by Ivy Clyde
He stared at me, his gaze sweeping me from head to foot. His haughty features softened when he realized I could barely stand up straight.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Moira.” Swallowing thickly, I said, “Are you a lumina fae too?”
His eyes slightly widened at the question. “Are you the girl who was with Lord Artemis?”
Lord? “Do you know him?” I asked, wondering if someone could finally lead me back to my mentor.
“He is searching for you everywhere,” said the stranger.
“What is your name?”
An odd look came over him. “Rowan,” he said shortly. “Come with me.” He strode out of the alley without looking back. Pushing my body off the wall, I followed him until he led me back onto a busy market street.
“Oh, my Goddess Aine!” a voice shouted from a far corner. “Your Highness, you found her.” Artemis ran toward us, looking relieved at the sight of me. “You naughty child!” he scolded me. “How did you get lost on your own when I was right beside you?”
“Sorry,” I muttered, feeling stupidly embarrassed. Did he have to make such a fuss before Rowan?
“Thank you, Your Highness,” said Artemis, bowing low before Rowan. I stared back at the stranger who’d just saved my life.
Rowan glanced at me. “Take her back and give her some essence of goldflower,” he said. “She attracted a night-walker and used up all her energy to fend it off. I doubt she’ll be able to hold out for much longer.”
“Ah, yes.” Until now, Artemis had been in control of every situation. He hadn’t minded my disbelief at whatever he said, but now, he was reduced to a stuttering, blundering man. Who exactly was Rowan? Before I could ask either of them, Artemis took a hold of my arm and bowed to Rowan again. “We will leave right away, Your Highness.”
Artemis dragged me down the street. “You almost got me killed!” he hissed. “Do you have any idea what they would have done to me if I lost you?”
“I’m sorry I got distracted. And I had no idea that guy would turn out to be a vampire.”
“What did His Highness do?”
“Why do you keep calling him that?”
“That’s Prince Rowan,” said Artemis, stopping in his tracks. “You are lucky he didn’t take offense from your ignorance. The other royal princes wouldn’t have been so kind.” My head turned back to see Rowan. He was still standing where we left him, watching us.
“He burned the vampire,” I said as Artemis continued to walk down the street. “If he didn’t come in time, I would have passed out from trying to keep that vampire away from me.”
Artemis shook his head, muttering to himself. I felt slightly bad for him. He’d been so kind and helpful so far and I had to ruin things for him. Was my bad luck rubbing off him now?
5
Moira
Artemis led me into a quieter section of the bazaar. There were a few cottages in the area and the place was relatively less crowded but not completely deserted. He came to stand before a tall archway made of stone. Strange symbols were carved over the arc but I still didn’t understand what was so special about it. The structure seemed to be ancient, the stone blocks appearing to be weathered with age.
A young woman came to stand beside us. I eyed the long sweeping robes of red silk she wore. She had an extremely pale complexion and dark brown ringlets that went past her waist. She was definitely a fae like Artemis and Rowan. Her amber eyes met mine before glancing up at Artemis.
“We wish to travel to the Court of Belenus,” said Artemis in a gentle tone.
The woman nodded. Stepping towards the archway, she said, “Come forward.”
Taking my hand, Artemis went to stand beside her. The elf lady took out a scroll from her sash and unfurled it. Bending over it, she began chanting in a lilting voice. Glowing red symbols appeared on the stone surface of the archway.
“Step under the arch,” said the stranger.
Artemis and I stepped forward. His grasp on my hand tightened. The elf woman began chanting again. Suddenly, I felt a tug in my gut. The street visible on the other side of the archway seemed to melt away into darkness. The ground below me shifted and I felt the sensation of falling. Dizziness was closing in when all of a sudden my feet slammed down on earth. Only the pressure of Artemis’s grip was real to me.
The sickening feeling stopped. A cold breeze blew away a strand of hair across my forehead. Keeping my eyes closed, I frowned. The underground marketplace had been warm but now buffets of chilly air blew all around me. I opened my eyes slowly and found myself standing on top of a mountain cliff.
“I can’t believe what just happened,” I whispered, staring out at the wooded valley below us. A full moon was perched on the tallest turret of a magnificent castle in the distance.
Artemis chuckled softly. “Magic is wonderful, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Come this way,” he said, leading me back toward the woods. “We are already late. Lady Chantal won’t be pleased with me.”
I followed him down the narrow trail that led through the thick woods. Even though the rest of the forest was pitch dark, the way was lit up by floating lanterns. Looking closely, they seemed to be spherical glass orbs, bursting with a golden glow. Artemis seemed more nervous than before, so I decided to swallow up the questions bubbling on my lips.
Half an hour later, we reached the tall gates of the castle. To my surprise, there were no security guards patrolling the area. Artemis took out what looked like a badge and held it up before the gate. With a clanking noise, the gates glided open for us.
Grasping my wrist firmly, he strode forward. After the scare I gave him, he was making sure not to lose me again. His concern melted my insides. I knew it was pathetic of me to feel so touched by this gesture from a stranger but it had been a long time anyone showed me any kindness. I couldn’t help but feel warm toward him.
Artemis walked in through the open doorway of the front entrance hall. The place seemed to be lit up by a hundred shimmering chandeliers hanging over us. My eyes felt dazzled by the brightness, making it difficult for me to see where we were going.
He led me up a flight of stairs and then down a long hallway. Unlike the entrance hall, the corridor was dark. Opening a door, he took me inside.
My eyes adjusted to the dimness of my surroundings. Blinking, I looked toward the front where two women had stood up to greet us. The only light came from the fire crackling in the corner and the few floating lanterns around us.
“Lord Artemis,” said the shorter woman, moving forward. “You’ve finally arrived.” Even though she spoke to Artemis, her gaze was fixed on me.
I swallowed the nervousness choking me and looked back at her. Dressed in a long white mermaid gown, she looked like a fairer version of Morticia Addams. Her golden hair was fashioned into a neat bun at the back of her head while heavy gold jewelry glittered at her neck and ears. It took me a moment to realize I was staring at the beautiful woman with open-mouthed wonder.
“Greetings to you, Lady Chantal,” said Artemis, inclining his head toward her. “There were a few hiccups on the way and my ward is completely spent from using up her energy.”
“I can see that,” said Chantal, moving around her desk to come closer to us.
My gaze shifted to her other companion who was also watching me intently.
“Come forward, child,” said the taller woman. “Your aura is quite interesting.”
I walked closer to the tall woman wearing a deep red dress with long, flowing sleeves. Her hair seemed to be made of spun garnet. Firelight caught the crimson tendrils framing her pretty heart-shaped face. This woman was even more incredible in her appearance than Chantal. Heavy jewelry of bronze adorned her wrists and shoulders. Chains of gold, inlaid with rubies, glittered at her throat. I looked into her light green eyes as she leaned toward me.
“Demitria, can you see what sealed her powers before?” asked Madam Chantal.
“Don’t be alarmed,
” said Demitria. “I am going to cast a spell on you.”
My head whirled toward Artemis at once. He gave a small reassuring nod. I looked back at Demitria who was already chanting under her breath. I felt the lightest caresses moving along my skin like someone was slowly sliding a feather over my body. A few quiet moments passed until a flash of crimson light burst from the center of my chest.
With a gasp, I stumbled back.
Demitria’s hand shot forward to clutch my shoulder. “Don’t be scared, child. It doesn’t hurt, does it?”
Her calm voice made me pause. “No, it doesn’t hurt but what is it?” Looking down at my chest, I saw a strange symbol glowing in the center of my chest.
Artemis and Chantal moved closer to me as well.
“That’s…that’s…” Artemis pointed at my chest, looking baffled.
“The lumina mating seal,” said Chantal. Turning toward Artemis, she added, “You cannot speak of this to anyone until we break the news to the princes.”
“Don’t worry about me on that front,” said Artemis. “I am not getting in the middle of another royal feud.”
“What are you guys talking about?” I asked as the glowing red symbol gradually faded away.
“It looks like you were born with an ancient mating seal,” said Lady Chantal. Her gaze moved toward Demitria. “What do you think?”
Demitria straightened and stepped back from me. “There are remnants of another seal that had been blocking her powers from manifesting. That’s how the child remained unnoticed for so long in the human world.”
“Then, what broke it tonight?” asked Artemis.
Demitria pointed at my chest. “The mating seal was activated as soon as she turned eighteen tonight. Its power overwhelmed the other charm, breaking it and letting her magic manifest inside her.” She smiled at me. “You don’t have to stay hidden anymore.”
“This symbol of our ancestors hasn’t been seen in eons,” said Artemis. “What could it mean? Why would it manifest on someone like her?”
“I thought you weren’t going to get involved,” said Lady Chantal with a small smile.
“I won’t be getting involved but aren’t you curious? We don’t even know who transferred this child inside a human’s womb either. There are so many mysteries surrounding her,” said Artemis, gazing at me intently.
“The answers will come in time,” said Demitria. “For now, let us send the child to get some rest. She’s been through enough already and has to look forward to meeting her fated mates tomorrow.”
Lady Chantal walked behind her desk and picked up a silver bell. She made a small trilling sound with it. A second later, the door to the room opened and a kid walked in. She was in a neat white smock. A familiar sun symbol was stitched onto the front of her dress. Coming closer, she bowed before us. “What command, My Lady?” asked the girl.
“Take her to a guest bedroom for the night,” said Lady Chantal. “Give her some strengthening cordial and help her settle down. She must be prepared to meet the princes tomorrow morning, so make sure she is groomed in the proper way. I want her here by ten tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, My Lady,” said the kid with a bow of her head. “This way, young miss,” she said, glancing up at me.
“You are safe now,” said Artemis with a soft smile when I turned to look at him. “Get some rest.”
I wanted to say something but words failed me. He’d brought me to this strange castle after rescuing me from the consequences of the incident earlier that evening. Part of me didn’t want to part from this man who’d kept his promise of keeping me safe until he brought me here.
“Go on, Moira,” he said with a gentle look in his handsome face. “You are safe here. From now on, you are no longer lost.”
Pain lanced through me at those words. No longer lost? Did it mean I was finally home?
Taking a deep breath, I turned and followed the strange girl out of the room, dismissed from hearing anything further about royal princes and some magical seal. My head throbbed painfully, making it difficult for me to walk. Part of me wanted to go back and ask what they meant by fated mates as well but my exhaustion made me trail behind the kid who could take me to a bed.
She led me to an upper floor and then into a vast bedroom filled with dark wood furniture. A chandelier burned brightly overhead. With a wave of her hand, the light dimmed considerably.
“Would you like a bath, miss?” asked the kid.
“I don’t have the energy for one,” I said, reaching for the bed in the center of the room. “I just feel like sleeping.”
“I will get you clean clothes to sleep in and a vial of goldflower cordial. You can rest after that.”
“Do they make other children work here?” I asked.
She frowned. “I’m not a child,” she said coldly. A moment later, her haughty expression melted away. “I have never seen you here before. Are you new at the Court?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you new to our world too?”
I gave a nod. “I had no idea about the existence of the fae before tonight.”
Understanding dawned on her face. “That explains your offhand comment,” she said in a serious tone. “Well, miss, Holly is a brownie lass and already past two hundred and thirty-eight years of age. My stature might be small but that’s how Aine created my kind. Our features don’t age beyond a certain period.”
A wild chuckle escaped me as I fell back on the bed. “There is so much to learn about this world.”
“We will help you, young miss,” said Holly.
Silence fell over the room. Sitting up again, I looked for the brownie girl but she’d already vanished. With an audible ‘pop’ she reappeared at my side. I almost fell off the bed with shock.
“You can teleport?” I asked, staring at the calm looking Holly.
“What does that mean?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at me.
“You can appear anytime anywhere you like. You don’t have to use the door.”
“Ahh, that?” She nodded. “Yes, brownies are given certain abilities to better aid our masters with their tasks.” Stepping forward, she handed me a crystal goblet filled with a golden liquor. “Drink this, miss. You will feel better.”
I drank the potion in one swallow. At once, my nose was hit with a pleasant floral aroma while the sweet liquid smoothly slid down my throat, warming me up as it settled down in my belly. Strength came back to my tired limbs and a feeling of wellness suffused me.
“What kind of drink is this?” I asked.
“Essence of goldflower. The solar fae love its effects.”
Holly took the glass from my hand and put it down on a nearby table. Coming back to me, she started taking off my jacket. When she proceeded to unbutton my shirt, I placed a hand over hers. “I will do the rest. Thanks for everything else.”
“You are welcome, miss. I shall see you in the morning.” She lowered her head in a salute and disappeared on the spot.
Feeling much better than before, I hurriedly took off the uniform and wore the nightgown Holly brought me. The fabric was light and silky and came with the sun insignia stitched over the left breast.
The bed seemed to sing a siren song to my exhausted mind. I climbed into it and pulled the sheets over my body. The chandelier overhead illuminated the room dimly. I was glad Holly left it like that for my comfort. I would have felt anxious if the strange place was completely dark.
Sleep stole through me as soon as I closed my eyes. It might have been the effect of the potion Holly gave me because no stray thoughts interrupted me from falling asleep. With a soft sigh, I succumbed to my body and mind’s demand.
6
Moira
I woke up to someone poking me in the face. Blinking my eyes open, I stared back at wide blue eyes. A cry escaped me as I scrambled away from the strange creature.
“Calm down!” Holly’s shrill voice startled me out of my shock.
“Why the hell were you on top of me?” I sh
outed back.
The brownie frowned. “You weren’t waking up.”
I patted my chest, willing my pounding heart to calm down. Breathing hard, I looked toward her. “Why are you here?”
“Have you forgotten already?” she asked. The frown lines around her mouth made her seem much older now.
I gradually became aware of the sunlight streaming in through the clear glass windows. “It’s morning already. Do I have to see Lady Chantal?”
“That’s right,” said Holly, folding her arms and staring at me with a strict expression. “Clean up and get dressed. I will get your breakfast for you.”
Moving back the locks of hair falling in my eyes, I climbed off the bed. Holly was already gone but she’d left a stack of fresh uniforms on a nearby chair. Looking around, I spotted a door different from the one through which I’d entered the room.
Striding forward, I pushed open the door.
A magnificent bathroom made up of pristine white marble was revealed to me. Sunlight streaming through the glass windows illuminated every corner of the space. Heading inside, I moved toward the large, spotless mirror.
My skin was still glowing with health like last night. Other than a few specks of dirt, my face stayed flawless. The blue of my eyes was vibrant. The sunlight reflecting off it made them sparkle with life. Excitement rushed through me. I could finally stop hiding from my own reflection.
Noticing the background, I saw a spacious marble bathtub full of steaming water. It looked like Holly had already prepared a bath for me.
Removing the nightgown, I walked into the tub and settled down in the hot, fragrant water. A sigh of absolute relief escaped me as the heat seeped into my skin and into my bones. I wanted to stay in there forever but knew the meeting with Lady Chantal was important. She seemed to be an important figure at this castle. If I had to hazard a guess, she seemed to be the mistress of the place.
Standing up, I wrapped myself in one of the fluffy bathrobes left for me on a stool. Using a towel, I dried my hair. There were no hairdryers in sight, so I let the damp tendrils hang loose behind me.
