Summer Prince

by Juliana Haygert

  I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “The fae,” the ogre snapped. “We can smell him all over this place. All over you.”

  Varian had escaped from their dungeon and come directly here. The ogres had followed him. What did the ogres want with him, other than a nice meal? I mean, fae probably tasted better than goblins, but still, they could have anything. Why chase a fae?

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I raised my hands, white bolts hovering over my palms. “Now get out before I make you.”

  The ogre let out a hoarse chuckle. “You might be powerful, witch, but we want the fae.” He advanced on me. “You’re coming with us.”

  No way in hell!

  I threw the bolts at him, but the other ogres rushed me. My heart sped as I raised a shield around me, but the ogres clanked their weapons on it. They swiped wide and hit the wooden bench, breaking it in half. The loud crack startled me and my shield flickered. The next hit broke the shield, and before I could throw more of my magic at them, two held down my arms and tied thick ropes around my torso and arms.

  “Let me go!” I screamed, jerking against the ropes.

  They pressed one of their anti-magic charms on my arms. Numbness filled me and I couldn’t feel my magic anymore. I screamed again, out of frustration. Desperation.

  But there was nothing I could do.

  They had found me unprepared, stunned with their boldness.

  And now they were taking me away.

  13

  Varian

  I didn’t find the marketplace right away. It took me a few turns and a couple of hours, and I even thought that maybe it had already been dismantled for the week. Layla had told me it only stayed up for a few days every couple of weeks. But finally I found it again and it was busting with activity.

  I hesitated before entering it. Ugly creatures strolled from stand to stand, just like the fae would in Sun City’s marketplace. It was quite disturbing to see them acting so normal. Some creatures were tall and wide and strong, others were small and weak, some seemed old, others looked quite young, and most of them had a hint of mythical. Of magic. Either they possessed it, or they were touched by it.

  I had never seen so many different races in one place.

  As I walked into the marketplace, the creatures noticed my presence. They either recognized the cloak and wondered what a stranger was doing with Bloodwrath’s cloak, or they were wondering about the stranger part.

  Not in the mood to waste my time here or pick any fights, I kept the hood drawn and my head low, but my vision was sharp and I scanned the crowd for anything that could be helpful.

  I didn’t find any clues, but I did see something that made me stop in my tracks.

  A young female fae.

  A young female fae who had shackles around her wrists and ankles.

  Her dark red hair was dirty, as was her fair skin, and bruises marred her face and arms.

  I clenched my fists.

  Who had the audacity to enslave a fae?

  A rage I had felt only a handful of times took possession of me, and before I knew it, I was stalking to her.

  The young fae saw me coming and turned her back to me, pretending to browse a stand displaying an array of colorful fabrics.

  “You’re fae,” I said, my voice low. “You’re a slave.”

  She shrugged one shoulder and turned away from me a little more. “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?” I looked around. Despite the attention I had gotten when I first entered the marketplace, everyone seemed to have forgotten about me. “Don’t free you? That’s exactly what I plan to do.”

  “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “Of course I do,” I insisted. Why was she acting this way? Why didn’t she want to be freed? Was she so afraid of her captor? I could deal with him, whoever he was. “Have you heard of Bloodwrath?”

  Slowly, she glanced at me over her shoulder, her eyes wide with both fear and curiosity. “Yes.”

  “I know her,” I told her. “She’s not as bad as they say. She’s going to help me go back to Wyth.” At least, I hoped she would. If she didn’t, I would convince her to. “You can come with me. We can go back home and return to our lives.”

  The fear in her gaze disappeared, replaced by longing. “I …” She inhaled deeply. “I want to, but I shouldn’t.”

  “Why not? We can plan everything. When we’re ready, I’ll come for you.”

  “You can’t,” she whispered.

  “Then you come to us. You can come to the witch’s cottage. It’s located just southwest of here, deep into the forest, behind a thick thorn hedge. And if you—“

  A shadow fell over me. I looked up and saw a big greenish creature baring his long teeth at me. He said something in another language, his words sharp and angry.

  The female fae scurried behind him and hid herself around his legs.

  So this was her captor.

  Around us, everyone paused whatever they were doing. Most creatures seemed to be hiding from this ugly monster too. Was he so evil that even the others were afraid of him?

  The ugly monster spoke again, his words harsher.

  “He’s asking what you want,” the girl translated, her voice low and shaking.

  “Nothing,” I snapped, my eyes glued to the ugly creature’s. “For now.”

  Knowing I had lost this round, I whirled on my heels and stomped away.

  If it weren’t for the fae and the ugly monster, I would have stayed in the marketplace longer, searching for clues and magical items that could help Layla and me on our quest.

  Well, my quest. But I would bring her on board soon enough.

  But I didn’t want to put the fae’s life at risk, so I upped and left.

  On my way back to the cottage, I kept thinking … what else could I do? What else could I try? But I didn’t know this land well. I didn’t know what or who could help us. I didn’t want to give up. Not yet.

  Never.

  I had to get back home.

  I didn’t notice the large tracks and the upturned earth, as if something had been dragged across the ground, until I was well into Layla’s estate. But I froze when I saw the broken bench, most of the herb garden flattened, and an upturned bowl beside it, the contents scattered across the ground.

  What in the scorching sun happened here?

  Something moved behind me and I turned, a bolt of fire ready in my hands.

  An ogre ducked under the cottage’s door and exited to the porch. He wasn’t as big as the others who had captured me before, but he looked strong just the same.

  “Where’s Layla?” I barked in fae language, but repeated the question in the human language I had heard the ogres speaking. “What have you done with her?”

  “We have her,” the ogre said, his voice rough around the foreign words. “If you want her to live, you’ll come with me.”

  I frowned.

  Yes, I wanted her alive, but I wouldn’t go back like a scared cat.

  I let go of my fire and extended my hands to the ogre. “Take me.”

  The ogre walked toward me. When he was away from the cottage and in the middle of the garden, I waved my hands fast. A circle of fire appeared around him, high and strong. It twisted around him like a tornado, sucking all the air and moisture, and toasting him in place.

  His terrible screams echoed in the air.

  When I was certain he was dead, I let go of my magic. His charred body fell to the ground and became pure ashes.

  Right now, I was out of compassion.

  Without wasting a second, I ran toward the ogres’ lands.

  14

  Layla

  “Can I have some water?” I asked, just out of spite. I wasn’t thirsty, not yet, but I hated being like this.

  I tried rolling my shoulders again, but that only made my arms, which had been pulled behind me, ache more and the rope around my wrists to dig deeper into the skin. My knees hurt from kneeling
on the floor, even with the fur rug underneath them. I sat my ass on my feet and tried relaxing, but the ogres standing guard beside the wooden chairs in the room wouldn't let me.

  I glanced around, trying to see if anyone had complied with my wishes, but no one in the large, round room moved an inch.

  Ugh, I hated ogres.

  It was funny really how they actually thought Prince Varian would come for me. I was sure he wouldn’t. There was no reason to. I couldn’t help him go back to Wyth, and I was nothing to him. If I died here, he could actually have my cottage and hide behind my reputation. He could spin a lie like he killed me. That was sure to give him a good reputation too.

  I let out a long sigh.

  But for now, we waited because the ogres didn’t want to kill me yet.

  A shadow snaked out of the corner of the large room, weaving its way toward me. I braced myself as the lich formed his human-like shadow figure right in front of me.

  “You’re in trouble,” he said in his eerie voice.

  I frowned. I didn’t know much about liches other than that they acted as ghosts—they were specters tied to a place. They couldn’t leave, they couldn’t do harm or touch anyone, but they were creepy as hell.

  “Just go away,” I muttered, not in the mood to argue with a shadow.

  The lich laughed, a hoarse sound so in contrast with its form. But to my relief, it melted to the floor and snaked away, disappearing in the darkness across the room.

  Movement caught my attention and I turned my head to see two ogres parting and letting a small woman in a rough but fancy blue gown walk past them.

  I stared at her in disbelief.

  She halted before me and offered me a mug filled with water. “You asked for a drink?” I nodded, my eyes glued to her. Slowly, she brought the mug to my lips and helped me take two big gulps. She pulled back, but stood her ground. “Better?”

  Finally, I found my voice. “Carlyn.”

  She had changed since the last time I had seen her. Her brown hair was now short and her skin was pale, as if she never went outside anymore. But she still had the same regal air about her, the same arrogance, as if the world should bow at her feet.

  Well, in this case, she had the upper hand.

  “Long time no see,” she said, a hint of a smile on her lips. “Your reputation has grown by leaps and bounds. Everyone in this realm knows you and fears you.”

  I didn’t care about that, not right now. “What about you? What are you doing here?” I glanced around, to the ogres who surrounded us. “Are you a prisoner here too? Are they forcing you to work for them?”

  She let out a hollow chuckle. “Oh, no, nothing like that. I’ve been working with the ogres because I want to. I showed them how powerful I can be, and they gave me a place among their ranks. I’m actually in line with Ranzio, their leader. He doesn’t do anything without my counsel.”

  I gaped at her. “That’s what you’ve been doing all these years?” She nodded. She didn’t look one bit confused or apologetic for working with the ogres. For having me as bait. “And the fae? What do you want with him?”

  “That’s a funny story.” Carlyn started pacing in front of me. “The ogres have one of their bigger rituals coming up in a couple of weeks and they need a powerful being to sacrifice and eat during the ritual. When the fae stumbled in their way, the ogres knew he would make a good lamb, so to speak. You see, a couple of years ago, another powerful fae ended up here and they used him as a sacrifice. The ritual was a success, and the ogres believe the summer prince will do the same.”

  “Wait … you know he’s the prince of the Summer Court?”

  “Of course,” she said casually. “I remember him from when we were in the Spring Court. He had come with his mother. What’s her name? Queen Nas-something … Anyway. He was pretty to look at. A handsome face is hard to forget.”

  I gulped, my throat dry despite the water I had just drunk. Carlyn and I had been through a lot together. Despite having gone our separate ways once we landed in this cursed land, we had lived through the same horrors before and after. Maybe, just maybe, I could reach her cold heart and warm it a little.

  “Carlyn, for old time’s sake, just … just let me go. Just this once. The summer prince won’t come. He barely knows me; he has no reason to come.”

  “Oh, but I think he will,” she said, sounding sure. “And don’t try to win me over reminiscing about old times. We weren’t friends then; we’re barely acquaintances now. There’s nothing I want to remember from those days.” She paused and looked up at the vaulted ceiling, as if seeing something I couldn’t. “Even when the other fae fell into our hands and I held his medallion, I didn’t feel the urge to go back to Wyth or to the witches’ realm. There’s nothing for me there.”

  I gasped. “You had a medallion? And you didn’t leave this land?”

  She shrugged. “The medallion is with Ranzio. He keeps it as a token of his power. And no, as you can see, I didn’t. I was nothing back home. I was just one more witch. Here, I have a place. Here, I have a name. I have power. I’m one of the heads of the ogre clan. I have no desire to go back. Ever.”

  I let that sink in.

  There was a medallion in this keep. All I had to do was find it and take it to Varian. Then, he could go back home. My goodness, now I hoped for a damn miracle and that I found a way of escaping from it. The stranger wouldn’t come for me, but I could definitely take the medallion to him.

  And he would go back home.

  “If you say so,” I muttered, ignoring Carlyn.

  She snorted at me and strolled away, leaving me alone.

  Alone but hopeful.

  15

  Varian

  Again, I got a little lost on my way to the ogres’ keep. I hadn’t come straight from there to Layla’s cottage, and now I wasn’t going straight either. But eventually, I found my way and sneaked close to the wall, careful with patrols or other guards.

  Knowing now that I could use my magic anywhere in the keep except the dungeons, I enveloped myself with glamour and sneaked over the wall. I advanced slowly, hiding each time an ogre came close. Even though I had my glamour on, I wouldn’t take any chances.

  As I approached the main building, I saw a smaller building to the side. The two doors were wide open and I could see a wall full of weapons inside. A weaponry. My magic was my best fighting tool, but I could always use a sword, especially if a witch decided to numb my magic.

  There were a handful of ogres coming in and out of the large weaponry, either returning or taking big axes and maces. I sneaked in and looked around until I found what was probably a dagger to them, but it was a nice one-and-a-half hand sword for me. The most important thing about this sword, though, was the fact that the blade was thick but sharp. It seemed like it could cut through the ogre skin.

  I made my way to the main building. I climbed up the side of a rough pillar and crawled over the roof, until I found that opening I had seen before when I had been taken to Carlyn. For some reason, I was sure they were holding Layla there.

  And I was right. I spied through the gap in the ceiling and saw Layla in the center of the room, her hands tied behind her, and her curls in a messy bunch around her shoulders.

  She looked unharmed, but even so, a sudden protectiveness made my chest tight. I hated seeing her like this. I wanted to save her, to protect her, to take care of her.

  The feeling caught me by surprise, but I pushed it aside. This wasn’t the time to dwell on that. Now it was the time for action.

  Ogres formed a wide circle around Layla, ready to attack me the moment I showed my face.

  The oldest trick came to mind, but I hoped these ogres were dumb enough to fall for it. Using my stealth, I walked to the other side of the keep, far away from where Layla was being held, and used my magic. I started a magical fire that wouldn’t be put out easily.

  As I thought, shouts of warning sounded all over the keep and dozens of ogres rushed to the fire. Immediately
, I turned around and returned to the other room. On my way there, I caught sight of Carlyn running after the ogres, toward the fire. I sped up, knowing she would be a little brighter than them and realize what was happening.

  Which meant I didn’t have much time.

  Back at the window above the circular room, I found only four ogres had stayed behind to watch Layla. Without wasting time, I jumped through the hole, landing in a crouch, and raised a wall of fire around Layla and me.

  The ogres shouted and Layla lifted her head, staring at me with wide eyes. “You’re here.”

  I frowned. What? She thought I wouldn’t come? “I’m here,” I said, going for her chains. They were enchanted, of course, but with the mix of my fire and the sword I had stolen from the ogres, I was able to break the links. The charm over Layla fell instantly, and even I felt the magic rippling around her as she summoned it.

  I opened a path with the fire, creating a corridor toward the closest exit.

  Layla held on to my arm. “Wait.”

  I looked at her, confused. “Wait?”

  “They have a medallion,” she told me, her voice low. “Carlyn said Ranzio, their leader, has a medallion.”

  My breath caught. By the scorching heat, a medallion! I stared into Layla’s blue eyes, seeing in them exactly what she was proposing—that we steal it.

  I wanted to …

  But a moment later, loud footsteps and the clank of weapons echoed through the room as the ogres filled the room. I hesitated. For a moment, all I wanted was to fight these monsters and find the cursed medallion, but even I knew that was suicide. Besides, I was here to rescue Layla, not put her at more risk.

  “Live to fight another day,” I whispered. Layla stared at me, in disbelief, but I ignored her. I clutched her hand in mine and tugged her toward the exit.

  We would have to fight our way out, but we could do it. We could take down a handful of ogres and then make a run for it.