by Paige, Bea
I snap my head around. “Before you gave me your blood? It’s okay, Ezra, you can say it. Believe me, I am very much aware of the precarious situation you are in. There is a solution, a very simple one.” I hold up my wrist to him.
“No,” he says, quietly. “No, Accacia.”
I almost stamp my foot in frustration, but I don’t. “Fine,” I say, trying hard not to show my emotions. “We are here to save our friends, nothing more, you’ve made that abundantly clear. Should we head in the direction of the city or take another path?”
“The stone brought us this far. I think we let it decide which path we take,” Ezra says.
“Okay.” I pull the stone free from my pocket once more, the tiny light still flickering within it. It vibrates gently in my hand. I look over my shoulder one last time, expecting to see the door we had entered through but find that it has disappeared, replaced instead with an expanse of endless green meadow. I don’t need to feel the magic of the place to know that it is there, the disappearance of the door is testament to that.
“Which way?” Ezra asks. A light breeze tousles his hair as he looks about him.
Although he still appears tired, there is something different about him. It is hard to put my finger on, but he seems lighter somehow. Is he feeling the immediate effects of this place as much as I am? I have only been forced to live in darkness for twenty-seven years, the people of Clan Lux have suffered for so much longer than that. Even though this isn’t real sunlight, the illusion is hard to ignore. Forced to live in darkness, this is an illusion that we could easily accept as reality. I imagine what it would be like to live here in this place with … Stop, Accacia, I tell myself.
“Accacia, which way?” Ezra repeats.
“Hold on,” I say, shaking my head free of these dangerous thoughts. This isn’t our reality, this is fae magic. Holding out the stone in front of me, I wait for it to vibrate.
“This way,” I say, pointing to a copse of trees situated in the opposite direction to the fae city.
We walk together down the hill. A rabbit hops across the grass in front of us, its fur sleek and shiny, oblivious to our presence. I stop, watching it move across the meadow. It turns to look at me. It has startling green eyes, just like Clover’s.
“Accacia, look,” Ezra says, tapping me on the arm, his attention drawn elsewhere. He points to a blaze of orange that dashes across the meadow.
“Was that a fox?” I say, as it disappears into a thicket filled with bright pink flowers beyond which a stream glistens with purple hued water. I don’t know what I am more fascinated by, the fox or the stream and its strange coloured water.
Ezra shakes his head. “I believe it was,” he laughs. The sound of his laughter is as foreign to my ears as this place is to my eyes.
As we reach the bottom of the hill and walk in the direction of the small wood, the pulsing of the stone becomes more urgent, the vibrations becoming an almost steady thrum. Just as we are about to enter, a small deer, no bigger than a dog, walks directly across our path. It looks up at me, tipping its head to the side, then trots off, not afraid in the slightest. “How is any of this possible?” I ask. “The animals, the meadow, the forest. This huge, cavernous place?”
“I do not know,” Ezra says, stepping up beside me. If I didn’t know him better, I could have sworn tears were swimming in his eyes.
“This place, it reminds me of the Ever Vale I once knew before the curse. Before all our lives were shattered by Queen Adrielle. Logic tells me that this must be some kind of illusion, a place conjured from the memories of Clan Terra and kept in place by some kind of ancient magic. But I would gladly trade my immortal life above ground to live a few days in the light down here. The pain would be worth it.”
“Then it is just as well you found us first, my friend, because if the fae king knows you are here then you’ll end up in the same predicament as your brothers. Believe me, you will be wishing that you never set foot inside the Forbidden forest if the king gets hold of you.”
We both turn towards the voice. Out of the trees walks a man with tan skin, a mop of curly brown hair tipped at the ends with gold, and the same striking green eyes that Clover had in my dream last night. He is bare chested and wearing a pair of long silken trousers. He is extremely attractive in an earthy kind of way.
“You’ve got five seconds to tell me who you are and where my brothers have been taken,” Ezra snaps, stepping in front of me.
The man chuckles. “You nightwalkers are all the same. Such bad-tempered creatures.”
Nightwalkers? I guess that was what the vampires were known as here.
“Your name, Lights damn it,” Ezra growls.
“I am Avery, and your brothers are being held prisoner in the fae city, awaiting trial for trespassing. If they are found guilty they will be imprisoned for all eternity within the earth and roots beneath our feet.”
“You mean they will be buried alive?” I grab hold of Ezra’s arm to steady myself, a rising tide of sickness washing over me. Ezra places an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.
“I am afraid so.”
“When is their trial due to take place?” I ask, trying to hold my voice steady.
“Two days from now. Jael is representing your brothers. There could still be a chance that he can persuade the king to see sense.”
“Who is Jael?” Ezra asks.
“He is a friend, someone you can trust. He holds some sway with the fae king.”
“I don’t give a damn. I am going to get my brothers out of there now.”
“It would be unwise to rush in without thinking this through. It is still possible that your brothers will be freed without any harm coming to anyone.”
“Possible, but not certain?”
“Not certain, no. The fae king is a… complicated man.”
“And why should we believe a word you say? Why should we trust you?” Ezra says, narrowing his eyes at Avery.
“Because one, I have not used my magic on you, even though it would be much easier if I did and two, I am one of the three. One of Clover’s three. She wears our ring.” Avery’s gaze falls on me, lowering to my hand and the ring that sits on my middle finger.
“You know of the prophecy?” Ezra questions him.
“I know a lot of things, my friend, but we must go now before they find you. It is not safe for you to be wandering out in the open like this. It is a miracle you have not yet been spotted. Although I suspect Clover has had something to do with that.”
“Clover? She’s unharmed?” I ask, relief flooding through me.
“Of course she is unharmed. Did you not hear what I said? She wears our ring.”
“Where is she? I need to speak with her.”
Avery steps aside. “Then you should come with me. She has been waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me? But she tried to warn me to leave. To run. Why has she changed her mind?” I ask, uncertain whether to trust this man.
“That was before.”
“Before what?” I press.
“Before she realised that you would risk everything just to know she’s okay and that you wouldn’t believe she’s okay until you spoke to her yourself. She said you were determined. Clover talks about you often. She has missed you greatly.”
“How do I know you are not going to lead us to the fae King? That this isn’t all just a ruse.”
“She thought you might say something like that too, so she gave me a message to repeat to you. She said it would persuade you once and for all that you could trust me.”
“Okay then, what’s the message?”
Avery starts to sing the first verse of Could it be Magic by Take That. I watch him, my eyes widening in surprise. This has been our favourite song since we were teenagers. Clover and I would sing it over and over again until our voices were hoarse. We spent hours imagining what it would be like to be married to Mark Owen or Robbie Williams. It’s beyond surreal watching Avery, a fae, sing it no
w.
“Alright, alright. That’s enough, I believe you.” Despite myself, a smile pulls at my lips. Only Clover would ask a fae man to sing the words to a Take That song. But it had worked, there is no denying that he knows her. Avery takes a bow, his green eyes alight with mirth. “She thought you might enjoy that. She suggested you could teach it to one of your nightwalkers. That we could maybe sing it to you together?”
I look at Ezra who is scowling. “Erm, I’m not sure that would be a good idea at all.”
Avery glances at Ezra and grins. “No, perhaps not.”
With that, Avery spins on his feet and enters the small wood. Ezra and I follow close behind.
Chapter Seven
Stepping through the copse of trees, I feel a familiar sensation slither over my skin. It’s not unlike how it felt to walk into Nostra’s hidden hamlet the first time. This time my eyes are wide open as I enter.
“Well, Lights be damned,” Ezra says.
“More fae magic?” I ask.
“No, not all fae, witch too,” Avery says, with a knowing smile.
The copse isn’t filled with trees, like it appears from the outside. Instead there is only one tree. A gigantic beast of a tree, of the likes I have never seen before. Its circumference must be at least the size of a large tower block back home on Earth. There are windows carved all the way up the trunk, illuminated from within. In a few of the dwellings nearer the ground I can see people moving inside. Strings of white lights hang from every possible branch. Perched atop the branches that stretch out from the trunk are small huts, and between them are wooden walkways joining one to the other. I tip my head backwards. There appears to be no end to the tree. It just grows up and up until it is lost amongst the cloud of fireflies that hover above us all.
“This is Nostra’s doing?” Ezra asks.
“Yes. The fae that live here owe him a great debt.”
“But I thought his visit didn’t go well when he came here,” I say. “That’s what he told us, anyway.”
“His visit didn’t go well. At least not with the fae king and his loyal followers. But there were a few elders who trusted Nostra and his word. They believed what he had to say, believed the prophecy. They helped him to escape the Forbidden forest and in return he spelled an acorn. That acorn was planted and grew into this place we now call home. Protected by his magic, it can only be found on invite. He made a safe haven for those members of Clan Terra who wish for a different life than what the king is able to offer.”
“I see,” Ezra says. “And this fae king you speak of. He doesn’t know this place exists?” He glances at me, a frown crossing his features.
“Oh, he knows that it exists. He’s just never been able to find it,” Avery says with a smirk.
“And what of Queen Adrielle? Does she know about this place? I mean all of it, not just your… tree.” I’m not sure how else I should refer to it. Tree-block, tower-tree? Who knows.
“Queen Adrielle has never set foot in the Forbidden forest or the realm beneath it. There is a magic here that she fears. When she cursed Clan Terra, she disturbed one of the oldest magics of all. Why do you think she rarely leaves the castle? Why do you think she gets the Dark Knights to do her bidding? She is afraid. Mother Nature’s reach is vast.”
“Interesting,” Ezra says.
“Shall we go up? I suspect you wish to see Clover now.”
“She’s here?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Avery says, walking towards the large opening in the tree.
“What do you mean, in a manner of speaking?” I say, catching up with him.
“You’ll see. All will become clear.”
It’s as beautiful inside the tree as it is on the outside. A central circular staircase curls upwards from the floor connecting at intervals with a landing on each floor. The balusters are all hand carved, entirely different from each other. Some are carved into depictions of plants, some animals, some flowers, but all are individual and beautiful. The hand rails are polished and smooth and catch the light of the lanterns that hover in the air above our heads. They are just like the lanterns back in Nostra’s hamlet. The familiarity of his magic is comforting.
“How many floors are there?” I ask.
“Enough to house a great many fae,” Avery says noncommittally. He walks over to a central platform that is raised slightly from the floor and steps up onto it, beckoning us over. “It will be quicker if we take the lift.”
“You have a lift?” I laugh. Yep, tree-tower it is. No self-respecting tower block is without a lift. This is, indeed, the fae version of a high rise.
“We used to call it the rising, but Clover corrected us. Now it is known as the lift. Clover has enlightened us in many ways. She is quite the woman.”
Avery catches my eye and I am certain I see love in the depths of them. I am more intrigued by the minute. Clover and I have a lot of catching-up to do.
“What is a lift?” Ezra says, stepping onto the platform. I stand next to him and take hold of his hand. There is no rail to keep us from falling over the side. He looks down at me, a puzzled expression on his face but he doesn’t pull away. The platform starts to move upwards, and both Ezra and I are forced to steady ourselves from the sudden movement. His grip tightens.
“Lights be blind, what is happening?” he says.
“Don’t worry, it is perfectly safe. You’ll find that your feet are fixed firmly to the platform. You won’t be able to move until we stop.”
I try lifting my feet, testing the truth of Avery’s words, only to find that I can’t. “He’s right. We’re stuck fast,” I say, letting go of Ezra’s hand.
“We could have taken the stairs,” Ezra snaps, snatching back my hand.
“I didn’t think taking the stairs would be wise, given the shape you are in,” Avery says, casting his gaze over Ezra.
“There is nothing wrong with me, I am perfectly capable of climbing up a few steps.”
“Sure you are,” Avery responds, entirely unconvinced.
Ezra opens his mouth to protest when the platform picks up speed and we begin rushing past the floors in earnest. We are going so fast that my hair is blown about my face from the acceleration. Ezra’s own face has paled several shades. I’m guessing heights really aren’t his thing.
Eventually the lift comes to a stop and we are all able to move our feet again. We are in the topmost section of the tree. I can almost touch the ceiling.
“Follow me,” Avery says, stepping onto the landing.
In my haste to see Clover, I rush past Avery and open the only door on this floor. “Clover, it’s me, Accacia,” I call, stepping into the room. Standing to greet me is another half-dressed man, not dissimilar in looks to Avery except he has russet-coloured hair, fuller lips and a dimple in his chin. He stands as tall as Ezra, is just as broad, and has wide shoulders that taper into a well-defined waist. I try not to gape. “Where is she?” I demand.
“Let me introduce you to Eldon,” Avery says. “He and I have been watching over Clover whilst she undergoes the Changing.”
“It is my pleasure to meet you Accacia, Clover has told us much about you,” Eldon says, holding out his hand. I don’t take it.
“Where is she?” I repeat. “And what do you mean the Changing? What’s going on?” Eldon and Avery exchange looks. They are hiding something. I glance at Ezra helplessly.
“You heard Accacia, where is Clover?” he demands.
Eldon sighs. “Through here,” he says, turning on his heel and opening a door to another room connected to the one we are standing in.
Beyond is a bedroom and lying in the centre of a huge bed is Clover. She appears to be sleeping peacefully. Rushing to her side, I shake her gently. “Clover, it’s me, Accacia. Wake up.” She doesn’t stir. “Clover, I’m here. I’ve come, just like you knew I would.”
“She cannot respond right now. It will be another moon cycle until she awakes,” Avery says as he enters the room.
“What’s wrong with her?” I ask. My eyes graze over her body. She is wearing the same dress as the one I saw her in when she visited me in my dream. Her bright red hair is much longer than I remember, falling past her chest and reaching the curve of her waist just where it dips in above her hips. Her skin is pale, flawless, and even more beautiful than my own.
“Clover is undergoing the Changing,” Eldon repeats.
“You said that already. What the hell is the Changing?” I stand, crossing my arms against my chest.
“She is becoming fae,” Avery and Eldon say simultaneously.
“What?!” I screech, losing all patience.
“If you have any knives, I’d remove them. Accacia has a bit of a temper,” Ezra says with a smirk. If I hadn’t been so angry at the fae men, I would have laughed.
Chapter Eight
“Come back into the other room. Let us explain,” Eldon says.
I glance back at Clover. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain, in fact she looks the perfect picture of health. “You’ll tell me everything?” I ask.
“We will tell you what we can,” Avery says.
We take a seat in the outer room on some wooden chairs that are covered in a soft moss-like material. It is surprisingly comfortable. Ezra stands behind me, his arms folded. Avery and Eldon sit opposite. Eldon considers me. He has a warm, friendly face, but I can’t help but feel suspicious.
“Clover made the decision to become fae a little over a moon cycle ago.”
“But why would she choose to become fae? I don’t understand. Clan Terra are cursed, just like Ezra, Rhain, Devin. Just like all of the people of Clan Lux. Why would she want that?”
“Clover is gifted, Accacia. She has a special connection to all things growing. Much more so than many of our people.”
“Yes, back home she was always able to revive plants that seemed dead to me. It isn’t a surprise what you are saying, but what has this got to do with her decision to become fae? How can a person even become fae? I didn’t know such a thing was possible?”
