by Lia Davis
Made sense. It was what Landon had said. But Cyron explained it differently. In a way that made more sense to me. It also brought back the pain of losing my family.
They were taken from me and turned into Crystal’s changelings. And I couldn’t do anything to stop it. How was I powerful? I was weak and ran. “I don’t see how I could stop this.”
I scooted off the bed, careful not to touch him or make eye contact. I didn’t want to see the compassion and humanity that would make me believe in something that sounded impossible. Plus, I didn’t understand the desire to stay close to him and the other two men. They called to me. Something in their energies beckoned me to reach out to each of them.
There was no guarantee I wouldn’t turn on everyone. Stumbling to the doorway, I blinked back the tears. I had to find a way to destroy the princess or force her to change everything back. But I had to do it alone without bringing harm to anyone else.
Before I got fully out the door, Cyron gripped my arm and pulled me back hard enough, I stumbled into him. My hand flattened on his cotton-covered chest.
I sucked in a breath and met his two-toned gaze. “I have to go.”
He loosened his grip on my arm and moved to snake around my waist, bringing our bodies closer. The desire flared into something much more sensual. One corner of his mouth lifted as if amused. “Where will you go?”
I opened my mouth then closed it. There was no place to go. I had no home, no family. Breathing became difficult and I averted my gaze from his. “The princess needs to be stopped.”
“I agree.” He let me go and I fumbled back a few steps. “I used to be a researcher for the human council. After the familiars injected me with the serum and I didn’t go insane with bloodlust like so many others in my village, I made it my mission to discover why. That there had to be a reason it changed some people into malum and some into custos.”
Hovering in the doorway, I waited for him to speak again. After a moment of silence, I asked, “So what is this place? A lab for your research?”
He whirled around, both eyes flashing a little more red than moments ago. His lips curled into a small smile. “We are building a rebellion against the princess. The more I know about the serum, her magic, and what caused the ice age, the better equipped we are to fight her. But this village, hidden inside the mountain is much more. There are families here. People who believe there will be a brighter future.”
A sense of loneliness drifted from him along with sadness. Underneath those emotions was something else. Something darker that mirrored my own need to survive. “Her magic was darkened by the evil in the earth. From centuries of fighting and destroying one another.”
I didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in my tone. Humans and fae had never trusted one another. Many wars had started throughout our histories. Resources were used up and the fae magic, mixed with the hatred from both sides, soaked into the earth, tainting everything it touched.
So when the fae queen sacrificed her daughters—burying them in thirteen different parts of the world, creating the Hollows—it was too late. The earth was poisoned with dark magic and hatred. The princesses rose again, evil—and in Crystal’s case—insane.
Humans still blamed the fae for the fall of the worlds.
Cyron let out a sigh and faced me. I cursed my body’s reaction to him. The way it warmed when he was near. There was a longing deep in my soul that nudge me to get closer, to touch him. Would he accept me as a magic born fae?
An ice fae?
No. No one would. Crystal was an ice fae and she turned the once beautiful winter landscapes into ice, cold and dead. Unable to look at him any longer, I turned to leave. But his words gave me pause.
“You’re the key. The one who could save us all.”
He was so wrong. I shook my head, refusing to turn around. “I couldn’t even save my own family.”
His warm hands settled on my shoulders. “Let me test your blood, see how the serum is effecting it.” When I stiffened, he tightened his hold on me. Not painful, but to let me know he wasn’t done. “I’ve never come across an ice fae. I want to compare the notes to the ones we found. The theories could be right.”
A tiny bit of hope filled me. While at the same time, confusion hampered my thoughts. Did I really want to be his lab rat? “I don’t know.”
He turned me around to face him. I stared at his blue button-down shirt under the white lab coat. With a gentle hand, he cupped my chin and lifted it. “There are children in this village. Wouldn’t you want to know how the serum is affecting you?”
I sagged into myself. I understood what he was saying. He protected the people under him. If there was even a slight chance of turning, I needed to leave. I didn’t want to be responsible for hurting innocent people, especially children.
His mismatched eyes studied me for several moments as if he were waiting for an answer. When I didn’t give one, he whispered, “Stay and fight with us.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “So, I fight with you and be your guinea pig?”
The muscles in his temples flexed as his jaw worked. “You fight with us and help me with research, and in exchange, I’ll tell you everything I know and have learned about Crystal and her changelings. Plus, I have a feeling that Landon and Nate wouldn’t let you get too far without dragging you back.”
“I’m not strong enough to go against her.”
“Not yet.” When I lifted my gaze to his, he lifted his brows, then added, “The serum will make you stronger. I hope to find a way to make you stay sane while gaining the ability to shift.”
Impossible. I heard whispers of malum being able to shapeshift, but I’d never seen them do so. There were few familiars that could shift, but it cost them their free will because Crystal had to control their minds. I knew this for a fact because Taegan made it a mission to find out everything about the princess and how she operated. He’d spied on her for years and then shared his information with me. I wasn’t sure why he did it other than he was avid about stopping her. I never bothered to ask him questions about what he learned.
Maybe I should have.
A lump formed in my throat. I hoped my brother had turned into a custos and not the evil, blood-lusting malum.
“Of course, it would mean testing.” Cyron’s soft tone brought me back from my thoughts.
What was I to do? Go on the run and hide out? Wait for the change? If I did that, then my family’s lives didn’t matter. And they did. Every life lost because of Crystal mattered. I wouldn’t let them go without a fight. There had to be away to undo everything Crystal did. To stop her from killing anyone else.
Even if it meant submitting to the darkness.
8
I gathered all the grief inside me and turned it into a purpose. Although I hadn’t a clue how to stop the princess, we had to try. At least, it’d give me something to do. “I’ll stay, but no secrets and no surprises.”
He nodded and walked to the other side of the room where cabinets lined the wall. After opening one, he pulled out a small glass jar, then opened a drawer under the counter. “No surprises. And I hate liars and thieves.”
I scoffed and crossed my arms. He was lucky he was handsome. Wait. Shaking my head, I said, “Good, then we have an understanding. What is that?”
“An antibiotic. Your malum bite looks infected.”
On reflex, I lifted my hand to my neck. Two small raised bumps had replaced the bite. It was tender to the touch. Why hadn’t I noticed? I turned my gaze from Cyron, not wanting him to see the embarrassment and shame. What would he think about me being a blood slave for a day?
“I’m surprised you lived through the attack.” He stopped in front me, holding the syringe. Tapping my hand with his finger, he said, “Let me look.”
I twisted my head and lowered my hand so he could study the marks. “I wasn’t attacked.”
“Then how did you get these marks?” He grabbed my upper arm and plunged the needle into it. I winched
at the pinprick feeling, but relaxed when no other pain followed.
“I was captured and held as a blood slave, but I escaped.” I put some space between us, not wanting any pity from him. It was bad enough I broke down in front of Nate and Landon.
No, I wouldn’t be weak anymore. If they believed they could help me defeat the princess, then I had to learn to be strong. I held my hands up, wiggling my fingers, and answered his question about why the beast that fed from me did it without killing me. “Malum don’t like the cold.”
“Interesting.” He studied me for several long moments. “So, you threatened to freeze him and he was gentle with you?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. He seemed pretty mellow when they brought him in. Like he was under a spell. Maybe the ones she keeps at the palace aren’t fully insane. Not like the ones in the forest and mountain ranges.”
“If she keeps them fed regularly, then they wouldn’t suffer bloodlust as much.” Cyron’s tone was soft and thoughtful. He was a researcher, a puzzle solver. Tae was the same. “It could also mean she has a way to reverse the serum’s effects, which would mean the princess is more dangerous than I’ve given her credit for.”
I agreed but didn’t say anything. I also thought that the fact I was an ice fae threw off the malum. Confused him. Like he recognized my magic. A shudder passed over me. Did that mean I was like Crystal? I’d always walked the line of dark and light magic. My mom said it was because I was special and would do great things.
It was also why I worked so hard to control my power and use it for good.
Cyron touched my cheek, making me jump, then lowered his hand. “Come on, I’ll give you a tour.”
I nodded and followed him into the hall. A boutique of fragrances filled my senses. The natural spiciness of earth and fire reminded me of fae magic when my family stayed at a dominantly fae village once. Breathing in again, I caught the woodsy musk I’d grown to associate with most humans. But there was something else in the mix of scents. Something darker, but not like the familiars or malum.
“There are other custos living here?”
Cyron nodded. “This isn’t just a research lab or training camp. We offer sanctuary to those who need it.”
My heart warmed a little. He did say there were families here. Tae was right. I was sure this was the rumored rebel camp he spoke of. The one he wanted to take our family to before the familiars attacked.
I took a deep, cleansing breath and exhaled slowly. Being impatient would get me killed. I would wait and find out everything Cyron and the others knew about fighting the princess and her familiars.
We turned a bend that opened to a wide section that stretched as far as I could see. A small stream flowed to our right. To the left were buildings made of stone and sticks. Upon closer inspection, I noticed we were in a market place. A variety of vegetables and fruits lay out on tables. Other buildings had handmade blankets, jewelry, and clothing.
“Where do the supplies come from?” I wondered aloud.
“The farmers have a garden deeper into caverns. We have hunters who go to the surface for meat, but it’s getting more and more scarce. There isn’t much to go around. The children get the protein first.” He glanced down at me with a forced smiled, but I could tell it bothered him. He worried the food source would dry up totally.
It was the same worries my family had, which was part of the reason we moved around so much. You couldn’t pick up a whole village and move it without drawing attention.
“We will find a way to stop Crystal.”
“Yes.” He led me down a steep set of stairs.
At the bottom, shouts echoed off the cavern walls followed by metal clinking against metal. We passed several little huts built into the walls. One of the rooms held crates and weapons. A storage room, I guessed.
The shouts grew louder. I lifted my gaze and saw a large circular arena ahead. “For training?”
Cyron nodded. “All who wish to join the fight must train first.”
That made sense. No need to send someone inexperience into war to die. They needed the chance to learn to survive. “That’s a good policy to have.”
I watched as a female and male sparred in the center of the ring. While both appeared very skilled at combat, the female had the advantage. She had dual swords and wielded them like she’d done so all her life. Or at least trained from a very young age. I was betting on the latter.
The male charged her, swung his own sword, connecting with one of hers. With an evil grin, she twisted her wrist and disarmed him in the next moment. Her other sword came around and the point touched the center of his chest. Like that, the fight was done.
Straightening, the female turned and locked her narrow-eyed stare on me. Her lips curled and she jerked her gaze to Cyron a moment before she crossed the arena. Fury lit her copper-color eyes. "When are you going to stop bringing them here? Until one of them attacks us and destroys everything we built?"
Cyron remained emotionless as he spoke. "She is here to fight with us. I remember a time when we weren’t sure you'd turn into a malum or not. As I recall, it took you much longer to overcome the darkness."
The female stopped at the edge of the circle and crossed her arms. "I'm tired of the experiments. The last malum you tried to save almost killed you and ten others. When will you stop?"
"Soora, you will not speak to me in that tone. Everyone here has a pass and a right to fight the princess. Roshia is no different."
I focused on Soora. Her emotions definitely ruled her need for revenge. Against whom, I wasn’t sure. I could understand why she felt like I didn't belong. However, she didn't know me or where I came from. She had no right to judge me.
She glared at me. We stared at each other for several long moments before she moved past me, knocking her shoulder into mine along the way. I stumbled a step but caught my balance, my hands fisting at my side.
“Ignore her,” Cyron said then nudge me to follow him.
“Who is she?” I knew she was human and by the way she moved in the ring, a very skilled human.
“She’s my sister-in-law and was married to my brother before he was taken by familiars.”
Sorrow twisted in my gut. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “We’ve all lost loved ones. Some more than others. Soora just holds onto her anger. She’s also become very protective over the families and children.”
“At least she’s channeling it to help.”
Cyron shook his head. “She’s barely coping. It concerns me but not enough to challenge her about it. For now, we watch after her.”
I nodded. While my emotions were still raw, I was on the opposite end of the coping scale from Soora. She wanted to destroy things to make it go away. I just wanted it to go away.
Cyron linked his fingers with mine. “We will help you with whatever you need to prepare to face Crystal.”
“You really think I hold the key to ending this?”
He stopped and faced me. His mismatched eyes searched my own. “I do.”
Looking into his eyes in that moment, I believed he meant it. When he stepped closer to me, my heart raced and my breathing sped up. He slid his palm against my cheek then lowered his head.
Just before his lips touched mine, he jerked up and Landon’s voice cut through the fog in my brain. “There you two are. About time you got here.”
Cyron grunted and put space between us. I glanced to Landon as he replaced Cyron at my side. He leaned in and whispered, “He doesn’t know you called to us. That we agree to share you.”
“Why?” I whispered back.
“Because he needs to fall for you before knowing. Trust me. If we tell him now, he’ll analyze it to death and lose focus on getting you strong enough to stop Crystal.” Landon kissed my temple, then tugged me down another hall that ended in a circular space with three openings that I guessed were rooms. He pointed straight ahead. “That one is yours. I’m on the left and Cyron and Nate are in the room Cyron just en
tered. It’s a bigger space they share. Cyron gave up his room to you.”
What? “Why would he do that?”
“Because he has a big heart. Plus, he spends more time in the medical center than here.” He tugged me forward.
When we reached the middle room, Nate emerged in the doorway, a wide grin on his face. “Welcome home.”
I laughed and it felt great. I stepped forward and Nate raised a brow and blocked my way. “Landon got a kiss and Cyron was about to steal one. What would it take for me to sneak one?”
My cheeks tinted. “Lunch would be great since I missed out on breakfast.”
Nate’s smile widened and his green eyes lit up. “That can be arranged.”
I rose on my toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
With quick movements I wasn’t ready for, Nate grabbed me by the waist and whirled me around so my back pressed against the inside wall of my room. Surprise made my eyes go round.
A groan escaped me when he wedged his thigh between my legs. Sensations of pleasure electrified every nerve ending. A wicked grin lifted Nate’s lips. “We should make Landon watch.”
Nate waggled his brows and I giggled again. Over Nate’s shoulder, I saw Landon’s eyes roll.
“If you start, I’m jumping in.”
Nate sighed but winked at me. “He’s no fun.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know about that. His idea sounds like it could be fun.”
Nate drew back and stared at me. His lips went into a half frown. Sighing, I patted him on the chest and gave a little push. He released me. “Are you serious?”
My body heated with a blush. “I don’t know… I’ve never…”
Nate stilled. “Oh…Oh!”
Landon cut in with a comment directed to Cyron, who walked into the room. “What’s for lunch?”
Cyron glanced at Nate, then to me before answering. “I thought you knew. Aren’t we going to Martha’s?”
