Ember

by Mindy Hayes

  When my gaze reached Skye, I nearly choked at the sight of the shadowed figure standing by his side.

  “Lia?” I gasped.

  “Oh, Queen Calliope.” Adair stood. “How delightful of you to finally join us. I was getting a tad worried that something dreadful had happened to you.”

  Lia’s once friendly hazel eyes stared back at me—bright yet blank.

  “What are you doing here?” I hissed at her. “How are you here?” She didn’t respond as she stepped closer to Skye, using him as shield. “What did you do to her?” I demanded to Adair.

  He chuckled sardonically and lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Absolutely nothing.”

  I moved closer to Lia, and she inched closer to Skye. He grabbed her waist and pulled her tightly against him, protectively, as though he was protecting her from me.

  “Lia?” I could hear the hurt in my own voice. “What’s going on?”

  “Her name is Magnolia,” Skye’s deep voice spoke up, infuriated.

  “I don’t understand.” I hated the weakness and alarm that soaked through my words.

  “Magnolia,” Adair prompted. “Would you like to enlighten your friend, or shall I?” He took delight in my misery. I could see he wanted to be the one to tell me.

  She looked to the ground when I turned to her for answers. I saw a glint of defiance, that spark I loved so much about her. But she wouldn’t meet me in the eyes.

  “My Magnolia is a Rymidonian faery,” Adair arrogantly stated. “She so kindly agreed to keep an eye on you for me. She did marvelously until you made your hasty decision to come back to Faylinn. And revealing your fae ears to a human …” He shook his head with disapproval and clucked his tongue. “Such a careless mistake. Magnolia wasn’t able to get back to me in time to warn of me your return, otherwise I would have already been here when you came back. We would have been quite a nice welcoming committee. But I know Magnolia did her best to try and get you to stay.”

  It took a moment to compute what he said. Lia was fae? My stomach tossed, rolling around the concept.

  “Lia?” I wanted her to tell me herself. I wanted to hear the words. When she looked up, her red hair fell back, revealing two very prominent fae ears.

  I gasped.

  “You truly had no clue.” Adair let out a breath of amusement.

  “All that time? You were working for him? You’re a faery?” My voice rose, but I couldn’t help it.

  “I was serving my kingdom,” Lia murmured candidly. “I gave him what information I thought useful.”

  “My dear Calliope.” Adair’s tone itched my skin with its condescension. “Magnolia served her kingdom by becoming human to make sure you lived. I couldn’t possibly let Favner kill you before I was ready for you. You should be thanking me and Magnolia for sacrificing all those years of her life for you.”

  “Thank you? For what exactly? You never protected me. Kai and Declan were the ones to keep me alive.” I felt myself close to the edge, ready to losing it all. “Lia didn’t do anything for me! She obviously only fed you information!” I glared at her. “What? Did you meet with him in the forest after every time we hung out?”

  “All those years of her talking you through that meaningless human drama wasn’t for nothing,” Adair commented. “I commend Magnolia for having the patience to endure such nonsense.” Adair moved from my table to stand before me.

  “What about Jake and your family? Matt! He loves you!” I shouted, losing control.

  “I had a part to play. It had to be done right.” Her voice was quiet, so unlike her. “They won’t remember me now that I’m gone.”

  “And for what? What do you even get in return?”

  Lia’s eyes began to light up as she looked up at Skye. They exchanged a meaningful glance. “I get to be with him.” He tenderly kissed the top of her head then narrowed his eyes at me.

  “Lia was not a Royal, but we made a deal. I think I got the better end of the bargain,” Adair stage-whispered to me.

  “A lie. Our whole friendship was a lie!” I jetted forward, but strong hands brought me back.

  Kai’s voice whispered in my ear, “Calliope, remember why we are here. He brought her here to rile you up. Breathe.”

  “She lied to me,” I cried as the betrayal set in. I nearly sank to my knees. “You’re worse than Favner. He might stab you in the back, but at least he’d look you in the eye while he did it. He didn’t pretend to be anything else, but the conniving rat he was.”

  Lia didn’t have the decency to look away in shame. She peered back up at Skye for comfort and he kissed her again.

  “What have they done to you?” I breathed. “This isn’t you!”

  Her eyes blazed with a flash of anger. She didn’t get to be angry. She had no right!

  “Calliope,” Kai urged softly next to me. “He wants you to lose it. Don’t give him what he wants. Focus.”

  I blinked back my tears as I looked to Kai. He nodded encouragingly, his indigo eyes pierced with conviction. He always believed in me. I exhaled deeply, regaining my bearings and cut to the chase. “What can I do to make this stop, Adair? My kingdom does not deserve to live in fear any longer. What do you want?”

  His malicious grin made my skin crawl. How had I not seen past his oozing false charm? He was so much worse than Favner. “Oh my dear, haven’t you figured it out already? I want Faylinn.”

  “It’s not yours to take.”

  He chuckled mockingly, offering me a plastered fake smile and gestured around himself. “It seems I already have.”

  “The Faylinn fae’s loyalty lies with me.”

  “That is why I haven’t gotten rid of you.” He looked pointedly at me as if he thought I should know where he was going with this. “But I am more powerful. My kingdom is larger, stronger. In the end, we will overpower you.”

  What had I gotten myself into? How was I supposed to get us out of this mess? Was I really this defenseless?

  “Okay. So let’s say I step back. Give you Faylinn.” I heard a half-dozen hushed whimpers. “What will you do with me? Kill me?”

  “Oh my dear, you know Faylinn runs better with two.” His head nodded back to Sakari. “And I am sure your kingdom will be happy you finally chose a suitable match.”

  His answer washed through my mind, soaking in place. It all became perfectly clear. “Sakari. You will force the bond upon us.”

  Sakari stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His face remained blank. Was he just as false as his father? Was he really going to stand back and let this happen?

  “Precisely.” Adair smirked. “I will generously let you keep your kingdom if you bond with Sakari.”

  My eyes drifted to Sakari. “Is this what you want?” I heard the crack in my voice. “You want to force me into this?”

  There was a flicker of pain in his eyes, but he didn’t show it for long, nor did he acknowledge my question. I couldn’t trust anyone but Kai and Declan now.

  “What do you gain from this, Adair? You have Rymidon. Why do you need Faylinn as well?”

  “Soon I won’t need Rymidon.”

  “What do you mean? Then what do you even gain? Sakari gets Faylinn. Skye will inherit Rymidon. What does that leave you?”

  “I will have control of the Waking Oak.”

  “So you get the communication passageway, so what?”

  I heard a collected quiet wave of snickers around the room from all of Adair’s Keepers. “Have your Keepers taught you nothing about the history of Faylinn?” he scoffed. “It isn’t just a form of communication. The Waking Oak has power over all other kingdoms. I will control them all.”

  I laughed. “And how do you suppose you will succeed in taking control of the other six kingdoms? You think the Royals will go down easily? You’re kidding yourself.”

  “The Waking Oak will be destroyed. Without that, none of them will survive without me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “You’re crazy! You can’t destroy the
Oak! It’s our lifeline!” Kai exclaimed. “They won’t survive!”

  Adair narrowed his eyes. “I don’t recall allowing the two of you in here. I’ve been patient, but that patience just ran out. Gilad,” he ordered. The guard who led us here stepped forward. “Escort these Keepers to a more comfortable location. They are no longer needed here.”

  I took a step toward Adair in the path of Gilad. “These are my Keepers. This is my kingdom and still will be if I bond with Sakari. They stay with me,” I commanded.

  “Then I suggest you control them, Your Highness,” Adair seethed, leaning into me. “It’s disrespectful to address a Royal in such a way.”

  I looked back at Kai and gave him a shut-your-mouth look. I was handling this now. If he stepped out of line, I could tell there was only so much leverage I had in this situation.

  “So if the Waking Oak is what keeps all of the kingdoms alive, what do you gain from destroying it?”

  “That’s not really your concern, but I shall fill you in out of the kindness of my heart.” I scoffed now. “Every other kingdom will be cut off and forced to come back to Faylinn. Back to the way it should be. Back to the way it was always meant to be. This kingdom is not living up to its potential. So much land is going unused. And because of the previous Nesters, I understand that some problems have risen. I’m here to rectify all of that.”

  Declan moved forward. “King Adair.” More of Adair’s guards stepped in front of him to keep Declan from getting any closer. He lifted his hands up to show he meant no harm. “I simply wanted to state that before the kingdoms even realize what’s happening, they would begin to die. Are you even going to warn them? Tell them you want them here?”

  “And bring the war of all wars against me?” He shook his head with a smirk. “Favner had the right idea, but he was just missing you in the equation.” He nodded at me. “I have the True Royal Bloodline right here. You’re the only thing I need to keep our kind alive. It’s not as if more fae couldn’t be created. We’re not a dying race.”

  “We will be if you destroy the Oak,” Kai snapped.

  I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Shut up,” I urged.

  He closed his mouth, but didn’t look ashamed. Kai would be a fighter until the end. And though it made me proud, it also scared the living daylights out of me. He’d get himself killed.

  “There has to be something you want that will keep you from destroying the Waking Oak,” I said, attempting to steer the glares from Kai to me. “Everyone has a price. What’s yours?”

  “I don’t think you understand, precious. You don’t have any leverage. I want Faylinn. I’m taking it. I want the rest of the kingdoms. I’m taking them. I want you. And I’ll take you, too. You and Sakari will have your bonding ceremony on the second day of the waxing crescent.”

  “What does that even mean?” I pressed.

  “You have five days, Calliope,” Declan murmured.

  My eyes darted back to Sakari. The briefest look of guilt flashed across his face before it dissolved back into his blank stare. He straightened his spine and shifted the weight on his feet.

  “So that’s it?” I asked him. “Is this how you wanted it to go down? Is this what you want?”

  There was a moment of silence before he answered. “My father has a plan that makes sense. You’ll understand. Eventually.”

  “Wow,” I breathed.

  “Gilad, will you please escort Calliope to her room? Rollin and Cage, escort her Keepers to their homes.”

  “Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.

  Rollin took hold of Declan’s arm. He frowned at Adair, but went willingly. When Cage grabbed Kai’s arm Kai tore it from his grasp with a glare and, snapping, “Get your hand off me.” But with one last look at me, he walked out as well.

  Gilad waited at the door for me to follow him.

  “This isn’t over, Adair. I won’t bond with Sakari. You can’t force me.”

  He strode quick and determined toward me. He bent sharply and sneered in my ear only loud enough for me to hear. “You defy me and Kai dies. And if you even think about mentioning that to your little play thing, don’t forget that I know exactly where your mother and father reside. And don’t think Magnolia didn’t inform me of your infatuation with your friend … what was his name? Cameron? Accidents happen all the time. People just go missing.”

  I inhaled sharply.

  “I will hold all the power. Do not underestimate me, Calliope.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Once they locked me in my bedroom, Adair’s Keepers stood watch outside my door all night. I couldn’t leave, and no one could enter without their permission. Or Adair’s permission. I was now his puppet. His prisoner. He may call me Queen, but this was no longer my show to run.

  A gentle tap at my door made me jump as I gazed out my window. I didn’t take Adair’s Keepers for knockers. I figured they would just barge right on in whenever they felt like it.

  “Come in,” I called guardedly. I turned to see Sakari closing the door behind him. “What are you doing here?” I asked bluntly, folding my arms across my chest.

  “I had to talk with you. This happened all wrong. We weren’t supposed to end up together this way.”

  “You better believe it happened all wrong!” I barked. “What was that back there? You completely threw me to the wolves!”

  “Calliope, I genuinely care for you.” He carefully moved closer to me. “I need you to know that. I know my father may have gone about this the wrong way, but his intentions are honorable. Our lives will all be better once we’re all back together in Faylinn.”

  “You actually believe that crap he’s spewing?” I wasn’t really asking. The answer was clear as day on his face.

  “I trust my father,” he said earnestly. “I know he’s flawed, but he’s been around a lot longer than you and me. He’s making the decision he believes is right for everyone. He wouldn’t misguide us.”

  “He doesn’t have the right to make those decisions here! Faylinn is mine to guide.” I hated sounding so possessive, but it was the truth. Now more than ever I felt the need to protect and lead these fae. “There was a reason for the Divide, Sakari. This isn’t what’s best for everyone. This is what’s best for him. He doesn’t even care who dies in the process.”

  “I don’t want to fight with you, Calliope.” He took hold of my hand in both of his and brought it to his chest, securing me closer to him. His bright eyes bore into mine. “I just want to be with you. Can we please put this aside and see that our bonding is what’s important. We will finally get to be together. Isn’t that what you wanted before?”

  Did he not know that I nixed that bond in the bud? With a shaking head I said, “It’s not what I want, Sakari. I thought I could do it, but I can’t. I was moving forward with you for all the wrong reasons. Though now, what I want obviously doesn’t mean anything.”

  “I’ll make you happy, Calliope,” he promised, my hand still clasped in his. “We could be happy together. I promise it will work out. You’ll see.”

  “You don’t get it, Sakari. We shouldn’t be bonding because it’s something your father arranged. It should be on our terms, because we love each other.”

  Sakari’s eyes widened earnestly. “I do love you.”

  “You barely know me,” I said in disbelief.

  “I know enough,” he answered adamantly. His voice held such conviction. He honestly thought he loved me.

  I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Sakari …”

  “Calliope, please. I want you to be happy when our day comes,” he pressed. “I want a life with you, and I know I could make you happy. I will do everything in my power to make you happy and give you what you want.”

  “Will you please leave, Sakari?” My free hand pinched the bridge of my nose, and I worked on my breathing. He wasn’t going to see reason. “I just can’t deal with this anymore tonight. I’m so tired.”

  “As you wish.” He brought my hand he
ld against his chest to his lips and kissed it tenderly. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”

  I didn’t answer him as I watched him close the door after he left. It churned my stomach to know how helpless I was. I couldn’t find a way out. I’ve always been able to work out a bind before, but this was a bind to rival all binds. And Sakari, though brainwashed, was so sweet with me I couldn’t bring myself to be cruel to him. He couldn’t comprehend his father being wrong, and nothing I was going to say would change his mind.

  After lying in bed for a couple hours, unable to fall asleep, I heard my window creak open. I sat up straight as two subtle thumps hit the floor. When I turned, Kai was closing my window.

  “You really have to stop creeping into my bedroom like this,” I whispered.

  He smirked and came to kneel next to my bed.

  “I had to see you without them dictating the conversations and watching our every move.”

  I moved my feet the floor. “What if they come in here? They have been peeking in here all night to make sure I haven’t disappeared.”

  “I’m quick. They won’t catch me.” He shrugged.

  “I’m surprised that arrogance of yours hasn’t gotten you into more trouble over the years.”

  “That’s because I’m hard to resist.” The corners of his full lips turned up. I couldn’t resist. I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to his, tasting him, smelling the fresh air on his skin. My fingers latched behind his neck drawing him nearer. He was the only thing that anchored me to this world—the only thing made me feel secure—and I could feel him slowly slipping away. His lips moved against mine urgently, like he was suffocating, and I was his only chance at survival. My stomach twisted and writhed at the thought of not having this for the rest of our days.

  I couldn’t think about that now. I wouldn’t think like that yet.

  “How would you like to make your escape?” he asked against my lips.