Awaken (Slumber Duology #2)

by Christy Sloat

  I shuddered slightly at the thought of someone that evil holding all the cards in this fight.

  “Let’s hope she’s dumb like she used to be and hasn’t learned how to wield her power while in the Realm of Man,” I whispered.

  “Aurora, don’t underestimate Raven or her stupidity. She may have been Millie’s pet, but she watched her every move. She saw just how Millie used the power, and she is the most dangerous thing in the woods now.”

  I gripped the reigns and looked ahead of me to the tree-line. I wondered silently who hated the other more: Raven or me. We both were naïve to battles, but at the same time we both hated each other with so much passion we almost radiated with it. But there was only one of us that had love in their hearts, and that was me.

  ****

  Raven

  Waiting three days to cross the portal was pure madness. Raven could only sit still for so long. The power inside her was growing strong the closer she was to Ancora—and she was so close. Somehow this orchard and Ancora were interconnected.

  She didn’t try to understand how one portal crossed another. All she gave a crap about was getting there. Never setting eyes on another apple for her whole life would please her greatly.

  She picked up the last of the remains from the red fox she killed and bit into the heart—she saved it for last. It tasted like blood and life which was delicious.

  Hearts were always her favorite part of the animal or fairy. It didn’t matter who or what it was she ate, the hearts were always the best.

  Looking out across the dark orchard, she hoped she’d see a damn apple light up, but nothing did. She crossed here when she first entered the Realm of Man and remembered that the smell tantalized her every sense—now it made her sick. She had way too much human crap for a lifetime. When she saw an apple in Ancora, she’d slice it down and stomp on it, or better yet burn the whole tree.

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw a blue light shine and she jumped to her feet. Could it be?

  The light was coming from her right, and if she was going to get to it fast enough, she would have to fly. Her wings burst from her as she soared through the sky searching for the blue light. But it wasn’t shining now.

  Did she mistake the light for something else? Was her mind playing tricks on her?

  She had to hurry, if she missed this chance … No! She wouldn’t miss her entrance back home. She would find it. She had things to do and a certain girl to kill.

  The searching continued and still no sign of the blue light. She perched on a large tree; it’s branches fragile and crumbly.

  What happened to the light? she pondered. All this time waiting for it, and she missed it, missed her chance.

  Dammit! she yelled, but only the sound of a large caw came out. I need to shift back.

  Her skin rippled and formed as the raven fell away. She dropped from the branch landing perfectly on her feet. She turned and punched the tree with all her strength, unleashing her wrath on the poor dying tree. It released branches, but held strong against her kick and furious punches. She looked up to the night sky, and that’s when she saw it shining brightly in the dead tree—the apple.

  “What the hell?”

  Suddenly Raven realized her mistake; her raven sight didn’t see light the same way her fairy form did. Raven reached up, grabbed the apple, and sunk her teeth into it.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Rory

  The Fae Woods have always been a magical place, but riding through them now with my soldiers was much different than visiting as a child. I used to run around and play with the strange light that shone on the trees, but I never knew what it was exactly. Now I knew it was pixies flying from place to place. They flew over our heads playfully, darting to and fro. Aiden waved one away as it came close to his face. His irritation with them made me laugh out loud.

  Aiden was a nice boy, and I hoped that he could get out from the clutches of his evil stepmother. He went into battle with me today and didn’t even mind that he could ride into danger or certain death.

  His kindness was more than I had seen from most people I knew all my life. The council, for instance, didn’t even offer to come along. But here was Aiden, a prince of Bordell, riding along with us to kill whatever came along our path.

  “So tell me about Sawyer,” Aiden said, surprising me.

  I looked away from him, not wanting to talk about Sawyer. I just shrugged my shoulders.

  “Tell me about what type of girl you want in your life, instead.”

  I didn’t feel like getting into my feelings for Sawyer with Aiden. My heart was with him now, choosing not to take it on this ride. He knew about us already and was just making small talk.

  He sighed and revealed, “I think I want a girl that does not exist.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  He waved away another pixie and blew his long bangs out of his face.

  “I never cared for the ones that throw themselves at me, or the ones my father tried to bring to the castle for me to meet. An arranged marriage isn’t my idea of romance.”

  I laughed because of our situation. Here he was sent to my castle for the same thing.

  “I can understand that,” I said with a smile.

  “When my father met my mother, it was real love, like what I hear you have with Sawyer. I just wanted to know how you found it.”

  My chest ached as I thought about him. He was being brought out of the castle into the sun when we rode away. I could see them carrying him out, but I didn’t look back. I just rode away like a coward and didn’t say goodbye.

  Tears threatened, and I looked away from Aiden.

  Clearing my throat, I said, “It wasn’t arranged between us. It just happened.”

  “That’s how it’s supposed to be,” he uttered as he rode closer and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You’ll get back to him, Rory. I promise you. I will do all that I can to see you both together again.”

  It wasn’t a false promise like so many I had heard before. Aiden truly meant everything he said, and it was then that I realized he deserved a happy ending too.

  ****

  Merryweather

  Merryweather saw the castle in the distance, and she hadn’t ever felt as happy as she did then. They had made it, finally. Flora ran and hugged her, overjoyed that they made it home. Aiofe stood at the edge of the forest with the shapeshifters following close behind. They had all made it so far, and now they had to wait to see if Rory would deliver the dagger. Merryweather hoped Rory wouldn’t fail, defeating Raven, even if it resulted in Merry’s death.

  Sawyer was worth it in her mind. He was truly meant for Rory—there was no doubt about that. As they traveled the rest of the way to the castle, she remembered a time when she saw Rory and Sawyer sneaking a kiss when they thought no one was looking. After she started seeing him secretly, Rory would sing to herself during the day. Merryweather knew she was a girl in love, and she wasn’t in love with Phillip.

  She never thought that Phillip was the right choice for Rory. No, he was a fighter and a soldier, not a lover. Sure he had his moments, but he was never around for the princess and she needed someone who was there for her. That someone was Sawyer.

  “Is that … is that Sawyer?” Flora asked Merry as they approached the castle. Merry squinted her eyes, but didn’t see him.

  “I think you are seeing things, sister. I don’t see anyone.” She patted Flora’s shoulder and kept walking.

  “Wait, I think I see him too, Flora,” Aiofe said as she pointed toward the sea.

  Merry looked harder, cursing her bad eyesight, and saw what looked like Sawyer. But it couldn’t be. Sawyer was in eternal slumber.

  “It is him,” Merry affirmed as she recognized the hair and the same build, but as she got closer she noticed
that Sawyer was laying outside in the sunlight. “Is he awake?”

  Her heart fluttered at the thought. No one would have to die. Rory had succeeded and woke him somehow. She watched as a fairy placed a light blanket over him.

  “It’s Fauna!” Merry called.

  Fauna turned at the sound of her name, holding her hand up to shield the sunlight.

  “Merryweather? Flora?” Fauna called. She didn’t wait for a response as she ran down the hill where she came crashing into the fairies. They hugged and cried and hugged some more. The reunion was blissful. But Merry needed to know how Sawyer woke up.

  “How did she do it, Fauna? Or was it you? I always knew you had secrets up your sleeve,” Merry joked as she tickled Fauna’s arm.

  Fauna’s smile faded. “Do what, Merry?”

  “Wake Sawyer, of course!” Flora replied for her.

  “Oh,” Fauna said sadly. “I’m afraid he isn’t awake. I took him outside for fresh air. I do it once a day. I think the sun is good for him, too. He’s grown so pale.”

  Merry’s heart sank into her chest.

  “Where is Aurora?” She asked, afraid of the answer.

  Fauna sighed. “She left early this morning for the Dark Forest.”

  Tears formed in Merry’s eyes. She missed saying goodbye to her, just like she had thought. It was too late to tell her good luck or to grant any protection spells over her.

  “She’s in good hands, Merry,” Fauna informed her. But Merry knew that. The three fairies hugged once more, and they had forgotten the rest of their group even existed. Their little princess had gone off to war. How could she have grown so fast? She hadn’t even had her eighteenth birthday yet. Why was the world so unfair? They walked to where Sawyer lay, still sleeping, in the sunlight.

  “This boy,” Aiofe said, breaking the silence.

  Merry turned and saw Aiofe touching his hand gently. She noticed Aiofe had large tears in her eyes. Merry broke away from her sisters and approached her.

  “Yes,” Merry said. “This is Sawyer.”

  They had traveled so far to get her here to see him. She was his salvation. If Rory succeeded, then Aiofe would be the one to wake him.

  Aiofe sniffled and sat down hard on the ground.

  “Oh dear!” Fauna called out rushing to her side. “I think she’s exhausted. Are you all right, dear?”

  Aiofe nodded and wiped the tears from her shocked face. Merry helped her stand and put her in a chair beside a sleeping Sawyer.

  “It’s just that—” She stumbled across her words.

  “Do you need a glass of water, Aiofe?” Merry asked.

  Aiofe shook her head and looked up in Merry’s eyes.

  “Do you remember I told you that I had a son?”

  Merry nodded remembering the horrid story of how she had a son and the father had taken his body away from her. She lost her child and she was helpless.

  “Of course I do, Aiofe.” Merryweather would never forget that story and the sadness laced within her words.

  Aiofe stood now and placed her hand on Sawyer’s still head.

  “This … this is my son.”

  Merry’s mouth fell open in shock as Flora cried out and Fauna asked, “What?”

  “But you said he died. How could this be your son?” Merry questioned, not sure how she could think Sawyer was her son.

  Aiofe raised a corner of her mouth in a half smile. “A mother knows her child no matter how many years have gone by. He’s my boy. He survived. I knew he was strong.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Rory

  Gray and I led the way in and out of the Fae woods while fairies cheered us on and some even joined in our group to help us fight whatever we faced in the Dark Forest. I wasn’t nervous until now. Seeing the darkness loom before me made my hands tremble slightly. The sun that shined while in the Fae Woods went dark as soon as we entered the Dark Forest. The chatter ceased and silence overwhelmed our group. Midnight slowly walked into the forest darting his black head from side to side as if he could sense a danger I could not.

  “What is it, boy?” I asked him as his eyes grew wide. I turned to Gray who only shrugged.

  “Horses can sense things,” she remarked as her own horse began to shake his head. “I have a feeling—”

  She was cut short by a loud piercing screech that made my ears ache. I threw up my hand and stopped the warriors behind me.

  “What is that?” I asked Gray as I searched for the source of the noise.

  “I think it’s a black witch; they’re notorious for these parts.”

  I had no idea what a black witch was at first, but then remembered Gray telling me about them while we trained. Black witches were the darkest kind of sorceress’ in the forest. They lived underground away from light and preyed on animals, fairies, or mortals that crossed their path. They had several arms and sharp teeth, almost like spiders.

  Spending their days living inside the ground, they only came out at night when they feasted and gained their power from the moon. It seemed really complicated, and I didn’t ever think I needed to worry about them, until now.

  “So, we should be okay since it’s daytime, right?”

  Gray nodded and moved her horse forward. “They shouldn’t come out, but they know we’re here and they’re letting everything else know it too.”

  “We should move faster, Gray. I want to get through this as fast as we can.” I moved my arms forward, assembling the strongest of the soldiers to move ahead of us. They scattered in different directions just like we talked about, scouting up ahead for dangers.

  I urged Midnight forward when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I pulled my sword slowly and nodded to Gray.

  She nodded back and whistled quietly, sending scouts in that direction.

  I waited.

  The scream I heard seconds later sent chills down my spine. It was one of the men Gray sent over.

  Another scream.

  “They’re dying. We need to get over there,” I told Gray.

  She placed her hand on mine and shook her head. “The Queen doesn’t go into a fight like that. She sends her men first and lets them deal with it.”

  No. That wasn’t right.

  “I will not sit back and watch my soldiers die because I was too afraid to face danger,” I told her with a scowl.

  She shook her head. “And this is why you are the most stubborn girl I’ve ever met, Aurora. You are a queen. Who will run your country when you die in battle, huh? You have no king or children. It will go into ruin and Hilde will overpower it.”

  She was right. I had no one to take my place if I died here today. I looked around at the soldier and their faces were not that of scared soldiers, but brave warriors ready to fight to their deaths. They were willing to die for me, to die for Ancora.

  “If I die, Sawyer takes over. I want it put in writing.”

  “Rory—”

  “No. Someone get me parchment paper,” I ordered as she shook her head.

  She called over a young mortal who carried with him a scroll.

  “Did you hear your queen?” she asked him.

  He nodded and wrote furiously.

  “Here, Your Majesty. You need to sign it.”

  He placed it in my hands, and I signed. It read that if I died in battle on this day, Sawyer would be made king upon his awakening, and until that time my mother would rule. I added that if he wished, he was to take a wife and have children who would lead on as descendants. I would die getting that blade from Raven if I had to. He would wake up and lead without me, but I wouldn’t sit back and watch people die around me and do nothing.

  “Be smart, Aurora. Save your fierce strength for Raven,” Gray reminded me as she placed her hands on mine
. Her pale gray hair blew in the wind.

  I nodded.

  “Archers!” I called. Fifteen Fae came forward. “Find the one that killed my men and surround it.”

  They did what they were told, scattering into the bushes and flinging arrows into it to bring whatever it was forward.

  After several agonizing minutes seven Fae came back holding a hideous beast.

  “What is that?” I asked, feeling foolish for not knowing.

  “That, Your Majesty,” Noctus started as he came forward, “is a gremlin. They love to eat Fae.”

  It was covered in fur and had huge bat-like ears, but wasn’t a large beast. It stood on short stubby legs fighting it’s captors with its long nails and ferocious teeth.

  “What shall we do with it?” one of the archers asked.

  I looked to Gray for guidance; she was the head of my army.

  “Ask it where the others are and make a deal with it. Once a deal is struck, it must follow through,” Aiden said with assurance.

  “How do you know that?” I asked him, curious.

  “I’ve seen these in the woods surrounding Bordell. The only difference is they don’t attack at will. They’ll only attack if ordered to.”

  “Who gives them orders?”

  He shrugged and looked at me with his blue eyes. “Usually whoever is in charge. They must have a leader.”

  A leader? Who could be leading these creatures now that Maleficent was dead?