Eve of the Fae (Modern Fae Book 1)

by E. Menozzi

I slipped through the gap and cast a light down the dark tunnel. My paw prints still marked the dirt covering the tunnel floor. I poked my head through the gap and called to Evelyn to follow.

  Once we were both through, I sealed the gap. Eventually, I’d probably have to come back and repair the iron bars on the far side. But that could wait until another night. All that mattered now was we were finally headed home.

  “How far?” Evelyn asked.

  “It’s still a bit of a walk from here.” I grinned at her. “Unless you feel like running some more?”

  “Are we safe now?”

  I shrugged. “Safe enough, I think.”

  “Is Edric really gone?”

  “I think so.”

  “And what about Nigel and his mother?”

  “I don’t know.” The moments leading up to Evelyn telling me to destroy the horn were still pretty hazy.

  “I think Nigel saved us,” she said. “But I don’t know what made him change his mind.”

  “Maybe you finally convinced him.”

  “He was controlling me. Do you remember?”

  I shook my head. “It’s all jumbled. I don’t know what’s real and what she made me see.” I stepped toward Evelyn and wrapped my arms around her. “It’s going to be okay, now.”

  “What if they come after us?” She shivered. “He knows where I live.”

  “I won’t let him hurt you.”

  “And what about your people? They’re going to kill me for knowing what I know.”

  “I’ll deal with them. I won’t let any of them hurt you. You destroyed our biggest enemy. They’ll make an exception.” I tilted her head up until I could see her face. “Trust me?”

  She sniffled and nodded. I leaned in and brushed her lips with mine, but one taste wasn’t enough. I pressed my lips to hers again, longer this time. Her lips parted in response, and she slid against me. I ran my hands over the silky fabric of her dress, and she tightened her grip around my waist.

  I kissed along her jaw and whispered in her ear, “Race you home.”

  She laughed and took off running. I transformed and then followed, pulling alongside and then ahead.

  “No fair,” she said. “You have four legs and I only have two!”

  I growled and tossed my head, pulling farther ahead. She answered with a burst of speed and closed the distance. We played that way, most of the way home, taking turns in the lead, until the door to the cellar appeared before us.

  We were both exhausted when we stopped in front of the door. I transformed and pushed open the door that I knew would lead us into the cellar at Lydbury. Giddy with the excitement of destroying Edric and escaping the dungeons, I didn’t sense Arabella stalking toward us until it was too late.

  “There you are,” she said. “I’ve been searching everywhere for you, and what do I find?”

  “Arabella, wait,” I said. “Let me explain.”

  “I warned you. You didn’t listen. She knows too much.” Arabella flicked her wrist at Evelyn. I threw up a shield in reaction, but I wasn’t fast enough. Some of Arabella’s spell got past my shield. Evelyn’s legs folded, and she started to collapse. I ran to her and caught her before she hit the ground.

  “What did you do?” I screamed.

  “You know the rules, Liam. Why are you protecting her?”

  I felt Evelyn’s neck for a pulse. Her heart was still beating faintly. I didn’t inherit my sire’s healing magic, so I concentrated on giving her some of my strength. “Come on,” I whispered to her. “What did you throw at her, Ari?” I yelled over my shoulder.

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “It’s not your call to make!” Sharing my strength with Evelyn made me weak. After all the fighting and the torture and the running, I wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer.

  “It’s not yours, either!”

  “You don’t understand. We owe her our lives. Just help me,” I begged. “Please?”

  “I can’t believe you. You’ve spent too long among the humans. You’ve lost your mind. She’s just a girl. In a hundred years, you won’t even remember she exists.”

  I growled, deep and low, in my chest. “You have no idea what she did to save us. You don’t get to decide her fate.”

  “Fine,” she said. “I’ll help you get her upstairs. Then we’re calling Fiona to settle this.” She crossed over to Evelyn’s other side and helped me lift her. I stumbled and nearly blacked out as I pushed up onto my feet.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “You look like hell.”

  “It’s been a long night.”

  17

  I woke up in my room at my aunt’s house staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. The events of the past few days came rushing back to me. I threw the duvet off and sat up, ready to search my body for wounds and bruising to prove that I hadn’t been dreaming. Dizziness made my vision blur and my head swim. I wobbled, and a strong, dark-skinned arm reached out to steady me. I looked up and met the round brown eyes of a beautiful woman with twisted hair sticking up in short spikes.

  “Hello, Evelyn.” She knew my name, but I was certain I’d never seen her before.

  “Do I know you?” I asked.

  She laughed. “Not yet, though I hope we’ll have a chance to get to know each other better. But first, why don’t you lie down again. Your injuries required quite a bit of healing, and I’m afraid you’re not yet ready to jump out of bed.”

  I reclined on my elbows and she pulled the duvet up over me. Then she propped some pillows behind me so we could talk without me straining myself.

  “Is Liam okay?” I asked. “And Aunt Vivian and Uncle Oscar?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Everyone is well and asking after you. Especially Liam.” She smiled. “But you needed time to heal, and I wanted to have a chat with you before I let the others in.”

  I blinked at her and tried to remember what had happened after Liam and I had returned.

  “My name is Fiona,” she said.

  “You’re Liam’s cousin.”

  “Yes,” she replied. “Liam told me what happened with Lord Edric. It sounds like I have much to thank you for.”

  “I just—”

  “You were very brave, and quick thinking, and helped to put an end to a great enemy of my people. You may have even helped to end a war, though only time will tell that, I’m afraid.”

  “Liam said—”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “Liam told you that you’d have to die when we found out you know our secrets. That is our way.”

  My eyes widened. Had she come to kill me? Would she have let me live just to kill me?

  “I am, however, willing to make an exception for you,” she said. “I can see how much you mean to my cousin. He cares for you a great deal. I know he thinks our troubles are over now that the Wild Hunt has ended. But I need him by my side to help me rebuild.”

  I didn’t say anything. I worried that, if I spoke, I might say the wrong thing and she might change her mind about letting me live.

  “But,” she continued, “if I let you live, I can’t have you out in the world knowing what you know. You’ll need to decide. You can either give up Liam, and I’ll erase your memories of the past few days, or you can accept a place in the Court as one of my Sworn, and I will grant you immortality.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but she held up her hand to stop me.

  “Wait,” she said. “I want to give you time to consider your options. You have family and a future, human. This will not be an easy decision for you. You will have until the coronation ceremony to decide. I can’t tell you exactly when that will be. It may be soon, or it may be weeks from now. Until then, you must promise me that you will tell no one of what you’ve seen and what you know. If you do, I will know. My offer will be withdrawn, and your fate will be sealed, as will theirs.”

  I swallowed.


  “Do you agree to these terms?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” I said.

  She smiled, but there was sadness in her eyes. “I am not yet queen, human. That honor still belongs to another.” She stood and turned to leave. “I will let the others know that you are ready to receive visitors. I know they are anxious to see you.”

  “Wait!” I called after her. “What about Aunt Vivian and Uncle Oscar? What will happen to them?”

  “Oscar is a direct descendent of Edric and Godda. He was already aware of our existence, but you will not speak openly of this with him. Do you understand?”

  I nodded. I wasn’t entirely sure that I did understand, but I was too stunned by this new information about my uncle to clarify. Fiona had her hand on the doorknob, about to leave the room, when I thought of another question.

  “Does Liam know about the offer you’ve made me?”

  She turned to face me. “I told him I would consider his plea on your behalf. But he does not yet know about this offer. It must be your decision. I’ll not have him influencing you.”

  I nodded. “Thank you,” I said.

  “You needn’t thank me, human. I should be the one thanking you.” She bowed her head to me. “You have my thanks, and my offer. I’ll leave you now.” She turned and slipped out of the room.

  I sighed back on the pillows. Sworn and immortal. Or I could return to my normal life with no memories of this other world. I didn’t owe them anything. I’d spent enough time in their world to know that it was dangerous. But then again, so was my world. I wanted to ask Aunt Vivian for advice, but I’d just promised not to do that. I frowned. Fiona had said it must be my decision.

  My phone began to ring, and I jumped at the sound. When I reached over to the bedside table to grab it, Angie’s face filled my screen. I swiped to take the call.

  “Angie?” Seeing her reminded me of what I’d be giving up if I accepted Fiona’s offer.

  “Hey, girl! Where have you been? I’ve been texting and calling. I left you so many messages. I was beginning to get worried about you. Are you okay?”

  I considered how to respond to that, given my current state and the events of the past few days. “I’m fine,” I said. “I’ve just been busy.” Which was true. I had been busy. The rest I would have to keep secret, possibly forever, or at least until the memories had been erased.

  “Too busy to call your best friend?”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I just wanted to see how things are going. Have you decided when are you coming home?”

  “I…” I hadn’t planned that far ahead, and now I faced an even bigger decision. If I chose to become Sworn would I even be able to continue working with my uncle and going to graduate school? If I chose to forget would I be compelled to leave? “I don’t know. I don’t have a return ticket yet.”

  “Well, figure it out and let me know. I’m back next week.”

  “Okay. I will.” I paused, considering what else to say, my mind still stuck on the decision that loomed before me, and the questions I hadn’t thought to ask.

  “Hey, Evie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Whatever it is that you’re not telling me? It’s gonna be okay, girl.”

  I cringed. Keeping secrets from Angie was hard enough without her knowing I wasn’t telling her everything. “Thanks, Ang. I’ve missed you.”

  “Miss you, too. And if I don’t hear from you in a few days, I’m flying out there to see for myself what’s up with you.”

  I laughed. “Bye, Ang.”

  “Bye, girl!”

  After hanging up with Angie, I sent a quick text to my mom so that she wouldn’t worry about me. The last thing I needed right now was her asking questions I couldn’t answer. Then I turned the sound off and dropped my phone on the table. Fiona’s offer weighed on my mind. I’d always thought my future was so clear. I had it all figured out. But now this whole new world had opened up for me and I wasn’t so sure anymore.

  A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.

  “Eve?” Liam’s head appeared around the edge of the door.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Yes!” I smiled at him. “I’d get up, but your cousin said I can’t get out of bed yet.”

  “Did she say anything about me getting into bed with you?” He shut the door behind him and leaned against it. Then he flashed me his adorable sheepish grin. He’d resumed his glamour, and his hair had returned to resembling a shaggy mop on the top of his head. A scruffy beard obscured his chin, and he was wearing the same stretched and misshapen wool sweater that he’d had on when I met him. But somehow, he looked different now. I could almost see through his magic to the tall frame, lean muscles, and pointy ears underneath.

  I grinned. “Come here.”

  He sat gently on the bed next to me. “I was so worried about you.” His fingers skimmed my jaw.

  “I’m fine.”

  “But you weren’t,” he said. He shook his head. “You don’t remember, do you?”

  I searched for the last thing I remembered. Liam transforming into a mountain lion. Us running through the tunnels. Laughing. Then nothing. I shook my head.

  “It’s okay now. Fiona fixed you.” He smiled. “I think that means I’ve convinced her to let you live. I mean, she wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble to fix you up just to kill you, would she?”

  I grimaced.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry.” He clasped my hands in his. “I didn’t mean it like that. You should know I’d never let her hurt you. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Shh…” I said. “It’s okay.”

  “Did she say anything to you?”

  “She gave me some things to think about,” I said. “How is your mother?”

  “She’s fading. But there is one last problem she must deal with before she goes.” He sighed. “Actually, it involves you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes. It has to do with Godda’s bracelet. We were waiting for you to recover before we dealt with it.”

  “The bracelet belongs with your people. As long as Oscar agrees, your mother can have it, or give it to whomever she chooses.”

  “I’m afraid it’s not that simple.” Liam shook his head. “You’re not going to believe this, but it was there the whole time. Right under our noses.”

  “What was?”

  “Sorcha discovered it. She first noticed it in the dungeons, but she couldn’t be sure until she returned to our lands and conferred with Mother and Fiona.”

  “Noticed what?”

  “The markings on the bracelet. When Godda disappeared, she hid her life force in that bracelet.”

  “She’s in the bracelet? You can bring her back?”

  “No. Not like that. The markings explain everything. It was part of the final spell she cast, the deal she made with Edric. He swore to honor her and never speak against her or her kin, and in turn, she agreed to give up everything, become human, and be with him. She did love him, you see.”

  “But I don’t understand. How did she end up in the bracelet?”

  “Edric broke his promise. When she disappeared, her life ended. She couldn’t return to the life she’d given up. But the spell kept her life force safe, so it could be released by her kin to return to the source we draw on to supply our magic.”

  “So, what do you need me for?”

  “You’re the owner of the bracelet now. Oscar gave it to you. Mother needs you to unlock the spell.”

  “And how does she expect me to do that?” Fiona’s offer had been immortality, not magic.

  “I guess we’ll find out when you meet her.”

  “You’re taking me to meet your mother?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “Not today. Fiona says you need more rest.”

  I shook my head. “There’s s
o much I don’t know about your world.”

  “You can’t be expected to know everything. You didn’t even know my world existed a few days ago.” He squeezed my shoulder, then trailed his fingers down my arm.

  “Are you sad?” I asked. “About your mother?”

  He nodded. “She’s lived an impossibly long life, even for one of us.” His gaze drifted away from mine, and he focused on the wall above my head. “But it’s more than that. After she’s gone, I’ll need to decide.”

  “Decide?” This sounded familiar. Only, apparently he was allowed to talk with me about his decision.

  His lips pressed together and he nodded. “When they crown Fiona as queen, Arabella and I will be expected to swear our Oaths.”

  He’d mentioned this when he’d first told me that his mother was Queen of the Fae. But with all that had happened since then, I’d forgotten. Fiona had also mentioned something about needing Liam by her side. This was probably what she’d meant.

  “Your cousin needs you,” I said.

  “I’d be committing myself to a life of war and vengeance.”

  “But Edric’s gone.”

  He shook his head. “Edric may be gone, but I’m not convinced this is over. Ari’s already gone looking for the demons. They should never have joined with Edric and his Hunters. We need to find out why they’re against us and what it means for our future. There are so few of us left now.”

  “All the more reason why you should remain at Fiona’s side.” I’d seen what Nigel and his mother could do. He’d been inside my head. If Fiona erased my memories, I would never have to remember that experience. But I would also be completely unprepared if he ever found me again. I shivered.

  “I was just beginning to enjoy it here.” He smiled.

  “Working with Uncle Oscar?”

  “And spending time with you.”

  “Would you have to leave?”

  He shrugged. “Oscar still needs help with his projects. But, as far as Ari is concerned, my work here is done.”

  I yawned. “Sorry,” I said.

  “No,” he said. “I’m sorry. I should let you get some rest.”

  He started to stand, but I pulled him back down.

  “Stay for a while,” I said. “At least until I fall asleep.”