by Skye Horn
“Yes,” Morrigan continued. “From dawn until midday you will train with our soldiers. I realize Kieran has taught you a thing or two about how to use a sword, but this will be more intensive. We are preparing you for war, after all.”
Adrian studied Thea’s expression as unmistakable grief flashed across her face before disappearing behind the wall she kept intact around herself. Morrigan, however, didn’t hesitate.
“After your physical training, you will replenish your strength and meet me to work on your magical abilities.”
“What exactly does that entail?” Thea inquired, voice in perfect composure, but Adrian saw the panic behind her eyes. “I’ll be training with you directly?”
“We will discuss that later,” Morrigan responded. “For now, just know that your days will be long, and learn to balance your energy. This will not be a simple task. Your training has been limited so far, but I intend to correct that.”
“And how do I know I can trust you?” A deathly silence fell over the room as she leaned toward Morrigan, eyes blazing with both anger and distrust, but Morrigan didn’t flinch.
“You can’t, and I know that if I were not the only option you had, you wouldn’t be here.” She tapped her fingers against the table impatiently and shook her head with a sigh. “We seek the same thing, Thea. My sister has taken from us something that can never be returned.”
This time, Adrian was sure that Thea flinched as she sank back into her chair. He saw the furious blinks of her eyes, and didn’t miss the way the king absorbed every weakness she exposed to him, but Caden was the one who spoke next.
“We want to stop her, Thea,” he said, sympathy underlaying his voice as he placed his hand on top of Thea’s. She watched him with caution, but something in the way their gazes met made Adrian believe she trusted him more than she trusted the Goddess. He didn’t know how he felt about that, though. She still posed a threat to the throne of Blackmire, but nothing she’d said or done so far told Adrian that she had any intention of pursuing that path. In fact, the way she looked at Caden now made him believe she perhaps trusted him enough to rule better than his father had. But how could he be certain that they could trust her? How could he allow himself to trust again when it had bitten him so sourly in the ass before?
“We will see,” Thea said so softly that Adrian almost missed it, but she removed her hand from beneath Caden’s, squaring her eyes with King Rayan instead. “Who will you have train me?”
The king smirked then, turning his gaze toward Adrian with a smile that held all the malice in the kingdom. “I believe you’ve already met the future lead of my guard, Adrian.”
Adrian took a step forward, bowing low to his king and refusing to meet Thea’s eyes.
“You will be his test for whether or not he is fit to lead my kingdom’s army. I figure if he can whip someone like you into shape, then perhaps my soldiers have a chance with him. Plus, I’m sure this will test his patience. It already has mine.”
With that, the king rose and strode out of the room without another word. Morrigan watched him go, looking bored by the show of emotion, and then sighed.
“I think that’s enough for tonight. Caden will escort you back to your chambers and you will meet with Adrian at dawn to begin your training with the others.”
She stood then, but Thea’s voice stopped her from leaving.
“I want to go after my family,” she said. “I need to see that they are safe for myself.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” Morrigan’s voice was a low growl, but her face gave away a note of sympathy as she looked at Thea. “You’ve lost much in your short time in Faerie, and I accept the blame in part of that loss…”
Thea visibly stilled and Adrian wondered about what Morrigan had done to her.
“However, sending you to Grimwalde would be suicide. My sister would sense you coming and stop you before you ever arrived. And you know whom she’d send to do it.”
The warning in the Goddess’ voice was clear, but Thea didn’t shrink down.
“Then once I’m trained. Give me your word that you will send me to my family.” It wasn’t a question, and Thea didn’t sound scared. He’d heard no one speak to the Goddess this way in her short time here. Even the king was careful of his words and demands, knowing when to back down. Adrian sucked in a breath, waiting for an explosion of power that never came.
“As penance for my part in your loss, I give you my word that when you are ready, you will return to your family.”
Thea didn’t let her relief show for long. She said, “Thank you,” and then turned to leave. This time, it was Morrigan who stopped her.
“Take tonight to reflect on the journey ahead of you, for it will not be easy.”
Thea looked back at the Goddess, and Adrian saw the haunting behind her eyes, but she said nothing more as she left the dining hall. Adrian hesitated, unsure if he was supposed to follow her or remain with Caden, but Caden rose to his feet, bowing his head low to Morrigan before he followed the Queen of Ivandor hastily from the room.
Just as Adrian was about to turn, Morrigan lifted her hand, catching his attention.
“She won’t be easy to train,” she said, voicing a fact Adrian already knew. If his short time with Thea had told him anything, it was that she had her own way of handling things and wasn’t about to let anyone tell her differently. “But she needs the training. My sister will slaughter her if she meets her now, and it will not be kindly.”
“Who is Kieran?” Adrian asked before he could stop himself. He recalled the reaction Thea had had to the man’s name and couldn’t help the curiosity within him. Morrigan’s lips twisted into a smile, but it held only sadness.
“Someone whose name you should not speak in front of your newest soldier,” she said without explanation. Adrian’s eyebrows knitted together, but she only shook her head. “Your instincts are correct to fear her, but for the wrong reasons.”
“What does that mean?” he asked, falling into a deeper confusion. He’d never had a one-on-one conversation with the Goddess, but he was beginning to understand the frustration behind King Rayan’s eyes.
“It means that if you wish to learn about her past, you must ask her yourself. Now, go.”
Dismissed, Adrian marched toward the door, just catching the sad smile in the Goddess’ eyes as he left. He didn’t know who this Kieran was, nor did he know if he wanted to find out, but the Goddess’ words sent a shiver down his spine.
What reason could he have to fear Thea that was not tied to Caden’s place on the throne?
Chapter 5
Thea wasn’t ready to leave the comfort of her covers when dawn arrived the next morning. She’d spent the night before secluded to her bedroom with Adrian posted outside until another guard took his place. Despite their moment of connection, Thea hadn’t wanted to discuss her breakdown with Adrian, and by the way he said nothing to her upon returning to her room, she thought he felt the same.
Adrian had left her with a plate of food, apparently having noticed that she’d skipped her dinner, before locking her into her bedroom for the night. Caden, who’d walked her back, had been just as quiet, attempting only one conversation before Thea feigned tiredness long enough for him to get the hint. As soon as he was gone, she scavenged the room for anything that could be used as a weapon, but it appeared her engagement ring was the only solid object they’d left her with.
At least it will hurt when I punch someone, she thought before sitting back on the bed. The only other option she had for a weapon was to break the wooden chair and turn it into some sort of wooden stake. However, she knew the attention that would bring to her bedroom and decided against it. Finally, Thea slipped into the nightgown that someone had folded neatly at the end of her bed, and tucked herself under the covers.
It would be a restless night. Knowing her family was safe was one thing, but being unable to go to them was torturous. She imagined the grief Mica and Iris must be experiencing and hate
d herself for her part in it. If she had been faster, maybe she could have stopped Ethel’s death. But in the end, it was not her fault. Kieran had delivered Ethel’s death sentence, and there was no one to blame but the Goddess whom she’d blindly trusted.
When a knock came at the door and the flame of a candle illuminated her large room, Thea groaned. She pulled the pillow over her head, having hardly slept at all, and wished herself anywhere but there.
“Get up,” Adrian commanded. Thea knew she needed to train. In fact, she knew getting back to her family depended on allowing him to train her. And yet, she fought the urge to throw something at the soldier in her bedroom. “The sun is rising and we need to go meet the others.”
“Others?” Thea asked, peeking out from beneath her pillow.
“Yes, as the Goddess said. You’ll be training among the other soldiers. Now get up.” He slammed the door shut, and Thea frowned. Apparently his kindness from yesterday had ended and they were back to being cold toward each other.
Fine, she thought, knowing it was for the better. She couldn’t afford attachments here. Having attachments was what made the death of Ethel hurt so much, and even though she did not regret loving the younger girl, she couldn’t shake the fear of caring again. She also couldn’t voice the deeper grief she felt, because Ethel was not the only one she’d lost.
Throwing the blanket off herself, Thea tossed her legs over the side of her bed and stretched her wings wide. A soft pink glow was just beginning to arise beyond her window, but darkness still engulfed her room. She focused her mind, igniting a small flame against her fingertips, and lit the candle on her bedside table. Shadows flickered to life across the walls as she rose from the warmth of her bed, bare feet pressing against the cold wooden floorboards.
With a panicked sense of realization, Thea looked around, noting the pile of dresses she’d kicked off her bed with a crinkled nose. She couldn’t physically train in a dress.
So, rather than crawling back into bed like she wished to, she rubbed her eyes of sleep and strode toward the door, sticking her head out into the dimly lit hallway where Adrian stood.
“What?” he asked, looking frustrated apparently by her not being ready yet.
“I need clothing,” Thea said, hearing the harshness of her own voice. Could he tell she’d been crying all night? She didn’t want to know. “I’m not about to go train with you in a dress.”
“Check the wardrobe,” Adrian said a bit softer as his eyes grazed over her tired features. “Did you sleep at all? You can’t expect to train properly if—”
Thea slammed the door shut before she could hear his criticism. He had no idea what she was going through, let alone how many terrible nightmares flooded her subconscious. She walked to the wardrobe, trying to push away her growing annoyance, and was thankful to see a pair of leather pants folded at the bottom of the wardrobe alongside a simple pair of boots. Hanging at the top of the wardrobe was a tan tunic that would surely swallow her, but it was better than another gown. She tossed the tunic onto the bed and then turned her attention to the desk, pulling the drawers open.
Scissors… she thought, running her hand inside the mostly empty drawers. Kicking herself for not searching for a weapon in this drawer earlier, Thea pulled a letter opener from the back of the drawer and headed back to the bed.
The letter opener was dull, but it did what she needed it to do as she sliced two slits into the back of the tunic for her wings. She pulled her nightgown off, dropping it to the floor, and tugged the tunic around her upper body. It took time and tested her patience to maneuver her wings through the temporary slits, and she heard part of the material tear in response, but there was no time to worry about the clothing. Where the night shirt had rested below her wings, the tunic would need to accommodate them until she found something else.
Once she was fully dressed, with an empty weapons baldric strapped around her, she braided her hair into a tight crown atop her head and inhaled sharply at her own reflection. The shadows beneath her eyes were the worst they’d ever been, haunted by grief and uncertainty. She tucked the letter opener into her boot, knowing it wasn’t much but at least it was something.
You’ve got this, she reassured herself with one last glance before heading toward the door of the bedroom. Adrian awaited her outside, looking impatient but pleased to see her dressed.
“Let’s go,” he said, tossing her a fist-sized bread roll. Her stomach grumbled in response as she chewed a bite of it, uncomplaining that it was stale and slightly crunchy between her teeth. She chewed slowly as she followed Adrian down the hallway, clinging to his candlelight for clarity since there was no outdoor light to accompany them.
“Where are we going?” Thea asked, wiping the crumbs from her mouth as she jogged to catch up. The shoes they’d given her were a size too big. Her feet slid forward with every step she took, rubbing irritatingly against her skin, but she managed to reach Adrian’s side.
“The cliffs,” he said by no way of explanation.
“And what will we do at the cliffs?” Thea asked. “Will you give me a weapon?”
She couldn’t help the question she’d been craving to ask since her arrival. The letter opener wouldn’t protect her against a sword, and her safety had never been guaranteed. She just needed to be careful about how she asked for a weapon. Adrian seemed like a less safe place to start than Caden, but if she was about to train with him, then she had no choice.
Adrian cast a wary glance toward her as they turned another corner and headed into a large courtyard. So far, they had passed no one, not even a servant. Thea wondered about how many people lived in this castle. It hadn’t seemed to be many.
“You can’t expect me to train without a weapon,” Thea pushed, grabbing Adrian by the arm to slow him down. “Will you wait?”
He turned on her with a glare that nearly made her flinch. “We are late, and if you didn’t hear the king last night, my job relies on you succeeding.”
His words came quick and frustrated, but Thea’s temper flared as she responded, “And if you don’t remember, my seeing my family again relies on you preparing me for the war to come.”
Their glares were venomous, but Thea didn’t allow herself to back down. No matter how kind he’d been to her the night before, he was showing his true colors again. She didn’t trust him, and she sure as hell didn’t want to be without a weapon any longer. Her magic was too unstable to be trusted to protect her without burning out her energy supply.
“You will get a weapon when you earn it,” Adrian snapped and snatched her by the wrist, pulling her toward whatever morning hell awaited them.
Adrian felt his patience wavering as they headed toward the cliffs. He didn’t understand how he was supposed to get Thea ready for what was coming, but he had no choice. If he wanted to be on the guard when Caden was king, he needed to succeed at this task. Otherwise, who knew where King Rayan would send him? Probably straight to the front lines for slaughter.
It took everything inside Adrian not to spiral out of control with Thea. She somehow had figured out how to push every aggravation button of his over a period of two days. And yet, he still felt that unbearable pull in her direction ever since seeing her vulnerable… A pull he wanted to fight with all his might.
“Good morning,” a familiar voice called as they approached the path that would lead them to the cliffs of Blackmire. They were the highest cliffs in the region and overlooked the bordering sea. There, the weather was unforgivable. The wind could knock one from their feet within seconds. Yet there was exactly where Thea needed to start her training. Her wings made her different from anyone that Adrian had ever trained, but he was determined to succeed.
“Caden,” Adrian greeted, not at all surprised to see the prince had joined them. “You look well rested.”
“I can’t say the same for you two.” He chucked, eyeing them both in a way that made the muscles in Adrian’s back tense. “Long night?”
“Why are yo
u here?” Thea asked, ignoring the hidden questions beneath her cousin’s voice. It appeared she had already mastered avoiding uncomfortable conversations, a skill Adrian had not yet learned. He often found himself locked in Caden’s unending questioning.
“I’ve come to observe.” Caden shrugged, pulling his dark velvet cloak around his shoulders as the wind picked up. The sun was finally peaking over the horizon and Adrian needed to keep them moving if they were going to achieve anything today. So, rather than arguing about Caden’s sudden arrival, he wrapped his fingers around Thea’s upper arm and dragged her up the path.
That was when all hell broke loose.
One minute, he was standing, dragging her forward, and the next his foot had caught on a branch that hadn’t been there two seconds earlier, sending him flying face first into the icy snow. He let out a growl as he turned to glare at Thea’s fuming face, seeing the determination in her eyes.
“Why did you do that?” he snapped, pushing himself off the ground and fighting the urge to strangle her as a smirk spread across her lips.
“Why did you feel it was necessary to touch me again?” she retorted, and he noticed the way her fingers curled into fists, the steam trickling from between her knuckles.
Not steam… smoke!
He bit back his response, not wishing to see any more of her fire magic.
“I’m just trying to get us there on time,” Adrian said. “We don’t have time to stand around and talk. Your friends don’t have time for us to stand around and talk. I thought you understood that.”
Thea continued to glare, but instead of responding, she pushed up off the ground in one swift movement, soaring into the sky toward the top of the cliffs.
Adrian’s mouth fell open momentarily, but it was Caden who spoke first, walking past Adrian with an infuriating smirk. “She sure has her own way of handling you.”
