Court of Memories: Why Choose Fantasy Romance Book 2 (Forbidden Queen)

by Dyan Chick

  "You tried to kill an innocent," Cormac said.

  "The griffins came out of the tear in the Under. It could have happened to anyone," Tiana said.

  "You're a liar," I yelled. "You told me you brought me here to kill me."

  "Your girl has a vivid imagination," Tiana said. "I brought her here for the final test to ensure that my findings were accurate. This is a sacred space, after all, and you all know the magic is stronger here than it is indoors."

  As if on cue, a gust of wind blew through the trees, shaking the leaves. It sent a shiver through me and for an instant, I questioned my own memory of the event. Shaking my head, I squared my shoulders. "She's lying. She said I was supposed to be dead already. She said the Queen is my mother."

  "That's not possible, Love," Dane said. "The Queen can't have children."

  "That's not true," Cormac said. "The Queen isn't allowed to have children. It's not that she can't, technically. And it would explain Cassia's magic."

  "And the money being paid to keep you in the mortal realm," Ethan said.

  "What does that make her?" Dane asked. "A princess?"

  My cheeks heated as I turned away from Tristan's smirk. Had he known the whole time?

  "No," Ethan said. "It doesn't work that way. Cassia's right, she technically isn't supposed to exist." Ethan squeezed my hand in his. "But I'm glad she does."

  "Are you three going to spend the next hour professing your love for this illegal Fae while there's an open tear to the Under?"

  Cormac straightened, still holding Tiana. Then, he yanked her up to standing.

  She squealed. "Careful, lover, I remember what foreplay was with you."

  I tightened my grip on Ethan's hands and my fingernails bit into my palm on my other hand. There was no way Cormac would fall for this female. She was pure evil. And to insinuate that she'd been intimate with him sent rage burning through me.

  "I made her jealous," Tiana said, wrinkling her nose. "Isn't that cute? She's already had two of you, but the greedy girl wants you all."

  I pursed my lips, staring daggers at Tiana.

  "Oops, was I supposed to keep my mouth shut about the things I saw in your mind?"

  "That's enough," Dane said, walking over to her. He grabbed her other arm. "Show us where the tear is. Then we'll take you to the Queen. She can figure out what to do with you."

  "I'll stay with Cassia," Tristan said.

  "Wait, Cormac," Ethan said. "I'll go. You're the one who can get to the Queen. She'll listen to you."

  Cormac seemed to ponder Ethan's words for a moment and then he nodded. "I'll Take Tiana with us. You and Dane find the tear and seal it. Tristan?" Cormac looked over at the Winter Prince.

  "Are you inviting me for a visit with the Queen?" Tristan asked.

  "Are you willing to help or not?" Cormac asked.

  Tristan walked over to where Dane and Cormac were holding Tiana between them. He grabbed hold of her arm just above where Dane was holding. "I'll take it from here."

  Tiana's expression was smug as she was passed off from Dane to Tristan. I scowled at her and wondered what she was thinking. She was too quiet and it made me nervous. The sooner we could get her to the Queen and turn her over for what she did, the better.

  Cormac extended his hand to me. "Come, Cassia. It's time to slide."

  I grabbed Cormac's hand while trying to keep my distance from Tiana. I wasn't thrilled about sliding through the void with Cormac while he held Tiana's hand. I wanted to get to the Queen and this was the fastest way possible. After days of traveling, I now really wished we had skipped the travel through the Winter Court and gone straight to the Queen.

  While the delay had revealed Tristan's true colors, which were surprisingly supportive, it had resulted in the meeting and tests from Tiana. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if we’d gone straight to the Queen. Would she have turned us away? Would she still have asked her sister to test me? My stomach clenched at the thought of meeting this person who was a stranger to me, yet according to Tiana, wasn't truly a stranger. If Tiana was correct, she was my mother by birth.

  Mother. The word felt strange and uncomfortable in my head as I rolled it around my thoughts, trying to get a feel for it. The human woman who raised me still came to mind when I thought of the word mother. The Queen was a stranger and if what everyone said was correct, she wasn't supposed to have children. How would she react to meeting the child she tried to hide in the human world?

  "Hold on tight," Cormac said, his words breaking my thoughts.

  I squeezed his hand harder, bracing myself for the darkness that was about to swallow me as we slid to the Queen's Palace. I took a deep breath and all too soon it was cut short, as the void closed in around me, sending me into nothingness as we entered into the slide.

  Usually, I felt like I was hovering in place, unable to focus on the sensations around me. But something felt wrong the second everything went black. I felt like I was being pulled and pushed and dragged in multiple directions at once. Gasping, I tried to find balance that wouldn't come. I felt like I was spinning out of control. I reached out with my free hand trying to feel Cormac next to me, but there was nothing. His hand wasn't even in mine anymore.

  Panic surged through me as I kicked and fought against the suffocating darkness. Suddenly, light returned, and I shielded my eyes from the surprising brightness of it. Then, I landed hard on the ground twisted on my side, in a pile of dirt. I rubbed my eyes, staring into the bright sunlight gasping for breath. I didn't recognize where I was. The only thing I knew was that I was alone.

  I pushed myself to standing and brushed the pebbles and dirt from my palms as I looked around. From the looks of it, still in the Autumn Court. Orange trees that reminded me of the grove we had just left grew in the distance.

  Around me were tall grasses, yellow and faded, which swayed in the breeze. Quickly, I found the sun and wondered why I hadn't paid much attention to where it was last time I'd been lost here. Should I head for the trees? It was possible it was the same trees that I just left behind. Which might mean that Ethan and Cormac were there, trying to seal the tear between this world and the Under. But then again, would I be putting them at risk if I took my untamed magic so near a tear to the Under? I didn't want to attract anything that might spring forth and harm them.

  I spun a slow circle, looking for any sign of life. What happened? Did Cormac let go of me? That didn't seem possible. Cormac would never let go of me. It had to be Tiana. She must've done something while we were sliding.

  If that was the case, I knew Tristan and Cormac would be looking for me. I also knew that Ethan had a way of finding me no matter where I went. The thought was comforting, but I wasn't ready for him to find me yet. I wanted him to be able to finish taking care of that tear so no other awful monsters could find their way into these lands.

  Hoping he could sense how I was feeling, I cleared my head, focusing on the fact that at least right now, I was safe. Nothing was chasing me, no one was trying to kill me, I wasn't even at risk from the elements right then. If anything, this was the least danger I had been in practically since arriving in Faerie.

  I squinted into the horizon, completing one more small circle before I decided which direction to walk. Opposite the grove of trees, I could just make out the lines of what looked to be a road. Roads meant the possibility of civilization. I might be able to ask someone for directions on how to reach the palace. I knew it was risky to hope I'd run into someone after the attack at the Winter Court, but I had to hope that most of the Fae didn't know who I was or what I looked like. Add in the fact that I was no longer traveling with an entourage of princes and my ruined clothes made me look more peasant than princess. I cringed at the word. I knew it wasn't an accurate description of what I was by birth, but the pet name from Tristan was closer to the truth than I had imagined.

  Steeling myself, I walked toward the road. Ethan, whenever you're done, please come find me. With any luck, he'd find
me before I ran into anyone who would harm me.

  Hoping there were more good Fae in Faerie than bad, I walked toward the road.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Like most of my travels through Faerie so far, the road was occupied by nobody but me. The pressed dirt road was well groomed, another sure sign that I was in Autumn Court. Now that I had reached the road, I had another decision to make. It stretched out as far as I could see in both directions. Neither giving me a clear indicator of which route I should take. I watched as the wind blew through the tall grass sending it rippling across the fields. The scent of wood smoke carried through the air and I turned toward it as a flicker of recognition flashed through me. Smoke was a good sign of civilization. Or at least a cottage burning a fire. If for some reason, Ethan couldn't find me before nightfall, I would need shelter. While I knew we weren't in the Winter Court, It would likely get very cold after the sunset.

  I dropped the bundled fabric of my skirt that I had been holding as I walked through the tall grasses. Now that I was on a road, I felt like I'd have a better chance of convincing someone to help me if I looked like a girl from some money who lost her way. I laughed to myself as I considered how true that likely was now. If I was the daughter of a Queen, it was possible I could ask her to pay someone for helping me. But first, I'd have to find help.

  I wondered how far I'd have to walk before I found someone who could help or before someone found me. How long did it take to seal a tear to the Under? And where had Cormac, Tiana, and Tristan gone? I tensed at the thought of Tiana. I hadn't stopped to consider the fact that if she was nearby, she might try to harm me again.

  I looked behind me, nervous at being so exposed in the open. My only other option was to hide in the grass or run toward the woods and wait for someone to rescue me. I really didn't want to be the ‘wait to be rescued’ type. I had a feeling waiting would be more dangerous than moving.

  Cormac told me to follow my instincts so that was what I was doing. A sinking feeling in my gut told me I was at risk no matter what choice I made. That's how it had been since I arrived here. I'd been on the run from monsters and now I had the angry sister of the Queen, my apparent birth mother, trying to finish me off. If it weren't for meeting the princes and finding absolute joy in their company, I would take my chances back in the human realm.

  The fancy slippers I'd been given to wear didn't protect my feet the way the boots I'd been wearing had. I felt every pebble and every stick and every uneven patch of ground as I walked. The next time I got dressed up, I was keeping the boots. Looking down so I could see where I stepped, I avoided pebbles and loose rocks that were in my way. I glanced back up, trying to keep my eyes fixed on the source of whatever was burning while also paying attention to where my feet were going to land.

  So far, the smoke didn't appear to be getting any nearer. It might be farther away than I suspected. With a sigh, I continued walking, loneliness sinking in. I hoped I'd be reunited with the others soon. This time, I didn't have a doubt that we would meet again. This time, I knew they were looking for me. Last time I had been separated from the princes, I had just met them, I didn't know if they would spend their time searching for a stranger. We weren't strangers anymore. I knew they were a part of me and I was a part of them. There was something that told me the times we would be away from each other would be far fewer than the times we would be together.

  The smell hit first, sending a chill straight down my spine. I would know that smell anywhere, the scent of death. I hadn't heard the creature approach, but I knew when I turned around I was going to see the monster. Clenching my hands into fists I braced myself for a fight. Slowly, I turned around and the fear that had been a trickle turned into an explosion, setting every nerve on fire as a scream got caught in my throat. This wasn't just one monster, at least a dozen giant, overgrown hairy bat creatures were snarling at me. Against one, I felt confident that I had a chance. What could I do against this many?

  My magic clawed at my insides, sending pinpricks across my skin. It was flaring in a way I hadn't felt until the tests with Tiana and I wondered if she managed to unlock something that I hadn't tapped into yet.

  Even with magic charging through me, I didn't know how to use it. But if I didn't do something, I was going to end up in a shredded pile of skin and bones after the monsters picked me clean. Reaching inside, I used every bit of my inner strength to unleash the part of me that wanted out. A booming sound echoed through the emptiness as the blinding white light I'd grown so familiar to seeing filled my view. Dazed, ears ringing, and terrified, I turned to where I hoped was the opposite direction of the creatures and I ran.

  My heart thundered against my ribs, my breathing was strained, my arms and legs burned in protest against the tireless exertion of pushing myself to run faster than I ever had. I had to get somewhere where I could hide from these creatures or find someone who could help me fight them. Even with a weapon, even with being able to control my magic, I wasn't sure I'd stand a chance against this many beasts alone.

  The edges of my vision blurred as I struggled to see through the white light. I wasn't sure if the light was fading for me or if my eyes were adjusting, but I knew I was running out of time. Trusting only my instincts I continued to run forward, losing both of my shoes in the process, but pressing on anyway.

  My feet had taken quite a beating over the last several days and they still weren't healed fully, but there wasn't time to think about the pain in my feet. I just wanted to live.

  Gasping for breath, I kept running even as I stumbled over my skirts. I picked myself back up off the ground and continued forward. By now, the light was fading and I could hear the snarls and roars of the creatures as they clambered forward, following my scent. My eyes darted around, searching for any sign of hope, anything that could help me.

  Ethan, if you can hear this, I need you. Mentally calling out to him was a move of desperation, but I was out of ideas. In front of me I could hear noises as if a large group was moving in my direction. My chest tightened and I worried that I got turned around, and somehow was running straight into the monsters instead of away from them.

  I turned and ran away from the sound, hoping I was cutting through the field instead of sticking to the road. Then something inside me told me to look back. I ignored it, but the thought wouldn't leave. Slowing down, I risked a backward glance at the fading white light to see a group of what looked like soldiers or guards making their way toward the Sodalis.

  I stopped and fell to my knees as the guards intercepted the beasts, weapons extended in front of them. Tears streamed down my face as relief flooded through me. I didn't know who these guards were or why they had come, but I knew I would be monster food right now without them.

  Exhausted, and emotionally drained, I watched, feeling helpless and hating every second of the feeling. Part of me longed to jump into the fight, but the guards were practiced with their swords and were eliminating the monsters efficiently. If I jumped in, I'd be an unarmed distraction, someone they'd have to protect or watch out for. It was possible I was likely to be more of a risk by jumping in than by staying back.

  Again, the desire to learn how to use my magic and the desire to fight was rekindled. I didn't like the feeling of helplessness I was forced to hold onto as I watched these male and female Fae guards attack the monsters.

  Where had they come from? Why were they here? I studied them as they parried and dodged and sliced the creatures with expert level precision. I narrowed my eyes, studying them. Their tunics were burgundy and they wore leather armor over their chests with a gold painted insignia I didn't recognize. All of them wore tan trousers and tall black leather boots.

  They reminded me of the guards that had attended Tiana. My pulse, which I just recently begun to settle, climbed again. If these were her guards, were they here to capture me? Would they turn on me as soon as they dispatched the creatures?

  I wiped the tear streaks off my cheeks and squared my jaw as I
stood. I wasn't going to stand there and let them take me. They were distracted right now so this was my only chance. With a backward glance at the fight, I took off running through the field, hoping to find somewhere I could hide before they finished with the creatures.

  The field seemed to expand forever around me, reminding me of the space we'd passed into before going into the Winter Court. As I raced through the grass, I scanned the scene looking for anywhere I might be able to hide.

  "You, stop!" a voice called after me.

  I didn't stop. I didn't even turn around. Tiana had already tried to kill me once and she was out there somewhere. It was possible she'd even sent these guards after me.

  "Stop," the voice called again.

  I ran harder.

  Until I slammed into something and fell back onto the ground. Spots danced in front of my vision and my head throbbed from where I'd smacked the ground. The world spun as I sat up. Looking ahead of me, I could find no sign of what I'd run into. There was nothing there.

  Frustrated and feeling like maybe I was losing my mind, I stood and extended my hand out in front of me. Despite the fact that it looked like nothing in front of me, there was a wall I couldn't see preventing entry. My heart felt like it fell from my chest as I realized I must be at an entrance to the Winter Court. And I was locked out.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  When the guards grabbed me, I didn't even resist. The fight was gone and for the first time since I arrived here, I felt defeated. I'd been able to pass into the Winter Court before. Why would it change now?

  I kept my gaze down as the guards on either side of me guided me back to the road. I wasn't even sure how many of them there were. All I knew was that there wasn't much hope for me to escape them.

  My feet dragged as I followed them. Ethan hadn't come for me. Nobody had come for me. Exhaustion seemed to be seeping into my bones as hope faded. Whatever these guards wanted from me, they were going to get it. My willpower felt like it had been stripped from me, leaving me an empty shell of someone who once had goals and hopes and dreams. Now, I was just a changeling who was at the mercy of this group of Fae.