Queen of Dark and Light (Whims of Fae Book 6)

by Nissa Leder

  As their gazes locked, Cade reached out and pulled Poppy close.

  Warmth radiated from her, a refreshing change to the cold of the Darkland. He tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in.

  As his lips met hers, she fell into his arms. For the briefest moments, the past and the future vanished as they breathed in only each other.

  Then, a horn blared outside the castle, bringing them back to the present.

  “So, it begins,” Poppy said as she pulled away from Cade.

  “And so it does.”

  Cade would fight with all he had. Morta had taken his court from his protective rule, and with her in power, his people would never be safe.

  He hoped when the time came, they would choose him as their king and not side with his mother.

  He didn’t want to fight his own soldiers, but he’d chosen his side and would do what needed to be done to save all of fae kind.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Scarlett stood on the balcony outside the library with Kaelem next to her.

  From that height, they saw the army approaching, weaving in and out of the forest of bare trees that laid ahead of the castle, past the Life Tree where Scarlett had found her Sidhe power. A white bird, like the one she’d seen in the Spirit Realm, soared high in the sky, circling above her head.

  The first rows of the oncoming attack were filled with redcaps and edimmu. Behind them, far more soldiers, all dressed in black, marched toward the castle. And in the very back were an assortment of creatures Scarlett had never seen. Some were as small as brownies, others looked like they might be actual giants. There was so much to this world Scarlett still didn’t know. She vowed to learn everything about this realm and its creatures. If she survived, that was.

  A horn sounded from the top of the castle wall where Otherworld soldiers were lined up, bows ready. It was the first line of defense that would hopefully take out some of the oncoming soldiers, but before the line arrived at the castle gates, the Otherworld soldiers would rush out in an attack.

  The plan was set in motion, but Scarlett had no idea how it would turn out.

  She was to wait until she saw Morta to leave the protection of the barriers surrounding the castle grounds. Kaelem would wait with her until he saw Nona. Their best guess was that she would have the dagger that could kill Scarlett and take her power. If Kaelem could get the dagger from her somehow, he could stab Morta.

  If was the key word.

  It was the best plan they could come up with, and not a very good one.

  Scarlett replayed her conversation with Dana over and over in her head, searching for something she’d missed.

  The Otherworld soldiers nocked their arrows, and on the sound of a second horn, released.

  A few of the redcaps and edimmu fell to the ground. The archers repeated their shots three more times, striking down as many as they could.

  But the Darkland army was getting closer now.

  The horn sounded again and the castle gates opened.

  The Otherworld army burst through the opening.

  The war had begun.

  Sage’s legs pushed against the earth beneath her as she sprinted toward the oncoming army.

  Behind her, the Woodland Tribe followed, their high-pitched war cries echoing through the air.

  Redcaps and edimmu ran toward them, teeth bared. Their claws and snarls were nothing against the Woodland Tribe. Sage had warned her sisters that the Darkland creatures only held power in their numbers. The tribe fought in groups of three, creating a circle between them so no one could attack them from behind.

  Sage pushed further into the battle, following the pull toward the people of her court. Her royal Autumn blood created a connection that lured her to its soldiers. She didn’t want to fight any of them, though she would if she must. No, her brother was who she searched for.

  As she passed the last of the Darkland creatures, her attention shifted to the left where her brother stood, sword raised at the edge of the forest of bare trees. The Otherworld allies hadn’t reached this far yet, but they soon would. And Sage would have to watch her people kill or die.

  Ajax took a step back as Sage ran at him. Although all the soldiers behind him were dressed in black, he wore the same thick, leather fighting armor burned with an ivy pattern her father wore. It had been shrunk to fit Ajax’s much smaller frame, but Sage could tell it was the same piece by the burn in the shoulder her father had gotten in the last war the Autumn Court was in.

  With a quick look behind her, Sage slowed. “Afraid, brother?”

  The front row of Autumn Soldiers, woven within the trees, lifted their swords, all eyes on Sage. She might be a strong fighter, but she couldn’t face an entire army herself. She needed to stall.

  Seeing him leading the Autumn army caused her anger to flare. “You don’t deserve to wear our father’s armor. Not after you killed him.”

  Confusion swirled in the auras of front rows of the Autumn soldiers. Sage had shouted the words, hoping everyone heard her. She wouldn’t keep his secret for him. Not now, as he led his people to fight for Morta’s cause.

  “You lie,” Ajax said, but the crack in his voice told otherwise.

  The soldiers’ gazes glanced side-to-side. Would they believe Sage?

  Another peek behind her let her know that the Otherworld soldiers were nearing. She could wait, but that would mean they’d attack the Autumn Army.

  Sage lunged toward Ajax with her daggers raised.

  Instinctively, he flung out his sword, its metal clinking against her daggers.

  Sage looked at the soldiers behind him. None of them moved. They weren’t going to step in, at least not without an order.

  “What, are you afraid of me? Ready to admit I’m the better fighter?” Sage slashed at his neck.

  He’d always been arrogant, and she’d been skilled in getting underneath his skin. She hoped using those strategies now would make him challenge her alone.

  He blocked it, anger furrowing his brow. With rage filling his aura, he swung at Sage.

  Her daggers met his sword again, and she was surprised by the strength in his swing. As soon as their weapons met, he pulled back and struck again and again, pushing Sage backward with each blow.

  She reached her Autumn gift out to the tree next to Ajax and swung a branch toward him. Since the trees were small, it didn’t reach far, but it drew his attention just as she’d wanted.

  She swung a dagger at his neck, but he moved just in time, causing her to hit his armor instead.

  He darted to the side to create some more space between them again.

  “Tricky, little sis.” Ajax adjusted his grip on his sword.

  Sage moved sideways, creating distance between herself and the Autumn soldiers. Ajax hadn’t asked them to intervene yet, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

  When she lunged at him again, a loud shriek escaped her lips.

  A smirk formed on his mouth as he lifted his sword.

  As they traded blows, Sage could hear the cries of her tribe. They were nearing and soon, they would attack the Autumn soldiers. If Sage wanted her plan to work, she needed to hurry.

  As Ajax aimed for her heart, she spun to the side, barely dodging his attack.

  With a deep breath, she reached out her magic below the ground and drew a tree root next to Ajax’s right foot. Before he realized, it crawled around his ankle and pulled his leg out from underneath his body.

  His sword hand flung upward, giving Sage one chance.

  He might be her brother by blood, but he’d lost any true familial connection to her the moment he killed their father. That choice had made him her enemy.

  She hurled herself at him, dagger extended, and crashed into him as he fell backward.

  The contact with his armor stole the air in her lungs. As she met his wide-eyed horror, she quickly sliced her dagger across his throat.

  Sage watched in equal parts of horror and satisfaction as the blood poured from the wound a
s she straddled his lifeless body.

  As she stood, blood dripped down her leg. She turned to the Autumn Army, meeting their confused stares.

  “My brother murdered our father to take control of the Autumn Court. He thought its best future would be one where it followed the orders of Morta, an outsider. My father was ready to stand against the Fates before he was killed by his own son.” Sage lifted her dagger into the air. “Ajax has paid for what he’s done. I am not your queen, but your sister of the Autumn Court, and I ask whose side you want to fight for.”

  The soldiers met each others’ glances as they processed everything Sage had just said.

  Then one in the front row said, “I fight on your side, princess.” He dropped to a knee and raised his sword.

  First one by one, then the rest all at once, the army followed the soldier’s lead.

  With her Woodland sisters approaching from behind and an army of Autumn soldiers kneeling ahead, the two sides of Sage’s heart were now joined.

  Together, they turned to join the fray.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Cade and Poppy fought side-by-side through the Darkland creatures and toward the Summer Army. Using his Summer energy, he easily took down the redcaps and edimmu who ran at him. On his right, Poppy struck down their enemies with her daggers.

  He felt the nearness of the Summer Army and, when they made it through the first line of the Darkland Army’s defense, he saw his mother staring at him.

  Dressed in gold armor, she was nearly unrecognizable. He’d only ever seen her in the long, flowy gowns she’d worn, as far he knew, since before his birth.

  “Son.” Kassandra held a hand up and stepped toward Cade. “It isn’t too late to do what’s right. Bow to me now and join our side, and I’ll spare your life.”

  Cade clenched his fist. “I will never say the kingdom should be yours. I am the rightful heir. You raised me to lead our people. Why won’t you let me be the king you taught me to be?”

  He didn’t want to hurt her. Despite everything she’d done, she was still his mother. With his father gone, she was the only parent Cade had left.

  “I hadn’t planned on you to push me aside as you have. You’re too much like your father,” Kassandra said.

  Understanding twisted through Cade like a rope, knotting in his stomach. “You’re the reason he got sick.”

  Satisfaction filled Kassandra’s face. “You were nearly of age. There was no need for him anymore.” She folded her hands together in front of her body as if she were about to sit down for tea. “Then you almost lost the battle and I had to find a way to get rid of your brother too.”

  Cade cupped his hands and felt the familiar warmth of his Summer energy. “You’re a monster.”

  As anger rippled through Cade, he threw the magic at his mother, no longer afraid he might kill her. No, now he wanted her dead. Any remnant of the veil he’d worn for so long, fooling himself into respecting her, flew from his vision as he unsheathed his sword.

  Kassandra blocked the Summer magic with her own, a loud crack booming as the energies collided. “Have it your way.”

  As Cade’s wrath fueled him, he hurled himself forward. The Summer Army remained still, unsure expressions covering their faces. With his sword raised, Cade closed the distance between him and his mother.

  She didn’t draw a weapon or create any more Summer magic to fend off Cade’s attack.

  Why wasn’t she doing something? Anything. Surely, she wouldn’t just let Cade spear her with his sword?

  A shrill scream brought Cade to a halt. He recognized the pitch of the voice: Poppy.

  He turned to his left and saw a redcap holding her upright, a dazed gleam in her eyes. A chunk of her neck had been bitten away, blood dripping down the curve above her collarbone.

  “Cade!” a voice yelled to his right. “Watch out!”

  Realization hit Cade like lightning. Poppy hadn’t been on his left. She’d been on his right. Which meant…

  As he turned back toward his mother, pushing away the illusion she’d put into his mind, time slowed. A huge ball of red Summer energy flew at him. His body tensed as it prepared to meet its end. Despite his armor, he wouldn’t survive a blow like this.

  But before it could it find Cade, Poppy flung herself in front of him, blocking the energy from his chest.

  Her eyes met his as Kassandra’s magic struck her flesh.

  A flash of the night they spent together filled Cade, the daring in her eyes as they’d given themselves to each other. This look was different. It wasn’t of fear or anger. Instead, it was full of devotion. She’d always sworn she would die to protect him.

  But he’d never wanted her to.

  Poppy’s body fell onto the earth, her face pressed into the dirt. Cade dropped to the ground, feeling desperately for a pulse.

  But there was none.

  Cade lifted his chin and met his mother’s eyes, the look of unadulterated glee blaring like a light in the night.

  He rose, ready to give all he had. He wanted to kill her more than he’d ever wanted anything. To shove his sword right through her heart and watch the miserable delight in her eyes fade forever.

  But as he was about to lunge toward her, something flew by him through the air and straight into her neck.

  An arrow jutted from her skin like a needle poked into a pillow.

  Kassandra pulled it out and searched for its shooter.

  Cade turned to see Rowen staring at her with her bow raised.

  “I thought you were dead.” Kassandra tossed the arrow to the ground.

  Rowen lowered her bow and came closer. “Afraid not, little sister.”

  “You’ve always been good with a bow, but I’m afraid my magic is stronger than a silly weapon.” Kassandra created another ball of Summer energy, but lost her balance and staggered.

  “Perhaps, but I lined this one with poison.” Rowen’s expression remained neutral. There was no malice or glee in her words. “You tried to poison me and failed. I tried to poison you and succeeded.”

  The magic in Kassandra’s palm fizzled away as she fell to the side. She grabbed at her chest as she coughed up blood.

  Cade looked Kassandra, any last bit of respect for her gone forever. “Goodbye, mother.”

  Raith had watched his mother nock her bow then aim with perfect focus as the Otherworld soldiers fought the Darkland creatures all around.

  Now, as Kassandra fell to the ground, he saw a tear drip from Rowen’s cheek.

  He’d never talked to her much about her relationship with her sister. He’d always assumed it must not have been a good one if Kassandra had tried to kill her.

  Raith didn’t miss the irony of it all. The former Summer Queen killed by her past. It seemed fitting. After she had fallen to the ground, her eyes still open though her aura had disappeared, Cade lifted Poppy into his arms.

  Raith fought off any creatures that headed toward his mother as she shot any that moved toward Cade.

  Cade held Poppy’s lifeless body and released a sound Raith had never heard before, full of pain and rage. Grief pulsed through his aura, flaring brightly at first, but dulling a little as his cries dissipated into the air around them.

  Two redcaps snuck around the Otherworld soldiers and headed straight toward Raith.

  He was too far from the forest of bare trees to use his Autumn gift. There was little more than the dirt beneath his feet now.

  Although he was outnumbered, two redcaps weren’t enough to overpower him. As Raith flung a dagger into one’s heart, he somersaulted toward the other and drove his last dagger into its forehead.

  As he used his magic to retrieve the other dagger, Raith glanced back at Cade.

  In his brother’s emotional state, Raith worried he might be too distracted to sense if any of their enemies got too close.

  Now, Cade was standing, Poppy’s body still in his arms, and facing the Summer Army, none of whom had moved since Kassandra fell to the ground.

 
; “My mother stole the crown from me, using my love for her as a weakness. But I am your king, and I ask you to fight with me against the Fates and their creatures. We will not be ruled by anyone else, especially an outsider like Morta.”

  Jaser stepped forward and lifted a sword high in the sky. “I follow my king.”

  Like an echo in a canyon, the rest of the soldiers repeated Jaser’s words.

  After they had all pledged their allegiance to Cade, movement from behind their line caught Raith’s attention.

  Nevina, dressed in white armor, stood on a platform of ice as she faced the Winter Guard. “The Winter Court fights for no cause but its own. The Darkland is our enemy and we will attack those who stand with it.”

  With this, the Winter Guard turned against the Darkland creatures behind them.

  On Cade’s order, the Summer Army did the same.

  The two armies, who not even a century ago had faced each other on the battlefield, fought side-by-side, easily slicing through the Morta’s army.

  Loud shrieks boomed to Raith’s side as Sage led the Woodland Tribe toward him. Behind her, the Autumn Army attacked the Darkland creatures.

  All three of the Faerie realm courts had joined their side, leaving Morta’s army completely outnumbered.

  Soon, all of her creatures would be killed, which left only her and her sister.

  If Scarlett could defeat them, then maybe they would win this war.

  Chapter Twenty

  Kaelem grabbed Scarlett’s hand as they watched the Faerie court armies turn on the Darkland creatures on every side. Somehow, they’d found a way to shift the odds in their favor. With all the fae armies at the battle on the same side, Morta’s army didn’t stand a chance. But they still had Morta herself to contend with, along with her sister Nona. To underestimate the two remaining Fates now could still spell their doom.

  Beside him, Scarlett tensed.