by Dyan Chick
"First, I'd recommend you find an animal companion. I'm guessing you felt a connection to animals in the human realm, too?" she asked.
"Yes," I said. "Horses. They were my solace there."
"That makes sense. Having regular interactions with animals is going to allow you to use your magic without even realizing you're doing so. You'll be able to relate to the creature in a different way than others can. When you get to the Winter Court, ask for a horse. I'm sure Tristan will oblige."
I frowned. For a few minutes, I'd forgotten that my time with the Queen was very limited. I'd be in the Winter Court with Tristan by tonight. "I wish I didn't have to go."
"I know, but even if you weren't going with him, you couldn't stay here with me. You know that."
I nodded. "I'd rather be almost anywhere than trapped alone with him for weeks."
"You'll find a way to make the best of it, I'm sure," she said. "If you can find it in you to work with him, you might be able to study some Winter magic. There are few who practice it in Faerie since the kingdom’s split."
"He'd probably ask me for another favor if I asked him to help me," I grumbled.
"You learned your lesson the hard way," she said. "I doubt you'll make that mistake again, am I correct?"
"I won't be making favors with anyone after this. It's not worth it." As soon as the words left my lips, I wondered if that were true. If I hadn't made the agreement with Tristan, what would have become of the other princes during that Sodalis attack? Would they have succeeded in taking them down on their own? I shuddered as I realized it was possible that Ethan might not have survived. I knew if I had to do it again, I wouldn't change anything. For better or worse, I was going to have to pay my debt. At least now, I could go into it knowing the price I paid for Ethan's life wasn't too high. I would have done far more to keep him living.
"Aside from having an animal companion, what else can I do?" I asked, changing the subject back to magic.
The Queen rose from her seat and took a step closer to me. I mirrored her movements, rising from my own seat and taking a step closer to her.
"Learning to harness and control the magic of all four courts is not something that can be taught." She extended a hand, giving a slight nod of encouragement. "It would be easier for me to show you. But you cannot speak of this to anyone, for it is forbidden for anyone who is not yet Queen to travel inside the sacred temple. If anyone finds out that I took you there, both of our lives are at risk."
Tentatively, I set my hand in hers. "Are you sure you want to do this then?"
She nodded. "As I said, it's the only way. Controlling magic of all the courts is something you feel at your core. It has to be experienced."
"I swear, I'll never speak a word of it."
The Queen closed her fingers around my hand. Then, I felt the tug of sliding in my gut as the air around me seemed to vanish, leaving us in a vacuum. I should be used to sliding by now, but the sensation still caught me off guard. I felt weightless as we floated through and I tried my best to keep the panic from rising inside of me.
I knew the darkness and the feeling of dread would pass as soon as our feet touched on solid ground, but it was still an uncomfortable sensation. As always, I blew out a breath of relief as my feet made contact with something solid.
Opening my eyes, I looked around. I couldn't tell where we were, everything was dark and I narrowed my eyes, squinting into the void. A heartbeat later, torches breathed to life in a rush of heat, filling the space with a warm flickering light. I gasped as I looked around at the interior of what appeared to be a cave. Dark, rocky walls surrounded me on all sides. Damp air cooled my skin and I breathed in the distant scent of moss and wet stone. Somewhere in the distance I heard dripping and I wondered if there were rivers that ran through the stone.
I thought we were going to the temple but I had never seen a temple like this. My visits to the human temple had been limited to the rare feast days when my father actually thought that showing up might bring him some accolades. If it didn't directly benefit him, my father avoided anything religious. He wasn't a believer and thought it was all a waste of time, though he never let anyone outside his home know he felt that way.
I enjoyed the time we went to the temples. Even if I was unsure about the gods, the spaces felt sacred and magical. I loved the large stone structures with their elegant rows of colonnades and thatched roofs. I loved the sculptures of the gods and goddesses and the smell of fresh flowers and ripe fruit that people brought for offerings. The human temples were a celebration of life. If this was a Fae temple, it held the opposite effect. The earthy scent and below ground damp made me think of death. It was more tomb than temple.
The Queen let go of my hand and traveled deeper into the space. As she moved, new torches lit in anticipation of her arrival. It was as if her body crossing through was enough to light the fire. I wasn't sure if it was a reaction of her role as Queen, or if any presence here would cause them to light, or if it was something she was doing with her own magic. Even though I had magic of my own, it still fascinated me to see it in action.
The Queen didn't show any signs of slowing down to wait for me to follow her. Wordlessly, I caught up to her and made sure I stayed a few steps behind her. The cave was full of tunnels, twists and turns that would be impossible to navigate unless you already knew your way around. I had a feeling that if I lost sight of the Queen for even a second, I might not know how to find my way back out of here. That terrifying thought was enough to keep me completely focused on where she was at all times. I wanted to look around more, see if I could catch sight of anything down any of the other tunnels, but I was too nervous to take my eyes off the back of the Queen.
She turned three more times, each time taking us deeper, and lower into the system of caves that we had entered. With every turn, the temperature dropped. I wrapped my arms over my chest and rubbed my hands up and down over my cold upper arms. I expected to see polished marble and priests and tablets and books of ancient promises and stories. I hadn't expected to be alone in a series of tunnels that seemed to travel nowhere.
Clearly, that wasn't the case, there was a destination ahead. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so well lit with all these torches. But the longer we walked, the more I began to wonder if the temple even existed. Was it possible this place was just a decoy, was there something else she actually wanted to show me? I shook my head, feeling foolish. There was no reason for her to trick me. But that was what I had thought about Tiana. I clenched my jaw, feeling guilty for not trusting the Queen. She was my mother and she'd saved my life. But the more time I spent in Faerie, the more I knew things weren't always as they seemed.
As soon as I turned the corner I froze. We were standing in a new chamber in the caves but this one didn't look anything like the dark tunnels we had been walking through. Every surface of the cavern was covered in sparkling gemstones. They twinkled and flickered in response to the mounted torches. It was a room of starlight. As if the night sky came here to rest during the day.
I took a couple of steps in and turned in a slow circle, admiring the glimmering cavern. I knew this was the place she'd been leading me to and as I took in the room, I felt more at ease. This was a truly sacred place. Even the air changed. It was clean and crisp, and had the lingering scent of grass and sunshine. How this place, buried deep underground in a damp cave could hold such wonder was beyond imagination. I had thought the human temples were beautiful, but they were built by man. This place had to have been placed here by the gods themselves. "It's beautiful."
"Yes," the Queen said. "It’s said this room was built by the goddess herself as a place for her to take refuge when she visits our realm. Only the high priest and the Queen may visit this chamber. This is where the Queen comes after her coronation to obtain the magic of all four courts."
Against one wall, I noticed symbols carved deep into the stone. Below them was a small alcove where four small boxes were tucked inside protectively, as
if being embraced by the stone itself.
"You found the incantations." The Queen moved over toward the boxes and gestured to them. “Each court of magic is linked to sacred stone, one stone for each box.” She gestured upward toward the symbols on the wall. "This is the spell that is used to activate them. It's written in the sacred language, something you will learn if you win the trials."
"What happens if I win? Is it different since I already have the magic of all the courts?" I asked.
"I'm not sure," the Queen said. "Queen’s Trial is an ancient right. And Queens weren't always forbidden from having children. My guess is that if you were to win, you would not be the first natural born with all of these powers."
I looked up, thinking about the Queen's words and giving myself a moment to process. Even the high ceiling of this cavern was covered in sparkling gems. I looked back down at the Queen. "If it wasn't always forbidden, I'm guessing something happened. Something bad."
"Yes." She walked away from the boxes and moved to the center of the cavern. "Long ago, one of the candidates who lost was naturally born with all four powers. She overthrew the winner of Queen’s Trial, claiming the kingdom for herself. It was a dark time in our history and isn't known widely. The events are nearly forgotten, but the story is told every year when the final candidates move into the palace. Part of the final training is learning the history of Queen’s Trial including the things that are better left forgotten."
"So that's why you say I have to win. After a story like that, there's no way I won't be seen as a threat. Unless they don't know about the magic I have. Can't I just keep it hidden?"
"It's not that simple," the Queen said. "Once you learn how to use your magic, you'll find it harder to ignore things that you use to not notice. The females that make it to the highest level for competing will be smart and savage. If they don't figure out your powers, they'll figure out your heritage and then work the rest out. Even if we don't say a word, there's always a way to find out what you want to know." The Queen extended her hand and summoned me by bending her fingers. "Now, come. This is what I brought you here for."
I walked over to where she was standing in the center of the cave. As I reached her, I walked through what felt like an invisible waterfall, a force that filled my entire body with ice cold making my eyes widen, and my breath hitch. I looked behind me, for any sign of what had caused such a disruption but saw nothing visible that might have caused me to feel that sensation.
Stretching my fingers out from the direction I had come, I reached until they brushed against something cold that flowed like water. When I pulled my hand back, my fingers were dry. My brow furrowed as I tested it again. It reminded me of the invisible barrier I had walked through between the Winter kingdom and Autumn Court. I turned back to the Queen. "What is that?"
"We've entered the sacred circle," she said, extending her arms on both sides of her. "Only those who have obtained magic from all four courts are able to cross. It's here you'll find what you're looking for."
Chapter Four
The ground began to vibrate under my feet and I tried to step away from the uncomfortable sensation, but it was as if my feet were locked in place, connected to the ground. I looked at the Queen, startled.
"Don't think, just feel," she said.
I tried to release icy tendrils of fear that were slithering over my skin. Feigning calm, I took slow breaths trying to ignore the tremors being sent as little shockwaves through my legs from the ground. The vibrations grew, increasing in both speed and intensity. I clenched my teeth and balled my hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms. It felt like all of my bones were shaking as this charge coursed through me. The feeling was somewhere between a tingling and tapping, and left me feeling both uncomfortable and out of control.
I'd come to learn that lack of control was one of the things that drove me to make a change. I wanted the freedom and the ability to do what I wanted to do. Right now, whatever was happening was preventing me from moving away from it. Heat rose in the pit of my stomach, a sense of rage bubbling against the restraints. I wanted to break free of this; I wanted to run away from these caves. Maybe even back to the human realm where things were comfortable and familiar. The thought startled me and I clenched my fists tighter, fighting the urge to flee.
I knew I didn't actually want to run. I knew there was nothing left for me in the human realm. My future was here, with magic. I belonged here. Even if the female in front of me was a stranger, she was my mother and she'd protected me. Plus, there were my princes. Now that I'd come to know them, I knew I could never walk away from them.
Some of the tension released, I was able to focus a bit more clearly on my surroundings. The circle we were standing inside was glowing I wasn't sure if that was new, or if I just hadn't noticed before. Either way, it was unusual, but also beautiful. The anger that had come on me so quickly, was subsiding like a breeze blowing away a pile of dirt. Now, I felt tears welling up in my eyes as an overwhelming sense of gratitude took me.
I'd survived against incredible odds, I was alive because of the fact standing in front of me, I might not know who I was, or how to do the things I should know how to do, or how to make sense of the fact that I'd fallen in love with three princes, but I knew each one of those things was precious. My heart swelled at the thought of the support I had and I smiled, realizing I had admitted to myself how I felt about each of the three of them. I loved them. All of them. And they were part of me just as I was part of them. My heart ached as I felt the overwhelming love I held for them swell within me. It was so intense, it frightened me. How was I supposed to react to a love so strong?
Just then, intense pain shot down my spine, forcing all thoughts from my mind. I fell to my knees, screaming in agony as the pain wrapped its way around my ribs, gripping me tighter. Each breath I took sent a shockwave down my chest and tears streamed from my eyes. Was I being punished for being here? Was I going to die here?
Finally, breathing grew easier and the pain subsided. Covered in sweat and still shaking from the experience, I tried to stand. The floor had released my feet when I fell but now my knees were locked in place.
I looked up for the Queen, reaching out my hand for her help. But she was gone. It was just me standing in a circle alone. I opened my mouth to cry out, but no sound came from my voice.
The pain returned in a rush, squeezing agony around my rib cage and I winced, bracing myself against it. The lights in the cave started to go out. One by one, the torches were extinguished and when the last one died, all of the glitter and sparkling gems became invisible, leaving me alone in the dark.
The grip around my ribs eased and I fell to my side, finally free from the hold of the stone below me. The pain had released, but now fear took hold. I was alone, in the dark, and terrified. My heart raced, and my palms were damp with sweat. I crawled on my hands and knees toward where I had last seen the Queen and reached a tentative hand, but found nothing but air. "Is anyone there?" I asked, my voice shaky now that it had returned.
No one answered, but I seemed to have gotten a response nonetheless. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of a faint glow. I turned to see a warm glow coming from each of the boxes that held the stones for each of the courts. Slowly, I pushed myself to standing, unsteady on my own two feet. Tentatively I took a step, surprised that I was allowed the freedom to move. I walked toward the boxes and looked at them quite a while before deciding that I needed to open one.
I studied them closely, noting the different colors. Green, gold, pink, and silver. One box for each court. My hand hovered over the gold box, knowing it held the magic of the Autumn Court, my mother's court. This was the magic that I should be strongest in, the magic I would've been born with had my mother not been Queen. What would my life have been like if she had just met my father and lived as a normal Fae? What if she had never signed up for Queen's Trial? What if I had grown up here? Would I have been happy? Would I have felt as if I belonged fr
om the very beginning?
A Nagging voice in the back of my head told me I wouldn't be who I was today if that were the case. If she hadn't hidden me away, it was possible I would have never met the princes. I didn't know for sure, but I knew I wasn't willing to go back to a time where none of them existed as part of my life.
I lowered my hand, not wanting to open the Autumn box. It seemed to speak of what could have been and I knew I had to move forward. Dwelling on the past, on what might have been wasn't going to help me.
Glancing at the other four, I wondered which I should open. Spring for my beloved Ethan? The healing magic I had been able to tap into to save him was invaluable. Or should I open Summer, learn more about the heat of passion that drove Dane? Then my eyes rested on the last box, one representing the magic of the Winter Court. It was by far the most mysterious of the four. I'd learned that those with Winter magic could sometimes read minds or tap into memories or in the case of Tristan, share their memories.
I was about to be prisoner in the Winter Court in exchange for a simple favor. I should be furious with Tristan, should want nothing to do with him once my favor was repaid, yet I couldn't seem to break free of the hold he had on me. I was curious about the Winter Prince, and I knew that curiosity was dangerous, just like him. But of all the magics that were offered before me, I felt most drawn to the mystery of the Winter Court. It was the magic that would impact my immediate future the greatest. Slowly, I reached for the silver glowing box and lifted the lid.
As soon as my fingers brushed against the top of the box, the lid opened revealing a smooth, shiny, silver stone. It looked like a polished rock and didn't have the same glow that the exterior of the box did. I looked around again, hoping to find the Queen for some sort of indication as to what my next step was. She was still missing from the space. As I returned my focus to the shiny silver rock, I wondered if her absence was real. Perhaps the magic of this temple had hidden her from me and she was still there somewhere observing me.
