Whims of Fae - The Complete Series

by Nissa Leder

  “No,” Cade admitted, his gaze dropping.

  “You trust her, though.” Ailani tipped Cade’s chin upwards. “The blonde woman.”

  Poppy. “Yes, I do. With my life.”

  Ailani leaned forward and gently kissed Cade. “I've made my decision.”

  Kaelem and Scarlett walked across the valley, heading straight for the tree. Their path was empty, but Kaelem remained on edge.

  Scarlett kept a few steps behind him.

  He’d lied to her before. He didn't think the power could be shared. That wasn't how magic usually worked. He almost felt bad about it, but he needed to do what was best for his court.

  As they approached, the tree grew bigger with each step. He'd known it was a magnificent size. But now, as they neared, its roots poking out of the ground, it overdid any of his expectations.

  “Stop,” Scarlett said from behind him.

  Kaelem obliged, tensing. “What is it?”

  “Someone is close. I feel it.”

  Kaelem couldn't sense anything, but he trusted Scarlett. She was attuned to this place. He wondered why. What about her tied her to this realm? Something had drawn the fascination of so many in the fae world. The Summer Princes, Kaelem, even the Seelie advisor watched Scarlett curiously.

  He’d always wondered what drew the attention to her, but when the Fates had visited her, he knew it meant something big.

  Slowly, he and Scarlett continued toward the tree.

  Its white-bark trunk was at least fifty feet in diameter and it towered so high Kaelem, standing at its base, couldn't see the top.

  A familiar chime of laughter caused him to stiffen.

  In front of Kaelem, the Fates appeared. Somehow they could evanescence there.

  But how?

  Scarlett stepped to Kaelem’s side.

  “I didn't expect to see you three here,” Kaelem said, determined to hide his nerves.

  “We have many surprises,” they sang.

  “Is that so?”

  Kaelem took Scarlett’s hand. The Fates were the ones who told him she was the key. They were the ones who told everyone about this place and how to get here. Why?

  “The gears of your mind are turning, Dark King.” They smiled. “You are smart, but desire kept you from caution.”

  “You wanted me here,” Kaelem said.

  “We wanted her here. You were just a means to make it so.”

  From Kaelem’s side, Scarlett spoke, “You're part of this realm.”

  Interest flickered in the Fates’ eyes. “Yes, dear. You sense it like you sensed this tree. This is our home. We were banished before, but now we return and will be stronger than ever.”

  “You want the power,” Scarlett said.

  Gluttony lit their gazes. “And we will get it.”

  The woman in the center pulled out a knife and threw it at Scarlett. It stabbed her in the arm, causing her to drop her staff.

  Another lunged at Kaelem and pushed him backward. As he fought her off, one of the others yanked the knife from Scarlett’s arm and chucked it at the tree.

  Kaelem had never seen them act separately. They’d always moved as one, spoken as one. But now, as they attacked, each had a will of her own. He and Scarlett were outnumbered and taken by surprise.

  A flash of light pulsed from the tree, temporarily blinding Kaelem. When he regained his vision, he saw Scarlett struggle as the Fates pulled her toward the tree. Scarlett kicked, but their grips were too firm. Kaelem wanted to help, but he was too far to save her.

  The Fates plunged Scarlet into the tree. Kaelem waited for her to collide into its trunk, but as her body hit it, she disappeared. It was if the tree had absorbed her.

  How had it done that? No opening had appeared. One second Kaelem saw Scarlett, the next she’d vanished.

  Kaelem pushed his questions aside as the Fates sauntered toward him.

  “You will not take what is ours.”

  Although he’d regained his vision, he still lacked balance. He held his sword, growing dizzier as they got closer. “What's happening?”

  “You were too close to the light.”

  Behind the Fates, the tree trunk opened up into an arc. A faint glow burned from its center.

  Scarlett gasped as she stepped out from inside of the tree. Shaking, she fell to her knees.

  The Fates turned toward her. Using their distraction, Kaelem snuck around them. When they looked back to where he’d been, an arrow flew through the air, striking the center Fate. Sage, joined with the rest of the group and another woman Kaelem didn't know, shot another arrow.

  Kaelem rushed to Scarlett. As he neared her, the tree caught his attention. Its trunk was peeled back, opening to a glowing orb floating inside.

  The power.

  With only a few steps, he could touch it.

  Mesmerized, Kaelem couldn't pry his gaze away. Any worries for Scarlett vanished.

  He was so close.

  Something stabbed his back. Pain seared between his shoulder blades. Desperate to make it stop, he reached for whatever caused it, but it remained out of reach.

  Scarlett stood next to him, eyes filled with guilt. “It isn't for you. It's for me.”

  She turned away and disappeared back into the tree as Kaelem dropped to the ground.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The energy floating in the tree lured Scarlett like an addict to drugs. From afar, the orb appeared white, but as Scarlett drew closer, she saw the colorful specks of pinks and blues and teals and purples—a luminous opal of power.

  The glow of the orb shined throughout the tree. The inside bark—white like the outside— was perfectly smooth, as if it had been sanded to perfection. The tree didn’t matter now, though. The power drew all of Scarlett’s attention.

  Her hands reached out and cupped the orb. As her flesh met the energy, her skin tingled. Undeterred, she lifted it.

  The tingling turned hot, burning from her hands up her arms, directly to her heart. From there, it spread through her veins, transitioning from flame to ice.

  Her skin prickled as the power disappeared into her hand and filled her.

  She closed her eyes as she absorbed the magic.

  A memory struck her.

  Ten-year-old Scarlett walked to the park after one of her mother’s fits. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She wiped them and lifted her chin.

  The sun set as the world around her took on an orange glow.

  Scarlett sat in one of the swings, the park around her empty.

  Though there was no wind around, a breeze blew through her hair. She turned to see three women approach her. Side-by-side, they walked as one, all with black hair and black eyes.

  A tingle spread up Scarlett’s spine. “Who are you?”

  “That’s not important.” They spoke as one, their voices a perfect harmony.

  This was weird.

  They continued, “You are an interesting girl. We’ve waited a long time for you.”

  Scarlett gulped. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the chains of the swing. She wanted to run, but her limbs wouldn’t move.

  The women approached her. The middle woman reached out her hand and grazed Scarlett’s cheek.

  “Until we meet again.” In a blink, they vanished.

  Scarlett looked around the park. Had she just been talking to someone? She couldn’t remember.

  Still inside the tree, Scarlett opened her eyes. Darkness enveloped her. Light from outside shined in, luring Scarlett outside. As she stepped into the sunshine, the darkness inside of the tree burst forth like a blast from a bomb.

  Scarlett exited to a group of gaping mouths.

  Raith’s gaze met Scarlett’s first. The uncertainty in his expression confused her. Why did he look surprised?

  She held out her arms to inspect herself and saw the white designs somehow tattooed onto her skin. Floral shapes, dots, and lines covered her hands and arms.

  “You okay?” Raith stepped toward her.

 
“I’m great.” Scarlett had never felt so alive. Magic buzzed through her again, stronger than ever before. It was as if she’d been lost at sea to the mercy of the crashing waves, but now the waves were hers to control. She cupped her hands. A small opal orb appeared. “Where’d the Fates go?”

  She’d like to see them try to hurt her now.

  “They disappeared.”

  Of course, they had. Cowards. Who were they? And who was Scarlett now? She scanned the world around her.

  Looking down from the ledge above, a castle now stood. Lushness spread across the valley. The forest of dead trees had vanished, a field of red and purple tulips replacing it. A hummingbird hovered around her face before flying toward the castle above.

  Something on the ground caught Scarlett's attention.

  Kaelem’s body was curled on the ground, face down.

  She’d done that to him. When she saw the power, she’d needed it as if it were water or air, essential to her existence. It belonged to her. When she saw the desire in Kaelem’s eyes, she hadn’t thought twice before sinking the knife into his flesh. What had gotten into her?

  Scarlett approached him and kneeled down. She yanked out the knife she’d stabbed into his back then hovered her hands over the wound.

  The life inside him withered.

  Uncertainty flickered inside of Scarlett, dark and thick like tar.

  He’d taken her sister from her for his own needs.

  Now, Ashleigh hated her and Scarlett had no idea how to fix it.

  Then he’d stolen Scarlett from the group so he’d have a better chance to take the power for himself. He spoke of sharing, but Scarlett knew it was a lie.

  She shook the ugly thoughts away.

  He’d given her a pill that saved both her and Raith. He’d spent hours teaching her to master the power inside of her.

  She’d seen the change in his expression the more time they spent together. Despite his actions, he cared for her.

  And she cared for him.

  No matter how complicated their history had been, she didn’t want him to die now. Scarlett closed her eyes, searched for the destruction the strike had caused, and healed it with her Seelie magic, now stronger than it had ever been.

  War was coming and Scarlett wanted all the allies she could get.

  Kaelem twitched and turned, rolling into Scarlett’s arms. His navy hair covered half his face and, for once, he looked vulnerable. Scarlett tucked his hair behind his ear and gently kissed his forehead.

  She felt the pulse of jealousy through her bond with Raith. It had returned with her magic. She wanted to promise him there was nothing to be jealous of, but she wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

  Kaelem blinked, unfocused, until his eyes fully opened.

  When he saw her, he grinned. “The student has surpassed the teacher.”

  Scarlett laughed. “Looks like it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Raith tensed as he watched Scarlett heal Kaelem.

  The bastard took her sister. Took her. Why didn’t Scarlett just let the asshole die?

  Saving him was bad enough—Raith knew Scarlett well enough to know she wouldn’t let someone die if she could save him—but the grin Kaelem gave her and the laugh she gave in return stabbed Raith in the chest. When Kaelem had opened his eyes, Raith felt Scarlett’s relief through the bond.

  Her expression as she laughed was what made Raith know—no matter what power she’d just absorbed—the same Scarlett lived inside her now tattoo-covered body.

  A gasp stole Raith’s attention. Next to him, Sage reached for her dagger.

  No.

  One of the Fates had returned and choked his mother with an elbow, a dagger pointed at her neck.

  Scarlett turned and rose to her feet. “Let her go. You’ve lost.”

  “Lost?” She tipped her head back in a high-pitched laugh. “Not really, dear child. You took some of the power, but not all.”

  Scarlett’s eyes widened. An orb of energy appeared in her hand and she aimed to throw it.

  The Fate twisted Rowen to serve as a shield. “Now, now. Do you really want to kill her?”

  “What do you want?” Raith stepped forward. Reaching for a weapon would be pointless, so he remained unarmed. When Scarlett had taken the power, his magic had returned. But even with magic, he couldn’t move quickly enough.

  “Ahh, the dear son wants to save his mother.”

  The grin on her face sent a wave of nausea through Raith.

  “No,” Rowen said. “Don’t bargain with them.”

  “See, she wants to die.” The Fate squeezed harder, causing Rowen to choke.

  “Please,” Raith begged. “Take me instead.”

  “No!” Scarlett and Sage yelled in unison.

  “Give me your heart and I’ll let her go and take you instead,” she said.

  The way she lingered on the word heart caused Raith to pause. It was a trick. He wouldn’t expect anything less. But what choice did he have?

  He shifted his gaze to Scarlett, who pled with him with her violet eyes. He’d left her twice, pushing her straight into the arms of the Unseelie King. He promised himself he would never leave her like that again unless she asked him to.

  He thought back to the night they’d made the bargain before the Battle of Heirs. He’d kissed her and felt a connection he didn’t know he was capable of feeling, and with a human no less. She was broken then and caught in Cade’s web, but Raith saw the spark inside of her. She had been fragile, but not anymore. She didn’t need him. But right now, his mother did.

  He didn’t know exactly what he was about to agree to. War was coming and he was about to sell his soul to the villains. He wouldn’t take anyone else down with him.

  The Battle of Heirs remained unfinished. His brother had saved him, willing to risk his right to the throne to keep Raith alive. Cade deserved to be king and Raith would no longer stand in his way.

  He looked to Cade. “I surrender.”

  Those two words sent a chill through Raith. He felt his tie to the Summer crown vanish first. But that wasn’t the only thing that lingered with the unfinished battle.

  His bond with Scarlett dissolved, too.

  The Battle of Heirs was over.

  Raith returned his focus to the Fate holding his mother. “I agree.”

  She released Rowen, who ran to her son and pulled him into a hug. “What have you done?”

  The Fate grinned as she pulled a necklace from her pocket, an empty vial at its end. “Your heart is mine.”

  A trail of white smoke drifted from Raith’s chest. Emptiness filled him, any care he had floating away. He pulled away from Rowen. Why was she touching him?

  The white smoke turned black as it flowed into the vile.

  Next, white smoke poured from the side of Raith’s head.

  Images of Scarlett flashed in his mind. The first time he saw her as she tried to escape the Summer Court. The day they sat at the piano together before the Battle of Heirs. No emotion filled him at these memories, but as they flickered in his mind, he forgot them.

  That smoke too turned black inside the vial.

  The Fate hung the necklace around her neck and tucked the vial inside her dress. “Come now.”

  Without a questioning thought or care, Raith obliged.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Cade watched his brother follow the Fate like a puppy. With no one to block her now, he wanted to throw his sword into her chest. But what would happen to Raith if he did?

  When she reached for Raith’s hand, they evanesced away.

  The moment Raith had surrendered, Cade had felt power like he’d never known. He was king now. He could protect his people like he’d wanted. But he couldn’t ignore the sting inside knowing he’d lost his brother.

  He glanced at Scarlett, who stared at the ground. Cade could sense the power radiating from her.

  Creatures—some fae-like, others different—circled.

  A row of brownies s
tood in front. Next, was a row of the tribe that had captured Cade and Poppy. The leader stood in the middle, happiness covering her face.

  Next to Cade, Poppy reached for a dagger.

  Cade stopped her. “If they want to hurt us, we stand no chance. But I think they’re here for her.” He nodded to Scarlett.

  When she noticed the gathering, she peered up.

  As Scarlett picked up her staff from the ground—its opal orb glowing as she touched the staff—everyone bowed.

  Scarlett watched as Vida stood and approached her.

  “My queen,” Vida said.

  Queen? Scarlett returned the bow. “What am I?”

  “You are Queen of the Sidhe,” Vida said. “We’ve been waiting for your return.”

  Return? Scarlett reached her mind into Vida’s.

  Memories flooded Scarlett.

  A woman sat on a rose gold throne inside of a castle. She was lovely, with dark hair and violet eyes. As she smiled, a lightness spread through the room. Vida approached her, hesitant to share what she’d learned.

  “He’s getting desperate,” Vida said. “Ankou turned his daughters against you.”

  Vida pictured the faces of his three daughters, dark hair and darker eyes. Unlike their father, they were free to travel between the lands of death and life.

  “What do we do, my queen?” Vida watched as the woman on the throne closed her eyes.

  “He cannot win. He will bring nothing but destruction here.” The queen paused, then opened her eyes. “Perhaps my time has come.”

  A new memory appeared.

  “There has to be another way,” Vida pleaded with her queen as they stood in front of the Life Tree.

  The queen held a staff in one hand, a glowing opal orb in its center. Vida took her queen’s empty hand into her own.

  “My advisors have already left with their groups. Each will start a kingdom of their own with separate magic. They cannot take it from them,” the queen said.