Magical Compass: A Supernatural Prison Story

by Jaymin Eve

  Grace got distracted then by the beautiful world around us. We both loved nature, and there was a wildness to the vegetation down here unlike anything on Earth, like it was ruled by no one, yet remained elegant and well-maintained. Roses and hedges mingled together, looking like a garden fit for royalty, which they pretty much were.

  We made it through the courtyard and up to the imposing castle. “What is this place?” Grace finally breathed, her voice light and tinkling, bell-like sounds following each word.

  “This is the Land of the Gods,” I replied.

  We stepped through the door, moving out into the untamed and vast lands. The moment the dark blue sky came into view, a heavy veil of energy encased my body, and something cracked in my chest. Jacob slipped off my shoulder, landing with a thump, and I dropped to the ground, my knees slamming hard into the grass. A fire sprang up in my chest, and I let my head fall back, letting out a roar.

  “Tyson!” Grace’s called to me frantically, and I started to struggle against whatever was imprisoning me.

  Do not fight the beast.

  The demand in my head was clear, each word echoing with the energy of a million voices. It wasn’t Grace. Another hoarse bellow spilled from my lips as my chest splintered, followed by each of my ribs. The ricocheting of pain continued outwards, limbs breaking and reforming, body changing shape, my vision and thinking shifting until I was no longer Tyson Compass.

  And yet somehow I still was.

  Dragon mated.

  It was a prayer on breathless whispers. It filled my mind and everything about who I was changed. It was a metamorphosis.

  Come to me, child.

  Child? The beast didn’t love that word, but also didn’t disagree. Compared to the ancient timbre of that voice, we both felt like newborns making our way into the world for the first time.

  Our body moved forward, my eyes fluttering open as I followed the voice. What in hell’s fire? The world was no longer how I remembered it. Thousands of colors scattered across my vision, like I was seeing a hundred ranges of blue in the sky rather than the single color it had been before I shifted.

  Seeing for the first time after years of being blind.

  “Tyson?” The small voice sounded alarmed. I could scent the fear and worry coming from her.

  I swung my long neck around, and as Grace came into view, everything started to make sense again. Some of the supe bled back into the dragon, and I was able to regain slivers of myself. Dragon. I had shifted into a dragon. My legs were a little unsteady as I took a few tentative steps, trying my best not to eat shit. It was different, walking on four legs, being this far from the ground. My wings kept flexing behind me, throwing my balance off, but I was determined to get to my mate.

  She stood her ground, a million sparkling lights shining from her. I couldn’t understand what all the lights were. It was almost as if Grace were a diamond, her facets sparkling into the world.

  I lowered my long snout to rest close by her face, and the only betrayal of her fear was the smallest of flinches, and her scent. I won’t hurt you. I tried to direct those words into her mind, and she gave a startled jump.

  “I heard you!” she exclaimed, a brightness filling her eyes, wiping away the fear. “You’re so beautiful, Ty.”

  I tilted my head to the side, and she hurried to add, “Beautiful and deadly. Your dragon is just … incredible.”

  Instinct filled me to fly and feed and fight. Before I could stop, my wings spread wide and were flapping hard. I lifted up off the ground, a part of me still aware enough to make sure Grace wasn’t hurt as I whooshed past her. The moment I was among the very blue of the sky, a pure sort of joy filled me, and I lost all sense of my supe side. I was beast. Finally free.

  I didn’t know how long I soared across the skies, but eventually I remembered why I was here, and that I had taken off and left Grace and Jacob in an unknown land. A sense of determination, urgency, and anger hit me. I should never have left her. How could I let the dragon control me so thoroughly?

  You will not lose control again. That was simply the first intertwining of dragon and supernatural soul. I have been protecting Grace and Jacob. You do not need to worry.

  Josephina?

  Yes.

  I let my dragon have his head back again, and he knew exactly where to take us. The bond between Grace and me hummed in my huge chest, and my speed increased.

  I’m coming for you, mate.

  I felt a brush of her warmth against the bond and knew she heard me. She and Jacob were in a small clearing beside a picturesque brook. It trickled and burbled past where Grace sat at its side, her feet dangling in the water. Jacob’s red statue was propped against a tree, and a massive shimmering gold beast was crouched nearby, in an open meadow. With my dragon vision, the gold of the queen was filled with a dozen or more colors.

  We landed with ease, and immediately lowered our head to the queen.

  Rise, please. You’re family. Family does not bow to me.

  Huge golden eyes locked with mine as I lifted my head, pleasure humming in my chest. Still, part of me was focused fully on Grace, somehow managing to look between the two.

  Shift back. We can talk once you are in control again. Your dragon is too new to deal with his need for Grace. He doesn’t understand the mating bond and the emotions you share.

  Shift back. Right. That should be easy. The pain from my shift was fresh in my mind, but I didn’t care. I needed to be in supe form. Tipping my head back, I roared, igniting a burning ember in my chest. The ember grew hotter, scorching me. Before I could figure out what was happening, that fire rose through my throat and flames spewed from my snout and open jaws.

  It startled my dragon enough that he released some control, and I pulled his energy deep inside of me. It took me more than a few tries to return to my supe form, but eventually I ended up on my hands and knees, naked, breathing in deep gulps like I’d just run a thousand-hour marathon. As I stumbled to my feet, small hands slid across my chest, and Grace’s arms wrapped tightly around me.

  She didn’t say anything, just buried herself against me, uncaring about my nakedness. Magic users were generally more circumspect regarding nudity, especially compared to shifters. I’d always been pretty relaxed with it though, more like Braxton than the rest of my race.

  Maybe Grace had some shifter in her also.

  “Do you think we can ask the golden dragon to disappear?” she murmured against my chest, lifting her face to meet mine. Her cheeks were a pretty pink, her pupils dilated as she wrapped her hands around the front of my biceps. I chuckled and pressed a deep kiss to her lips, our tongues tangling briefly together.

  I needed to get clothes on immediately or this situation was going to get out of hand. With a curse, I called for the energy, clothing myself. Thankfully, magical clothes fit themselves around body parts, because that was the only way I was getting my rock-hard dick into pants without breaking it. I hadn’t touched another woman since Grace had reappeared in my world. She was it for me. And while I didn’t mind waiting, between shifting into a dragon for the first time and the unabandoned way she had just wrapped herself around me, my control was shot to shit.

  Drawing on whatever remained of my iron will, I managed to get myself together, and Grace and I crossed to Josephina. “Grace, you remember Jessa’s bonded one … Josephina … queen of the dragons.”

  Grace inclined her head, bestowing a sweet smile on her. “I’m honored to officially meet you.”

  The honor is mine. Her voice echoed in my head, and no doubt Grace’s as well. How is my bonded one? The babies?

  I smiled at the warmth that thrummed in her voice. “Jessa’s great. She misses you a lot, and when the little ones are bigger, she hopes to bring them to visit.”

  The golden dragon’s chest rumbled at my reply, almost like a purr. I would love that, but Faerie is not a safe place to visit right now. The demon-kind are infiltrating the lands, forming bonds with the shadows. We have a war
to fight, and I would not see the young hurt.

  “The shadow ones are awake?” I had not forgotten Louis’ warning from last time – it was in everyone’s best interest that they never wake.

  Josephina nodded her huge head. They are. At least one hides in Faerie. It was because of the shadows that the original fey and demi-fey fled. Because one remains free, they have not returned.

  “So this shadow has been free for a long time?” It had been many, many years since the fey fled. “Which means that this new urgency has to be because something is freeing the other shadows.”

  “We have to stop them!” Grace was fierce.

  Yes, we must not let them go free. If they’re all released, Faerie will succumb to darkness. She paused briefly, turning to stare at Grace. I’m glad you have made it here. You are one of the keys to the shadow prison, Grace… Her name sounded like wind chimes in the queen’s voice. You have a destiny that has been hidden from you. The land of the glittering courts has protected Faerie for more years than history remembers. They were cursed, and now it’s time to return them … before the shadows achieve their goals.

  Grace stumbled over her words as she replied, “The land of the glittering courts? Do you mean the four jeweled meadows we just came from?”

  Josephina nodded. Yes, once they were four of the strongest lands in Faerie, each blessed with an affinity for a precious gem, which they used to keep the shadows contained. I don’t know what happened, but … spells were cast and princesses hidden away. The magic that sustained the cage weakened, allowing the shadows to grow in strength.

  “So these jeweled meadows, or their people at least, kept the shadows contained?” I was trying to piece together the dragon’s cryptic revelation.

  Yes, the shadows are trapped at the center of Faerie. It’s a cage, protected by the jeweled courts. Whatever spell was cast turned the gems against their kin, and keep them trapped. With each passing day that the jeweled meadows are spelled, the cage holding the shadows weakens. We are running out of time.

  “What do the demons have to do with it? Are they working with the shadows?” The demons were never far from my mind.

  Yes, they work together. The demons want a doorway from their world. They will pour into Faerie, and from here … well…

  “They will go to Earth,” I finished for her.

  “So what do we do?” Grace’s voice was firm and strong again. “How do we break this spell? Free those trapped so they can stop the shadows from escaping?”

  You already know the answer to this, Princess Gracelynn of the Diamond Meadows. You just need to search within yourself. Find the other three princesses and the answer will be clear.

  Grace let out a gasp as confusion and disbelief and a million other complex emotions crossed her face. I was processing it as well, but I wasn’t … surprised. Grace was special. It shone so brightly from her, there was no way anyone could miss it – except for an idiot fourteen year old. But I was no longer blind. My dragon had seen the diamonds bleeding from her skin, and Josephina was confirming it.

  Grace continued blinking, mouth ajar, so I brought the focus back to the golden dragon. “Why don’t you just tell us exactly what we need to do to free those lands?”

  I don’t know much. Things are hidden from me. Were hidden from my mother. There is one thing I can do to help you, though…

  She crossed to Jacob, her long snout leaning down to press against his ruby chest. The flash of golden light that followed was blinding, and I had just taken a few steps forward when the rubies shimmered and melted off my brother. I was at his side in the next instant, one arm going around his shoulder to keep him upright. Grace reached us then, pressing closer to wrap him in a hug.

  I turned to the queen. “Can you do that to the others who are trapped?”

  She shook her head. I don’t have the power to free them all. I’m sorry.

  I expected the answer, but it was still disappointing. “Thank you for Jacob,” I said with a respectful nod, turning back to my brother.

  He was standing on his own now, looking around dazedly, blinking in slow movements. “What the hell happened?” His voice was hoarse and he sounded confused, his green eyes glassy.

  “You were trapped in the ruby spell. How do you feel?”

  He blinked a few more times, focusing on me. “I don’t remember anything. Just feel a bit disoriented.”

  Before I could say more, energy rocked through the three of us. Grace and I were thrown backwards. Jacob let out a bellowing roar, collapsing to his knees. This time I got to watch a dragon mating from a different angle. Energy shimmered along Jacob’s body, which was growing and changing, scales sprouting across his arms and legs.

  He was bright green, darkening to olive around his clawed feet. Golden orbs of eyes blinked at me before he launched himself into the air and took off.

  I turned to Josephina, who was still waiting nearby. “How is this possible? Being dragon mated? We already have a supernatural race, and this should have happened at birth. Are we now a dual, like Jessa was?”

  You four are something beyond all previous knowledge. The dragon souls wait for the strongest to bond with, and there are none more able to handle the bond than you quads. One bonded at birth, the other three when the time is right.

  More cryptic bullshit, but … I’d take it.

  I can’t believe this. Tyson was already way out of my league, and now he’s a fucking dragon too.

  The words were a little fuzzy, but they were from Grace. With a whoop I gathered her in my arms. “I heard you,” I said, pulling her up off the ground so I could see her face. “And seriously, Diamond Princess, sounds like you might be way out of my league.”

  She wrinkled her nose at me, and I knew she wasn’t convinced that she was this Gracelynn. I pressed my lips to hers, once, and then again for a longer kiss. “It really doesn’t matter, little witch. There are no takebacks. I chose you long before the true mate bond flared between us. I was choosing you. No. Matter. What.” The fierceness of those last three words surprised even me.

  For the first time since I had found her at the farm, her face crumbled. Agony escaped from whatever box she’d had it locked in, sorrow beating at our bond. When tears spilled down her cheeks, I closed my arms tightly around her.

  “It’s okay to let go. I won’t let you fall. I will never let you fall, baby.”

  A sob slipped out from between her tightly pressed lips, followed by another and another. Then, like a dam bursting, she fell into me, hot rushes of tears escaping from her. I held her tightly while she sobbed out her pain and hurt … her fears and insecurities. Now that our bond was even further cemented, I could feel those emotions so strongly. I could see those tendrils of darkness pressing into her aura. She had spoken about them with fear, and I was unhappy to find them so deeply entrenched inside of her. An actual part of her energy.

  As her sobs started to slow, though, some of the shadows disappeared. I wondered if the release had helped. If I had my way, this was only the beginning. She would live in the light again. I would make sure of it.

  Grace Carter

  I wanted to scream to relieve the pressing weight of sorrow on my chest, to shout as long and loud as I could, to punch and kick things. Since the only thing in close vicinity was Tyson, I decided not to lash out. I just cried hot, salty tears, clinging to him like he was my last anchor to the world.

  I realized then that I trusted him completely. He would never use my weakness against me. Which was a huge thing for me.

  “It will take time,” he whispered, his body against mine, offering comfort. “Don’t try and move past it all in one day. You’ve been free for what … twenty-four hours? You can take all the time you need.”

  I dried my eyes against his soft shirt, just breathing, letting his presence calm me. We’d broken through the last barrier of our bond; now there was a constant feeling of him in my mind. It was weird, but I also liked it. I knew I could shut the corner away if I w
anted privacy from him, but … I liked having his presence with me.

  “How could I be a fey princess?” I pulled back just enough to see his face. “I was born on Earth. I wasn’t hidden away. I had parents and a psycho gran, and I’m a witch – a healer. Surely if I was a fey, there would have been signs.”

  His arms tightened, pulling me back closer. “Maybe, like Jessa, you had the fey part of you locked away. I don’t know how you had a family, and still some magic powers, but … your gran unlocked something in you with that blade. You opened the doorway here. We have to at least explore the possibility that you’re more than a witch.”

  While I agreed with his logic, I still couldn’t compute that I was … a fey princess? It just didn’t make any sense. Sure, I felt a little different since being held at my gran’s, but … fey … royalty? Nope.

  My eyes darted across to where the gold dragon was calmly waiting. Seeing the huge beast, I was reminded that Jacob was still off in the sky. He would return soon, just as Tyson had when his honey-colored dragon had enough of its newfound freedom. I found myself looking closely at him, trying to see if he had changed at all. Same tousled hair, broad shoulders, more height than was necessary, but there was a sense of danger about him now, sort of like what Braxton carried. A feral in those darkening eyes.

  He reached for me, drawing me slowly into his body, then pressed a firm kiss to my lips. Energy raced across my body. My heart was beating so fast, and yet everything else inside of me was moving with a slow, deep heat. It was confusing. And perfect. Deliciously tantalizing. Each kiss had me wanting more and more.

  I froze at a shout. Tyson untangled us with a disgruntled noise and swung into action. He lifted and dropped me behind him, falling into a protective pose, shielding me from view. The shout had been somewhat familiar, and I was trying to figure out who it reminded me of while I tried to peek around my mate. He kept ushering me back, putting distance between us and whomever was approaching.

  Josephina got to her feet, her massive body moving silently as she stepped in our direction. Tyson glanced at her, staring for a few long moments. Something passed between them and he relaxed, his arms lowering. This time, when I tried to look around him, he let me. A flash of inky black hair caught my eye, and I knew exactly who had shouted.