by Rachel Angel
“What the hell…” Oak said. He climbed a nearby boulder to get a better look. “Damn it. The idiots just blew up the entire north section of the encampment.”
Oak quickly killed three dark fae, but as he looked around at the pure ferocity of these newly minted warriors, he knew this would be a fight like no other.
Around him, his warriors fought, valiantly advancing on the wall of dark fae that continued to come forth.
With a strong swipe of his sword, he demolished a half dozen dark fae and turned to Kingsley. “This is insane,” he called out. “These beasts are like rabid dogs.” He raised his sword to kill another fae who tried to jump on him.
“I made contact with Red and Zed just a second ago,” Kingsley said, fighting off two fae at the same time. “I think they both understood the urgency of the matter.”
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“What about Spring?” Oak called out.
“We’re going to need them as well.”
“No luck,” Kingsley said. “Fall is still at war with Spring.”
“Damn it,” Oak let out. “This isn’t the time to be fighting among ourselves. We need all four kingdoms to come together to beat this thing.”
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Chapter 14
Red
As Red sat polishing his prized sword, he heard a buzzing sound in his ear and looked up to his brother. “Did you hear that?” he said.
They were in the armory at the side of Fall Castle, getting ready to go back to battle. Nearby was the infirmary where the injured were mended and sent back to fight.
Zed, busy prying mud out from the sole of his boot, looked at him and shook his head. “All I hear is the sound of you nervously tapping your damned boot on that stone. What’s gotten into you? I’ve never seen you so jittery.”
“What’s gotten into me is this damned war with no end in sight,” Red said, annoyed at his twin.
But the buzzing in his head increased until he was able to make out a few words.
Find peace with Spring.
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“What the hell does that mean?” Red called out into the air.
Zed glared at him. “Who are you talking to?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Red said, trying to concentrate on the far away voice. “I think it might be Kingsley.”
Setting down the leather boot that he was cleaning, Zed looked at Red, now interested in the conversation. “What did he say?”
“Find peace with Spring,” Red said.
Everyone must come together to fight Dark Fae.
“Shit,” Red muttered. “The dark fae are in the realm. He wants us all to help in the fight.”
Zed shook his head. “Does he know that the Queen of Spring is the one who came down to attack Fall? How are we supposed to talk her into calling a truce?”
Red felt as if his world was falling apart around him. His father, the King of Fall, had had the misguided notion that taking Prince Harris prisoner would be a good bargaining chip.
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But the Queen of Spring hadn’t taken well the news that her son, Harley’s half-brother, was being held captive. Within hours of capturing Prince Harris, the first troops of the Spring army had descended upon them.
“Father really blew it this time,” Zed said.
“Yeah,” Red said sardonically. “Try telling him that. He’s still convinced it was the only option he had.”
“Right,” Zed said with a grimace. “Such a good option that he had to call us back from Fallen Fae Academy to come give him a hand.”
Cici and Ashley are leading this battle. All of the Faery Realm could be lost.
“Great,” Red said. “Kingsley says…”
“Yeah,” Zed cut in. “I got that one.”
“It’s time to get going, boys,” the King of Fall boomed as he came in to check on Red and Zed.
“The Queen of Spring has returned, and she’s brought reinforcements. My emissaries tell me she has been out searching for Stephen.”
Zed nodded. “Harley’s father. Yes, we heard.”
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“Where is he?” a loud woman’s voice screeched. “Where is my son?”
Zed and Red both stood at attention as the fiery Queen of Spring bolted into the armory, hefty soldiers at her side.
“If you think you’re going to get away with this, you’re insane,” she spat at the King of Fall.
“I’ll destroy you. You, those useless boys of yours and the entirety of this faded kingdom.”
Without giving the King of Fall the chance to reply, she turned on her heel and stormed out as her soldiers stormed in, attacking Red and Zed as their father used his fae magic to suddenly disappear.
“We’re on the same side, damn it,” Zed shouted at the Spring soldier who’d pinned him to the wall. “For fuck’s sake, don’t make me kill you.”
Red swung his sword at the oncoming Spring soldier. He, too, had no desire to injure or maim anyone, but would if pushed to do so.
From outside their chamber, they could hear the clang of sword to sword, proof that the queen had returned with a vengeance.
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Red pushed back on the soldier, brought his sword up to the young man’s throat and pinned him to the wall. “This war is a waste of time,” he said.
“The Faery Realm is being attacked.”
“It’s no use,” Zed called out to him. “They don’t care. They don’t understand. They’re following the queen’s orders, no matter how little sense they make.”
“You kidnapped one of our own,” the young soldier said in an attempt to justify his actions. “The queen has been distraught for days. Her daughter is off with her dark fae father, and you imbeciles take the queen’s only son. Now you want us to play nice nice?”
Surprised by the amount of information the young soldier had, Red looked quizzically at him.
“That’s right, young heir to the Fall throne,”
the young soldier said. “I’m not as ignorant or naïve as you seem to think. In fact, it seems that it is you who is misinformed.”
“Then enlighten me,” Red challenged.
“As Regent of Spring, the young miss, Harley, under glamour of the spring noble 192
Succession (Fallen Fae Academy #6) tricksters, Colin and Ethan, set out in search of Prince Harris,” the young soldier said. “I’m sure you are already aware that she was unable to find him.”
Red nodded, hoping the young man would continue in clarifying the situation.
The young soldier pushed back on Red’s sword and looked him in the eye. “The Queen of Spring, while searching for her son, came upon the former dean of Fallen Fae Academy.
Zed let go of the soldier he’d been holding as he and Red stared at the young soldier.
“Our mother?” Zed said in disbelief. “The Queen of Spring has found our mother?”
The young soldier nodded. “So, while you heartlessly hold her innocent son captive, she has found your mother, held captive in a dark fae prison cell, and has attempted to bring her back.”
“Then why is she now attacking us?” Red said. “Why are you attacking us? Surely you see that we have no desire to be at war with you. Surely you see that we have far greater battles to fight.”
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“All I see are my general’s order, which he gets from the queen herself,” the soldier said.
“Is it because she thinks we have Prince Harris?” Red asked.
“That is what I said,” the spring soldier said.
“The Queen wants her son freed, not as a prisoner of Fall. She is ready to help free your mother if she can have Prince Harris free.”
Red and Zed nodded. “If he’s here, we should be happy to do the exchange.”
&nb
sp; “But the Queen also suspects the Dark Fae Wizard is here,” the spring soldier said.
“If he is,” Red said, “we’d gladly hand him over, too.”
“But why would he be here?” Zed asked.
“We are of the light fae. We would never let him into our kingdom. Let alone work with him.”
“Your father, the General of Fall, feels likewise,” the soldier said. “And most importantly, the Queen of Spring is certain the General of Fall is working with the Dark Fae Wizard. And she would stop them no matter what to protect the Faery Realm.”
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Despite how much Red wanted to refute the spring soldier, he knew the Queen of Spring was right. The General of Fall was working with the Dark Fae Wizard, and that was one of the reasons the Kingdom of Fall was at war with Spring and had divided all the kingdoms of the Faery Realm.
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Chapter 15
Harley
After leaving Kingsley and Oak at the border to the Faery Realm, Harley headed back to Fallen Fae Academy. Before making her next move, she wanted to know where Stephen was and what he was up to. She sensed that he was already putting his plan into motion and she knew it wasn’t good.
Arriving at the Academy, she headed straight for the apartment where he lived. On opening the door, she discovered the once tidy apartment now in shambles.
“Stephen,” she called out as she looked at the pile of dishes on the counter and the dirty clothes strewn across the living room. “I’ve been looking for you. Father? Are you here?”
Nothing but silence.
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Running out of the apartment, she headed to the administrative building and up to his office.
“The dean isn’t in at the moment,” the receptionist said, tilting his head arrogantly to the side.
“Are you sure?” Harley said, knowing her father often asked to not be disturbed.
“Yes,” the receptionist said, clucking his tongue as he repeatedly clicked his pen. “I’m sure.
I’m certain. I’m one hundred percent confident.”
“I’m his daughter,” Harley said, hoping to soften the receptionist up.
“Yes, I know,” he said, unimpressed. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Dean Stephen is not here.”
“Do you know where he is?”
The receptionist simply glared at her.
“I guess that’s a no,” she said wryly.
Turning away from him she tried to think where else her father would go. She walked out of the administrative building and out to the parking lot.
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“Where are you, dear Father,” she muttered to herself as she looked around.
Things were strangely quiet on campus.
Only a few students walked around but as Harley walked around, she realized the ones on campus were light fae.
So where did all the dark fae students go?
Fingering the ring that she now wore on a chain around her neck, she thought of the moment her father gave it to her. A symbol of their connection, he’d said. A sign of their everlasting power.
The more she played with the small ring, the deeper the sense of foreboding grew.
Mom and Dad, she suddenly thought with a gasp. If Stephen suspected she’d gone to the Faery Realm to warn leaders of the kingdoms, he might go to her adoptive parents to use them to trap her. It would be a cruel move, but she couldn’t put it past him to do just that.
Looking around at the parking lot, she spotted a student getting out of his car. With tears in her eyes, she ran to him.
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“I’m sorry,” she cried. “But could you loan me your car? My mom… she just called to tell me my dad is heading to the hospital.”
She hated lying to him, but the truth was just too hard to swallow.
“I promise I’ll bring it back to you,” she added. “I’m the dean’s daughter. You can take it up with him if anything happens.”
“Sure,” the young man said with a smile. He tossed her the keys. Giving her an up and down glance, he added, “Maybe you can pay me back someday. I’d love to take you out.”
“Sure,” Harley said, not really caring one way or another. “Sounds great.”
She got into the car and started the engine. It roared like a jet plane as she backed it out of the parking space and took to the long drive that led away from Fallen Fae Academy.
As she took to the streets of Las Vegas, her heart pounded with fear for her parents. She’d never forgive herself if anything happened to them.
Rounding the corner to the street she knew so well, she noticed her father’s car in the drive. Her 199
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heart pounded and her sweaty palms could barely hold onto the steering wheel.
She pulled the car up to the curb and ran out.
“Mom!” she called as she approached the front door. “Dad!”
Throwing the door open, she burst into the living room to find her adoptive father watching a football game while her mother sat quietly reading a magazine. Both startled, they looked up at her.
“My goodness, Harley,” her mother said as she set her magazine down and came to her. “What in the world is wrong? What are you doing in town?”
Harley stood there, staring at them. They were perfectly fine. Mundanely fine. Stephen did not harm them like the way he played with and killed humans for fun during her training.
“Mom,” Harley said, not knowing what more to say. She didn’t want to alarm them, but she needed to explain the sudden barging in. “I heard on the news that a madman was running around town.”
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“Well,” her mother said, “all is quiet here.
We haven’t heard a thing.”
“Oh,” Harley said. “Good. That’s good.”
Her mother cocked her head to the side and looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with concern.
“Are you all right, dear,” she said. “You seem a bit on edge.”
“Oh,” Harley said dismissively. “School.
You know…” She looked around at the peace and calm of her childhood home. So many memories.
So many wonderful and happy memories.
It now seemed like a lifetime ago. Days that were filled with the routine of humans… work, study, sleep and eat. Somewhere in there, get a little time to play, to watch a game with her dad, or just sit and chat with the ones she loved.
But now. All that had changed. Her life was now filled with new and mystical experiences…
complicated.
Looking at her adoptive mother and father, a part of her longed to return to that normal and safe life, but in her heart, she knew that she now belonged to another life.
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That of a fae… light or dark. That remained to be seen. Could she cling to the light, or would her father drag her down with him and leave her lost in the dark?
“Since you’re already here,” her mother said.
“Why don’t you stay for dinner? I have a nice roast in the oven that should be ready in about an hour. I would love to sit and catch up with you a while.
We’ve hardly seen you since you’ve gone off to college. You’re always so busy.”
Harley smiled and leaned in to hug her mother. “I know, Mom. I wish I could. Really, I do. I’ve missed you both so terribly and I think of you often. But I really do have to get going.”
She looked wistfully at them, wondering if they knew just how much she appreciated everything that they’d done for her.
“I love you guys, you know that?” she said.
Her mother looked into her eyes as she brushed Harley’s hair out
of her face. “I know you do, dear. And we love you.”
Harley couldn’t help but notice that her father hadn’t said a word since she’d arrived.
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“I love you, Daddy,” Harley said.
He looked up at her, his eyes filled with pride as he held back tears. “Your mother’s been worried sick about you,” he said, refusing to admit that he too was equally worried about his little girl. “You should call home a little more often.”
Harley smiled her understanding. Releasing her mother, she walked over to her father and gave him a warm hug and a kiss on his balding forehead.
“I’ll come back to see you soon,” she promised them as she released her hold on her father and headed back to the door. “I really have to go now.”
“Of course, dear,” her mother said. “But do come back soon. I want to hear more about your new and exciting life at that college. The only time we visited was your first year there. Now it’s your third.”
Harley gave her mother a final hug and kiss on the cheek and walked out. For all she’d been through in the past weeks, it seemed the hardest thing to do.
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But the moment she was back out on the porch she yielded to the immense sense of relief she felt. She’d been so certain that Stephen would threaten her with the promise of hurting her adoptive parents if she didn’t do as he commanded.
She’d never been so happy to be wrong.
As she headed back to the car she’d borrowed, she once again wondered where Stephen could have gone. The only place that remained was the Faery Realm.
She got into the car and headed back to Fallen Fae Academy. Just as she pulled into the parking lot, she heard a strange tinkling in her ear.