A Citadel of Captives

by Bella Forrest

  “Nothing special, to be honest,” Shayla replied. “Sherus and Nuriya are very laid-back, even in their regal environment. Of course, they’re practically worshipped by the fire fae, and their son, Taeral, is quite the character. I imagine basic forms of respect toward royalty will suffice. Sherus and Nuriya are both partners of GASP, and we go back a long time. Don’t worry too much about etiquette.”

  “I’ve never heard of a fae-jinni hybrid before,” Bijarki said. “I wonder what Taeral is like.”

  “You’d never even heard about jinni till after you first got off Calliope,” I retorted, slightly amused. I didn’t mind poking fun at Bijarki once in a while. It reminded us of the earlier days, when we were just uneasy allies against Azazel. He got a kick out of pulling my leg, too. It was probably why our friendship only got stronger over the years. Bijarki, along with Serena, had taught me not to always take myself too seriously.

  “Well, I’m excited now. We’re going to my wife’s birth star,” Bijarki replied, beaming like the morning sun. Shayla chuckled.

  We were ready to leave Luceria, now, and head for the fire star. The throne room doors opened before us. Corrine had set up a portal here after the Daughters’ haze had been lifted and they’d all come to Luceria looking for Serena and the others in the Novak clan. It didn’t just connect The Shade and Calliope. It could also be used to travel to neighboring systems, including Sherus and Nuriya’s fire star.

  We’d tried using it for Strava, too, when we’d first discovered it, but it was too far away. Actually, maybe it wasn’t just the distance preventing us from reaching Strava through the portal. Maybe there was something else, perhaps a natural phenomenon or some trick by Ta’Zan… It was still too early to tell, at this point.

  “I’ll bet Vita isn’t happy that she had to stay behind,” Shayla said.

  “She didn’t have much of a choice.” Bijarki sighed. “It’s not just because of the pregnancy, though. We’ve had quite a mess on our hands since the fleet was destroyed. Lots of families to notify. Hell, even I’m uneasy about leaving her here, but I couldn’t let Draven go alone. There’s very little we know about Bogdana, so I’d rather be by his side in this quest.”

  “And for that, I thank you,” I replied, softly patting his shoulder.

  We stopped in front of the portal, its stone frame glimmering silver beneath the overhead lights. A dark gray mist awaited, swirling in shades of black and blue as it sensed our physical presence. Shayla nicked the tip of her finger with a small blade and used her blood to write the coordinates of our destination on the right side of the portal’s frame.

  Each number vanished as soon as she drew it against the stony surface. Once the full “address” was put in, the mist gradually changed from dark gray to pale orange. Flashes of light glowed underneath, much like an electrical storm.

  “Once we go in, I need you both to stay close to the walls,” Shayla instructed us.

  Bijarki and I nodded, then watched her go in. We followed, quietly, allowing the mist to swallow us whole. Within seconds, I found myself standing in a black void riddled with fiery stars. I looked around, trying to figure out what walls she’d been talking about.

  Shayla was ten feet ahead, while Bijarki stayed by my side. I had to give the incubus credit—he was scared of portals, in general, but he did a very good job of keeping it together. The only thing that actually gave him away was the silvery glow of his skin, a sign that he was experiencing intense emotions.

  “What walls, though?” Bijarki asked, taking the words right out of my mouth.

  “Put your hands out to your sides,” Shayla said, looking straight ahead as she kept walking.

  We both did as instructed. I gasped, feeling the invisible membrane stretching against my left hand.

  “I can feel it,” Bijarki murmured, looking at his right hand.

  It was a clear passageway, leading us through the In-Between. Shayla looked over her shoulder, giving me a dry smile. “It’s going to get super-fast now, so remember to take deep breaths,” she replied.

  I frowned slightly. “What do you mean, super-fast? I don’t—”

  I quickly swallowed my words as time and space themselves warped around us. We were still walking, but everything around us moved at lightspeed. Stars and planets darted past us in short and thin white lines. I took a deep breath as both my body and mind tried to adjust to the incredible speed. Next to me, Bijarki was as pale as a sheet of paper.

  Nevertheless, we kept going.

  “Good grief, is it like this every time?” Bijarki croaked.

  My knees were weak. My head started to spin. I wasn’t sure I could hold myself upright for much longer. Traveling through space at such speeds was bound to have some unpleasant side effects, but not as intense as this…

  “I think it’s the distance from Calliope to the fire star that’s playing a part here. Earth is in a different dimension, maybe the effects differ completely,” I said.

  “The Druid’s onto something,” Shayla chuckled, seemingly unaffected. “It’s not the same with every destination. Some travels are easier, others… not so much.”

  Before my third breath, we began our descent, gradually slowing down. The fae planets shone brightly around us in vivid oranges and blues, greens and milky whites, as they orbited around the giant sun. The fae planets were often referred to as stars, mainly because of their peculiar glow and not because of their composition. We had no record of any creatures being able to live on an actual star without instantly melting.

  Fittingly, the fire star was one of the hottest fae planets in this solar system. It grew bigger beneath us as we got closer. I could see its continents now, artfully outlined by the reddish seas. Wisps of white clouds were scattered above, as the invisible tunnel took us lower.

  Once my feet touched the ground, I exhaled.

  Before us, Sherus and Nuriya’s sumptuous palace rose proudly against the amber-colored afternoon sky, made entirely out of white-and-pale-gray stones. The enormous gardens in front of it were stuffed with carefully manicured hedges and flowering bushes, artesian fountains skirted by freshly mowed lawns, and a plethora of stone sculptures.

  It was a wonderful sight to behold, and clearly plenty of effort went into its maintenance.

  Shayla headed straight for the palace stairs, while Bijarki and I got reacquainted with standing on solid ground, wobbling like two tree branches in the wind. A couple of seconds later, we were both behind her, taking everything in.

  Behind us and beyond the palace grounds was the kingdom, unraveling down a titanic hill, with thousands of townhouses and fancy villas, narrow sets of stone stairs and bountiful orchards, decorative street sculptures, and plenty of pale gray cobblestone. The fire fae lived in impressive prosperity, nurturing the natural elements for sustenance and comfort.

  It all reminded me of the Mediterranean cities on Earth, where Serena and I had spent part of our honeymoon. It was hot and dry, but it was truly beautiful and remarkably tranquil. The most frequent noises were those of amber flames gushing upwards from the fountains and multicolored birds singing from the tree crowns.

  Fae guards dressed in rich, red silken robes lined the top of the palace stairs. Their halberds glistened gold in the afternoon sun, and their piercing blue eyes were fixed on us. I tried my best to ignore the spine-tingling sensation—a thread of guilt working its way through me. Sherus and Nuriya had sent us a couple hundred of their finest fae warriors to join our Stravian fleet. Some had died, and most had gone missing with the escape pods.

  For a second, I’d thought I wouldn’t have to deal with such emotions here, but as the reminder of the fae’s help set in, I knew I’d been wrong. I had an apology to issue. I had more grief and guilt to experience; I looked in the fae’s eyes and saw their muted pain. Only then did I notice that the royal flags above the palace were down, a common practice here in times of great sadness.

  The fae kingdom was in mourning.

  By the time Shayla,
Bijarki, and I reached the top of the stairs, we were greeted by a group of fae servants clad in wispy red-and-orange veils, their skin shimmering softly, and their gazes fixed on us. None of them were smiling. Not that I could blame them.

  “Welcome, Eritopian travelers,” one of the servants greeted us with a polite, curt bow. “Our king and queen await.”

  “Thank you for having us,” Shayla replied, mirroring the fae’s gesture. “Please, lead the way.”

  The servant nodded, then turned around and went inside the palace, accompanied by the others. We stayed close behind, briefly admiring the superb sculpted wall torches and architectural details of the palace interior. It was truly the home of a king and queen. Gilded molding and frilled flowery details garnished every corner and every pillar. A faint scent of lime and lavender wafted through the air—essential oils dripped directly into the torches, from what I could tell.

  Rich bouquets of white, red, and yellow flowers adorned every hallway table, while rounded fruit trees grew in massive crystal pots. The floors were white and polished to perfection, reflecting us as we made our way to the throne room. I allowed myself to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the place—anything to get my mind off the hundreds of creatures we’d lost on Strava.

  The throne room itself was quite a sight to behold, impressively tall and spacious, with red organza drapes gently swaying by the open windows. In the middle sat Sherus and Nuriya, comfortably settled into their royal thrones, both of which were splendidly sculpted from fine wood and brushed with gold. They were positioned on a platform which kept them above our level, a simple way of underlining their status.

  At the bottom of the platform stairs stood a young male with shimmering, ivory skin, jet black hair and burning amber eyes. I instantly recognized him as Taeral, Sherus and Nuriya’s son, as he carried both of their physical features in an eye-pleasing mélange. He was a handsome young man, tall and athletic, with long limbs and a boyish smile. Given that he was only half-jinni, Taeral’s legs were perfectly visible, no mist involved. He did retain the jinni abilities, but his fae side had full control over his physical design.

  “It’s good to see you, Shayla,” Nuriya greeted her, then looked at Bijarki and me and smiled. It wasn’t the warmest I’d seen, but, then again, I couldn’t hold it against her. “Draven, Master Druid of Calliope, and… Bijarki, is it?”

  Bijarki nodded, then bowed before them. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Vita’s husband,” Sherus said, narrowing his eyes at the incubus.

  “That is correct,” Bijarki replied.

  Nuriya chuckled. “Welcome to the club, then,” she said, then gave Sherus a warm and most loving smile.

  Bijarki looked at me, slightly confused. I stifled a grin. “The club of those who married a fire fae,” I whispered.

  The incubus’s face brightened up as he looked at Sherus and Nuriya. “I’m honored to have Vita’s heart for this lifetime and well into the next,” he said.

  “Consider yourself lucky,” Nuriya replied, then shifted her focus back to Shayla. “I believe you’ve already met Taeral?”

  The young prince came forward and shook Shayla’s hand, then ours. “It’s a pleasure,” he said, then moved back to the base of the platform. He ran his hand through his short, black hair, then discreetly tugged the bottom of his crimson-red tunic, which he’d paired with a matching pair of pants and black leather boots. He didn’t look comfortable in that kind of royal garb, but, since this was an official visit, he probably had to put up with it.

  “You’ve grown,” Shayla said to Taeral, smiling. “Last time I saw you, you were barely in your teens! Already tall and gawky, but still the sweetest little thing!”

  Taeral chuckled softly. “That was before I was sent off to acquire my political education,” he replied. “Feels like ages ago.”

  “That’s right! Taeral was away for seven years,” Nuriya said.

  The fae king nodded. “He came back a couple of times each year to visit us, but you, Shayla… It’s true, you haven’t seen him since he was thirteen,” Sherus replied. His smile quickly faded as he moved on to the main order of business. “It’s good to see you again. It’s a shame we have to meet in such circumstances.”

  I cleared my throat, then took a couple of steps forward, stopping right next to Shayla.

  “Please accept our condolences and our deepest apologies, on behalf of GASP, of The Shade, and Eritopia,” I spoke, bowing in the process.

  “There’s nothing to apologize for, Master Druid,” Sherus replied, motioning for me to stop bowing. “None of us saw it coming. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “And to think Sherus and I were actually thinking of a Stravian vacation in the near future,” Nuriya muttered, shaking her head slowly. “Just so you know, we have notified the fae families about what happened. However, we all continue to hope that we’ll get most of our people back, if they are currently in captivity.”

  Shayla let out a long and heavy sigh. “I believe Grace and Lawrence have already briefed you about why we’re here,” she said.

  “They did, yes,” Sherus replied. “You need help locating Bogdana.”

  It was our turn to nod. “Do you know where she might be?” I asked.

  “Frankly, I’m surprised you even know about her. She’s gone to great lengths to keep herself hidden,” Sherus said, raising an eyebrow. “Who told you about her?”

  “Her name is mentioned in our Druid Archives,” I explained. “Specifically, in the volumes regarding Strava and the Meahiri galaxy. Apparently, the planet used to be inhabited by a species known as the Draenir, but the texts are old and require translation. I’d heard of Bogdana before, but mostly as a fable, a story told by the evening fire. A fae as old as time, they said. I was quite surprised to find her name in the Druid manuscripts.”

  “We figured you might know something about her,” Shayla added. “Since she’s one of your own and the oldest of her kind, I imagine she’d be revered in these parts.”

  “She is,” Sherus replied. “She won’t participate in the celebrations of her name day, and she likes to keep to herself, but I’m pleased to confirm that she’s still alive.”

  “And kicking,” Taeral said, somewhat amused. “The only problem is that we don’t know where she is. She barely comes out in public these days, and she is remarkably good at hiding her trail. It’s like she’s afraid of her own people or something.”

  “More like tired, Son,” Sherus sighed. “Bogdana must’ve seen a lot in her lifetime. I guess she’s just more of a recluse these days.”

  “How could she possibly help you, though?” Nuriya asked me.

  I shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure yet. The fact that she’s mentioned with the Draenir of Strava leads me to believe that she was there. She may have some valuable insight on the Draenir, the cause of their extinction, and how they created Ta’Zan in the first place.”

  “The more we can learn about this enemy, the better we can prepare for what comes next,” Bijarki said.

  Sherus, Nuriya, and Taeral looked at him. I could almost feel the tension gathering and weighing over their shoulders. “What do you think comes next?” Sherus asked. “Given what we’ve learned so far about that planet and its inhabitants? I’ve heard Grace and Lawrence’s ideas, but I’d like to hear yours.”

  “Well, according to what Rose’s team gathered from the Faulties and Perfects they interacted with on Strava, they’re planning an invasion. They’re looking to expand and take over the universe, basically,” Shayla replied. “The Perfects consider themselves supreme. We’re all inferior and unworthy of living, according to them. We thought they attacked our fleet in a purely defensive reaction but, no. It was more than that. It was a statement.”

  Taeral groaned, his brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. “So they want to go to war. With all of us.”

  “I think so, yes,” I said. “And judging by how quickly and effectively they were able to wipe out a fleet of eight hundred of
our people, I’m genuinely worried that they might actually win, unless we find a way to stop them.”

  “They’ve yet to develop the technology required for space travel,” Shayla added. “However, that’s a temporary issue. They now have pieces of debris from our starships. Chances are they’ll be piercing the skies in a couple of weeks or so. They’re multiplying at an alarming rate, too. In the span of a few days, Ta’Zan was able to mass-produce thousands of them.”

  “Which means there will be millions of Perfects coming for us in about two weeks,” Nuriya breathed, her eyes wide with shock. “What can we do? How can we help?”

  I exhaled. “The only thing you can do at this point is to strengthen your defenses and prepare for the worst,” I said. “I wish I could give you better options, but we’re not doing too well ourselves. We’ve never dealt with an enemy of this caliber.”

  “Oh, hell, up until a few days ago, we all thought Strava was a marvelous vacation destination, not the breeding ground for the universe’s deadliest plague,” Sherus muttered, a muscle ticking nervously in his jaw.

  A few moments passed in silence. Sherus and Nuriya looked at each other.

  “Do you have any idea who might know something more about Bogdana’s whereabouts?” I asked, determined to find the old fire fae. “I have a feeling she’s essential to our quest. She might know something about Ta’Zan or his creators. If we can find a way to maybe destroy him, it might put the Perfects off the whole concept of conquering the In-Between.”

  “Maybe. We’re operating on a lot of maybes,” Bijarki said.

  “It’s better than nothing, I say,” Sherus replied.

  Bijarki couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you think that way. We’re nowhere near ready or willing to let anyone destroy our world. I’m sure you feel the same.”

  “Absolutely,” Sherus said. “But I, personally, know nothing about Bogdana.”

  Taeral stepped forward. “I think I might be able to help,” he replied.

  “What do you mean, darling?” Nuriya asked, somewhat confused.