by R L Medina
I glanced back at the little brownie. “Mag, do you want to stay here with Grimera, or do you want to come with me?”
Mag’s eyes widened as she looked from me to the dryad. Nervousness poured from her. “I… I’d like to stay with you, Princess.”
Smiling, I nodded. “I would love to have you, Mag.”
She returned my smile, but I couldn’t help but notice it wasn’t the same smile I’d seen before. This was a different one. One born from pain and sorrow, but still with hope.
“I will stay by your side as well, Princess.” Sacha bowed.
Mom nodded her approval and waved us into the carriage. I slid in first, making room for the others. Outside the others boarded their own carriage, and the fae stood watching us. I clung to the seat as we lifted off.
Soon we’d arrive in the White Court and the Outer World from there. Despite our bleak circumstances, part of me was excited at the prospect of showing Sacha where I’d grown up and teaching Mag about human life.
My eyes swept over the black sand as we sailed out of the Black Court and a sadness engulfed me. If we failed at finding the Raj’ani, we wouldn’t be able to save Feylin and this would be the last time I’d see the Black Court.
I pushed away the negative thoughts and stared into my lap. I couldn’t think about failing or the worst outcome. We would succeed. We would save everyone.
An icy wind blew in from the window as we neared the White Court. I glanced at Sacha, wondering if returning would bring back memories of his family. We hadn’t really talked about what had happened to his mom or where elves went when they passed. I didn’t think he would appreciate those questions, so I kept them to myself. There was still so much I didn’t know about Feylin and the elves, but I had come to think of myself as a part of them. It had begun to feel like home.
A home that wasn’t so easy to give up, but would I still feel the same way once we arrived in the Outer World?
“What is going to happen when the queen sees Belle?” I broke the silence.
Mom looked up at me. “Most likely, she will call for her execution. Belle risks her life to come.”
I searched her face. Though there was no sign of remorse in her green eyes, I sensed something, but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Did she care what happened to the elf?
“But the king won’t let her kill her, will he?”
Mom sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t believe so. If they need Belle to complete the spell, the queen won’t be able to touch her and once the spell is complete, well then they will all be asleep so she can’t harm her.”
Her words were reassuring. I still preferred Grimera over the emotionless elf, but I didn’t want to see her harmed. Not even if she was guilty.
I shivered as another gust of cold air blew in. Mag buried herself into my side, offering what little warmth she had. Dread coiled inside me at the prospect of facing the White Court again. The last time I’d been there for the ball, we’d been attacked and though I’d survived it, the horrific images were seared into my mind.
The pain and fear. All the blood. I pushed away the dark thoughts and used my magic to numb myself. Was this what Belle meant when she said my past prevented me from accessing my full power? Maybe she meant my emotions which were wrapped in every memory.
“Stay close to me. I don’t think the queen will hurt you, but I won’t give her any chances.”
I nodded at Mom, my mind still on other things.
The carriage slowed as we flew over the city. I spotted the ice caves and glanced at Sacha. He stared blankly at his own hands, lost in his pain. It would take much longer than a few days for his sorrow to ease, and even then, I didn’t think it would ever completely go away. He’d lost so much.
I shuddered, not wanting to think about myself in his place. I’d been lucky to still have everyone close to me. Though by the end of everything, I wondered if that would still be the case.
We flew over the outer gates and the inner gates, coming to a rough landing in the inner courtyard. The door opened and Mom stepped out first followed by Sacha.
He stood and offered me a hand, which I accepted. Mom’s eyes fastened onto our grip, but she said nothing. The rules of touching had become lax during our current crisis and I meant to take full advantage of that. Their caste rules were cruel and unfair.
“Halt!” a guard bellowed.
A row of soldiers stood, blocking us from the castle. The others had left their carriage and stood with us. Tensions rose as we faced the White Court soldiers.
Not long ago we’d been enemies and even with the impending doom hanging over our heads, I wasn’t sure the queen wouldn’t have us killed on sight.
“We have an urgent message for the king.” Belle spoke first.
The guards didn’t budge. Their suspicion and anger radiated from them. It didn’t help that Des and B’Zahir had drawn weapons. I glanced at Sacha and sighed. He had followed their lead and stood with his sword ready.
“Lower your weapons,” the head guard commanded.
“Lower yours first,” Des retorted.
I shot him an exasperated look. This was not helping.
“I demand to speak with the king and queen at once. You will take me to them.” Aunt Cindra’s eyes flashed in indignation. Even without a court, she was still a princess.
The guards glanced at her and hesitated. Their uncertainty clung to them.
“Enough. We don’t have time for this. Lower your weapons and let us pass.” Belle raised her hand toward them.
Their hands fell slack by their sides and their eyes glazed over. In unison, they stepped out of our way and bowed.
Chills crawled along my skin at the show of power. The others followed as Belle led us past. Aunt Cindra matched her stride, her lip curled. She didn’t trust the older elf, I realized. I followed Mom and Sacha. Mag clung to my hand as we walked up the long, wide palace steps.
At the top, more soldiers had gathered. Their eyes widened in alarm as Belle approached. One retreated back into the palace. The others weren’t fast enough as she threw her power over them as well. The guards below, released from her hold, charged up the steps after us.
Aunt Cindra shot her a dark look. “Now look what you’ve done. Made all of us enemies.”
Belle whipped toward her. “I got us through.”
Mom stepped in before my aunt’s anger rose to its next level. “Let’s do what we came here to do.”
B’Zahir, Des, and Sacha guarded our rear as the soldiers chased after us. The rest of us burst through the front doors. I winced as the white marble assaulted my eyes. I’d forgotten how bright the stone was.
“What is the meaning of this?” the king’s voice boomed from the front hall.
The soldiers encircled us; their sword trained on us. My heart leapt into my throat as the queen and king strode toward us with more guards. The queen’s eyes landed on Belle and right away I knew it had been a mistake.
Coldness wrapped around us. The queen moved forward, fury lighting her face. I flinched at her power. Mag whimpered and hid behind me.
“You.” Her icy voice echoed against the marble.
Belle stood her ground. Her chin lifted in a defiance I couldn’t help but admire. The room fell silent. I could hear my own heart racing as we waited for the outcome.
My eyes flew to the king. Though his face revealed no emotion, his body had stilled. I wondered, staring at his stony mask, if he had cared for the elf. Had he ever felt love?
“Belle.” The name was a growl on the queen’s lips.
The air chilled. Goosebumps covered my skin and my teeth chattered together. Mom drew me close to her and shielded me from the ice power.
“You would dare to show your face here, pesan.” The queen continued to seethe.
Still, the king remained silent and motionless. I frowned. His indifference infuriated me. Had he cared about any of the consorts or women who’d loved him?
Belle stared back at her. “I am n
ot here to dwell on the past, Cristal. What is done is done. I am here about the future. Of Feylin. To stop the abyss.”
Wind blew around us, the sound piercing and ear-splitting. I pressed myself closer to Mom, trying to stay warm. My skin burned from the cold. I wrapped Mag closer to me, trying to keep her safe.
“Do not address me so informally. I am the queen.”
“Yes, yes. We know. You won the crown. Congratulations. Now can we please go back to how we’re going to save everyone’s ass?” Aunt Maloret interrupted.
Another cold gust blew around us. The queen hadn’t found her outburst amusing.
“You are all traitors to the crown. How dare you show up here with her.”
I peeked my head out from Mom’s arms to watch the scene unfold. She’d moved us to the edge of the room, out of harm’s way though the coldness still reached us.
Fire lit in Aunt Cindra’s hands and I fought the urge to run toward it for some warmth.
She hurled a fireball into the air. “You betrayed me. You fled when the Red Court fell.”
The guards edged closer, waiting for a command from the king or queen. My teeth chattered from the cold, drowning out their angry words.
“Come, let’s go back outside.” Mom tugged me toward the door.
“Enough.” The king’s voice echoed in the room.
We stopped to listen. The wind came to a halt, but the coldness still permeated through my layers. Mag buried her face into my legs and refused to let go. Her fear spread all around her in erratic waves. I patted her back, using my magic to calm her.
“If there is a way to stop the abyss, we must do it.” The king spoke again.
The queen’s eyes flashed with fury, but her power stilled. I breathed a sigh of relief as warmth returned to my limbs.
“There is a way, but we must act quickly,” Belle responded.
I scanned their faces to gauge their reactions. The king stared at Belle as if she was a ghost come back to haunt him while she returned his stare, ignoring the queen’s stony face. Aunt Cindra silently fumed while Des stood by her side, wearing his usual emotionless mask and Aunt Maloret and Uncle Mortemer—who I realized for the first time had come with us—stood apart lost in their own conversation. I frowned. What were they scheming now? Sacha and B’Zahir stood in the back, both silent as they watched the show.
“We cannot trust this pesan.” The queen scowled.
“Well, you don’t have a choice,” Belle snapped.
My eyebrows flew up. It was the most emotion I’d ever seen from her. A part of me was curious to know what had happened between them in the past. With all the betrayals and lies, I had a feeling I’d find it a tragic soap opera.
“Silence. We will hear you out. First, let us retire to the throne room.” The king’s voice hardened.
The queen’s eyes narrowed, but she shut her mouth. With a wave of her hand, she motioned the guards to lead us down the hall. Our footsteps echoed on the marble floor. I followed the others as we moved in mass to the giant doors that led to the throne room.
I glanced nervously at the guards, their weapons still pointed at us. What if this was a trap? Mom didn’t look worried and the others still looked angry. Mag held on to me as we walked, her fear growing the same as mine.
Summoning my magic, I steeled myself and comforted her. If a fight is what they wanted, that is what we would give them. I snorted at myself. When had I started using such cliché phrases? The doors burst open, and all humor fled. I pulled my shoulders back and prepared myself for the worst.
15
The glittering décor captured my attention. Gold and silver trimmings lined the massive walls and ceiling. The white marble surrounding us was blinding and new ice sculptures had been erected since the ball. I watched as the king and queen strode to their thrones. Their royal snow leopards lounged on their own fancy cushions by the thrones. They stood at our arrival; eyes narrowed on us.
Halfling.
I bristled at their greeting. Their hatred for me burned bright, and I didn’t need to read their thoughts to know they wanted to tear me apart.
Mom glared at them on my behalf. She had more reason than I did to hate them, I remembered. The leopards had killed her wolf guardian, Aesir. I bit my lip, wondering where my own guardian was. I knew he was a spirit now, but I wasn’t sure where he went when he wasn’t with me.
“Why have you come?” The king broke the silence.
He adjusted his robes as he took his place on the throne. The queen sat beside him, her eyes still narrowed on Belle.
“We have a way to save Feylin,” Belle answered.
“There is a chance we can stop this destruction,” Aunt Cindra interrupted. She moved toward the thrones. “A Raj’ani. Kept imprisoned all this time.”
The king’s brow furrowed. “Where?”
“In my prison, of course,” Aunt Maloret added.
The queen’s eyes snapped to her. “You’ve been hiding a Raj’ani in your court? Is that how you’ve been able to keep us out?”
Aunt Maloret chuckled. “Oh, I don’t need a Raj’ani to keep you out. Just good old shadow magic.” She smiled.
“Maloret,” Aunt Cindra growled. She shook out her hair and addressed them again. “It’s escaped into the Outer World and we must follow it. Bring it back here and use it to destroy the abyss.”
I flinched. She didn’t tell them I was to blame for its escape, which I was grateful for though the shame of what I’d done still stung.
“Destroy the abyss?” the queen scoffed. “It will destroy everything.”
Belle shook her head. “Not if—”
“We control its power. Use it only on the abyss and then imprison the creature once more,” Aunt Cindra cut in.
Belle frowned at her. Aunt Cindra ignored the look. She was trying to diffuse the situation, I realized. The more Belle talked, the angrier the queen would grow. I was surprised she hadn’t started flinging her magic around once more.
“And how did it escape?” the king asked.
Heat flooded me. My fault. It was all my fault.
“It doesn’t matter how. What matters is that we find the creature before it’s too late,” Aunt Cindra answered smoothly.
“By the time you find the Raj’ani, Feylin will be destroyed,” the queen scoffed.
“Not if we cast a sleeping spell,” Belle spoke up.
The queen’s lip curled. Her icy blue eyes narrowed on the elf. “A fairy spell?”
Aunt Maloret stepped forward. “Yes. A fairy spell is going to save you all. Don’t you love the irony of that?” She smirked.
“We need your help to cast this. It will be far greater than any spell in the history of Feylin. We must put everyone to sleep. It’s the only way to slow the destruction,” Belle added.
Aunt Cindra shot her an exasperated look. “While the spell is cast, we will go to the Outer World and bring back the creature.”
The queen stood. Her eyes roamed over us. “You only need one of us to cast the spell.”
Everyone fell quiet.
“I’m coming too.” Her words echoed in the silence.
My mouth dropped. Coming with us to the Outer World? I glanced at the others. Did they think this as crazy as I did? She’d kill us in our sleep.
No one objected. I looked up at Mom. She had to find this as insane as I did. Wasn’t anyone going to speak up?
“You? In the Outer World? I would hate to miss that.” Aunt Maloret chuckled.
The queen sneered at her.
My heart sank. We couldn’t stop her from coming with us. What if she hurt one of us or an innocent human? I shook off the morbid thoughts and resolved to stay on guard. At least I’d have everyone else there to watch my back. Though the abyss had become our new enemy, I wasn’t going give the queen any chances to get to me or hurt any of my friends.
“I will perform the spell,” the king boomed.
“We will need another royal since the queen is out.” Aunt Maloret
clucked her tongue.
Uncle Mortemer sniffed. “I can do it.”
Aunt Maloret laughed. “No. We need a powerful royal.”
He glared at her.
“I will summon Sylvain,” the king answered.
Uncle Mortemer’s face darkened.
“I’m just as powerful as Sylvain.” Aunt Cindra huffed.
Aunt Maloret clucked her tongue again. “Now, now. Let’s not play favorites. Even Sylvain could not juice up this spell.” Her eyes shifted to B’Zahir. “We need the Goblin King. He is after all, the true king of Feylin.”
The air grew chillier as the king and queen’s power pulsed around us. I glanced at B’Zahir. The goblin stood emotionless before the elves. I wondered as I watched him, what he planned. He was dedicated to helping us stop the abyss, but then what? Would he continue to wage his war against the royals?
“I will do it,” he spoke, breaking the tension.
I released a long sigh. For the moment, we’d been able to come to a standstill. There were no guarantees of what would come next, but at least for now, we’d agreed to come together and do what we had to.
“As will I,” Belle spoke up.
The Queen’s eyebrows shot up. “You? You are no royal.”
Aunt Maloret snapped her fingers. “No, but her power is still strong. With all four of us, we should be able to cast the spell easy peasy.”
Uncle Mortemer’s lip curled at the exclusion. The queen continued to glare at Belle, and for a moment I was hopeful she’d change her mind and choose to remain behind. To my disappointment, she remained silent. Silent and angry.
“What do you need for this spell?” The king addressed Aunt Maloret.
Her eyes shifted to me. “Dragon blood.”
Horror struck me. She pulled a large glass vial out of her pocket and held it up for all to see. Bright, gold liquid shone from the vial.
My stomach churned. “Where… where did you get the blood?”
Please don’t let it be from Fearless.
“From the Red Court.”
Aunt Cindra advanced on her. “What did you do, Maloret?”
Aunt Maloret scoffed. “Easy, tiger. The dragons were already dead.”
