Second Chance Hope: a paranormal reverse harem academy adventure (Second Chance Academy Book 3)

by Ella J. Smyth

  Kiernan cleared his throat. “Well. Looks like she’s gone. What are we going to do with those two?”

  He turned to point at the figures on the ground. Lawson glared at us defiantly. Kiernan had piled so much earth over him, only his head stuck out. The other guy was still unconscious. Or dead. I couldn’t give a hoot, to be frank.

  Now that the immediate danger was over, I stared at Kiernan. There was something different about him. I couldn’t put my finger on it, until he looked straight at me.

  “Your eyes,” I said. “They’ve turned silver like Beth’s.”

  Except there was a red tinge underneath the silver. And it wasn’t just his eyes. As he held my gaze, my heart beat faster. He reminded me of a lion just before he attacked. There was a wildness him that made my breath hitch and my hands itch to touch his skin.

  Beth interrupted us. She’d been staring after the receding figure of the former head witch. Pensively, she said, “Hold on. I think I know what she just did.”

  I reluctantly broke eye contact with Kiernan. “What do you mean?”

  “My dad used to play a finger game with me when I was little. He always said, ‘Remember this. It’s your mother’s heritage.’ So I did. It was one of the few things he told me about her.”

  “Lift your hand like this, Amber.” She demonstrated how. Then she tapped a rhythm against my fingers with hers. She repeated it a few times until I had memorized it.

  “Have you got it?”

  I nodded. It was a complicated pattern, but it wasn’t difficult. “What does it do?"

  “This, I think.” Beth moved her fingers rapidly and took a step. Lance shouted in astonishment. That one single step had carried her over a hundred yards. She took another step and was back in front of us. My mouth hung open.

  “You try,” she said, grinning over both ears.

  I repeated the figure in the air, trying to copy exactly what she’d taught me. Then I stepped forward and found myself at the end of the forest. My friends were just small figures in the distance.

  “That’s amazing,” I said out loud. It probably only worked in the faerie world, but how cool was this? I whooped with delight and did the finger thing to return. It took a while for my boyfriends— and Lance, because I hadn’t forgiven him—to pick up the trick, but eventually, they’d also memorized it.

  Before we left, Kiernan moved the mountain of dirt off Lawson. He tied both of the men with strips, torn from their own shirts. “I don’t think it’s going to keep them for long. But I don’t want to be responsible for them dying here. This’ll give us a head start.”

  Assuming they don’t know the magic travel trick. He sure was a lot nicer than me. I wouldn’t have thought twice about leaving them. As if he’d read my thoughts, he lifted his head as he tied the last knot and winked. Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I had no choice but to smile back. Kiernan wouldn’t be who he was without his big heart.

  Then we set off after Farkas. She’d disappeared completely out of view, but we learned we didn’t need to do the air sigil for each step. As long as we continuously tapped out the symbols while moving, we could run at top speed, and soon we were within sight of Farkas.

  She hadn’t noticed that we were on her tail. By the time she looked behind her, we were so close we could see her facial expression. The pure shock widening her eyes would’ve been hilarious if she hadn’t turned around and started running even faster. Soon, we were in a race to catch her before she could disappear again.

  I kept my eyes on our head witch, but I still noticed the countryside we were passing through. We crossed beautiful meadows, full of wildflowers, in one, two steps, followed by dark forests.

  The only obstacle we encountered was a deep canyon. We weren’t sure if our newfound powers could carry us all the way across. But really, we had no choice. We had to catch her if we wanted to stop the human trafficking operation she ran out of the Academy.

  Lance was the first to attempt to cross the abyss. He drew the symbol in the air, stepped back, and did a running leap across the canyon. My breath caught in my throat. He pushed off, and in the blink of an eye, landed at the other side, waving at us to follow him. Kiernan and Beth copied him. Then it was my turn.

  I looked over the edge again and shuddered. It was a long way down. I imagined myself falling down the steep decline, rocks ripping the skin off my body and breaking the bones in my limbs. Ugh, I’d rather not.

  Beth was shouting across, “Come on! You’ll be fine. If I made it, so can you.”

  “Sure. I can do this.” I mumbled like a mad woman, hyping myself up to take the leap. I walked backwards, then ran as fast as I could, and squeezed my eyes shut as my body lifted off the ledge. The wind whipped my hair as I hurtled across the space.

  “Open your eyes,” Kiernan yelled. I did, just in time to see the ground approaching at record speed. When my feet landed, my momentum carried me forward into his arms.

  “Oomph.” He made a winded sound but held on to me. Kissing me on the forehead, he whispered, “Well done.”

  I looked up at him, taken aback by visceral impact touching him had on me. I wanted to fall to my knees and open his pants and pull out his—

  Lance ran his hand down my arm. “Yes. Well done.”

  I nodded, grateful for the distraction. His eyes were flickering with insecurity and regret. I’d nearly forgotten I was still angry with him. He still hadn’t explained why he’d acted the way he had and was still on my shit list. We were long overdue for a conversation. But maybe not now. Now I was glad he’d followed me into this place without hesitation.

  Beth said impatiently, “That’s really cute, but can we get moving again? She’s getting away.”

  It didn’t take long for us to catch up with her. Farkas was definitely slowing down. Maybe there was a limit as to how long a person could travel this way? There was a huge forest ahead of her, with large conifers as far as the eye could see. She looked over her shoulder and put on a burst of speed, disappearing among the trees.

  The boys slowed down. We’d arrived at the edge of the woods but couldn’t see a path through the undergrowth. I stared into the gloom of the forest, a shiver running through my core. Something was wrong. I could feel it. Where had Farkas gone? It was as if the forest had swallowed her.

  Lance shook his head. “We saw her walk in. Maybe she opened another portal? Whatever. We can’t stay out here.”

  Before I could stop him, he had pushed into the woods, parting the branches of the first tree with his raised arm. They swung closed behind him, and he was gone.

  “Jesus,” Kiernan murmured. “Come on, girls. We can’t get split up.”

  He was right. I’d rather be in there with my friends than out here by myself. Gallantly, Kiernan held the branches aside, and I stepped past the giant conifers. Beth still hesitated. I turned around to call out to her, when all around us, the air shimmered.

  Within seconds, the trees had faded away and been replaced by roughly hewn walls on either side of us. Instead of conifer needles under our feet, dirty flagstones covered the ground. Instead of swaying treetops, the only light to enter the room came through narrow slits in the wall, too far up for us to look out of.

  Farkas had fooled us. She’d led us straight into a trap. Whatever fairy magic had created the illusion of a forest, it had fooled every single one of us except for Beth. Maybe her heritage had allowed her to penetrate the illusion.

  Around us stood several tall strangers. Their beauty was breathtaking, yet alien. All three resembled Beth, exhibiting the pointed ears and strange silver eyes of the Fey. I swallowed hard. Lance, Kiernan, and I stood close to each other, scared and trapped.

  Their leader was a male with skin the color of chestnuts. His full leather armor was decorated with silver, whereas the other guards’ armor was far simpler. When he spoke, his voice sounded like brass bells.

  “You are the girl who wields lightning.”

  A jolt ran through me when I hear
d him mention my powers. So this was all about me. No need for anybody else to get hurt. I stood up straight and looked him squarely in the eyes. “Will you let them go if I surrender to you?”

  Kiernan said urgently, “No, Amber.”

  The Fae warrior ignored him and addressed me again. “I was told there would be only one. A contract was made and must be kept.”

  “What contract? How can there be a contract if we weren’t consulted?” I knew he was talking about the agreement between HRH and Farkas. But I had to try to get us out of this.

  “I do not concern myself with your approval or disapproval, human. My order is to deliver you, and that is what I will do.”

  I exchanged glances with Kiernan and Lance. Our powers were strong enough to try to escape, but there were no guarantees. We had no clue what we were up against. So I nodded and said, “We won’t fight you. Can you at least guarantee you won’t harm my friends?”

  The warrior nodded. “I respect your concern for your group. I will not harm them if they don’t fight me or try to flee.”

  He didn’t just say, “They won’t be harmed.” Not good. But it was the best I could negotiate. For now.

  But before I could react, he gave a signal. The two guards pulled their swords and forced Kiernan and Lance to their knees.

  “Hey. We had an arrangement,” I shouted.

  The Fae warrior whirled towards me and slapped my face. “You will be quiet. I know how dangerous you are. Your friends will die if you use any magic against us.”

  My head had been thrown to the side by the force of the strike. My neck muscles hurt, and my cheek burned from the impact. My eyes were tearing up. But they were angry tears.

  I’ll remember you, you fucker. I’m going to fry you like a piece of chicken. You just wait.

  Outwardly, I kept my face impassive, although I probably couldn’t hide the fury in my eyes. But right now, there was nothing to be gained from attacking the faerie guards.

  Sharp swords rested against my boys’ throats. Kiernan’s skin was nicked, and a thin trickle of blood stained the top of his coat.

  “Stop it, please. I’ll do what you say.”

  The Fae commander nodded grimly, but he wouldn’t allow the boys off their knees until another three guards had arrived. We were ushered along a narrow corridor. The ground sloped gradually downwards, and the air became damper. We must be deep underground.

  Soon, we reached a wooden door. Behind it was a bare room with no windows.

  “You will wait here until it is time.”

  I wanted to scream, “Time for what?” but I was sure I wouldn’t like the answer.

  The heavy door slammed shut, and near darkness descended on us.

  “Oh, fuck,” Kiernan murmured. I reached out for his hand. For several long minutes, we clung to each other, fighting back the panic.

  We were trapped in a dirty cell, maybe ten feet by ten feet, with no way of escaping.

  29

  Eventually, my eyes got used to the gloom. Weak light entered through a window above the door. Iron bars were guarding the opening.

  I whispered, “I thought the Fae don’t like iron.”

  “Yeah, but this is a prison for faeries. Iron wold keep them in,” Kiernan responded equally quietly.

  We stood silently, scanning our surroundings. The inside of our cell was gross. The walls were damp, with moisture running down the rough stones. The stones underneath my feet were slimy, and I had no intention of examining them any closer.

  I didn’t want to move in case I stepped into something disgusting, or worse, stumbled over some rotting corpse. It sure stinks like death in here.

  Lance had no such scruples. He walked along the perimeter, scanning the walls and door. Kiernan and I watched him silently, hoping against hope he might find something useful.

  When Lance was done, he shook his head. No hidden tunnel or easy escape here—not that we’d expected any.

  I was only wearing a thin jacket, and the cold soon got to me. Despite pulling the fabric tightly around my upper body, I couldn’t stop shivering. Kiernan pulled me close, hugging me tightly. Lance stepped in and wrapped his arms around both of us. I stood sandwiched between the two boys, and their body heat warmed me up quickly.

  “I hope Beth got away,” Lance said.

  I hoped so as well. She’d tried to warn us. Maybe the Fae had been so sure of their trap they hadn’t noticed her. Maybe Beth had been smart enough to hide.

  But what could she do from the outside? She might be half Fae, but she’d grown up in the human world. Her dad might have taught her the travel magic, but that wasn’t enough to fight the head witch or the Fae warriors.

  My shoulders slumped against Kiernan’s broad chest, and I swallowed the tears. There was no point crying. Tears wouldn’t help us out of here.

  The clanging of the doorlock shocked us into stepping apart. We stared with trepidation, wondering what would happen next. The door opened with an earsplitting groan, and the guard commander entered our jail.

  The male’s silver eyes shone in the darkness. He scrutinized each of us as we stood next to each other. Then he nodded at Lance.

  “I respect you, fellow warrior. You attacked me when I didn’t pay attention and bested me with your powers. In return, I will kill you in a fair battle. I would like to offer the same courtesy to your friends, and in particular the girl with the lightning power, but our contract forbids it. You will be handed over to the Royal guard and meet your fate.”

  I stepped forward. I didn’t know where I took the courage from, but it couldn’t get any worse, could it? “What is our fate supposed to be? You seem to be an honorable man. Do you think it’s okay to treat people like this? People who’ve never done anything to you?”

  He seemed surprised I was taking the lead. His strange eyes narrowed as he scanned me from head to toe. “You are brave. And you’re also right. I do not agree with what lies in store for you. Or for any of the other humans sent to our realm. But I pledged an oath to follow whatever orders I am given. What is your name?”

  I swallowed. I had no clue what the rules in this world were. Would I give him more power over me if I told him my name? Not that it mattered. I was in a frigging cell. Lifting my chin, I replied, “My name is Amber.”

  The Fae nodded. “Amber. A beautiful name. You will be remembered. And I’m sorry about what is going to happen to you.”

  With those words, he turned and left the cell.

  I shouted after him, “Wait. How long have we got?”

  He held the door open with one hand. “If I were you, I would make peace with my maker. When the order comes, I will take you. I don’t know when that will be.”

  The door banged shut, and I collapsed. I didn’t care what was under me. I flopped to the ground, allowing panic and fear to wash over me.

  Kiernan and Lance dropped to theirs knees next to me. Kiernan pulled me into his lap and held me like a child as I sobbed. I hated feeling so vulnerable, but I couldn’t help it. We were stuck in a cell with no way out. At any moment, the order might come to snuff out mine, Lance’s, and Kiernan’s lives—it was all too much.

  Lance gripped my hand, and Kiernan stroked my hair, holding my head against his chest. “Don’t give up, Amber. As long as we’re alive, there’s hope. Beth is still out there. She’ll think of something.”

  Eventually his words cut through my despair, and my tears dried up.

  “Are you sure?” I asked, feeling stupid at the question. How would he know? But I had such a need for reassurance, for being told by somebody this wasn’t the end.

  Lance said, “No, we’re not sure. But it doesn’t matter. We’ll never give up, and if there’s the slightest chance of escape, we’ll take it.”

  I swallowed hard. Lance was right. The chances for survival were tiny in this foreign world. But we weren’t going to give up. We weren’t helpless. We were mages, and we had powers. Even though they didn’t work inside the cell. Believe me, I’d
tried. But once we were taken outside, there might be a chance to fight back.

  Sitting on the cold stone floor, my body was seizing up. I stumbled to my feet, groaning like an old woman. The boys followed my example. I had no idea how long we walked in circles to keep warm and avoid stiffening up.

  Eventually, Lance leaned against the wall and heaved a big sigh. “I’m so fucking bored.”

  “Let’s talk,” I suggested.

  Lance didn’t need to be asked twice. “So, Kiernan. Did you really not have a clue you were an incubus?”

  Kiernan stopped cold. I couldn’t see him very well on the other side of the room, but he seemed to grin. “No, I really didn’t. I was never that lucky with the girls. But it came in useful in bed. Right, Amber?”

  I groaned. Did he have to bring that up now? Before I could respond with a pithy answer, the door opened again.

  Kiernan and Lance immediately stepped to my side. Was this the moment where they’d take me away? I’d hoped to have a little more time with my boyfriends. But instead of the Fae coming for me, a tall, familiar figure stumbled into the cell.

  30

  The door slammed shut, and heavy steps moved away from our cell.

  “Julian,” I exclaimed, running into my lanky boyfriend’s arms. He bent to pick me up and lifted me into the air before setting me down again.

  “What are you doing here? I was so worried I’d lost you,” I said, gripping his arms tightly.

  Kiernan put his hand on Julian’s shoulder. “Good to see you, man. Did they hurt you?”

  Julian shook his head. “No. They kept me in solitary for the last couple days after I smacked one of the guards.”

  Kiernan pulled him into a bear hug before handing him to Lance, who did the same. I smiled while my chest filled with warmth at the display of affection among my boys.

  Then I noticed his black eye. “Oh, Julian. They did hurt you.”

  “Well, I knocked out one of those sons-of-bitches. For a while, it got a bit out of hand.”

  His grin gave way to a scowl. “What the hell are you doing here? The only thing keeping me sane was knowing you guys were safe.”