Outcast

by Allison Rose

  She rose from the blankets, tossing them carelessly aside. She paced her room as she desperately tried to think of a way to find him and take him down, this time without risking exposing herself and her family. He may have already seen enough—

  The horror of the thought stopped Kelty in her tracks. He might have seen her use her water affinity at the river.

  Now I have to find him.

  The soil at her feet thrummed, and she knew her father was about to step into the room.

  Terrible timing, Father.

  Turning away from the door, she worked to get her breathing under control, quickly shaking out her arms in an effort to dispel the nerves.

  She supposed her father was preparing for the work ahead or else he would’ve accompanied her mother to speak with her before. Apparently he wanted to add his opinion to the matter now.

  She turned to face him.

  Baron of the Night was tall with dark green skin, brown wings, and long hair of the same brown color that was usually tied back. He blended in with the forests of the night without even trying. A garment was wrapped around his lower half, leaving his chest bare.

  Normally stoic as the trees he taught her to speak with and nurture, the look he gave her was almost one of pity. As if she had already failed.

  “You let this faerie go.” Accusation dripped from his deep voice. He looked down at her with his arms crossed. She cast her eyes down.

  “I tried to follow,” Kelty protested, unsure if he was talking about the faerie youth or the whisperer, but taking a guess he meant the latter.

  Baron waited in silence.

  “I lost him at the river. He was a water-user, Father,” Kelty tried to explain further.

  “The river runs through the land, Kelty.”

  She couldn’t keep the wince off her face. Right, no excuses. I can find a way to use my power with the land to conquer all situations.

  It was something he said to her in lessons. She studied the other areas of her power with different instructors, but not nearly as much as her strongest one: that which allowed her to communicate with the green and growing things of Faerie, the one she was known for. The other powers would remain a secret until she was ready to challenge the Day, to restore the balance of power in Faerie.

  “The one you wanted to save, you let her go, too?” her father asked.

  “She went willingly.”

  There was a beat of silence, then her father sighed, his expression lightening up a little yet still disappointed. “What is the point of risk, if nothing comes out of it?”

  Startled, Kelty looked up at him, trying to discern what he meant. But his expression was impossible to read. He said no more as he strode out of the room, door swinging open before he came to it and then shutting with barely a whisper.

  I have failed in more than one way tonight. Kelty began to pace again as she desperately tried to parse out what her father meant.

  Her thoughts ran in circles for what seemed like hours but landed eventually on one conclusion.

  The easier of the two to find would be the Day youth. The storyteller would travel slowly with the entourage he had with him and the added member of their party. Kelty knew the typical routes of travel in that part of the Day territory from years of spying on them. And if she went to save the youth, there was a possibility her potential would follow her there as well. She could fix this tonight, without waiting to see if the leaders of the Day knew anything incriminating. She would be directly disobeying the orders of her mother, but this was too important.

  Kelty took a breath as her resolve hardened. She turned toward the door.

  “You know it won’t be that easy.”

  Kelty startled and whirled to see Kallyn step lightly from her windowsill to the floor. The way she could sneak up on Kelty was unnerving and a point of contention between them. Kallyn’s power with the land was almost as strong as Kelty’s, to the point where they could best each other. But Kelty swallowed her irritation. Now was not the time to fight.

  An understanding came over her. “Lakera’s out there?” Kelty gestured toward her door.

  Kallyn nodded, looking a little smug. She crossed her arms. “Like Mother would take you for your word on that.”

  Irritation rose to the surface again. A harsh sigh did nothing to dispel it. It had been a long time since their mother had ordered Lakera to keep her prisoner.

  “I suppose you heard every word?” Kelty asked, a sour note to her voice.

  “I’m surprised at your recklessness,” Kallyn did her best imitation of her mother’s soft voice. Kelty rolled her eyes at her.

  “I can’t just sit here.” She studied her sister intently. They had never been close growing up. Kelty was trained to rule someday and to master her powers, mostly alone, while Kallyn learned to be an adviser to the court. But perhaps now that they were both older, her sister could be a potential ally.

  Kallyn caught her stare and raised her eyebrows, a devious quirk to her mouth. “What is it you plan on doing?”

  This is too dangerous, an internal voice reminded Kelty. If something happened to Kelty, Kallyn would become heir. But if something happened to both of them…

  And I have not told her the worst part. She wondered if her sister would be disgusted or intrigued.

  I need to tell someone. Kelty took a breath. “The one who spoke in my ear. He is a…potential.” She choked out the last word and averted her eyes.

  Kallyn barked out a laugh. “Your first potential won’t even show himself to you.” She shook her head.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “No. But it is interesting.” There was a glint to Kallyn’s eyes as she said, “Did you like the sound of his voice?”

  Kelty clenched her fists as the vines on the wall shuddered.

  Kallyn laughed dryly. “Relax. He is your potential. I would not blame you if you did—”

  This time Kelty advanced toward her. “Quiet, Kallyn. Potential, yes, but we will never be partners. Do you really think I could accept a partnership with someone who outright taunted me without showing himself?” she nearly whispered, their faces inches apart.

  Kallyn’s face sobered. “There will be others,” she said. Then she quirked up her brow. “What is the plan?”

  Kelty backed up a step as she studied her sister. “Why do you want to know?”

  “You will need help to sneak out of here.”

  It was true.

  “You will get in trouble for leaving court.” Kelty looked into her sister’s eyes as she warned her. When Kelty and their parents left with the Nym or to tend to other business every night, Kallyn was left to tend to court. It was her primary responsibility as adviser.

  Kallyn stared right back. “There are guards enough around court. They will not miss me for one night. And our parents are more concerned with your transgression at the moment.”

  They stared at each other, each assessing the truth of the other’s commitment.

  “What is most important?” Kelty asked quietly.

  “Us,” Kallyn answered without hesitation, though it had been many years since this conversation.

  They had been walking back from a rare lesson together that was meant to teach them the importance of the land before all else. Kallyn had scoffed then. “What matters most is us. If we are not whole, how can we attend to the balance?” It stuck in Kelty’s mind as being the first clue that her quiet, sullen sister had a well of intelligence behind the mask of indifference.

  She is agreeing to help, Kelty thought with gratitude. And she may be the only one who will.

  “We find the youth and hope my potential follows,” Kelty said, voice hard with purpose.

  Kallyn said nothing, but there was a quirk to her lips as she gestured to the window.

  Kelty couldn’t help a small smile as she stepped forward.

  Chapter 5

  The many species of trees, large-leafed plants, and colorful flowers grew too closely to fly directly near cou
rt. Now that darkness had settled, the plant life was giving off a steady glow, leaving Kelty feeling exposed. She kept her power coiled tight within so as not to leave a trace within the living things she touched as she climbed down the wall outside her window. Kelty fumbled and slid down a few feet, catching herself on a sturdier vine. Moon above! Looking down, she caught sight of her sister’s midnight-blue wings and tried to grab the vines and branches as she did. She has done this once or twice, Kelty thought with envy, having never had to sneak out of court before.

  By the time she made it to the bottom, Kallyn stood under the shade of a fern in the Garden with her arms crossed. Kelty gave her a look that dared her to say something. Kallyn merely blinked, turned, and ducked out of sight in the opposite direction from where they needed to go.

  What does she think she is doing? We should have discussed this more. Kelty paused a moment, but then gritted her teeth and went after her on foot. Lakera would soon realize they were gone. They didn’t have much time.

  As Kallyn gracefully scaled a tree and vaulted into the air just below the treetops where there was more space to fly, Kelty remained on the ground, hoping her sister knew what she was doing. As adviser of the Night Court, it was normal for Kallyn to be making rounds in the Garden. Kelty kept her power clutched tightly in her core other than that which was concealing her from sight. It would do her no good, though, if she happened upon certain members of the guard.

  “See the night,” Kallyn called in greeting to someone unseen.

  Kelty bit back a hiss as she darted behind a large tree trunk.

  “See the night,” a female voice called back. Sisterly instinct kicked in, and Kelty crept forward for a better vantage point of the trees above. She just caught a glimpse of the female faerie slipping out of sight. Kallyn dropped down next to Kelty, but didn’t even glance at her as she continued forward on foot.

  “You didn’t need to call out like that,” Kelty hissed at her.

  “I am not the one who is not supposed to be out,” was Kallyn’s reply.

  “You could’ve warned me.”

  Kallyn lifted her brow as she gave her a sideways look. “My apologies. I thought your powerfulness would not require any such warning.”

  Kelty gave her a glare, but the possible presence of another guard kept her silent as they hurried along, occasionally jumping into the trees to avoid those on the ground. She had to admit, her sister moved with skill, assessing the land around them and using her power to detect the presence of others nearby.

  It seems she has grown up more than I thought.

  As soon as Kelty finished the thought, Kallyn was suddenly yanked off her feet and up into the trees by the long-hanging branches of a wither tree.

  Moon above!

  Kelty kept her feet firmly planted, though her wings twitched, and every instinct she had screamed at her to fly after her sister.

  She realized the likelihood of Kallyn being attacked at the Night Court was slim, but the pounding of her heart didn’t slow.

  Kelty saw the faerie that was responsible facing Kallyn on a higher branch. She leapt into the adjacent tree and sent her own power into it, pinning the faerie to the trunk with the same vines that had wrapped around her sister moments before.

  Kallyn didn’t look threatened at all, which caused Kelty to relax a bit, but she still didn’t like the scene before her.

  Her sister frowned at the vines, knowing they were Kelty’s doing, but then stood straighter, as if they were her own.

  The faerie gave Kallyn a look of surprise. “Testy tonight, aren’t we?” he asked in a light, teasing voice. Kelty bristled. Too informal for one of the guard to address her sister.

  “What is it, Teegan?”

  “What is the sense of urgency?” he asked Kallyn in a low voice, all teasing gone.

  All Kelty could see of him was a tall, lanky build and midnight-blue skin, with a hint of shimmery dark wings from behind his midsection. She decided he did not sound threatening, only curious. A little too curious, though.

  “There is no urgency,” Kallyn replied. “Why are you paying so much attention to me instead of your duties?”

  Despite the hardness to her voice, Kallyn’s stance had relaxed into a more casual position with one hip cocked and arms lightly crossed. Kelty rolled her eyes. Like anyone is going to be intimidated by that posture.

  “The trees are on edge,” Teegan said.

  Kallyn gave him her trademark unimpressed look. “Then perhaps you should calm them.”

  There was a beat of silence. “Kal, at least tell me something.”

  Kal? How close was she with this guard? Her sister hated being called Kal. She said it sounded obnoxiously short and unimportant.

  Kallyn stiffened and actually advanced on him. “Back to your post, Teegan,” she said with authority. Though she was a good head shorter than him, she still managed to look the part of the one in charge. Kelty released her hold on the vines that kept this Teegan captive.

  For a second Kelty thought he might refuse to leave and argue further, but then he snapped up to attention. “At peace.”

  “At peace,” Kallyn echoed. And with only a moment’s hesitation, he flew off to their right.

  Kallyn waited a few seconds, looking up at the moon. Kelty didn’t dare move either until she was satisfied Teegan was far enough away.

  Then Kallyn turned and looked over to meet Kelty’s eyes. She arched an eyebrow as if to say, Well, let’s continue.

  Kelty sighed, torn between wanting to interrogate her and continuing on. Guilt was starting to worm its way into her mind at bringing her sister into such danger when she might have a future with this faerie guard, or anyone else for that matter. A normal life.

  Kelty shook her head against the thought. Kallyn agreed to come. We have to go.

  She nodded to her sister just as a quiet growl sounded below her.

  Eyes still locked, they both froze. There would be no hiding from Lakera. The mezra was somehow able to see through their magic.

  Kelty sighed and dropped to the ground. She met the gaze of the mezra and mind-spoke to the creature, an ability she didn’t need to tap into her own power for given her mother’s connection to the beast.

  We are going. You can come along or try to stop us.

  Chapter 6

  Lakera stared back at her as Kallyn landed lightly beside them. Kelty held her breath. Her declaration was a gamble. The mezra was loyal to her mother after they bonded when they were both young, but she was still a freethinking creature and would make decisions on her own. Kelty was appealing to the independent side, hoping the feline creature would prioritize protecting Kelty and Kallyn, as she had done their whole lives, over her orders to keep Kelty from leaving court.

  Either way, there was no getting past the mezra if she disagreed. She would carry Kelty back in her mouth if she had to. And she had done that before.

  Kelty forced herself to stare back into Lakera’s intelligent yellow eyes. In the darkness, they stood out even more against the black fur covering the beast’s round face, short muzzle, and pointed ears. In height, the creature came up to Kelty’s shoulders, but she stared at Kelty with a fierceness that made her seem larger.

  Kelty swallowed and tried not to blink. I have to do this, she mind-spoke again.

  The mezra were the only creatures who could communicate in the language of faeries; they rarely used sentences, though, and some didn’t even use words. Lakera simply swung her head to give Kallyn a pointed look, as if to ask what she was doing here.

  Kelty seized on that moment to turn and run, launching into flight and leaving Kallyn and Lakera to follow or not.

  The trees guided Kelty along the path she had taken to return home just hours before, lighting a path to her vision alone. She felt Kallyn flying behind, keeping closer to the trees than Kelty was, but she had to glance back at the edge of the river to check for Lakera. The beast was harder to detect and blended in with the darkness. As if she knew Kelt
y looked for her, a pair of yellow eyes blinked at her from among dense ferns to Kelty’s right.

  Kelty let out a breath in relief that turned into a yawn. Then she shook her head once and focused back on the task ahead. She couldn’t afford to be tired tonight. She leapt into the air and flew onward into the thick woods of the Day territory, which was much quieter now that the Day faeries had retired to rest. Kelty didn’t bother with her camouflage this time. She belonged out with the Nym of the Night.

  Once she passed the area where the Day youth had gathered to hear the storyteller, Kelty sent her magic out a bit farther into the trees, searching for any trace that her potential was following as well. She felt nothing.

  He might not show, she thought in disappointment, but then shook it off. Even so, at least I can do some good tonight.

  Kelty continued on, only slowing when the area ahead flared to her sight, the trees showing her what she was looking for. She shot straight up to a high branch to assess the situation from above.

  Though it was very late for one of the Day to be out, the purple-colored youth from the gathering, the one Kelty was urged to save, sat alone in a small clearing, legs crossed, wings relaxed. There was no sign of the storyteller or his entourage.

  Kelty’s mouth dropped in awe at the flora in a circle a few feet from the seemingly peaceful youth. They glowed brighter than the rest, illuminating her, as if the land was signifying the importance of this youth.

  She is waiting for someone. This is definitely a trap.

  A coolness registered on the edges of Kelty’s awareness. She focused her magic senses beyond the clearing to discover another presence lurking nearby, out of sight among the trees. Watching and waiting just out of range.

  Kelty’s instincts screamed at her to walk away and never return.

  But is this youth caught in the same trap that has been set for me?

  Regardless of the trap, Kelty would never forgive herself if this youth needed saving and she failed to act.

  I cannot turn back now. Lakera will get help if needed. And Kallyn…well, I hope she will run, too, as we were taught.