Gaining their trust would be easy.
“No,” he said, and it took every effort to conceal my relief. “The ancient gods hide the Sanctuary from the Empire and its cruel, ruthless gods who force half-bloods like yourselves to play those brutal Games. We wouldn’t watch them, even if we could.”
I stiffened at that, although I kept walking, not wanting to draw suspicion.
Cruel and ruthless gods.
But Vesta had been kind to us in the villa. Venus had worked with Vesta to help Julian and me figure out how to both stay alive. Juno had listened to our plea, and given us both the chance to win. Jupiter and Mars had given us the apples—without them, we likely would have died. Ceres had given us the pack of winter gear. Again, without that, we likely would have died. Vejovis had saved my life. And of course, Jupiter had gifted me my magic.
I loved my magic.
Bacchus was cruel and ruthless, but the others? I wasn’t as sure anymore.
And like Gloriana had said, the Empire chose to host the Faerie Games. They were the ones to blame.
How can I give the wand to the Empress in good conscience?
I couldn’t.
But I was doing it to get back home. Once I told my parents about the Games, they’d figure out a way to stop the fae from continuing to do this to half-bloods year after year.
“Most half-bloods are only able to survive the journey through Hypernia thanks to help from the ancient gods,” Niall said, yanking me back into focus.
“We’re grateful for their help,” Julian said.
“As you should be.”
We continued the walk through the village in silence. Shops peppered the spaces between the houses, and while they were closed for the night, their signs showed that they sold everything from sweets to handmade furniture to training lessons for strengthening magical abilities.
Eventually, Liam and Niall stopped in front of a large cottage in what appeared to be a central square of the village.
“We always wait until the Head Elder is awake to introduce him to new arrivals,” Niall said. “But because of the uniqueness of your situation, it’s our duty to bring you to him immediately.”
Still holding onto my hand, Liam walked up to the carved wooden door and knocked.
A half-blood who looked to be in his thirties answered. He wore similar, plain brown garb as Liam and Niall, and he also smelled like vanilla.
A free half-blood.
“Why are you bringing newcomers here at this hour?” he asked Liam.
“We need to present them to Elder Jarlath immediately,” he said.
The man stepped forward, using his body to block the entrance. “Elder Jarlath is sleeping,” he said. “He won’t see anyone until he’s awake and finished his morning meal. Return tomorrow, after the colors of dawn leave the sky. You may present the newcomers then.”
Liam didn’t budge. “These aren’t your average newcomers,” he said. “I assure you, Elder Jarlath will want to see them now.”
“He will not. Bring them to the refugee house and return with them tomorrow. You should be well aware that Elder Jarlath awakens for no one.”
“Not even for the one with lightning magic?” Liam released my hand, and my light blue wings shined in my peripheral vision. He gave me a look that I took to mean, Show him, now.
I ignited bridges of electricity between my fingertips, and the man’s jaw dropped.
He closed his mouth, straightened, and stepped aside. “Come in,” he said. “Make yourselves comfortable in the sitting room. I’ll awaken Elder Jarlath and tell him of your arrival.”
34
Selena
Liam and Niall entered the sitting room with Julian and me. The space was welcoming, with hardwood floors, sofas around a fireplace, and vases full of colorful flowers.
Julian and I situated ourselves on the nearest sofa.
Niall raised his hand and shot a ball of green magic toward the fireplace.
The embers ignited, and a fire blazed inside the hearth. The heat of it emanated onto my skin. I removed my cloak, and let it fall onto the cushion behind me.
Julian moved closer to the fire and stared pensively into the flames. Then, he looked to Niall. “How’d you do that?” he asked.
“Magic,” Niall said simply.
“But even without the tattoos, half-bloods are only supposed to have illusion magic,” he said. “Not magic that affects the physical world.”
“Says who?” Liam looked far more amused than he should have.
“Everyone,” Julian said. “Only full fae have magic like yours.”
Liam sat on the sofa across from us, spread his arms across the back of it, and smirked. “Half-bloods have magic as powerful as full fae,” he said simply. “We don’t have special gifts like the royal fae do, but we’re strong. That’s why they bound our magic all those centuries ago. They were scared we’d rebel against them.”
Julian opened his mouth, then closed it again. “You should rebel against them,” he said, and he clenched his fists, like it was taking all of his effort to stop himself from beating Liam to smithereens. “Instead, you stay here in your dome, doing nothing to help your own kind, while we work our lives away as powerless servants to the fae.”
“We’re the last free half-bloods in the entire realm,” Niall said calmly. “We’re here to guard the Holy Wand, preserve the existence of our kind, and to provide refuge to those who seek us. Not to start a war we cannot win.”
Liam glanced to me. “One we’re not supposed to be able to win until she claims the wand, so she can free us all,” he said.
Guilt rose in my throat. “The wand can do that?” I asked.
Niall shrugged. “We hope so,” he said. “Although we won’t know until you try.”
Shame squeezed my lungs so tightly that I couldn’t breathe. Because I might be a chosen champion, but I was also a half-blood fae. Julian was, too.
Our people were slaves.
And I might have the power to save them.
I glanced over at Julian, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Was he having second thoughts, too?
Before I could worry about it further, an old man hunched over a gnarled cane, still wearing his sleeping clothes, entered the room.
He must be Elder Jarlath. I stood up, as was expected around those ranked higher than me. Julian did the same.
Liam and Niall remained seated.
“I’m Elder Jarlath, the leader of the Sanctuary,” he said, and he looked to me. “My guard claims you’re the chosen one with lightning magic.”
Every time someone said it like that, they added another stone to the growing mounds weighing down my shoulders.
I raised my chin and held his gaze. “I’m Selena Pearce, the chosen champion of Jupiter,” I said. “And I do have lightning magic.”
“Show me.”
My magic hummed, wanting to do something dramatic to demonstrate my power. But blasting anything in the cottage to ash would hardly be diplomatic.
So I raised my hands and played with electricity between my fingertips, just like I’d done earlier.
Elder Jarlath smiled, the wrinkles creasing around his lips. “Electricity,” he said, as if the word itself were magic. “Is that the most you can do with it?”
“No, sir.” I bowed my head respectfully. “I can strike targets with bolts, and call bolts down from the sky.”
“She’s called hundreds of bolts from the sky at once,” Julian added, and my cheeks heated as he bragged on my behalf.
Elder Jarlath looked to Julian. “And who are you?” he asked.
Julian pulled a small shield from the either. “Julian Kane, the chosen champion of Mars,” he said. “I can pull any weapon from the ether.”
“Yet, you opted for a shield,” Elder Jarlath observed.
The shield disappeared to where it came from. “Shields can be used as weapons,” Julian explained. “But we come here in peace. I didn’t want to alarm you by p
ulling out something threatening, like a dagger or a sword.”
Elder Jarlath pursed his lips and nodded. Then he hobbled to the middle of the living room and sat down on the center sofa.
Julian and I lowered ourselves back down as well.
“Liam. Niall,” Elder Jarlath said. “Leave the three of us to chat.”
The two guards stood in unison. “Yes, sir,” they said, and then they left the room.
They closed the door behind them, and Elder Jarlath turned back to Julian and me. “I’ve heard of your kind,” he said. “The chosen champions. But I’ve yet to meet any in person.”
“The majority of our kind are killed in the arena soon after being gifted by the gods,” Julian said, his voice hard. “Murdered in the name of the Faerie Games.”
“As I’ve heard,” Elder Jarlath said. “The refugees throughout the years have told us much about these Games held by the fae and their gods. Along with how the winner each year chooses to stay in the main part of the realm.”
“Yes,” Julian said. “The winners are granted the rank of full fae, and enjoy all the same privileges.”
“They succumb to temptation,” Elder Jarlath said in disgust. “Instead of seeking refuge from those who previously enslaved them, they join them.” He looked to me, his eyes sharpening. “Which leads me to wonder… what leads the two of you here?”
“We’re seeking the Holy Wand,” I said quickly, since at least that part wasn’t a lie. “Our journey to find it has led us here.”
He pressed his lips together, and my stomach fluttered with fear that he didn’t believe me, even though nothing I’d said so far was untrue. “Why are you seeking the Holy Wand?” he finally asked.
I froze.
Because I wasn’t sure I knew the answer to that question anymore myself. So much had changed in such a short amount of time.
Now, I knew that the half-bloods had magic as strong as the fae, and that it had been blocked, like mine. And what if Liam and Niall were right, and I could unbind the half-bloods’ magic with the Holy Wand?
What if I could unbind my magic?
If I can, I will.
“Selena and I are the first two chosen champions to survive the Faerie Games together,” Julian jumped in, apparently realizing I was having second thoughts. “We’re soulmates.”
“Half-blood soulmates?” Elder Jarlath raised an eyebrow. “Very unusual.”
“It’s rare, but it happens,” Julian said. “There have never been soulmate finalists in the Games before. So, because of our unique situation, Juno created a new rule. Soulmate champions are allowed to both win the Faerie Games, but they’ll pay for it by being permanently exiled from the citadel.”
The Elder leaned forward curiously. “And this exile led you here?” he asked.
“First, it led us to the Sibyl,” Julian continued seamlessly. “Then, to the Underworld, where we met the First Queen.”
“Queen Gloriana?” Elder Jarlath looked truly surprised.
“Yes. And she told us how to get here, so Selena can claim the Holy Wand and bring peace to our realm once more.”
He lied so easily.
But was it truly a lie?
Elder Jarlath looked me over. His brow furrowed, and I had a feeling he didn’t like what he was seeing.
I didn’t blame him. I was sitting there, letting Julian do all the talking. I hardly looked like someone who was ready to free an entire race from centuries of slavery.
Maybe I could, or maybe I couldn’t. But for now, I needed to say something.
“Can the wand truly free the half-bloods?” I asked.
Elder Jarlath relaxed back into his seat. “Most believe it can, but we don’t actually know what the Holy Wand can and cannot do,” he said. “When the gods created the Sanctuary, they also cast a spell on the wand. Anyone who touches it is jolted with electricity. Not enough to kill them, but enough to make it impossible for them to wield it. Only the one with lightning magic can break the spell.”
A spark of electricity rushed through my veins, like it was answering to a call.
“Me,” I said.
His lips curved up into a small smile. “There’s only one way to know for sure,” he said. “Tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest place in the sky, we’ll hold a ceremony. All citizens of the Sanctuary will attend.”
Julian moved toward the edge of his seat. “What should we expect from this ceremony?” he asked.
“It’s typical to hold a ceremony to introduce newcomers to the Sanctuary,” Elder Jarlath said. “But this ceremony will be different. Because as you already know, the Holy Wand is here. Only the Elders know its location, although the wand is kept in a box, since none of us can touch it.” He paused, his face set in challenge. “Tomorrow, we’ll bring the box to the altar,” he continued. “And there, the entire Sanctuary will watch you try—and hopefully succeed—in wielding the Holy Wand."
35
Selena
Elder Jarlath let Julian and I spend the night in his guest room.
Julian fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. His wings were still dimmer than usual, his skin paler. He was still recovering from the cold.
The golden apples replenished our magic, but they didn’t help regular exhaustion. That was something only sleep could cure.
Hopefully he’d feel better in the morning.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep. The bed was comfortable enough, but I couldn’t turn my brain off.
Firstly, everyone was so confident that I’d be able to wield the Holy Wand. But what if they were wrong? What if the wand jolted me like it had jolted everyone else? What if I couldn't break the spell?
Julian and I would fail the quest, and we’d be killed.
Then, if I got the wand, what if it could free the half-bloods? I couldn’t just hand it over to the Empress. She’d use it to retain her rule. And the half-bloods deserved to have their magic unbound. They deserved to be freed from slavery.
But if we didn’t give the wand to the Empress, how were Julian and I supposed to stay alive?
We couldn’t help anyone if we were dead.
To stay alive, we needed to give the wand to the Empress. Then, once I was home, I could help the half-bloods. I’d most likely need to get the wand back, and I didn’t know how I could do that, but my parents would have a plan.
But the Nephilim army had its hands full on Earth with fighting the demons. Who was to say they would want to help the Otherworld?
This was a mess.
Because logically, it made the most sense to give the wand to the Empress.
But my heart didn’t agree.
War was waging within me, and I couldn't choose a side.
I wanted to wake Julian up so I could talk this out with him. But he was sleeping so peacefully. And his wings still hadn’t returned to their full brightness. He needed his rest.
Besides, I was getting ahead of myself. We didn’t even know if the Holy Wand could free the half-bloods. If it couldn’t, then I was worrying for nothing.
I needed to handle this like I’d handled the Faerie Games. One step at a time.
Which meant going to the ceremony tomorrow and seeing what happened when I touched that wand.
I was still awake, going over potential scenarios in my mind, when there was a knock on the door.
“Selena. Julian,” a friendly female voice said from the other side. “It’s time to get ready for the ceremony.”
36
Selena
Getting ready for the ceremony didn’t take nearly as long as it did for the ceremonies in the Faerie Games. The citadel was all about pomp and circumstance. The Sanctuary was the opposite. But we were still in enough of a hurry that Julian and I didn’t have any chance to talk alone.
Before leaving his house, Elder Jarlath used glamour to hide our wings. He was one of the most powerful half-bloods in the Sanctuary, so instead of needing to have continual contact with us to maintain the glamour, he co
uld do it from a few feet away.
Once ready, he led us to the temple. While large in comparison to the other buildings in the Sanctuary, the temple was made of the same wood as the rest of the houses and stores. The altar and pews inside were plain as well. Simple, but functional.
Julian and I sat on wooden chairs at one side of the altar. Elder Jarlath sat on the other.
The three of us faced the crowd, watching as the citizens of the Sanctuary filled the pews. There were a few hundred of them at the most.
Before leaving Avalon, I would have thought that was a lot. But after the crowds in the Coliseum and Circus Maximus, it seemed like nothing.
Like some in the crowd, Julian and I wore the plain brown, hand-woven garb that Liam and Niall had been in yesterday. But many wore colorful silks decorated with intricate gold and silver patterns. Their tops were sleeveless, to show off their non-tattooed biceps.
Free half-bloods. And there were so many of them. Three-fourths of the crowd, at least.
But while their clothes were beautiful, there was something off about them. Something I couldn’t quite place.
Julian leaned toward me. “Look closer,” he murmured. “Their clothes are illusions created with glamour.”
I zoomed in on a woman in the first row who wore a long purple dress stitched with gold. Then, I narrowed my eyes and focused harder.
The edges of her dress straps flickered, like a high-quality hologram that became slightly less perfect when I knew to look for it.
That must be why the fae in the citadel preferred real clothes to ones created by glamour. And I was only a half-blood with bound magic. I imagined full fae would have a much easier time seeing through glamour than I did.
The last few people trickled into the back rows, the doors closed, and Elder Jarlath stood. Everyone else silenced and stood as well.
It was exactly what the citizens in the citadel did in the presence of the Empress.
Apparently, old habits didn’t die, even after thousands of years of being separated by the wilderness.
The Faerie Wand (Dark World: The Faerie Games Book 4) Page 15
