by R L Medina
The ground trembled beneath us. Fae whimpered and screamed, their voices and emotions blurring together and crashing against my shields.
“To the Black Court. Everyone.” B’Zahir’s voice rose above the noise.
They rushed ahead of him as he motioned them forward. Some rode on horses while others ran on foot. Sacha stayed by my side as I followed the others. The queen had disappeared in the mass, but B’Zahir remained behind, making sure all the fae were out.
I winced, guilty that I hadn’t stayed behind to do the same.
“Princess, come.” Sacha paused to wait for me.
I met his mother’s gaze and blushed as I caught up to them. Grimera hovered in the air next to them, glancing around at the chaos. Voices shouted from behind us. B’Zahir ordering the fae to leave their belongings behind as the earth trembled once more. The collective fear and anguish gripped me in a vise.
They were leaving their home and had no time to say goodbye. Not able to resist any further, I called my magic to me and threw it over the crowd.
Everything will be okay.
B’Zahir’s head snapped toward me. The fae slowed, calmness spreading across their features.
“They must hurry!” he boomed.
I flinched under his hard gaze and let my magic dissolve. Once more their panic stirred, tainting the air. I built my defense against it and followed the others.
Wind whipped through trees as we left Liberte. Some of the fae paused to glance back, their grief coursing through me. There would be no returning. This was the end of the little town. My eyes met B’Zahir’s and though I couldn’t sense any emotion from him, I wondered if somewhere deep inside, my father was distressed by the scene.
The ground trembled again, and the trees shifted. The fae whimpered and cried, clinging to one another as we hurried through the forest. My heart pounded in my ears as I matched Sacha’s stride. It was a surreal moment. Like something from a dream, or more accurately, a nightmare.
Was this really happening? Why here and why now?
Tears blurred my vision as I tried to push away the waves of sorrow threatening to break free. A flash of fur caught my attention. Wolves, I realized. They traveled together, their urgency driving them faster. Birds flew overhead, their voices echoing in my mind despite my barrier.
Run. Fly. Flee. Run. Fly. Flee.
Other animals scampered along the forest floor, hot on our trail. Their panic mixed in with the fae and other creatures. Pain blossomed in my head as I tried to rebuild my shields against their emotions and thoughts.
B’Zahir’s voice spurned us on. “Keep going. To the Black Court.”
He was somewhere behind us. Trying to slow down whatever was coming? The queen had been in the lead and now she was nowhere in sight. I didn’t remember what her magic could do. Could she transport herself away like Aunt Maloret? Had she left us all here to die?
A lick of anger curled in my chest. Of course, she would have. My anger grew. This was my court, Mom’s court too, but they were still her people. How could she call herself their queen?
The wind picked up, whipping through the trees like a siren. Leaves and branches broke and scattered into the air before descending toward us. The little pixies zig zagged to avoid the falling debris. Grimera, along with the few dryads that were left, wavered and moaned, their anguish over the dying trees hit me like a brick.
Fog swirled around us, and the cracking and splintering wood echoed in my ears. I yelped in surprise as Sacha’s arm shot out before me, making me come to an abrupt stop. Just in time to see a massive tree topple over, blocking our path. The fae screamed as they rushed for safety. I stared in shock as the tree darkened and shriveled before us, its leaves trembling. By my side, Grimera let out a low keening sound that ripped a hole in my heart.
She was crying.
Before I could get swept up in her pain, I used my magic to steel myself. We had to get out. Now. In the distance, another tree fell, spurning everyone on.
Sacha leapt onto the fallen tree and offered me a hand up. I grabbed it, using the warmth and solidness of his grip to strengthen myself. He turned back to help his mother, but she leapt impressively onto the giant trunk by herself, making me feel like the weak halfling I was.
My breath grew ragged as I pushed myself to keep up with the others. Already, my legs were on fire, but we couldn’t stop. We still had a lot of ground to cover to make it to the Black Court and what then? Would the destruction stop or was this the end?
Pushing away the negative thoughts, I focused my mind on running. One foot in front of the other. Behind us a loud roaring had started.
I didn’t dare look back.
6
“Go!” B’Zahir’s voice faded against the loud roaring.
It was as if the wind had become a living entity bent on tearing the trees limb from limb and wreaking as much havoc as possible. Sobs and screams pierced my heart as the fae dodged the flying branches and uprooted ferns.
I glanced at Sacha’s mom. Her emotions erupted like a fire. Fear. Anger. Anguish.
It’s too late. Too late. Too late. Her words rippled in my mind.
Frowning, I summoned my magic to quell her fear. She gripped something in her hand. My blood ran cold. It should have been her other hand, but in its place was… nothing. From the wrist down, her skin and bone had vanished.
My eyes snapped to Sacha. He hadn’t seen yet. A lump grew in my throat. He’d already lost so much and now his mother too?
“Sacha.” Her voice shook.
He halted and faced her. The horror in his gaze punched me like a hammer.
She lifted her remaining hand and nodded at him. “I will love you forever. You are—”
And just like that she was gone. Vanished into the air.
“No!” Sacha’s voice rang through me. His devastation hit me like a tidal wave. My knees grew weak under the weight of it.
He turned to me and the anguish I saw written on his face pierced me. Tears welled in my eyes.
“Sacha.” I threw my arms around him.
His body was stiff as he returned my hug. Shock, anger, and sorrow engulfed us. Around us sobs and screams echoed as others began to vanish. Erased as if they’d never existed. Cold dread washed over me.
What was happening?
“Don’t stop! Keep going.” B’Zahir’s voice broke the cries.
He ripped me from Sacha’s arms and thrust me forward. “Go!”
His urgency spurned us back into action. Using my magic, I steeled myself against the terror and pain. We ran with the others. I kept my head forward, refusing to turn toward the sobs and cries of the fae as the abyss claimed more and more of us.
Icy fear filled me. What if I was next? Or Sacha? I pushed myself faster.
We had to make it out.
I couldn’t think about the destruction behind us. The fact that the Gray Court was no more and the people—my people—were being ripped from this world right before my eyes. I had to focus on escape and getting out as many of us as we could.
As we ran closer to the border, the wind settled. I sucked in a deep breath and slowed my pace. The others also slowed, and their panic dulled. Sweat clung to me as I tried to steady my racing heart. Around us, the trees stood firm, the midday sunlight streaming through the leafy canopies.
Was it over? Had the destruction stopped?
I turned back to look. Horror washed over me. There was nothing but gray fog left, creating the illusion that one step past the remaining trees and you’d fall off the edge of the world. Maybe there truly was nothing left. I didn’t dare take the chance to find out.
Beside me, Sacha stood unmoving, his pain wavering around him. He stared into the fog. I fought the urge to hold his hand, unsure of what he needed. Did he want space? His strong emotions pushed against my barrier, threatening to crack them.
I used my magic to steel myself once again. Everyone’s thoughts and sorrow made my head throb. The animals circled us, their
whimpers and cries bouncing off the trees. Tears filled my eyes. Where would they go now? The Black Court didn’t have any forests or ponds that I knew of.
“We must keep going,” B’Zahir, the only one seemingly unaffected by what happened, spoke.
“Where can we go?” an elf glanced from him to me.
Others murmured their concern. My chest tightened. They were scared and nothing he said could soothe them. Not after all they’d lost. The abyss was still open, and we had no way of fighting it and no way of knowing when it would finish destroying us all.
B’Zahir squared his massive shoulders and addressed the crowd. “For now, we will go to the Black Court and discuss our options. There may still be a way to save Feylin.”
His words did little to assure them. Though they moved to follow his command, their emotions and thoughts battered me. They followed because they had no choice. Nowhere else to turn. I fell into step with Sacha. He moved as if in a trance, his thoughts well-guarded from me though I knew if I tried, I could get past his barrier. But I wouldn’t do that. If he wanted space to grieve, I’d give him that.
The image of his mother vanishing before us replayed in my mind. Her terror and anguish would stay with me forever.
Shudders ran through me at the thought of what else was coming. We’d lost so many. Had the unicorns and dragons been swept back in or had they escaped? My mind flashed to my unicorn guardian. Was he safe being a spirit or could it destroy spirits too?
I glanced down at my bare wrist where my unicorn charm had been. The girl who’d worn it was a stranger and my anxiety from before seemed laughable now. I’d take high school trauma over what I was currently facing. Guilt needled me. I had a home I could return to, but the others? Could we portal everyone back to the Outer World?
Pushing away the questions that plagued me, I followed the others. Our footsteps fell silent on the black sand. The ground shifted beneath us and for a minute I worried the destruction had begun again, but large grotesque statues popped out of the earth.
The fae skittered out of the way as more and more giant shapes sprang forth. Nausea rolled in my gut. The statues were made from bones. The white was a stark contrast against the black dirt. I’d missed them before, unable to see them from the sky.
B’Zahir stopped to stare at one and shake his head.
“What is it?” I paused next to him.
“These are the bones of those fallen in the war. Fae and goblin alike,” he answered without looking at me.
Chills crawled over me as my gaze swept over the countless statues spread across the valley. They stood tall, casting dark shadows over the already blackened sand. The weather had grown warmer, but I couldn’t shake the coldness that spread inside me.
“I’m sorry.” My words came out a whisper.
The Goblin King glanced at me and nodded before moving forward.
Sacha and I followed in silence. Grimera had stayed back with the other dryads. Many of the animals had stopped at the edge of the forest. I bit my lip, worried they’d chosen to stay in what was left of the forest.
What if the wind started again?
I pushed away the dark thoughts and caught up to B’Zahir.
His eyes slid to mine.
“How are we going to get everyone up to the castle?” I asked.
“I will summon a carriage as we get closer. For those who can’t fly.”
“How come you can command my aunt’s enchanted carriages?”
“Goblins share the same power. The magic they call shadow magic.”
I gaped at him. “Oh.”
There were still so many things I didn’t know about Feylin and its history. Sorrow filled me. What if this was the end? My jaw clenched as I waved away the negative thoughts. Maybe Mom and the others had come up with an alternative plan. One positive outcome was that the war against the White Court had been paused. If we could save Feylin together maybe there wouldn’t be a need for the war at all.
It was wishful thinking, but it gave me a glimmer of hope.
The walk was silent and long, giving everyone a chance to grieve. My head pounded as I continued to steel myself against their emotions. Our movement had grown sluggish as the sun began its descent. My throat was dry, and my legs were on fire. The idea of returning to Aunt Maloret’s castle and taking a nice warm bath filled me with renewed vigor. Once I had the chance to wash and rest, I could focus on our next steps. Find Mom and make sure Aunt Cindra was okay. If we all could meet, surely, we could come up with a plan. I pushed myself forward, refusing to let go of that hope.
We would find a way.
Large cliffs appeared ahead of us, making me sigh in relief. Unlike the fae, I was human, and my body couldn’t take any more walking. My legs had grown numb and I was desperate for water. Nervous and excited murmurs echoed around me. The trauma in the Gray Court had faded to the back of our minds and the immediate need to rest—or in their case, settle—was pushed to the forefront, blocking out our current worries.
Before long, the castle came into view. Fear filled the air as we continued. The fae were scared to see what they would find in the Black Court. None of them had ever stepped foot in Aunt Maloret’s court, I realized. A wave of sympathy washed over me. This was a far cry from their home. Pain lanced through me. Already I missed the little burrow my mom had lived in. I missed the town and forest too. Using my power, I pushed away the thoughts, refusing to let them swallow me.
There was nothing to do about it now.
“Look!” Someone’s cry startled me.
I glanced up to see a mass of carriages floating toward us. I met B’Zahir’s gaze and nodded my thanks.
“Those who cannot fly may ride,” he addressed everyone.
A troll snorted. “I’m not stepping one foot inside that.”
The other trolls and imps voiced their agreement.
“It’s just a carriage,” one of the elves responded.
An ogre sneered. “An enchanted one. Enchanted by the fairy princess. I’m not going inside either.”
“You are too fat to fit inside one, anyway.” A blonde-haired fairy laughed.
Angry protests sounded from the other ogres.
“Enough. Those who wish to ride, may do so. Those who don’t, can enter through the dungeons.”
Everyone fell silent. Fear and suspicion radiated from them.
“The dungeons… what’s in the dungeons?” A brownie trembled.
“Nothing. It’s empty,” B’Zahir replied and continued walking.
The carriages landed one by one, and the elves, brownies, and fauns poured into them. The rest of the fae and dryads continued by foot or air. I glanced at Sacha to see which he’d choose. His eyes were haunted as he stared up at the castle.
“Princess.” Grimera’s voice caught my ear.
I turned to see her floating by one of the carriages, waiting for me. Sacha shook his head and motioned for me to go without him. I hesitated, wanting to say something to him. He looked so lost and defeated.
“Princess,” Grimera called again.
I bit my lip and walked toward her, glancing back at Sacha. He returned my stare, but his face was blank as stone. I hated seeing him so broken.
Grimera’s cool hand fell on my shoulder. “Give him time. There’s nothing you can do.”
I nodded to her and slid into the carriage. To my surprise, none of the other fae boarded and Grimera shut the door, choosing to glide on her own than ride in the carriage. Their abandonment stung, though I knew it wasn’t meant to be hurtful.
Shifting closer to the window, I looked out as the carriage lifted. Nausea rolled through me, but my legs were grateful for a break. From my point of view, our group looked so small against the vast landscape. The realization of how many we’d lost shook me.
I turned away from the window and used my power to soothe my own emotions. The carriage landed in the courtyard with a jolt. Taking a deep breath, I paused before leaving. There was much to do, and I felt so c
ompletely inept to handle it.
The door burst open, making me jump. Grimera’s watery looking form appeared. Her worry filled the carriage around me.
“Princess?”
I slid off the bench and made my way outside. “I’m okay. I’m alright.” I waved away her concern.
She bowed and made room for me to pass. The others stood on the cobblestone courtyard. All eyes turned to me. I glanced around for B’Zahir or Sacha, but they were nowhere to be seen. The weight of their expectant gazes made me want to run back into the carriage. Why were they looking at me?
“Renée!” A familiar voice broke the awkward silence.
Relief flooded me as I spotted Mom running from the castle doors. In unison, the fae bowed to her, their relief as tangible as my own.
Mom wrapped me in a tight embrace, the smell of vanilla enveloping me. The scent triggered the memory of the Gray Court. A sob escaped me as I clung to her.
“Mom. The Gray Court.” I sniffled. “It’s gone.”
Sorrow rolled from her. She squeezed me harder. “I know, but you are safe.”
I let my tears spill out as she held me. I could feel the stares of the others, but I didn’t care. In that moment, I couldn’t be their princess. My body trembled, and I just wanted to shut away the pain. Using my magic, I let it course through me and numb me.
Mom pulled back. “And B’Zahir?”
I blinked. Anger replaced the numbness. After all we’d lost, and her only concern was about him?
Sensing my hurt, she sighed. “I care about all the fae, Renée.”
I looked away, too upset to respond.
She turned to the crowd. “Come. We will find you all a place to rest. We are doing everything in our power to stop this destruction and I know the next few days won’t be easy after all we have lost.”
Few days? Did we even have days?
I watched the others. Their worry and sorrow faded away as Mom talked. My lip curled in disdain. She was using her magic on them. I knew she meant to help them, but I couldn’t help but feel it was wrong. Why should they be happy after what we’d gone through?
