As he dashed down the path with me in tow, golden, translucent wings sprang from his back. My body felt lighter, and a new weight settled on my back as a faint, whitish-violet glow fell on the surrounding, thick foliage. Though I was in heels, I maintained my balance. Gravity refused to work against me. I was light. Free.
Why had I ever been afraid to step through?
I ran, heels clicking against the mossy stones. We passed a patch of purple mushrooms. Lanterns set inside trees. The white archway got closer, and the air inside of it blurred and danced as if it were water. My heart raced not in fear, but excitement. I’d never imagined I’d see the fae realm—an unreachable dream for my kind.
“Hurry!” Caleb shouted, grasping my hand so tight that my bones protested. He glanced behind us, eyes widening.
I followed his gaze. My heart sank. Pure darkness followed us, swallowing the forest and the path. Instinctively, I knew that if it reached us, we would fall back into the human world or worse into a void. I quickened my pace as much as I could without falling over, sucking in the sweet air, my body feeling strangely light, like a feather. We closed in on the archway. The magic surrounding me made my hair stand up as we jumped into the pinkish sunlight and intense greenery.
I landed on my feet beside Caleb, in the midst of tall grass, and breathed in the freshest air I had ever tasted in my life. Caleb released my hand and brushed his palm off on his trousers as if touching me were a sin. I blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the morning. Time, it seemed, was not the same in this realm as it was in the human world.
Rolling hills with flowers of every color spread around us. The wind bent the grass in waves. Magic pulsed through every tree, flower, and grain of dirt. It was like a vast, warm river, flowing under my feet, making me want to kick off my heels and dig my toes into the earth.
Despite being here less than a minute, I knew this place was my home. I wanted to throw myself into the grass and stare up at the deep, blue sky. Instead, I took a calming breath and reminded myself to be careful not to forget that I was surrounded by powerful magic that might be playing tricks on me. I had to get my bearings and figure out where I was and why Caleb had brought me here.
I whirled, taking in every detail. Beyond the field, on the other side of a hill, stood a vast, multi-story building with supports made of enormous, living trees. But more impressive was the purple-white light coming from my back. I reached behind myself to find, thin, yet sturdy wings and when I approached a pond, I discovered that each of my wings was double the length and width of my torso. A laugh escaped from my throat. Me with wings was insane.
Caleb took my shoulder and turned me so that I was facing him. “Virgie. We have business to attend to. A fae of your talents is very much needed in the Summer Court.”
The laugh died in my throat. My talents. Was I to be a courtesan here too, or worse, a breeder?
“What is that building?” Could something that beautiful be a brothel or a breeding center?
Caleb stepped aside so I could get a better view. The building on the other side of this meadow, nudged up against a forest, was the size of a large mansion, with what appeared to be four living redwoods supporting it, one in each corner. The rest of the building was a mixture of wood and possibly hardened clay, with clay roof tiles and small, open windows rimmed with dark wooden boards and overflowing flower pots. The large front doors had fancy, ornate carvings, but the entire mansion was behind a perimeter of stockades. A prison wall.
The mansion was also the only building in sight.
“This,” Caleb said, “is the Vasara Training Center. Follow me. You are to be trained in your special, rare talents, and then you are to serve the Summer Court.”
3
I grabbed Caleb’s arms, no longer caring about proper protocol. “There’s been a mistake. I don’t have plant magic, and I’m not an elemental fae.” The self-preserving part of me told me to shut up, that if I wouldn’t be admitted to the Vasara Training Center, the Summer Court would use me for breeding. Rare talents didn’t include reproducing, after all. He had to mean something else. At least, I hoped so.
Caleb smiled. “We don’t make mistakes.”
I stepped away from him. “What exactly is your role here? And what does the Vasara Training Center teach?”
His smile widened infuriatingly. Of course, Caleb found this amusing. He was on his home turf and had the advantage. “Now that we’re here, I’ll gladly tell you.”
I glanced over my shoulder and strained my eyes, trying to remember where the portal had been, but the whole landscape looked the same except for the large tree mansion and the distant forest. The plants were ten times more beautiful than Peony’s most impressive displays at the plant museum.
“Don’t worry. It’s all right.”
I turned back to Caleb and waited for him to finally give me answers.
He put his hands behind his back, somehow missing his golden wings. “I’m Caleb Kallan, King Peter’s bastard son.”
What? The words hit and I jolted in place. Then I shrank back and dropped into a low curtsy, mortified at how horribly I had behaved around royalty. I’d even grabbed his arms without his permission.
Caleb threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. “You don’t need to do this. As I said, I’m not the heir.”
But wasn’t he? Now that Petra and Preston, King Peter’s children, were taken from the world. How many children did the Summer Court king have?
“As for the Vasara Center, it trains all kinds of fae. You will train as a mentalist.”
I winced. “You think I’m crazy?” Would they experiment on me?
Caleb’s expression sobered, and he held up his palms. “No. Please, don’t worry. You are in good hands. A mentalist is a fae who can manipulate others’ minds. It’s a rare talent.”
I snorted. I’d never heard of such a thing. “Impossible.”
Caleb cocked an eyebrow. “Haven’t you heard the old legends about fae kidnapping humans? About humans who were put into trances by fae and made to forget their time in the faeland? Our kind is still privy to the practice at times, especially among the less civilized members of both courts. But due to the vampires and the danger they pose, and due to humans spending less time in nature than they did before, it no longer happens nearly as often, and mentalist powers are therefore suppressed and less common today than they once were. Fae generally lose what they don’t use.”
“We never learned anything about ourselves. The vampires forbade it,” I said slowly, head spinning. “We were only allowed to learn about vampire history and why we should kiss their asses. The only mind manipulation I came across were the blood crystals the vampires used to compel us to make confessions. As if our nature didn’t screw us enough.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened. “Where do you think the blood crystals come from?”
I pressed my lips together and shifted leg to leg, the balls of my feet getting sore from my high heels. I had heard rumors that the faeland gave the blood crystals to the vampires, which they then used on us, their slaves. After all, we were just cowards to faeland fae and deserving of any punishments the vampires doled out. “I’m afraid I don’t know how to make a blood crystal.”
Sadness filled Caleb’s eyes. “I’m sorry. It must be awful to know so little about your heritage.” He motioned me through the flowers, and I followed him toward the wood-and-clay mansion. What other choice did I have? I couldn’t return to Earth. I had to make the best out of the situation I was in.
And if I really did have mind manipulation powers?
I had to find out more.
I tugged at the hem of my tight black dress that was completely out of place and made me feel dirty, then kicked off my stiletto heels that kept sinking into the soft grass, surprised to discover how good it felt to be barefoot. “Do you really think that I could create a blood crystal one day?” The possibility was exhilarating Had I known how to do it before, that horrible incident never would have happ
ened back at Nocturnal Academy.
Caleb gave me a warm smile. For a prince, he was very kind and approachable. Nothing like Preston, one of our former teachers, who had been charming, but had always made me feel uneasy, and most definitely nothing like Petra, another teacher who had always given me the chills.
“You’ll do much more than create blood crystals,” Caleb said softly. “You, Vergeat, come from a powerful line of fae. Your mental powers are rare and unprecedented. Steinberg knew this. He gladly agreed to keep you for us. It was a well-played move and has gained him powerful allies.”
I balked at my full name, but was also fascinated to hear it. Nobody had called me that for years. And Steinberg thought it was a good idea to ally with the Summer fae? It made sense. He’d been worried about the Elites turning on him for quite a while. And with both of his heirs failing him, he had every right for concern. I had been a bargaining chip. “But Mother said—”
“Yes, I am aware that both your mother and your grandmother were courtesans. Did you ever wonder why they ran brothels when other fae were never allowed to have businesses? How they managed to escape the worst parts of their occupations?”
I felt my forehead scrunch up as I shifted my shoes to my other hand. “You’re saying they were mentalists.” Caleb nodded. “But then, why didn’t they tell me?” I realized the answer a moment later. “Because fae who can do mind control are dangerous. Vampires would control us and exploit us to the max.”
Caleb nodded. “While they had good mentalist abilities, the truly powerful part of your bloodline comes from your father.”
Longing stirred in my heart. I didn’t know anything about him, had never seen any photos. Mother and Grandmother had always insisted we were better off without him. We had a strange matriarchate going on in my family. Yet when I had started at Nocturnal Academy, I had never heard from the two women who raised me. Had my family forsaken me after I had nearly been chosen as the sacrifice in the Wild Hunt? It sure had felt so. Maybe they didn’t think I had mentalist skills and decided to throw me to the wolves. Not wanting to dwell on that, I asked, “Do you know my father’s name?”
“Emanuel Everston.” Caleb refused to meet my gaze, staring ahead at the mansion instead, which towered higher and higher as we drew closer.
I had expected a different surname, but it appeared that despite insisting we didn’t need him, Mother had taken his last name. “Is he still alive?” More hope blossomed in my chest.
We descended to the other side of the hill. “No, he died nineteen years ago.”
My throat went dry and a lump formed, but I kept my composure and kept walking beside Caleb. My father had died before I was even born. “How?”
Caleb exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, but even though your father was a very talented fae, I must tell you that he didn’t use his talents wisely. He got into a lot of trouble. He was an addict, and he died falling out of a tree, so drunk that he couldn’t fly.” Once again, Caleb refused to look at me, but focused at the stockades straight ahead.
“Oh,” was all I could reply. So maybe Mother had been right after all and we were better off without him. “He was from this realm, then.”
“Yes. He often vanished to the human world. He found it entertaining.” Caleb’s face contorted, his disapproval clear. “Nobody knew he had offspring. We assumed his family line died out with him, but then I saw a photo of you when I found a book of Nocturnal Academy students. It seems one of my siblings brought it here months ago as they were looking for someone. Perhaps it was my brother, looking for a breeder. Or my sister, who was searching for whoever killed Preston.” Caleb’s face scrunched up in disgust, and even though I hadn’t seen the book he was talking about, I was certain the vampires had made it look like a catalogue, describing us students as objects to be purchased with our talents and suggested prices below our headshots.
“I am glad I was able to destroy that horrible school,” Caleb said, breaking the silence.
My jaw dropped. “You blew up Nocturnal Academy?”
“Yes, the troops who rescued the students were mine.” Sadness filled Caleb’s voice. “Many of them died doing what was right, what my father refused to do himself. He is not the forgiving type. Before we blew up the school, I talked to Father, and he said we couldn’t risk purchasing you from Nocturnal Academy ourselves.” Caleb gave me an apologetic smile. “Not that you’re an object that can be bought. I simply wanted to bring you home as soon as possible.”
Warmth filled my chest. Caleb was genuine. He didn’t hate us earthbound fae. I waved my hand, telling him it was all right. It had all worked out in the end. “How did you know you could trust Steinberg?” We had nearly reached the gates of the Vasara Training Center, and I needed to hear the end of the story.
“I decided to approach him because he was more rational and calmer than the others. He agreed to bid on you.”
That’s why Steinberg had never touched me. It all made sense now.
“Steinberg didn’t want a fallout with the other vampires, and we didn’t want anyone to stop us from reaching the portal, so we agreed to wait a few months, have you be seen in the vampire society plenty of times before we whisked you away.”
That explained all the trivial errands Steinberg had sent me on. We passed through the open gates and onto the beautiful grounds of the Center. Bright green grass laced with tiny flowers of every color adorned the lawn, forming strange patterns that were almost hypnotic. A floral aroma hung in the air. The gates, without guards, closed behind us with a slow creak and a final thud, making me wonder if they would open again.
I lifted my chin, determined not to show fear. I would start off my new life right. Still, I glanced back, wondering if I could scale the tall stockades. Even if I could, where would I go?
Thankfully, my dread was short-lived. Caleb stepped in front of me and opened the vaulted, wooden door. I gasped as I entered the Vasara Center and breathed in pure summer, pure warmth, the opposite of Nocturnal Academy’s mountain castle. Inside, the mansion was mostly made of a sand-colored wood that lifted my mood. A huge tree grew in the center of the vast hall spreading out in front of me, its leaves scraping the ceiling and barely missing the balconies and railings of the levels above us. Before the tree stood a beautiful fountain where cute, colorful birds chirped. The fountain fed a pond in which tiny, golden fish swam. Grapevines and other plants grew on the walls and a pleasant flowery scent hung in the air.
Then energy flooded the space, and a bright light entered the hall from an open doorway on the left. The female fae radiated so much light, I had to blink several times to adjust my eyes and take her in. Her white gown hit the floor and appeared weightless. Her long, wavy hair reached past her waist and was as pale as her skin. Atop of her head rested a thin golden crown, the same color as her magnificent, huge, golden wings.
Golden wings. Like Caleb’s. She, too, was royalty.
I dropped into a low curtsy, feeling dirty and inappropriate in my black dress. Why hadn’t it occurred to me to wear something that could be both sensual and elegant? Now, I looked like a true whore in front of this angel goddess.
“Thank you, Caleb, for bringing Vergeat here.” The goddesses’ voice washed over me like a calming, yet persistent river.
I dared to glance up. “Your Majesty?”
A tinkling laugh escaped her, and it too managed to sound celestial. “Not quite. I am Nerissa Bitterbay. I run Vasara, which is Latvian for ‘Summer.’ Human languages are so interesting, don’t you think?”
I just blinked, unable to come up with a response.
Nerissa continued. “I develop warriors while my younger brother Nathan Bitterbay prepares them for battle.”
I nodded, surprised by how much information she was offering. And warriors? That didn’t fit me at all. But at least I knew now for certain that this center was not for breeding.
“Come with me, Vergeat. I’ll show you to your rooms.”
Had she just said rooms,
as in plural?
“I’ll see you soon, Vergeat,” Caleb said and headed toward the door.
“Virgie is fine,” I mumbled.
He glanced across his shoulder and smirked. “Oh no, not in the Summer Court. Vergeat is your proper name.” And with that, he closed the wooden door, leaving me alone with the radiating goddess.
“Please follow me, Vergeat.” Wings gently flapping, Nerissa floated toward the tree. As I got closer, I noticed a staircase, which seemed to have grown from the tree itself, circling the trunk. Wow. I followed Nerissa behind the fountain. She stepped onto the third step, waiting. I did the same. Just as I was about to ask why we weren’t climbing to the top, the staircase began to spin and move sideways, then upward. I inhaled sharply, and my arms shot out sideways for balance. The entire tree was spinning with a low creaking sound.
“Remember, the third step will always take you to your quarters,” Nerissa said in her ethereal voice as the staircase moved us to the second, then third level. We reached an opening on a balcony. Behind it was a wall made out of bark, which upon closer inspection had a round, wooden door almost hidden in the fibers. Nerissa stepped off the stair and turned the wooden knob, opening the door.
I followed her into the room, trying not to gape. The cutest apartment awaited inside with the same sand-colored wood for the floor. Sunlight flooded the room. There was a living area with a reading nook, a bookcase filled with books, a walnut-colored piano, and a green hammock. The open door behind the living room led into the bedroom that had the most magnificent bed I’d ever seen. The wooden frame rose high and connected in a spiral above the bed while Sakura blossoms sprouted from the twigs. Above, the ceiling was a giant window, letting in the sun.
“Rest up. You’ll need your energy for tomorrow,” Nerissa announced.
“This is all just for me?” I motioned around myself.
Nerissa gave me a serene smile. “Yes, Vergeat, it is. You’ll be picked up tomorrow.” She walked through the outer door where the staircase was still waiting for her. “Good night.” Closing the door, she left me with countless questions. Yet, for the first time since Steinberg’s announcement, I wasn’t scared. I might not know much about this new world I had found myself in, but I did know that I was beyond fortunate to have landed in this wonderful, magical place.
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