Midnight Fae Academy: Book Three: A Dark Why Choose Paranormal Vampire Romance

by Lexi C. Foss

  “We’re in a paradigm,” Zakkai replied. “One I created. It reacts to my wants and needs.”

  “So it’s like the one I fell into when Emelyn and I were in the LethaForest?” It reminded me of being inside a magical bubble. It looked and felt real, and it was to an extent. Like an alternate reality within a reality.

  “That was a crude paradigm, but similar,” he replied, heading downward. “This one is far more intricate. It’s also hiding roughly fifty fae inside of the boundary walls. The paradigm you were invited into was hastily created for the sole purpose of providing a safe place to talk. But as you saw, the Warrior Bloods discovered the magic quickly and tore it down.”

  I frowned. “Can they discover this one?”

  “Only if they know where to look.” He paused on the bottom step as another set of stairs formed, then continued his descent. “The key to a paradigm is to put it somewhere away from Midnight Fae. We can sense the magic. It also requires a lot of energy to create, which is how the Warrior Bloods found the one in the LethaForest so quickly. Fortunately, that paradigm wasn’t meant to remain. This one is fortified by my magic. Just as Shade’s paradigm is protected by his grandparents. And both are strategically located.”

  “You mean his meadow?” I asked, thinking of the sunshine and flowers and the little house Shade had hidden inside a tree.

  “Yes. He built that paradigm as an attachment to the one his grandparents maintain.”

  “So, like a bubble within a bubble… within a reality.”

  He stopped at the bottom of the staircase beside a large door and stared down at me with an eyebrow arched. “A bubble?”

  “It’s how I visualize paradigms. Like an alternative reality bubble within a reality.”

  His lip quirked up on one side. “More like an invisible doorway to another world crafted by magic.” He stepped backward through the wood and held his hand out for me. “You’ll need to be touching me for the castle to allow you to leave,” he said from the other side, his voice muffled by the door.

  “Continuously?” I wondered out loud, taking his hand.

  He pulled me through and smiled. “For now.” He threaded our fingers together and led me into a garden full of colorful flowers.

  I gasped at the sight, my affinity for earth flourishing to life. “Oh.” I tugged him toward a stunning pink-and-white blossom, my free hand reaching for the magical bloom.

  He allowed it, saying nothing as I stroked the petals to learn the name of the pretty flower.

  An Oriental lily. “I’ve never heard of that,” I mused out loud. “Where is this from?”

  “The Human Realm,” he replied softly.

  I stroked another flower a few feet away, the fiery embers sizzling along my fingertips. Acheron kiss, the essence whispered through my mind. I frowned. “What about this one?”

  “Underworld,” he replied. “From a Hell Fae.”

  My eyebrows lifted. “A Hell Fae?” I was familiar with the infamous species. Their realm was considered the land of rejected fae. “You’ve talked to a Hell Fae?” They were strictly forbidden by all the realms, their powers too volatile and unpredictable. Many wanted them dead, just like abominations. And there were rumors that the Hell Fae themselves were abominations, too.

  “I’ve met a few. They’re not very pleasant,” Zakkai said, his thumb stroking along my hand. “But I didn’t bring you out here for a flower tutorial, Aflora. I have someone for you to meet.”

  “But how did you find this plant?” I asked. “Are all of these created by magic?”

  “My magic, yes,” he murmured, gently pulling me back to the path. “This entire paradigm is mine. I’ve chosen the colors and the landscape, and I’ve even created the sun to rival that of our exterior. Your description of a bubble sort of works in that sense—I’ve ensured our sun rises and sets with the outside world, to help us blend.”

  “The sun never sets,” I pointed out. It was a trait I rather enjoyed about his little oasis.

  “During this time of year, no, it doesn’t,” he agreed. “But in six months, it’ll never rise.”

  I frowned. “Ever?”

  “Just for a few months, then it’ll come back again.” He led me through a gate of stunning vines, and I took a moment to appreciate the lack of snakes and cruel creatures. This reminded me more of my home with all the thriving life and happiness.

  “What realm has sun for only half a year?” I asked as I gazed at the trees and mountains beyond. They all whispered their species back to me, the myriad of names setting my Earth Fae soul on fire. I wanted to frolic among them, learn all about their roots, and create several of my own.

  “There are certain places in the Human Realm with unique lighting. This is one of them.”

  I paused midstep. “We’re in the Human Realm?”

  He dipped his chin. “In a place they’ll never look,” he added. “This continent is mostly uninhabitable for mortal beings, making it a perfect place for me to hide this paradigm.”

  My lips parted, surprised at his honesty. Unless he was lying just to test me. “I could tell Zeph that.”

  He lifted a shoulder. “You could, but you won’t.”

  “How do you know?” I pressed. “I’ve left my connections open to him.” Shade had blocked me out again, which I’d allowed because I knew he had his reasons. He reached out once a day to check on me and had joined a few of the dreams this week. However, most of the time, he resisted my pull, something I could have forced but chose not to. Whatever he was up to would become clear at some point.

  “You value his life,” Zakkai replied simply.

  I stopped walking again. “Are you saying you’ll kill him if I tell him?”

  “Not directly,” he replied, tugging me forward once more. “My walls are reinforced. If he tries to force his way through, he won’t survive. No one will. Best not to tempt fate, hmm?”

  “You’re saying he’ll try to find me if I say where we are,” I translated.

  “Won’t he?” Zakkai countered, his eyes glittering in the sun as he glanced at me. “He’s not adept at hiding his frustrations, Aflora. He doesn’t appreciate me taking away his control over you and your fate. But in this case, I’m the only one who can truly protect you. He’ll see that eventually.”

  “For how long?” I asked, eyeing the cluster of trees at the end of the path. We appeared to be heading into the forest.

  “What do you mean?”

  “How long do you intend to keep me here?” I rephrased.

  He lifted a shoulder. “That remains to be seen.”

  “Okay, so what’s the end goal of all this?” I asked again. “You kill the Nacht family”—something I would never allow to happen—“and then what? You kill all the Elders and the Councilmen, too?”

  He seemed to consider for a long moment as we walked, the trees eventually blocking out the sun as he guided us into the forest.

  I thought he intended to ignore me after several minutes of silence, then he quietly said, “Then we restore order. It’ll be my job to realign the source and define a new monarchy.”

  “A new monarchy to resemble the old one? With Shade being the rightful king?” It was a guess based on their odd relationship and the commentary regarding Death Bloods and Quandary Bloods.

  “He’ll absolutely be given a position of power, but he won’t be in charge,” Zakkai replied. “I suspect he’ll be appointed to the reformed council by the new monarch.”

  “And who will the new monarch be?” I prompted. “You?”

  “I’m the Source Architect, Aflora. Not a monarch.”

  “Yet you claim to be a king.”

  “An appropriate designation, but not the same,” he repeated cryptically.

  “Where do I fit in all this?” I asked. “As your supposed queen?”

  He merely smiled. “You should probably be more focused on the present, Aflora. And the path right before you, not the one miles away.”

  “If you want my coo
peration, then you need to tell me how I fit into all of this,” I replied. “Your father seems to think we’re breaking our bonds.” He’d brought it up again yesterday, asking why it hadn’t been done. Zakkai had just changed the subject, as he often did when talking to me.

  “My father thinks a lot of things. That doesn’t make any of his statements or theories correct.”

  “That doesn’t clarify your intentions or plans.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” he agreed, squeezing my hand again before releasing me.

  I frowned. “I thought you said we needed to touch for me to be outside?”

  “I believe I indicated it was temporary.” His lips curled as he pressed his palm to my lower back. “Now focus, Aflora. Look around you.”

  I used to think Shade was a walking riddle. Now I knew what one truly looked like—Zakkai. Everything he said twisted and turned the phrases, confusing me more. It unnerved me how he could reveal so much and yet so little at the same time.

  At least he’d finally told me where we were. Not that I could do anything with that knowledge. Because he was right—Zeph would come for me, regardless of the risk.

  We needed to move forward, not backward.

  And I was temporarily safe here.

  As well as… content.

  I didn’t want to admit that, but this paradigm was much more comfortable than Midnight Fae Academy. I could breathe here, play with my elemental magic, and truly learn. There were no handicaps, no collars, no pretending. I was just me—Aflora. And it left me feeling rejuvenated and right.

  Rather than push Zakkai for more information—a task I knew wouldn’t end in my favor—I decided to play his game and took in the greenery surrounding us. The beautiful trees sang of their history, their life and promise, their happiness to flourish inside this little alternate reality bubble.

  I brushed my fingers down the trunks, learning their magic and memorizing it for future use.

  Then I stilled as a gentle caw graced my ears. Clove.

  I spun around to find my familiar on a branch of one of the trees, her glorious black-and-white-feathered wings tucked into her sides. “Oh, pretty girl!” I looked at Zakkai. “Did you call her here?”

  “No. She followed you into the paradigm.” He studied me. “Familiars are never far away. They’re an extension of our power, similar to the wands. Wasn’t she close to you at the Academy?”

  “I don’t know. We’ve only recently met,” I admitted. “Kols taught me how to call her to me. After Zeph’s familiar killed her.” I scowled at the memory and ran my fingers through her feathers to counteract the memory. “He apologized to her… after she brought me a stonepecker.” My brow furrowed. “Was that from you?”

  “A stonepecker?” He chuckled. “No. But I suspect I know who gave it to her.” He clicked his tongue, then squatted as a beast with fur ran out of the woods toward him.

  My eyes widened as the white ball of fluff tackled him to the ground, his muzzle large enough to wrap around a man’s throat. But all he did was draw his tongue up Zakkai’s cheek in warm welcome.

  The Quandary Blood chuckled. “Did you give Clove a stonepecker?” he asked, his voice holding a warm note to it that had me wanting to smile in response. Except his words had me wanting to frown instead.

  “You know her name?”

  “Of course I do,” he replied. “Don’t you know my familiar’s name?”

  “No. But I assume that beast is your familiar?” Seemed appropriate.

  “He’s not a beast. He’s a wolf. A stunning white Arctic wolf who loves the snow, isn’t that right, Zimney?” He scratched the beast behind his pointy ears and grinned up at me. “Today’s lesson will be about listening to our familiars. We can even ask them about the stonepecker. When did you receive it?”

  “The day you attacked the Academy,” I replied.

  That caused his grin to falter. “Oh.” His forehead crinkled. “Do you still have it?”

  Eww, no, I thought, shivering from the memory of that poor dead creature on my lap. Then I cleared my throat and said, “Zeph destroyed it after Shade warned him the Warrior Bloods were coming.”

  “Interesting,” he murmured, slowly standing again. “Two incidents of my supposed involvement where Shade has more or less inserted himself. I still need to obtain that rock from him. I’ll do that today after our lesson.”

  “Are you suggesting he’s up to something?”

  “Oh, he’s always up to something,” Zakkai replied, amusement lightening his tone. “Whether or not he’s meant to interfere this time, I’m not clear. I don’t see him purposely trying to upset you, and given the way you’ve cringed about the stonepecker, it wasn’t a positive experience.”

  “I don’t like death.”

  He nodded. “Yes, I know. He also sounded rather distressed over the rock issue, so I doubt he put that spell on it. But it does leave me to wonder who is pulling his strings this time around.” He lifted a shoulder. “Regardless, we’ll get to the bottom of it. After our lesson today.”

  “HOW ARE YOUR PARENTS?” I asked as I slid into the booth across from Ajax. It’d been a few days since we’d last spoken, and while I cared about his family, that wasn’t the real purpose of tonight’s visit. But I had to play this cool for my plan to work.

  I wasn’t taking any chances. We were all in too deep for this round to fail. If we did, I’d literally lose everything—Aflora, my memories, possibly even my grandparents.

  No.

  This had to work.

  Which meant I needed Ajax to act as the catalyst for all the other cards to fall into place.

  “They’re feeling better,” he said. “But refusing to go outside.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping. “They’re terrified of being attacked again.”

  What wasn’t said was, By them.

  I nodded to show that I understood the implication and also to demonstrate that I agreed with their assessment. Mostly because I had a strong suspicion that it was the Elders who had attacked the village, not Zakkai, something Aflora had confirmed during a dream conversation the other night.

  Zakkai’s confession also explained the coma Ajax’s parents had fallen into—one Malik Nacht had been in charge of monitoring. Or had he put them in that coma? He’d been the one who was supposed to wake them up. Yet it’d taken him several days, something that shouldn’t have happened. The truth remained to be seen.

  There were three sides of this revolution.

  The Elder-led Council.

  Those who believed in reformation, like my grandmother.

  And those who desired retribution, like Zakkai.

  While the latter two parties didn’t see eye to eye, they’d never been violent with one another. So it hadn’t made sense for Zakkai to attack those in the village who had helped other Quandary Bloods survive. Some of them might be more in favor of working everything out politically, but he’d never hurt them for that in the past.

  The Elders, however, had.

  So it was far more likely that they were the ones behind the violence. Ajax’s parents were pro-reformation, something not many knew. Although, the attack suggested they weren’t nearly as careful as they thought.

  “Hi, boys,” Anrika greeted, her long white hair tied back into a bun today. Knowledge flashed in her soft features, her perception unerringly astute. She always knew what I was up to, just as she did now. I could sense it in the way she evaluated me with her keen green eyes. Her age showed in that stare, giving her an almost eerie appearance—a thousand-plus-year-old soul trapped in the face of a thirty-year-old woman.

  “Hi, Anrika,” I replied. “We’re just here for a quick snack.”

  “I know. I already told the kitchen to whip up a pair of blood malts. They’ll be out in a few minutes.”

  “You’re the best,” Ajax said, his cheeks dimpling as he gave her a genuine smile. He’d left his lip ring at home today, perhaps because he hadn’t been in the mood to re-pierce himself.

  Fae he
aled quickly, which meant he had to drive the metal through his skin every time he desired the facial accessory. It gave him a badass appeal that went with his dark hair and blue-black eyes. A startling contrast to our buddy Seif, who now had long silver hair, matching silver eyes, and fangs as a result of his recent transition into a Fortune Fae. I’d not actually seen the changes in person, but my grandfather had told me about them.

  “How’s Seif?” I asked since I was thinking about him and talking to his mother. “Any news on his errant chase around the realms?”

  “He’s been quiet lately,” she replied, thoughtful. “I think he may have finally caught his Omega.”

  My lips twitched. “I bet she’s giving him hell.”

  “I hope she is,” Anrika murmured, her expression amused. “He needs a challenge.”

  “That he does,” I agreed, thinking of my own challenge. Aflora tugged on my mental string as though she knew my thoughts had turned to her, so I opened our connection. Hi, little rose.

  Zakkai wants to talk about the rock, she said flatly. Now.

  I frowned. I put it in his desired location several days ago. What does he want to discuss?

  “Well, I’ll leave you two to chat.” Anrika’s tone implied an underlying meaning that she confirmed by adding, “Say hello to Aflora for me.”

  “As soon as I find her, I’ll pass along the message,” I replied carefully.

  Then I murmured, Anrika says hi. Since, technically, I’d found my mate in my mind and that qualified, right?

  Aflora didn’t say anything in return, but I sensed her lingering in our connection.

  “You’re up to something,” Ajax said as soon as Anrika was out of range. “Does it have anything to do with a gorgeous Earth Fae?”

  “Everything I do has something to do with Aflora.” That was probably the biggest truth I’d ever revealed, yet I said it with a twisted grin meant to throw everyone else off.

  We had no way of knowing who was listening.