m not mistaken, your sisters are here to tell you that,” Ivan says.

  “Wait. You knew about them?” Lea is on her feet. Her shadow darkens to a shade that can only be described as ominous.

  He holds up his hands. “I’ll tell you my part, but put the sword down, Lea.” As ever, there’s a level of command in his voice that anyone would be hard-pressed to ignore.

  Heather lifts her eyebrows as though impressed.

  Lea turns on me. “You knew he was having a sword forged for me? What else did you know?”

  I shake my head. “Huxley had me make all kinds of unique and unusual items. I didn’t ask questions and I didn’t know it was meant for you.”

  “It’s the same sword we had the night we slayed those demons.” Lea addresses Ivan, “The night I didn’t kill any nats.”

  “I know.” Ivan’s eyes soften.

  “And for everyone’s information, the sword has a name,” I blurt.

  Everyone plasters their eyes on me.

  “It’s called Fire Eater.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, any self-respecting sword must have a name. It’s part of sword lore. Everyone knows that.” I feel less vampire and more nerd right now but had to diffuse the tension.

  “For my part, around the time when you were born, Emeric became the false king of the Southlands. Emeric the Brute. I despised him. We were rivals. But as it was, your mother put you in my care and I knew the Nefral Palace and Rjoklund would no longer be safe for you, Lea. But I also knew he’d seek you when you turned eighteen...or, as it turned out, before then.”

  “You knew he was the one who attacked me sophomore year?” Lea asks.

  Ivan nods. “And I chained him up in a cave full of night howls.”

  Callen shifts uncomfortably.

  “He must’ve escaped,” Ivan says.

  “Why me?” Lea presses.

  “You’re tied into the prophecy.” Ivan’s eyes narrow and he pauses as though considering what to say next. “Emeric knew you’d eventually come for him. When I learned he’d returned, I had to think fast. The safest place was RIP with its wards and protections that I couldn’t provide. Leave me to pulverize a wayward vampire, but keeping you from a brutal mage? I thought it was the right choice.”

  “Why was I brought into this?” I ask.

  “Emeric was clever and masterminded a plan to cover his tracks. Pit the fae and vampires against each other and the nats against both. He used you to make it look like I was behind setting loose the demons. He intended to use Lea to be the face of destruction for the X-Crew. The police came down on me hard.” Ivan eyes Heather. “I should’ve realized something was wrong. I should’ve gotten you both out. Brought you to Borea.”

  “But then we wouldn’t have found her,” Kiki says. “Stra
nge that I’d already known her.” The fae’s eyes land warmly on Lea. She now has the family that she never had and always wanted.

  “That’s not all though. Emeric was using a rune of passage to get on and off-campus, bypassing the wards. At first, he and the headmistress were in cahoots.”

  “We had a sting operation but were too late. Jurik was recruiting the strongest fae for the false king in the Southlands...Emeric,” Heather says. “Kiki and the others came to me for help when they got to Terra. When I saw your necklace, Lea, I knew. But could only keep you safe for two weeks. We had to figure out a way to get you out and safe. In the meantime, Glandias took Jurik’s place using mage magic when she learned we were looking for you.”

  “We located an abandoned hospital upstate where Jurik and Emeric were housing the shadow fae.”

  “We successfully rescued them...and you,” Kiki says.

  “That was a happy accident,” Soren says.

  “Did Glandias survive?” Lea asks.

  “I think so,” Val says.

  “So what’s the sword—Fire Eater—for?” Lea asks, glancing at me. “Slaying demons?”

  “No, it’s for destroying a vampire,” Ivan says. “Cold steel to the heart.”

  I flinch. “Ironic that I made the item that will destroy me.”

  “Not you, Tyrren,” Ivan says.

  “And I thought only fae were repelled by steel,” Kiki says. “This whole thing is unsettling.”

  “We’re all confronting some uncomfortable truths, sis,” Val says.

  The two fae sisters smile. Lea doesn’t, but I think it’s because it’s lost in her shadow.

  “So who’s name is on this sword?” Lea asks.

  Ivan parts his lips like he wants to say more but can’t, won’t.

  Chapter 25

  Leajka

  “What do we do?” I ask. I’ve never been one to ruminate over options. I don’t wait for trouble to come to me. I make sure to find it.

  “You need a little more background,” Kiki says.

  Between her, Val, Soren, and Callen, they go on to tell us about Leith, the false king and demon from the Northlands and his ink curse. I learn about the raven kingdom and the people’s suffering. Then we jump over the sea to the Westlands and the glamoured queen, her ensorcelled sister, and Rikurd the Dread who’d forced Callen to be a night howl. Even I shiver at the sight of his otherworldly copper eyes. Tyrren gives him a dude-nod of respect like he understands the insatiable hunger.

  Then we hear about Gerda, Callen’s aunt who was actually his mother, Timolian his father, and how neither of the guys knew their true parents. I shoot a glare at Ivan. There will be time later to deal with his deception. Right now, I need action.

  “Oh, I know that look.” Val waggles her eyebrows at me.

  “It’s the same one you have,” Kiki says with concern.

  “Yeah. She means business. Unseelie business,” Val says, tilting her head in my direction and wearing a wicked grin.

  “An unseelie shadow fae seems especially dangerous.” Soren lets out a long exhale.

  “We need to find the stone before Glandias does.” Kiki paces as though movement will lead her to it.

  “I have a feeling we’re going to need to slay some demons in the process,” Callen says.

  “But the demons are posing as humans,” Heather says. “It’s hard to tell who’s who.”

  “Not hard to smell them,” Val mutters.

  “Do you think Emeric brought the stone here?” Tyrren asks Ivan.

  He shrugs. “I’m guessing the crown is in Borea at the Nefral Palace.”

  “So what is the Nefral Weapons Trade?” Soren asks.

  “The weapons are—” I point to myself. “Shadow fae.”

  “That gives weapons a whole new meaning,” Ivan says.

  “What’s so special about the stone?” I ask, getting us back on track.

  “The stones were from Count Vlad when he crowned his false kings to rule the four territories of Borea. We believe they amplify power.” Kiki tells us about King Leith and his use of the stone. “And it’s part of the puzzle. We place all four in the compass and it’ll lead us to Count Vlad.”

  Ivan rocks back on his heels then turns to Heather, “The demon presence has only been getting worse. I say we take to the streets. Between you and my guys, we can slay as many demons as possible.”

  “Officially, that’s police territory so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” She winks. “In fact, I should be getting back. If there’s anything else I can do—” Heather says.

  “In addition to gathering the stones, our fourth sister, and breaking the curse, we need to stop Glandias. It seems she’s gotten it into her head that she’s going rule the realms,” Kiki says. “Can you track her?”

  “I can try. Given she’s not from Terra and not in our database, it might be tough, but we’ll look for activity.”

  I tell Heather about the warehouse and the vats of stijl.

  “Sounds sketchy. I love sketchy.” Heather’s grin makes her cheekbones even sharper.

  “If regular police surveillance and investigation tactics won’t work to track Glandias, I might be able to—” Kiki says.

  “No.” Soren immediately shakes his head as though understanding her meaning before the rest of us.

  “Yes. As Lea said, I have a choice.” Kiki squares her shoulders.

  “Remember what Nathina said. It comes at a cost,” Soren thunders.

  “What are you guys talking about?” I ask.

  “When Kiki left Terra, she went to the shores of the Sea of Dreams. It’s where she got the skyn. She was also given another gift,” Val explains. “She’s a dreamweaver. She can enter other people’s dreams.”

  “And the weaving part?” I ask, intrigued. I’ve had plenty of bizarre dreams.

  “She can weave her influence and her will into them. But it comes at a cost.” Soren’s tone is gruff, grave.

  “A life for a life,” Kiki whispers.

  No one says a word and I take the silence to mean the others forbid it.

  “If it means I can find Glandias and stop her, it’s worth it.”

  “But remember, Leith was a dreamweaver too,” Soren says.

  “Why is that a problem?” I ask. I’m well versed in vampire lore, but all of this other stuff is new to me.

  Soren explains, “Glandias was Leith’s mage. Before he died, he gifted Glandias with an obligation to carry out his purpose. His curse.”

  “Some gift, but what exactly was his curse?” I ask.

  “To fulfill the promise of the commander of the false kings—Count Vlad.”

  “Wait. Wait,” Tyrren repeats. “Even through the haze of my warped vampire mind, my ability to keep track of details is operational. If Leith gave Glandias this provision to carry out his curse and serve Count Vlad, wouldn’t that prevent her from obtaining the ultimate power she seeks? Won’t she always be subject to the curse?”

  I want to give him my smile, the one that’s only his. But I can’t bring it to my lips. I hope he sees it in my eyes.

  “That depends,” Callen says. “Likely, but mages can layer spells and curses.”

  Val shakes her finger. “No, I think Tyrren is onto something. The question is does Glandias realize it or is she so drunk in her quest for power that important detail escaped her notice?”

  “Or did she perform a nifty little spell to break it?” Callen counters.

  Val steps closer to him. “You, of all people, should know the extent of mage influence over previously existing curses.” Her eyes cut into Callen.

  He closes the space between them. “Maybe we should test that theory? You, after all, are the great-granddaughter of a grim unseelie fae.”

  “Would you like that, Wickedly Handsome Prince?” Val asks.

  The fiery flirtation between them is practically visible.

  Kiki huffs.

  Soren clears his throat.

  Ivan claps his hands t
ogether. “On behalf of your parents, I’m going to intervene here. I’m pretty sure both of them would like to see each of you happily reunited with your sisters and find true love. Be that as it may, you can call me Uncle Ivan—”

  “You never made me call you uncle,” I interject.

  “Correction, you refused, Lea. They say the toddler years are rough, try parenting an unseelie fae in another realm.” Ivan brushes his hand down his face. “Also, the teenage years haven’t been easy either.”

  I cross my arms in front of my chest. “I was a perfectly respectable ten year old.”

  “Ah yes, that was a golden time.” Ivan steps closer to me. “I’m sorry I haven’t told you everything. Much of it was bound in secrecy. The rest was to protect you.”

  “Bound in secrecy sounds like something having to do with the Library of Memories,” Kiki says.

  Val retorts, “Get off it, Kiki.”

  She rolls her eyes.

  “Girls,” Ivan says.

  If I wasn’t shrouded in shadow, this entire scene would make me smile. And the way Tyrren looks at me, on the edge of hunger, like I’m the only one who can satisfy him, does, at least on the inside.

  “I’m going to gather up as many of the X-Crew as possible. Do some serious demon-slaying. Kiki, do some of that dreamweaving you mentioned. We need to find Glandias. When we do, Lea, you’re going to do what you do best.” Ivan edges closer to Heather.

  “I take it you don’t want me to be my adorable ten-year-old self.” I roll my eyes.

  Ivan smirks. “No, quite the opposite.”

  “Soren, Callen, and Val, you’re on stone duty. This may mean a trip to the Southlands. If so, make sure nothing happens to our girls.”

  “And possibly the Eastlands. We need to find our fourth sister.”

  Ivan scratches his temple. He opens and closes his mouth. Like before, it’s as though there’s more he wants to say and it’s on the tip of his tongue, but he either won’t say it or can’t. “I wish it had been different. But not even wishes on birthday candles or pennies can change things.” He looks at me.