Enlighten Series- The Complete 3 Book Collection

by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

  I didn’t want to interrupt, but something had to be said. I curtsied. “I’d like to discuss the situation at hand, if I may, Your Majesty.”

  But the king was all smiles now. “All in due time, my dear. First, we must celebrate the return of my daughter to Fairyland, to the Summer lands, and to me. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen her properly.” He cocked his head toward Sidelle. “That last one doesn’t count since you were only here a few sundowns.”

  Sidelle nodded.

  “Then let’s not waste any more time.”

  On cue the double doors opened, and fairies filed in playing flutes, fiddles, and drums. The throne room exploded into song, and I stared with wonder at the beautiful fairy couples who danced, fluttered their wings, or cocooned themselves. Smaller fairies streamed into the massive hall bearing plates of candied fruits, breads, and meats, which they set on the royal table. The delicious aroma of cheeses and buttery pastries filled the air. Freshly cut flowers appeared in tall vases and lined the tables.

  The candle lights dimmed, and that was our cue. Our meeting with the Summer King was officially over. He dismissed us but motioned for Sidelle to stay. The group of us shuffled across the floor, trying not to bump into anyone, and the boys landed directly in front of the food table. Brea and I waited for Sidelle at the side.

  “Is any of this stuff safe for us to eat?” Vash asked. “I’m starving.”

  “Zoe brought granola and protein bars,” Kieran said. “But this food should be fine for you and Shay.”

  “How do you know?” Shay asked.

  “I don’t for sure, but it’s just fruit and meat. You could find this out in the Wild Forest.”

  Shay and Vash exchanged a glance. Vash tentatively grabbed a hunk of meat. He sniffed it, ripped off a small piece, and placed it in his mouth. Looking thoughtful, he chewed then swallowed. He shrugged.

  “Not bad. Kinda dry and tasteless, but it’s food.”

  “If you get sick, don’t blame me,” I said, grinning.

  Vash and Shay didn’t say a word as they loaded up a wooden board with meat and a few fruits. My eyes went to Sidelle.

  “Brea, will everything be okay for her?” I asked. “She’s been over there a long time.”

  “Don’t worry about it. She can handle her father.”

  “Is she really his daughter, or is that a figure of speech?”

  “She’s definitely his offspring. We grew up together, did everything together, but she was always a little odd. She didn’t like doing normal fairy stuff. She hated dances and all the dressing up. She preferred to be alone.”

  I shook my head, amazed. “Sure doesn’t sound like the Sidelle I know.”

  “I guess centuries can change a fairy.”

  Eventually, Sidelle strolled over toward us, looking annoyed. “Oberon will meet with us after the party, but the question is when this party will actually be over in his mind. They have been known to last many sundowns.”

  The room vibrated with happy fairies, and the mood was contagious. “So for now, I guess let’s enjoy the night.” I tugged on Shay’s hand. Grinning, he set his plate of meat down and led me to the dance floor.

  I was so grateful to have him back with me. I’d sworn from the moment he returned that I’d cherish all the times we had together, and that definitely included this dance. Our bodies became one as we swayed to the odd music, our friends left us alone, and I loved them for that. Shay and I danced in each other’s arms until my feet couldn’t stand any more.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Zoe

  When I awoke, the sun was high in the sky. Sidelle and Brea sat on the window ledge, chatting quietly. I didn’t recall when we’d gotten back to the room, but my throbbing legs and feet felt like they’d run a marathon. I snuggled deeper into the soft blankets and pillows, hoping to sleep a bit more, but my body—and now my mind—wouldn’t have it. I groaned and rolled onto my side, letting my friends know I was awake.

  “Morning,” Sidelle said cheerfully.

  “Or should we say ... good late morning?” Brea asked.

  “What time is it?” I stretched my back and threw the covers off. “I can get up and be ready in a flash. Probably not as fast as either of you, but for a human I can be speedy.”

  “No worries. The boys are still zonked out.” Brea jumped down from the sill and hopped onto the bed. “That Vash sure is handsome ... for a wolf.” She raised her hand. “I know he’s off the market; I saw his tattoo. And I know what he has with Cali is real and can’t be broken.” She lifted her shoulders and dropped them, gentle as a sigh. “I’m just saying he’s cute.”

  “Still haven’t found your Prince Charming, Brea?” Sidelle asked as she joined us on the bed.

  “Nope. The pickings are slim here. I’ve been seeing that guard, Galen, off and on. Remember him? He was stationed outside this room, as a matter of fact when—”

  “Yes, I know who he is.”

  Someone knocked. “Lady Sidelle?” a male voice called.

  “Yes?”

  “The king will see you and your party now,” he said through the closed door.

  I jumped off the bed and scrambled to gather my belongings. The dress I’d worn last night was tossed across the back of a chair, and my shoes had been left by the foot of the bed. I grabbed my bag from the floor and dug out clean jeans and a shirt.

  “Tsk,” Sidelle said. “You can’t wear that. Go to the wardrobe and pick another dress. When we leave Aestas, we’ll come back for your bag.”

  I did as directed and selected a soft, buttercream gown from the rainbow of materials. As beautiful as it was, it wasn’t too difficult to maneuver into. Both fairies helped me slip the silky material over my sore shoulders and then used glamour to straighten my hair and clean my face. No wonder Sidelle hated doing this every day. The two fairies changed into fresh gowns, and we banged on the boys’ door, hoping the guards had already told them about the meeting. Then I remembered the token, and I ran back to the room to grab it.

  When we entered the throne room, Oberon was not there. We waited near the dais ... and waited and waited. Vash looked half asleep; Shay was a little more awake, and Kieran, well, he looked spectacular. As always. I drummed my fingers on my thigh when the oak doors flew open, and the king waltzed in.

  “I hope I have not kept you waiting long.” He didn’t give anyone a chance to answer. “Good. I trust everyone is fully rested and ready for the day? Let’s begin.” He waved us forward, using glamour to make some chaise lounges appear. “Tell me everything from the beginning as you know it, Zoe.”

  I did exactly that, going back to how I’d learned what Kieran was, how I’d met Shay, and about the DKs who had chased me into a warehouse and proceeded to explain how Sidelle had saved Shay and me from the Marqs, then how Vash came into my life. Vash expounded on the attack on the pack’s land, and between the three boys, they filled in details of Shay’s kidnapping and rescue.

  “I see.” Oberon stood, then paced as if deep in thought. “Zoe, did you bring the token?”

  “I did.” I held up the golden ball.

  “Do you know how I know what you speak is the truth? Do you know how I know that you are, with certainty, the Redeemer?”

  I shook my head.

  He plucked the token from my hands. “There is old glamour infused into this. Only the one who will join the Enlightens, as the prophesy states, is able to actually hold it on their person.”

  “But Sidelle can hold it.”

  “Yes, and that’s because she is of me, just like this token. Her glamour is derived from mine. You don’t believe me? Tell me, has anyone else tried to carry it for you?”

  “No. Sidelle said I had to, so I did.

  He folded his arms across his chest. “But you went to the pack without any proof and asked them to join you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, here is your proof to me.” He tossed the token to Kieran, who moved with lightning speed and tried to
catch it. But the ball passed through his hand like it wasn’t there, landing on the floor with a loud thud. Shay leaned down and attempted to return it to me, but like Kieran, his hand passed through it.

  The king smiled. “Zoe? Please.”

  I walked over and picked up the token.

  “Excellent. Now, I’d like to see what you can do with it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I want you to use your Angel Light and try to do something with it.”

  No pressure. “Okay, but I’m not actually very good at that. I’ve only recently started practicing—”

  “Do what you can.” He placed a hand over mine, which held the token. “Listen to your heart and mind.”

  My eyes drifted shut, felt the warmth of Oberon’s large hand, the coolness of the metal from the ball, and called forth my Light. The more I practiced, the faster it came to me. Purple light glowed between the token and my palm, its rays extending outward like the sun. Oberon had said this trinket was infused with his glamour, and he was as ancient as the earth itself. In this moment, old magic was being mixed with Angel Light. Green and purple. The possibilities in my mind were endless.

  I chose something simple. When Sidelle had first given me the token, I had asked if it could be made smaller, made into something more manageable to carry—so that’s what I did. A brownish color swirled in the air, encasing the ball. I pressed the Light down, and it flattened the sphere. When I opened my eyes, a palm-sized golden coin lay in my hand.

  Oberon smiled; then he turned and walked out of the throne room leaving us wondering what he knew that we didn’t.

  Before we left Oberon’s court, we returned to the room to pick up my backpack. While we were there, I changed into jeans, a T-shirt, and my Converses. Confusion wracked my mind as to what just happened in the throne room. We headed back to the outskirts of Summer, but I still didn’t know if Oberon was going to send fairies to help us in the upcoming battle or not. He hadn’t said a word since I’d created the coin.

  In order to get back to the gateway, Sidelle said we had to pass the Mist, which would open into the Ordinary’s plane. We were all walking behind Sidelle when she suddenly stopped and cocked her head.

  “What is it?” I whispered, scanning the area for any threats. I had no idea what they could have been, though. For all I could have guessed, the grass was dangerous. Then a figure appeared ahead of us, blocking the path. It was running awkwardly toward us, waving its arms ... er, branches at us. Once it got closer, I realized it was a miniature tree. A talking tree.

  “Do not use this porta,” said the tree.

  Sidelle glanced at our expressions, smiling. “Uh, don’t worry guys; it’s only a nymph. They’re harmless.” She turned back to the tree. “Thank you, Tree Nymph. Do you know why the porta is being guarded? And who’s guarding it?”

  One of the branches swung my way. “I would assume because of her.”

  “All right. Is it just this one being guarded?”

  The branches shook from side to side. “No. All the portas leading to her realm.”

  “Oh, that’s bad.” Sidelle lowered her head and shook it. “We’re trapped in Fairyland. What’s guarding them, Tree Nymph?”

  “Demons and hell hounds.”

  “That’s not good. How do they know where they all are?”

  “What’re we going to do?” I cried. “We need to get back. Could this be part of Sammael’s plan? To trap us here?”

  “Could be,” Kieran said. “Doing this takes you out of the Ordinaries’ world, thus rendering you helpless to prevent his escape.” He drew in a long breath. “Sidelle, are there any other gateways that Sammael wouldn’t know about? Ones that are super-secret?”

  “I used one many eons ago when I came to earth. Oberon created a portal on the spot for me to walk through, so I don’t know if there are any others. With my father, you never know. He’s powerful and may be able to hide them.”

  “There’s another porta.”

  Our heads snapped in the direction of a new voice, but I couldn’t see anything. I looked to the others since their eyesight was much better than mine. Branches cracked and leaves rustled. Someone or something approached, and as the noise grew closer, the temperature fell. As we watched, ice crystals formed on low hanging branches and grass areas.

  “Get back to the Summer’s edge right now!” Sidelle screamed.

  We turned and started to run down the path from which we came, but hadn’t moved far before it turned to a sheet of ice, making it extremely difficult for us to make a quick escape.

  “Sidelle, is that you?” the voice asked. “Just where do you think you’re going?”

  Sidelle glided to a stop, and we bumped into each other. “Leave this to me,” she told us, her voice as cold as the frost that now crept up my legs. “Keep going to Summer’s edge. It’s just up ahead.” Turning back, she shouted, “Finn, show yourself!”

  We kept going like she instructed and eventually crossed an invisible line back into Summer, where the ground was soft and green. From there we turned to watch a tall man with jet-black hair step onto the path, wearing brown breeches and a dark blue tunic.

  “What do you want, Finn?” she spat. “Why are you here?”

  “What I always want, Sidelle. You.”

  She coughed out a laugh. “You blew that chance twice now, Fairy Boy. You’re wasting your time.”

  “Maybe, but the good thing is I have forever to change your mind. Again.” He advanced on her, and Sidelle took a few steps back toward us. “Heard you were in the area, so I decided to check up on you. It’s been a few weeks. I missed seeing your smile, Delle.”

  “I don’t need you to check up on me. I don’t need anything from you.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  He took a few more steps, and she retreated more. He peered over her shoulder at us—which wasn’t too much of a stretch since he was a good three or four inches taller than she was—and looked straight at me. Kieran placed a protective arm around my shoulders, which was sweet. I wasn’t sure what he could do against a Winter fairy, but I was grateful for his touch.

  “I see you brought her here to your court.”

  “So? Oberon wanted to meet her.”

  “Hi, Zoe.”

  When he smiled, I recognized him as the Winter fairy who had helped us with the Marquises demons when they’d surrounded my house a few weeks ago. Sidelle had brought him back when she’d visited her father, although her version was different from his. She said Finn had invited himself to escort her to the Ordinaries’ realm. But after the fight, he had just disappeared and Sidelle was tight-lipped about it.

  “I hear you’re looking for a way out,” he said, still watching me. “I may know some that are not as widely known and may not be guarded.”

  I moved out from under Kieran’s arm and took a step toward Finn. Shay grabbed my wrist and shook his head, but if the Winter fairy knew of a way out, I had to at least hear it. We needed to get out of here. Seeing resolve in my eyes, Shay let go of my wrist but walked with me when I approached. Kieran and Vash joined us.

  “Is that true?” I asked Finn.

  “Maybe. I can’t guarantee it’s not being guarded, but very few fairies know of it or are stupid enough to use it. Only those who need to know of it.”

  “And how do you know about it?”

  He smirked. “Because I am one of those who needs to know.”

  That still didn’t answer my question. Could we trust him? Sidelle obviously did not. Motioning for her to join us, we walked a few steps away from the Winter fairy and got into a little huddle.

  “Can we trust him?” I asked her. “If he does know a way out of Fairyland—”

  “I wouldn’t trust him farther than I could throw him.” Her eyes narrowed. “He has to have an alternative motive for helping us get out.”

  “Do you know of these other portas?” Kieran asked.

  “No, but our courts are differen
t. He knows more about this kind of stuff than I do. It could be a secret one in Winter, or at least that’s where I’m guessing it is.” She looked directly at me. “Zoe, you realize what it means if we have to go into Winter?”

  I nodded, so she explained to the others. “There’s a high probability that we may not survive. Besides the dangerous temperatures, there are other nasty creatures that will kill us on sight—especially me, if I am caught trespassing. This would be extremely treacherous.” She glanced quickly at Finn. “Oberon would not be pleased if I was captured. I could be tried as a traitor or worse—”

  “I won’t let them have you, Sidelle. We would all fight for you,” I exclaimed. “Besides, I’m from Minnesota. Cold doesn’t hurt me.”

  Kieran nodded. “Sidelle, I have your back.”

  “They’d have to go through me, too,” Vash added.

  It always amazed me when Sidelle was surprised by how much we loved her. “Thank you. All of you,” she said, as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Okay. Sounds like we’re going. We’ll need some winter gear.”

  “It’s not in Winter,” Finn said, overhearing. “Not the one I’m thinking about.”

  “Then where?”

  “It’s in the Mist.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Zoe

  We walked for miles, and I was glad I’d chosen to wear my Converses. We skirted around the edge of the Wild Forest, not wanting to run into anything like last time. A small clearing opened before us, leading into a vast canyon, and the other side of the ravine was covered entirely by a cloudy haze. Sidelle had told us the Mist surrounded Summer and Winter, moving almost like a living, breathing creature, able to mess with our minds and make us lose our sense of direction. She warned us that it was possible to get lost in the Mist and never be seen again. The swirling clouds felt eerie, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up, screaming at me to leave this place. When I looked at Finn and Sidelle, their wings kept fluttering erratically.