by Rachel Angel
Kingsley closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He groaned deep in his throat as he continued to concentrate. His breathing grew loud and labored 185
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as he raised his arms in front of him, his fingers shaking.
As if emerging from a fog, a figure formed in front of Kingsley and Oak gasped as he realized it was the spitting image of Kingsley himself.
“How’s that for a fae trick?” Kingsley said as he opened his eyes.
The only thing that differentiated the true Kingsley from the clone was the color of his tunic.
Kingsley wore a red one while the clone’s was burgundy.
“Neat trick,” Oak said.
“Thank you,” the clone said.
“Now you,” Kingsley suggested. “Give your clone just enough of a difference so we both know who is who, but not noticeable enough that our men will see the difference.”
Oak closed his eyes and concentrated, envisioning a copy of himself. While his belt was black, he gave his clone a tan leather belt.
He opened his eyes to look at his clone. A shiver went up his spine. “Kind of spooky, isn’t it,”
Oak said.
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“It is,” Kingsley said with a chuckle. “But it’ll work.”
Their clones stood there as if waiting for a command.
“Go off and keep our troops in line,”
Kingsley said to his clone.
“Let them rest, but don’t them slack off too much,” Oak added.
The clones smiling and chatting amiably, walked off and headed back into the heart of the encampment. Even from a distance, Oak could see that the clones were well received as soldiers saluted them.
Oak then turned to Kingsley. “So, does that mean that we can go to the human realm now? Can we go to Harley?”
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Chapter 14
Red
As Red walked beside his twin brother, he thought of the lies he would have to tell his father.
As insane as he might have become in the past little while, his father was no fool.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Red finally said to Zed. “I don’t think that we should walk into this thinking that Father will be so gullible as to believe us.”
“I know,” Zed admitted. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. His opinion of us is so low that making him believe that we’ve had a change of heart is going to be an uphill battle.”
They walked on in tense silence, each caught up in their own thoughts, in the web of lies they intended to tell their father.
Suddenly, Red stopped and turned to face his brother. “I think I have an idea,” he said.
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“I hope it’s a good one, because I’m drawing a blank,” Zed said.
“I don’t think that Father will accept that we’ve both had a change of heart. It’s just too good to be true.”
“Okay,” Zed said. “I see what you mean.”
“Imagine this: you and I have been talking.
We got into an argument. I want to align with Father while you want to find your true love, Princess Harley of Spring.”
“I’m with you so far.”
“We got into a fight. I called you a traitor.
You called me stupid. I called you weak, and you threw a punch.”
Zed cocked a brow. “I did?”
Red nodded. “I think a little bruise around the eye will be enough to convince him that we truly had a falling out.”
“Are you asking me to strike you?” Zed said, a pleased grin on his lips.
“Don’t look so happy at the prospect,” Red said. “I’m not really thrilled with the notion, and I think the best way to go about it is for you to strike 189
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me when I’m not expecting it, because we both know that anticipation of pain is…”
Zed punched his brother just above his left eye.
“Bloody hell!” Red let out as he staggered back and quickly brought his hand to his eye that was already bleeding profusely.
“Had you forgotten that that part of the head tends to bleed quite easily?” Zed said with a grin.
“Please wipe that silly grin off your face,”
Red said.
“Why?” Zed said. “I think you look very convincing. You have a nice gash over your eye.
Leave a bit of the blood dripping down your cheek and Father will be thrilled.”
“Yes,” Red said. “Especially when he learns that you weren’t even able to get up after this little fight.”
Zed took a step back and held his hands up in front of his face.
“Don’t worry,” Red said. “I have no intention of truly hurting you, though I’ll admit that I would like nothing better than to return the blow.”
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“Hey,” Zed said. “It was your idea, remember?”
Red nodded. It was, and as he saw the blood that continued to flow from the wound, he was certain his idea would work. “I’d better go and find Father while the blood is still fresh.”
“And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” Zed said.
“You know that little shack out at the other end of the corn field?”
Zed nodded.
“Hang out there for a little while,” Red said.
“I’ll come by as soon as I can to give you an update.”
Zed looked over to the distant corn field. “I don’t know.”
“We don’t have many other options for the time being. Just go there, sit tight, and I’ll come by later tonight.”
They walked on until they reached a fork in the path; one led to the little cabin behind the corn field, while the other led to the castle.
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“Wish me luck,” Red said as he turned to his brother. “Who knows? If I’m not convincing enough, Father might want to add another blow to the one you gave me.”
Zed chuckled. “Good luck, brother.” He grasped his brother’s shoulders with both hands and gave him an encouraging shake, then turned away and headed off to the small cabin.
As he resumed walking, Red pulled in a long and tried breath, and mentally worked on the story he was going to tell his father.
Much sooner than he had anticipated, the castle came into view, and he felt his heart race. His father was a hard man in the best of time. Now, there was no telling how he would react.
Red nodded at the guard as he approached the outer wall that protected the castle. The guard, recognizing him, easily let him in.
It was a telling sign. His father could have very well given word not to let them back into the castle grounds.
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Disruption (Fallen Fae Academy #5) He reached the entrance to the castle unhindered. Once inside the castle, he looked around for a servant.
“Please,” Red said to the young man dusting the side table. “Where is my father?”
“He is out back on the patio enjoying his tea, sir.”
Red nodded and hurried to the back of the castle that opened up onto a generous yard of green with a small patio set up amidst the foliage.
“Father,” Red bellowed with firm conviction.
The king of Fall set his teacup down with a clatter and turned to Red. “What the hell are you doing here?” he cried out in anger. Then he noticed the blood on his son’s face. “And what the bloody hell happened to you?”
“Permission to join you for tea, sir,” Red said.
Frowning, the king gestured to the chair across from him.
“Thank you, sir.” Red walked to the chair and sat facing his father.
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“Now tell me,” the king said. “What happened?” He looked back toward the castle.
“And where is that sniveling brot
her of yours?”
“I’m sorry, Father, but Zed and I have had a falling out.”
The king nodded, a slight grin on his lips as he waited for more.
“After you left us, I kept going over and over in my mind what you said. A part of me knew you were right, but I was reluctant to face it. I knew that I had allowed Mother to coddle me a little too much.
She let me get lazy and soft.” He looked at his father and shrugged. “Zed has always been very close to Mother. Even when we were young, he was always with her. I guess a part of me wanted that close relationship with her as well. Unfortunately, I allowed my relationship with you to suffer in the process.”
“I see.” The king sat back, eyeing his son.
“Your harsh words were like a slap in the face. It hurt,” Red said. “Being told that I wasn’t man enough was painful. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I needed to hear 194
Disruption (Fallen Fae Academy #5) those words. I’d become so accustomed to Mother’s tender words that I had actually come to ignore the man that I was inside. I was content being the little boy that Mother loved; the docile and submissive child that she wanted.”
“And what of your brother?” the king said as he sat up, scrutinizing his boy.
“I tried to make him see how wrong Mother has been to coddle us for all these years. I tried to make him see that you were right. That we need to stand up and be men, but he refused. His love for Mother is just too strong. Or perhaps it’s his reliance on her. I don’t really know.”
The king shook his head and sat back to take a better look at his son. There was a hint of pride in his gaze.
“When I told him what a weak little child he was, he threw a punch,” Red said. “I’ll admit that I didn’t expect it. I’d been speaking calmly to him, trying to get him to see things my way when he suddenly lashed out.”
“And did you fight back?” the king asked with a sneer.
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Red pulled back his shoulders and puffed out his chest. “Did I ever? I jumped him. He didn’t know what hit him, but I assure you, I hit him. He fell to the ground and within seconds was crying out for his mommy.”
The king threw his head back and laughed as he slammed his large palm against the tabletop.
“That’s my boy.”
“Oh, Father,” Red said with a pleased grin.
“If you had seen him. It was an embarrassment. I told him to get on his feet and fight like a man, but he just stayed on the ground, holding his belly and moaning.”
The king sat up and reached across the table to grab his son’s hand. “I knew you had it in you, Red. I’ve always had confidence in you. Damn! If I’d known my words would have reached you, touched you and turned you around so quickly, I would have said them a long time ago.”
Red nodded. “And I wish you had, Father. I truly wish you had. I feel like I’ve missed out on a part of my life that belonged to me. I feel like I’ve been hiding… hiding behind my mother’s skirt 196
Disruption (Fallen Fae Academy #5) while the real men go out there and do manly things that I was too afraid to do.”
“I need you to be brave, son,” the king said.
“I’m ready to be the brave soldier that you need, Father. I want my kingdom to be the victor.
I want to be at your side when you take over all of the faery realm.”
The king beamed with pride. “I would give anything right now to see your mother’s face as you take allegiance with me. She always thought that she would have you on her side. Well, look at you now. You’re my son.” He grabbed his balls in a show of proud masculinity, then raised his hand to call a servant over.
“Yes, sir,” the young servant said.
“Take away this tea and bring out the bourbon,” the king said. “My son and I are going to celebrate.”
“Right away, your majesty.”
Red licked his lips, reveling in how well everything was going. But he knew it wasn’t over.
He knew that he had to maintain the charade and never falter.
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When the servant returned with a crystal decanter of bourbon, he poured two generous tumblers and set them before the king who simply nodded his appreciation.
The king pulled one tumbler closer to him and pushed the second to Red. “It certainly is nice to finally sit with my boy and talk to him, man to man.”
Red raised his glass to his father. “To the mighty king,” he said. “May he reign over all the kingdoms, from Spring to Sea, from Woods to Fall.”
The king brought his glass up to Red’s.
“Indeed.”
Red took a sip of the strong liquid and grinned at his father. He had to keep a clear mind.
“So, tell me, Red,” the king said. “What do you think is the best strategy? How can the Kingdom of Fall come to win over Spring, Sea and Woods? Especially now. I’ve heard that Sea and Woods are now allies.”
Red thought a long moment. He knew where his father wanted to lead the conversation but didn’t 198
Disruption (Fallen Fae Academy #5) want to seem too eager. “If things were different, I might suggest aligning with Spring, but I don’t see that happening.”
“Neither do I,” the king said with a snicker.
“And with Sea and Woods teaming up, that doesn’t leave us much of a choice.” Red looked at his father. “I think we need a strong ally who will seek to destroy all three of them.”
“I agree.” The king looked at his son with a gleam in his eye. “But who could that be?”
Red hesitated. “Father,” he finally said. “I know that this will sound insane, but I think it may be the only way this can work.”
“And what is that?”
“We need to enlist the help of the Dark Fae.”
“Hmm,” the king said with mock surprise.
“That’s very interesting. I thought you didn’t approve of the Dark Fae.”
Red leaned over the table to get closer to his father. “Don’t doubt it, Father. I do not like the man, but if we can devise a way of using his powers to our advantage, it would make easy work of gaining all the power you want.”
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The king smirked.
“And what’s in it for you, dear Red?”
Red smiled as he narrowed his eyes into two cunning slits. “I will one day reign, Father. Not Mother, and not Zed. I will be the one who will have brought honor to your name, to my name… to my kingdom, and, one day, I will rule this land.”
“Zed,” the king grumbled with disgust. “Yes.
He does not deserve to take over after I am gone.
What a disgrace that he did not come back here with you.”
“He may just need a little time, Father,” Red said. “If you wish, I can speak to him again. I can try to get him to see the wisdom of joining the Army of Fall.”
The king waved his hand around aimlessly.
“You can always try.”
“I believe his love for his darling Princess Harley has fogged his thoughts.”
The king slammed his tumbled down on the table and stood. “I am the general of the Army of Fall, and I will lead it to victory. When I win all of the Faery Realms for Fall, the Kingdom of Spring 200
Disruption (Fallen Fae Academy #5) will be yours. Yours and Zed’s. As leader of all the realms, I can command that she be betrothed to whomever I choose.”
Red smiled and clasped his hands together as he rose to face his father. “All the more reason to win this war.”
“Then get your brother to join us and let us take over this realm once and for all.”
“I will make him see the light, Father,” Red said. “I will.”
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Chapter 15
Zed
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Disruption (Fallen Fae Academy #5) Zed paced back and forth in the small cab
in as he awaited his twin’s return. Every now and again, he walked out of the cabin as he heard a rustling sound only to realize that it was the breeze blowing through the growing stalks of corn.
He looked down at the long and narrow field.
Beside it, farther down the hill, was a wheat field, with a field of barley beyond it and a field of cabbage beyond that.
Only a limited number of crops grew in Fall.
The soil tended to be a bit poor and the constant chill brought on by the high altitude kept many crops from ever bringing fruit.
But it was his home, his kingdom and despite his father’s recent fall from grace, he was proud of the land. Going off to the Academy for his education had made him appreciate his kingdom all the more.
His mother had had such high hopes for that Academy. It was supposed to reach out to so many youths. It was supposed to help fight the dark faes, and yet, now, the Dark Fae Wizard himself was taking over.
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In the distance he saw movement. Red.
“Finally,” he muttered to himself. He returned to the cabin and waited for his brother to arrive.
“Hey,” Red said as he walked in.
“It’s about time you come back,” Zed said, feeling the strain of trying so hard to be patient.
“How did things go?”
“I managed to convince Father that I am on his side.” He pointed to his head. “This blood impressed him. Go figure. His sons battle it out and he finds pride in that.”
“I can’t figure out anything about him anymore.”
“Well,” Red said. “It’s not all that hard. Tell him you’re tough. Tell him you want to fight for the victory of the Kingdom of Fall. Tell him that you want to fight side by side with the Dark Fae Wizard. These are the things he wants to hear.