Of Storms and Triumphs (Thunderbird Academy Book 3)

by Valia Lind

  "The witch did nothing but play on your most evident emotions. Even when you were not searching for your father, the thought was still there, was it not?"

  "Well, of course."

  "She preyed on that, preyed on your vulnerability when it comes to family."

  "So you're saying my father isn't in Faery?" My heart drops even as I ask the question. Because if the Oracle wasn't telling the truth, we're back to square one. I'm not sure I can survive that kind of a heartbreak. Not with everything else going on.

  "I am not saying that. Fae cannot lie. But she may not have been completely upfront about what she knows."

  "Fine, she didn't give me all the info," I throw my hands in the air, frustrating coursing through me. "How does that answer any of the questions I asked? What does she want from me?"

  Queen Amaryllis meets my eye head on, a small smile forming on her lips. She looks powerful and dangerous, the kind of confidence I wish I could portray right now. But the best I can do, is not look away from her stare. She seems satisfied with that, before she finally answers.

  "To suck your blood, of course."

  21

  I'm not sure I heard her correctly.

  "You're saying the Oracle is a—“

  "An Ancient," the queen inclines her head, still not breaking our eye contact.

  "But how is that possible?"

  "Anything is possible in Faery, Madison Hawthorne."

  "But the villagers talked about her, as if she's always been there."

  "Stories hold power," Queen Amaryllis says, walking over to stand right in front of me. "The story of her being there has been passed down through the generations. And when the Ancients began awakening, she simply took the spot in the story."

  "How can you know all this?"

  "I've been around a long time, Madison Hawthorne. I have seen my share of Ancients."

  "You mean this really isn't the first time they've awakened?" This comes from Liam, but it's the same question I would've asked.

  "Of course not. They are too powerful to stay asleep indefinitely. Every now and then, an Ancient or two rises. But not as many as this time, all at the same time."

  There's a loud boom and the walls of Liam's house shake from the impact. The battle is right on the outskirts of the forest, it seems. My spell did that. Or so I thought.

  "When I brought down the barriers—“

  "The Oracles used that magic to cast a spell of her own. Her minions infiltrated the whole court in minutes, and the fighting began. She is not here to lead her army, but someone is doing it for her. I thought it was you. But now I see that it is not."

  "Wow, thank you so much for realizing I'm not an evil Ancient's helper," I say, just as another boom shakes the house. It's feels like magic, but I'm not sure where it's coming from. Sharing a glance with Aiden, I take another step toward the queen.

  "So if it's not me, then who?"

  "I have no idea," I can see the frustration in her eyes. The queen has lost control of her court and I can't even imagine that feeling. I find myself deep into self pity and regret when I lose control of just one aspect of my life. But then again, this is why I'm not the queen. But I am a witch from Hawthorne bloodline and apparently that means even more than I previously thought.

  "How do we figure it out?" I ask, because I'm not about to fall into a pit of despair. My friends and I are here to do whatever it takes to fix this. Of that I am sure.

  "It would have to be someone who she had access to. Which besides you, I cannot imagine anyone else. Unless you have passed something along."

  I open my mouth to ask another question, but then the queen's words become more clear in my mind. Someone the Oracle has access to. Sure, there are magical ways to connect people, but it would require a conduit. A connection between point A and point B. And right then, I realize what that is.

  "I know who it is," I whisper, as three sets of eyes swing to focus on me. Glancing at Liam first, I turn to Aiden. "It would've been you, but I didn't give you the elixir."

  "Mads," Liam's voice sounds over my shoulder, and I glance at him as he comes to the same realization as me. "You mean--"

  "Yes," I look back over at Aiden. "It's why she was so confused when she saw you." I say to him.

  "I don't understand."

  "The Oracle gave me an elixir, a medicine of sorts to help one individual. To save one life during the sickness. She thought I would give it to you. But I didn't."

  Aiden's eyes stay on mine, and I think that I'll see pain or disappointment there. But I see neither. He's still supporting me, trusting me that I made a decision that would've been the best one possible.

  "Who did you give it to?" Queen Amaryllis asks, pulling my attention to her.

  "Headmaster Marković."

  There's a short pause as I say his name, but then the queen nods.

  "It makes sense. She needed someone on the inside and now she has one of the best choices she could have picked." The queen mulls out loud, walking over to the other side of the room. I let her be, as I turn back to Aiden.

  "I'm sorry. I mean, now I'm glad I didn't give you the elixir, but I doesn't mean that I didn't want to. I—“

  "You made a choice for the good of the school." Aiden interrupts me, reaching for my hands and holding them in between us. The contact soothes me, just like it always does, and when I look up at him, I think he can read my emotions written all over my face. "There were plenty of other options. I wouldn't expect you to choose me over everyone else."

  "But I would've."

  The words leave me before I can stop them. Aiden inhales sharply, as if he's just as surprised I said them as I am. We stare at each other, the craziness of our situation forgotten, as if we're the only two people in the world. There is still so much I want to say to him, so many questions I haven't asked.

  "Not to interrupt this touching moment," Queen Amaryllis walks back over to our side of the room, "But now that I know who is helping her, I need to go to my people."

  "No," I reply, turning to face her. "You have one more question left to answer."

  "Which is?"

  "The Oracle said my father was much closer than I anticipated and then she dumped me right near Liam's house, smack dab in the middle of your court. So tell me, Your Highness, where is my father?"

  Liam jerks at my words, before spinning to face his aunt. She doesn't speak at first, standing up straighter, as if she needs to appear more queenly around me.

  "Do you know where Maddie's father is?" Liam asks, a note of anger coming into his voice. He's full on in protective mode now and I wouldn't blame him if he used some of the queen's magic on her. I didn't realize this before, but while the Oracle is fae, she's an older, wiser version of the queen in front of me. If she truly wanted to mess with me and mine, she would sprinkle pieces of truth into her lies.

  "Do you or do you not have Maddie's dad?"

  I've never seen Liam this angry before and if he wasn't on my side, I would be terrified. He's fae, through and through, and until this very moment, I didn't realize just how much he's been holding himself back.

  "Yes."

  One word, and it's like a nuclear explosion has gone off inside of me. But then, before I can think of it, I'm moving, my battle magic at my fingertips. I slam right into Liam, my hands on his chest, as I force him to look at me.

  "Liam! Don't!" The fae glances down at me and there is so much power in that one look, it takes so much out of me not to cower. But I keep my gaze steady, willing for him to calm down. My magic sparks at my hands, the pressure of his own beating against my palms. But he doesn't unleash it.

  Closing his eyes, he takes a few steadying breaths and his magic retreats to sit right under the surface. My own follows suit, calming in sections. When Liam opens his eyes again, they're the regular, kind and green that I love.

  "I'm sorry, Mads," he whispers, and that's when it clicks. It's not just that she's been keeping my dad a secret. It's that it's my dad. Som
ehow, Liam feels responsible. Without a thought, I throw my hands around his middle, holding him to me. His own entwine around my body, as he ducks his head into my shoulder.

  "This isn't your fault."

  "But I—“

  "You didn't fail me," I know exactly what he's going to say because it's what I've been saying this whole time. I've blamed myself for every decision I've made, for every spell that's gone array. But now I'm finding out that I've been a puppet from day one. I can only control the decisions I make, and I've made my choice to be a better version than what they think of me.

  Stepping back, I face the queen. Aiden is beside her, ready to pounce if she makes one wrong move and when I meet his eye, he gives me a firm nod. He's got my back. As usual.

  When I finally look at the queen I find surprise in her eyes. She glances between Liam and me as if she's never seen either one of us before.

  "Your friendship, it is...different."

  "You can say that again," I narrow my eyes, my own hatred for what she's done rising up inside of me. There's a slight pressure on my hand and then Liam's fingers entwine with me, as if it's his turn to keep me in place. I give it a grateful squeeze, as I stare down the queen.

  "It is not what you think, Madison Hawthorne."

  "Then you better explain it to me."

  She does that long slow study of me, that I'm really starting to hate, before she replies.

  "He is no prisoner of mine, any more than you are."

  "I don't understand."

  "We saved him from the Ancients and kept him as such while he conducted research for us. A deal for a deal."

  That's when it comes together for me. My dad, the smartest man I know, would never be so reckless or unprotected that he would disappear. But he would, if he didn't have a choice. That's why we thought he was kidnapped. But I guess we were half right.

  "He made a bargain."

  "He did."

  22

  I honestly don't know what to do with that information. A bargain is an unbreakable bond, even for someone as powerful as an Ancient. In truth, Queen Amaryllis has kept my father safe. Maybe safer than he would've been if he stay out there on his own.

  "When can he contact his family?" I ask, because that has to be the reason he's been gone. It's probably the terms of the contract. The queen inclines her head, solidifying my suspicions.

  "When he has found a way to cast the spell." That stops a lot of questions I have and I zero on just one.

  "What spell?"

  "Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to discuss the matter with you. I am incapable."

  Stupid fae and their stupid rules.

  A loud crash sounds from somewhere close by, making the walls shake once more. The sound makes me jump and I get another slight squeeze of comfort from Liam. Glancing at him, I realize our time is up.

  "Then, I guess that's that. Unless you can tell me where he is exactly?"

  "I cannot."

  Seriously, can't I catch a break? Shaking my head, I look at Liam.

  "Better get her out of here before the bind breaks," I say and he nods in response. I love the understanding between us. He doesn't have to question every move I make.

  "Is there anything you can tell us?" Aiden calls out, as Liam and the queen move toward the back door. He's stayed quiet through most of the exchange, giving me the opportunity to lead. But I can see the alpha in him wanting to protect and he's ready to do so at a drop of a hat.

  "I can tell you that this is about to get much worse," Queen Amaryllis says, looking each of us in the eye. "Everything until now was just one big lesson. Now, you are entering the test."

  She doesn't say anything else, leaving Aiden and I alone in the room. He moves towards me carefully, as if unsure of his welcome. True, we haven't talked since he bolted from the room when Natalie was making no sense. But I'm not holding that against him. A plan is formulating in my mind and I need his help to execute it.

  "What are you thinking, duchess?"

  I guess he knows me well enough to know I'm scheming.

  "I'm thinking that my father has to be close by. And I want to go and see if I can find him. She didn't say anything about it being against the bargain, did she?"

  "No," Aiden grins, looking a little proud of me. "She most certainly did not."

  His complete trust in me, and willingness to go along, makes my heart expand two sizes. I know we need to talk, and we will. But right now, first things first.

  After we check in with the rest of my friends, Aiden and I prepare to leave. Liam is at the back door, a bit restless himself.

  "Are you sure I can't come with you?" He asks.

  "You're needed here," I reply, giving his upper arm a quick squeeze. "If the queen is to be believed, your wards aren't going to stay up much longer. You need to hold the fort here, while Aiden and I sneak over to the palace."

  He nods, clearly not pleased with the situation. But he knows I'm right. Jade isn't happy either. But if we're to have a safe haven, we need to make sure Liam's house is standing when we return. And my friends understand that. They'll do what it takes.

  "Stay safe, cupcake," Liam calls, as Aiden and I step out of the house.

  "You too, cupcake," I reply. Liam stands in the doorway, watching us as Aiden and I run toward the woods.

  "I'm never going to understand the cupcake thing," the alpha comments, once we're in the forest.

  "That's okay, it's a Liam and me thing."

  Aiden makes a noise, and I'm not sure if it's a grunt or a growl. He's come to appreciate Liam in the last few weeks, of that I am sure. But no one but Liam and me needs to understand our inside jokes. I'm okay with that.

  We continue through the forest, as quietly as we can. Well, Aiden is a pro at that. I'm the one who has to keep watching where I step. The sounds of the battle echoes all around us. It's as if the leaves themselves amplify the noise. We haven't run into anyone yet, but it's inevitable. As far as we know, the woods are crawling with Ancient's minions now. It takes us about twenty minutes to get close to the palace, with Aiden weaving in and out of a straight path, to keep our scent confused.

  "Duchess," Aiden's voice reaching towards me, as he looks over his shoulder at me. We've been quiet for a while, and his voice jerks me out of my thoughts. "Are you okay?"

  I understand what he's asking, and the simple care in that one question almost breaks every wall I have erected. Because in that room, when the queen said my father is with her, a lot of emotions assaulted me at once. It was only my focus on Liam and preventing World War three is what stopped me from losing it. But Aiden can see it anyway. There's genuine concern in his voice and that makes my mind go to the conversation we haven't had yet.

  "I would be better if we talked about what Natalie said."

  "It's hard to explain." He says, as we find a place to crouch down at, with visibility of the palace. There are a few trolls roaming around, as if they too set up a perimeter outside the walls. I'm not seeing anyone in a physical battle at the moment, but the sound of it is still all around us.

  "Try."

  He studies me with those gorgeous eyes of his and I think that I've never been looked at quite like this. There is promise and want there. My heart is too full and too fragile to guess at the meaning behind that look, but I still hope. I still want. But for now, I wait.

  "Natalie...she thinks we're true mates." He finally utters, but it seems like it's almost painful for him to say. I furrow my brow, because I don't really know what that means. "Actually, they all do."

  "What is it?"

  "It's a story passed down through generations. It speaks of a pair of leaders, an alpha and his or her mate, who are true mates, a bond that transcends magic itself. In a hundred generations, we haven't had one. It's always been just a fairytale. Until now."

  "You think that's what we are?"

  I can't imagine what I feel for him to just be some magical prophecy or spell. It's so real, so powerful, it can't just be a fu
lfillment of an old story. But maybe that's all I am to him and he's been fighting it because he doesn't want it to be true.

  "True mates..." I swallow against the lump growing in my throat, "They have to stay together? Rule together?"

  "Yes. The pull between them is unbreakable."

  "Okay."

  What else am I supposed to say to that? I want to get up and walk away, but I can't exactly do that when we're crouching down in the middle of a war zone. The smart thing to do would've been to wait to have this conversation until later. But I'm not smart when it comes to Aiden, that has already been established.

  "Maddie," his voice reaches towards me, only a name on his lips, but I feel it all over my body. "It's not some magical prison. It's called a true mate because the relationship is a genuine connection that grows, and when the connection is acknowledged, only then does it bind magically."

  I'm completely helpless against the pull I feel towards him, and so once again I'm looking at him as he looks at me. I let the words he spoke wash over me, but it's still too surreal for me to comprehend. I can't actually imagine him choosing me over Natalie. I can't see myself being enough for him. Not after everything I've done.

  "And if the connection is not acknowledged?"

  "Then, the two can go on living their separate lives. But never truly finding home. Not like they would together."

  I can't seem to look away from his intense gaze, and if I'm being honest, I don't want to. All I want to do is close the distance between us and lose myself in his kiss. It's like he hear my inner thoughts, because his eyes flash with desire and he doesn't bother to mask it.

  "I heard you, duchess. That day in my room. You promised me you'd tell me when I was awake. And you haven't. Did you change your mind?"

  Suddenly, I can't force enough air into my lungs. He heard me. My measly confession, that wasn't a confession at all. Just ramblings of a girl too far into a guy that she can't have. I thought it didn't work, I thought he wouldn't be able to hear me.