by Dyan Chick
"You're not welcome in Faerie, you know that, Tristan," Tiana said.
"My father is not welcome," he said.
"I'll vouch for him," Cormac said as he walked down the hall toward us. Ethan and Dane were right behind him.
My heart leaped at the sight of all my princes in the same place at the same time. I felt safe with any one of them, but safest when they were all with me. I knew Tiana wasn't a danger to me while they were around.
"Fine, then," she said. "Try to keep up."
Tiana grabbed my wrist, squeezing so hard her fingernails bit into my flesh. I tugged my arm away from her, but she kept hold tightly. Before I had a chance to open my mouth to protest, everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I sucked in a breath but found no air to pull into my lungs. I was in a vacuum, cut off from the world around me. After a moment of panic, I realized Tiana must have grabbed me so we could slide. That didn't make the darkness around me any easier to handle.
A heartbeat later, I felt my feet touch down on solid ground seconds before my vision cleared. Breathing heavy, I glared at Tiana, then pulled my wrist away from her. She looked pleased with herself and I didn't feel like yelling at her. It would just let her know she succeeded in getting under my skin.
I looked around, trying to assess where we were. All around me were trees with orange leaves that formed a canopy, nearly blocking out the sun. Leaves crunched under my boots as I spun in a slow circle looking for any signs of life. As far as I could see, it was only Tiana and me. She'd taken me somewhere in the Autumn Court, but we weren't at the Queen's palace. "Where are we?"
"Near an entrance to the Under," she said. "I'm curious about your untamed magic. And you aren't meant to be alive. I'm going to let the monsters do what they should have done already."
My magic spiked inside me, sending a surge of tingles from my chest down into my arms. I didn't know what that meant or how to respond to it. In the past, it felt like a fight to let it out, but now, my magic seemed to be simmering below the surface. Instead of clawing, it was vibrating through me, soothing me.
"You don't want to do this," I said. "If those creatures get out, it won't just be me they take."
"So noble." She scoffed. "You really are just like her."
"Just like who?" I asked.
"My sister," she said. "You two might even get along. It's a shame she'll never meet you. But then again, if she wanted you to survive, she'd have told me about you."
My magic pulsed and throbbed, making me wince against its demands under my skin. I knew it wanted out, but I didn't know what it would do. Creating a blinding white light wasn't going to do me any good in the middle of a grove of trees. Where would I run? I'd be just as likely to injure myself as I was to escape. And maybe that was her plan all along. "I don't understand what you're saying. Please, you said you'd take me to the Queen. You said you'd help me."
"She told me you were taken care of. She told me she had you killed," Tiana said.
"Who?" I asked, my magic flailing with my temper. The more Tiana babbled nonsense without giving me any information, the more upset I was feeling. Part of me wanted to unleash this on her, but I wasn't like her. I didn't want to hurt anyone even if she might deserve it.
"The Queen isn't supposed to have children because they turn out like you. Born with all four Courts worth of magic. It's forbidden. Nobody but the Queen herself can have that much magic. She won't even let me know where the key to the temple is. And yet, here you are. You did nothing to earn the magic flowing through your veins." Tiana's words came out like a curse. "You should be dead."
I nearly stumbled backward at Tiana's confession. How was this possible? I couldn't be the daughter of a Queen, could I?
"She lied to me," Tiana said. "Imagine how she'll feel when I tell her of your untimely end."
The magic flared like an explosion inside me, knocking me to the ground. There was no blinding light this time, just me in the dirt. I pushed myself to sitting and brushed the dirt and dried leaves off of my hands. I could hear Tiana cackling in front of me, but my hair had fallen in front of my eyes. Tossing my head, I used my forearm to move the curls away.
It wasn't just Tiana in front of me. Behind her, stalking in with the stealth and grace of a cat were four creatures that looked like walking nightmares. Their front legs were lean and covered in black fur, their faces were that of large birds. Feathers and beady eyes and sharp, pointed beaks. Large wings were folded along their smooth feline bodies.
I scrambled to my feet and backed away. Each of the four beasts faces turned toward me, focusing their beady little eyes on me. One of them snapped its beak and let out a screech that made me wince.
Tiana didn't seem bothered by the creatures. In fact, the creatures didn't seem bothered by her, either. They walked around her, ignoring her, in favor of me. Was it the magic they were drawn to? "What are those things?"
"These sweet creatures?" Tiana purred.
I knew they weren't sweet. They smelled of the decay I'd caught so often on the Sodalis and was filling my nostrils. These creatures were monsters capable of murder. And I was likely their current target.
"These are my griffins," Tiana said. "I lured them here from the Under after my sister won the crown. They do my bidding and mine alone."
I continued to take slow backward steps, careful of where I set my feet. Falling in a hole or twisting my ankle could be the end of me. "Tiana, don't do this. I mean you no harm."
"Liar."
"Honestly," I said. "I didn't even know about Faerie until a few days ago. I didn't even know I was Fae. I thought I was human. Someone was paying them to keep me in the human realm, honest," I said.
"And now we know who that was," she said, inching closer to me. Her beasts moving alongside her. "My sister told me she had you killed. That was her punishment for violating our laws and having a child as Queen. She lied to me. And now I will make you both pay."
I needed a way out of here. There was nothing I was going to say that would cause Tiana to let me go. The problem was, if I escaped, where would I go? She'd taken me away from the Winter Court to a place that was unfamiliar to me. I didn't have the ability to slide. All I could do was run.
"If you're going to run, you better do it now. They haven't eaten in a few days and as loyal as they are, I'm not sure how much longer they'll wait before they devour you."
That was all I needed to hear. I turned and gathered up the fabric of my dress as I ran, holding it in a ball against my waist with one arm while I pumped the other to gain as much speed as I could. Behind me, the sound of the beasts running through the woods echoed like a countdown to my demise. Every crunching leaf, every slap of a branch, even the beating of my own heart were like a symphony of destruction. It was a matter of time before the creatures caught me.
I flew through the trees, over roots and rocks, under low hanging branches. Should I try to climb a tree? No, the beasts had wings. Why did everything from the Under have wings?
Could I blind them with magic? Would that help? My heart sank. They were predators. They'd smell me even if they couldn't see me.
My chest burned and a sharp pain shot through my side. I wasn't sure how much longer I could outrun the griffins. I needed help.
As I ran, the sounds of the creatures grew softer and more subdued. There were still snarling noises and sounds of movement, but it was fading. I risked a backward glance and saw that the griffins had turned away from me, racing back to the place where I had left Tiana.
Had they turned on her? That didn't make any sense. The magic I had was supposed to attract them not send them away. Not that I was complaining, but it was confusing. A flicker of something pulled me back toward the sounds of the snarls and growls of the griffins.
Ignoring the part of me that wanted to flee, I turned back, straining to see what was happening with the monsters. The closer I got, the louder the shrieks of the creatures grew. Finally, I got close enough t
o make out what they were doing. My heart sank.
They weren't attacking Tiana, they were in the middle of a battle. The princes must have found me and I wasn't about to let them fight this on their own. Especially not since I was the one who caused all this trouble in the first place.
I picked up my pace, still holding my dress in a ball of fabric on my waist. As I got closer, I saw Ethan wrestling one of the griffins while Tristan removed a knife from a fallen beast. Cormac had Tiana on the ground, pinning her in place with his knee. Dane actually looked like he was having a good time fighting two of the beasts at once.
I took a step toward Dane, thinking he was the one most likely in need of help since he was outnumbered, then I doubled back, turning toward Ethan. The memory Tiana brought back to me so recently was too fresh in my mind to walk away from Ethan in the battle. What if he was still recovering from his injury? I knew my healing magic wasn't as strong as his and I wasn't sure what kind of a fix I had actually done for him.
As I charged toward Ethan, he landed a kick on the side of the beast, making it screech before it turned and snapped its jaws at Ethan's face. He jumped out of the way, dodging the sharp beak. He didn't have any weapons and he wasn't using magic that I could see. As I got closer, though, my own magic flared, as if being directed by someone else. I wondered if I was reacting to him.
Ethan caught my eye as I stood just outside the creature's reach. "Wings," Ethan shouted.
I didn't hesitate, I jumped up on top of the creature grabbed its wings, pinning them to the feline body underneath. The creature shrieked again, and fell to its side, knocking me to the ground. I held on, wrapping my legs around the beast to keep the wings pinned. I struggled to maintain my hold as the griffin rolled around, trying to break free of my grip.
The haunches and back of the beast were strong and as it struggled, the muscles flexed underneath of me. I wasn't sure how I was keeping it down, but I knew it had to do with the wings.
The griffin rolled, and my back scraped against the rocks and dirt of the ground. I winced as my head scraped along a bush, sending a fresh wave of pain as it sliced into my cheek.
I held on, catching glimpses of Ethan in front of the creature's face, too close to the sharp beak for my comfort. I couldn't tell what he was doing, but I wanted to help him. A moment later the creature convulsed under me then remained still. Breathing heavy, I let go and looked up to see Ethan, covered in Griffin blood. He held a small knife in his hand and his usually sparkling eyes looked dull and glassy.
Silently, he extended a hand for me, and I took it, allowing him to pull me up. The once beautiful dress was now covered in dirt and I did my best to brush the large chunks off of me before balling it back up into a pile at my waist so I could move more freely. Then, I looked around for the next place that I could be of assistance only to realize that it was very quiet. The only sound came from the grunts and protests of Tiana in Cormac's grip.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Is now the proper time to skip protocol and go right to see the Queen?" Tristan asked. His hands were covered in blood and his white tunic was ruined. But he didn't seem to notice.
"You will remove your hands from me now, Your Grace," Tiana said, emphasizing Cormac's title.
"You tried to kill an innocent," Cormac said.
"The griffins came out of the tear in the Under. It could have happened to anyone," Tiana said.
"You're a liar," I yelled. "You told me you brought me here to kill me."
"Your girl has a vivid imagination," Tiana said. "I brought her here for the final test to ensure that my findings were accurate. This is a sacred space, after all, and you all know the magic is stronger here than it is indoors."
As if on cue, a gust of wind blew through the trees, shaking the leaves. It sent a shiver through me and for an instant, I questioned my own memory of the event. Shaking my head, I squared my shoulders. "She's lying. She said I was supposed to be dead already. She said the Queen is my mother."
"That's not possible, Love," Dane said. "The Queen can't have children."
"That's not true," Cormac said. "The Queen isn't allowed to have children. It's not that she can't, technically. And it would explain Cassia's magic."
"And the money being paid to keep you in the mortal realm," Ethan said.
"What does that make her?" Dane asked. "A princess?"
My cheeks heated as I turned away from Tristan's smirk. Had he known the whole time?
"No," Ethan said. "It doesn't work that way. Cassia's right, she technically isn't supposed to exist." Ethan squeezed my hand in his. "But I'm glad she does."
"Are you three going to spend the next hour professing your love for this illegal Fae while there's an open tear to the Under?"
Cormac straightened, still holding Tiana. Then, he yanked her up to standing.
She squealed. "Careful, lover, I remember what foreplay was with you."
I tightened my grip on Ethan's hands and my fingernails bit into my palm on my other hand. There was no way Cormac would fall for this female. She was pure evil. And to insinuate that she'd been intimate with him sent rage burning through me.
"I made her jealous," Tiana said, wrinkling her nose. "Isn't that cute? She's already had two of you, but the greedy girl wants you all."
I pursed my lips, staring daggers at Tiana.
"Oops, was I supposed to keep my mouth shut about the things I saw in your mind?"
"That's enough," Dane said, walking over to her. He grabbed her other arm. "Show us where the tear is. Then we'll take you to the Queen. She can figure out what to do with you."
"I'll stay with Cassia," Tristan said.
"Wait, Cormac," Ethan said. "I'll go. You're the one who can get to the Queen. She'll listen to you."
Cormac seemed to ponder Ethan's words for a moment and then he nodded. "I'll Take Tiana with us. You and Dane find the tear and seal it. Tristan?" Cormac looked over at the Winter Prince.
"Are you inviting me for a visit with the Queen?" Tristan asked.
"Are you willing to help or not?" Cormac asked.
Tristan walked over to where Dane and Cormac were holding Tiana between them. He grabbed hold of her arm just above where Dane was holding. "I'll take it from here."
Tiana's expression was smug as she was passed off from Dane to Tristan. I scowled at her and wondered what she was thinking. She was too quiet and it made me nervous. The sooner we could get her to the Queen and turn her over for what she did, the better.
Cormac extended his hand to me. "Come, Cassia. It's time to slide."
I grabbed Cormac's hand while trying to keep my distance from Tiana. I wasn't thrilled about sliding through the void with Cormac while he held Tiana's hand. I wanted to get to the Queen and this was the fastest way possible. After days of traveling, I now really wished we had skipped the travel through the Winter Court and gone straight to the Queen.
While the delay had revealed Tristan's true colors, which were surprisingly supportive, it had resulted in the meeting and tests from Tiana. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if we’d gone straight to the Queen. Would she have turned us away? Would she still have asked her sister to test me? My stomach clenched at the thought of meeting this person who was a stranger to me, yet according to Tiana, wasn't truly a stranger. If Tiana was correct, she was my mother by birth.
Mother. The word felt strange and uncomfortable in my head as I rolled it around my thoughts, trying to get a feel for it. The human woman who raised me still came to mind when I thought of the word mother. The Queen was a stranger and if what everyone said was correct, she wasn't supposed to have children. How would she react to meeting the child she tried to hide in the human world?
"Hold on tight," Cormac said, his words breaking my thoughts.
I squeezed his hand harder, bracing myself for the darkness that was about to swallow me as we slid to the Queen's Palace. I took a deep breath and all too soon it was cut short, as the void closed in around
me, sending me into nothingness as we entered into the slide.
Usually, I felt like I was hovering in place, unable to focus on the sensations around me. But something felt wrong the second everything went black. I felt like I was being pulled and pushed and dragged in multiple directions at once. Gasping, I tried to find balance that wouldn't come. I felt like I was spinning out of control. I reached out with my free hand trying to feel Cormac next to me, but there was nothing. His hand wasn't even in mine anymore.
Panic surged through me as I kicked and fought against the suffocating darkness. Suddenly, light returned, and I shielded my eyes from the surprising brightness of it. Then, I landed hard on the ground twisted on my side, in a pile of dirt. I rubbed my eyes, staring into the bright sunlight gasping for breath. I didn't recognize where I was. The only thing I knew was that I was alone.
I pushed myself to standing and brushed the pebbles and dirt from my palms as I looked around. From the looks of it, still in the Autumn Court. Orange trees that reminded me of the grove we had just left grew in the distance.
Around me were tall grasses, yellow and faded, which swayed in the breeze. Quickly, I found the sun and wondered why I hadn't paid much attention to where it was last time I'd been lost here. Should I head for the trees? It was possible it was the same trees that I just left behind. Which might mean that Ethan and Cormac were there, trying to seal the tear between this world and the Under. But then again, would I be putting them at risk if I took my untamed magic so near a tear to the Under? I didn't want to attract anything that might spring forth and harm them.
I spun a slow circle, looking for any sign of life. What happened? Did Cormac let go of me? That didn't seem possible. Cormac would never let go of me. It had to be Tiana. She must've done something while we were sliding.
If that was the case, I knew Tristan and Cormac would be looking for me. I also knew that Ethan had a way of finding me no matter where I went. The thought was comforting, but I wasn't ready for him to find me yet. I wanted him to be able to finish taking care of that tear so no other awful monsters could find their way into these lands.