Succession

by Rachel Angel

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  She tried again with one of the dormitories.

  Just the outer wall, she told herself. The floors must remain stable. The support columns must remain intact. Let’s just peel off that outer wall.

  Contrary to the History of Dark Magic building where she’d begun to pull apart the foundation of the building, with the dormitory she picked off bricks just under the eaves. Brick by brick, she tore away at the wall, gaining speed as she gained confidence in her ability.

  Within seconds the entirety of the three floors of the dormitory were exposed as the wall fell away.

  Harley was pleased to see how stable the floors still were… stable enough to leave three students still sleeping in their beds. Semi-nude students ran about seeking shelter while others just stared stunned at the opening.

  It was perfect. It was the perfect balance between destruction and the conservation of life.

  And it would be the perfect way of breaking Oak and Kingsley out of prison.

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  Succession (Fallen Fae Academy #6) For the rest of the afternoon, she nonetheless continued to practice this very precise dark magic.

  She wanted to see just how accurate she could be.

  With more than half the campus buildings either demolished or damaged, Harley looked up to her father’s office window.

  He was no longer watching her. He’d stopped watching a while ago .

  Bored, Daddy? she thought sardonically.

  She headed back to the building where he lived, one of the few that hadn’t been touched by her destructive magic.

  But as she passed the sports complex, she noticed a large crowd that had assembled there.

  Even from a distance she could hear their angry cries. She edged a bit closer, hoping to see what they were up to.

  “Are you with me?” someone shouted from the front of the group. “Are you ready to show them what we’re really about?”

  The crowd roared with dark enthusiasm.

  Dark fae students… all of them.

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  What are they up to? Harley wondered. But in the end, it didn’t really matter if she knew or not.

  All she was certain of was that it was no good.

  Stephen and all the Dark Fae were up to something.

  She had learned all she can from Stephen, and now there was no time for more.

  She was done with his lessons that ended with innocents dying for his amusement. She was done of Cici and Ashley running the campus with fear and bullying.

  It was time for action.

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  Succession (Fallen Fae Academy #6) Chapter 11

  Kingsley

  “Another day, another crappy lunch,”

  Kingsley muttered as he forced himself to take the last bite of the stale bread tinged with green.

  “How long have we been here?” Oak said as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

  “Too long.” Kingsley got to his feet and looked out at the sky through the narrow window.

  “Something must have gone horribly wrong.

  Harley should have come back for us. She should be here by now.”

  “Do you really trust that Red and Zed got to her?” Oak said. “I mean, what if they just left here and headed back home. Maybe they’re happy to see us rot in here. Maybe they have no intention of 153

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  helping us at all. Our kingdoms are still at war, you know.”

  Kingsley looked at Oak. He knew it was a possibility, but he was reluctant to dwell on it. But Oak was right; with the wars still going on, he had to consider that Red and Zed might not want to help them.

  He’d known them for a long time… forever.

  They had their faults, but the more he thought about it, the more confident he became that they wouldn’t abandon him. It wasn’t in them to turn their backs on their friends, even in times of war. He finally looked to Oak and shook his head. “I don’t think they would do that. I know things have been rough, but this is Red and Zed we’re talking about…”

  “And what? We’re buddies? We’re pals?”

  Oak said with a grimace. “Hell, you know what happens when wars break out. All of that goes out the window. It’s every man for himself.”

  Kingsley didn’t have the strength or desire to argue with him. He looked down at his emaciated body. “If we stay here much longer, there’s not going to be much ‘man’ left in me.”

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  Succession (Fallen Fae Academy #6) A fragrant breeze blew in from the high window, bringing a refreshing and much needed change to the putrid air. But the breeze quickly became a strong and harsh wind.

  “What the hell is going on?” Oak said as he got to his feet to look outside.

  “Probably a storm coming,” Kingsley said.

  As he looked at the bright blue sky, it was suddenly obscured by ominous black clouds.

  “That’s one hell of a storm,” Oak said.

  Leaves blew in on the wind and as heavy rain began to fall, the dirt floor beneath their feet turned to mud.

  “Look at that,” Oak said, pointing to the stone wall. He reached up to pry out the stone right beneath the window. Stunned, he looked at it. “Is it possible that the rain is diluting the mortal? This heavily guarded prison can’t withstand the rain?”

  “No,” Kingsley said. “That doesn’t make sense.” But he had to admit that Oak was right. The stones continued to loosen.

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  The ground suddenly shook. The walls cracked and the ceiling began to give way, threatening to fall.

  “Shit!” Oak shouted as a chunk of cement fell from the ceiling and grazed his shoulder. “This is an earthquake, damn it. We have to get out of here.”

  He headed to the door, grabbed the metal bars and shook it hard. “Let us out,” he shouted. “Let us out!”

  “It’s no use,” Kingsley said. “You know they’re not going to let us out of here. Hell, they’re probably not even around anymore. The moment the ground shook, they ran for their lives.”

  As Oak continued to shake the metal bars, he called to Kingsley. “Hey. Look.”

  The bar was coming loose in Oak’s massive hand.

  “Can you pry it open enough for us to go through?”

  Oak pulled at the bar as the outer wall to their cell crumbled.

  “Hurry,” Kingsley said. “This thing is going to collapse any minute now.”

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  “I’m trying, damn it,” Oak said, grunting from the effort. “I’m trying.”

  A large crack split the ceiling and Kingsley looked up at the slit of sky visible through the widening crack. The ceiling began falling on their heads. Small rubble at first, it quickly turned to melon sized stones raining down.

  Kingsley turned to see how Oak was doing and was stunned when he saw the metal bar shatter to smithereens in Oak’s hand.

  “How the hell did you do that?” Kingsley said.

  Equally stunned, Oak just stared at his hand now filled with tiny crystals. “I have no idea.”

  Kingsley looked back at the crumbling wall.

  “This isn’t a rogue storm or an earthquake,” he said.

  “Damn it. It’s some wild dark fae magic that has come to finally destroy us.”

  “The Dark Fae Wizard?” Oak said.

  “Who else?” Kingsley said. “He’s the only one who could possibly have the ability to destroy this heavily guarded prison. Dark fae magic 157

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  protects it and it looks like dark fae magic is going to destroy it.”

  The outer wall broke away and as the ceiling prepared to fall, Kingsley and Oak backed up to the farthest corner of their small cell, hoping to avoid getting killed by the debris.

  But the larger chunks of wall and ceiling fell away from them, leaving only small particles and dust to cover the
m.

  “I don’t get it,” Kingsley said, as he watched a stone roll unnaturally away from them. He looked down at his feet, now covered in nothing more than dust.

  Just as suddenly as it had begun, the rain stopped, the wind died down and the skies cleared.

  The earth stopped moving. Birds sang and a light breeze fanned their faces.

  Kingsley looked out at the gorgeous field of green and yellow topped with a magnificent sky of blue. Fresh, warm air caressed his skin and it seemed like he couldn’t breathe enough of it in. He pulled in one long and deep breath after another. It was heaven.

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  “We’re free,” Oak said in soft disbelief.

  “We’re free.”

  “No,” Kingsley said as he looked around.

  “It’s too easy. That bastard is out here somewhere… It must be a trap. We can’t let our guard down. No matter what, I’m going to fight him with all I’ve got.”

  He stepped out of the rubble, prepared to fight. His limbs were weak, and he knew that he had little fight left in him, but he was determined to try.

  Oak came up beside him, his fists out and ready. “Let’s give it our best shot.”

  As the last of the dust settled, Kingsley suddenly had a clearer view of surroundings and noticed a movement from the cornfields to the left.

  “Harley,” he muttered softly. He could barely believe his eyes.

  “What?” Oak said, looking around.

  “Where?”

  “Right there,” Kingsley said, pointing to her.

  She was a glorious sight. As sexy as ever, she wore a skintight black catsuit and her hair fell freely 159

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  around her face. Strands of orange, red, green, violet and blue flowed down to her waist.

  For a moment he wondered if it was really her. Surrounded by a halo of blue light, she seemed electrified.

  She walked slowly, unhurried, her eyes steadfastly on him. There was something powerful about her stride, something confident about the tilt of her chin. No longer was she the timid student who had arrived at Fallen Fae Academy knowing nothing about the fae world.

  But in addition to the newfound confidence, there was a darkness about her. Her sunny disposition had been replaced by something hard, almost cold.

  Was it too late? Had she really been taken in by Stephen and his dark fae magic?

  As she came closer, Kingsley noticed that she wore a pendant on a thin chain around her neck.

  Closer still, he realized it was a small child’s ring.

  A tiny band of silver inlaid with black mother of pearl. A gift from her father, perhaps?

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  “I think she’s really crossed over to the dark side,” Oak whispered as he, too, stared at Harley.

  “But, damn, she looks hot.”

  Only steps away from them, she finally smiled. “How was that for a neat trick?”

  “I knew you’d come through,” Kingsley said hesitantly, still unsure what she was up to.

  “That’s not what you were saying earlier,”

  Oak argued.

  Kingsley elbowed him in the gut, then smiled at Harley. “How are you doing?”

  Her smile was genuine, but oddly restrained, as if she knew something that he didn’t.

  “What you really want to know,” she said coyly, “is, have I truly joined my father on the dark side.”

  Kingsley pressed a tight smile. “Looks like you know me too well.”

  “Rest assured, both of you,” Harley said, looking to Oak then back to Kingsley. “It’s been difficult playing along with Stephen, but it was worth it. I’ve been practicing this destructive magic for days now and keeping up appearances for my 161

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  father. It was nearly impossible at times, but I pressed on. It seemed no matter what I did, he was never satisfied with the degree of destruction I created. I finally had to demolish a large portion of the campus that I’d so diligently built up.”

  “Sorry to hear that,” Kingsley said as he grasped her shoulders and pulled her to him. “But, damn, am I happy to see you.”

  “I’m happy to see you, too, Kingsley.”

  She looked up at him and Kingsley saw all the love she had for him in her eyes. He pulled her in for a tender kiss and when she wrapped her arms around him, he finally felt a sense of true release.

  “Damn it, Kingsley,” Harley said as she pulled back. She patted his back, shoulders and arms with her hands. “What’s happened to you?

  You’re nothing but skin and bones.”

  “Yeah,” Oak interjected. “Prison life is great if you have a few pounds to lose.”

  “Didn’t they feed you in here?” she said, shocked by their treatment.

  “A blue jay could barely survive on what they fed us,” Kingsley said.

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  “I know that it’s Cici and Ashley who are responsible for this,” Harley said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I’m not going to let them get away with what they did to you two. I’ll make sure they pay for this.”

  She turned her attention to Oak, patting him down as she had Kingsley. “You, too,” she muttered. “How dreadful.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Harley,” Oak said as he hugged her tight and planted a kiss on her forehead. “A few good meals and I’ll be back to my bulky self.”

  He kissed her more passionately while Kingsley looked away, offering them a brief moment of privacy.

  “Have you been in contact with Red and Zed?” she said as she gently disentangled herself from Oak’s hold.

  Kingsley nodded. “We sent a message to them days ago. I told them to go check in on you.”

  “And to get me to come help you,” Harley said as she nodded. “Yes. I know. But since then, nothing, Have you heard from them?”

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  “No,” Kingsley said. “Nothing. I thought they were with you. I thought they’d stay with you at Fallen Fae Academy to ensure you were okay.”

  “They did… for a while,” Harley said. “But then they mysteriously got an urgent call to go back home. Coincidentally, that was right after my father caught me chatting with them.”

  “You think he had something to do with them leaving?” Oak said.

  “I know he wasn’t happy about my being with them. I can only suspect that he tricked them into going home.”

  “Well,” Kingsley said. “We haven’t heard from them. All is quiet out here. Just the sound of our rumbling stomachs to keep us company.”

  Harley looked at them, her eyes suddenly dark with concern. “Something major is happening in the Faery Realm. I’ve suspected it for a while now. Stephen has been acting stranger and stranger with each passing day. While he was happy with the progress I was making, practicing my dark magic, I could tell that he was preoccupied with something. He showed me a lot about dark fae 164

  Succession (Fallen Fae Academy #6) magic, but I think he was still holding something back.”

  “And you think it has to do with the Faery Realm?”

  Harley nodded. “Last night I heard Red and Zed calling out to me. I hadn’t heard from them since they’d left the human realm, but they seemed to be calling for help.”

  Kingsley and Oak exchanged glances.

  “Something is brewing, guys,” Harley said.

  “And I think it’s something big. I think my father is preparing a massive takeover.”

  “The Faery Realm,” Kingsley said pensively as he looked out over the fields. “And where are we now? Right in the heart of the Dark Fae Realm?”

  “Pretty much,” Harley said with a nod.

  “So, that’s what…?”

  “Not physically in any realm right now, but from what Stephen said, it is in a different dimension. The Dark Fae King and his Dark Fae were banished fr
om ever entering the Faery Realm, and then they were closed off from the Human Realm by the Fallen Fae Academy as a 165

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  portal/gateway. That’s why it was so difficult for me to get to you until I knew more about being a Dark Fae.” Harley said. “Getting out of the Dark Realm might be tricky.”

  Oak looked around. “There’s no sign of any guards.”

  “Not now,” Harley said. “But they mustn’t be far. Before tearing your prison cell wall down, I threw down a wall just outside their lunchroom.

  That should keep them busy for a bit. But we don’t have much time to waste before they come around.

  The moment we try to move beyond the prison grounds, they’ll be all over us.”

  “So, what do we do?” Kingsley said.

  “We lay low until nightfall,” Harley said.

  “As I was coming here, I came across an old abandoned mine shaft. It seemed shallow and sturdy. It’s filled with cobwebs, but it should be a safe place to hide until the sun goes down.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Oak said.

  “Me, too,” Kingsley added. “Lead the way.”

  Harley led them to the nearby shaft. Boarded up, it had several signs warning people to keep out.

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  “It doesn’t look all that shallow,” Oak said.

  In the distance they heard movement.

  “We don’t have a choice,” Harley said. “Get in there.”

  Oak entered first, squeezing his body between the planks that boarded up the entrance.

  Kingsley followed him, and after taking a last look around, Harley entered the dark and dusty shaft.

  Feeling her way down, she put her hand to the top of a ladder and made her way down. Her hand came to a small lantern and she flicked it on.