by Ivy Clyde
Lucia stayed calm. She sheathed the dagger and placed it into a hook at her waist. Taking a key from inside a pocket of her snug breeches, she unchained my wrists from the heavy metallic manacles.
“Thanks,” I muttered, rubbing at my wrists.
“Are you thirsty?” she asked, surprising me again.
“Yeah,” I confessed. Even though the few hours of sleep seemed to have restored some of my strength back, I was still exhausted after the events of tonight. My muscles ached from the time I was writhing in pain from the burning gancanaugh venom in my veins. I was also reminded of the rough, explosive sex with Rowan under the influence of the poison.
Lucia went to a corner and came back with a bottle of white luminescent potion. She removed the cork and held out the bottle to me.
“What is this?” I asked, unsure of drinking the strange liquid.
“Moonflower wine,” said Lucia. “It will restore your strength.”
“Is this something similar to goldflower essence?” I asked, taking the bottle from her.
“Yes, but moonflower essence works its magic on the lunar fae.”
I glanced up at her. She was knowingly giving me something that would strengthen the other part of my magic. Did she know who I was?
“Drink it, Moira,” said Lucia. “I have not poisoned it.”
I didn’t think she had but her knowledge of who I was surprised me. Taking a deep breath, I tipped the mouth of the bottle over my lips. The first gulp of the wine sent warmth shooting through my entire body. My tongue licked over my lips as I took another deep swig.
“Better?” asked Lucia, watching me intently.
I nodded. “This is as good as goldflower wine. Thank you.” I sat back in the chair and drank some more of the delicious brew that sent warmth shooting to the very tips of my fingers. Even though my body was still sore from the violence earlier, my exhaustion vanished, making me feel a hundred times more energetic than before.
Lucia stayed calm but watched me with interest. I still felt no threat from her. My magic stayed steady, keeping me relaxed despite being in this strange situation, but I had to know why this woman brought me away from Coran’s manor. Glancing toward Lucia, I asked, “What do you want to tell me?”
Lucia sat down on the floor at my feet and lowered her head. “To be honest, I don’t even know where to begin.” Taking a deep breath, she met my gaze. “You are the girl who was brought to Aelia a month ago. You have the ancient lumina mating seal on you.”
“That’s right,” I said. “What about it?”
“You are able to wield the dark powers of the ancient lunar fae monarchs,” said Lucia.
I put the bottle down on the floor and leaned forward to study the expression on Lucia’s pretty face. How could she have known it was me? Other than Cade and I, no one knew…
“Lord Vishen knows about the incident that took the lives of three solar fae elves,” continued Lucia, answering my unasked question. “I overheard him talking to his right-hand man about you. He was planning on sending a battalion of his personally-trained soldiers to Lord Coran’s manor tonight to kidnap you.”
Her words sent a chill through me. “How could he know so much about me?”
Lucia grimaced. “The bastard is in touch with Coran. That traitor from the Solar Fae Court spilled everything he knows about you to Vishen.” Her green eyes looked into mine and I felt trapped in the depth of her gaze. Lucia may look as young as me, but at that moment, I knew she was much older than me. “Do you have any idea who you truly are?”
My heart pounded in my chest with an unfamiliar emotion. “Do you know who I am?”
“You are the last living heir of King Arian.”
Silence fell between us as we gazed at each other, punctuated by the faint sighing of the breeze that drifted in through the open windows.
“How do you know?” I whispered even though it was just the two of us in that cottage.
“No one else could use that sort of an attack,” said Lucia. “It is a very, very rare power that allows you to wrench out the magical core out of a high fae’s chest. King Arian and his recent predecessors even pretended they didn’t have this power to keep away from the jealousy of other fae monarchs. You revealed your identity the moment you let your untamed magic take control of the situation. Now that Vishen is aware of your existence, I had to get you out of Aelia safely.”
“Did Lord Coran know about the attack that would happen in his manor tonight?”
“He’s the one who planned everything,” said Lucia. “If it weren’t for me, you would have already been captured by Vishen’s men and taken to him. I got you out of there just in time. However, I should have come to you earlier. The dead gancanaugh and the state you were in meant you already faced an assault tonight.”
My mind reeled with the information Lucia gave me. So, it wasn’t just Deirdre waiting to lure me into a trap tonight. Her father was up to the same thing. If Rowan hadn’t come to save me in time, I would have died from the gancanaugh’s poison already. My heart squeezed at the thought of him. I had no idea how he was doing at this moment.
“What happened after you got me out of there? Did you see Prince Rowan anywhere?” I asked at once.
“I have no idea what is happening there,” said Lucia in a hard tone. “I took you and fled the manor before they could come into the room you were hiding in.”
“Thank you for what you did but you need to take me back,” I said. “There are people who would be worried if they don’t find me.”
“You can’t go back to Aelia. It’s no longer safe for you there.”
“Can’t go back to Aelia?” My gaze roamed around the room before falling back on Lucia. “Where exactly are we then?”
“You are in Rishara at the moment, a forgotten town in Amaris.”
“Amaris?” My voice went squeaky with panic. “You brought me to the lunar fae kingdom.”
She seemed too calm for my patience. “You are safe here. No one will hurt you as long as I am by your side.”
“Why do you care?” I asked, wondering what strange motive could make this stranger decide to go to an enemy territory to rescue me.
Lucia’s expression turned solemn. “I care because I am one of the last few people alive in this world to have the blood of the lunar fae royalty flowing in their veins.”
3
Moira
I stared at the woman before me, wondering if I’d finally found someone who could be related to me. My father was the king, after all. Surely, there were other members of the family. Hope swelled in my chest. A smile lifted the corners of my lips. “Does that mean you’re related to me? Are we family?”
A soft chuckle escaped Lucia as she shook her head. “We are not closely related. If we try to trace our relationship, we would have to trace back to hundreds of relatives who lived centuries ago.” Clearing her throat, she added, “I suppose you’re not aware of this but the administration of Amaris used to be very different from what it is now. Back then, the kingdom was divided among clans who descended from the royal family. The clan leaders ruled over their individual territories but always answered to the king.”
“How is it different now?” I asked unable to help myself from learning more about my father’s home.
“The state of administration is similar to Aelia now. Vishen’s trusted men have turned into the nobility who rule over everyone.”
“What about the clans?”
Lucia’s gaze darkened. “The clan leaders and their families were murdered after the death of King Arian.”
“So is your family…” I couldn’t bring myself to say the thing I’d already guessed.
“Everyone is dead.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” I said. “Truly…I am sorry.”
She shook her head and gave a sad smile. “None of it was your fault.”
Even though she didn’t cry, I couldn’t bear the sadness in her beautiful eyes. Her sudden vulnerability made
me forget about my own plight for a moment. I got up from the chair and crouched down beside her. My arms went around her shoulders in a hug. “I’m so sorry for you,” I whispered.
A soft gasp escaped Lucia as she stiffened in my embrace.
Part of me couldn’t understand why I was hugging a complete stranger. Could it be the pull of some long lost relationship between us? Even though we weren’t directly related, we shared some kinship. This was the only explanation I could come up with for feeling this way.
The moment passed quickly and I was able to remember where I was and how important it was to get back to Rowan, Cade, and Leon. Moving away from Lucia, I said, “Can you take me back?”
Lucia’s expression hardened. “No. Your place is here.”
“I know that but there are people waiting for me.”
“There are people waiting for you here too. What about them?”
“What are you talking about? This is the first time I have come to Amaris.”
Lucia’s voice was cold and cutting as she answered me. “The people of Amaris need you. Without you, they will soon perish. It is your duty to stay here and do all you can to bring balance to this realm.”
Something deep inside me seemed to rise to the surface. For a moment, thoughts of Rowan, Cade, and Leon faded from my mind. Even though I didn’t know the people of Amaris, even though I’d never been in my father’s kingdom, my magic seemed to heat up in my veins. Rage flared up inside me at the thought someone was ruining my father’s kingdom and making his people suffer.
I glanced at Lucia. “What can I do? If Vishen finds out about my existence, he would kill me. That’s the reason my parents gave up their lives in the first place. They wanted to protect me from both Vishen and Coran. I want to help. I really do but I need help from the princes.”
“You don’t need the help of those princes,” said Lucia. “They are busy fighting between themselves. It won’t be long before they kill each other. Vultures like Coran are just biding their time. Once the heirs of King Drustan are gone, they will swoop down on him and snatch the kingdom from him too.”
“That’s not true!”
Lucia got to her feet. Turning away from me, she walked to a wooden cupboard and opened it. After a few seconds of rummaging the racks, she came back with a stack of clothes. “Put these on and come for a walk with me.”
I stared at her. “I really need to go back.”
Lucia shook her head. “Not yet. Let me show you what you’re responsible for by not being where you’re supposed to be. Get dressed and come with me. See what has happened to your people. If you still wish to leave, I will take you back to Aelia tonight.” Moving close to me, she dumped the clothes in my arms. “I will wait outside.” Without waiting for a reply, she marched across the room and walked out through the door.
I looked down at myself. The dark cloak fluttered around my naked frame, keeping away the chill of the night. So far, Lucia had taken care of me. She was mysterious but my heart wanted to trust her. I’d already detected a kind of desperation in her. She wanted me to take charge of a nation that seemed to be in more trouble than Aelia.
But, how could I? I barely had any control over my powers and without Rowan, Cade, and Leon’s support, I was completely useless.
See what she has to show you, my mind whispered. Hear what she has to say.
She’d already promised to take me back to Aelia, so there was probably nothing wrong with spending another few hours with her. Perhaps, I could learn something from Lucia that would be helpful to my princes.
Making up my mind, I removed the cloak from my body. Shivering from the cold draft blowing in through the windows, I quickly wore the simple woolen dress Lucia gave me. There was a pair of worn boots to go with it as well.
My mind churned with the questions I wanted to ask Lucia. This was probably an opportunity to gain some insight about Amaris. I was curious to learn about the new heir of Amaris too. He was a mysterious person, effectively hiding behind Vishen. Rowan, Cade and Leon knew nothing about the man. Learning about him could prove to be useful as well.
Pulling the cloak back on, I walked toward the door and opened it.
The cottage was surrounded by thick woods. Moonlight shone down on the cleared patch, illuminating Lucia’s silhouette as she leaned against the trunk of an oak tree. She straightened up at the sound of my approach.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“To the closest village.”
I looked all around the dense woods around us. “Won’t it take at least a few hours to get out of here and find civilization?”
“Not when you’re with me.”
Instead of coming closer to me, she stepped away, increasing the distance between us. A mischievous smile played on her luscious lips. Before I could ask what she was up to, white-tipped wings appeared at her sides in the blink of an eye.
My jaw dropped as I stared at the angelic creature before me. Moonlight made her wide-spread wings shine like silver.
“You’re a sky elf,” I whispered, moving toward her in a trance.
Lucia chuckled. “Part sky-elf,” she said. “My grandmother came from the Sky Kingdom but my father was a clan leader.” When I was close enough, she took my hands and wrapped them around her neck. “Hold tight,” she said.
“Wait, what?”
Draping her arms around my slim waist, she pulled me against her body. Heat bloomed on my cheeks as her soft curves pressed against mine.
“Don’t be scared,” she whispered. This close, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. “I won’t let you fall.”
Lucia stood still but her massive wings flapped at her sides, causing the long grasses at our feet to sway wildly from the gust of wind they created. Before I could wrap my head around the idea of actually flying, our feet lifted off the ground.
“Whoa!” I hurried to tighten my hold on Lucia’s neck as we rapidly rose into the air. “You should have told me we weren’t walking!” I screamed while Lucia laughed.
I risked a glance toward the ground and immediately looked away. The cottage we’d been in couldn’t even be spotted among the sea of trees. My hair flew behind me in long streams as I clung to Lucia tightly.
I was able to start enjoying the ride after some of the shock left my system. This high up, it felt like Lucia and I were floating in a calm sea of dark navy. The moon seemed big and golden from up here. Wisps of cloud passed us by from time to time. My gaze looked up toward Lucia. A soft smile played on her luscious lips while her wings soundlessly fluttered at her sides.
I wondered if this was all a dream, whether I was still under the influence of gancanaugh poison which was making me imagine someone as ethereal as Lucia.
A sudden strong gust rushing against our bodies made me glance down. We were quickly losing height, allowing me a glimpse of the place Lucia had brought me to. Pinpricks of light gathered together in an area surrounded by wooded hills.
She descended further, allowing me to make out the shapes of cottages and taller buildings. We were definitely close to a town.
Instead of landing in the central part of town, Lucia guided us toward a hilltop. Our feet gently touched the ground but I couldn’t let her go yet. My arms clung to her neck as tightly as when we were in the air.
“It’s okay, Moira,” said Lucia in a gentle voice. “You can let go now.” When I still stayed stuck to her, she rubbed my back in soothing circles.
I relaxed at her touch and slowly loosened my hold on her neck. She smiled reassuringly and stepped away from me. At once, I missed her warmth.
Lucia covered her face once more. Moving closer to me, she lowered the hood of the cloak over my head. “It is best no one recognizes us. We don’t know who would be out and about.”
She walked down a cleared path and led the way down the hill. I walked beside her, taking in the woods on both sides of the trail.
Following the path, we reached lower grounds and then walked toward the town. Lucia wa
s quiet as she guided me. Soon, cottages came in my view but to my surprise, they were badly dilapidated.
As we got closer to the town’s center, it became apparent the place wasn’t doing well. Most of the houses and cottages were decrepit, appearing like they would tumble down in the path of a strong wind.
Paper lanterns dangled from strings of ropes strung between poles erected on both sides of the streets. The people around us wore simple clothing of rough wool and dark cloaks. There was a pinched look on most of their faces. We even came across a few people who were badly emaciated. Scraps of clothes hung from their bony shoulders as they begged us for scraps and coins.
Such a scene wouldn’t have normally shocked me but we were in Amaris at the moment, the land of the lunar fae. Until now, I’d only seen wealth and splendor in the fae realm. From the brightly-lit shops of the underground Troll Bazaar of Lost Sanctum to the markets of Aelia, everything was brimming with extravagance. There was no sign of poverty anywhere.
This village square resembled a poor town from the medieval era. There barely seemed to be any magic around us.
“Why is everyone so poor?” I whispered.
“The kingdom has been suffering from a drought over the past three years. The crops perished and people are barely managing to survive. The mines no longer produce any gold or silver, so the dwarves and goblins have abandoned them. All trade has come to a halt. This sort of hardship took a toll on the lives of the people.”
“Does Vishen do nothing to make things better?”
“What do you think?”
“I can see he doesn’t do shit but why? Didn’t he want to be the king so he could rule over these people? Now that he has the chance, shouldn’t he do something?”
Lucia was about to reply but a toddler bumped against her knees. She looked down at the child. Her stare was so cold, the little girl suddenly burst into tears.
“Oh no!” I groaned, dropping down to my knees. “Hey, don’t cry.” I patted the child’s back but she wouldn’t stop sobbing. Looking toward Lucia, I frowned. “Why don’t you do something?”