by Julia Crane
Lorella shook her head. “No, Oleander. I am not here about the dark prince.”
“What is it?”
“Your friend. The human.”
As my aunt’s hand fell away from my arm, I asked, “Sierra?”
Lorella held out a hand, her face softening. “Yes! Sierra is in trouble!”
I didn’t pause to see if she or Kallan would follow me. I raced for the tree house and shoved open the door, taking the stairs two at a time. Skidding to a halt in front of Sierra’s room, I turned the knob.
Locked.
“Back away.” Kallan’s voice was hard.
I didn’t question how awkward it was for him to be in my mother’s house. I sidestepped and watched as he took hold of the knob and slammed his shoulder into the door.
Azura called my name just as the door gave way beneath Kallan. He stumbled into the room with me hot on his heels, while Lorella spoke softly to her sister.
Sierra’s bed was mussed, the curtains on her window swaying in the breeze.
Sierra was gone.
“What do you know?” I demanded of Lorella, my hands balling into fists at my side.
Kallan put a gentle hand on my shoulder and squeezed, showing his solidarity.
My aunt stood beside Azura, the two so similar in the dark hallway it was like seeing double. They both even wore the same type of gauzy, full-length nightgown.
Azura grimaced. “Sweetie, calm down.”
“She snuck out of the house,” Lorella murmured.
“Why?” I clenched my fists, horrified that my best friend had betrayed my trust. I’d brought her to the faery world because she begged me, and now she’d run off in the middle of the night.
Lorella grimaced. “To meet a boy.”
I groaned. “Drake.”
Her eyes took on a faraway gaze, as if she were looking inside herself. “She wandered into neutral territory.”
Kallan cursed.
He obviously knew something I didn’t. “What happened to her?” I asked, my voice screechy.
“She was found by goblins.”
I glared at Kallan. “And?”
He grimaced. “It isn’t the first time they’ve taken someone. Which means my father now has a human.”
“Is she okay?” I asked Lorella.
“Yes. For now. Varwik does not know his goblins have her.”
“It’s only a matter of time,” Kallan said darkly.
“Then we go get her.” I headed for my room to get dressed.
“No, Rylie, you will stay here,” Kallan said, following me into my room. “I will retrieve your friend.”
“You’re crazy,” I told him with a shrug, yanking my jeans off the footboard of the bed. “I’m going. She’s my best friend.”
“Ry...” Kallan came closer and took my hand, blue jeans dangling from the other. “I don’t want you anywhere near my father or the dark territory.”
“Why?” I unfolded my jeans and kicked off my shoes. “I’m not obligated to honor the promise until next year. He has no sway over me.”
“Please. Let me take care of Sierra. I don’t want to risk anything happening to you.”
I paused only for a moment. “Get out, Kallan. I’m changing, and then we’re going. We’ll figure out the rest when we get there.”
As soon as I stepped out into the night, I saw Azura ready to go. Oh no. That wasn’t happening. With Kallan nearby, I stood in front of Azura and using Kallan’s mind control I told her, “You will stay here with Lorella.”
Kallan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“I might be able to help.”
“I have Kallan to help me. I’ll be fine, please just wait here for me.”
My mother sighed and nodded. “I’ll wait for you here.”
Not like she had a choice.
“Thank you.” I didn’t want Azura around Varwik. Not that I thought he would hurt her. I kind of thought she would hurt him. And as much as I wouldn’t have minded seeing her punch his lights out, my faery mother was a little sweeter than that. I didn’t want her to do anything she would regret.
Kallan and I began walking. “Using my mind control again, huh?”
“I have enough to worry about without having to worry about her,” I said through clenched teeth.
Though I had a feeling I was going to regret my decision to go.
The woods were darker and more menacing with the sky so black. The moon filtered through the thick canopy of trees overhead, giving us only a little light to see by, but Kallan seemed to know where he was going.
“How do you know your way around here?” I asked him, taking his hand as he helped me over a fallen tree. The branches were cracked and broken. I wondered if it’d fallen because of goblins.
“All faeries have an internal compass of sorts.” Kallan held back branches on a particularly thick bramble bush so that I could slide through.
That’s right. Azura had explained that to me. I guess I just didn’t realize it worked on both sides. I still had so much to learn.
“Kallan!” The voice cut through the darkness like a gunshot.
I jumped and grabbed onto Kallan, putting him between the voice and me like some scared little girl.
“It’s okay,” Kallan rushed to assure me, his warm arm sliding around my shoulder. “I know that voice. He’s a friend.”
The darkness parted to reveal a dark-haired faery with black and blue wings. He nodded to me and then turned his gaze to Kallan with a bow of his head. “My prince.”
“What’s going on, Tiern?”
“Oren.”
The one word fell between us, putting me on edge immediately.
Kallan swore under his breath. “Is he...”
Horrified, I realized Kallan was asking if my father was dead.
Tiern shook his head. “No, but Lord Varwik intends to remedy that.”
Kallan turned his back on Tiern and took me by the arms. “Rylie, please. Go home. Go back to the human world. This is going to get messy fast.”
“You’re naive if you think I’m not coming. He’s my father.”
He scoffed, and gave Tiern a pointed look. “You’re naive if you think you are.”
Behind Kallan, Tiern clapped his hands. There was a flash of light so blinding that I lost my ability to see. I reached for Kallan, but my fingertips only touched air. By the time my vision returned, they were gone.
Jerk.
Nothing pissed me off more than a guy thinking he needed to protect me. I’d been held captive by his own people for weeks. If I couldn’t handle a little fight, then what kind of faery was I?
I spun around in a circle, trying to get my bearings. When it came to getting to the faery world, I’d gotten that down. But finding the dark side was a whole different story. I hadn’t been there in over a year. Which way was it? I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. My heart felt like it was being pulled in one direction. That was the way I’d go.
I snapped open my eyes and took off in the direction that felt right. Every snap of a twig beneath my feet terrified me, echoing in the forest as if it came from somewhere else. I rushed forward, swiping my hair out of my face and keeping my eyes on my surroundings.
When a hand clamped onto my shoulder, I shrieked loud enough to startle birds from their perches.
I tore from the grasp and swiveled around, landing on my butt with all the grace of a baby goat.
I stared up, bewildered. I recognized the face looking down at me. “Drake!”
He offered a hand. “Sorry, Rylie. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“How did you find me?”
He heaved me to my feet. “Azura and Lorella sent me.”
“Why?”
“Lorella saw Kallan would leave you when word came of your father. I’m ‘backup,’ I believe she said.” He grimaced. “Besides, it’s my fault Sierra is in this mess. She was coming to meet me.”
“Well, remind me to thank Lorella.” I brushed leaves
and dirt off the seat of my pants. “Do you know the way to the dark territory?”
“I do.”
“Did they tell you...” I trailed off.
“About Sierra?” His jaw clenched. “Yes. We will save her.”
I nodded. “All right then. Lead the way.”
When we crossed the border, the woods changed. The sun was beginning to rise, bathing the forest in the gray glow of dawn. Drake put a finger to his lips and looked away. I followed his gaze, focusing on the sounds of the forest.
Voices.
“What is that?”
“Our destination, I’d wager.” His dark eyes caught mine. “Let’s go invisible, Rylie. We don’t want to be seen walking up.”
He had a point. We weren’t positive exactly what we were walking in to, and if we came in invisible, we’d have the advantage.
I recognized the castle the moment we left the trees behind. It rose before us, black-stoned and thunderous. I couldn’t locate the source of the shouting, but it seemed to be coming from around back. Still invisible, we entered the cold shadow of the castle.
I just hoped I wasn’t about to find my father dead.
Oren stood ten feet from Varwik with his sword drawn. Two armed guards were between them, both with swords out and pointed at Oren.
To the left, Kallan stood with his hands out like he was a cop showing he was unarmed.
At least everybody was still breathing.
“Find Sierra,” I whispered to Drake, even though I couldn’t see him. “Try the castle. When they had me imprisoned, I was kept there.” I gave him a brief description of how to get to the room where I’d been held.
“I will find her. Stay safe.”
I felt his presence move away, and I was alone.
Varwik had barely changed at all since the last time I saw him. His black hair was a bit shorter, and he still had a goatee that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a movie villain. His black and purple wings stood tall and proud behind him.
“Are we going to do this all day, Varwik?” Oren said, his voice loud. “Why don’t you come face me yourself instead of hiding behind your guards? This is between us. Not the guards, not our kids.”
Varwik’s eyes narrowed. Taking the challenge, he waved away his guards and stepped forward as they parted. “Very well, Oren. Now what? Do you really think you can kill me? I have no weapon in my hands. That would disgrace you.”
“You think I care? I’ve already been disgraced.”
“I think we both know you don’t stand a chance against me, flower boy.”
Ignoring the barb, Oren spoke again. “I will spare your life if you release my daughter from her promise. Let her enjoy life the way she wants.”
Panic filled me. This was over me. My father would take on the most powerful dark faery with just his weak power, and all for me. I was flooded with warmth. Too bad his grand, heroic gesture was almost seventeen years too late.
Varwik laughed. “Tough talk for such a weak man.”
“I’ve been training the last sixteen years for this moment.”
“You’d need more than sixteen years.” Varwik bowed ironically. “Do you forget who I am?”
“I know exactly who you are. If anyone is weak, it’s you. Forcing a girl to marry your son. Pathetic.”
“She’s an Aurorian,” he said simply. “I need her on my side. I need her power.”
“She’d rather die than help you.” Oren pointed his sword at Varwik.
“How would you know? You abandoned her. All I’m asking is for her to marry my son so she can’t use her powers against us. I have no plan to cause her harm. It’s a fair deal.”
“For now!” Oren snarled. “You’ll come up with something else when it suits you. I won’t let you have that kind of hold on her. You’re right, I wasn’t there for her growing up, but I will be there now when she needs me.”
“How sweet, but you have no choice. We made a deal years ago. Now that I have her, you can have the access to dark magick. Why don’t you take it and go back to wherever it is you’ve been hiding for the past sixteen years?”
“Keep your dark magick. I was a fool. I just want peace for my daughter.”
“She will marry my son. She will do what I say or her family will be killed. As you know, a deal promise cannot be broken.”
Branches crunched beneath my feet as I took a few steps closer. Oren was trying to break the promise. He truly cared about me and wanted me safe. So when he’d promised me he would find a way, he’d meant it. But looking at Varwik now, I couldn’t see it happening.
Varwik didn’t care. He was cold and heartless.
“Let her go. You can have me,” Oren said bravely.
“You’re pathetic. What would I want with you? So you could tell me what flowers smell good?” Varwik smirked.
“This is your last chance. Give my daughter her freedom.”
“This should be fun.” Varwik extended his arm and, without prompting, one of the guards placed a sword in his hand. He gripped the hilt of the dangerously sharp blade and faced Oren.
Not another word passed between them before Varwik attacked.
Their swords clanged as they came together time and time again. Both men were well-trained fighters, and it showed. They stepped around an imaginary circle, trading thrusts with a speed I had a hard time following. My father had no trouble matching Varwik.
“I’ve underestimated you,” Varwik grunted with a hint of admiration in his voice.
“I told you I’ve been practicing,” Oren said coldly, deflecting a heavy blow away from his shoulder with ease. “I’ve had a lot of free time on my hands. You took everything from me.”
“You accepted the deal.” Clank, clank.
I glanced at Kallan, wondering why he wasn’t doing anything. He could have at least tried to stop them or yelled. Why was he just standing there? He seemed to be hypnotized by the swinging of the swords.
It dawned on me that he could use his mind control—not that it would do much with Varwik being immune to all other faery powers. I thought about using his mind control. I was close enough, but I wouldn’t be able to stop Varwik, only Oren. Instead, I held back and waited.
Varwik lunged forward, his sword stopping only inches from Oren’s neck as my father managed to get his blade between them and thrust the blow away. Oren stumbled, but only for a second before his boots were again grinding in the dirt. He was breathing heavy, gasping for air as sweat trickled down his face.
“Done yet?” Varwik asked. “I’ll even be a good sport and not hold this little fight against you.”
Oren’s knuckles turned white as he gripped his sword tighter. “I will forever be ashamed of what I did. I will make it up to her. This is the only way I know how, even if it costs me my life.”
Varwik laughed. “How noble of you.”
“She’s my daughter,” Oren responded with a new vengeance, sweat dripping from his head. Their swords met again, and Varwik’s moves seemed faster and stronger. Oren was forced backwards.
It was clear to me that neither one of them were going to give in, and with my father’s most recent declaration of love for me, I had to do something. I had to end this fight.
“Stop!” I yelled, letting myself become visible as I jumped into the fray.
I felt icy power course through my veins. The ground began to rumble beneath my feet. It was as if my whole body radiated and I was drunk with power.
“Rylie, no!” Kallan yelled.
Both men’s faces registered shock, but they were moving too fast, and I appeared too suddenly. I wasn’t sure who hit me or how, but stars burst in my vision and pain blossomed in my head. I hit the ground, dazed, my vision swimming.
My father screamed, and a blur leapt over me that I assumed was Oren. Another crash of metal, and then Kallan’s deep voice. Another blur—this one of turquoise wings—and then grunting.
I wanted to lift my hand, to call for Kallan and keep him from doing the stupid
thing I’d done by jumping between the two men. Oren and Varwik were out for blood.
“Father! Stop!” Kallan yelled, and then I heard an “Oof!” and he fell next to me.
Had Varwik hit his own son?
The power that had just filled every nerve ending in my body was gone. I was left feeling empty and scared and I didn’t understand. I tried to focus on Kallan, but my vision was still spinning. By the lack of sound but steady breathing, I surmised he’d been knocked out.
I managed to turn shakily and get my hands and knees beneath me. I thought I croaked Oren’s name, and I might have called him Dad. By the time I lifted my gaze to the two fighting men, the battle had reached its climax.
In a moment of arrogance, Varwik lifted his sword high and sneered, “You’ll never beat me, you weak, pathetic man.”
Oren, bloodied, bruised, and beaten, saw an opening. In a clean, swift movement, his sword passed through Varwik’s body.
Shocked, Varwik gasped. But I could tell, even through the dizziness, that it wasn’t over. I screamed Oren’s name as Varwik’s sword came down on his neck.
Oren gasped and his hand flew to the side of his neck. Dark red liquid flowed through his fingers, quicker than blood should have flowed from a wound. I knew it was fatal.
Varwik fell first. Oren swayed over him for a moment. Then almost as if in slow motion, my father fell to the ground beside the dark faery.
“No!” I shrieked. With a rush of new energy, I scrambled on all fours to his side. Blood pulsed from his wound. I tried putting pressure on it, but it coated my hands in seconds.
Our eyes met and even though he was breathing hard, he smiled. “My daughter... It will be okay. This was meant to be. The promise is broken now.”
Reality hit me hard. If Varwik died, the deal he made with my father was void—as was his deal with me. If just Oren died, my promise to Varwik would be upheld. I was too powerful for him to let go. I was sure of that. But if he died, I’d be free.
As I looked into Oren’s eyes, I found myself wondering if being free was worth the cost. He had killed Varwik, but would give his own life in doing so. I would never know the man who helped bring me into this world.