The Brave & The Broken: Gifted Fae Academy - Year Two

by Brittni Chenelle

  “Welcome back,” Ensley said.

  “Got anything for pain on there?” I asked.

  As her fingers danced over the bottles, I nodded to get Zane’s attention, but his gaze was glued to the energetic girl. She squealed with delight as she lifted a bottle and headed toward me. Her gaze moved to Zane, who was so frozen he could pass as a wax figure. “What’s wrong with him?” she asked.

  He laughed and opened his mouth to defend himself, but got tongue tied.

  “Did you know that Zane saved my life? If he hadn’t shown up, I’d be a goner.”

  She cut her eyes at him suspiciously for half a second, then moved to the bedside, bottle in hand. “Do you want me to do it or…”

  Zane cleared his throat, and we both turned to look at him.

  “I got it,” I said. I pulled off my bandages to find that the wound wasn’t as deep as it felt, but that might’ve been the work of the infused treatments they’d already used on it. I opened the bottle, and a sour wisp of light wafted out. I winced, anticipating from the smell that it was going to sting. Ensley handed me a cloth, and I poured a bit of the smoky liquid onto it before dabbing it on the cut. I gagged at the sour smell, but instead of pain, it soothed the ache within seconds.

  Ensley grinned. “That’s only going to last a couple hours. Should I get you some dinner?”

  “How long was I out?”

  She shrugged. “Just a few hours. It’s eleven.”

  I nodded, taking a peek out my window.

  “What are you in the mood for?”

  I looked up at Zane, unsure whether I should give him another shot to redeem himself with Ensley, or just let him take the loss. I went with the former. “Why don’t you go to the cafeteria with Zane and see what they have leftover from today. He knows what I like.”

  She pressed her lips together and turned to him. “Does that work for you?”

  “Yeah. Food is… yeah.”

  She sighed, grabbing him by the arm. “Let’s go.”

  My phone buzzed on my end table as the two left my apartment. No doubt Zane thanking me for the assist. The Fallen had provided me with a phone already programmed with a few of their numbers, including the two Gemini’s, Zane, Carter, and DT, but Zane was the only one who had ventured to message me. I picked it up only to find a message from an unknown number.

  UNKNOWN:

  Kai, are you okay?

  21

  Reina

  I hardly noticed the other passengers as I took my seat on the bus. My focus was on my hands and arms as I willed them not to glow. Even though I’d scrubbed them until my skin was sore, I couldn’t wash away the memory of Kai’s blood smeared across them. How could I let this happen? Kai was out there fighting for his life. No matter what he did, he didn’t deserve to die. Who the hell did I think I was? The hand of justice coming to strike Kai down? Is this what it meant to be Fae?

  All those years I wished for my gift to emerge, now it was growing more powerful, and I was no longer sure I could control it. At least when I was a serf, my hands were clean. What was wrong with me? One by one I was destroying every relationship. I wanted to call Bri, but I couldn’t put this on her, not after she’d been through so much already. There wasn’t a single person I could turn to anymore. Kai was dying somewhere, Oden and his Nobles hated me, and I’d refused Yemoja Roux’s adoption...why, again? Because I didn’t want to replace my parents? Ugh. That made no sense now. I was made up of their combined DNA; they couldn't be replaced. Maybe more than anything, the adoption caught me off guard. Yemoja Roux had been my real guardian for months. These days I talked to her more about personal stuff than training. Why then did it freak me out so much? It was just the paperwork at this point. Wasn’t it?

  I had my apology all worked out in my head as I knocked on her door. Hoping that my blood-stained clothing wouldn’t make her change her mind about adopting me. I needed her. I’d done something terrible, and I was afraid of using my ability. The door swung open, and my heart leapt to my throat as Oden gaped at me. “She’s here!” he called back over his shoulder. He yanked me into the room that was packed with people. A few of them were Fae I vaguely recognized, but most were police officers; I could tell by the turquoise uniforms with their gleaming badges—the same as my parents wore.

  Yemoja Roux pushed through, her magenta hair tied into her ponytail. “Oh, thank god,” she said, pulling me into her chest.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “Are you hurt?” she asked, looking at my shirt, then pulling my face into her hands. “Where did this blood come from?”

  “It’s not mine, it’s—”

  Her eyes bulged a warning for me to stop talking. “Officers, thank you for coming. She’s safe.”

  An older gentleman with a salt and pepper mustache walked over. “We need to debrief her. She’s obviously had a run in with The Fallen.” He turned to another woman. “Contact her guardian and have her come downtown to the station.”

  Yemoja Roux stepped forward. “Tomorrow. Can't you see she’s injured?”

  “Oh, well, yes of course,” he said, looking slightly abashed, and with a nod, the officers followed him out. The Fae gave sympathetic looks to Yemoja Roux as they left. Oden moved toward the door behind them, but instead of leaving he shut the door and rushed back over to me.

  “Whose blood is it, Rei?”

  I gulped, my gaze moving past him to Yemoja Roux. “Kai’s…”

  Oden’s face paled, but he pulled me into his chest while my arms remained limp at my sides. “Is he... dead?”

  “I don’t know.” My lip began to tremble as my new reality settled in.

  “Oden,” Yemoja Roux said, “I’ll take it from here. Why don’t you get some rest and come back in the morning?”

  Oden leaned in and whispered, “I’ll text you.”

  The door closed behind him, and I turned to Yemoja Roux, ready to accept whatever punishment she would hand down to me. She rushed to me and pulled me in for a hug. “I’m so mad at you,” she said. I smiled at the contradiction, but I hugged her back. “The Fallen is out there killing Fae. You can’t go out there alone. If you had…” I pulled away and she covered her mouth with her hand before turning her back to me. Shit, she was crying. If I hadn’t seen it, I would have heard it in her next words. “If anything happened to you, especially after how we left things, I would never forgive myself.”

  “I’m sorry. I went to my old house to, I don’t know, feel close to my parents. And then, Kai...” It was as if the floodgates had opened. The purple glow filled the room, and I began to panic as the memory of Kai’s wound raced forward. My hands shook. “Back away! I don’t want to hurt you!” Yemoja’s gaze softened as she gripped my hand, and I felt her gift snake through me, snuffing mine out.

  I closed my eyes, my heartbeat double time.

  “Breathe,” she said. “You’re safe. It’s okay.”

  I took a steadying breath. Yemoja’s voice was gentle and familiar, like I could hear my mother whispering to me through her.

  She looked me in the eyes. “You’re a mess,” she said.

  I nodded, biting back a laugh of surrender. “Do you still want to adopt me?”

  She smiled, her head tilting to the left. “You’re always welcome here, Reina.” She lifted her hands off me, and waited a moment to see if they’d start glowing again. “I can show you how to control your gift. For now, I just need you to stay calm. How about you shower, then you can tell me what happened?”

  A few minutes later, I stood motionless under the hot water, letting it beat down on me, watching the red swirls of blood from where it had soaked through my clothes circle the drain. My thoughts were empty, the whole terrible day washing with the blood, down the drain at my feet. I must have stayed in there for more than an hour. Yet when I emerged in the oversized t-shirt and sweatpants Yemoja Roux had given me, she sat patiently on the couch, with a cup of tea.

  I took a seat beside her.

 
; “Is he dead?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I recounted the events, and she listened without any sign of emotion. Occasionally, she asked a question. I saw her objectivity slip when I got to the part about Carter, and how he’d been killed. She seemed most curious about the mysterious white-haired boy who’d turned him to dust with a touch. It felt good to let it out. I shared every detail with her except one. The text to Zane wasn’t the only one I sent. The first sat unopened on my phone.

  22

  Kaito

  I stared down at the screen. Reina. Of course she’d messaged herself with my phone.

  Me:

  The number you’ve reached has been disconnected because the customer was savagely murdered.

  UNKNOWN:

  Thank God you’re okay, Kai. That was the scariest moment of my life.

  I snorted and saved the contact as R just to be safe.

  Me:

  The scariest moment of your life?

  R:

  I’m sorry.

  I stared at the letter R, trying to picture her face.

  R:

  Are you mad?

  I laughed. She’s so cute.

  Me:

  Yes.

  R:

  What can I do?

  My smile faded. What was I even doing? It was a mistake to message her back.

  Me:

  Stay on campus.

  R:

  So what Zane said is true then. You’re trying to keep me safe.

  Me:

  I mean it Reina. Stay on campus. Forget about me.

  R:

  I can’t forget about you. Believe me, I’ve tried.

  My breath hitched, my chest heavy with sadness, as I rolled over and stared at the message. When the light on my cell phone blinked out, and there was nothing in the dark of night but my thoughts, I felt the tears come.

  If Zane and Ensley returned with my food, they didn’t wake me; it was morning when I opened my eyes again, the light of a new day streaming mercilessly through my window. My stomach ached with hunger, but I dragged myself to the shower before I set out for food. When I unwrapped my wound, I was surprised to see its progress. The Fallen must’ve had more expensive healing serums than my parents kept. I washed quickly, then wrapped my wound up again. I already knew I was going to DT’s apartment, first thing. I knew if I changed my routine, he’d get suspicious, and after messaging with Reina last night, it was more important than ever for me to get out in the field. My phone buzzed, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Was it Reina? I picked it up only to find a message from Zane.

  Zane:

  Bro, I had the most amazing night. Ensley and I kissed. I’ll come by later to fill you in.

  I smiled down at my phone. I definitely didn’t think he had it in him. Good for him, though.

  Me:

  WTF? I can’t wait to hear this one.

  I pulled on a sweatshirt and jeans before leaving, my mouth already watering with thoughts of the baked goods that DT always had set out on his kitchen island. I hesitated before I knocked, reliving Carter’s ashy death.

  “Yes?” DT called from behind the door.

  “Feed me,” I groaned.

  The door swung open, and DT stood in the doorway wearing nothing but a tightly wrapped towel and a smile.

  “Oh, sorry, I didn’t.” He turned and looked over his shoulder. “Get out,” he barked.

  Ensley’s pixie cut was all messed up. She squeezed past DT, most of her clothes scrunched in a ball against her chest, and scrambled past me.

  “Sorry, I uh… I can come back later. You seem busy.”

  DT’s face brightened. “Nonsense. We were finished. Come in.”

  I tentatively followed. I didn’t turn to look if Ensley left, too afraid I’d see her bare ass.

  I followed DT into his kitchen where he slid a plate of baked goods over to me. “Any of these coconut?”

  “The round ones.”

  I took a bite, the buttery pastry tickling my taste buds. “So, you and Ensley? I gotta say, I’m a little surprised.”

  “Why?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re both really different.”

  He nodded. “It’s just sex. We’re not, like, a couple or anything.”

  “Got it,” I said, but my phone buzzed again, and my thoughts moved immediately to Zane. What am I supposed to tell him? Of all the women he had to go for, he chose DT’s? Shit.

  23

  Reina

  I must’ve checked my phone a thousand times in the course of the morning, but Kai didn’t message me again. The sun was barely up, but I slept as much as my anxiety would allow. I walked around Yemoja Roux’s guestroom. The white canopy bed was lovelier than any bed I’d ever seen, and the vanity was fit for royalty, but like the rest of the house, it didn’t feel like home. With her connections, she’d likely have the adoption paperwork ready to sign when she woke up, a few clicks, and it would be done. I wondered what my parents would say about it. I was sure they wouldn’t protest, but guilt still bubbled at the pit of my stomach. I headed into the living room only to find Oden already seated on the couch, his hands pressed together. His body was tense, his dark hair covering his distinctive green eyes.

  He smiled when he saw me. “You look better,” he said.

  I crossed my arms, suddenly aware that I was still wearing an oversized t-shirt with no bra. He patted the seat beside him, and I sat, the warmth of his leg pushing through my sweatpants.

  “I’m sorry Reina,” he said. “I’m so sorry. I was wrong about you. Miranda got in my head, and I’m upset about Quan. I just—” He cradled my face and rubbed my cheek with his thumb. “I will never doubt you again.”

  For the first time since the dance, I saw a spark in him. The same one that drew me to him to begin with. It reminded me of when we were happy—before the attack, when everything seemed simpler. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he rubbed my back. The morning sun drifted through the windows, and all was still except the steady beat of Oden’s heart, and the comforting circles he drew on my back. My phone buzzed and my heart jumped to my throat. If Oden knew I’d messaged Kai, or that I’d even had his number, he would lose it. He looked into my eyes, reading my agitation. Why am I like this? Why was I thinking about Kai and my phone when Oden was here, apologizing? If I really liked him a few weeks ago, I could feel that way about him again, right?

  I leaned in to kiss him, but the moment our lips touched he pulled away.

  “Oh. You didn’t mean…” I shook my head. “I thought—”

  His contorted expression made him look like he was in pain. “It’s not that. I want to be with you so much.”

  I tried to look into his yellow-green eyes, but he kept his gaze on the floor. “Oden? What is it?”

  “I had sex with Miranda.”

  I stood, the wind knocked from my lungs. “What? We’ve been broken up for like twelve hours.”

  His eyes glossed. “I know. I know. I was angry at you, and Miranda, well, she was there, comforting me.”

  “Oh, I bet.” My skin seared with heat, but I remembered Yemoja Roux’s warning. I needed to stay calm, or else I might lose control. I certainly didn’t want her to wake up to a bloody mess and a corpse. In the last 24 hours alone, I’d put her through so much; I couldn’t add a murder to my rap sheet, even if I did kind of feel like it. I turned to walk back into my room, but Oden grabbed my arms.

  He said, “It meant nothing. I’m in love with you.”

  I ground my teeth and said, “You don’t get to say that to me.” I felt my emotions swirl, and my hands began to glow.

  “Please, Reina.”

  “Back away. Now!” Suddenly my vision was obstructed with the memory of Kai as he bled out. No. Not again. My gift snuffed out.

  Taking it as a sign that I was calming down, Oden stepped closer.

  “Stop. I… I just can’t,” I said before bolting back into Yemoja Roux’s guestroom, locking the door behind
me. I lay back in bed. Maybe I just won’t do today. I’ll just stay here, and try again tomorrow. What an asshole. Dating was a ridiculous thought. This wasn't a regular school year, it was war, and people were dying left and right. Still, my tears slipped from my eyes and rolled down to my pillow. I reached for my owl charm, only to remember that someone else wore it now. Perhaps I was just confused because I wasn’t experienced with sex, but why did every guy suddenly love me after sleeping with Miranda?

  Ugh. I waited until I heard Yemoja’s voice in the living room before I dared leave the protection of my room. It might’ve been a guestroom and felt like a hotel, but it rescued me from Oden and gave me some comfort after Kai. I thought I might someday see that room as mine after all.

  “Good morning!” Yemoja said. “You look like you’ve been crying.”

  My eyes bulged, my cheeks burning.

  She started taking her hair out of her braid. “Not feeling any better?”

  “I’m fine,” I said, trying to keep my gaze from drifting to Oden.

  “So, how do you want to play this? We can go to Vivian and I can pressure her to—”

  “No. I want you to adopt me.”

  She lowered her voice. “Are you sure? You don’t have to decide this now.”

  “I’m sure.” I swallowed. “If you’ll have me.”

  She smiled and hurried out of the room, no doubt to get her tablet.

  Oden shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Congratulations, Reina,” he mumbled.