by Ivy Clyde
I was quiet as my mind went back to the events of that morning. Princes Rowan, Cade, and Leon were arrogant, rude and cruel. At least, people like Isla weren’t discriminated against for being human.
“I heard how the princes rejected you one after the other this morning,” said Isla.
“You did?”
Isla gave a nod and sat up straighter. “Why do you think they picked me to be your mentor? They think another jilted girl would be able to provide you more comfort.”
“Who jilted you?” I asked. A part of me was very conscious of how much I was asking Isla. This was the first time I spoke this much to anyone in the past couple of years. Still, I couldn’t help talking and asking her about everything.
Isla’s nonchalance disappeared. “Gavin promised to make me his one true mate. We were together for the past three years. A few months back, his mother forced him to break all ties with me so he could get engaged to Greer who is the daughter of a noble. Gavin’s mother thinks it will give her son the chance to work for the royal court.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah,” she said with a grim nod. “Greer is a bigger bitch though. She accepted the proposal even when she knows Gavin and I have been together for so long. Oh well,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. “If she wants to have my seconds, let her have at it.”
Even when she tried to brush it away, I could hear the slight tremor in her voice.
“What about Gavin? Does he have to do as his mom tells him to?”
“He doesn’t have a choice,” she said bitterly. “She threatened to kill herself if he didn’t get married to Greer. His father is in a lot of debt and is getting death threats from the people who loaned him the money. Gavin has to do something to make good money or his family could be punished severely. Marrying Greer will cushion him and his family. I told him to agree with it.” She brushed her tears away furiously. “Bloody shit!” she shouted, glaring at me. “I can’t believe you made me break down and tell you my sob story.”
“Sorry,” I said sincerely. “I had no idea it was so complicated.”
“Forget about me,” she said, leaning back against the pillow. “I just explained how humans aren’t discriminated against here. You would have been lucky to be a human. Even if the princes rejected you, others would’ve wanted to help you. Right now, you’re a completely useless fae woman. You can’t even go and be a concubine in someone’s household.”
“Ew! I don’t want to do that.”
“Why are you acting disgusted? It’s an easy life and if you bear children, you’ll be treated even better. Most human concubines get to bathe in gold.”
“No way!” I said assertively. “I want to learn how to get control of my powers. I don’t ever want to be weak or powerless again.”
Isla sighed. “You want to take the hard path.”
“I don’t care how hard it is,” I said. “People have hunted me for most of my life. I didn’t even know what it was about me that attracted them to me and turned them into such monsters. I’ve been running my whole life. It’s time to stop doing that. I want to learn about this world and carve my own place here.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll do my best to teach but I must tell you that it takes years to hone your magic unless you’re one those rare, talented ones who were born that way.”
“Teach me,” I said with a nod. “I’ll work very hard to learn.”
She stared at me intently. “At least, you’re sincere.”
“Can you explain something else to me?” I asked.
“Sure. What is it?”
“Where exactly are we?” I asked. “One moment I am in the underground faerie market and the next, I am transported here.”
Isla chuckled. “They didn’t tell you?”
I shook my head.
“We are in Aelia, the kingdom of the solar fae. This nation takes up about half of an island in the middle of the Irish Sea. Humans, of course, have no idea. Their navigational technologies fail to detect the presence of this island and we can go on with our lives without their interference.”
“That explains the Scottish-Irish accent you guys seem to have,” I said.
Sitting up again, she stretched her arms over her head. “Let’s go out for a walk. I can show you around the grounds, so you don’t get lost.”
“Yes!” I cheered. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to explore this place but Holly locked me in.”
Isla halted in her steps. “You have to be careful, Moira,” she said in a grim tone. “The fae love playing tricks. They wouldn’t spare someone who is as gullible and naïve as you. It would be even funnier because you’re a full-fledged high fae. You’re someone they will see as a moronic idiot. Do you understand?”
“Is that the reason the princes rejected me?”
Isla laughed loudly. “They are vying for the throne. At least, Prince Rowan and Cade are, but just because Prince Leon stays aloof doesn’t mean he isn’t planning something to take the two down. They need the most powerful mates on their side. No offense, but no one would want you as a mate.”
“I don’t care about others,” I muttered.
She poked a hard finger at the side of my head. “Wake up! I know the three princes are gorgeous and the most powerful warriors of the realm, but you can’t dream of being with them. Really, don’t even daydream about it. No ancient prophecy or mating seal is ever going to make those three men even look at you.”
My heart squeezed at her words. Were they that out of reach? It was only last night that Rowan rescued me from a vampire. He had even been nice to me.
“Cry if you have to,” said Isla in a hard voice. “But make sure you throw any delusions in your mind. The three princes are dangerous, especially Rowan. He can kill you without even needing to touch you. Out of all three princes, he’s the one you need to watch out for most.”
The memory of Rowan killing the vampire flashed in my mind. He’d let his magic kill the night-walker. Isla wasn’t lying about him or his abilities.
“Look, there are lots of wonderful things about this place,” said Isla in a softer tone. “They will be enough to distract you. If you want to live here independently, focus on learning and training. The quicker you hone your powers, the quicker you will be accepted in normal society.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I want to learn.”
“Okay, let me take you around for a tour of the grounds,” said Isla. “It will give me the chance to skip the class on Human Technologies so I don’t have to see Greer canoodling with my Gavin.”
I smiled internally. The world of Belenus Court didn’t seem too different from Lost Sanctum High School after all. Broken hearts hurt the same way here like they did back there.
8
Moira
Isla led me down the hallway and down a staircase. Reaching the lower level of the castle, she marched down a network of corridors which was impossible to remember. Soon, the sounds of voices floated toward us.
“Make sure to stay by my side,” said Isla as she walked through an open doorway.
A vast garden came into my view. Before I could admire the beautiful flowering shrubs and the large leafy trees dotting the place, my attention went to the people sitting everywhere. Most resembled Isla and me but there were others who had different appearances like the people I’d spotted in the underground troll market.
“Who rules over the fae here?” I asked as we walked through the tall grass. Even though the garden was beautiful, there was a wildness to it. Everything was natural. Nothing looked like it had been touched by the hand of a gardener.
“That’s a good question,” said Isla with a light smile. “You should be familiar with the political side of things here. There are different factions of fae. The highest and most powerful are the elves but they are divided by their origins. For example, the lumina fae originated from the wombs of Goddess Aine who is the goddess of light. The sun is a powerful source of power for your kind, so learn
how to harness it as soon as you can.”
“So, who rules over the solar fae?”
“King Drustan and Queen Brenna rule over the solar fae. The lumina fae are divided into two factions- the solar fae and lunar fae. Just as the solar fae draw powers from the sun, the lunar fae harness their powers from the moon. There is a big divide between them but in ancient times, they were united.”
“So, Prince Rowan, Cade, and Leon are their sons?”
Isla cast a sideways glance at me and narrowed her eyes.
“I just want to know about the power play here,” I said at once. “You said the three princes were vying for the throne, so I want to know why. Doesn’t the eldest one automatically qualify for the position?”
Grabbing my hand, she pulled me behind the trunk of an oak tree. She put a finger to her lips. Leaning closer, she whispered, “Don’t say that out so loudly. What if one of the princes or the queen’s spies heard you?”
“Oh.”
She straightened up and took a step back. “The three princes are the sons of King Drustan,” said Isla in a lowered voice. “However, they come from different mothers.”
“Who is the eldest?”
“Will you let me finish talking or not?”
I stayed quiet while she glared at me with a dramatic look on her face.
“King Drustan has been married to the queen for over nine centuries now. They had sons and daughters but over the years, they died, either because of war or some kind of sickness. At one point in time, there were no heirs left for the throne. So, the king married Lady Ingrid and made her a royal consort. Three centuries passed and she couldn’t bear him a child. Desperate for an heir, he married Lady Cynthia who was a human-born.”
“The king can marry more than one woman?”
“He’s the king!”
“Right.”
“Stop interrupting me!”
“Sorry.”
Isla glared at me haughtily before continuing. “Prince Rowan was born from Lady Cynthia. Prince Cade was born from Queen Brenna and Prince Leon was born from Lady Ingrid. They were all born with only a few months between each other. Technically, Prince Rowan is the eldest and does have the claim to the throne but Queen Brenna wants Cade to be the next king because he is her son. Royal consorts are a class below the queen, so she wants her son to have more power.”
“Wow, that’s really complicated.”
“Yep.” Isla leaned close to me and whispered, “Rumors say that it was Queen Brenna who had Lady Cynthia assassinated.”
My eyes widened. “Rowan’s mom was killed by Cade’s mother?” I gasped. “Is Leon’s mother okay?”
She nodded. “Both Lady Ingrid and Prince Leon stay out of court politics. I guess they want to stay safe.”
A long breath whooshed out of me. The beauty of the garden around me was dazzling but Isla’s revelations dimmed its magnificence. The fae had power and wealth but they were still prey to emotions and vices. No matter how much they thought themselves superior to humans, they were the same in this aspect.
“Let’s continue walking,” said Isla, walking away from the large oak tree. “Don’t ask me about the royals anymore. You will hear more outrageous rumors floating around the castle. Hear whatever comes by but don’t engage in any talks. A powerless person like you needs to keep their head down and stay away from attention.”
Isla’s tone was grim. I stayed silent, looking around the students who were sitting around in groups, both small and large, and enjoying the afternoon sunshine. No one looked at us twice as we passed through the garden.
“This place feels like a high school,” I said as the sight reminded me of summer times back in my old high school.
“Belenus Court is a kind of fae academy,” said Isla. “And Lady Chantal is like a headmistress. She guides and supervises the teachers and instructors while looking after the needs of the students here. The gossiping and bullying are sadly very similar to a high school for humans. The strong love to torture the weak.” A sigh escaped her as she continued walking.
“How come you know so much about the human world?”
“I am training to work for Lord Artemis,” said Isla. “Since things haven’t worked out between me and Gavin, I am forced to look for a proper job after I leave the Court next year. Along with regular sessions on magic use, I get lessons on human technologies. They are always coming up with something new there. Technology changes with every generation and it is difficult to keep up. I also have to learn about their politics and pop culture so I can work with the Order of the Third Son without any problems.”
I felt internally grateful that Lady Chantal chose Isla to be my mentor. She was familiar with the world I’d just left.
Isla suddenly came to a halt. “Let’s go that way.” She was about to grab my hand but I moved away.
I’d already noticed Cade a few feet away, sitting with a group of beautiful young women. His body was leaning against a stone bench but his gaze was fixed on me. He said something to the girls around him and they all started laughing. Their eyes watered with mirth as they all turned to stare at me.
A sudden spark of fire blasted close to my face. I jumped backward, throwing up my hands.
Cade and his gang laughed loudly.
“She can’t even block that,” shouted one of the girls. She was beautiful with long auburn locks but the wicked grin on her face showed how malicious she was. “How could Chantal even say she was your potential mate? She was surely taking a piss at you, My Highness.”
Cade laughed. “I could even consider the matter if she were an actual human. She’s not even that. What an absolute waste of life!”
Cold spread through my chest. Plenty of people at my old high school threw insults at me but why did it hurt so much when it poured out from Cade’s lips?
“Let’s get out of here,” hissed Isla through the corner of her mouth. “Everyone is watching.”
I was about to turn away but the brush of tiny spiky feet on my skin made me look down at my hand. A giant black spider was scurrying up my arm. A shrill cry escaped me as I jerked my arm to get it off me. Before I could get rid of it, a few more spiders scurried up my arm.
“Where are they coming from?” I shouted, jerking my arms wildly. More spiders scuttled up my legs. Panic gripped me. I hated spiders more than anything but right now, I was covered in them. I jumped and shook my arms and legs, but the more I struggled, the more they came at me.
Laughter rang out all around me.
“Help me, Isla!” I shouted.
“What’s happening to you?” she shouted back. “Why have you suddenly gone crazy?”
“The spiders...” I gasped, still desperately trying to shake them off me. “Get them off! Get them off!”
Understanding dawned on Isla’s confused face. She made a complicated hand movement. At once, the spiders caught fire and incinerated before my eyes, turning into ashes in the blink of an eye. A passing breeze blew away their remains from my clothes and skin.
“Thanks,” I blurted.
“Wipe your face.” She handed me a handkerchief. The roar of laughter around us was so loud, it hurt my ears. Isla looked sorry for me as she moved forward to wipe at my face. It took me another second to realize she was cleaning up the tear streaks there.
“Why did those spiders attack me?” I whispered.
“Nothing attacked you,” said Isla, grabbing my arm. She forcefully dragged me away from the courtyard. “They used glamor to trick you into seeing spiders or whatever. You were jumping and dancing like a mad person. Most elves automatically put up a barrier to protect themselves from such silly tricks but you don’t know anything. Prince Cade just made his point to the rest of the school. You’re not only unworthy to be his mate. You are unworthy to be any fae’s mate!”
“He’s already made it clear I am not fit to be his mate,” I said through clenched teeth. Pain and humiliation lanced through me. It was a struggle to speak through my choked throat. �
��Did he have to make me out to be such a worthless piece of shit in front of everyone?”
We’d reached a secluded part of the grounds by now. Isla stopped in her tracks and turned to face me. “I warned you, Moira. Being connected to the royals will bring you nothing but trouble.”
“What about the girls who were sitting with Cade?” I demanded.
“They are from noble families,” said Isla. “They have been training at Belenus Court since they were children. Compared to them, you’re nothing.”
Tears streamed down my face. My old doubts and fears were coming back. Was I cursed to live a life where everyone thought I was useless and trouble, whether it be the fae or the humans? Could I never be free of my own worthlessness?
“Stop crying,” snapped Isla.
I brushed away the tears but couldn’t stop the flow. All my hopes of finding a better life here were crumbling before my eyes. The people at this school wouldn’t leave me alone. Cade had shown my weakness to everyone. Even the weakest person wouldn’t shy away from bullying me. He’d put a target on my back. Kids without magic were dangerous enough. Kids with magical powers would be absolutely ruthless and lethal. Would I even survive with my life here?
A sphere of orange light gently descended between me and Isla. I eyed it suspiciously but Isla reached toward it and caught it in her hand. The bubble of light burst, leaving a short piece of paper on her palm. Her brows joined together as she read something on it. “Can you wait here for me?” she asked, looking up at me. “I have received a message from Lady Chantal and need to go see her immediately. Will you be okay on your own?”
I still had a lot of questions for Isla but my mind was filled with too much self-loathing at the moment. It would be a relief to get away from her for a while so I could calm myself again.
I gave a nod. “Go ahead. I’ll wait here.”
Isla left me in the deserted courtyard. I looked around but found nothing but a portion of the castle and a blossoming magnolia tree nearby. The sight of the pink and white blossoms calmed me a little but just as I was about to reach them, a light drizzle started up.