Shadowborn Academy: The Full Collection

by G. Bailey

  Hysteria threatens me with her broken reply. What does she mean my magic killed them? We wanted to win the war, right? So why is that a bad thing?

  Gently pushing her away, I prepare to stand on my feet, but I stop when I see what lies before me. Pitch rests on the ground, his dirt-covered face almost peaceful, but I don’t sense our bond anymore. It’s like someone has cut the string that tethers us with a knife. Beside my shadow, Zander, Gage, Jonah, and even my friends Ambrose and Izora rest peacefully. Again, they just look like they’re sleeping, but I know that they are not.

  They’re dead!

  The hysteria I tried holding back explodes from me. Plaintive screams claw from my throat as I crawl over to their bodies. I touch and shake them, trying to wake them up, to heal them, but nothing happens. How could the destruction of the sword do this? It doesn’t make sense. But now they are gone.

  “No…” The word barely leaves my lips. “Pitch, get up. Get up now!”

  He doesn’t move.

  I move on to Jonah and Zander, my tears splashing onto their faces.

  “It’s time to wake up,” I sob out, repeating the words my dad used, hoping by some miracle that the flames will appear again and bring them back to me.

  My guys.

  My friends.

  How can they really be gone?

  As my screams turn into wails, and I bury my face in my hands, I realise that the six flames belonged to each one of them. Now they have been blown out and will no longer burn at my side.

  Narah pulls me back into her arms and I cry into her, my sobs turning into shuddering gasps until I can no longer stand from exhaustion and heartache. Nestled in my mother’s arms, I cry until I have no more tears to shed.

  “Ambrose sacrificed himself trying to save the others,” she says, but it only makes me glance at their bodies again. My lips quiver and I turn my face away, unable to look at them. I feel numb inside as Narah embraces me, running her hands through my hair like my mum used to do. “Now it is my turn to make a sacrifice.”

  Numbly, I look up at her, my entire body drained. I’m surprised by the tears I find in her gaze. One of them slides down her cheek as she smiles at me.

  “All of my life, I searched the darkness for a light, yet I could never find it.” She holds me tighter, her arms wrapped around me like a warm blanket. “It’s because you were my light, Corvina. But now I have the chance to be your light.” Pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead, she whispers, “Let me guide you through this darkness.”

  I thought I had no more tears to shed, but realising what my mother is saying, my eyes fill with them again.

  The Dark Fae Queen is going to sacrifice herself to bring the others back.

  “I love you,” I tell her, hugging her one last time. “You will always be my mother… Thank you.”

  Narah closes her eyes and lets out a sigh of relief as if she’s waited her whole life to hear those words. She spreads her arms and I move back, watching as the ashes lift off the ground around us and whirl around her. They turn into black rose petals that flutter over the bodies of my fallen loved ones, making them glow, and I feel each of their bonds returning to me. First Pitch, then Zander, then Gage and Jonah. Each of them, including Izora and Ambrose, stir awake and my heart is once more made whole again. As the flowers return to Narah and cover her entirely, I just catch the smile on her face before the wind carries her spirit off into the night sky.

  Tears stain my dirt-covered cheeks as I think about Narah and what she sacrificed for me. I will never forget what she did in her final moments. My mother loved me in her own, slightly messed up way, but it’s because of her love that my mates and friends are alive again. For that, I will always be thankful.

  I light the black candle and Izora lights the white one at its side in front of the academy. Thousands of other candles surround the building and one by one they light up for all our fallen, for everyone we have lost.

  I returned to the academy where all the fae and shadowborn from the war came and told them the war was won, but the Dark Fae Queen had died. Many cried, many bowed to me, and everyone shared the same sense of loss and joy that we were safe. One of Izora’s mates suggested we find a way to say goodbye, to mark this day, and these candles will forever stay alight; lit up outside the academy grounds like the stars in the night sky.

  The Enchanted Forest will never forget.

  This is our way of saying goodbye.

  I step back into Zander’s arms as I cry, and he gently rubs my back as my mates all step around me, touching me somewhere for comfort. For a long time, we stand like this as I say my farewells, knowing my mates will keep me safe.

  “Vina, look,” Pitch whispers.

  I pull away from Zander, watching in awe as dozens of wisps float around the candles. They bounce from candle to candle as we all watch and I almost smile as three wisps come to me, flying around my body as my guys step back. I look over to see three other wisps doing the same to Izora and we smile at each other.

  “I think they want to take you somewhere,” Sage says, stepping in the middle of us. “You should always follow a wisp. The gods send them after all.”

  I float my hand above one of them and nod, knowing Sage is right. It was a wisp that brought me to the academy. I wonder where they want to take me now.

  “I will be back soon,” I tell my guys, knowing this is a part of my story I have to do alone. Two wisps stay at my side and one moves to float in front of me as I follow it through my people and to the forest. I look back to see Izora following her own wisps somewhere else in another direction. So we aren’t going to the same place it seems.

  I follow the wisps for a good half an hour before reaching a clearing in the forest. On a glowing black rock lies the crown Narah had for me in her mausoleum, and surrounding it are dozens of other wisps, each floating together like they are dancing to a song only they can hear.

  “I guess you want me to take the crown and become queen?” I ask the wisps, but it’s not them that answers me.

  “My child, yes, you deserve the crown.”

  A woman who glows white from every inch of her body appears behind the rock and slowly her features come more into view. She is stunning in an otherworldly way. Looking at her hurts and soothes me at the same time.

  “I am the soul of Selena, but you know this, child. Come and kneel before me.”

  In pure awe, I all but stumble to the goddess and kneel before her. Her hand rests on my head and I feel her magic wash over me. I look down to see my ruined clothes have been replaced with a black dress. It’s beyond beautiful, covered in ravens, and it has a high neckline with long lace sleeves. My hair half up and not the messy, blood-covered state it was a few seconds ago.

  “Thank you,” I say nervously, and she laughs. It’s the most melodic sound in the world.

  “I cannot have my new queen accepting the Throne of Luna in such clothing,” she answers me and I smile bashfully at her. “Now, you can never speak of this moment. Every queen or king that takes the throne will meet me or my sister’s soul for a moment. This is a gift given to only true heirs.”

  “Thank you for this gift,” I whisper.

  “Do you accept the Throne of Luna and promise to always protect its people and the forest?” she asks me, the weight of her question pressing on my soul for the answer.

  Sensing my next words mean everything, I straighten my back and bow my head. “I accept the throne and promise to always protect my people and the forest.”

  Selena rests the crown on my head and offers me her hand. “Now rise, Queen Corvina of the Dark Fae Kingdom. Long may you rule. Long may you live.”

  In seconds, she fades away, and I miss her light almost instantly, but I know in my soul that was the last time I will ever see the goddess. Holding my head high, I follow the wisps back through the forest to the academy. When I get there, all the light fae and shadowborn are on their knees, bowing at Izora on the other side of the forest. She has King Urlic
’s crown on her head and is wearing a silver dress covered in wolves. We both smile at each other as the dark fae begins bowing to me, and my mates all grin before kneeling. Even Ambrose nods his head and kneels. Without another thought, I run to my sister and she runs to me, too. We crash in the middle of all our people and hug each other.

  Two sisters brought life into the Enchanted Forest all those years ago.

  And now, two sisters will protect it, love it, and be the best royals the fae has ever seen.

  Five years later

  I wrap my arms around myself, rubbing the chill from my arms. Staring out into the Enchanted Forest from my balcony, the wind whips my hair around me and lifts the hem of my black dressing gown. The forest hums and sings with harmony and peace, much like it has done since I took the throne and promised my soul to the forest and its people. I glance back into my bedroom behind me where my mates are all laid out in various positions on our enormous bed. My dark soul belongs to the forest, but my heart belongs to them.

  It always has and always will.

  Flickering my eyes around our bedroom, I think again about how much I adore it. Our bedroom takes up the space of about three rooms and most of that is the bed in the centre. The giant dark wooden headboard stretches to the ceiling. Pitch spent days creating it from a large tree outside the palace. The tree can still be seen as its roots are the sides of the bed and the main bark of the tree has dozens of ravens and wolves running and flying around a crown in the middle.

  My crown.

  Soon after the war, I announced Pitch, Jonah, Zander, and Gage as my kings of the Dark Fae. They each took over a section of the kingdom to help get Zorya on its feet. Together we have spent five long years putting it back together, and it’s better than it has ever been. Magic and blood have been poured into the very castle walls I stand in now, and we will never forget.

  I walk to the edge of the balcony and look down at the centre of the royal courtyard where something special to me rests. Closing my eyes, I turn into my raven and fly down to the courtyard, landing on the rose covered ground before shifting back and looking up. The statue of my mother doesn’t look down at me but stares up at the sky above, her one hand reaching for the stars. Her crown rests on her long hair that falls down with her ball gown, and even though this is just a statue, it is so much more. I feel her soul here, watching over me, protecting me. Using my wings, I fly up a little, so we are face to face.

  “I miss you, Mother,” I whisper as I place my hand on her cheek.

  I sense the god before he speaks. “I suspect she misses you as well, little queen.”

  “Ambrose!” I chuckle, spinning around. I fly to him, and he opens his arms, embracing me in a tight hug as I rest my head on his chest. After the war, Ambrose decided he wanted to see the human world and live in it for a while. He still comes back every so often to check on me, mostly because he knows I would hunt his ass down if he didn’t. I pull back and Ambrose rests his hands on my shoulders. Even with the biggest smile on his face, the sadness never quite leaves his eyes.

  A vision flashes into my mind so quickly it makes me stumble. I smile as the image leaves my mind.

  “What did you see?” he asks with a frown, always suspecting the worst.

  My visions are a new power that I suspect was given to me as a blessing from Selena when I ascended the throne. I’ve been having visions in my sleep of anything from danger to joy, and everything in the middle. Usually, the visions come in my dreams, but lately touching people or objects bring them on. The healers believe it’s just a natural progression of my powers. Remnants of the sword’s magic still lingers in my blood, making me stronger than ever.

  “Only that your story is just beginning, and a wild card is coming your way, Ambrose,” I say, winking at him.

  “You fae and your secrets,” he grumbles and stretches his arms above his head. “I’m starving. Do you think the kitchens will have anyone awake at this time?”

  “Nope but I can make a mean ham and cheese sandwich,” I tell him, hooking my arm with his as we head to the doors to the castle. “If you’re lucky, I might throw in some crisps.”

  “Fingers crossed,” he drawls and I laugh in response, resting my head on his shoulder as two of my guards open the doors for us with a bow. Their purple and black armour shines from the moonlight, highlighting the raven sigil on their breastplates. My guards were all chosen and trained by Pitch and Zander, who now train and look after our army. Many were lost in the war, but like this castle, time moves on and new things can be found in the darkness.

  “How is the human world treating you?” I ask Ambrose as we head down the corridor and a flight of stairs to the kitchens. It’s silent in here, nothing but the sounds of the crackling embers in the fireplace in the centre of the floor. Ambrose takes off his brown leather jacket. He hangs it on the back of a seat before sitting on the edge of the counter, watching as I head straight to the fridge.

  “I’ve just accepted a job at a reform school in the back end, middle of nowhere Scotland,” he tells me, and that was more random than I expected. “Sheep for miles, I’m telling you.”

  “Why the heck would you do that?” I laugh as I grab the ham and cheese, thinking of all the human students who wouldn’t have a clue that the God of Life is their teacher.

  As I make the sandwiches, Ambrose talks. “The reform school is for teenagers and young adults who fucked up, but it is built on an old source of power, something of my mother’s. The school itself is laced with magic, and a lot of the students are not what they seem. It’s a mystery I want to investigate.”

  “Sounds like fun,” I say, handing him a plate with his sandwich on it. I grab two packets of crisps and give him one before pulling a stool out and eating my food. “How long are you staying? I know the guys would want to see you before you vanish.”

  “I don’t start at the school for a week,” he answers. “So if you’ll have me, Queen Corvina, I would like to stay here until then.”

  “You’re always welcome here for as long as you want, Ambrose. You’re family to me—the brother I never had,”

  “Technically, you’re sleeping with your stepbrother. Do I get the same perks?” he cheekily asks and Pitch appears behind him in the shadow, whacking him across the back of the head.

  “No, you fucking well do not,” he playfully grumbles, kissing me on the cheek and standing behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist and squeezes me gently. “The queen is needed back in bed. See you in the morning, mate.”

  Before I can say goodbye to a laughing Ambrose, shadows smother me. When I reappear, Pitch is on top of me in the middle of our bed and kisses me deeply. I arch my body into him as his lips devour my own, his hands running down my body until he finds my nightgown tie and undoes it. It falls to the side, leaving me completely exposed underneath him. The bed is empty other than Jonah and us, and I push my magic into Jonah a little to wake him up.

  As Pitch kisses down my jaw, I turn my head to the side where Jonah is lying, slowly coming awake. All that covers him is a black sheet, and as Pitch’s tongue finds my one of nipples, I moan and close my eyes.

  Jonah’s lips cover my own in seconds, and Pitch kisses down my body, his lips heading straight for my clit as Jonah’s hands cover my breasts, rolling his thumbs across my nipples. My back arches as Pitch sucks and nibbles on my clit, pushing two fingers into me at the same time.

  I reach for Jonah’s hard cock which is pressing into my side. Stroking Jonah, he groans into my mouth as he continues to rub my nipples, and Pitch pushes me closer to the edge of ecstasy.

  Pitch whispers in my mind.

  His command has me spiraling into an intense orgasm that shakes through my body. Jonah lets me go.

  Feeling what Pitch wants, I crawl onto my knees in front of him. Looking up at my shadow through my lashes, wrapping my hands around his muscular thighs, I flick my tongue over Pitch’s tip.

  Jonah grabs my hips and kneels behin
d me, rubbing his thick cock over my slit. He pushes into me slowly, as if savoring every bit of friction we create.

  With undying hunger, I take all of Pitch into my mouth. Pitch sinks his hands into my hair as Jonah pounds into me, his cock hitting the sweet spot every single time in this position.

  As my pleasure builds up again, I moan around Pitch’s cock which sends him into a frenzy. He holds my head as I suck him harder, his breathless moan turning me on as much as Jonah’s groans. I crash into an orgasm, sucking hard on Pitch as he comes with me. Two thrusts later Jonah roars as he spills inside me, making my orgasm so much more intense.

  Breathlessly, we all fall back onto our bed, and I snuggle up in the middle of them as Jonah uses his magic to clean us and drape a blanket over us.

  “Where are Zander and Gage?” I ask around a yawn.

  “Right here,” Zander replies, coming into the room with Gage behind him. “Seems we missed all the fun.”

  “Damn,” Gage grumbles as they both get into bed, only playfully though.

  Every morning they spend fucking me, so it’s only a matter of hours before they can make up for the fun they missed. I smile as I close my eyes in complete and utter contentment.

  “Happy Birthday,” everyone cheers as I step into the breakfast hall.

  The masses of decorations surrounding the room, and all my loved ones inside of it, brings a smile to my lips. Blue balloons cover the glass ceiling, a massive black cake with fake tiny ravens flying around it rests on a table in the middle. Piles of presents sit on the floor around it.

  I don’t know who to look at first as they sing the happy birthday song to me while Echo flies around the room, making adorable little squeaks from excitement. Sage is right in the middle, her hands resting on the huge bump under her yellow dress, her pink hair has been pulled back into two messy buns.

  David smiles at me from her side, looking a million times better than the teacher I once knew. Sage’s love saved him, dug him out of the darkness, and now with the baby on the way, there will be a family for him to have.