by Leder, Nissa
“You too,” Sage replied and meant it. “I expect you to keep my sister safe.”
Declan gazed at Willow. “She’s tougher than I am, but I’d sacrifice my life for her.”
Sage bowed then walked away to give her sister a moment of privacy. As she untied her horse, something rustled in the trees. She checked her mental shields, worried the forest was playing tricks again. They held strong.
Whatever made the noise wasn’t an illusion.
“Willow.” Sage dropped the reins and turned toward her sister.
A creature stood in front of Willow and Declan. The same wolf-human hybrid that guarded the tree in the Sidhe realm.
Declan unsheathed his knife and protectively stood in front of her.
The creature slashed at him with long fingers that ended in sharp claws, swiping him across the cheek.
He dropped to the ground.
Willow bent down next to him as tears flowed from her eyes.
Sage should have brought her bow. Or a sword. Or she should have stopped her sister from bringing them here. She reached for her dagger and flung it at the creature.
Her blade landed above its ear, protruding from the side of its head. It crouched down and lifted its nose to the sky with a howl.
Sage ran weaponless toward the creature. “Run. Get on your horse. Now.”
“I won’t leave him.” Willow lifted his head into her lap.
A chorus of howls echoed around them. This wasn’t the only creature nearby.
When she was close enough, Sage leaped and flung herself onto its back.
Desperate to get her off, it reached around and dug its claws into her side.
Pain burned where her skin broke. She gritted her teeth and yanked the dagger from its head. With a war cry, she sliced its throat.
As blood dripped from its neck, the creature fell to the ground and rolled over, crushing Sage beneath its weight.
She yelped as the pressure of its heavy body pushed into her wounds. Using all of her strength, she lifted it off of her.
“We have to go.” Sage pressed her fingers onto Declan’s throat. He heart was still beating. “He’s alive. Help me get him to the horses.”
They lugged him over to Equinox as another howl cried, this time much closer. After Willow was on Silver, Sage mounted Equinox. “You ride as fast as you can back to the castle. Don’t look back and don’t wait for me if I fall behind. You hear me?”
With red eyes, Willow nodded.
As they left the cabin clearing, the howling grew louder. Sage followed Willow as closely as she could. She’d feel a lot better if she knew how many creatures there were or what they were capable of.
When she glanced back, a group of five ran on all fours after them. “Faster.”
With longer legs than arms, their backs were angled with their butts raised. One of the creatures—with nearly translucent skin—led the others that were in rows of two behind him.
The trunks of the trees grew thinner as the horses galloped faster. Branches smacked into Sage. She blocked as many as she could with her arm, but some got past and flicked her face.
When Sage looked back again, the back two creatures had spread out and moved ahead of the others. They were trying to get around and trap them. It wouldn’t be good if they succeeded. She turned and pushed Equinox faster.
A surge of magic energy hit her when they crossed into the Autumn Wood. On her next glance back, the creatures had disappeared.
Sage had never heard of the creatures existing in Faerie. They had to have come from the Otherworld. Which meant the Fates must have sent them.
When they reached the Autumn Castle, the hedges reopened and they both rode through. Willow slowed Silver to a stop. Sage led Equinox next to them.
“What do we do with Declan? Father won’t want him here.” Willow sniffed back tears. The top of her braid looked like it had been dipped in blood and scratches from the whipping tree branches were spread across her face. “Is he…still alive?”
Sage hopped off of the horse and checked his pulse. “Yes.”
Willow was right. There was no way her father would let a solitary fae from the Faerie Forest come into the castle, let alone date his daughter.
The brownie from breakfast appeared in front of them. “Is everything okay, my princesses?”
“Take this man to your home under the castle and care for him. Please, do not tell anyone else.”
Sage waited for the brownie to answer. He could tell her no. He worked for the king, not her, and hiding something from him could end in death.
“Yes, miss.” The brownie reached up and took Declan’s hand and the two disappeared. Brownies were honorable creatures and Sage trusted he would keep his word.
“I have to let the Unseelie King know about the creatures. Do not leave the castle. Do you understand?”
Willow nodded. “I won’t. I promise.”
“Do not speak of Declan in front of anyone. Only ask about him when you’re able to find the brownie alone.”
Sage should have asked his name. If he was risking so much, the least she could do was refer to him by something better than “the brownie.”
“Will you come back?”
Sage hadn’t wanted to leave so soon. But if the Fates had already let their creatures loose in Faerie, she needed to let Kaelem and Scarlett know. “As soon as I can.”
After they returned the horses to the stable, Sage rinsed off and dressed in clean clothes.
Then, she hugged her sister and said goodbye before leaving for the Unseelie Court.
Chapter Fourteen
Scarlett had found it: the way to create a portal to the Darkland.
The vision had shown her where to go, but it had shown her the wrong incantation.
The woman in the vision must have created the portal from inside of the Darkland, so the words she said were to reopen it. When she went back through, it must have sealed.
Scarlett needed to generate a new portal.
Her heart raced as she reread the page in the book to make sure she didn’t miss anything. The symbol from the front was drawn in the bottom, outside corner of the page. In the center, outlined in a thick, square border, was the spell she needed.
Two halves of a whole,
Night turns to day.
When life becomes dark,
Light shows the way
Where exactly would the portal lead? Scarlett didn’t know how big the Darkland was or what she would face when she got there.
Every rational thought in her screamed not to do what she was about to do, but she needed to do something. Her kingdom was counting on her. She’d absorbed the tree’s power and was supposed to be strong. What good was having such mighty magic if she never used it?
After nightfall, Scarlett changed out of her dress and into an outfit more practical for the task ahead. With the staff Vida had given her in hand, she headed below the castle.
When she got to the door in the staircase, she hesitated.
This was a stupid plan and she knew it.
But she was queen now. She was powerful. Not only did she have the power from the tree, but she’d been practicing spells from the book as well. It had led her here for a reason. She could do this.
As she stood there, who knew what might be happening to Raith? They’d sent him to find her and bring her back. He’d failed. What if he was being punished? What if they realized he wasn’t much use to them anymore so they decided to kill him?
If she told anyone else about the portal and they stopped her, she’d always blame herself if something happened to Raith. And even if he was safe, the death of anyone who went through the portal and died would be her fault, too.
Too many times others had risked themselves for her. It was her turn. She just needed to be careful. She could go through the portal and look for an opportunity to kill Ankou, and if she felt it was impossible, she could come back. No harm done.
Before she could talk herself out of it,
she continued to the lower level and headed straight to the stone wall where she repeated the incantation.
Two halves of a whole,
Night turns to day.
When life becomes dark,
Light shows the way.
An archway appeared in the stone in front of her. Darkness waited on the other side, a cavern of some sort.
Without a glance backward, Scarlett, with her staff gripped tightly, stepped through. When her entire body had crossed, the opening shut. No one would know where she’d gone.
It was better that way. No one needed to sacrifice themselves to protect her. Kaelem had warned people would die because of her. Maybe someday they would, but this was her chance to prevent that. With the element of surprise on her side, she stood a chance.
The cave around her was narrow.
And cold.
Goosebumps rose on Scarlett’s arms.
A faint light shined down the tunnel. She’d go that way first.
When Scarlett sent magic through her staff, the center orb awakened, illuminating the area around her. Its glow softly flickered as Scarlett used it to better see the area around her.
The tunnel seemed empty, so she let the orb burn out. She would be harder to spot in the darkness. She followed the faint light further down the tunnel, keeping her steps quiet. When she reached the end, she carefully peeked out into an opening.
Icicle-shaped fragments hung from the cave’s ceiling above a pool of murky water. The light came from across the pond where, on the other side of the pond, the cavern continued on a raised level.
Scarlett pictured herself standing on the other side. She closed her eyes and tried to evanesce there, but nothing happened. Apparently, she’d have to get there the old-fashioned way.
The pond filled the entire lower area. The walls around it were slick. The only way to cross was to swim. A rope hung from the ledge. If she made it across, she could pull herself up.
Gross. Scarlett had no idea what lived in the dark water. But she had no choice.
She threw her staff to the other side then dipped herself into the freezing water. As her body shivered, she started to swim. The pond was deep. Her feet couldn’t even touch the bottom. After a few strokes, her movements became more difficult. When she lifted her arm out of the water, a black film was stuck to her skin. With the next stroke, the liquid had thickened. Halfway to the rope, the water turned tar-like.
Her muscles grew exhausted. Just six more strokes and she’d reach the rope.
Five. Four. Three.
Two.
One.
With the last bit of energy she had, she thrust herself to the edge and gripped the rope. Hand over hand, she yanked herself up and fell onto the ground above, tar dripping from her.
Her body felt heavy as she stood. She couldn’t continue like this. If anyone found her, she’d be too slow to have any prayer of getting away.
She focused on the tar. It tingled on her skin. She wanted it off but wasn’t sure how to make it happen.
Her magic. Of course. Too often she forgot about the benefits being fae brought her and, instead, acted like a mortal. She wouldn’t make that mistake this time. She’d learned to move things with her mind. Maybe that would work for the tar. She imagined the tar rising from her skin. Slowly, it lifted and drifted from her arms and legs and floated back into the pool below.
Much better.
On she went. This part of the cavern opened up to another narrow tunnel that led to a huge opening, lit only by small cracks in the ceiling above.
Tall stone figures were scattered throughout the room. As Scarlett stepped closer, she realized they were shaped like people, with small bat-like wings on their backs.
She weaved through the statues as quickly as she could, careful not to knock any over. When she was almost to the next tunnel, something wrapped itself around her wrist.
A stone hand gripped her tightly. She glanced to the statue next to her. From the tip of its head, the stone outer shell melted away, unveiling a red-skinned creature underneath.
Its eyelids flickered open, revealing black eyes.
Scarlett smacked the creature in the face with her staff. It released her but another grabbed her leg and pulled her to the ground. Another kicked her staff from her hand. All around, the statues came to life.
Light shot from her hand at the creature coming toward her, but she couldn’t stop them all. There were too many, and she had been too surprised by their attack to fight back.
They swarmed around her, snatching her by her limbs. One bit her arm, sending pain through her veins and straight to her heart. When she tried to use her magic again, nothing happened.
Another bit her leg, another her neck.
With each bite, she grew weaker.
Scarlett struggled as they carried her further into the cave. Soon, they came to a room with a wooden cage in its center.
The creatures threw Scarlett inside.
She fell to the ground and curled into the fetal position until she was roughly lifted and tied to the bars.
What had she done?
Chapter Fifteen
“You’re sure this is what you want?” Poppy asked Cade as they stood outside the Winter Castle grounds.
Snow covered everything around them—the ground, the trees, even the castle had fine layer of white powder. White crystals coated the fence of ice surrounding the grounds. A slight breeze blew through the branches.
Even the thick coat Cade wore didn’t keep him shielded from the icy air.
“We should at least hear Nevina out.” Cade stepped toward the guards. “We are here to see your queen.”
After returning from the Unseelie Court, Cade went straight to his mother. She’d allied with the Winter Queen before, and he suspected if he asked for her advice, she’d encourage the same.
He needed his motives to be believable. If he decided to take information back to Kaelem, it was crucial that no one suspected a lack of commitment.
If his mother believed he was following her guidance, Nevina was more likely to think the same. He hoped the Fates would as well.
How much had they seen in their visions? Did they know of his regrets or would they assume he was still the boy influenced by his mother’s every wish?
He hoped they wouldn’t see through his ruse.
Cade and Poppy waited at the gates until the Winter Queen’s advisor came to escort them inside. They silently walked down the long path lined with rose bushes through the castle grounds.
They continued into the castle until they found Nevina sat in her icy throne, wearing a long-sleeved, silver dress. Her right leg was crossed over her left, and her hands rested in her lap.
“I’m surprised to see you, Summer King,” she said. “Rumors are circulating that you attended the Unseelie Ball only days ago.”
The door shut and five guards moved in front of it. Six other guards—three on each side—stood next to Nevina. They all unsheathed their swords.
Poppy stood so close to Cade her arm pressed into his. Though the bond between them was gone, he could sense her fear.
It wasn’t like her to show her emotion so openly, especially not fear.
Cade inhaled her unease and used it to replenish his magic supply. It wasn’t as filling as Scarlett’s emotion had been, but it was his best option at the moment. Although a small drop in temperature kept his magic more alert, the freezing temperature of the Winter Court weakened him.
If Nevina wanted to fight, the odds weren’t in Cade’s favor. He was confident Poppy could take out at least half the guards. So could Cade, but not if he needed to fight Nevina, too.
“Yes, it’s my duty to my court to seek out all my options,” Cade replied cooly. “Would you not do the same?”
Nevina waved her hand and her guards returned their swords to their scabbards. “Your mother sent word of your visit. She informs me that you’ve come to join with the Fates and me. Is this true?”
“I’m h
ere to see what you have to offer.”
“And should you decide not to be my ally, what will keep me from killing you right here, right now?” Nevina shifted her hands to the throne arms.
“You are a smart queen, and you realize that killing me now would only impair your chances of others coming to join you. And no matter what past bond you have with my mother, if I die, she will become Summer Queen again and do everything in her power to avenge me.”
The truth was, Cade wasn’t sure his mother would need to get revenge on his murderer. Sometimes, he wondered if she’d care at all. She might want him dead. With no heir, she would regain the Summer crown, and, instead of being an interim ruler, she’d gain its full power. Unless Cade declared Raith his successor, which wasn’t practical now that the Fates had done whatever it was they’d done to him.
Nevina tapped her fingers on the slick throne arms. “You already know my intention to regain our rightful powers from the Seelie Queen. I assume you share that desire.”
Cade nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t have helped you learn where it is had I not.”
“Knowing where Genevieve keeps it was a good first step, but it’s going to take a lot more for us to actually retrieve the ruby from her. Without all of our magic, we are at a great disadvantage. Luckily, the Fates agree with our objective to take back what is ours and have offered to help.”
“And what do they want in return?”
“To help them take what is theirs.”
“The power from the tree.”
“Yes. I heard about your secret expedition. One you conveniently forgot to share with me. I’ve also been informed that you seemed to get close with the others who sought the power, including Scarlett, once human now a queen.”
“I’ll admit I’ve had a soft spot for her at times. Feeding on her emotion as I trained for the Battle of Heirs took its toll on me. But she isn’t the weak human she was when I found her. She might be stronger than anyone now when she learns to use the magic she now possesses, and I will always be the one who seduced her into our world then left her to die in the Faerie forest. A target will forever be on my back. The safest option is for me to join those who will ally against her.”
