by K.N. Lee
As we walked by, the soldiers bowed their heads to the prince and cast their curious stares my way.
While intimidated, I knew that this was just the beginning. Even dressed in traveler’s clothes, I stood out amongst them. A dark faerie hadn’t been welcomed by the light since the split of Rune in the First Age.
Prince Ewan led us to the tent we would stay in for the night. The whispers and stares from the soldiers reminded me of just how different life would be once we crossed over to the magic realm. I was used to being beheld with disgust, hatred, and fear.
These men—adored me. They even addressed me as your majesty.
I nodded to them, as grandmother had trained me to do. She’d done her best to prepare me for what was ahead, but I worried that there was nothing that would calm the butterflies fluttering in my belly.
We crunched along the icy shore, and Prince Ewan stopped just outside one of the larger tents made of canvas.
“Here we are,” he said, turning to me. “Wait until you see your private apartment in the palace.”
“Thank you, Prince Ewan,” Kala said.
We shared a look as he held the cloth door open for her.
A brief scent of burning coals wafted out of the tent, and I shuddered, eager to warm myself before a fire.
Once she was out of sight, he took my hands and brought my knuckles to his lips. They were cold and dry from the weather, but still sent heat up my arms to my face.
“I look forward to the morning when we can learn more about one another,” he said. “I have waited all of my life to meet you, and even though we have an eternity together, I simply can’t hold back my excitement.”
I smiled. “Neither can I.”
“Its been ten years since you’ve seen a proper sunrise, I gather,” Prince Ewan said.
Nodding, I looked to the sky. “I am quite eager to see one.”
“Allandria Castle is set in the center of the kingdom, but the towers stand tall and can see the countryside for miles. I’ll take you to my favorite place to see the sunrise and set once we arrive and get settled.”
“Do you miss your home?” I asked, stalling. I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye. We’d just met and there was so much I wanted to learn about him and where he came from. “Back in Ostrum?”
“Not really,” he said. “Ostrum isn’t nearly as opulent as Allandria.”
“And, your family?”
“Ah, well. My father probably barely notices that I’m gone. My mother passed when I was a child.”
“Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear it.” Even though he’d mentioned the death of his mother, he still had it in him to smile at me, though I detected a hint of bitterness in his voice.
Shrugging, he looked ahead. “Nothing to apologize for, princess. It is life, isn’t it? I’m afraid I only have traces of immortal blood on my father’s side. Poor Mother caught ill when the plague came in from the merchant ships sailing from human territory.”
“Kala mentioned that,” I said. “It killed thousands.”
He snorted. “Probably more than that. Bloody humans and their diseases. Wait, your grandmother let’s you call her by her given name?”
I shrugged. “She’s always insisted.”
“Celeste,” Kala called. “It’s getting late.”
Blushing, I flickered my eyes up to his and sighed. “I suppose I should sleep now.”
“Yes. I suppose so,” he said, taking my hands into his. “You’re more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed.” He brushed my hair from my face before kissing my forehead.
Kala cleared her throat and he chuckled. I shrugged and held back another giggle of my own.
We were betrothed, but there were limits to what physical contact was appropriate until we were officially wed.
My cheeks heated at the thought of what would be allowed afterward, and reddened as I realized I was betrothed to two others whom I hadn’t even met yet. I hoped this grand plan the Guardians had devised would work.
“Good night, princess,” he said, with a slight bow, and left me to my rest.
I watched him stalk off into the dark camp and glanced at the pale moon. All of my life I’d suffered. Could it truly be my time for a reward for all that I’d been forced to endure?
Inside, Kala had shifted back into a dire wolf. She rested on the floor of the tent next to a stone pit filled with hot coals. “It's too cold to be a faerie on this night,” she said. “Won’t you shed your faerie form and join me?”
Sighing, I removed my cloak and settled onto the bed made for me on the floor. Wool and down padding was only a step better than what I’d slept on in prison. “You know I cannot shift,” I said.
She lowered her head to her paws and closed her eyes. “You will,” she said. “Give it time.”
As I pulled the covers over my body and head, I contemplated all that had occurred and what was to come. The Veil was all that stood in between me and the realm I would soon rule.
“Are we sure about all of this?”
“It is your destiny,” Kala said. “It’s what you were born for.”
“But,” I pursed my lips and reconsidered what I was about to ask. We didn’t talk about the darkness hovering above my head, but I needed to know. “What about the Unseelie?”
“Enough worrying, Celeste. They can’t touch us once we are in Allandria. Forget them.”
Closing my eyes, I drifted into a feverish slumber that reminded me that not everyone in the magic realm would be pleased with my return.
No, my very own tribe wanted me dead more than the humans. More than anyone.
Chapter 11
The Air Prince
I stood outside her tent for a moment, utterly amazed by her. Running a hand through my hair, I looked to the sky and thanked the Guardians for choosing me to be part of her court.
I’d felt her presence since I was a boy, and waited patiently for when we would meet.
Still, nothing could have prepared me for her beauty, poise, or the fact that her grandmother was a wolf.
Chuckling to myself, I left to join the soldiers around the fire. Sleep was something that didn’t come naturally to me. It was an elusive concept that always seemed to runaway whenever I chased it.
You don’t sleep peacefully after you’ve seen the things I’d seen. Elves were ruthless. Everyone knew that. Sons were a blessing to any queen and king, but seven were a nightmare.
The rivalries and political intrigue was utterly exhausting. I was glad to leave my kingdom and fight in the war.
Now that it was over, another was just beginning. My smile faded at that thought. I crossed the camp and stopped at a circle of soldiers seated around a crackling fire. I began to sit when Queen Sorcha approached from the darkness.
“Prince Ewan,” she said.
I lifted a brow.
“A word in private.”
I nodded and followed, swallowing a lump in my throat. The steel in her eyes made my blood run cold, and as she lead me into the darkness from whence she came, I rested the palm of my hand on the hilt of my sword.
Paranoia was a constant fuel. You don’t grow up around six ruthless young men all plotting to take your spot without becoming painfully aware of the intentions of others.
Queen Sorcha had summoned me. She was the one to bring the Elementals together. Still, one could never truly know who to trust.
My jaw tightened as she led me away from the camp, away from the ears or eyes of anyone else.
Under the dancing colors of the night sky, she faced me, her pale skin illuminated by the light of the moon.
“What do you think of her?” Queen Sorcha asked, her voice bland, showing no emotion.
“She’s stunning.”
“Of course, she’s beautiful. But, what else?”
I shrugged. “I’ve barely had a chance to speak with her. Is something wrong?”
Frustration marred her face as she rubbed her hands together. “The fire prince will not come. He ref
uses to be bound in eternity to her.”
My jaw dropped. “How can that be? The Guardians chose him the same way they chose the rest of us. Lancel is a hot-head, but he is no fool. He cannot shirk his duty.”
“Don’t you think I know? Everything will be ruined if Prince Lancel doesn’t heed the calling.”
“Surely, Stellan and Maxim will come?”
She nodded. “They are two of the most dutiful young men I’ve ever met, besides yourself, of course. They will be in Allandria when we arrive. But, we need all of you for the magic to work.”
I folded my arms across my chest. For the first time since the field of battle, true fear filled my heart like an icicle stabbed into my chest.
None of the other knew Emperor Jasper like I did. I glanced down at my metal arm. Nor did they feel the true measure of his wrath.
Chapter 12
The Earth Prince
“Now, this is the final test to make sure you are properly healed,” Makya said in her soft and reassuring voice.
I nodded, swallowing. “Very well,” I said, mustering my courage. “I trust you.”
She smiled at me. “Thank you,” she said, and touched my cheek with the back of her hand, then my heart.
“Anything?” I asked, anxious for the answer.
“Nothing yet.”
She pulled a jar from the table at my side and stuck in hands inside. Then, she took them out of the jar and smeared white dust onto my entire, naked body.
I held my breath, not entirely sure what to expect as she studied the dust and how it began to crawl across my body.
This had to work.
They’d never let me leave Ever Frost and travel to Allandria if Star still infected my body.
Tense, and with a heart racing faster than the race horses back in Kyushu, I prayed to the Guardians. Then, something stirred. I clenched my fists as the white dust began to burn into me, seeping below my skin, into muscle, and bones.
A pained grunt escaped my lips. Covered in sweat, I leaned forward for a better look, and she placed a hand against my forehead and pushed me back down.
“Stay still, dear prince,” she whispered, a finger held to her lips. “Let me handle the rest.”
Then, she lifted from the chair by her flapping wings and flew over me as if searching for something.
When her eyes widened, I froze in terror. Almost too afraid to speak, my throat closed.
“What is it?” I asked from between clenched teeth.
A jolt from inside rocked my body and I threw my head back onto the bed.
She held me down, and as I looked into her eyes, I saw such concern that I knew I might die on this day.
“Hold still,” she said. “This may hurt.”
With that, my gut wretched and convulsed as something foreign—something unnatural crawled up my chest and to my throat.
“Open your mouth,” she demanded.
I obeyed, tears burning my eyes.
I gagged and to my utter shock, a black, snake-like creature peeked its head out of my mouth. Slippery, and covered in my blood, it turned a golden eye my way.
That—was living inside of me?
A scream vibrated against my throat, and Makya pulled it by its head with all of her might.
It squealed and fought, but the elder faerie was stronger and ripped it free from my body.
The force of the fight sent her flying backward and crashing to the floor, the creature still locked in her grasp.
Gasping for breath, she held the creature into the air, triumphant.
She glanced at me with a smile on her face. “We got it,” she cheered, and tossed it into the flames of the fire that burned and crackled in the hearth.
Relieved, I slumped back onto the bed in a pool of sweat and blood.
Chapter 13
The Aether
Nightmares of the Unseelie Court lingered in the back of my head once I awakened and prepared for the journey between realms.
Though it was true that the dark faeries of Rune weren’t as terrifying as the creatures of The Veil, it did not lessen my fear of them.
Sprites, imps, corsus, and weyrs didn’t haunt my dreams. The faeries who forced my family from our home did.
The fact that they exiled my family for wanting to unite with the Seelie Court worried me. My return would not be well received. I was from the Unseelie Court, and I was about to do the one thing they despised.
Kala stood watch outside of the tent as I scrubbed my face with a rag soaked in hot water. I still felt filthy, and the prospect of a warm bath made me even more eager to reach the palace as soon as possible.
I raked my fingers through golden tangles and pulled my hair into a knot at the back of my head. Dressed in the tunic and pants Queen Sorcha had given me, I pulled on my fur-lined cloak and boots and went out into the bitter cold.
Prince Ewan stood before my grandmother in her wolf form.
Her white fur rustled in the wind as she eyed him, unblinking, making him visibly uncomfortable.
He was as handsome as the night before, dressed warmly in heavy furs and leather. His hood was up; his long black hair pulled back. Still, wild strands flew free and crossed his face as he smirked at me.
“Morning, princess.” With his hand on the pommel of the sword at his side, he was the picture of a dashing knight, ready for battle.
My hands tingled. I yearned for a sword.
Amongst the many secret training my grandmother gave me during my imprisonment, the use of a sword was one of my favorites.
Queen Sorcha chose to fight with her wit and intellect. I, on the other hand, preferred a sharp blade.
“Morning,” I repeated, though it was still so dark one wouldn’t know the difference between day and night in this part of the world.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” I lied.
I’d barely slept at all. The nightmares of fairies with purple hair, and glittering eyes had kept me up most of the night. They’d threatened to destroy us if we ever returned, and here I was—returning.
“Lovely, let’s get a move on then, shall we? You only stand face to face with weyrs once in your life, right? Well, this would be my second time.”
Nervous, I accepted his hand and he tucked it into the small of his elbow and led me to the ship. The mention of weyrs caught me off guard.
“Do you truly think we will see any?”
“No, I was just fooling with you. I didn’t see any on my way across the first time. We’ll be fine.”
Something told me not to completely trust those words. I knew more than anyone that things rarely went the way you expected them to.
Kala had told me that the war probably wouldn’t last more than a year. I stopped hoping after five passed by without any word.
“Just keep your eyes and ears open, and stick with me. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said, which calmed me, if only for a moment.
The frozen sea worried me. I’d seen it from the sky and knew that below the thick ice were dark depths that I didn’t care to explore. I held onto him, tightly and gingerly stepped across the slick ice. Each step was a risk, but we managed to make our way across the solid portion and to the ship.
Prince Ewan gave me a lift to climb the rope ladder that led up onto deck.
My eyes kept glancing down at the slush that gathered at the base of the ship and the dark water lapping at it.
“Celeste, my dear,” Queen Sorcha said, reaching out her hands toward me once I was safely on deck.
Her red hair was braided that morning, a stark contrast to her black hood.
“Come. I want to give you something.”
Prince Ewan fell into step beside me as we crossed the slick deck. The soldiers and ship crew prepared for our departure, shouting orders and pulling ropes for the sail. They scrubbed the deck of any remaining ice and barely gave me more than a second glance.
My eyes were cast toward the shimmering film stretched ahead of us. E
very so often, you could see a flicker of light and the movement of the air like smoke or a mist rising from the sea. The Veil was mostly invisible, but it had a distinctive feel to it. The air grew tight as we crossed the boundary and entered the realm of the dead. Nothing changed, visually, but the pressure made my head feel as though it would explode.
I couldn’t see anything, but, I sensed eyes on me. The presence of a few forgotten—and perhaps curious—spirits lingering this close to the human realm made my skin crawl with dread.
Thank the Guardians I wasn’t given the power to see the spirits, or I would have kept my eyes closed and hoped for the best that we’d make it out alive.
Queen Sorcha sat on a bench and motioned for us to join her on either side.
I sat down and felt the cold on my bottom. Crossing my legs and wrapping my arms around myself, I caught a glimpse of seomthing right before me. I jumped. The tiny hairs inside my ears tickled me and the air grew thick.
“Did you see that?”
“I did. Just ignore it,” Queen Sorcha said. “All it wants is attention.”
Another flicker of light danced across my eyes and I coiled back as a translucent figure flashed before me. “What is it?”
“A pixie spirit. No need to worry. They are curious, but harmless,” she said.
Pursing my lips, I tried to ignore the constant attempts to get my attention as Queen Sorcha pulled two medallions from a pouch. It was small, with a heart shaped face and cold, black eyes and silver wings.
What’s your name?
I tensed when it’s faint voice permeated into my brain.
I can keep a secret. Tell me your name.
I shuddered.
“Here,” Queen Sorcha said, and I had to turn away from the spirit to get it to leave me alone. “This is your official Allandrian charms. Keep it with you at all times and you’ll be protected from any dark spirits or weyrs that might be lurking about.”
I snatched mine from her hand and pulled the chain over my head and around my neck.
Prince Ewan chuckled and pulled his from under his shirt. “I’ll be keeping mine on even when we are free of The Veil.”