by Talia Jager
“Fine, then as the Aurorian, I dismiss this stupid command Kallan gave you.”
“Promise.”
“What?”
“It was a promise.”
“What exactly were the terms of this promise?”
“To be second in command, I have to protect you with my life.”
I sighed. “And that means only he can let you off the hook, doesn’t it?”
Drake nodded. “Yes.”
“What do you think Sierra would think of this? She’d kill me if I let anything happen to you,” I said back to him. “She’ll give me hell just knowing that a promise like this even exists.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “I must focus on you and this situation right now.”
“Fine. You said Kallan was guarding somebody.”
Drake looked away and nodded.
“Who?”
I could tell he didn’t want to tell me, but he had to. He couldn’t lie. “Adam.”
“Adam?! My Adam? Adam from the human realm? That Adam?”
“Yes,” he responded quietly so I would lower my voice.
“You’re telling me that Adam is in a cage in that cave with Kallan guarding him.”
“Yes.”
Could this get any worse? I held my head in my hands for a few minutes, trying to wrap my mind around this and figure out what to do about it. I wasn’t sure sending for an army would do any good. We were too far from home to get help quickly. We’d send word, but it would take a while before an army got here, if they even came at all.
There were only seven of us. What could we possibly do to get Kallan and Adam out of there and then how do we fix Kallan?
A flutter above caught my attention. I held my hand up to block the sun, which let me see the piskie I had lost a few hours with. I waved her down and she flew close to me. “You owe me one,” I told her. “I need you to tell my mother where we are. You know who she is?”
She gave a quick nod before flying away. I had no idea what Azura would or could do, but any help would be better than what we had.
I turned to Drake. “I’m going in with you, Drake.”
He stared in my eyes like we were having a no blinking contest, but then said, “Fine, but invisible.”
I nodded curtly.
“We need to go now before they realize two of their guards are dead,” Warren said.
I willed myself invisible and the seven of us entered the cave again. When we got to the split, I heard voices to the right and tiptoed closer to hear. The first voice was a male voice. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t get the friend or the parents—”
“It’s fine. He’ll have to do. Now we need word to get back to her that we have him and lure her here. We’ll get her this time.”
Drake took my arm and pulled me down to the door. Zanna put her hand on a crescent moon etched into the cave and the door opened. “Only opens for the dark,” she whispered to me.
Slowly, she pulled open the door and the seven of us entered. I was baffled by what I saw. A cage was lifted in the air about two feet over a pool of water.
Adam was in the cage. Kallan was on the sidelines, rigid, watching the cage. I had to save Adam and Kallan, but I didn’t know how to do either.
“There’s no one else here right now. Let’s get them out,” I suggested.
“Rylie, someone gave him faery sight. If you drop your invisibility glamour, he will see you in your true form.”
“I don’t care.” That was the least of my worries. I turned visible and started toward Adam.
“You can’t!” Drake grabbed my arm.
I yanked away and glared at him. “I know Kallan doesn’t like Adam and you’re loyal to Kallan, but—”
“It’s not that. I’m trying to protect you, Rylie. That’s not water Adam is hanging over. It’s Tetterzu, a faery poison. You touch it, you die.”
I rocked back on my heels. That changed things. Now what? Azura’s words came back to me. Nature manipulator. Control the earth.
I knew what to do to get Adam out, but before I could rescue either of them, a bunch of guards filed into the room from the doorway on the left followed by Satine and Kyro. My wings fluttered and I willed myself invisible again before they saw me.
“Seize them!” Satine yelled.
Zanna and Sebille took two of them out before they even had a chance to move. I couldn’t let Satine get the upper hand. I felt around for a talent I could use.
Using the power of the faery with yellow wings, I knocked them all down to the ground like he had done to me.
“The Aurorian is here,” Kyro announced. He turned to Kallan, who was just staring straight ahead. “Find her.”
Kallan didn’t respond. He just started walking our direction.
Kallan. It’s me, my love. Can you hear me?
No response.
“Stay still,” Drake whispered obviously to me.
He was closer now and I could see the lost expression on his face. It was like his body was a shell. I held back the tears threatening to come. I remembered Varwik saying he could detect an invisible faery. I wondered if Kallan could do that too.
I got prepared to hit them all again with the pulse I had just used. It would send Kallan to the ground too, but I didn’t have a choice. He was under their command and that meant he was a danger to me.
Satine scowled. “Bring Ahern in. He might have lost to her before, but that’s what makes him even better now. Oleander, as you see I did get to the human realm and brought back a surprise. He is unharmed, but won’t be for long. Surrender yourself now and I’ll let him go. If you don’t, I have no problem torturing him or using him. Maybe next time it’ll be your parents.”
Furious, I vowed to put an end to Satine.
The other faery from outside the castle walked in and I could no longer feel other powers. The blocker had to go.
I remembered how Azura said Aurorians could control the elements. Using the air, I conjured up a small twister and sent it right at Ahern. Focusing on it, I made it stronger and Ahern was picked up. Using my hands to guide it, I steered it into the back wall and then made the twister dissipate throwing Ahern into the wall.
Kallan froze mid-step and I knew Drake was using his power on him. Kyro formed a fireball and threw it at Drake, forcing him to release Kallan and freeze the fireball. Kallan punched Drake, knocking him over, and then looked at the rest of us. He started coming toward me again. I tried to stay invisible and completely still and not breathe just in case he couldn’t see me, but when he looked right in my eyes, I knew he could feel me.
“Grab her!” Kyro yelled to Kallan.
Kallan reached out and grabbed me. I dropped the invisibility. No point in it now. Maybe if he saw me, he’d let go.
“Squeeze the life out of her,” Kyro ordered.
Kallan backed me up to the wall and placed his hands around my neck.
Kyro laughed. “I love that I’m able to control him, tell him what to do, and push him around.”
Satine laughed. “Well, darling, that is because of me.”
“Yes. I know. You keep throwing it in my face.”
“Brother, don’t kill the girl. Just knock her out,” Satine ordered. Looking at Kyro, she said, “I want her alive. We will use her.”
My lungs burned without air and I struggled trying to get free. Kallan. This isn’t you. Fight it.
I tried to see around him. Drake was fighting a guard with his fists, Zanna and Sebille took aim at others, Warren was removing his blade from a guard on the ground, and Olwydd was trying to get out of his own chokehold. Bayard lay on the ground. If he wasn’t dead, he was close.
The sides of my vision were getting blurry and I knew it would be only seconds until I p
assed out. Kallan. Please hear me. I love you.
Run, Rylie.
I looked around. Had I imagined that? I swore I heard someone tell me to run. Had it been in my head? Kallan?
Slowly his grip loosened and I could tell by the look in his eyes he was struggling. Tears sprang to my eyes as I kicked him back and broke free. I immediately turned invisible and headed toward the door. I had to get help.
A groan stopped me. I looked back and found Satine standing over Kallan. “Disobeying an order is not an option! I’ll just kill you and your girlfriend now.”
Fury blinded me. I knew a few of the talents in this room and with the blocker out of the way I was going to find out if I could use more than one at the same time. Still invisible, I made everything go black. No one could see, not even me. Breathing deeply, I made the ground shake and everyone stumbled.
The darkness lifted quickly and I focused on Satine. I used Zanna’s talent and began to raise her body temperature. She shifted uncomfortably before she realized what was going on. I threw out my hands and paralyzed her guards. Then I released another sonic wave, which knocked down everyone but Satine, whose face was now lobster red.
“You pissed off the wrong faery,” I said to her, focusing on raising her temperature more.
Kyro flung a fireball at me and I froze it. That split-second change in power allowed Satine to grab Kyro and pull him toward the back. “We need to go.”
Kyro sent a second ball of fire flying straight at Kallan. Before I could react, Sebille jumped in front of Kallan and took the hit. Kyro scowled and put his hands up, ready to aim another, but Satine grabbed him, sweat dripping down her face. “Another time,” she told him. They hurried out a door in the back and I felt the magick slip away.
I ran to Sebille and knelt down at her side. The fireball had hit her in the chest and rolled a few feet away. I watched as her chest rose and fell one last time and then felt her spirit leave her body. Zanna fell to her knees and sobbed.
“I’m so sorry,” I said in a whisper.
“Rylie!” Drake called.
Kallan, who had just been standing there, had crumpled to the ground. I rushed to his side and placed his head in my lap. One of my tears fell off my face and onto his cheek. Lying there he looked like my Kallan. Not the Kallan who was being controlled by his sister. Not the Kallan who had his hand wrapped around my neck.
“Wake up, Kallan. It’s over. You’re free.”
His eyes didn’t open.
“Rylie, we need to go,” Drake said with urgency. “That little earthquake made the cave unstable.”
I looked around and realized dirt and rocks were falling all around us. My eyes shot over to the cage where Adam was still trapped. “I can’t yet.” I rushed over to the edge of the Tetterzu.
My heart raced in my chest as the cave crumbled around us. I wasn’t leaving without Adam. I knelt down and placed my hands on the cold ground. Closing my eyes, I asked the earth to help me. I imagined the ground rising up to the cage in a way I could get to it. When I opened my eyes again, what I imagined had happened. Thank you, I said in my head to the earth, or Mother Nature, or whoever was listening.
Quickly I hurried up to the cage. I held the lock in my hand and using heat, I melted it off. I finally allowed myself to look up and meet Adam’s wild eyes. “Run out of here.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. He scrambled from the cage toward the exit. Drake and Olwydd picked Kallan up and carried him outside. It was dark and the moon was high in the sky. I fell to my hands and knees and stared at the cave that caused so much pain. The ground shook and the cave collapsed upon itself, leaving no evidence a cave was ever even there. Did I just do that?
I heard an animal noise behind me and turned just in time to see Adam leaving with a light faery on a winged horse. “They’re real?”
Drake stifled a laugh. “Yes. It’s the quickest way home, but Kallan will have to go in the wagon.” He motioned to a small wooden wagon pulled by two centaurs. At least I knew the name of those fantasy creatures. Head and chest of a human, the rest of their bodies and legs were horse. They nodded at me and I returned the gesture.
Azura rushed toward me. “Oleander! Are you okay? Are you hurt? What were you thinking?” She looked me over and then hugged me tight.
“I’m okay. Any injuries I have can be healed.”
“You have fingerprints around your neck.”
I winced. “They’ll heal too.”
Drake and Olwydd loaded an unconscious Kallan onto a wagon.
“Satine and Kyro got away,” I told her.
“We’ll get them,” Drake pledged.
“Do you want to take Abrax?” Azura asked, motioning to the beautiful winged horse in front of me. I did want to ride him, but I needed to be with Kallan.
“Not this time,” I answered and jumped in the second wagon with Kallan, who was lying on the floor. I placed my hand over his heart and felt it beating. “Did you bring a healer?” I asked.
“No. We didn’t have time,” Azura answered. “Drake, would you ride Abrax home? I’ll stay with Oleander and the others.”
“Of course.” Drake boarded Abrax, who took off running and then with a flap of his wings, he was in the air. I couldn’t wait to ride him.
The rest of the rescue group got in the wagon. “Dash, Bion, when you’re ready…” Azura said to the centaurs.
As the two centaurs began galloping away, I turned my attention back to Kallan. “He hasn’t woken up,” I said to Azura.
“We’ll get him help.”
“I’m scared,” I admitted, tears filling my eyes.
Azura scooted closer to me and put her arm around my shoulders. “He’s strong and he loves you. Hold on to that.”
“Two fey died in there.”
Azura looked away. “I know. It’s very sad. They will be missed.”
“What do you believe happens when you die?” I asked.
“We believe in a spirit world. About twenty-four hours after a faery dies, our bodies become ash.”
That surprised me. When I died, my body would become ash. I guessed it was kind of like a human cremation.
“It gives us long enough to say goodbye.”
“What do you do with the ash?”
“Usually put it back in nature. A field. A tree. A river. Whatever we think the faery would want.”
I didn’t want to let go of Kallan to wipe my tears away, so a couple fell down my cheeks. I tried again to reach him in my mind. Kallan. I’m here with you. I won’t leave you. I know you’re in there and I’ll keep fighting until you come back to me.
The centaurs brought us right up to Azura’s house. We all jumped out and a couple faeries brought Kallan inside.
“Lena’s on her way,” Azura said. “And Adam is inside. Don’t forget he has faery sight.”
I nodded as I walked through the door. My eyes rested on Adam, who sat in a chair looking very confused and a little frightened. He stared at me like he was seeing me for the first time. In a way he was. I cast my eyes down, unable to look him in the eye. After a long uncomfortable minute, I asked him, “Are you okay?”
“I…uh…you have wings.”
“Yes.”
“So you are really…one of these…faeries?”
“Yes.” I met his eyes. “I am a faery, Adam.” I gave him the quick version of my story.
“So…the past year and a half…this is what you’ve been going through?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Adam. I never meant to hurt you. I loved you, but things changed for me. I changed.”
“This is just so weird.”
“I know. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you’d freak out. I fought it, Adam. I didn’t want to be a faery, but now I do. I want you to k
now you’ll always have a place in my heart. You’ll always be my first love, but I’m not human and I don’t belong there.”
“Kallan…he’s like your promised one?”
A smile tugged on my lips. “Yes. I tried to fight that too, because I loved you, but ultimately…I fell in love with him.”
Adam glanced over at Kallan, who was still unconscious. “He kidnapped me.”
I nodded. “Someone else was controlling his mind.”
He nodded, but I wasn’t sure he believed me.
“It’s time for you to go home,” I told him. “Would you mind keeping everything here a secret?”
“Sure.”
“It’s important, Adam.”
“Of course I’ll keep your secret.”
“Thank you.” I walked him to the door. “I’ll have Drake take you home.”
“Will I see you again?” Adam asked.
“I don’t know, but if I don’t, I wish you all the best. I hope you get into the major leagues and are the best baseball player ever. I hope you’ll fall in love again and get married. I hope you’ll look back at what we had and know that it was real. I hope that you don’t hate me. And if we do see each other again, I hope we can be friends,” I told him honestly and opened the door. Drake was pacing back and forth. I called to him, “Drake, will you take him home? Check on Sierra for me?”
“Yes, mo Bhanríon.”
“That needs to stop.” I raised my eyebrows and made sure Azura wasn’t around. “Oleander is bad enough.”
Drake smiled. “I’ll make sure he gets home safely.”
“Do it quickly.”
He nodded and waved to Adam. “Come on.”
Adam started out the door and then stopped and turned back to me. “For the record, I wouldn’t have freaked out. You’re still Rylie and you’re even more beautiful.”
My eyes filled with tears and for a split second I saw our future together. A future that I would have loved as a human. A life that wasn’t mine anymore. I hugged Adam and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I watched as he walked away with Drake. I didn’t know what the future held for him or if I would see him again. I could only hope he understood. When he got to the end of the meadow he turned and waved.