by Emma Harley
At breakfast the next morning, Taranis debriefed the monarchs on their trip, tactfully omitting what Raina had offered as payment for information. Nick and Alicia attempted to dig further, sensing that their team mates were not mentioning everything, but a sharp “Quit it” from Davin made them back off.
“So the weapon promised by the Erinyes… is Raina?” Alexei strained, massaging the bridge of his nose with closed eyes.
“Yep,” Raina confirmed, popping her lips. She hadn’t lifted her eyes from her empty plate, and for once no one jumped on her for not eating.
“This is a lot to take in. It seems our legends were wrong,” Aija mumbled, poking food around her plate, “I will have to speak with Matthias about this.”
“Yes because fixing the fairytales is going to make everything better,” Raina snapped. Alicia placed a baked bean on her thumb and flicked it at Raina, grinning as it bounced off her cheek.
“Watch your mouth, we’re trying to help you,” her friend scolded. The chair scraped loudly along the floor as Raina stood to leave.
“I’m going for a run. I need some time alone,” she muttered, striding towards the palace doors. Thankfully she had only tugged on a loose shirt and leggings that morning so she didn’t need to get changed before she took off in a sprint towards the wooded land around the grounds.
Taranis had refused to remove the cuffs without Alexei’s permission, and she was too tired to have that argument just yet. Logan had made a point to avoid her since they returned, and she couldn’t have been more thankful for it considering Kalen couldn’t even look at her without a pathetic look of sympathy on his face. She flew between trees and over small boulders, her anger bubbling in her chest.
How dare the gods use her as a pawn in their petty battle.
How dare they force her into this destiny, twisting her life into an illusion of free will and ripping her choices from her.
She rushed along the lakeside, putting as much space between her and the palace as she could as she aimed for the small cliffs that backed the forest. A war was raging in her own mind, one she didn’t quite feel like divulging to her comrades.
Joining the army, becoming a general, her awards for marksmanship and tactics; she believed that had been the product of her dedication and ambition. Now everything felt like it was carefully plotted out by deities on a power-trip. They had probably even manipulated events to ensure she was sent to the human world and forced her to become a warrior instead of living as a spoiled princess.
Raina’s vision swam with a ruby glow and she launched her fist against a knotted tree trunk. Splinters of singed wood shot through the air like darts as her fire snaked around her now-bleeding fist. She punched again and again, pummelling her fury past the pain of her splintering bones and into the innocent tree trunk until it shattered and crumbled to the ground with a groan.
A light drizzle of rain sprinkled her face, slowly bringing her out of the raging bloodlust that encompassed her mind. She shivered as the onslaught of rain became heavier, but she didn’t turn back, instead making her way to the very edge of the cliff and staring over the lake before her. The fire slithered around her hand playfully, raindrops hissing as they landed on the ribbon of flames. It licked against her cuff and she stared down at her hand.
Find the thread, Logan had taught her. She focused on the ribbon, shaping it into the thinnest possible string she could manage and directed it into the keyholes on her cuffs. It began glowing red, before a small click, and it dropped to the damp grass with a hiss. If her magic wasn’t awake before, it was now.
Stifled and smothered behind the horrid captivity of the cuffs, it almost roared through her in delight as she threw her head back and let it soar.
Flames roared into the sky, spurred on by the gale-force wind that erupted from her outstretched palms. The static from her lightning made her spine tingle, swirling into the deadly vortex of elements as her adrenaline spiked and she couldn’t help but laugh despite the tears that burned her eyes. The fury that had been building in her since last night was subsiding, burning away into nothing as she poured every ounce into the tornado of power that exploded from her. She didn’t care who saw it, they could yell at her later.
Careful not to lose control, she stooped down to pick up the meticium cuffs, the vortex sputtering as she came into contact with the anti-magic metal. She took a deep breath and clamped it back over her wrist, dropping to her knees as the suffocating weight threatened to swallow her consciousness. Her stomach wretched and heaved once more, the painful pangs worsened by the fact that she hadn’t eaten a bite since throwing up yesterday. She wiped her bloodied hand across her lips, swearing at the pain that lanced across her broken knuckles.
Raina got to her feet, wobbling slightly as she clutched her head. Demolishing a tree and releasing her magic so carelessly had burned up what little of her energy she had left, and she still had to make it back to the palace. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself before retreating from the cliff edge, only to see Logan standing silently watching her from the edge of the forest. His stern expression had her steeling herself for another bout of scolding, but he said nothing as she walked towards him.
As though sensing how utterly exhausted her body was, he swept her into his arms in a fluid movement, speeding off through the trees with her as she grumbled into his chest.
“I can walk just fine,” she huffed, almost unaware that her drooping eyelids betrayed her statement. With her energy sapped and her body aching, she couldn’t even rally the effort required to wriggle out of his arms as he approached her parents. As if answering their silent questions, he reassured them “she just needs food and rest. And possibly a medic.”
He carried her up the stairs and into her room, setting her down gently on her bed as a healer shuffled in behind them.
“Check her hand, she may have broken a few bones,” Logan ordered. The healer grimaced as she waved a webbed hand over Raina’s busted skin.
“Unfortunately your highness I need to break and reset a few of your bones. You healed too quickly and fused the bones in the wrong places. I’ll try and make this as painless as possible,” she stated firmly, handing her a bottle of brown liquid.
“This will be unpleasant,” she muttered. Raina downed the bottle and almost retched it back up.
“That tastes like actual shit,” she coughed, breathing deeply as her eyes burned from the nasty potion. Despite the taste, her arm started going limp quite quickly and she was unable to move her fingers. The healer looked to Logan and flashed a row of pointed teeth at him.
“You’ll need to keep her still, it’s not entirely painless.” Logan silently sat behind her on the bed, setting her firmly between his legs with his chest pressed against her back as his hands gripped her arms tightly.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve had my fingers deliberately broken,” she pointed out, “I don’t need restrained.”
“Were you restrained the first time?” Logan asked quietly, his breath tickling her shoulder. Raina rolled her eyes.
“Well… yes. But it was only because I was a hostage.”
A nauseating crack sent a jolt of pain lancing through her arm and she screamed through her teeth. The scream had her squad and Taranis bursting through her door, either reaching for their weapons or having them pointed in front of them.
“What in the Undersphere is going on?” Taranis demanded, his eyes widening as another crack had Raina almost biting through her lip in pain.
“She broke her hand and healed badly. Now we have to reset it,” Logan informed him, his tone stony as he kept a firm grip on Raina.
The third crack was the loudest yet, but thankfully it was the last. The healer waved a glowing hand over her knuckles and wrapped a bandage carefully around her hand.
“Those cuffs will slow your healing quite a bit, so rest your hand for a few days first,” the healer ordered. Raina leaned back, breathing heavily against Logan as Aija slipped into the roo
m with a tray of food.
“The rest of you, out and give her some space,” Aija commanded, setting the tray down on her dresser. Raina fumbled with the broken cuffs and let one drop to the rug with a thud. She gasped with relief as she felt the magic flowing through her and knitting her bones together properly.
“I assume the broken cuff is how you were able to summon a storm on that cliff?” Aija asked sternly, placing her hands on her hips. Raina closed her eyes and leaned back against Logan with a nod. As his body heat seeped into her she realised her clothes were still uncomfortably damp from the rain.
“I just needed to let it out a little bit,” she mumbled, her eyelids drooping slightly. Aija helped her to her feet and pointed at the food.
“Eat, then get some sleep. Captain, I must see off some of our guests so I will leave her in your care.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Raina yawned, nibbling at the sandwich on her plate. Aija cocked an eyebrow and gave her a cutting stare.
“I will speak with our blacksmith about obtaining a new cuff for you. Until then you can stay here in your room.” Aija stormed off without as much as a backwards glance. Raina tossed the half-eaten sandwich on to the plate with a groan.
“I’m a grown woman and she really thinks she is grounding me to my room?” she scoffed, striding across the room to find some fresh clothes.
“Just finish your food and do what she says,” Logan strained, rubbing his forehead.
“I’m not that hungry,” she fibbed. She was starving, but the pit of anxiety in her stomach was taking precedence over her appetite. The queen had never taken such a tone with her, and as much as she was glad that the rose-glasses were coming off, it was jarring to see.
“You need to eat to gather your energy back. You used a lot of power and you did it recklessly. Just eat and get some sleep,” he snapped, brushing past her to lock down the windows. Raina cocked her head and stared at him.
“Why do you smell different?” she queried, her eyes narrowing as he froze, “You usually smell like rain, but since yesterday you have a flowery smell too.”
“I went out with some of the off-duty guards and hooked up with a female. It takes a few days for her scent to disappear.”
“Oh.” Raina turned away as his eyes fell on her, scouring her wardrobe for some of her human clothes. “You didn’t have to tell me that, it’s your business.”
“You asked.”
“And now I regret it, I just didn’t know that our scents could change that’s all,” she scowled, slamming the bathroom door as she went to get changed.
“You turned me down Raina,” Logan’s voice growled, “I couldn’t sit around moping over you.” She tugged her top down and tried to block him out as she opened the door.
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, I don’t really care,” she sighed, brushing him off with a wave of her hand. Logan shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the windowsill opposite her.
“Okay, I didn’t know we were pretending you aren’t in love with me. Is there anything else you want to pretend was a lie?” Raina tapped a finger rhythmically on her bedpost, sucking her teeth loudly.
“I’m not denying anything I said, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to discuss it. You’re free to sleep with whoever you want to make yourself feel better,” she snapped, “I haven’t changed my mind.” Logan’s jaw tensed. He stretched his legs out and stayed silent for a moment, weighing his words carefully.
“You know what Raina? I’m fine with that. We wouldn’t work together at all, you’re too focused on trying to do everything yourself that you blindly run with the first idea you come up with. But that’s fine, go ahead and put your life at risk. Because between shoving away your parents, me and your friends, you won’t have anyone left who gives a shit when you need them to.” Raina’s chest thudded with a dull ache as Logan’s words struck her.
She wanted to shove it all away again, just long enough to let her do what she needed to do. But it wasn’t time for that just yet. For once she would have to face her feelings for a little while longer.
“I’m going to send the squad back through a portal once I have my powers stabilised,” she choked out, “You’re right; they’ll just try to help, and this is has nothing to do with them. I named Ryver as my heir so I can abdicate from the line of succession. I’m just a selfish brat running away from all my problems.”
Logan’s badly-hidden smirk betrayed his agreement. His golden eyes surveyed her as she willed her face into neutrality. Before he could throw another insult at her, she cleared the distance between them, crashing her lips against his. Her fingers grazed the pointed tips of his ears as her hands wove through his hair, clutching him closer. He had frozen in shock for a split second, before a strong arm wrapped around her waist, almost forbidding her to pull away. His thumb stroked her cheek lovingly as she drew back slowly.
“I had to be selfish one last time,” she whispered, pressing her forehead against him as his fingers interlaced with her own. Logan said nothing, his eyes swirling like molten gold as they fell into hers. Raina’s stomach tensed despite the flutters she felt. She backed away slowly.
“I need to get some sleep,” she muttered, tossing back the thick duvet as he slipped silently from her room.
The curtains blocked out all but a few streaks of sunlight as she nestled herself into her pillows. She had become accustomed to sleeping with the chunky cuffs around her wrist, but she certainly wouldn’t miss them once the Erinyes lifted the curse on her blood. She tossed around her bed, her mind running wild with thoughts and confusion, before she realised something with a jolt. Her cramps and pains had stopped, and she was somehow able to access her magic. Either she was now immortal, or her breaking hadn’t worked.
She tossed the duvet off her and slipped into her shoes, running out past the bewildered faces of her squad. The guests she passed had stared at her in shock, presumably stunned that a princess was wearing a tiny crop top and baggy joggers that clearly weren’t from their world. Raina almost slapped into a patrolling guard as she rounded a corner.
“Do you know where my mother is?” she panted breathlessly. The guard stammered something about the king’s office but she had taken off in a sprint down a long corridor and up the winding stairs to his office. She thrust the door open, her eyes falling on the monarchs in a very compromising position.
“Fucking hell,” she shrieked, clapping her hands over her poor eyes.
“Raina!” Aija shrieked, fixing her dress as the king turned away to adjust his belt.
“Don’t you know how to knock?!” Alexei grumbled, his cheeks a brilliant shade of maroon. Raina peeked a careful eye through her fingers to ensure her mind wouldn’t be scarred any further.
“Sorry for interrupting but I’m freaking out a little bit and needed advice,” she stammered, her cheeks as red as the kings. Aija looked at her with a mixture of concern and what seemed like happiness. Raina took a deep breath, picking at her already mangled fingernails.
“My breaking has stopped, and it has only been like three days but you all told me it was supposed to last for a week or something and I don’t know if I’m immortal or not now,” she rambled, staring intently at her gouged nails. Alexei glanced quickly at Aija and cleared his throat.
“Well, usually it does yes. But you are only half-Fae, and there’s no way to tell exactly how that will affect you. Sometimes halflings can go through a breaking with merely a drop of fae blood and end up with a full lifespan, others can have a full-bred parent and end up with a mortal lifespan,” he explained, leading her towards a cushioned sofa near the fire. Aija coughed pointedly as she urged him to say something else. He cringed slightly before turning back to Raina.
“It’s also possible for your breaking to end quickly if you have come into physical contact with your mate. Is it possible you have found them?” Raina shrugged and thought carefully.
“The only person I have been around was Princ
e Kade and his mate. I haven’t been around anyone new except the guests, but even after meeting them all I was still going through the pains,” she mused, wincing as her fingernail began to bleed slightly. Aija sat down across from her, seemingly having a conversation with her husband using only eye contact.
“When did you stop feeling the pains?” she asked softly. Raina scrunched up her face as she tried to focus her thoughts properly. “The last bout of pain I had was on the plane yesterday on the way to Mordoire. So it couldn’t have been any of the guests from the summit, and I doubt my mate was the oracle or that little annoying sprite. I don’t think I’ve met my mate, perhaps I just got lucky since I’m only half-fae.” Aija bobbed her head, seemingly unconvinced.
“Have you come into contact with Captain Calviere since the last pains?” she asked bluntly. Raina’s eyes widened as her parents looked at her with knowing expressions.
“You don’t seriously think he’s my mate do you?” she scoffed, “we’re the most volatile two people in this castle.” Alexei gave his wife a smug smile and said nothing. Raina got to her feet with a groan.
“You can forget about that first of all, and secondly, I’m going to get some sleep. Please for the love of all that is good in this world, do not wake me,” she scowled, striding out of the room with a lazy wave.
•••
Raina hid herself in the library for most of the day scouring through research, energised only by a power nap she had taken on the window ledge behind a bookcase. Judging by the amount of slamming doors and muffled farewells, the last of the guests were finally leaving. A bundle of torn pages lay before her, information she had deemed to be important enough to set aside. The morning of the summit, she had spent it hiding away in there, gathering knowledge that she kept to herself. It only served to worry her comrades, and they were already getting on her nerves about the upcoming battle.