by R L Medina
Mom’s green eyes fell on me, a knowing look passing on her face that made me scowl. Was she reading my thoughts now? I built up my barrier once more.
The fae followed her as she motioned us into the castle. I lagged, working through my own thoughts and emotions. I hoped she and the others had a plan. Otherwise we were doomed.
7
Once inside the castle, I searched the crowded halls for Sacha. I wanted to make sure he was alright and offer whatever support I could, but I also wanted to talk to Mom and Aunt Maloret to see what had happened in the White Court. Had the queen returned there? Had they come up with something that could save us?
Emotions erupted within the palace as the Gray Court fae gathered nervously before the Black Court. The humans and goblins poured into the throne room to greet the newcomers. My eyes landed on Aunt Maloret, seated on her sagging couch. She watched the fae with a furrowed brow. A look that could mean she was scheming something. Hopefully something good.
Belle stood behind her; her face grim. B’Zahir and the other fae entered from the opposite side, making the room even more crowded. I searched for Mom, wanting to see her reaction. She had spotted the goblin king and made her way over to him. I watched their brief embrace and turned away, not wanting to see more.
Aunt Maloret stood and waved a hand in the air. “Welcome.”
The fae bowed to her, their nervousness filling the air.
I searched the room for Sacha, worried when I didn’t find him.
“You are welcome to stay as long as you like. Make yourselves at home.” She clapped her hands together, the sound bouncing off the stone walls.
Her scar faced imps and ogres scurried forward and motioned the other fae down the hall. The Gray Court fae glanced at Mom for guidance.
“Please, allow our hosts to show you to some rooms, where you may rest while we discuss the problem at hand.” Mom nodded for them to follow.
“But, Princess. What if we don’t want to rest? I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I want to know what is going on. What are we going to do? The Gray Court is gone. My family…” The elf man choked up.
I winced as his pain filled me. The others spoke their agreement, their emotions swelling around us.
Mom raised her hand to silence them. “I understand your sorrow and fear. My heart breaks for our Gray Court, but we have little time left to save Feylin. I know you want answers, and believe me, once we have answers, we will tell you everything. For now, you must go, and rest and we will call you together once we can reassure you.”
Her magic swept over them, but with so many present, it wasn’t strong enough to completely wipe away their concerns. Belle stood and added her own power, the effect immediate.
My own fear was pushed away, replaced by an unnatural calmness. Everything was okay. We would be alright. Even as the thoughts echoed in my mind, I knew they were not my own. Had this been what it was like for Sacha?
I summoned my magic and pushed away the false emotions. The fae, still under her power, fell into line and were led away by Aunt Maloret’s servants.
She motioned the remaining guards to usher the rest of the bystanders out. I searched their faces to find Sacha, but he was nowhere to be found.
“So, the abyss has been fully opened?” Belle’s voice broke the silence.
B’Zahir nodded to her.
She glanced at Mom. “Then we only have one choice left. Without the elders, there is no other way.”
Mom frowned. “I agree, but I will not let my daughter be a part of this.”
I bristled. “I’m already a part of this. What is it we have to do?”
Belle ignored her dark look and strode toward me. “We will need all our power combined. You must embrace the fullness of your magic.”
“No.” Mom interrupted. “We can do this alone. Without Renée.”
I sighed in frustration. “Will you guys just tell me what we have to do? The Gray Court is gone. Gone. And who knows which court is next. We don’t have time to play games.”
Aunt Maloret chuckled. “We have some time. The abyss cannot easily destroy my court as it did yours. I’ve warded against it.”
We turned to look at her. Her words surprised me.
Mom spoke first. “Did you know? Did you know the abyss was weakened?”
Aunt Maloret’s face hardened. “Yes.”
Fury lit in Mom’s eyes. “And you said nothing! It was you wasn’t it? You weakened the abyss and let B’Zahir out. On purpose. To destroy us all. You led Vinsan to his death.”
Silence followed. The tension grew heavy as I watched the scene unfold before me.
Aunt Maloret stilled, all trace of humor gone. “That’s where you’re wrong, sister. The abyss was never meant to be an eternal prison for the queen’s trash. It was already weak. I just weakened it further.”
“Princess Maloret speaks truth. The abyss has been overused and weakened for years. That was how my soul escaped. The human… was my only vessel. Before they raised my true form from the waters.”
My eyebrows shot up. So that was how he had returned to his old body after my dad’s had been destroyed by the Queen.
Mom’s eyes flashed. “Vinsan. Not human,” she seethed.
B’Zahir gave her a sad smile. “He’s still here, Princess.”
I turned to look at Aunt Maloret as realization struck me. “For your fairies. You wanted to get your fairies back.”
Her eyes shot to me. “Well, yes. A task you failed in.”
Mom advanced on her, waving a finger angrily in her face. “All this for your fairies?”
Shadow magic stirred around my aunt, shielding her from my mom’s wrath. She drew herself up to her full height and though she was a good foot shorter than Mom, her power pulsed with warning.
“I did not start this. Vinsan was an unfortunate accident. I never meant to release the Goblin King, but once he was out and we had no way of returning him, I did what I do best. Improvise.” Her eyes narrowed. “We were going to work together to overthrow the king and queen. The abyss cracking wide open was never part of my plan. At least not until I’d secured all the courts.”
Shock reeled through me. I sank into an empty chair, my stomach churning at the news. She had known this was coming the whole time and hadn’t warned us. Anger stirred inside me as I thought of all the fae and creatures we’d lost.
B’Zahir strode toward her, his face contorted in fury. I flinched, fear striking me to my core.
“The abyss will kill us all. There is no way to stop the destruction.”
Aunt Maloret’s eyebrow shot up. “No way? Are you sure?”
He stiffened. “The Raj’ani.”
She smiled in triumph.
Belle lifted her chin. “Yes. It’s our only chance now.”
“It’s risky, we know. But there aren’t any other options,” Mom agreed.
I rubbed my face and sighed. “Will someone please explain to me what the heck you guys are talking about.”
Belle turned to me. “Do you feel it? That strange and powerful presence here?”
I frowned at her words but couldn’t deny them. I had felt something. The locked metal door flashed into my mind.
She nodded at my silence.
“What is it?”
Belle stared at me. “The Raj’ani.”
I blinked back at her, waiting for her to continue. Was that word supposed to mean something to me?
“An ancient being with the power to destroy worlds.”
“From the abyss?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s been here all along. Forgotten by all but your aunt.”
I turned to look at Aunt Maloret. My mind raced. What was she doing with such a creature, and what else had she been hiding from us?
“Okay. I’m sorry, but how does that help us? We don’t want to destroy Feylin… we want to save it.”
Belle sighed. “If we can harness our power together, we can control the Raj’ani. Make it devour the
abyss before the abyss destroys us.”
My mouth dropped open. “And then what? We have a dangerous world-eating monster out free?”
“We will have it under control so we can put it back in its prison or portal it to another world.”
Her words made me shudder.
“How? How can we control it?”
Belle stared at me. “If you do this, you must give up something.”
I returned her stare, her words chilling me. “What do you mean?”
“Your memories of your human life. You must embrace the magic you have and let it change you.”
My gut clenched. Who would I be without my past? If I embraced the magic, would I become a monster without my humanity?
“This is not something you have to do, Renée. Belle and I can do this without you. You’re not ready for this.” Mom shot me a pleading look.
I bristled at her insult. I had more power than she did, and she thought I wasn’t ready?
Belle whipped toward her. “We need all of us if we are going to succeed.”
“What will it do to us?” I interrupted before they could start fighting again.
They turned to me with grim faces. Even Aunt Maloret’s smirk had vanished.
“Most likely, it will destroy our minds, but maybe not completely. That is why you must clear yours of your past. It is our best chance.”
Dread uncoiled inside me. So, this was our only option. To save Feylin, I’d have to give up everything and—in the end—I’d probably lose my mind. Tears filled my vision. I turned away before the others could see.
“Well, that sucks.” I sniffed.
Aunt Maloret snorted. “So very true, but there is another option.”
Hope filled me. “What?”
She shrugged. “Let Feylin fall and go back to the Outer World. Honestly, I’m getting tired of all the work and drama of this place. I think I could be happy somewhere, anywhere else.”
Mom scowled at her. “You can’t abandon Feylin after what you’ve done.”
Aunt Maloret’s eyebrow arched. “Like you’ve never abandoned Feylin?”
Mom’s nostrils flared.
“Stop. Enough of this,” B’Zahir boomed.
I flinched at the sound. I’d forgotten he was with us.
He strode toward us. “Where is the creature?”
Aunt Maloret grinned. “In the prison of course. A special prison. The dungeon didn’t hold it.”
“Why can’t I sense its presence?” the goblin demanded. “How do we know this isn’t some trick?”
She scoffed. “You should know. You’re the one who cloaked its presence. You know before the queen killed you.”
“Take me there. Now.”
The doors burst open, startling us. A large gargoyle flew in.
Aunt Maloret frowned. “Yes?”
He bowed to her. “Princess Maloret of the Court of Shadow. I’ve returned with dire news of the Red Court.”
Her lips pursed. “I don’t remember sending you out.”
He glanced at me. “I was ordered by the Princess’s guard. The pesan elf.”
Sacha.
I rose to my feet, using my magic to quell my fear. “What is it? What’s happened?”
He bowed to me. “Princess Cindra of the Court of Flame is requesting your aid. The Red Court is falling as we speak. The creatures from the abyss are too many. Destruction is upon them.”
Dizziness hit me. I felt Mom’s arms grab me from behind and I sank into her embrace, thankful for the support.
“We have to help them.” My voice echoed off the stone.
“We will.” Mom squeezed me.
My stomach churned. What if we were too late? I clenched my fist, pushing away the dark thoughts. I didn’t want to think the worst. Not yet.
B’Zahir shook his head. “I fear it’s too late for them. Perhaps for all of us.” His dark eyes pierced mine. “Even if you were able to use the Raj’ani’s power, it is a dangerous task. This creature is not from this world. We cannot destroy it and if we portal it elsewhere, it could return if it wanted.”
Belle scoffed. “If Feylin is destroyed, it won’t have anywhere to return.”
“That doesn’t matter right now! We have to help Aunt Cindra.”
Mom straightened beside me. “We will.”
Belle pursed her lips. “Our time would be better spent readying Renée for the task ahead.”
Mom’s head whipped toward her. “She will not have any part of it.”
Irritation flared inside me. “Stop fighting. Aunt Cindra needs us. Now.”
I didn’t want to be stuck here debating the inevitable. I needed to help my aunt and Des. We’d just gotten him back. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him again.
“We’ll go and bring them here,” Mom agreed.
Aunt Maloret’s eyebrows shot up. “Um… what now? I don’t remember offering asylum to the Red Court.”
I glared at her. “Aunt Cindra is family. They have nowhere else to go.”
She shook her head. “There isn’t enough room for them all. That is if they’re still all alive.”
Heat spread across my skin at her callousness. “So, we save all we can and figure out the rest later.”
I turned to B’Zahir. “Are you coming with us or not?”
He gave me a startled look and glanced at Mom. “I will do what I can to assist but saving the rest of Feylin is the highest priority.”
“I will stay here and begin working with the Raj’ani,” Belle announced.
Aunt Maloret clasped her hands in front of herself. “And I will supervise. But please help yourselves to one of my carriages.”
Anger burned inside me, but I held my tongue. I knew my aunts didn’t get along, but how could she refuse to help?
“Where is Sacha?” Mom’s question threw me off guard.
I shrugged. “I don’t know… I think he wanted some time alone. His mom didn’t make it out of the Gray Court.”
Mom flinched. “We’ve lost so many.”
Her eyes searched mine. “Renée, I know you want to come and help your aunt, but I want you to stay here. B’Zahir and I can help get her out.”
“What? No! You’re not leaving me behind again. I can help.”
She sighed. “It’s not safe.”
“I don’t care. I’m coming.” I scowled at her.
“Let her come. We have no more time to waste,” B’Zahir interrupted.
Though it irked me how freely he butted into our business, I was glad for his support. Mom bit her lip and shook her head but followed him to the courtyard. I matched her pace, my heart hammering in my ears.
Once outside, B’Zahir wasted no in time in summoning a black carriage. I slid in beside Mom and held my breath as we sped off. As we passed the Gray Court, I leaned out to see what was left. Shock reeled through me.
It was gone. All of it. What had once been a forest full of life, was now nothing but a mass of gray fog. If I hadn’t seen the destruction firsthand, I’d have thought the plants and trees were hidden in the mist, but I knew better.
Mom sucked in a breath, drawing my attention. Her eyes widened in horror as she gazed upon her court. Sorrow filled the carriage. I blinked back tears, trying to wipe away the memory of it.
So much we’d lost. I closed my eyes and turned away.
We couldn’t lose the Red Court too.
8
Smoke filled the air as we neared the border. My gut clenched. What if we were too late? Mom squeezed my hand and nodded to me in reassurance. I took a steadying breath and dismissed the morbid thoughts flashing through my mind.
Think positive. We will save them.
Though exactly how we could do that, I wasn’t sure. We had no weapons to use against the abyss, but we could offer them a chance to escape. Aunt Maloret had lent us all her carriages and the empty ones floated alongside ours. I just hoped it would be enough.
“Do you think the ice dragons will be there?” I turned to B
’Zahir.
He stared back at me. “I don’t know.”
Mom frowned at us. “Ice dragons? From the abyss?”
I nodded. “There was a whole herd of them flying over the Black Court, but they wouldn’t answer me when I asked them what they were up to.”
My cheeks flamed. Why had I told her that? She already didn’t think I was strong enough to control the creature they’d told me about. Though I hated to admit it, I wasn’t so sure I was either. Sure, my magic was strong, but the fear of going insane in the attempt to control its mind weighed heavy on me.
“Maybe they went to help.”
Mom shook her head. “The ice dragons were enemies with the fire dragons long ago. If they went to the Red Court, it wasn’t to offer their assistance.”
Fear filled me. A dragon battle and the abyss destruction. Had the Red Court been fighting these attacks alone all this time? Why hadn’t they sent word? I bit my lip. Aunt Cindra was proud, but I didn’t truly believe she’d risk her entire court just to save her pride. Which meant that for some reason they hadn’t been able to reach us and that thought made me shudder. What would we find when we arrived?
“We must get them out. As many as we can, but we cannot linger long. If the abyss is unleashed in the same manner it was in the Gray Court, there is nothing else we can do.”
I huffed at B’zahir’s words. “Yes. We know.”
Silence followed as we grew nearer to the border. Smoke drifted into the window, making me cough. I turned away, blinking my eyes against the assault. The Court of Flame always smelled like a fire had just been lit, but never so strong. I peered through the smoke, trying to see below.
“I can’t see anything.”
Mom peered over my head. “It’s quiet. Where is everyone?”
Dread pooled in my gut. Flashbacks of the Gray Court played in my mind. I summoned my magic and let it flood me, filling me with warmth and energy. I didn’t know what I could do with my power, but I had to try something.
The smoke grew thicker as the carriages descended. I covered my nose and mouth with one hand and shielded my eyes with the other one. We landed with a big jolt that made my stomach churn. Fear crawled over me. Were we too late? Had the abyss destroyed the Red Court too?