by Mindy Hayes
Chapter Twenty
Entering the trees was becoming such a natural thing. I didn’t have to bother to watch where I stepped or even call out to Declan. I knew where I would find him if he wasn’t in Faylinn. The familiar roots wound in and out of the ground like a serpent. And there he was, sitting in the crevasse of giant roots, stringing a new bow. It was comforting to know I could find him.
Could I have both worlds?
I refocused and remembered why it was that I’d come in the first place. Though I could have been subtler, I didn’t want to beat around the bush. I was so tired of beating around the bush. “You were supposed to kill me?”
Declan looked up at me, then glared into the trees and sighed, knowing Kai must have been the culprit.
“Why does everyone keep hiding things from me?” I said heatedly. “I can handle the truth. Tell me the truth, Declan. All of it. Please,” I added.
He didn’t look up at me, but he had stopped stringing his bow. “Remember when I told you that the Royals have a special ability? One that no regular faery has?”
I nodded, recalling that day he first told me about Favner. It felt like a lifetime ago. He hadn’t gotten a chance to tell me about it since Kai had so conveniently interrupted us as usual. When I realized I nodded and he hadn’t been looking at me I said, “Yes.”
His head stayed bowed, glaring at the forest floor. “Favner has the ability to command us without giving us a choice. It’s an ability that can be controlled, but he chooses not to. It’s how he’s gotten us all to be divided as we are. Whatever he says we are forced to do whether we want to or not. It’s called Supremacy.”
“So, he controls your minds.” He lifted his aquamarine eyes to me and nodded. Their vibrancy took away my breath. “But, if he commanded you to kill me how am I still alive?”
Declan exhaled. “There was a group of us. Three of us, actually. Foster, Warren and myself. The three of us were in Favner’s chamber when he ordered us to find you, but he commanded Warren to do the actual deed and bring your body back to him.” Declan paused, stood and began to pace slowly in front of me, peering up at me occasionally. “When we found you, you were with Finnian and he was pushing you on that tree swing in your backyard. You were about thirteen and the life inside of your eyes was so full. You were just starting a life.”
His loyal gaze connected with mine and his light oceanic eyes consumed me before he turned from me as if he couldn’t say this to my face. He strode over to a log and sat facing the opposite direction, the light shining through trees, cascading shadowy figures on his back.
“I couldn’t let Warren finish you off, especially in front of Finnian. Back in the day I knew Finnian to be the strongest warrior, but as a human he would have been defenseless against us. I couldn’t bear the thought of ending you and seeing the look on his face as it was done.” I saw his shoulders rise and fall as he took a deep breath. “So, I turned on Warren. He was stronger than me, but by some miracle of the fallen fae I was able to defeat him. I remember the look in his eyes as he lay on the ground. It was as if he wanted me to kill him.”
I was about to speak, to comfort him or thank him, but he continued with guilt in his voice. “Getting rid of Warren wasn’t the worst part. Foster saw the whole thing and stood by. He was only about fifteen, if you compare it to human years, but he was loyal to Favner. He was about to run off and reveal what I had done, so I did what needed to be done.”
Declan didn’t need to explain. I went to be next to him. He stared off at nothing, only the stillness of the woodlands, so I grabbed his hand in mine. Words wouldn’t suffice for what I wanted to say, so we simply sat there as I held his hand and stroked my fingers over his. He didn’t react, merely sat still, the only sound between us were his quiet breaths.
“How did you get away with it? When Foster and Warren didn’t return with you and you didn’t have my body, how did you explain that?”
“I told him that on our way back we were attacked. Favner’s biggest rivalry kingdom is the Rymidon Kingdom. Kai mentioned he told you about the other kingdoms?” I nodded. “Honestly, they are not truly our enemies, but it was my only out. Favner believes they have a grudge against us for being the largest kingdom with the most power since we are the homeland.” Declan shook his head in exasperation. “I told him that we were ambushed. I obviously didn’t go back unscathed after battling with Foster and Warren. I had my fair share of cuts and bruises so my lie was believable.”
I swallowed. “And what did you say about my body?”
“I told him they took it. It was my life or nothing. I said they would have finished me off too if I had tried to escape with you.”
“And he never once questioned you?”
“I saw the uncertainty in his eyes, but he didn’t see what I could possibly gain by killing my fellow fae. I had served beside Warren for many years. He didn’t think I had it in me.” Declan exhaled and murmured softly, “I didn’t think I had it in me.”
I saw a tear escape from his eye, but neither of us bothered to brush it away.
“So, you’ve traveled from Faylinn every day and protected me for the last five years to keep me from a man who wants me dead,” I clarified, feeling overwhelmed by his dedication and bravery. The risk he had taken to be here after all this time.
Declan gazed over at me with his electrifying green-blue eyes glistening. “I could never let anything happen to you.” His eyes trailed over my face, from my lips to my eyes and back. Our faces inched closer and closer. There was no thought to our actions; his lips were about to graze mine, but stopping him never crossed my mind. Did I want to stop him?
“This is where the two of you have run off to?”
Startled by the female voice, I let go of his hand and we both turned to face the voice. I not only saw Kai who stood with his arms at his side, an unreadable expression on his face, but a woman. No. Another faery. She was beautiful. Her lengthy light brown hair was rolled into dreadlocks and flowed all around her. A thin cream band wrapped around her forehead, keeping the hair from her flawless face. She was fierce. Her eyes were golden. They even sparkled like gold.
How long had Kai been standing there?
“Kai, if Favner even knew… no, forget Favner. If Mom knew that you were leaving Faylinn on your free time, that this is where you have been…” She trailed off, too exasperated to continue. “They are going to kill you.”
Kai’s face changed back into his indifferent guise. “Who? Favner?” He swatted his hand. “I already knew that.”
“Then how could you be so foolish? And Declan… I thought better of you.” She looked pointedly at Declan who actually looked ashamed.
If she hadn’t looked so young I would have mistaken her for their mother. But she was obviously not a mother. She was Kai’s… sister?
“And who’s she?” She darted her hand to me, accusingly. I cowered behind Declan. This girl was going to tear me to shreds with one look.
Weren’t faeries supposed to be all colorful and sparkly? She was anything but. Her clothes were all neutral with only slight color accents here and there. Declan scolded me several times before. I was mixing them up with Pixies. Us. I was mixing us up with pixies.
Declan spoke now. “She’s none of your business, Allura.”
Allura looked hurt for a split second before plastering the lethal looks back on. “It is my business if she means you two are being put in danger. Is she human?”
“How did you manage to get away, Allura?” Kai asked impishly, dancing around her, flicking her hair. She swatted him off.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that if you two don’t come back to Faylinn and stay in Faylinn there is no hope for either of you.”
“There is no hope if we do go back, Allura. You know that,” Declan said. “We’ve been gone for too long.”
“Wait. When was the last time you guys went back to Faylinn?” I asked, stepping out from behind Declan.
“It doesn’t
matter,” Kai said.
“It does too!” I replied.
Allura’s amber eyes locked on me and changed instantly. It was as if Allura had truly seen me for the first time. She gasped. “You… you’re…” For the first time since she opened her mouth, she was at a loss for words.
“Go ahead, Allura. Spell it out,” Kai taunted. “Would you like me to spell it out for you?”
“She’s…” She pointed with a hand clasped over her mouth. All of her fingers had twine laced between them and woven down around her wrist, adorning them with dangling tiny blue flower petals—faery jewelry, I could only assume.
“Yes,” Declan finally put her out of her misery. “She’s Finnian’s daughter.”
“How did she know?” I asked timidly.
“It’s hard not to, Princess,” Kai said, turning his wry gaze on me. “You’re practically the female version of him. Just twenty years younger.”
The moment he said princess, his nickname for me didn’t seem so snarky anymore. I still didn’t like it, but he hadn’t been doing it simply because he thought I was a priss or to annoy me. Well probably to annoy me a little bit.
“How—” Allura sputtered, still unable to string a sentence together. I assume she didn’t know what to ask. She wasn’t anything I’d pictured the women would look like. Allura was draped in what looked like a tweed romper and a dark brown burlap vest. A strand of pale green vines was tied around her waist, accentuating her figure. Her delicate wings peaked out behind her. They weren’t much different from mine: four delicate petal-like wings, but Allura’s were a faint dusty blue.
“Well, you see, Allura, when two people love each other very much, they get together and—”
“Shut up, Kai!” Her heated gold eyes glared at him. I understood her frustration. Apparently I wasn’t the only one he could infuriate in less than two minutes. That was truly a talent. “I know the process. What I want to know is how it’s possible that she’s a faery.” She pointed at me once again.
Declan stepped in. “We think it’s the Royal bloodline. Faylinn wants its true heir back.”
Her eyes shifted between the two of them. “And what… You two have been here protecting her? How did you find her? Where does she even live? What are you two going to do when Favner finds out about her?”
“Favner already knows about her. He thinks she’s dead,” Declan explained.
Allura looked so confused, I almost felt sorry for her. She seemed so strong and fierce at first, as if nothing could break her. Her expression changed as if a light bulb had brightened in her head. Or I guess it was more like a firefly. “You can save us,” she finally said. “I knew I felt a change in the winds.”
“What?” I asked.
“Yes!” She leaped forward. “If we bring you back to Faylinn and everyone sees you, they will know who you are like I did. Favner will be forced to step down!”
“What do you mean you sensed a change in the winds?” Kai interrupted, stepping toward her.
“The Sowers feel it. The True Sowers. Something brewing. Something significant. No one knew what it was. Change. War. It hasn’t been talked about outright, but there has been chatter.”
“They know,” Declan said.
“Favner?” Kai hissed.
“Maybe. No. I don’t know. But the rest of the fae. They sense Calliope as the new heir. They just don’t know it yet,” Declan clarified.
“Wait. What?” I interjected.
“I don’t think it’s as simple as Calliope storming the castle and taking over, Allura,” Declan said.
I was ignored once again. I was being talked about as if I wasn’t there.
“Of course, it is. No one wants him to rule, but no one else is brave enough to go up against him. You are the only one that can save us!” Allura set her eyes upon me with so much certainty in her sparkling eyes. There wasn’t even a hint of doubt.
I opened my mouth to speak, but struggled for the right words to say. My father and I already had this conversation. I didn’t know anything about Faylinn and I loved my human life. I was still able to live among humans and be who I wanted to be, who I planned to be. What if I had a life waiting for me with Cam? Was I supposed to drop all of that and become someone’s queen? No. I didn’t need that sort of responsibility. I couldn’t handle that kind of responsibility. I would fail them.
The three of them faced me now, a kaleidoscope of colors in their eyes so bright and earnest. They believed in me. They believed I could do this for them. How could I let them down? But how was I supposed to lead them?
“Stop looking at me like that,” I demanded. Their confidence was too much.
Immediately the three of them looked away from me. Then there was a gasp. “She has the power,” Allura said in awe as she looked cautiously back to me.
“What power?” I searched their faces.
The Keepers went quiet as they looked to one another once more, as if sharing their thoughts through eye contact. What were they? Telepathic?
“Your Supremacy,” Declan finally explained. “You don’t quite know how to control it yet.”
I sucked in a breath of air. All different occasions were coming back to me, rolling in my mind like a film reel. It made sense. Every time Declan and Kai would get that pained look in their eyes like they didn’t want to answer me. It was my… Supremacy.
“You were born to rule Faylinn,” Declan said gently, visibly sensing my unease.
“I can’t,” were the measly words that slipped out of my mouth. “I’m sorry.” I shook my head and escaped toward the forest’s borderline.
“Calliope!” I couldn’t be sure whose voice it was. My thoughts were too clouded. There was no stopping now. I couldn’t bear to see their eyes looking at me with such confidence. I wasn’t the one they needed. Someone else in Faylinn could do the job. But it wasn’t going to be me.
One of the other fae was bound to be a better leader than me.
I bolted down the hallway to my room and shut the door behind me, locking it. Like a coward. It was exactly why I would be a terrible queen. I ran from conflict. I didn’t know how to resolve problems. I ran from them.
There was a knock at my door. “Calliope?” He couldn’t have had worse timing. “Sweetheart?”
“Not right now, Dad,” I grumbled. “Please,” I added as an afterthought.
“Is everything okay?” he asked through the door.
“I really don’t want to talk about it. Please just go away,” I said more adamantly.
I heard his footsteps trail away. Thank you.
I flew onto my bed and buried my face in the comfort of my pillow. My tears soaked the cotton as they fled from my eyes. I didn’t want to have a pity party for myself, but this was overwhelming. There was too much pressure. Pressure not to let anyone down. Pressure to do the right thing for me. Pressure to make the right decision for everyone else.
Maybe for someone else this would have been an easy decision. They could go blindly into Faylinn thinking that being a faery queen was awesome and that they could do whatever they wanted. All the rules were at their fingertips. But how realistic was that, really?
Every little girl dreamed about becoming a princess, but when becoming royalty meant more than crowns and frilly dresses it was a lot to consider. When it meant leaving behind everything that mattered to you and starting over, then what? Did the fae really think it was wise to put their lives in the hands of a seventeen year old who is completely unprepared?
And, yet, even if it was my choice—everyone always has a choice—was it really my decision to make? I couldn’t be so selfish as to only think of myself now. This decision would affect thousands of faeries. Shouldn’t the faeries of Faylinn get to vote on if they wanted me to rule?
There was another knock at my door. “Go away, Dad,” I persisted.
“Honey.” It wasn’t my dad. It was my mom. “Will you please let me come in?”
My heart softened. She would understand. She w
ouldn’t want me to go either. My mom could make the decision easy for me. She could force me to stay.
I opened the door to let her pass inside. “Thank you,” she said, following as I went back to my bed. “I think Dad has brought me up to speed on everything going on.” She paused. “But do you want to tell me what’s got you so upset?”
My eyes focused on the window facing the trees. “They think I’m the one who can save them from Favner. They want me to be their queen.”
“And I take it you aren’t too keen on that?” She plopped onto the edge of my bed.
“I think it’s absurd. I don’t know how to run a faery kingdom. I barely know how to run my own life! I couldn’t get Cameron to fall in love with me. Lia refuses to speak to me. I don’t even have colleges picked out yet. And faeries want me to run their kingdom. I’m so overwhelmed! My life has crumbled to pieces!”
She spoke gently. “Do you think maybe your life is falling apart because you’re choosing the wrong path?”
I gaped at her. She didn’t continue. She simply stared at me waiting for an answer. Was she siding with them?
“You think I’m not meant to stay here with you and Dad?” I choked.
She exhaled. “Calliope,” she said softly.
“You do! Of all people I thought you would understand. I thought you would make this decision easy for me!”
“Calliope,” she said with that parental firmness, cutting me off. She grasped my hands underneath hers. “No one wants you to stay here more than I do. No one. This was my worst fear after I found out I was pregnant with you. What if they found us and took you from me?” She swallowed. “That thought ran through my head over and over again for years. Though Dad was completely changed, what if you carried a gene?”
She lifted a trembling hand to the bridge of her nose and squeezed. I stayed silent holding onto every word of my untold story.
“Year after year I waited for a change, some sort of sign that you were a faery and year after year of no change I felt a little lighter. I know it’s one of the reasons Dad didn’t want to tell me. He knew the fear that they would come for you would eat me alive.”
Mom brought her gaze up to mine. “Only another mother can understand the love a mother has for her child. I’ve had an unbreakable connection with you from the first time I saw your tiny heartbeat, from the first time I felt you inside of me.” She clenched her teeth and swallowed back tears. “But, you don’t belong here anymore,” she barely whispered.
I didn’t want to believe her. I didn’t want a new life. But everything inside of me was confirming what she said to be true. I was a faery trying to play human in a world that I no longer belonged in. I gritted my teeth, realizing I’d been denying it for so long, refusing to believe what was right, that I suppressed what I knew would happen all along. But this new element added a whole new playing field.
“Of all people, I wish it weren’t true,” she continued. “You are my daughter. My only child.” Her hand rested on my cheek, tenderly securing me to her touch. “Do you know how much I want to save you from anything that could hurt you and never let anything happen to you? I selfishly let your father leave the kingdom for me. I know how to be selfish and take what I want. But, honey… you don’t belong to me anymore. Faylinn is a powerful place and it wants you badly.” She lifted her hand from my face and gestured to the grove of trees. “They need you.”
The tears speckled my face. She reached over and wiped them away with that never failing loving glint in her eyes as a tear fell down her cheek.
“You have nothing to be scared of. Faylinn would be lucky to have you as their queen. They know what they are missing. Do you?”
I sat wordlessly, taking it all in. She kissed my forehead before leaving me with my never-ending thoughts. I think the reason I’d been so scared when they presented me with the position was because I knew I eventually would accept. Why fear or deny something you know would never be possible or happen to you?
Do you?
Those words echoed in my mind all night. That night when I finally fell asleep, I dreamt about an unfamiliar place, far in the depths of the forest. It’s enchanting village hidden behind a sturdy wrought iron gate. The gate glowed as if beckoning me forward, begging me to enter, pounding a beat of life.
A giant black creature appeared, guarding the entrance, preventing me from passing. Fire blew from his mouth between sharp teeth, intimidating anyone who tried to enter. When I came upon the dragon, I pulled a dagger from a sash at my waist, ready to defend myself. He looked down at me and I could almost see the humor dance across his big ferocious blood-red eyes. “You think you can defeat me? Do you?” he roared, laughing throatily. “Do you?”
As he scoffed, underestimating my nerve, I stabbed him in the gut. He bellowed and crumpled to the ground, his massive figure disappearing in front of my eyes.
Do you? I thought in my head, triumphant.
