Fae Magic trilogy : (Alexandra Everest series)

by Jen Pretty

  “Shit, I’m so sorry you went through that alone, Lex.” He had that guilty look on his face again. Like it was all his fault.

  “I’m stronger now, Roman. You couldn’t have stopped it, and I am so much stronger now. I don’t know how to use it, but there is a new kind of magic that feels like fire. Its small, but it’s there. I need to talk to Evan.”

  “Evan is meeting us in homeland, so we will just continue there.”

  Luke came running out of the house. I smiled and ran at him. His ‘oof’ as I collided with him and took us both down on to the grass made me happy.

  “So, you remember, then?” he asked hugging me and laughing like a fool.

  “I remember, Luke! I remember all of it!” I said laughing hysterically.

  God, I had missed this. I hadn’t seen him in so long. Now that I could remember him, I remembered missing him so many times while I was gone. We lay on our backs in the sunshine for a while, pressed shoulder to shoulder, just talking about everything and nothing. He told me about how his relationship with Fritz was going so well, they were thinking of getting married. Fritz had started work at a security firm in town so that he could have a more stable life with Luke. They had the sweetest love story I had ever heard.

  Eventually, a shadow cast over us. Armond smiled and shook his head, looking down at us curled up in the grass.

  “Time to go, Princess,” he said.

  “Ha, I’m not a princess anymore. You can’t tell me what to do.”

  “Ok, your royal highness, your army awaits your command.”

  “Damn, when you put it like that, I guess I had better get going. Are you coming with us, Luke?” I asked turning towards him.

  “No, but Lacy is there. I know she would like to see you again. I have to get back to work. I have a pretty busy accounting business going in the city now. I hired an assistant.”

  “Wow, that’s great, Luke. Alright, well, text me often and dream walk to me or call me or both.” I kissed his cheek and let Armond help me up. Then he pulled Luke off the grass too, and I hugged Luke one more time before allowing Armond to usher me to the waiting SUV.

  I waved out the window as we pulled away from the house.

  I was going to spend a solid 24 hours on a couch watching old movies with Luke and Roman when this was over. Some classics, like Moonstruck.

  CHAPTER SIX

  We drove for a long time, stopping once to get gas and snacks. Roman brought me chips and a pop. I cuddled into his side in the back seat. I had been texting Luke, trying to get caught up on the things I had missed while I was gone, but when he told me he was heading back into the city, I let him go. Texting and driving was no joke.

  Finally, we pulled into the old movie theatre lot. It was more overgrown than the last time I had been here. The first team was spread out around the clearing. They were good at their job. I remembered putting Armond in charge of the hunters working for my company’s security division, so I didn’t need to discuss that with him. Seeing the men in action, I knew Armond had things well under control.

  “Hello child,” Evan gushed as he walked up to hug me.

  “Hello, Evan,” I returned his hug.

  “Oh, have you tracked down your memories?”

  I smiled, “Yes. Well, the memories found me.”

  “Good, good. Let’s get you home so you can tell me all about what it’s like to be queen,” he said, ushering me through the portal door.

  As soon as I passed through, a feeling of unease washed over me like a cold wind. I couldn’t say what it meant, but I had an idea that my new power might be giving me some visionary magic. Something terrible was coming.

  I was distracted by the massive crowd of fae, and I pushed away my dark feelings to greet them. I smiled and waved and shook hands. I kissed a baby’s sweet head and hugged a cute toddler with blond ringlets. So, few fae children had survived Joshua’s deadly reign, that each one was precious. I was ready to get going and started looking around for Roman but turned back towards the door when I heard a commotion.

  An irate unicorn came flying through the portal and landed in a heap. Following Puck was a madly flapping Daisy and then a grumbling Roman who kept his feet, but just barely.

  “What the hell?” I asked.

  Evan walked through after them, and I gave him a questioning look.

  “Yes, Sorry, dear. Your non-fae members didn’t realize I would have to toss them through, seems they didn’t like it much.”

  By now, Puck had righted himself and charged the elder fae.

  “Quit it, Puck,” I said as my magic hit him. He was reverted to his human self and tumbled to the ground. This new magic was fun, too bad I had no idea how to control it, except to stop Puck’s attempts at murder.

  “That crazy guy picked me up and threw me,” he complained.

  “Oh please, look at him. It’s not like he could throw you that hard,” I said, winking at Evan who winked back.

  Puck grumbled but didn’t try attacking Evan again.

  The rest of the fae backed off, as the still-grumpy unicorn shifter marched along beside me. They all had welcoming words and gifts and I was overwhelmed, but in a different way. This time I knew who I was and what it meant to these people to have the freedom to live where they wanted and not be in danger. The vampires had kept them in a state of fear for a very long time and, once I handled the witch situation, they would be safe from her too.

  I followed the hunters into a bus. It was odd to have a bus here, but it worked much better than a bunch of SUVs to get our big group around. The bus stopped at the end of the driveway to the circular shaped cottage and about half of the hunters piled out. The rest were going to stay somewhere else since this house could only hold so many. A hunter grabbed my bag, but I ripped it from his hands and flung it over my shoulder. I could carry my own damn bag.

  As we approached, Victor was standing at the door with a smile. I launched myself across the lawn, and he caught me in a bear hug. I hadn’t seen him since I had my meltdown in Kingsville. His steady presence and easy smile made me feel safe.

  “I’ve missed you,” I said, letting him go.

  “I’ve missed you too. Margot lost her shit when you dropped off her radar. I would have stayed to help find you, but we didn’t want to leave Lacy here alone.”

  Lacy walked out of the house and I hugged her too. She was still frail but had more colour to her cheeks. Margot’s cooking could put weight on a toothpick.

  “How are you doing?” I asked Lacy quietly. She was the type of person you wanted to scoop up and tuck in your pocket and protect from the world. Except she would probably bite you if you tried.

  “I’m good. Better,” she said twisting the seam of her shirt. “Thank you.”

  I was desperate to spend more time with Lacy. I knew she and I would be good friends when this was over. For now, I didn’t have the luxury of girl time. I needed to find Evan and get my magic in order. This new powerful magic would be vital to protecting the fae and the werewolves in the new world. Now that I knew who I was and had my memories back, I had to hurry.

  Inside, Margot piled food on plates. People from all around had left pans and dishes of food for us. Mostly for me, but I could share. A little.

  Food eaten and bellies full, we sat around on the couches in the big open space of the living room. Evan sat beside me, and after a while, he patted my knee and got up.

  “Time to get to work, child queen,” he said.

  “I’m not sure I like that title, Evan. Can’t you call me Lex?” I replied, shifting my empty plate so I could stand and take it back to the kitchen.

  A hunter grabbed it from me and ran off with it like a thief in the night. Surely, I could have taken it myself. I sighed.

  “I will call you Lex while we are in the forest. The rest of the time you will be my queen,” he smiled.

  Close enough. I smiled and shook my head at the eccentric old fae.

  The walk to our clearing was like goin
g back in time. I wished Luke could have come. Evan followed along behind me, at his usual leisurely pace. Behind him were a half dozen hunters; Puck, Armond, Roman and Daisy. My entourage. I was sure that I was safe here, but I was getting used to the idea that I wouldn’t be left alone.

  Evan sat on his stump, while my followers spread out along the edges of the clearing, trying, and failing, to be inconspicuous.

  “Now, child, you sit there and think about your new magic while I get a bit of sun,” Evan said from his seat on the stump and closed his eyes. God, I loved that crazy old man.

  I sat in the grass and thought about it for a while. My magic came quickly when I wanted to protect someone. I hoped I wouldn’t have to wait till someone I loved was about to be skewered by Puck to use the new magic. We sat for a long time. The hunters and my bunch of protectors kept mulling about in my peripheral vision.

  Finally, Evan sat up and said, “I’m glad you could join us.”

  I looked behind me, following his line of sight and saw Helena and Marick as a fox standing at the edge of the clearing. I hadn’t seen them since Helena had warned me to accept my new powers and the little fox reminded me just in time at the edge of the lake I nearly drowned in.

  None of my guards moved a muscle, as they were held in time by Helena’s magic.

  “Hello, again, Helena, and Marick,” I smiled at the cute fox shifter.

  “Hello, Lex. I am glad to see you made it through your transition. I suppose it is time you learned your new magic.”

  “I had no memory for a while, but I am back to normal now. Will I have to burn up and then drown again to learn to use this new power?”

  She smiled at my sass. “No, your new power is ready for you to use. But this magic is different from your own magic or your elf magic. It comes from your will only. You must truly want it to work. If you do, it will not let you down and its power is limitless. You must not have any doubts about it. If you do, the magic will not flow. That is all the help I can offer you.”

  When she finished speaking and before I could reply, I saw a flash of Helena on a mountain, being struck down by lightning. Unease curled in my stomach. I was about to tell her what I had seen but remembered that messing with fate made things worse. What could be worse than death?

  The look on my face must have alerted her to the mental dilemma I was trying to unravel because she spoke again.

  “I think you have found a new power, Lex. If so, do not worry about me. I have seen what will come too and am ready.”

  “How can you say that?” I asked.

  “Because I have lived a very long time and no longer wish to continue. I am glad that you have come before my end though. It is good to know the fae have a new queen and I hope you will care for Marick when I am gone.”

  “Of course, I will. But are you sure? Maybe there is something we can do to prevent this from happening.”

  “You know as well as I, that what must be, must be. Take care young Lex, live well.”

  And then she was gone. The sad looking fox shifter scuttled over and sat beside me, leaning into my side. I wrapped my arm around her immediately. The hunters started moving in when Helena’s magic dropped and a fox appeared, but Roman called them off, having met Marick before.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered to her.

  She lay down and set her chin on my leg. I didn’t know much about Helena, but I could tell she was a good person and essential to Marick. I rubbed her head and she closed her eyes. Tears fell, which looked strange from fox eyes, but the little girl inside the fox was mourning.

  After a while, I stood up and scooped the fox into my arms. I knew that in her human form she was frail and, beneath her deceptive fluff in her fox form, I could feel she was frail too. I took her back to the cottage with me, the rest of the crew tagging along behind. No one spoke although I knew they had questions.

  That night, I had a duck, a fox and a vampire in my bed. The vampire didn’t sleep, but the rest of us did, curled up like puppies, comforting the little girl who was losing someone close to her. Her tiny sobs barely ruffled the sheets, but her sadness was as big as a mountain and we could all feel the crushing weight of it. There is something about the sadness of a child….

  The next morning, I slipped out of bed to find Roman in the main living room. Everyone else was asleep except the guards on night watch who I could see out the windows.

  “Hi,” I whispered as I approached.

  He set down the book he was reading and raised a hand to me. I took his hand and curled into his lap. He put his arms around me as I rested my head on his chest.

  “I’m sorry, for not remembering you sooner,” I mumbled.

  “It’s not your fault, Lex. Stop apologizing,” he said, brushing my hair back from my face.

  I tipped my head up, and he leaned down to kiss my lips. I felt like we’d never had a moment’s peace and prayed someday soon we could spend whole days or weeks, or a lifetime wrapped up in each other. I wanted Roman forever.

  He broke the kiss and tipped his forehead down onto mine. The closeness felt good, but it made me remember running from him, being afraid of him and thinking he was a demon.

  Shame washed over me, and I closed my eyes. This man loved me and supported me. He saved me. Soon he would follow me back through the gates of hell to fight a monster who threatened us. He would fight beside me and be my strength when I needed it.

  I smiled up at him as he straightened.

  “Thank you.”

  He smiled smugly at me and winked.

  We stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s arms. He read some more of his book, and I dozed on and off until the sun peeked through the windows and the house began to stir. Hunters cycled through the showers and the night shift guards staggered to bed. I would try to use my new magic after breakfast, but I didn’t have the luxury of time. I had to start heading back to the new land if I had any hope of saving Aldridge and killing the witch.

  I had another flash.

  Marick was chasing Daisy around and then pouncing on him. Daisy would flap and squawk, and then Marick would run off and Daisy would give chase. They were in a field, but I couldn’t tell if it was homeland or earth or the werewolves land.

  Then I saw a herd of horses, no, not horses, they were unicorns, ridden by men. As they came to a stop before me, I recognized two of the men. Snazzy and Clive were on unicorns too.

  “Time to end this,” Clive said as Puck scooped me up and shifted into a unicorn.

  I came back to the living room in a burst. Several hunters had gathered around me.

  “What did you see?” Victor asked. He crouched in front of me.

  “Uhm, elves on unicorns. A lot of them,” I said, rubbing my forehead.

  Victor looked at Puck.

  Puck laughed. “We gotta go pick up your elves,” he said, before turning and heading back towards one of the bedrooms.

  “We can’t leave until tonight. I need to use this magic,” I said.

  He just waved over his shoulder without looking back at me, walked into the bedroom and slammed the door. He was grumpier than usual these days. I didn’t have time to coddle him, not that he would let me. It was time to get to work.

  I got up and went to my room, dressing quickly, I grabbed a coffee and walked out to the clearing.

  I had to find something that I could will. Something I wanted. I tried making a flower bloom; apparently, I didn’t want that bad enough. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted at that moment, except to get back to the cottage and pack so we could leave this place and save Aldridge. I thought about the cottage and how much I wanted to go for half a second. I blinked. Suddenly I was standing in front of the cabin.

  Oh, this was going to be awesome.

  Shouting from the forest was all I could hear until I yelled “I’m at the cottage!” and half dozen hunters and a terrifying vampire came storming out of the trees.

  The vampire picked me up and nearly crushed me.


  “Holy shit, that was cool,” Roman whispered in my ear.

  “Please don’t do that again, Queen.” One of the hunters puffed as he bent over to catch his breath. “Armond will kill us if we lose you.”

  “You’re right, I’m sorry,” I said as Roman set my feet on the ground. “I think that’s probably enough practice anyway. I’d like to get going.”

  “Alright, Your Highness. We will send word to the rest of the hunters and be ready to go in an hour.” The hunter bowed and walked into the house.

  When Roman and I walked in, Puck was packed and ready to go.

  “About time, I’ve been ready for 20 minutes,” Puck said sighing heavily.

  “I told you I wanted to practice before we left,” I reminded him.

  “I knew it wouldn’t take you long. Your elf heritage is strong. Let’s get some more elves and go to war. All this sitting around is making me twitchy.”

  I rolled my eyes and went to my room to pack my things, but they were packed, and my bag was gone. Narrowing my eyes, I walked back out into the room. My bag sat by the door, guarded by an extra-large hunter with his arms crossed over his chest.

  “Did you pack my things?” I asked, striding up to him like he wasn’t a monster of a man.

  “Yes, your majesty,” He replied, bowing low.

  “And who said you could touch my things?” I asked him, hands on my hips.

  His eyes grew wide and he stuttered for a moment until Roman saved him by cutting in. “I told him to pack your things, Lex. Stop being stubborn. You are the queen. You have to let people do things for you.”

  “I don’t have to let anyone do anything for me, Roman,” I said, striding over and poking him hard in the chest. “If I want to pack my things, I will,” I shouted. The new magic flared, and my stuff flew out of my backpack and spread around the room. Shit. That was definitely my underwear on the back of the couch.

  Roman stood there, rubbing the spot where I had poked him and trying to hold in a laugh, but eventually, it came out his nose and he snorted then burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it and started laughing too. Frig, this new magic was a bit weird. I snatched my underwear off the couch and began gathering up my things, stuffing them back into my backpack.