Door in the Garden of Shadows

by April Canavan

  “Mykah, my girl. What are you doing here? It cannot be your time to fade. You should not be here.” His voice was the same husky sound that she remembered from her childhood.

  “Papa,” she whispered against his neck. “I need your help. The mother of all has sent me to you.”

  Surprise shook his frame. “The mother of all? Why? What has happened?”

  “It’s all my fault.” Mykah wept, “I thought the sprites had killed you. There was so much anger, so much hate. I don’t know how it happened. I cut myself, and my blood killed them. Oh, the grove. I killed the elder grove. Now I have to restore it to save the Malice Court.”

  “Oh, Mykah. You’re a blood magic user. I didn’t know. Or I’d have taught you how to control it.” His face contorted with unshed tears and the pain of a parent having failed their child.

  “I know, papa. That’s why I’m here now. I need you to teach me how to control it so that I can restore the elder grove. If I can bring it back, our realm will be safe.”

  “There’s nothing I can do to help you if you’re here my dear. It means you’ve faded. When you fade, your power is gone.” His voice broke, and he pulled himself back from their embrace. “I wish I could.” He pulled away from her hug.

  “I didn’t fade, papa. The mother of all sent me here to learn what I needed to. They’re going to retrieve me once I’ve gotten control of my power.” She glanced around, feeling a ripple of power through the air, and she found herself expecting their reality to shift, but nothing happened.

  “Oh, my dear girl. I’m so sorry that you have to go through this. I tried to save our realm, and I thought I had succeeded. The spell took too much of my energy, and in the end the sprites weren’t able to save me.” Her father, the great and powerful dark fae king, looked so tired.

  His black hair had streaks of gray that she didn’t remember being in it and was tied at the back of his neck with a simple silver band. He was just as tall as she remembered, towering over her. His soft blue eyes were warm and welcoming, and the laugh lines around his eyes gave him the appearance of a grandfather.

  “I missed you so much, Papa.” She hugged him again tightly, never wanting to let go.

  “It was my time to fade, child. Don’t fret. You were always my bright and shining sunrise. You can do this. I’ll show you how. The power will come easily to you, now that you’ve already harnessed it.” He led her through the grove, making their way to the trees on the border, he told her about her power.

  He told her about the history of blood magic. The ancient royal all had one of the rare gifts. Some could control spirit magic and move between dimensions. The others had the ability to use blood magic. Where spirit magic was associated with light and was not generally used to cause harm, blood magic served no other purpose but to hurt others or to resurrect them. Before the days when the courts were split, the royals were forbidden to share their powers outside of the realms. When the Concord and Malice courts were broken into two, those who could use spirit magic stayed with the light fae, and those who used blood magic found themselves in the dark fae court.

  There were generations of fae born with no unique ability of either spirit or blood. The royals were determined by their bloodlines, and the last of the ancient skills were thought to have died out. Only one in a generation is born with the power now, and they are trained from the day they are able to use their magic to control it. Her father told her about his training, which had started during his fifth year when he had brought a bird back to life in the middle of the throne room. He had trained in silence, in the dungeons so that no one would discover his power. His father, the dark fae king Aidan, was the one to teach him. Not even his mother, Moira, knew of his ability. The ancient powers were forbidden when they started to die out. Too many people feared the power that could destroy not only one realm but all of them.

  Of the two, the power over blood was the harder to control. Her father told her that it would be impossible to teach her everything, but he could show her enough. He told her about the secret room in the dungeons with the hidden texts for blood magic. So if she were able to get home, she would be able to continue learning.

  While they were walking, he told her everything would be okay. He could teach her how to resurrect the grove. He could train her to store her magic, to use the power of the ground around her if she needed it. She could draw on the essence of others if need be. She couldn’t tell him about the key, not yet. She didn’t know why, but she kept it a secret.

  “Papa, where is everyone else?” She thought at least her grandmother and grandfather would be there, but they weren’t.

  “Your mother is with Aidan looking for Moira. We felt her presence shift to the Isles, but it was after they were gone that I felt you through the mists.” He reached over and tucked a strand of her hair that had escaped the bun behind her ear. “I’m so happy to see you, my dear. As much as I want you to stay forever, that isn’t your place. I must teach you what to do so you can get home.”

  They made their way into the woods, to an area that had houses built into the forest. It was like a city of palaces, each home built into the trees, surrounded by beauty and life. There were some people Mykah didn’t recognize wandering around, but she stayed at her father’s side as he led her to a magnificent building that had roses growing in front of it.

  “This is where your mother and I live with your grandfather, and now your grandmother I suppose. You will stay here, of course. For now, you must rest. Learning is useless if you’re too exhausted to retain any of it. There is food in the kitchen, we’ll make you something. You need to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be soon enough to start. Your mother should be home by then.” He pulled her into another hug then led her into the home.

  It was like walking into another version of their palace. The walls had plants growing out of them, and as she walked by they all reached out to her. Mykah touched them as she went by, feeling the love and warmth they had to share. The kitchen was simple, and Mykah soon had a bowl of fresh fruit and some bread in front of her. Devouring it, because she hadn’t realized how hungry she was, she contemplated everything that had happened.

  She had been so wrong about the mother of all, so wrong about all of it. Saying goodbye to Tyler like that had been painful, but then he had been there in the mists with her.

  “Papa.” Mykah looked at her father and wondered if he would have an answer.

  He smiled down at her. “Yes, sunshine?” He used her childhood nickname.

  “In the mists, I saw something, it seemed so real. What was it?” She nibbled on some of her bread while she waited for his answer.

  “The mists are almost like purgatory for the humans. It is a place between the two worlds.” He motioned with his hands to create a circle in front of him, “I saw your mother when I was in the mists, when I was there I almost didn’t leave them. I started to see through the images, though, and I knew they weren’t real.”

  “What do the things I saw mean?” She thought back to the dance she shared with Tyler, but the images of the dead bodies of her friends crowded her mind.

  “They’re manifestations of your deepest wishes.” He had a wistful look on his face, and Mykah knew that he remembered the visions of her mother he had in the mists.

  But she didn’t wish anything terrible on her friends. “What if I saw something horrible?” So horrible that she was afraid to voice them.

  “What did you see, Mykah?” He looked at her, using the same look he had when she was a child in trouble.

  “I can’t tell you,” she fought back the tears that threatened to spill. “It was devastating.” Flashes of their bodies came to her mind again, and she found herself fighting tears. She shouldn’t have mentioned it.

  “Mykah, I can’t help you unless you tell me.” He reached for her hand and grasped it in his, reassuring her with his touch. “Please.”

  “It was terrible.” She told him everything. Of the people dying, and everything el
se except for Tyler. He was still her father, after all.

  “I don’t know, but I think we need to start as soon as possible tomorrow so that you can master the resurrection spell. You shouldn’t stay here any longer than necessary.” He looked at her like he wanted to say more, but held himself back.

  “Okay, papa.” After she had finished eating, he showed her to the bedroom she would be staying in.

  “Goodnight, my little sunshine. I love you.” Tears stung Mykah’s eyes once more, and she kissed his cheek before closing the door as he left.

  She had never thought that she would get another chance to see him. Now, not only did she get to see him, but she would see the rest of her family after she woke up. Although her life had been filled with heartbreak in the past five years, suddenly she felt like everything was exactly the way it should be.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “Get out of my way,” Tyler muttered, but the shifter didn’t budge.

  “Tyler. Stop,” she pleaded. You can’t do anything about this. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  “Watch me, I’ll be damned if they’re going to take her away from me before she’s really mine.” He pushed past her and was surprised when she didn’t stop him.

  “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Jackson.” Anna was talking to his retreating back and ran to catch up. “I just know that I would tear the world apart if I had to.”

  He kept walking down the halls, getting lost along the way. Trying to maneuver the halls was bad enough on an average day, but he was ready to destroy everything in his path to get Mykah back.

  “I heard you. Through the door, you left it open. I heard what you said to her.” Anna was as direct as always. “If you really do love her, I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

  “I don’t know what any of us can do. She gave herself up to the mother of all. She gave up.” He was pissed. At Mykah, at the mother, and at Winter for letting it happen.

  Finally, they made it back to the throne room. Both Winter and Jessica were there, along with another woman, whose back was to him.

  “What. The. Hell.” He managed to bite the words out through clenched teeth. “You didn’t try and save her.” He felt the anger rising in his chest, and a need to kill was winding its way through his body.

  “Tyler, please.” Winter started, “I couldn’t do anything.” She held her hands up in a placating gesture, but he kept moving forward as a haze of red covered his vision.

  He didn’t care if he was going to die, or if she was going to hurt him. He needed answers. “So what? She wasn’t your precious Sarah so you couldn’t save her?” He knew the insult was wrong, but he couldn’t stop the hate from spewing forth. “You can save everyone else, but the one person I care about?” And then he was at her side and reaching for her.

  But before he could get his hands on her, the other woman stepped between them. “No one is free from my whim, and that includes you–warrior.” Her voice froze him with its power.

  It was then that he actually looked at her. Blonde hair that fell to the ground, and a black dress that did nothing to hide her figure. “Who are you?”

  “You don’t feel it? The power?” Anna was standing back, her voice raised, and Tyler turned to see a look of horror on her face. “That’s the mother of all, Tyler. Get away from her.”

  “Oh?” He turned back to her, the blood still boiling through his body. “I don’t care who you are. Bring her back.”

  “I can’t do that.” She looked at him stubbornly.

  “Why the hell not? You took her away because of the curse. You can bring her back.” He looked between her and Jessica. “Why aren’t you demanding it, Jessica. She’s your sister, your sister. You should be fighting with everything you have to get her back.” He was angry, and no one else seemed to care about Mykah.

  “She’s gone to the Eternal Isles.” Those six words did what nothing else could have.

  They destroyed him. Eviscerated him, and he half expected that if he looked down, he would see that his insides were hanging out. He clenched his heart, and sank to his knees and prayed. He prayed to a god that he hadn’t spoken to in a thousand years. He prayed to a god that had long ago forgotten his existence. He prayed for her return, even though he didn’t expect an answer. It felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs, and there was no other reason to live.

  He knew that if he drew her ire, the mother of all could end his suffering. But he wasn’t fae. He couldn’t follow Mykah where she went. It didn’t matter, he felt like a part of him was missing.

  “Is this what it feels like?” He whispered to himself, “I can’t breathe. It feels like my heart is gone. Is this what it feels like when a vampire loses their mate?” No wonder Mara went batshit crazy and tried to kill Winter. Tyler wanted to go on a rampage, and it didn’t matter if he died along the way.

  “Tyler,” Jessica said his name, drawing him out of the dark turn his thoughts were taking. “I can bring her home, but not until she’s ready.”

  What she said didn’t make any sense. Once a member of the fae realms died, they faded into the Eternal Isles. They lived forever in peace with nature, acting as the spirit of the land. There was no way to come back from there.

  “You lie.” He said, ready to throw his life away and try to kill the mother of all.

  “She tells the truth. Jessica and Mykah both have the ancient powers, forbidden to practice. Jessica can bring her sister back.” The melodic voice of the mother rang through his anger, settling into his heart and forcing him to calm down. “I would never intentionally harm her.”

  “You cursed her!” He practically screamed at her. “You forced her to live among the humans for the last five years because she was horrified that she was going to have to sacrifice herself. She’s done just that, and now you’re saying that her sister has had the power to bring her back this entire time? That’s a load of bullshit, and you know it.” He looked around the room, shocked that Winter or Anna would buy into it.

  “Tyler. You don’t know everything. You don’t know the whole story.” Jessica said.

  “So, tell me. It’s not like I have anywhere else to go. You’ve taken Mykah to a place I can’t follow. The one place I can’t follow her to.” He waited for one of them to start talking, and when he thought for sure that they would just stay silent, he moved to leave.

  “Five years ago, a vampire named Sarah was given a key.” The mother of all was speaking in hushed tones, but they still demanded respect. “Not just any key, but the key I entrusted to the Blood King. The key that holds the power to unlock the door and stop the destruction of magic. Not just one realm, but all of them. The entire world would lose magic, and would slowly fade into oblivion, starting with our realms. Before she was given the key, I had thought all was lost. I hadn’t felt the key’s presence since Jonathon’s death. Suddenly, though, it was there. Hope wasn’t lost. The vampire world was in chaos, with their king letting their power drain into nothingness. Sarah saved the court, but it cost her. The key saved her, more than once, while your court was replenishing itself. Thankfully, it is the youngest of the magical realms, so it had less power to lose in the first place. It’s better now, thanks to Sarah and the key she wore around her neck.” The mother looked at Tyler directly, and he felt his skin heat under her perusal.

  “I know you, and the shifter played a part in helping her. I’m eternally grateful for that. When Sarah unlocked the key, and the first bits of power escaped, it sent the dark fae realm into chaos. The elder groves, the center of their power, started to attack the people of the realm, draining all their magic and leaving them for dead. The king, Eamon, Jessica and Mykah’s father, was able to use blood magic and save their realm. It cost him his life. While the sprites I sent to assist him were trying to help, Jessica and Mykah came upon the scene. Mykah lost control of her power, and destroyed the elder grove and everything her father had done to help.” She sighed and looked to the dark fae queen, offering a sad
smile.

  “I had no choice because she was the last user of blood magic, she would have to use her power and resurrect the elder grove. If the grove is not restored, the dark fae realm will perish and with it, the balance that exists with the magical realms. The battle will be lost before it ever starts. Mykah couldn’t control her magic. There are no other blood magic users in the world. Eamon was the last. I had to send her to him. I couldn’t do it without it being her choice, though. The Eternal Isles are out of my control. I could open the portal, but even I was unable to force her to go through. The portal almost closed without her entering it. If it had, the world would not have stood a chance.” The mother moved away from the throne and approached Tyler cautiously, reaching out to stroke his arm with her hand.

  “You are all my children, and if I can spare you pain, I would. I don’t have a choice. We are all in danger. Mykah is there to learn, to gather the information and skills that she needs to control her power. She must save her people, and she must do it alone. This is not a path you can take, my young warrior. You cannot fight this battle for her. What you can do is be here when she returns, because she will need you. She will need you to hold her through the aftermath, to help mend her broken spirit, and to show her that she is not alone.” Tyler let her touch him, and he felt her power finding itself wrapped around him like a blanket, and the serenity it brought with it reminded him of the time he had spent with Mykah in his arms.

  “There’s nothing I can do, is there?” He asked the question, but he knew what she was going to say. He just didn’t want to accept it.

  “You know the answer to that,” the mother said with a smile. “I must go. There are so many more things to come. I must make sure that we are ready. Be careful, children. The world is not as it appears.” With that, she was gone, no trace of her presence left.

  “Winter, can you give Tyler and me a moment, please? Take Anna with you.” Jessica commanded them with the regality that fit her station.