The Faerie Plague (Dark World: The Faerie Games Book 5)

by Michelle Madow

But I also wanted Sorcha to feel safe enough around me to start granting me leniency. That was how I could eventually get back home. So I needed to tread carefully.

  “I won’t use the wand against you, as long as you don’t use your gift on me or try to attack me,” I said. “For my own safety, I can’t agree to anything more.”

  Sorcha turned away from me and looked at Kyla.

  Is she going to say no?

  I held my breath, waiting.

  “Fine,” she said, and she held out the hand that wasn’t wrapped around the wand.

  I took her hand, and we walked inside the dome. A tingly, icy coldness travelled through me as I passed through.

  The inside of the dome smelled slightly of rot and decay, assumedly from Kyla’s open wound. A hint of that smell had been following me ever since Julian and I had crossed the Eastern Mountains and fought the horde of zombies. I’d never smelled anything so awful and suffocating in my life. The Otherworld was so infected with zombies that their stench must have been permeating the entire realm.

  Sorcha held the wand out to me. “As you requested,” she said, and I snatched it from her hand.

  Magic hummed from the wand and coursed through me. Electricity crackled along my arms and lit up my scars. Purple and silver magic poured out of my palms and twisted around the wand, and a breeze of fresh air blew through the dome.

  If having my magic unmuted felt freeing, having the Holy Wand back in my hand felt ten times as powerful.

  I was never going to let anyone take it from me again.

  Kyla watched me in amazement. “Wow,” she said. “Your wings.”

  I glanced over my shoulder, and sure enough, my wings were blue, violet, and silver.

  “Damn, girl,” someone said from outside the dome. Bryan. “That’s hot.”

  My wings sparkled in the corner of my eye. “Thanks.” I smiled, and then I refocused on Kyla. “This might hurt,” I warned her. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “You said you haven’t tried this before,” Sorcha said.

  Memories of when I’d freed the half-bloods from the tattoos that bound their magic flashed through my mind. They’d screamed and arched back in pain at the start, although according to Julian, the relief once the poison was out of his system was like nothing he’d ever felt before.

  But I couldn’t tell them about freeing the half-bloods.

  “I’ll be trying to use my magic to suck the poison from her body,” I said instead. “So yes, it will likely hurt.”

  “Just do it,” Kyla said, and she straightened as much as she could. “I’m ready.” She held her gaze steady with mine, her face set in determination.

  I stepped up to the foot of her bed, raised the wand, and dug inside myself for my magic. This can’t be much different from freeing the half-bloods, I thought. Just like with the half-bloods, I’m removing a poison. I succeeded with them, so I can succeed with Kyla.

  My magic swirled through me, and the wand’s light blue crystals pulsed with energy. I gathered as much magic as I could, and then channeled it through the top crystal, toward Kyla.

  The scars on my arms lit up. The magic surrounded her in a glowing orb, and tendrils of it slithered toward her. The tips of their tentacles pierced her skin and buried themselves deep inside.

  Kyla sank into her pillows, gripped the covers, and let out a soft cry. Her sleeve fell back down to her wrist, covering her wound.

  Now, I thought, and then I reversed the flow of my magic to suction the poison out of her. With the half-bloods, this had sucked the dots of red—the poison inked on them by the fae—out of their systems.

  Nothing of the sort happened with Kyla.

  I braced myself and pulled harder, grunting from the effort. The crystals on the wand glowed brighter. It hummed louder and louder, like a lightbulb about to burst.

  Pain seared my palm, like I’d touched a hot stove.

  I screamed and dropped my hold on the magic. The tendrils snapped out of Kyla’s skin, and the orb surrounding her dimmed out of existence.

  I wiped a bead of sweat from my brow, switched the wand to my other hand, and studied my palm. It was red, but the pain was already fading.

  Julian rushed inside the dome and was by my side in a second. He grabbed my palm and examined it. “You pushed your magic too far,” he said.

  “I stopped in time.” My muscles ached slightly, and I was a bit more tired, but I’d recover. “I’m already feeling better.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I’m sure. But you shouldn’t have come inside the dome.” I glanced at the Empress, who was kneeling by her daughter’s side.

  Kyla’s face had a healthier flush to it, and the bruises under her eyes had lightened. But black sludge stained her sleeve, right above the wound.

  The Empress hovered her hands over it.

  “It’s okay to touch,” I said. “Julian and I were splattered with their blood when we tried to fight them, and we’re totally fine.”

  Julian stiffened and focused on the Empress. “Contact with the blood doesn’t seem to cause infection.”

  “I’ve heard this from many sources,” Sorcha said. “However, as the Empress, I need to keep myself safe.” She stood and took a step back from Kyla. “I’m already putting myself at risk by being inside of this dome, but it’s worth it to see my daughter well again.”

  I lowered my eyes, since I knew in my heart that I hadn’t cured Kyla.

  “Kyla,” the Empress said steadily. “Pull up your sleeve.”

  Kyla did as instructed, and I gasped.

  The veiny, black lines no longer covered the majority of her arm. They only surrounded the outer edges of the puss-filled wound.

  But the wound was still there, as angry as ever.

  “How do you feel?” I asked.

  “Better,” she said, and she gave me a grateful smile. “Like I did right after getting bitten, before the poison spread.”

  “But the poison’s still inside of you.”

  “Yes,” she verified what I already knew.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I tried my hardest. But my magic…” I looked back down at my palm, where the bright red was already fading to a lighter pink.

  “It was turning on you,” she said softly. “I understand.”

  Sorcha spun to face me, and I braced myself for a verbal attack. “You were right to listen to your magic’s warning,” she said instead. “We need you alive.”

  I stared at her, speechless.

  “Why so surprised?” she asked. “I meant it when I said I wanted us to work together. We can’t do that if you push your magic too far and kill yourself.”

  “Even if it means I can’t cure Kyla?”

  “You may not have cured her, but you seem to have reversed the poison’s progress,” she said. “Perhaps you’ll have better luck now that she isn’t as sick. So you’ll try again tomorrow, once your magic is fully rejuvenated.”

  “Of course,” I said, since I was going to suggest it, anyway.

  “Very well,” she said, and then she said goodbye to Kyla.

  Kyla finished saying goodbye to her mother, and then turned to me. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said brightly.

  “Yes.” I smiled. “See you tomorrow.”

  Sorcha nodded, took my and Julian’s hands, and escorted us out of the dome. She made no mention about how she hadn’t promised to let him back out as well, and I didn’t question it. Once we were outside of the dome, she focused on Finn and Bryan. “Continue taking good care of her,” she said.

  “We will,” Bryan said, and Finn echoed the sentiment.

  “I know.” She gave Kyla a final hopeful smile, and turned back to me. “Now, we need to be getting back to my house. Put the glamour back on your wings and the wand.”

  I did as she instructed, amazed by how naturally the use of glamour came to me. It was supposedly that way for most fae. But after so many years with no magic, it was going to take some time for me t
o get used to—if I ever got used to it at all.

  Sorcha also restored her glamour disguise.

  Finn and Bryan led us back up the stairs. We said goodbye, and then headed out. The carriage was in front of the house, and the Red Storm raged just as strongly overhead.

  Goosebumps prickled along my arms, and my chest tightened at the red, ominous glow.

  Sorcha led the way toward the carriage, as nonplussed by the storm as ever. I followed behind her, although I continued to glance up as I walked.

  Julian stayed where he was.

  “Are you coming?” I asked him.

  “I’m going to find my own way back,” he said. “We’re close to my apartment, and there are some friends I want to check up on.”

  Friends?

  In the weeks I’d known him, he’d never mentioned any friends. He’d only talked about his mom and sister.

  But obviously he had to have friends.

  “I’ll come with you,” I said, and I made my way over to join him.

  “No.” His answer stopped me in my tracks.

  “Why not?”

  He paused, and the question hung heavily in the air between us. Then he walked over to me and took my still-pink hand in his. He cradled it, and his eyes met mine, soft and caring. “You just used a lot of magic,” he said. “Go back and rest. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “I’m sure.” He let go of my hand, but didn’t move away. “Go.”

  “All right,” I said. “You’ll be back soon?”

  Sorcha came to stand beside me. “You’ll be back by sunset,” she said to Julian—a statement, not a question.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Very well.” She lifted her chin slightly in approval. “Selena, come with me. There are four people waiting for you in my house that I know you’ll be happy to see.”

  My parents? Did they find their way here, after all?

  “Who?” My voice nearly caught in my throat.

  She smiled knowingly. “Come with me, and find out,” she said. “And Julian?”

  “Yes?”

  “Take this.” She removed a diamond ring from her index finger and handed it to him. “It’s worth a fair amount, and we can’t have you wandering the streets without any coins.”

  He stared at the ring, although he didn’t move to take it. “That’s very generous, Your Highness,” he said. “But I can manage on my own.”

  “I’m sure you can,” she said. “But the Empire owes you compensation for winning the Games, and you’ve yet to receive it. I am the Empire, and I’m giving you the first bit of your reward. This isn’t a gift. It’s something you’ve earned. Take it.”

  “Very well.” He took the ring and placed it deep in his pocket.

  Unease flitted in my chest at the thought of being away from him, even for a few hours.

  He can protect himself, I reminded myself. And maybe this is part of the plan.

  He told me to trust him, and trust his plan.

  So that was what I was going to do.

  “I’ll see you soon.” I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

  He pulled me close and kissed me back with far more intensity than I’d expected, given that we had an audience. It was only a few seconds, but when we parted, my breathing was shallow and my face was warm.

  “Go,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.”

  I nodded—still spellbound from his kiss—followed Sorcha into the carriage, and didn’t look away from Julian until we turned the corner and he was out of my sight.

  SELENA

  ONCE BACK AT HER HOUSE, Sorcha led me down the guest hall to a room at the end with larger double doors than the room where Julian and I were staying.

  She unlocked the doors with her magic and flung them open.

  Inside, lounging in the chairs and on the bed, were Torrence, Reed, Sage, and Thomas. Aiden—my cousin with the orange wings—was there, too.

  Shock hit me in a wave.

  Is this glamour? Is Sorcha doing this to trick me?

  Torrence ran toward me, flung her arms around me, and gave me the biggest, most welcoming hug ever.

  This wasn't glamour.

  They were real.

  I buried my head in her shoulder and cried. Chest heaving, tears flowing, full-blown crying. The wand made the hug slightly uncomfortable, but I didn’t care.

  “Get inside,” Sorcha said. “No one can know they’re here.”

  She nudged us inside, forcing Torrence and me to pull away from each other. The door clicked shut behind us.

  “You’re here.” I stared into Torrence’s familiar green eyes in disbelief and wiped the tears off my cheeks. “How?”

  “Of course I’m here.” She smiled. “I’m the one who got you stuck in this place. No way was I sitting back and doing nothing to get you back.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said. “You didn’t force me to drink that transformation potion. I did it myself.”

  “You wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t brewed it.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe not.” I shrugged, hardly able to focus. Being with my best friend again was so surreal. “But how did you get here?”

  Sorcha cleared her throat in the most melodic throat clearing ever. “Now that your reunion is complete, I have other matters to attend to,” she said, and then she looked at Torrence. “I’ll be back by sunset with the items you requested.” She left and shut the doors. Diamond magic shimmered along them, sank into them, and disappeared.

  “She locked us in,” I said.

  “She’s kept us locked in here since we arrived.” Sage sneered. “Apparently the fae like trapping people places. Just like they did to your dad and to Bella.”

  Fear pierced my bones, and I stilled. “What did they do to my dad?”

  “He’s safe,” Thomas said, and I let out a breath of relief. “He and Bella went to the Crossroads to speak to the fae to bargain to get you home, but the fae refused to hear them out. They created a dome that trapped them there.”

  “What have the fae been doing to them in there?” I held my breath, bracing for the worst.

  “They’re giving them food and water, and keeping them comfortable,” he said. “They haven’t been harmed. But fae magic is strong. We haven’t been able to break through the dome.”

  “And my mom?” I asked.

  “She’s bound to Avalon and can’t leave the island, as you already know,” Sage said. “Which is where the four of us came into play.”

  “I see,” I said, and I turned to Torrence. “What ‘items’ did you request from the Empress?”

  “We’ll get to that in a bit. But first…” She stepped back and stared at my wings. “Aiden and his family told us about the Faerie Games. It sounds…”

  “Awful,” I finished for her. “But I survived. And I have magic now.” I removed the glamour on my wings, showing them the mix of blue, purple, and silver. “Not just Jupiter’s magic. I have my fae and witch magic, too.” I raised my hand that wasn’t holding onto the wand, created an orb of tri-colored magic, and let it float up to the ceiling.

  “Wow.” Torrence’s mouth opened in amazement, and her eyes followed the orb until it popped out of existence.

  “I know.” I flexed my fist and dropped my arm back down to my side.

  “We have a lot to tell you, too,” Torrence said. “Let’s sit down.” She took my hand and walked with me to the sitting area around the hearth.

  Aiden stayed sprawled out on the bed. Sage and Thomas were cuddled up on a loveseat near the fireplace, and Reed sat on an armchair across from them. He leaned back, as broody and silent as ever as he stared at us with dark, haunted eyes.

  No—he was staring at Torrence.

  He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

  Interesting.

  But Torrence was oblivious to him as she and I made ourselves comfortable on the loveseat perpendicular to Sage and Thomas’s. A platter of crust
less sandwiches sat on the coffee table, my stomach growled, and I reached forward to take one. My attempt to cure Kyla had left me famished.

  None of the others reached for food.

  I stopped after my first bite, embarrassed at how quickly I’d rushed to stuff my face.

  “The Empress warned us you were going to be hungry,” Thomas said. “Sit back and enjoy, because she and Aiden have already caught us up on everything. Including how you got that wand.” He eyed the Holy Wand by my side.

  I nodded, even though the Empress couldn’t have caught them up on everything, since she didn’t know about the Sanctuary.

  But I couldn’t tell them about the Sanctuary while we were in her home. Who knew who could be listening?

  “We’ll fill you in on how we got here, what we discovered when we arrived, and the item the Empress is bringing us,” he continued. “From there, we’ll strategize on how to team up and where to go from here.”

  “Does that ‘strategizing’ include getting back home?” I asked.

  “We didn’t come all the way here to leave without you,” Torrence said. “And we came a long way. It all started with a message from the prophetess, and a visit to the Haven.”

  SELENA

  “AFTER ALL OF THAT, King Devin finally gave us the tokens,” Torrence said. “We tossed them into his fountain, and portaled to the Otherworld.”

  I stared at the four of them, mind-blown by all they’d told me. “So you got Charybdis to eat Scylla,” I said, just to make sure we’d covered everything until now. “You stole Circe’s staff from under her nose while she was sleeping. You fought and slayed the Nemean Lion. And you killed a cyclops.”

  “Not just a regular cyclops,” Torrence said proudly. “The cyclops. Polyphemus. The one from the Odyssey.”

  “You mean the book you never read?” I teased.

  “Hey.” She raised her chin in the pretense of being offended. “I’ve read the children’s version of it now. And it was way more interesting than the real thing. Not nearly as wordy and boring.”

  “I missed you,” I said.

  “I missed you, too.”

  My eyes watered, and I rubbed them to stop from crying.

  “Enough with the mushiness,” Aiden said from where he was still sprawled on the bed. “We’re just getting to the good part.”