by Nissa Leder
Prisoner of Darkness
Nissa Leder
Copyright © 2017 by Nissa Leder
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Cover design by Nissa Leder
Edited by Jessica West
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www.NissaLeder.com
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Also by Nissa Leder
About the Author
Chapter One
Scarlett twirled her finger around the rim of the glass in front of her while Ashleigh talked about some guy she’d been dating off and on. He had brown hair. Or maybe it was blonde. Scarlett couldn’t remember for sure, and she didn’t much care.
The smell of baked dough and cheese filled the pizza place where they were having lunch. Pop music played throughout the restaurant, low enough where guests could still talk and hear one another. But Scarlett heard every word of the songs and each instrument of the background track clear as day: drums, guitar, and piano all twined as one melody.
Guitars and other music memorabilia hung on the walls, one of which may or may not have belonged to Elvis. Scarlett guessed not. Thick checkered linens covered tables that were surrounded by red plastic booths or chairs. Not the fanciest of places, but it had always been the go-to restaurant for Ashleigh, Scarlett, and their mom when they had a family meal out. This was their first time coming since losing their mom. Scarlett ignored the sorrow of her empty spot, and instead focused on the chance to be with her sister.
Since Scarlett returned from Faerie, her relationship with Ashleigh had been great, so different from when she left the mortal world for the world of the fae. Even though only a few days had passed in the human world, Scarlett had been gone for weeks.
Scarlett and Ashleigh were now the sisters she’d always wanted them to be. But Scarlett was different.
And she hid her new self from her sister.
How close could she ever truly feel to Ashleigh if she never revealed her secrets?
Scarlett pried her attention back to the conversation.
“But I mean, it’s crazy, right? To feel this much so fast?” Ashleigh perched her chin on her palm, elbow resting on the table. She wore her blonde curls natural today, tamed with some mousse and hairspray.
“Not necessarily,” Scarlett said, hoping she sounded like she’d been listening the whole time. “Maybe you’re soul mates.”
She didn’t really believe soul mates existed. Then again, at the beginning of the summer she hadn’t believed in the fae either.
As Scarlett inhaled, she felt the pull of the bond inside her that connected her to Raith. The bond was faint, likely due to the distance between them, but it still tugged at Scarlett whenever she thought of him. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left her two weeks ago.
Scarlett scooted out of the booth, its plastic sticking to her skin as she stood. “I’m going to the ladies’ room before they bring us our pizza.”
“Okay.” Ashleigh picked up her cell phone and typed, probably a message to her new crush.
Scarlett felt the giddiness inside her older sister as she walked away. She sensed the frustration of a nearby waitress as a group of teen boys tried to flirt with her. The cook, far out of Scarlett’s view, was filled with sorrow. Scarlett heard him humming a country song, slow and haunting, as he prepared the food.
In the bathroom, Scarlett hovered in front of a mirror. Her rosy cheeks and flawless skin still looked foreign to her—not that she was complaining—but she knew she’d get used to them eventually. But her ears, pointed on top—they’d always feel unnatural. Scarlett couldn’t hide from the changes, but she could hide them from everyone else, the humans at least. To them, she looked like she always did. At first, she made sure to keep her ears covered. But with practice, Scarlett had learned how to glamour herself. By absorbing the emotion around her, she stored power inside. Then, she’d close her eyes and picture her ears how they used to look, rounded and mortal. A tingle would spread through them. In the mirror, they still looked pointed to Scarlett, but when she tucked her hair behind her ear in front of Ashleigh, she didn’t say anything.
It took a lot of energy, but now Scarlett could glamour her ears with confidence. So much so, her hair was now pulled up into a bun on top of her head. If only the other changes were as easy to hide.
Everything in Scarlett was heightened now, from the sights and sounds and smells around her to the emotion inside her. Sad movies made her bawl. A bad driver made her boil. Once, when someone cut her off before an intersection, she cursed and wished his car would run into the fire hydrant he was passing. And that’s exactly what happened.
She knew she’d been the cause.
And it hadn’t bothered her. Not one bit.
Scarlett washed her hands, avoiding another look in the mirror, and returned to the table. As she sat down again, the waitress brought them their pizza: half pepperoni and half Hawaiian, like always. At least some parts of Scarlett’s life seemed normal.
“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked.
“I think we’re good,” Ashleigh said as she grabbed herself a piece of pepperoni. “Looks delicious!”
As the waitress walked away, Scarlett asked, “Did you text him?”
She wanted to care about Ashleigh’s crush. After all, before she’d gone to Faerie all she thought she needed was a strong friendship with her sister. But that was before everything got so horribly complicated.
Before Scarlett turned fae. Or, more accurately, before she learned she’d always been part fae.
She didn’t think she was just part fae anymore.
“Yes,” Ashleigh said, happiness bursting from her. Even if Scarlett couldn’t feel it like she did, her sister’s face said enough.
“When do I get to meet him?” It was a normal sisterly request: meet the boyfriend. It’s what before-Scarlett would have asked.
“I don’t want to freak him out, so not yet.” Ashleigh grinned. “But soon. Promise.”
A surge of anger fluttered through Scarlett. It wasn’t her own. It came from the waitress, who had just placed a pizza on the table of the teenage boys sitting across the restaurant. All the boys laughed. One emanated lust.
“Nice ass,” he said.
He must have touched the waitress because she startled and dropped a stack of napkins. What a jerk.
The rage from the waitress fizzled inside Scarlett and turned into her own. The cocky grin the boy wore poked a sleeping bear inside of her. She envisioned the hot pizza sliding onto him, sizzling his skin. When it did, the boys at the table grew silent. The cocky boy screamed, burned from the pizza now in his lap.
Sho
ck mixed with joy filled the waitress.
Scarlett pulled her attention away, fearful someone might spot her watching. “Well, I’m excited to meet him when you think the time is right.”
Ashleigh’s eyes were glued to her phone, too busy to notice the commotion at the other table.
Scarlett really shouldn’t have done that. It was dangerous and petty. But it felt so good, so right. She absorbed the waitress’ satisfaction, the boy’s humiliation, and the confusion of the others who saw.
Power grew within her.
She wasn’t the old Scarlett anymore.
It had been more than two weeks since Kaelem had teased Raith with knowledge of his mother and Raith still hadn’t learned anything more.
“There, there, Summer Prince,” Kaelem, dressed in a charcoal gray suit with platinum cufflinks and a thin black tie, said as he jabbed his fork into the turkey on his plate. “Patience is a virtue.”
“Your clichés won’t make me forget what you promised,” Raith retorted.
“I said I knew things about your mother. I made no promises as to when or if I’d tell you.”
“And I’m not a summer prince anymore.”
“No? My mistake.” Kaelem shoved a big bite into his mouth.
They sat at a long, white table surrounded by sleek, red chairs. Where the Summer Court was luxurious and formal, the Unseelie Court was cold and modern. It lived in the mortal realm, and, though it was heavily protected from the mortals with fae magic, the decor had been influenced with the changing styles of the humans. Three metallic chandeliers dangled above the table, lighting the room with bright round bulbs at the ends of silver rods. Bold pictures, all black and white photos of scenery with bright splashes of color, hung around the room.
The high ceiling had a large skylight that showcased the moonlit sky. While much of the human world was going to bed for the night, the Unseelie Court was just getting started.
A brownie, short with a large nose and wrinkly brown skin, brought in a large cheesecake topped with cherries. “Master.” It bowed.
Low fae were common in the Unseelie Court, held back by their lesser status, some more than others. Brownies were at the bottom, kept as servants by many of the Unseelie high fae.
High fae or not, Raith had never liked the idea of servants. But he wasn’t there to change Unseelie traditions. He wanted information and wouldn’t do anything that might interfere with him finding out what he needed to know.
“Dessert, mmmm.” Kaelem pushed his dinner plate away. “A slice for you?”
“My appetite is gone.”
The Unseelie King had been toying with Raith too long. He was sick of it. He wanted answers, not pie.
“It’s cheesecake, not pie,” Kaelem said. “And we treat our brownies far better than humans are treated in the Summer Court.”
“Get out of my head.” Raith had let his guard down. Again. He focused on his mental wall, fortifying it to keep Kaelem out. He’d been a mess since the Battle of Heirs. His mind shields had always been strong before, but lately, in moments of anger, he’d allowed them to lower just enough for Kaelem to sneak through. It didn’t help that Kaelem was king of the Unseelie Court and a strong mind reader.
“I’m just teaching you to keep your guard up, always. You never know who will go fishing inside your head.”
“How kind of you.” Raith lifted his wine glass and sipped. As the fruity liquid slid down his throat, a tingle spread through him.
“It’s rude to turn away a perfectly good cheesecake.” Kaelem cut two slices, put them on separate plates, and pushed one to Raith. “Dessert always makes a day better.”
If eating the fucking cheesecake would shut Kaelem up, then fine. Raith took a huge mouthful. He couldn’t deny, it was delicious: a perfect blend of creamy and sweet. But he was sick of the Unseelie games. Kaelem could wait years to tell Raith what he knew. What were years to someone who could live centuries?
Raith had more important things to do than to be a pawn in some royal game. If the desire to learn more about his mother wasn’t so strong, he’d already have gone.
All he’d left Scarlett with was a note saying they’d meet again. Could he have been more vague? If he’d known he’d be at the Unseelie Court so long, he’d have given her a proper goodbye. But what would that have been? A hug? A kiss? Passionate goodbye sex?
What were he and Scarlett? The bond between them kept them attached, but what if that went away? Neither of them could deny their connection, bond or no bond, but who knew what the connection meant?
He couldn’t worry about her now. If he wanted answers, he’d have to stay here and humor Kaelem. If Raith left, Kaelem may never share the secrets he said he had. The fae were stubborn, if nothing else.
Kaelem swallowed a bite. “Delightful.”
“Completely.” Raith didn’t hide the sourness to his tone. It was what Kaelem, who had the former Summer Prince in need of information, wanted. Raith had known Kaelem long enough to know that games were fun to him, and his best chance to learn what he needed was to play along.
Although Raith grew impatient, he was under the protection of the Unseelie King for now. Should his brother, Cade, find out he was still alive, Kaelem might keep him safe for nothing more than adding fuel to the fire of brotherly rivalry. That and nothing angered a fae ruler more than someone coming in and killing his guests.
So, for now, Raith would be a pawn in Kaelem’s chess game. Until he got the information he needed.
Kaelem devoured the last bite of the cheesecake on his plate. Its delectable flavor lit up his taste buds. Dessert was by far the best part of any meal.
He watched Raith grimace in his chair. The Summer Prince was too easy. Kaelem could get under his skin with just a look. Oh, the fun. He’d been rooting for Raith. Cade was too boring to be a fae king, all serious and moral.
So much so, he’d made the mistake of leaving his brother alive for someone or something else to take care of. Sure, to most it seemed a merciful deed, but to Kaelem, it showed his cowardice. Royals did not have the luxury of showing mercy. It made them weak and easy targets.
It was a mistake he’d only made once, and that one time haunted him every day.
Two brownies came into the dining room and cleared the table, careful not to meet Kaelem’s eye. He wasn’t sure why they feared him so much. Most likely an effect of his father’s ruling tendencies. Kaelem didn’t see the need to incite terror in everyone around him like the late king had done.
“I take it I won’t be getting any answers tonight,” Raith grumbled.
“Not tonight, Summer Prince.”
Kaelem laughed at the anger pouring off of Raith. The Summer Prince really needed to get his emotions in check, but that would take away the fun, which would be no good.
“Then I’m leaving.” Raith paused, waiting for an objection.
If Kaelem refused, he’d stay. If he asked Raith to dance like a drunken chicken, he’d do that, too. For as much as Raith pretended to be uncaring, Kaelem had seen inside his mind when his mental shields were down. Raith would do whatever it took to learn more about his mother. Well, almost anything. Kaelem had read his thoughts of the human girl. Those feelings would be the one line he may not cross, even to know more about his beloved mother.
Which made Kaelem want to push that particular boundary even more.
When Kaelem didn’t respond, Raith got up from the table and left the room without another word.
Kaelem smirked. That human girl had both Summer Princes intrigued. Only, she was never truly human. Kaelem had sensed the fae in her the first time he saw her.
And he’d felt her transition the moment she took the pill he’d given her.
Now she wasn’t human at all.
A soft wind blew against Kaelem’s skin. Someone had evanesced into the room, which, thanks to the boundary spell, only a few could do. The palace barriers prohibited evanescing for most fae. Only Kaelem and a few of the Unseelie guards could.
And the Fates, who appeared in front of him.
Their raven hair contrasted sharply against their pallid skin. All three stared at Kaelem with deep set, obsidian eyes so dark it was impossible to distinguish between iris and pupil.
“Hello, King of Darkness,” they said in unison.
Kaelem slouched back in his chair and lifted his feet onto the table. A visit from the Fates—how interesting. The last prophecy he heard landed him the position of king. “To what do I owe the pleasure of the presence of such beauties?”
It’s wasn’t a lie, the three sisters were beautiful, in a harsh way. Big eyes, with thin rose-colored lips, and flawless pale skin. Had they not had the habit of bearing bad news, they might have been more likable.
“As proud as ever, we see,” they said. “We come to share news of a great power.”
The Fates were nothing if not dramatic.
“Don’t brush us off, King, or you may just suffer the same fate as your father.”
Kaelem kept his face still, but the jab got to him. His father had been warned of the threat the Seelie Queen posed, but he’d swept the warning away.
“Our words are never true or false,” the three voices sang in perfect harmony. “But we speak the outcome we see.”
And they were almost never wrong. Their visions were legend. Fae kings and queens taught their heirs to believe or regret it.
Except Kaelem’s father. He told them to go to hell, and that’s probably where he was that very moment.
“I’m listening,” Kaelem said.
The Fates cocked their heads in unison, like crows perched on a fence. “Trouble bubbles for the fae world. A power, long undiscovered, awaits those brave enough to search. But only two parts of a whole and one part of another can free it from its chamber. That is the key.”
