I stared at it in shock.
My magic must have done something. I’d felt my magic stronger than ever when Julian had kissed me.
Had his kiss brought my magic to the surface?
It must have. I couldn’t believe it. I’d waited all my life for my magic to emerge. And now, it was finally happening. When I was on Earth, pretending to be my best friend, and sneaking out behind her mom’s back to go on a date with her mysterious, magnetic neighbor.
Worst. Timing. Ever.
How was I supposed to explain my magic to this gorgeous human guy who had no idea the supernatural world existed?
I looked up at Julian, unsure what to say.
The purple glow lit up his face. But he didn’t look surprised. In fact, he was completely calm. Eerily so.
As if he knew this was going to happen.
“I’m sorry, Selena,” he said, and then he jumped into the glowing purple water, his hand that was still holding onto mine pulling me along with him.
7
Selena
Right before hitting the water, I had the sense to close my eyes and hold my breath.
Except I didn’t hit any water.
I became weightless. Like I was floating through space.
I opened my eyes and saw the swirling purple galaxy around me. Then it disappeared into mist.
The next thing I knew, I was on solid ground, and the mist cleared. It was early morning, and I was on my knees in front of a fountain in the courtyard of a strange, foreign house. The courtyard was surrounded by columns, all with colorful leaves and flowering vines twisted around them.
Julian was on his knees beside me, his hand still holding onto mine. And standing before us was a man with shoulder-length platinum blond hair, violet eyes that looked like mine, pointed ears, and wings. Bright green wings that looked more like lines of sparkling light than solid matter. They were unearthly and beautiful, unlike anything I’d ever seen.
Whoever this man was, he was clearly supernatural. But there was no record in any of our history books about supernaturals with wings like his.
Refocusing on his face, I realized I recognized it. It was the same face that was engraved on the coin Julian had given me to make a wish in the fountain.
The man now had both coins in his hands, and he placed them in his pocket. He wore loose green pants that I could only describe as breeches, with a matching tunic. Both the pants and tunic had intricately woven patterns in them that were threaded with gold.
Two men stood behind him. Both had no wings, were dressed in plain brown garb, and had matching red bands tattooed around the tops of their right arms.
Where was I? Who were these people? Why was I here?
Despite my confusion, I forced myself to stand. I had no idea what was going on or how I’d gotten there, but I’d face these people with dignity.
Julian stood along with me.
“Julian,” the winged man said before I could speak my questions out loud. “Good job bringing my daughter home.”
He knew Julian’s name.
Which meant Julian had pulled me into that glowing purple water and brought me here—which judging from this strange man’s accent, was somewhere in England—on purpose. He’d lied to me.
Yet, I still held onto his hand. Touching him felt as natural as breathing. Like he was the only solid thing I had left to hold onto.
But my strange infatuation with him was clearly ruining my ability to make good decisions.
So I yanked my hand out of his, trying to ignore the coldness that shuddered through my body as it protested against my letting go. I moved to push my hair out of my face, and that was when I realized—my hair was blond again.
I’d returned to my true form. That strange purple water must have stripped the transformation potion from my body.
I didn’t know any spells strong enough to do that.
Wherever I was, I needed to get out of there. Fast.
I met the man’s gaze, my upbringing as a princess of Avalon taking hold at once. “I’m not your daughter,” I said, since that was something I was sure of. “My parents are Queen Annika and Prince Jacen of Avalon. I need to return home immediately, before they wonder where I am and send the Nephilim to find me.” I let threat linger in my voice for the last part. Everyone in the supernatural world feared the Nephilim.
But the man with the green wings didn’t even flinch at the mention of them.
“You are Selena Pearce.” He held his violet gaze—his eyes so similar to my own—with mine. “Raised by Queen Annika and Prince Jacen of Avalon. But you’re the biological daughter of the late Camelia Conrad, former head witch of the Vale, and myself. Devyn Kavanagh, faerie prince of the Otherworld. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“You’re mistaken.” It took all of my effort to keep my irritation from my tone. Because I’d know if I were half fae. My parents wouldn’t have lied to me about something so huge. “Not about Camelia Conrad. You’re correct that she was my biological mother. But my biological father was a witch slaughtered in the Battle at the Vale.”
“Wrong.” The man—Prince Devyn—smirked. “I’m your father.” I opened my mouth to argue against him, but he continued before I could. “I’m sure you have many questions. But first, I have business to take care of.” He reached into his other pocket and pulled out a cloth bag tied at the top with twine. It appeared to be heavy with coins. “Julian. Your payment for bringing her to me, as promised.” He tossed the bag toward Julian, who caught it easily with one hand. “Now, stop standing there and be on your way.”
Julian looked at me, his eyes pained. “Selena,” he said, and I realized this wasn’t the first time he’d said my true name.
He’d said it right before pulling me into the fountain.
He’d known I wasn’t Torrence the whole time.
“I’m so sorry.” He spoke faster, desperate now. His accent was different from the one he’d used back in LA. More British than American. “But remember what I told you about my sister. I had to do this. For her.”
“You lied to me.” My rage crackled like electricity under my skin. “You abducted me.”
He’d used me. He’d traded me for money. Like I was a thing and not a person.
I hated him.
He must have seen the hate strewn across my face, because his entire demeanor changed. He was stiffer than before. It was like his mind was further away, and harder to reach.
“You have a home here,” he said. “You’re one of us. This is where you belong.”
His words sent shivers down my spine, and not in a good way. Because the Otherworld wasn’t my home.
My home was Avalon.
And I was going to get back there. I didn’t know exactly how I’d get back, but I’d figure it out. If nothing else, I needed to stay alive long enough for my parents to find me and rescue me.
“Enough.” Devyn set his hard eyes on Julian. “Leave at once, or the money is no longer yours.”
Julian clenched his jaw, anguish all over his face once more. When he looked at me, the message he was trying to get across was as plain as day.
He was sorry.
I raised my chin in defiance. Because I’d never forgive him. And after what he did to me, I had nothing more to say to him.
Prince Devyn took a threatening step toward Julian.
Then, with one final pained look in my direction, Julian pulled the bag of money to his chest, turned around, and left.
8
Julian
I hurried to the outskirts of the city. The bag of gold—now with slightly fewer coins in it—was in one of my pockets.
The expensive herbs that helped Vita’s sickness were in the other. I’d purchased the herbs in the forum in the center of the city, where the fae lived in their luxurious city houses.
The further I got from the center of the city, the smaller the houses became. Eventually they turned into the insula apartments for half-bloods like me. And as I wal
ked through the narrow streets, my mind went to the one place it now seemed incapable of staying away from.
To Selena.
I’d been prepped for the mission going in. I knew that Prince Devyn’s daughter, Selena, would be in LA disguised as a witch named Torrence Devereux. I knew everything to do, including using the potion bomb full of fae magic to unlock the gate outside the Devereux house so Selena would be able to leave. I knew precisely when Selena would walk down that driveway, and I’d been positioned there to do exactly what I’d done—take her to a nearby fountain, earn her trust, convince her to toss Prince Devyn’s token into the water, and then pull her through the portal and into the Otherworld with me.
But I hadn’t expected to have my breath taken away at the sight of her. I hadn’t expected to have wanted to kiss her, and then to have it be the most intoxicating kiss of my life.
After kissing Selena, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to kiss anyone else ever again. I wasn’t sure I’d want to.
And then, when we came through the portal and the magic stripped away her transformation potion… I was transfixed. Torrence was a beautiful girl, there was no doubt about it.
But Selena was mesmerizing, with her bright blond hair, thoughtful violet eyes, and perfectly pink lips. I’d wanted to pull her toward me and kiss her again, to feel and taste her in her true form. I had no idea how it could be more magical than that first kiss, but with her, I had a feeling it could be possible.
If we hadn’t been surrounded by Prince Devyn and his guards, I would have kissed her again. I ached just thinking about her.
But I shook the thoughts of Selena from my mind. I had no business thinking that way about Prince Devyn’s daughter. Not when I had more pressing matters to concern myself with.
As I continued along the streets, the apartments got more and more rundown as I reached the end of the city limits. If anyone passing by had a clue as to what valuables I had in my pockets, they’d try to steal from me on the spot.
Try being the key word. Because they’d fail. I’d been training in combat since I was a kid. No half-blood in the city stood a chance against me.
Once I reached the decrepit, tall apartment building that I called home, I hurried up to the top floor where I lived with my mom and sister and opened the door into the single room we shared.
My sister was curled up in her bed with a blanket wrapped around her, her face contorted in pain as cold sweat dripped down the sides of her cheeks. My mom held a wet rag to her forehead to try soothing her. But I knew it wouldn’t help.
“Vita,” I said my sister’s name and hurried to the stove to start heating up the water. “I have your medicine. It’ll be okay soon.”
I emptied the herbs onto a chopping board, and my mom walked to my side to prepare it. She only took a portion for now—the rest would be saved for later.
“There’s been talk around town,” my mom said as she set about grinding the herbs into tea leaves. “They’re worried that Vita has the Wild Plague.”
“The Wild Plague doesn’t exist.” I gave my mom a stern look, wishing she’d stop believing every rumor that spread around the citadel.
The last thing she needed to do was to upset Vita with lies.
“That’s not what people are saying,” she said. “The baker’s son has a friend who says his cousin was out in the Wild Lands recently. He saw one of them. A fae with the Wild Plague. He said the fae had turned into a monster. His wings were black and dead, and his eyes were milky white, like he had no soul.”
“And what happened to the cousin of a friend of the baker’s son?” I didn’t believe the crazy story for a second, but it never hurt to ask questions.
“He ran back home,” she said. “Apparently there was some kind of boundary keeping the soulless fae from following him.”
Her story sounded more ridiculous by the second. “Even if this happened,” I started, making it clear in my tone that I didn’t believe it did, “Why would people say Vita has the Wild Plague? She’s had her condition since she was a child. Everyone knows that.”
“People are scared.” My mom’s eyes—the same ice blue ones as my own—darkened. “When people get scared, they like to talk. They want to place blame somewhere. Those who are weak or different are easy targets.”
Weak or different. Vita was both of those things.
But Vita didn’t have to be this way. If the herbs that helped her weren’t so expensive, she’d be able to live and work like the rest of us.
Which was why I was doing everything in my power to make sure we’d be able to afford her medicine—and everything else we’d ever need—for the rest of our lives.
As we waited for the tea to ready, I emptied the bag of coins and counted the gold inside of it. “There’s enough here to keep getting her medicine for a few weeks,” I said. “And to hold you over with food while I’m playing in the Games.”
My mom’s hand shot out, and she wrapped her fingers tightly around my wrist. “There’s enough gold in there to hold all three of us over for months,” she said. “Maybe more, if we’re careful. You don’t have to enter the Games.”
“I’m entering the Games.” I’d had this conversation with her enough times. There was no need to rehash it again. “And, gods willing, I’ll be chosen to play in them. It’s the only way to secure our future. Permanently.”
It was the only way to make sure we’d have enough money to afford the herbs Vita needed to live a life free of pain. It was the only way for my sister to have a future. At least, one worth living.
“You’ll be killed.” My mother’s eyes went to the portrait of my father—the only piece of art we had in our measly home.
The portrait was drawn right after the god Mars had chosen my father to play in the Faerie Games. My father stood proud with his shiny, steel-colored wings behind him, ready to compete in the Games that would eventually take his life.
My sister and I had only been a year old at the time. According to people who’d known my mom back then, she hadn’t been the same since his death.
“I can’t lose you.” She looked away from the portrait, shaking her head in grief. “Not after losing him.”
“I’ve been training for this my whole life.” I kept my gaze leveled on hers, willing her to be strong. She’d have to be, when I was away from home and playing in the Games. “I’ll win.”
“Your father thought he would win, too.”
My father’s memory hung heavy in the air between us.
“Father relied only on brawn,” I said exactly what I’d been telling her for over a year. “I have both brawn and strategy. I’m ready for this. I’m going to win.”
I finished preparing Vita’s tea in silence, not wanting to harp on the past. My father had died playing in the Faerie Games, trying to provide a better life for his family.
History wasn’t going to repeat itself.
Because I was going to succeed where my father had failed.
And I refused to let any distractions—like Selena Pearce—get in the way of my goal.
9
Selena
“Follow me to the dining room,” Prince Devyn said—no, commanded. “There’s breakfast waiting for us. We have much to discuss.”
I glanced at the fountain I’d portaled in through. Then I sprinted toward it and jumped inside.
Water splashed up at me. My shoes and bottom halves of my jeans were soaked. But I hadn’t gone anywhere. I was still in the courtyard of this strange Roman-style house. And now I was wet.
I cursed under my breath. I’d hoped I could jump in the fountain and end up back in LA.
“Portals only work in conjunction with a faerie token,” Prince Devyn said, his hand going to the pocket where he’d placed the tokens Julian and I had used to arrive. “Otherwise, they’re just normal fountains. Step out, please. I don’t imagine it’s comfortable in there.”
Standing in the fountain, soaking wet and looking like an idiot wasn’t doing me any good. So I s
tepped out of the fountain, making sure not to let defeat show on my face.
“I want to return home.” I eyed the pocket where he was keeping the faerie tokens. “What deal do you want to make in exchange for one of those tokens?”
I knew about faeries and their deals. They tended not to turn out well for the other party. But I was in a bind here. So I’d make whatever reasonable deal I could. Then I’d get home.
“No deal,” Prince Devyn said, calmly but not coldly. “You’re going to have breakfast with me. There are dry clothes waiting for you in your room. You’ll change, and then we’ll eat.”
I crossed my arms, determined not to give in to his manipulations. “I won’t eat anything here,” I said.
“And why’s that?”
“Everyone knows that if you eat or drink anything in the realm of the fae, you end up trapped there.” We might not learn a ton about the fae at Avalon Academy, but we’d learned that.
“You have fae blood,” he said. “So that rule doesn’t apply to you. You can eat or drink anything you want here without being bound to remain in the Otherworld.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“I’m a full fae,” he said with a knowing smile. “I can’t lie.”
I nodded, since I’d known the answer before I’d asked. That was one of the few other things all supernaturals knew about the fae.
But at the same time, the entire world wobbled around me as realization finally hit. Because if he couldn’t lie, it meant he was telling the truth. About everything.
Which meant Prince Devyn was my father.
10
Selena
The Faerie Games Page 3
