by Sela Croft
She was about to speak, but Kaida took a sharp turn and dove downward. The rush sent another flurry of giggles flying from Callie’s mouth, stealing her words. She tightened her hold on me and pressed her face into my back.
“You’re missing the best part,” I said, urging her to look.
When she pulled back, I heard her gasp again. “Whoa,” she whispered.
I had soared over the city countless times before, and the wonderment of it had worn off for me. But experiencing it with her was like experiencing through her eyes. The light from the heart of the city cast its brilliance over everything around us. The buildings below shimmered, the glow refracting in a million different directions, amplifying the beauty of the scene.
The mountains rose in the distance. Even shrouded in darkness, they held an allure. There was something mysteriously terrifying about them, something forbidden yet beautiful. The trees swayed in the wind, and a blanket of clouds drifted through them.
I directed Kaida farther out of the city, bringing us lower when we crossed over a large lake. Our reflection danced beneath us, and Kaida’s wing dipped into the water, sending up a splash. With a fit of laughter, Callie buried her face against my shoulder again.
In that moment, I wasn’t a prince. I wasn’t a vampire, and she wasn’t a human. I was a young man, just eighteen years old, again. And she was a young, beautiful woman. We were lost together. And it was bliss.
On the other side of the lake, we neared the line of trees marking the great forest. Kaida pulled up and we soared over the fields. The crops were lined up around us. Farmers and foresters dotted the rows below us, busy with their work.
We had entered the realm beyond the world of light. We were on the border of the Fae territory, but fear and concern couldn’t ruin the beauty of the moment.
“How do the plants grow without sunlight?” Callie asked. “They look so lush. And the trees are as huge as the redwoods back home.”
“Look closer,” I said.
She leaned over, still holding tightly to me, and peered down at the fields below us. Between the leaves and stalks, speckles of light littered the ground.
“The ground is glowing.”
“They’re crystals. They do the work of your sun, giving light and nutrients to the plants, animals, and inhabitants of this dark world.”
“It’s strange that a world dark, and harboring enemies can be so beautiful.”
“It is beautiful,” I said. “But it’s cold.”
“Cold?”
I moved my hands to hers, intertwining our fingers and stretching our arms out. The wind blew against our outstretched arms, sending a chill rushing through her. She shivered, wrapping her arms around me again.
“It’s the breeze,” Callie said.
“It’s the place. This place is without light and without warmth. Like the beings who live here.”
Up ahead, I spotted flashes in the dark. They were isolated to one specific area, and I knew instantly what they meant. I instructed Kaida to turn around and take us home.
“Why?” Callie asked. “I don’t want to go back yet.”
“There’s a disturbance up ahead. It’s better if you don’t witness that.”
“You wanted me to see your realm,” Callie said. “And that’s what I want to do. If I’m going to understand this world, then I need to understand its problems, not just its beauty.”
Chapter 21
Logan
I didn’t like it, but she was right. If I was going to ask her to join my side of the fight, she had to see what that side looked like. It wasn’t the side of bloodthirsty killers, like she may have thought at the beginning. We weren’t the heartless individuals, she’d heard of from the humans.
We were doing what was required to survive.
As we grew closer to the disturbance, I understood what was going on. A group of foresters and farmers were locked in a land dispute. It was a common issue in our lands. The border lands were a constantly shifting paradox, with the lines being redrawn regularly in response to the ever-present threat that loomed in the surrounding areas. Each time the Fae moved closer, our lands shrank. With each assault, new legislation had to be discussed.
The farmers and foresters had the right to be frustrated with the constantly shifting lines they were confined to work within. But there was nothing more we could do. Allowing them to remain too close to the overthrown areas would put them at risk.
“Who are all those people?” Callie said.
The crowd was large. It was a mix of humans and vampires. The humans worked the land; the vampires oversaw their work. The vampires made up the ruling class and were responsible for dealing with any disputes, such as the one we were witnessing.
“Farmers, foresters, and police.”
“I wonder who’s who.”
I sensed Callie’s meaning. Despite my attempts to show her that the vampires weren’t evil, it was clear that our place in our society still disturbed her. I couldn’t blame her. She was witnessing her own kind being treated as nothing more than servants or food sources.
Although, she hadn’t seen the human farms. At least, I hoped she hadn’t. Just the thought of her witnessing that part of who I was, overwhelmed me with guilt.
“We’ll help to resolve this,” I said. It would be best for her to see me in my official role.
This would be my chance to show her that I was not the heartless ruler she had so often considered me to be. I hadn’t chosen this, no one had. Becoming a vampire had been my only chance for survival. It had been the only thing any of us could do to ensure that we remained, and with us, the light.
The conflict, although originating between the farmer and foresters, seemed to have turned against the police. It wasn’t uncommon for situations to end in this fashion. The humans preferred that we stayed out of their conflicts.
It was a sign of the times that they took any opportunity to turn against us. It was what made them more vulnerable to the allures of joining the Fae. With our enemies constantly whispering in their ears, telling them that we were oppressing them, they were more willing to see that than the reality of the situation—we were protecting them, as much as they were aiding us.
Kaida landed behind the heated group. “What is going on here?” I said.
At first, no one heard me. I slid off the dragon’s back and helped Callie down. We took a few steps closer, and I repeated my question. Then one of the farmers turned to face us.
“The prince!” he yelled, and the crowd went silent.
Everyone turned to face us. It was clear that my presence had awed them. I felt Callie’s eyes burning into my back, while she waited to see what I would do.
“Well, come on, someone explain the trouble.”
One of foresters sheepishly spoke. “The farmers are crowding our land again.”
“It’s nothing you need concern yourself with, your grace,” one of the well-dressed police officers said, stepping forward. “We can handle it.”
“Oh, because you’re doing so well!” one of the farmers exclaimed. “You don’t know where the line is. All you care about it shutting us up.”
“Is this true?” I asked calmly.
“They are exaggerating, my lord.”
“And what have you done to resolve the issue?”
“I told them to get back to work.”
“And how does that resolve anything?”
“What does it matter who is working where? As long as they’re working.”
I scanned the crowd. Their faces were filled with desperation. I could sense their frustration and I knew the source of it.
“This is their livelihood,” I said. “They take pride in their work and what they do is necessary for our survival.”
“Not ours,” the police officer said, with a gruff laugh. The others from his fleet joined in the taunting laugh.
It was true that we didn’t eat the food they produced. We didn’t need the warmth of the fires their logs gave
. Most of the materials produced in this part of the realm went to the humans living inside the city. But we needed the humans inside the city, for reasons I wasn’t going to detail in that moment.
“Don’t be so sure of that,” I said. “Every individual in our realm is important. Each, and every one of you matters. I understand that the situation is frustrating for you. I wish I could give you back your land—all of it. But I simply cannot. That doesn’t mean that your troubles are any less important. They are part of the conflict we are all enduring. We are doing all we can to take back our lands.”
A forester spoke up. “And what are we to do in the meantime?”
“I will ensue that all police officers working the lands are informed of the new regulations. I will make it exceedingly clear that they are here to keep the peace, not to provoke more anger.”
My eyes drifted over to the police officer, who had so foolishly chosen to speak up.
“You know how important these people are. You are to treat them as equals. I can find others to do your job, mind you. They provide a service that vampires can’t. So, they could be considered more valuable than you.”
The officer stiffened, but didn’t argue.
“For now, work the lands you’re certain are yours. Leave the borders for tomorrow. After my men have been better educated regarding the land disputes, they will not only clarify the confusion, they will help to catch up on any work that needs to be done, in those areas that were left unattended.”
This seemed to appease the crowd. Perhaps it was my presence that did most of the work. They weren’t going to question my word, especially not with a dragon hovering behind me. Even the police officers accepted my decision.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have time to speak to each group that erupts in a dispute like that personally,” I said to Callie, once we were in the air. “But if I did, I’d love to see my realm governed in that fashion. That is one of the reasons I want this war to end. I want peace—for all of us.”
“Did you mean what you said? That the humans are your equals?”
“They play an important role here. I would be foolish to deny that. They are our equals, especially in this fight. In our day-to-day life, we couldn’t survive without them. They couldn’t survive without us, either.”
“They couldn’t survive, without the race that feeds off them?”
“It sounds ironic, but we protect them. They think the Fae will give them freedom, but they’re wrong. The world of darkness is no place for a mortal. If we are unkind, then the Fae are savage. In our realm, they have lives and jobs and families. In the Fae realm, there is none of that—only fear and pain and suffering. The darkness feeds off those things. As I said, it’s not only the lack of light that makes their lands so treacherous. It’s the cold—the empty void that they thrive off.”
Callie was beginning to understand. I found solace in that. I knew that she couldn’t fully understand my side, not from her position. No matter what, the humans would always be at our mercy. We were predators, and they were our prey.
I didn’t like it any more than she did.
The time had gone by quickly. I wasn’t sure how long we’d been gone, but it had been a while. When we returned to my home, Callie’s eyes began to droop. Kaida left us on the rooftop and took her leave. I guided Callie back to her quarters.
She crossed the room and looked out the window. The breeze blew her hair back and carried her scent to me. I followed her, knowing that I would need to leave her again, but not wanting to.
“Will you try to escape?” I said, and rested my hands on the glass ledge in front of us.
“I do know my way around now,” Callie said, and turned to look up at me.
“I won’t force you to stay here, Callie. I’ve done everything I can to show you that you are safe, as long as you are in my land.”
She looked into the distance again, then took a step in my direction. “Are they looking for her?”
“It’s their top priority right now.”
“Then I’ll stay put,” Callie said and stood close to me. My head spun from her proximity. Once again, I felt as if I had stepped back in time, to a time when things were simpler. In that instant, the only thing on my mind was her. Not the realm. Not the war. Not the Fae.
All I could think about was the way she looked up at me, her eyes meeting mine. Her hand moved to my shoulder, and I wondered what it meant. I felt myself move into her, taking the chance that she would reciprocate. Nerves pulsed through me, and my chest tightened.
“I’m glad you’ll stay,” I said softly. “I need to know that you’re safe.”
“Why?”
“Because when I’m not with you, it takes everything in me not to come running back to your side. When I’m not here, I worry about you. I think about you, and I miss you.”
Then I leaned in, and she did, too. The second our lips met, time stood still. My body shuddered at feeling her pressed against me. My arms wrapped around her, and her hands lifted to my neck, then she ran her fingers through my hair.
I gave in to the moment, lost in the feeling of being with her. It was the only thing I wanted. All I wanted was her…
I pulled back, inhaling sharply. It was too much—too intense. She must have sensed the tension passing between us. She seemed breathless.
“I have to go,” I said, and stepped back. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to, but… I have to find Raulia and my sister and Dequan…”
“It’s okay,” she said, smiling. “I understand…go take care of your kingdom.”
That’s exactly what I needed to do. That’s what I needed to concentrate on. As much as I wanted to focus on her, I had other things that needed my attention. And the longer I spent with her, the farther they drifted from my thoughts.
“I’ll be here when you get back,” Callie said. “I promise.”
Chapter 22
Logan
Leaving the room allowed me to think again. At least, it let me breathe. It was the first time in a long time that I felt the need to breathe. Dependence on oxygen was something humans suffered from, not vampires.
But, being close to Callie had made me feel light-headed. It was an exhilarating feeling, as much as it was disconcerting. Yet another paradox of humanity I’d forgotten about.
Butterflies in my stomach, tightness in my chest, nerves coursing through me—it was blissfully terrifying.
It wasn’t important, though. Not in that moment. Enough time had passed, so surely one of my trusted advisors had uncovered something. My first stop was Raulia.
During my absence, she had requested my company in the principal confinement tower of the city’s prison complex, located on the border between our land and our enemy’s.
When I walked through the prison’s large, metal doors, I sensed a lot of activity. No individual stood still. They all moved swiftly, some too quickly for my eyes to follow.
“What’s going on?” I asked the head tower guard, after making my way through the crowd.
“It seems as if there is more unrest spreading through the outskirts. The vampire hunters and other allies of the Fae are stirring up trouble, and there isn’t enough room for everyone being brought in.”
Normally, I would be happy that progress was being made and our enemies were being rounded up. But the sheer number of them was overwhelming. I felt a hollow pit of despair.
“Do what you can to keep order,” I said, unsure what else to offer.
I had no orders to give. I couldn’t say anything, until I knew what we were up against. Instead, I dismissed the guard, and sent him back into the madness, with no more guidance than he had before my arrival.
Slightly discouraged, I made my way up the winding steps toward the top of the tower, where Raulia waited for me—hopefully with answers. I tried to take advantage of the moment alone to relax and calm down. When I stepped closer to the door, I realized that calm wasn’t waiting for me.
The sounds of a scuffle bounced
off the heavy stone walls around me. I quickened my pace to close the space between myself and the large wooden door. Just as I reached my destination, an alarm sounded. It blared through the air, the urgency pushing me forward.
Throwing my shoulder into it, I burst into the room, ready to fight. It was a good thing, because the scene in front of me was an all-out brawl. Raulia, in her wolf form, darted back and forth, with a large, gruesome figure chasing her.
I identified the being as Fae. Although human-like in form, the creature in front of me was not like the frail mortals that roamed through my realm. His arms were massive, and covered in thick, armor-like skin. His eyes were black and empty, and fangs protruded from his mouth.
He leaped forward, arms outstretched, and threw Raulia against the wall. The room shook with the impact. As she slid to the ground, pebbles skittered down the wall behind her. She shook off the blow and got to her feet. With her hackles raised and her lips pulled back over her teeth, she lunged forward. But the Fae beast anticipated her move and darted to the side.
I summoned my ability and focused my energy on the dark being. Then I pushed with all my might, and threw him across the room. He flew into the wall with force, his face banging into the stone. He fell to the ground and didn’t rise.
Raulia and I stood, waiting for him move. But he didn’t.
“You killed him,” Raulia said, then she shifted back to her human form. I turned my back to her, allowing her to retrieve her clothes from the ground. “I could have handled it, you know. I was hoping to get more information from him.”
She tapped me on the shoulder, letting me know that she was dressed. I turned to face her, her red hair tousled about her face and her deep blue eyes glaring up at me, angrily.
“Well, you’ll have to settle with what you have. What did you learn?”
“I know that the Fae have established a network throughout Shadowland. It’s an intricate system and well organized.”
“That explains how they’ve been able to coordinate so many attacks at differing locations.”
“More than that, they’ve had help.”