by Allie Santos
“I-I can’t do this, Rian.” I’d faced Sabine. I’d faced my dad. I’d had my fair share of strange and scary encounters, but the nerves that nibbled at my stomach wouldn’t let me concentrate.
“I’ll have to talk to Tyran, but I understand. It can wait. I’ll take you in the back way.”
Relief flooded through me. We took off again, weaving between trees and greenery. I sputtered when a low hanging branch smacked me across the face. My steps stuttered, but I shook it off, not wanting to lose Rian—I was not about to get lost. When another branch came out of nowhere, I managed to duck in time. A smug grin spread across my face. The trees became dense and compacted, making it difficult to get through with ease. I followed Rian’s lead when he pushed through the thick wall of foliage. I untangled my hair from a vine biting back a curse. As I focused, a wall sprawled yards away and seemed to have no end. A large oval alcove smack dab in the middle of the brick. The wall spanned so high there was no way anyone could get over it, even Unnaturals.
“Wait here,” he said and disappeared, which did not help my anxiety.
I looked around and sidestepped behind a tree. Craning my neck, I watched Rian approach the entrance. A tall, lithe form dropped in front of him from out of nowhere. I swallowed hard and ignored the trembling of my hands. They exchanged words, and the conversation was over before I could concentrate on what they were saying.
I scooted back behind the tree. The canopy of leaves offered some solace from the sleet. A strangled noise escaped my throat when I turned and found a young boy staring at me. He wore a long-sleeved cotton shirt and pants that seemed to be made of the soft leather all of the Fae wore. It was plastered to his body.
My mouth opened to scream for Rian, but the boy spoke first.
“Hello,” he said, forcefully trying to be cheerful, but his gaze belied his suspicion. And what strange eyes they were. The auburn color turned deep blue closer to the pupil. He scraped his wet hair back. I could see the strain of his eyes. It looked like he’d been crying. “Who are you?”
I floundered for words. “W-who are you?”
“I asked first,” he sputtered, looking astonished that I would dare question him.
I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh at his indignance. “I’m Rae.” I stuck my hand out, but he only stared at it and didn’t reach out, so I dropped it.
“My mama said not to converse with strangers.” He had the strange old-fashion speech pattern other Fae had.
I couldn’t help laughing. It sounded so strange coming from his youthful face. “You talked to me first.”
He looked unsure. If I were to guess, I’d say he was about fifteen. “You were lurking. I had to question you. That’s what Father would have done. He’s a warrior. One of the best.”
“Well, that sounds awesome.” My gaze drifted to where a little dagger was attached to his side. “Is that what you want to do? Be a warrior like your dad?”
His chest puffed out. “Yes, I’ve been training, and one day I’ll be part of the guard. After the new Queen gets magic back.”
“I’m sure you’ll do great,” I said, trying to sound admiring.
“Indeed,” he replied, and my eyebrows flew up. Oh, dear, and I’d thought Roark had been arrogant. This one would give him a run for his money.
“What’s your name?”
He bent in a half bow. “I am—”
“Teagan!” Rian exclaimed from behind us.
The boy whirled. “Rian.” He rushed over and threw his arms around him. Rian patted his back and chuckled. “Is the lady with you?”
I could tell Teagan tried to be quiet, but Rian laughed and ruffled his wet hair. “Where are your mother and father? They will not be happy that you’re outside of the boundary.”
Teagan swatted at his hand and shook his head. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them,” he replied.
As I watched the obvious affection between then, I felt a lightness in my chest. Teagan was an adorable kid, and for a second, he made me forget the dark emotions swirling within. The rain had even let up its relentless pounding. Rian looked up and then at me with his eyebrows raised.
Teagan stared upward. “The new Queen lady has some strange emotions.”
My cheeks heated. Thank God, the rain made it hard to see my blush.
“I—” I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry. I’ll learn to control it.”
Teagan looked at me, and his eyebrows rose. “You’re her?” He shuffled over and elaborately bowed, his arm going back and his head almost touching his knees.
“No need to bow,” I managed to say over my embarrassment.
He nodded seriously. “Very well, my Queen.”
“Rae! Call me Rae.”
Teagan nodded jerkily and blinked quickly. I could tell he was upset about something.
From afar, I heard a yell, and a British accent flowed from a female voice. “Teagan, get your arse inside the gates right now, or I’ll drag you by your ear.”
Teagan’s spine seemed to straighten more, and the guilty, frantic look on his face made me feel for him. As he took a step away, a young woman stomped up, a glare on her face. The water sloshed under her feet, and her dress was soaked.
“Brat, I already told you not to do that. You live to worry me,” she ground out. I expected her to smack him, but she enfolded him in her arms. “Do you see how soaked I am?”
Teagan held himself stiff but eventually wrapped his arms around her, flashing me an embarrassed glance. “Ok, Mother, enough.” He wiggled, and she finally released him.
She turned, startled to find me near the tree. “Hello,” she said, looking confused. She looked at Rian, and something seemed to register. “Oh, the Queen!”
She strode over to me and enveloped me in her arms. Her arms were soft against me, and I relaxed into it. I didn’t remember the last time someone was nice right off the bat. A small percentage of the weight on my shoulders lessened.
“So good to meet you. I’m Cora.” The name sounded vaguely familiar, but the memory was as elusive as smoke.
“Nice to meet you, Cora.” She seemed different from the other Fae I’d met… warmer, almost. I wanted to snap my fingers when I figured it out. I hadn’t encountered a Fae who smiled and hugged. It was very human. Her tired blue eyes sparkled back at me.
“We’re taking her in through the back. She’s not ready,” Rian said, stepping forward.
“It is all a bit intimidating. Many Fae gathered in the foyer to show you their loyalty, but I’ll handle it. You’re more than welcome to stay at our home near the boundary. We haven’t stayed there since magic was bound.”
Before I could ask more about this secluded place, Rian interjected. “For her safety, I think it best for her to get used to the castle.”
Cora nodded, not offended. She brushed her flowing dark brown hair behind her curved ear. “No problem, if you need anything, Rae, just let someone know, and they’ll fetch me.”
I shot her a grateful glance as she pushed a grumbling Teagan in the direction of the entrance. As soon as they were out of hearing distance, I turned to Rian. “She’s nice.”
Rian smiled and gave me a short nod as he walked away at a normal pace. I quickened my pace and caught up to him. “I thought there hadn’t been any births in the last two centuries since magic was taken.”
“There have not… except one.” Rian smiled, all mysterious.
“Come on, you can’t leave me hanging that way.”
“Teagan was a miracle. About sixteen years ago, the Queen started experimenting with what she could do to help Fae repopulate. The question of putting magic together to preserve a womb was brought up, but there was no one willing to sacrifice their time or magic for something that would not benefit them, and we needed the strongest. It wasn’t until… Jase, or Roark, I should say”—he paused. I was still perturbed that Roark had been known under a different name—“approached Luz and volunteered for the project.”
“And by proje
ct, do you mean keeping Cora pregnant?” I asked, a sense of dread rising. More thunder rolled overhead. “Was that Roark’s kid?”
Rian shook his head. “No, no. It’s Conan’s child.” There was a slight hesitation. “Between Luz, Roark, and Conan, they were able to combine their magic to protect the little one until his birth. But it took a toll on all of them. They fell into a deep sleep that lasted months.”
Roark hadn’t known that Sabine had been taking his magic. I wondered if that had somehow hindered the experiment.
“In the end, it was too much. They were unable to duplicate the effects, and it was too dangerous. Attacks from rebel Fae intensified, and we couldn’t steer our resources from the safety of the whole. It didn’t help that Roark and Sabine were raising their own army against the Queen. Something we did not know at the time.”
“Rebel Fae?” My eyebrows scrunched. “Why would they attack?”
“Some were sent by Roark and Sabine to cause dissent, others lived solitary lives and wanted to challenge the Queen for dominance.”
“Challenge?” My stomach churned.
“You do not have to worry about that.” Rian brushed my worry off as we arrived at a short door that blended in with the brick wall. Rian pushed the latch up, and it whooshed open. “The alarm will not be raised. I notified the guard we’d enter through here.”
I nodded and followed after him as we stepped through the threshold. If I concentrated to listen past the patter of the rain, the noises I’d heard from afar were clearer. I was faced with another towering wall that stretched higher. My neck craned to look all the way to the top, and I still couldn’t see all of it. The castle was huge. Rian turned sharply to the left and knelt. I shaded my eyes from droplets as he pulled up a latch in the ground and waved me through. I hesitated at the ledge, reminded of the cell I’d been locked up in. What if this was all a trick to get me here? I took a step away and smacked into Rian.
He had no qualms about nudging me forward. With my Fae speed, I caught myself before I fell face-first. I shot him a glare and stomped down the staircase. It was pitch-black, but my sight quickly adjusted to see a dark stone hallway.
“I really like Cora,” I said, trying to fill the silence with inane chatter.
“She is a wonderful woman,” Rian said a few steps behind me. “She is also the only known human Fae blood to go through the transition. So, if you have questions, she would be the one to ask.”
That was where I’d heard her name before. Excitement simmered in me. I wanted to find her ASAP.
“How did she get here?” I forgot about the creepy hall I was being led down at the prospect of hearing what happened to Cora.
“That is a story for her or Conan to tell.” He smiled slightly as if in remembrance. Damn Fae and their secretive ways. He turned down another dark, cobbled way. “Here we are.”
He reached down to what almost looked like a sewer cover and lifted it. I followed his lead when he stepped through the hole. I did the same but wasn’t expecting to fall nearly ten feet. I screamed as the ground vanished. Rian shushed me. Soon, I landed on my feet. Squeezing my eyes shut, I patted myself, and when I realized there were no aches or pains, I let out a relieved breath. Rian was already walking down the dark walkway. I raced after him until we reached a silver metal door.
He reached out and fiddled with multiple locks. Seconds later, it swung open, and golden light flooded the darkness. I blinked and found a shit ton of stairs leading up with seemingly no end. Candles on both sides of the walls guided the way, creating a soft yellow glow. It felt like ages, but finally, we reached another door at the top. Rian stepped to the side and waved toward the knob. My hand shook as I pushed the door open.
5
My jaw dropped when I saw the opulence. A soft grey glow lit up the hall and darkened the interior tan walls. I’d thought the dark fortress was gorgeous with the beautiful granite walls, but this… it was ten times that—especially in size.
The spanning hall was huge, and as I took a step in, I realized where the grey lighting came from. The ceiling above me was made of glass. I stared up, open-mouthed, at the pouring grey skies. The droplets splashed across the glass surface, breaking on impact and creating a strangely mesmerizing effect. I walked dazedly behind Rian, looking up at the intricate swirls adorning the glass above me. It was similar all the way down the hall, sometimes turning into multicolored sections that threw colors across the cream tile.
“This looks like some fairy tale castle.”
“The architecture was partially inspired by a sixteenth-century French chateau.” My high school French was a little rusty, but I, at least, remembered the word for castle.
An art course I’d taken in college had a section on structures. I recognized the Italian inspiration mingled with French tradition.
“Why French?”
“The design of this entire building is a mix of architecture throughout human centuries. The last update on the building before magic was bound was in the sixteenth century.”
Ah, that explained the old-fashioned ambiance of the place. It was all a mix, but I recognized the medieval to renaissance feel.
I was so riveted by the ceiling that I didn’t notice somebody step in my path until it was too late. I grunted at the impact and fell back. A strong hand wrapped around my upper arm. Auburn eyes connected with mine. I gasped at the striking color that contrasted with his caramel-colored, shoulder-length hair. A roguish grin crossed his face. It reminded me of someone familiar…
“You must be Rae,” he said. His voice was deep and sexy. If I weren’t already enraptured by Roark, this guy would have caused major swooning.
“Yes,” I forced out, unable to articulate more.
“Lovely to meet you.” The tall, broad-shouldered male bent at the waist with a flourish. Were all Fae this attractive? My face heated.
“I’m informing Cora you are flirting,” Rian said from the side with a smirk.
The man shot him a glare. “Don’t go spreading lies. You know she’d cut off my bullocks if I ever thought it.”
“I’d enjoy watching.” Rian shrugged, a wicked look in his eyes. This was the first time I’d seen Rian playful. Hell, up to this point, I hadn’t even though he was capable of it.
“What are you two going on about? Flirting again, Con?” Cora’s lilting voice came from the corner, and a physical change came over the man Cora called Con. Cora strode up, and her fisted hands settled on her slim waist. There was a scolding look in her eyes, and if I was discerning right, a slight suspicion to her gaze.
Con walked up to her without a word, and his big hand went up to cup Cora’s face. The hands that looked so deadly seemed so gentle. Teagan. That’s why he’d reminded me of someone.
“Never, my dove. I have, and always will be, incapable of flirting, looking, or thinking of anyone but you,” he said. The softness in his eyes made my knees weak.
Cora seemed less impressed. The more I watched her fidgeting, the more I realized there was a story there.
“That hasn’t always been the case,” she muttered.
“It’s been centuries, my heart, will you ever let that go?” Con said, exasperated, as he settled his other hand on her waist.
“No,” she said and smiled up at him. He rolled his eyes in a very human way and bent to run the tip of his nose on the edge of her cheek.
The sight of them together struck longing in me. These two loved each other. The serious kind of love, the one where you wouldn’t survive without one another. I looked away and found myself glancing at Rian, who looked uncomfortable and, if I wasn’t mistaken, sad.
My attention was brought back to the couple as their conversation continued.
“As I was saying before the know-it-all interrupted, lovely to meet you, Rae. I’m Conan.” His smile slanted higher on one side, and it gave him a wicked look that made me wonder what he’d done to make Cora hold on to a memory of years ago.
Recognizing the name, I smiled
back at him and shook off my lusty admiration. It left me with my recent companion: gloom. Cora squeezed herself close to Conan. My smile wilted when I remembered the Queen’s message.
“I’ll take her to her rooms, Rian. I know you have to check in with Flynn.”
“Always a saint, Cora,” Rian said and grinned at her. She rolled her eyes.
“Watch yourself,” Conan threatened, tightening his hold around Cora.
Rian shook his head and walked off. Conan gazed after him, a worried look in his eyes.
“He’ll be okay, my love. I’ll take our new Queen to rest.” Cora got on her toes and kissed him. Conan’s automatically softened.
“I-I actually need to tell you something.” Nerves nibbled my stomach. Conan and Cora faced me, eyebrows furrowed.
“What is it?” Cora asked softly.
“Luz,” I started and swallowed. Conan’s gaze shuttered, and pain flickered across his face. Cora set her hand on his chest. “She wanted me to tell you that she couldn’t have picked a better brother and that she loved you.” I rushed to get it out because if I didn’t, I’d just agonize over it. My eyes went to my feet at his sharply indrawn breath. I was standing here because she’d given her life for me. Survivor’s guilt was a bitch.
“Thank you,” he said in a rough voice. I pressed my lips together and forced my gaze up. He was gripping Cora tight, his lids squeezed tightly. He released a shaky breath. Conan looked down at Cora and kissed her forehead.
“Make sure you talk to your son about not going out of the boundary,” she warned lightly. His lip quirked, and he left.
Cora hooked her arm with mine and got me walking. I let myself be toted. We were silent for a while. The only sound was the padding of our shoes on the tile. When thunder shook the glass overhead, her wide eyes turned to me.
“Don’t fret, you’re not at fault.”
I offered a little smile, thankful for her kindness. “What did he do?” I asked, desperately needing something to talk about.
Cora looked at me and smiled. “When we first met, he was with my stepsister, but I walked in and interrupted them, mid…. whatever.” She grimaced, and her eyes looked far-off as if she were back in that time. “I just like giving him a hard time.” Her smile was tight, and her hold on my arm tightened a degree. She released a puff of air and looked up at the furious rain. “If I’m honest… I’m insecure. Ever since magic was bound and meldings were stifled, it’s been hard. We had just completed our meld, so it was a change from feeling his presence inside me, his emotions, to nothing. Our love was still there, but that connection was comforting.”
