Of Dreams and Sorcery (Royal Fae Guardians Book 1)

by Heather Renee

  “As you seem to already know, your ancestors were lost to the Dark War, along with all of the pure Fae we are descended from. Thankfully, those mixed with Arvaytan and fae blood did not perish, or else Arvayta would have completely crumbled,” Dad continued.

  “What was the Dark War? Stryx just told me many of our people died and that was when the council was created in place of an actual King and Queen.” My hands continued to fidget with the book I’d been given but had yet to open.

  “Long story short, your grandfather was led to believe one thing by someone close to him and made several wrong decisions which cost him his life, among too many others. He’d made dealings with a dark fae who posed as a sorceress in need of help. When he agreed to help her, he chose to share his natural power with her. When he did so willingly, she drained him before moving on to as many fae as she could until a group was formed to stop her,” Mom answered.

  “How was she stopped?” Man, I really wished Stryx would have told me all of this, but I guess I should have asked more questions as well.

  “The council we now have killed her, but in order to do so, they had to use a spell that syphoned power from all fae—the good and the bad—killing them in the process. The sorceress who tricked your grandfather grew more powerful by the hour, and the council made the choice to kill off one pure race that consisted of hundreds of people in order to protect thousands of others. It was the only way to save Arvayta,” Mom said with tears brimming in her eyes.

  That was not at all the answer I expected, and it had my nerves on edge.

  So, my grandfather had screwed up, gotten a horde of people killed, including himself, and then put me in danger somehow. Though, the million-dollar question still hadn’t been answered.

  “All of this happened centuries ago. What does it have to do with me now?”

  Jordan opened her mouth to probably spit out another crude response—my bestie had zero filters—but my dad stopped her. “Did Stryx tell you about the Fates?”

  Groaning, I thought of all the ways I was going to kill that feathered little monster for making me think he had properly prepared me for this moment. “Nope, not a word.”

  “They are the purest of fae descendants and have the ability to see the future. They live in the In-Between, a place only those who have died pass through on their way to the afterlife. They’re not living; though, nor are they dead. They just exist, watching over the worlds with the hope of keeping a balance of good and evil.

  “Sometimes, when they deem absolutely necessary for the survival of our kind, they will intervene. When this happens, the council who now leads Arvayta is given a glimpse of possible futures based on certain choices. Your birth was part of two prophecies given,” Mom answered.

  I really shouldn’t have opened my mouth. I should have just run away and pretended like none of this existed, because the more I learned, the less I wanted to know.

  Even still, I didn’t stop myself from asking. “And those two things were what?”

  Dad grabbed Mom’s hand and took over for her. “To put it simply, we could allow you to be born into the Arvaytan waters, as is usual for all newborns, but then we would watch you be lured into a life of darkness by an ancestor of the dark fae. The other option was to hide you away for as long as possible and have a small hope of ending the Dark War so many thought was already finished.”

  There had better be a whole library on this Dark War, because I needed to know more about it, along with this dark fae that Stryx had failed to mention. Though, if I was smart, I’d stay as far as possible from everything mentioned, but I didn’t think I had a choice in the matter any longer.

  Either way, I was screwed, but thankfully, I was made from strong stuff. As overwhelming as the situation was, I wouldn’t back away from a challenge. If I was going to go down, I’d do so fighting with everything I had.

  Jordan’s face tightened as she spoke seriously, surprising more than just me. “Just as you are the strongest light fae descendant since the Dark Wars, there is also a dark fae descendant, one who is hell-bent on making sure his family has the retribution he believes they deserve. In the prophecy, he comes for you, and one of two things happen. You go with him and turn on your people, causing a ripple effect of great proportions, or we once again go to war, and who knows what will transpire.”

  On the plus side, we knew who we were up against. I wasn’t sure my human training would actually do any good against a dark fae who’d likely been plotting my death for years, but it didn’t change my stance on things. I was ready to find out what came next.

  “So, what’s the plan now? I have my final meal, I die, and then you guys take me to Arvayta to be born again and we find this crazy dark fae?” I asked.

  Mom glared at my crassness. “You’ve been hanging out with Jordan too long.”

  Jordan grinned. “What your mom means to say is yes, that’s pretty much how it will go. You were born at 7:46pm, so we have until then to make the best of your last human hours. So, how about we head out to the falls before dinner and chat some more?”

  The book I’d been given that began this whole conversation still sat in my lap, and I held it up. “What about this?”

  “That you can worry about when we’re settled in Arvayta. Jordan is right. Go explore, but don’t be too long. Your mom has been working on dinner all day,” Dad answered.

  Deciding I didn’t want to argue with him, I placed the book back in the box and set it on the table before taking Jordan’s outstretched hand. With one last glance at my parents, I smiled at them then left the house. My mom appeared as if she was about to completely lose her cool, and my dad seemed proud of me.

  Suddenly, the fate of a world was sitting on my shoulders. I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready for it, but I was prepared to fake it for as long as it took to figure things out and preferably not die more than once in the process.

  Chapter Four

  When we arrived at the waterfall, Jordan cut through a path we’d never taken before, and when I tried to question her, she shushed me. Secretly, I sort of enjoyed that I didn’t know everything. The elation radiating from my best friend at being able to finally share this with me was too good to have ruined entirely. I’d have to give Stryx my thanks for being the pain he loved to be.

  “So, where exactly are we going?” I asked as I pushed the umpteenth branch out of my face.

  “To the portal,” she answered nonchalantly.

  Air caught in my throat at her words. Even though I already knew there were portals out in the world from what Stryx had said, I didn’t expect them to be somewhere that just anyone could stumble upon.

  Of course, normal hikers didn’t go off the beaten path and trudge through thick foliage, either.

  When Jordan stopped, I ran right into her back, because my head had been down watching for more stray branches. I grasped her arm before she fell. “Sorry.”

  She glared at me. “These sandals are not meant to get wet. You’re lucky I didn’t fall.”

  “Then maybe you shouldn’t have worn them hiking like a city girl,” I retorted.

  Jordan ignored my jab and moved over. “Look.” Her finger pointed to a small waterfall that was hidden underneath Multnomah Falls. It was maybe eight feet tall and just a few feet wide, but it shimmered like diamonds with the setting sun shining down on it.

  A rock path was set in the shallow stream where water swirled, and little white daisies grew all around us. My foot lifted to step onto the first stone, but I quickly realized my own flip-flops weren’t meant for this kind of activity either and pulled back.

  “So, this is how we get to Arvayta?” I asked when I finished my perusal.

  “Yep. You won’t remember your first trip, so I thought I’d show you ahead of time. Does anything feel different to you yet?”

  My head shook. “Nope. I’m still very human and still alive.”

  She grimaced. “The dying part isn’t normal. I didn’t realize you’d have to do tha
t. Most of us grow up in Arvayta, so our magic slowly emerges as we grow. Apparently, yours is going to burst out like a jack-in-the-box.”

  “Ugh. Thanks for the visual.” Glancing down at my watch, I saw it was just before five. “We should probably head back. I want my final meal. No way am I missing out on the meatballs I smelled simmering earlier.” My mouth was again salivating at the mere thought of them.

  She laughed at me but didn’t argue as she led the way home. It was only about a twenty-five-minute walk back once we were on the normal path, but I wished it was longer. As good as dinner sounded, I wasn’t in a hurry to experience everything that was supposed to come after.

  In about two hours, I was going to die and say goodbye to my human life before entering a whole new world I didn’t know nearly enough about.

  I was trying to remain positive, but as time ticked by, I really just needed to let out a deep scream and take a nap.

  After dinner had been consumed, my dad poured me a glass of whiskey, surprising the hell out of me. “Here, I know you’re not of legal age yet and it’s going to taste awful, but maybe it will calm you down, because you’re starting to freak me out with all of your fidgeting.”

  Neither of my parents had ever given me alcohol before, but that didn’t mean I was a complete stranger to it considering I’d been to a handful of college parties. Though, on the rare occasion I had tried to drink, I’d always gagged on the taste. Still, I didn’t decline the glass he offered, and sipped on the smooth liquid that burned its way down my throat.

  Mom couldn’t sit still, either, and once my nerves weren’t so frayed, I realized why Dad had given me the alcohol. Standing up, I shoved the remainder of my glass in her hand. “Drink this. For the sake of not only you, but the rest of us.”

  Unlike me, she threw down the rest of the contents in one gulp, and I couldn’t stop the laughter that burst from me. My mom had always been so reserved and proper, but watching her down booze like it was water showed me another side of her I wished she’d let out more often.

  “Okay, so is everyone calm now?” Jordan teased.

  “Not even close, but it’s almost time, so it won’t matter soon,” Mom answered, glancing at the wall clock for the millionth time.

  Sure enough. It was 7:39pm and I only had seven minutes left before my official birthday arrived. We all headed to the guest room, and I laid down on the bed. Dad had thought it was best if I was already comfortable “before things began,” which was the polite way to say “before I died.”

  My hands were beginning to tingle, and my head spun, but that could have been the effects of the whiskey, so I tried not to let it stress me out.

  Jordan pulled out her phone, but my mom quickly yanked it from her hand. “Not happening.”

  “It was worth a try. You know she’d want to see it later,” Jordan replied.

  As I opened my mouth to respond, my body seized up and no words were able to come out. Though, there were plenty of groans that caught the attention of everyone in the room. The necklace my mom had given me began to burn as everything around me started to glow.

  My mind was telling my hand to rip the necklace from my chest when it felt like it was seeping into my skin, but nothing moved.

  Mom let out a strangled cry, but I couldn’t see her any longer. It felt as if the sun was right above me and I was going to be fried to a crisp from the bright and hot lights. Closing my eyes, I focused on the training I’d gone through with Stryx. While the heat didn’t disappear, the light did dim.

  When I opened my eyes again, a full-body paralysis was in effect and there was no way I could move at all as the faces of the three most important people in my life stood over me. The only things I thought about as sudden darkness crept in were that I hoped like hell it wasn’t the last time I would see any of them and I wished I would have told them goodbye, just in case.

  Stabbing pain brought me back to consciousness who knew how much later. I was still unable to move any parts of my body, though I could sense everything that was happening to me.

  Hands roamed over my body from more than one person as voices talked over each other. Some I recognized, some I didn’t.

  “Are you sure this is normal?” Dad asked someone.

  “Brooks, if you question my methods one more time, I’m going to banish you from Arvayta,” a woman snapped.

  “She’s going to be okay. Lorelle knows what’s at stake if Kaliah doesn’t wake,” a rough male voice said, most likely to my dad, or maybe to both of my parents.

  Not being able to see anything was really beginning to piss me off as claustrophobia set in from having no control of my body.

  Something sharp stabbed through my chest as my body arched on its own, then I heard the splash of water as I settled back down. Apparently, I was going to be waking up in a body of water of some sort with more than one stranger around me. Super. Just how I wanted to come back from the dead.

  “She’s coming around. I can sense her consciousness returning already. Now, her body just needs to wake up. I’ll come by the house later to check on her, but you all have it from here,” the woman said in a much softer tone than the last time she spoke.

  “Thank you, Lorelle. We appreciate you meeting us here,” Mom said, but I heard no response.

  Finally, feeling began to return to my legs and then my arms. Within another few minutes of tense but awkward silence, I finally opened my eyes.

  Above me, my mom and dad stood on one side with Jordan on the other and an extremely attractive male next to her. I tried not to stare at the stranger, but my attention was stuck on his eyes, which were an alarmingly similar shade to mine, possibly even an exact match, depending on my mood.

  Of course, the first guy I’d meet would likely be a relative and having thoughts of how hot he was running around inside my head was far from appropriate, but what could I do? I’d just died and come back to life. I had little control over anything at that moment.

  Thankfully, my mom distracted me. “Kaliah, can you talk?”

  “Yeah, but more importantly, can I get out of this water?” I asked in return.

  I was still submerged in a pool and fully clothed. Wearing jeans probably wasn’t the best idea, but nobody had told me I’d be swimming in them later.

  “As long as nothing feels off, then yes, you can get out of the falls, but its magic is what brought you back, so if you’re not fully transformed, then we should stay in here a bit longer,” Dad answered, but Mom shushed him.

  “Lorelle said she was fine. If things weren’t complete, she wouldn’t have left Kali’s side.”

  “Daliah is right. As long as Kaliah is feeling up to it, then we should take her back to the house. It’s better for her to be there than out here until she’s ready,” the guy I didn’t know said.

  “Kali. Please, call me Kali.” Odd as it was, it drove me crazy when people called me Kaliah. Except for Stryx. I’d tried to break him of it, but I usually let it slide for my fluffy owl. When anyone else used my full name, it seemed too proper and reminded me of my mom. Not that being like my mom was bad, but I wasn’t ready to be so formal just yet.

  “Well, Kali. My name is Ryland. It’s nice to meet you finally.” He reached a hand to me that I gladly took and was promptly yanked out of the water as if I weighed nothing. The guy was not only good-looking, but strong, too.

  Damn it. I needed to quit thinking that. He could be my cousin, for all I knew.

  Jordan wrapped an arm around me, then pulled me from Ryland as we walked out of the water together. When I glanced back, I realized we were at the waterfall Stryx had shown me my last night with him. It was even more stunning than it had been in my sleep.

  “So, how do you feel, Chuck?” Jordan asked as everyone followed us out.

  Twisting my neck, then stretching my arms, I decided I felt pretty damn good for dying. My body was humming with energy, and I had the sudden desire to run a marathon. “All things considered, I feel great. So, what do we d
o now?”

  “We don’t do anything. You get to go back to the house with your parents, while Ryland and I go attend to some business. But don’t worry, I’ll be by to check on you really soon. You’re not getting rid of me now, I promise.” Jordan hugged me tight, and over her shoulder, I made eye contact with Ryland.

  He seemed really confused and more than a little stressed by the pinched look in his familiar icy-blue eyes, but I didn’t get a chance to dissect it more, because Jordan bounded away from me. I watched as she punched Ryland in the ribs before throwing an arm around him and walking in the opposite direction.

  When it was just me and my parents, they seemed worried as well, but when I asked them about it, they shrugged me off.

  “Nothing to stress about, sweet girl. Let’s go get settled in the house, and then we’ll give you a tour of the town if you’re up for it,” Dad said, and I didn’t argue.

  I’d been dying to see the town ever since I decided to accept Stryx’s word as truth. I just hadn’t realized all I’d have to go through to make that happen. Now, all I had to worry about was some crazy dark fae with a vendetta against me just because of who my ancestors were.

  Nothing to stress about at all, I thought with an overwhelming amount of sarcasm.

  Chapter Five

  Surprisingly, my parents’ home in Arvayta was extremely similar to the one in Bridal Veil, except instead of wood siding, it was stone, appearing more like a mini castle than a weekend cabin.

  The lower floor was identical to the other house when I first walked in, but as my parents and I entered into the kitchen, it opened up into a more spacious entertaining area with a huge covered porch and a beautiful fountain in the center just past the French doors.

  A deep-rooted sense of serenity ran through me. Considering I’d been dead not too long ago, I felt better than ever. Well, maybe a little tired, but I was trying to ignore that feeling and just soak in as much of this new world as possible.