Ranelle waved her hand, transforming back into her true self. The glamour faded, revealing a tall young woman with pale skin, long fiery red hair and pointed ears. Her green eyes sparkled, and she wore a long green tunic dress and brown hose with boots. Long black leathery wings rose from her back.
Nyx took a step back in horror. “What is that?”
Ranelle put her hands on her hips. “You are terrible at introductions, Valeran.”
Darius sighed. “I didn’t expect to have to pull off a fake execution.” He had spent over a day travelling here from the islands of Andovia. The plan had been simple: find Nyx, catch her committing a crime and then arrest her and take her back with them.
That had been his brother’s idea. It had worked, just not the way Darius had intended. He only had moments to cast the glamour on Nyx and for Ranelle to pull her own glamour before those villagers caught up with them.
“Would someone please tell me what’s going on?” Nyx demanded. “You can’t arrest me. I’m not a criminal.”
Darius pulled out a scroll from his coat and held it out to her, although he doubted she could even read. “This states you are now a prisoner of the Archdruid. He has authority in any realm, and we already know you are a thief and a murderer.”
“I’m not a murderer,” Nyx snapped. “I didn’t kill Harland or Traveller!”
Darius gave her a hard look. “We know you didn’t kill the trader, but I went to the tavern last night and saw them bring out your father’s body. Only a mind whisperer could have done that.”
“A what?” Nyx demanded. “Harland wasn’t my father, and I didn’t kill him. Now change me back, so I can look like myself again!”
Power hit his senses so hard Darius almost flinched. It hadn’t taken him long to find his quarry. The hardest part had been trying to capture her last night. The girl was like a beacon with power washing over her like waves hitting a rock. Darius had been intrigued when they had learnt of a potential mind whisperer. He hadn’t expected for her powers to be so uncontrollable, though. How she hadn’t killed her entire tribe he didn’t know.
“It’s just a glamour.” Darius didn’t understand her alarm. She should be grateful he had saved her life.
Nyx glared at him. “Which is?”
“An illusion that masks your true appearance. I didn’t have to save you, but I —”
“Change me back.”
“It would be safer if you waited until we were away from these parts. Someone might recognise you and alert those villagers to the fact that you’re not dead.”
“Change me back right now. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Darius sighed and waved his hand. The glamour faded, Nyx returning to her usual self.
Nyx looked herself up and down, spinning around to see if any of the glamour remained.
“You are coming with us. I didn’t travel all this way for nothing,” he snapped.
“Let’s all try to calm down, shall we?” Ranelle suggested. “Hello Nyx, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Ranelle Alrin — a friend of Darius’. Don’t mind him; he’s not very good with introductions.”
Darius didn’t see the point of being polite or making introductions when it came to a criminal. He had thought this would be a quick and easy trip. Instead, he had spent the night traipsing around looking for her and for an evil spirit. He hadn’t even wanted to come here. Why couldn’t Gideon have come himself? He was the one who wanted the mind whisperer after all.
Why are you being nice to a criminal? Darius demanded of Rae.
Because she’s scared and confused. Can’t you see that? Ranelle glared at him. Plus, you don’t know the circumstances of what happened.
Darius didn’t need or want to know. He had seen the evidence for himself. The girl was out of control, and everyone around her was at risk of being killed by her overwhelming abilities.
“I don’t understand any of this.” Nyx shook her head. “Why would the Archdruid want me? I’m no one important.”
“It’s not the Archdruid who wants you. It’s my brother Crown Prince Gideon Valeran. Maybe he can tell you why he wants a mind whisperer.”
“What’s a mind whisperer?” Nyx demanded. “Because I’m not one.”
“It’s someone who can listen to and influence people’s minds,” Ranelle explained. “Like you can.”
“Why did you pretend to kill me?” Nyx glared at Darius. “None of this makes any sense.”
“If I hadn’t, the villagers would have tried to burn you, then you would have used your power on them the same way you did your father.” Darius glared back at her.
“I didn’t —” Nyx protested.
Darius waved his hand in dismissal. “I saw what you’re capable of and what you did to that man last night. There’s no point in denying it. Now you’re coming to Andovia with us.” He pulled a clear crystal out of his cloak.
A beam of light shot up from it as he set it on the ground. The beam expanded into the image of a young man with long dark blonde hair, a chiselled face and green eyes. He wore a long velvet black tunic and black hose.
“Here is the mind whisperer just as you asked for.” Darius motioned to Nyx.
Gideon grinned, his gaze assessing Nyx. “Excellent work, brother.” He then turned his nose up. “Scrawny thing, isn’t she?”
Darius rolled his eyes. He didn’t give a damn what the girl looked like. It was hard to tell underneath all that dirt anyway. He just wanted to get home to Eldara and back to his usual job acting as a Captain in the Forest Guard. Darius had more important things to do than picking up criminals in the lower realms.
Nyx stood there, either too stunned or overwhelmed to speak. Darius didn’t know which.
“You are Nyx Ashwood?” Gideon arched an eyebrow. “You’re not what I expected.”
Darius bit back a laugh. What had Gideon expected?
“Have you had a chance to test her powers yet?” Gideon asked Darius.
“No, we ran into some problems.” Darius didn’t need to test Nyx’s powers to feel them. She had hit him with her magic when she used her compulsion against him earlier.
“What problems?” Gideon glowered between Darius and Ranelle. “I told you not to take that shifter and that wyvern half-breed with you.” His lips curled.
“I am not a half-breed,” Ranelle muttered under her breath.
“You told me to—” A scream from Nyx cut Darius off, and he spun around to see the wolf blocking Nyx’s path. “We’ll be back in Andovia soon.” Darius picked up the crystal, and the image winked out. “This is Luc.” Darius motioned to the giant wolf. “I’d suggest not running off. You won’t get very far.” He stuffed the crystal back inside his coat. “Come, we need to get moving, or we’ll be late for the ship.”
“Ship?” Nyx frowned. “Where are you taking me?”
“To the islands of Andovia. Would you prefer I take you back to the pyre?”
Nyx flinched. “No. What happens after that?”
“That is up to my brother. I’m only the messenger. Let’s go.”
“Half-breed,” Ranelle grumbled. “One of these days, I’ll —”
“Do what?” Darius arched an eyebrow at her. Ranelle knew full well she couldn’t argue with Gideon, not if she wanted to become a scholar as she planned.
Nyx glanced around, no doubt looking for a way to escape.
Keep an eye on her, Darius thought to Luc.
Darius trudged off along the cliff path with the wolf trailing at his heels. Nyx and Ranelle followed along behind them.
“Shouldn’t we tend to her injuries?” Ranelle touched Darius’ arm.
Darius narrowed his eyes at Nyx. He’d already used magic to seal the wound on her arm. “Do you have any other injuries?”
She crossed her arms and raised her chin. “No.” She glowered at him. Despite being covered with dirt he could see she had long dark pink hair that trailed past her shoulders and dazzling blue eyes. Her large iridescent wings flashed with
different colours as she moved. He guessed she was some type of fae but couldn’t tell what kind since there were thousands of varieties.
“You could be more grateful. I did save your life back there,” Darius grumbled.
“I could have saved myself. I would have been fine if you hadn’t come along.” Her eyes flashed, and red shimmered through her hair. “How did you even know I was falling?”
“I heard you calling for help,” he admitted. “And like I said before, we’ve been watching you.”
“That part I still don’t understand,” Nyx snapped. “Why would your brother want me? Like you said, I’m a common thief.”
“Your powers make you important. That’s why my brother sent me all this way to find you.” His jaw tightened.
Good thing he, Luc, and Ranelle had been nearby waiting until they could get to Nyx. Gideon would never forgive him if he had let Nyx slip out of their grasp.
She froze. “What? How? Are you cursed too?”
Darius bit back a laugh. “No, we were waiting for the right moment to come and get you, and your call was loud enough for us to hear. Even Luc heard it.”
It’s Lucien, not Luc, the wolf groaned. How many times do I have to tell you that?
Darius chuckled in his mind. You like it, admit it.
Lucien huffed. Why are we helping her? Haven’t you helped enough damsels in distress on our travels? This is becoming a bad habit for you.
She’s the only damsel — I mean girl I’ve helped. And I didn’t have a choice, did I?
Right. But —
Darius cut the connection so he wouldn’t have to hear any more complaints.
“In case you’re wondering, we were sent to find you. I’m glad we managed to save you before those villagers...” Ranelle shuddered. “Look, Nyx, I know it may not seem like it, but look at this as an opportunity.”
Nyx scoffed. “To do what? Be sold to someone else?”
“You’re not a slave,” Ranelle protested.
Nyx narrowed her eyes at Darius. “And I suppose he’s not a slave master?”
Darius flinched. He opposed slavery more than anyone. “Actually, I’m not. I’m a Captain in the Forest Guard.”
“Yet you’re still treating me like a slave.”
“How else do you expect to be treated after you committed murder?” Darius retorted. “My brother doesn’t usually send me to fetch prisoners, but he considers you important, so here we are.”
“And I want to know why the son of the Archdruid is interested in me. I steal things to survive. What is so special about that?”
“Interesting. You don’t know what kind of fae you are then? What are your other powers?”
Nyx gaped at him. “My what? I have no powers.”
“You called for help with your mind. Not many Magickind can do that over distances. Nyx? Is that short for something?” Ranelle asked.
“No, it’s just Nyx.” Nyx eyed the wolf. “Is he your pet?”
Darius and Ranelle both laughed, and Lucien growled. “Spirits, no. He’s my friend,” Darius said.
Nyx didn’t look like a criminal, but then again criminals rarely ever did.
“You can hear people’s thoughts, right?” Ranelle arched a brow. “How long have you been able to do that?”
Druids were trained to read people’s thoughts – one of the Archdruid’s new rules – but only the most powerful had much luck with it.
Nyx hesitated. “Hear and see. I’m cursed.”
Darius frowned. “That seems an odd thing to be cursed with. Who cursed you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. The fae, I guess. I’ve always heard things.”
Nyx was probably born with power then. Darius wondered if she could be a mind whisperer like Gideon suspected — but that was impossible, especially after the last realm war.
Nyx stumbled and winced.
“We are far enough away from the village now. Let me look at your wounds,” Ranelle said. “I’ve seen you clutching your arm.”
Nyx froze. “What? I don’t need tending to. I’m fine.”
“Your wing is damaged. I can see it. If we don’t heal it now, you might never fly again.” Ranelle put her hands on her hips.
“I’m fine,” she ground out.
Darius sighed at her stubbornness. “I have some basic healing skills. I won’t hurt you.”
Nyx shook her head. “No.”
Why wouldn’t she let him treat her wounds? Was it because of modesty? He had noticed her wincing. Darius thought back to their earlier encounter with the villagers. She had heard their thoughts. Perhaps touch made it easier for her to hear more? “Give me your hand.”
Nyx frowned. “Why? And also, no.”
I’ve decided I like this girl, Lucien remarked. She isn’t a simpering fool like the girls who flaunt themselves at you.
Darius suppressed another sigh. The sooner he caught up with his mentor, Ambrose, the better. Then he would get home to Andovia, and this girl would be Gideon’s problem.
“I want to try something. You can’t hear my thoughts, can you?”
Nyx hesitated and nodded. “No, why is that?”
Darius suspected he was somehow immune to her powers. He didn’t know how or why, though. Perhaps Ambrose would know.
Despite the cuff, waves of power still pulsed from her, not as strong as before but strong enough. How was that possible? The cuff was supposed to repress all magic.
“Some druids are taught how to protect their minds with a mental shield. It also prevents anyone from reading us.” He held out his hand. “Take my hand and see if you hear anything – if you’re worried about how your power will react to me.”
Nyx reluctantly took hold of his hand. Warmth flared between their fingers. Nyx stood there as if waiting for something to happen. “I don’t hear anything – not even distant echoes. When you touched me earlier the villager’s thoughts faded.”
They stood there for a few moments.
“Aren’t you supposed to be tending to her wounds?” Ranelle asked.
Darius pulled back. “Right, so can I look at you now? I mean, examine you?” Holy spirits, why did he keep stumbling over his words?
If looks could kill, Darius was sure he would be dead from Nyx’s glare. “No, I told you I am fine,” she hissed.
Darius pulled off his pack and rummaged around in it until he found some jars. “Here. Use these for your bruises and cuts.” He held out the jar for her. “I need to look at your wing to assess the damage.”
“I’ll tend to you. Don’t worry, he won’t do anything to you,” Ranelle added.
Nyx sighed and lifted up her tunic. She turned around. “Look then.”
Darius glanced over at Lucien. Nyx’s back was covered in bruises. Someone had beaten her — no wonder she didn’t want to be touched.
Anger surged through him. I should have killed those villagers, he thought and wondered where the sudden anger had come from. He didn’t want to feel sorry for this criminal, not after what she had done, but he hated seeing anyone mistreated.
Her wings unfurled and rose higher. They shimmered an iridescent purple. Looking at them didn’t show what kind of fae she was.
The man who had attacked Nyx had cut through the middle of her wing, so the skin now flapped around like a broken leaf.
Can you tell what she is? Darius asked Lucien. Lucien came over and sniffed Nyx, he drew back.
“What is your wolf doing?” she asked.
“He is curious about you.” Darius glanced over at Luc. Well?
Lucien pressed his nose into Nyx’s hand, and she patted his head. She smells of the wind, grass and something else, Lucien said.
What?
I don’t know. I’ve met dozens of fae, but she doesn’t smell like any of them.
How is that possible? We’ve been all over the islands, and you grew up near Fae.
Nyx ran a hand over Lucien’s head. “You’re so soft.”
Lucien grunted. Would y
ou please tell her I’m not a pet and that I don’t like being touched?
But you are pretty in that form. Women will start falling at your feet.
Lucien turned away from Nyx and growled at Darius. I, unlike you, am not a philanderer.
You keep telling yourself that, my friend.
Ranelle stifled a chuckle and turned her attention to Nyx’s wing. Wolfsbane, can you heal this?
I don’t possess the skill of healing yet. Plus, I doubt even my power would work on her.
“This wing needs more than a salve can heal.” Ranelle frowned. “I don’t suppose you can heal yourself?”
Nyx shook her head. “No, that’s not part of my curse.”
“I doubt you’re cursed. Everyone has natural gifts.” Darius rummaged around in his pack for another jar.
“I don’t have a gift,” she growled.
He finally found a jar of a potent healing balm that had been made by the fae. It might be enough to start repairing Nyx’s wing, at least until they reached Andovia.
Ranelle undid the jar and rubbed it over Nyx’s wing.
Nyx yelped as light sparkled over the broken skin. “What did you do?”
“Look, it’s working.” Darius motioned to her wing. The tear had knitted into a thin line.
“Am I healed?”
“No, but it’s better than before.” He shoved the jar back into his pack.
Time to get moving. He only hoped they didn’t run into any more trouble along the way.
Chapter 3
Nyx couldn’t believe she had become a prisoner, to a Valeran no less. Gods, how had she ended up as their property? She couldn’t decide what to make of the druid, Ranelle, or that strange wolf of theirs. The beast looked at Darius as if they were having a silent conversation. For all she knew the wolf could talk.
The dusty road that stretched out before them offered no scenery but a scattering of trees on either side. The noonday sun rose high in the sky. It looked like any other day, but her life had changed so much within such a short time.
She had to admit she had felt better after Ranelle had used that healing stuff on her. Darius hadn’t done anything to hurt her, but that didn’t mean she would trust him. Nyx never trusted anyone. Look at her sisters. Kyri hadn’t even come forward to defend her or to speak about what had happened, yet she had been the only other witness in that room. If only she had had a chance to talk to Kyri, or even Domnu again before she had been forced to leave. Her sisters might not have been related to her by blood, but they were the closest thing she’d ever had to family. They meant everything to her, and now she might never see them again.
The Calling (The Andovia Chronicles Book 1) Page 3
