by A C Wilds
We all rise and wait for her to make her way up. Zagan met her at the stairs and helps her to her chair. Everyone bows down as she walks over, and I curtsy, but never lower my head. She isn’t my Queen.
“Changer, ever the pretty little thing,” she sneers, giving me the once over.
“Your Majesty, you look breathtaking,” I say, honestly. I think the only thing we can both agree on is how beautiful she is.
“I know,” she says, taking a seat. The room quickly follows as all attention is still on the Queen. There’s dead silence, that is starting to feel uncomfortable. She breaks it with her usual charisma.
“Welcome, my subjects. I have invited you all here to witness the Changer has returned,” she says. The crowd cheers, stomping their feet and clapping so loud, I think I might go deaf.
Raising her hand, she continues, “Tonight she will declare her loyalty to the Dark. Since Michael has brought the fight to us, we will answer in blood and death. He thinks we are to fear him, well I say bring it! Let’s show him how the Dark does not forget, and how we have grown in strength since the last battle,” she says, raising her glass to the ceiling. “For the Dark! For Blood! For Death!”
The hall erupts into a storm of shouts, whistles, and clapping. They’re riled up, and the energy is suffocating. I can feel their intentions, and none are about liberation. It is all about revenge.
Grey grabs my hand underneath the table and sends some reassurance down the bond. He must have felt how nervous I am. I look at both princes and see that they are used to this type of posturing. They are true to themselves with a stoic mask looking onto the crowd. Gunn is still, with waves of anger rolling off of him. I turn to see Daniel cheering with the rest of them, and the Queen looking at him like they got very well acquainted while we were gone. It doesn’t surprise me one bit, Daniel is an opportunist.
The meal passes by with tension and discomfort. I’m only able to manage to eat some soup, and a bit of meat. My stomach is rolling with all of the evil in the air. When the last course is cleared, the Fae below us get up, and the tables magically vanished into thin air. A large band comes through a side door, and they begin to play what I can only assume is the dancing music for this portion of the ball. One by one, the Fae all approach the dais and bow down to the Queen offering gifts and words of solidarity. They worship her, and I feel her glee as they grovel, and say nice things to her. My revulsion is taken to another level. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to sit here.
“Azra, may I have the pleasure of a dance,” a voice says, from behind me. I turn in my chair and see Daniel with his hand outstretched. Grey’s wings flutter in annoyance, and I hear the Queen snicker.
Shax kicks me under the chair, and I plaster a smile on my face. “Of course,” I say, rising and taking his hand in mine. He leads me down onto the dance floor. Fae of all types are dancing around in circles to a song I have never heard. I was never a good dancer, especially ballroom, so I allow Daniel to lead me around the room. His movements are graceful and honed, that of a prince. It doesn’t take him long to get to the point.
“I see you saved the witch,” he states, with one of his cocky smiles.
“I don’t know why you keep calling her that. She isn’t a witch,” I reply.
“I thought she was your best friend,” he states, tilting his head in a confused expression.
“She is, and she isn’t a witch,” I say, hearing the doubt in my own voice. I’ve known Noli for two years, and I have never seen her use any powers. I mean the tarot stuff is just for fun, right?
“That’s hilarious,” he says, laughing into my ear. He’s too close, and I’m starting to get annoyed.
“Did you need something Daniel?” I ask, putting some space between us.
“I just wanted a chance to dance, with the gorgeous Changer. You soon will be covered in so much blood, that I might never get another chance,” he leers. The sinister smile he has on his face makes a chill run through me. A pang of fear hits me, and before I know it, hands are snatching me away from him. A feeling of calmness and security smacks into me. Cass is here.
“I’ll take it from here, brother,” he says, pulling me into the crowd of dancers. He doesn’t even give Daniel an opportunity to reply. I look over and see the jealousy in Daniel’s eyes. Whether it is for me or Cass I don’t know.
“Thank you for saving me,” I say, leaning into him. His calming scent of winter and storms makes me relax a bit more.
“I will always save you,” he says, placing a kiss on my head, and holding me close. We dance like this for the rest of the song, and then each of my guys cut in switching off songs and fending off Fae who try to get too close to me. Having them all around me, dancing and laughing actually makes me forget all about the bad this evening represents.
Midnight strikes and the hall goes quiet. The Queen steps down from the dais for the first time and takes center stage on the dance floor. Zagan and Daniel flank her, and it becomes apparent to me the real reason why he chose to come to court. Revenge might have been the motivation at first, but he’s here for power. He’s seeking out the winner. He couldn’t be any more wrong.
“It is time! Azra, join me here to take your vow,” she says. Her voice booms throughout the hall. My stomach drops, and I look over to Shax. Didn’t he have a plan?
Guys now would be a good time to fill me in with what the fuck to do. I shout at them through the bond. None of them move. They create a wall of no emotion behind me, as I walk toward the Queen.
Approaching her feels like I am walking to my death. She’s everything I don’t want to be. Michael is cruel and absolute, but he’s true to who he is. There is no doubt that he’s truly evil. Lucifer, she’s something else. She is saccharine sweet with a poison center. You don’t realize you’re fucked until it’s too late.
As I approach, she reaches out her hand for mine. I don’t know why I would need to place it there, so I look at her with a question. She huffs in annoyance and pulls out a dagger from the folds of her skirt. I jump back in hesitation.
“I’m not going to stab you. We need to make a blood oath, and I need your blood to do it. I’m sure you are familiar with blood bonds by now,” she says, taunting me. I guess she truly does know about Red.
“What is this bond for?” I ask, my voice is a bit shakier than I would like. I don’t want to show my fear, but it’s hard with her. She’s so intimidating.
“In order for your Changer gifts to work for the Dark, you need to swear a blood bond to me. It’s like an insurance policy, in case you wanted to jump ship and join the other side,” she explains. The smile that covers her face is purely for show. Her energy is pumping out anger that I’m questioning her, and anticipation because this blood bond is something different. I’m walking into a trap.
Daniel fidgets behind her, and I give him my attention for a split second. I don’t even see her move. Her hand grabs mine so hard, that it turns moon white, and my Changer powers start to glow. Instinct has taken over, and my oil-slick wings pop out. If she doesn’t stop touching me, I’m going to blow this whole chamber to pieces. She raises the knife, and in slow motion, I watch as it plunges down toward my exposed forearm. My fire lights up the room, and she drops her hand from my wrist. Grabbing hers to her chest.
“You little bitch! Using hellfire is punishable by death!” she screams. Shax runs up behind us and puts his body in front of mine. All the men tense up, and I can see Zagan sizing them up if something should go down. Gunn is dripping with glee. He wants this fight. He’s waited for it, for so long.
“Mother, you surprised her. Azra doesn’t know how to fully control her powers yet. When she’s scared or angry, they just react. Please let me help,” he begs. The submission in his voice makes me want to scream out. No one should make my alpha feel like this!
Before she can answer there is a terrible crash, and the windows of the hall blow out. The night air rushes in, and the ground begins to shake. My firs
t thought is it must be a dragon, but when I turn to see the cause; a gasp is caught on my lips. Noli. She’s awake and she’s fucking pissed. Her hair is moving around her with a current that isn’t visible anywhere. Her dress is torn, and dirty, but her eyes are glowing a pure white. She is orchestrating the power surge throughout the room. A storm picks up, and I have two seconds to grab for Shax before we are picked up and thrown out of one of the windows.
Landing with a thud on the hard-packed dirt, I pick myself up and look around for the others. We are all clustered together, and I thank whoever is listening for that.
Standing up, I unclasp the skirts of my dress and reveal the pants I have been wearing underneath the whole time. I break the heels off of my shoes and take off running to where I can feel my Arion starting trouble. The guys are right on my heels, but I don’t wait for them. When I get to the commotion, I see it’s not just Red, but an army of Fae I don’t recognize. They aren’t in the Light’s uniform. They just look like a very powerful group of Fae, clustered together for one purpose. Our purpose. I race over to Red who moves just at the right time so that I can settle myself on his back. Grey takes into the skies, and Shax and Cass saddle up on Ash. Gunn is the last to find his mount, but he doesn’t have to take long, because Noli rides up on Jezebel soon after.
Looking back toward the castle, I see the Dark trying to get control of this new army, but they don’t have a chance. The Fae who have come to aid me, are too powerful. The Queen is front and center but can only concentrate on burning one Fae at a time. It seems like her powers aren’t as vast as I thought. There’s a witch with pink hair standing proud in front of three jaguars, similar to Shax’s cat. Her hands are outstretched, and a wall of Earth is erected between the Dark and this mystery group of Fae. I lean into Red, and he doesn’t need any more encouragement.
We have escaped the Dark. We are free. We are in so much shit.
The End…for now.
Death Ruins
Book 3
Chapter 1
Getaway
Azra
We have escaped the Dark and the Light. Running from both courts have put a target on our backs so large that Earth and Faerie are both after us.
Red, my Arion, is riding like thunder under me. His gait is smooth, but his speed is making the forest around us one big blur; I hold on with all my might. I am aware of my mates behind me, each having their own warhorse. Fae horses are swifter and more intelligent than regular Earth horses.
Just having fled from the Dark court, soldiers are still after us, and I don’t know how long it will take them to catch up. I can hear the stampede of hoofs, and dirt kicking up, but nothing else. I’m in a quiet bubble, waiting for Red to stop because I don’t know where we are going.
The trees and debris up ahead are moving for us, but I know it’s not me doing it. My mate Gunner, or Gunn as I like to call him, is an Earth Fae, but this seems too advanced for his ability.
Is everyone safe, I send through the mating bond.
I’m here, Shax responds
Right behind you, Grey says
To the left, Gunn replies
I’m behind Greyson, and I have Noli, Cass states.
All my mates and best friend are safe. I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. Out of all the things that could have happened, I am grateful we all made it out alive.
We ride until the morning sun peaks out of the clouds. There is a mountain range ahead of us, and I see a shimmer of magic coating it. It is pink in color and has a tinge of blue mixed in. Stopping at the border, our horses heaving, we jump down to offer them a bit of a reprieve.
Red and Ash transform back into their human bodies, and they both make their way over to the pink-haired warrior who helped us at the castle. I have only one thought, though, and that’s Noli. Running up to her, I basically tackle her to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. I am holding her so close, letting silent tears fall.
“Az, you need to get off of me, or I’m going to choke to death,” she says, swatting my hand. Noli was never a hugger, but she needs to understand how much I missed her. I slowly peel myself off and stand. Giving her my outstretched hand, she pops up next to me.
“Are you ok?” I ask, looking her over. She seems to be pinker in complexion than I remember, but her eyes are bright, and she has a broad smile on her face.
“I feel ok, still a bit week from the torture, but better than I was. I missed you,” she says, as I wince at the reminder. Michael, the Seelie King, kept Noli prisoner in the Light’s new stronghold in Faerie.
“I missed you too. Can I have another hug? I think I might lose it if I don’t,” I ask, looking up at her sheepishly. I feel so guilty for all that has happened. I never intended to hurt her.
“Sure, come here. And stop what you are thinking in that head of yours. None of this was your fault. I went after you, and I got caught,” she says, grabbing at me, and pulling me into her arms. She feels like safety and home. A reminder that my life before I was taken wasn’t about wars or Light and Dark courts. We had a simple life together, me working at the diner and Noli reading tarot for the old ladies in our small town. It seems like both of us was existing and not living.
Pulling away from her, I do notice the difference. She is sort of glowing. It reminds me of the witch that I met in the Light, her name was Nora, and if I ever see her again, she’s dead.
“What’s different about you?” I ask, hoping that what I suspect isn’t true, because it means she has been lying to me this whole time.
“I’m a witch,” she replies, and my whole world tilts out from under me. All of the times we spent together, lived together, and she never mentioned anything. I knew she was quirky, and all the other stuff; tarot, runes, burning sage, and saying rhythms throughout the house was part of her personality. It didn’t mean anything.
“All this time you have kept this from me? Did you know what I was? What I am?” I ask, bordering on hysterics. I can feel the pull of magic as I get agitated and my wings pop out from my back. They are a beautiful contrast to Grey’s pearlescent white ones. The black feathers that cover mine are thick and fluffy. They have a downy undercoat and are the color of an oil slick. In the sunlight, they reflect reds, blues, and greens. I love them.
“I had an indication that you were Fae. Your energy signature is off the charts, but I didn’t know you were the Changer. If I had we would have been in hiding,” she admits. This still does not make me feel better. I give her a curt face, but can’t say anymore. I am too mad. My face must reflect it because the sting of tears pools in her eyes, and she glances away.
Needing to leave, I make my way over to Red and the pink-haired warrior. I’m curious about who she is and why she would help us.
“Who are you?” I ask, interrupting their conversation, and looking her up and down. She is tall and thin, with grey eyes, and an aura that is steeped in magic. Her face seems familiar somehow, but I’m not sure how. She is strong and looks very determined. Three men stand around her, tense in their posture. I can only assume these are her mates, the Jaguars that helped us escape the Dark.
“I’m Izel, a Warrior of the Underworld. I’ve come to help you destroy the Light and Dark,” she responds. I tilt my head and look at her like she has to be kidding. There is no way that anyone would want to join this fight without a solid reason.
“Why?” I ask. Red comes up to my side and puts his hand on my shoulder in comfort. My mates understand my soul-bond with Red; we will always be one with each other. We share our souls. Where Red goes I go, and vise versa.
“Azra, it’s ok, Izel is here to aid in our war. You can trust her. We have fought together before,” he tells me, making sure I can see the sincerity in his face.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I say, looking at her and waiting. Red may vouch for her, but I need to hear her say it.
“I’m here to help you kill my father, and end the Queen’s rule. Faerie has been waiting for you Chang
er. We have been waiting to be liberated, and you are the only one that can do it,” she says, looking right into my eyes. Her determined look becomes more forceful. I can’t sense any lies in her statement, but it only makes me more curious about this Fae.
“Who is your father? You must know that it seems odd to me that you just show up at the palace, at the exact moment we were trying to figure out a way to escape the Dark. The Queen was just about to make me swear my fealty to the Dark.”
“Red contacted me through a mutual friend. He’s the one who sent for us. I haven’t heard from him in a long time, and it was a blessing to get his message. As for who my father is — he is the King of the Light.”
She lets that hang in the air, as I look at her stunned. What the fuck? Turning to Cass, I see the shock in his face as well. After all, he is the heir to the Light throne, and if she is correct, her brother.
“Lies,” he says. A look of anger coming across his face. He’s lost his whole family to this war. His brother Daniel to the Queen, his mother to the wrath of his father, and his father to his own greed and obsession.
“Who are you?” she asks. She has no idea either. Looking at both of them back and forth, I can see it. They have the same shaped face and nose, but what gives it away is the eyes. They are a mirror image of each other.
“I’m Cassiel, the heir to the Light throne,” he says, punctuating each word. He’s pissed, and I can understand why. This is some time to find out that he has a sister he had no idea about before today.
“Cass,” I whisper, walking over to him. He looks at me and walks away. Through the bond, I feel from him, sadness, and the need to be alone.
“Fucking shit,” Grey says, looking at Red being ever the eloquent one. “You fucking knew the whole time and never told him? Then you let Pinkie blast this at him?”
“Watch how you speak, Bird Boy,” one of her mates says. You can see his jaguar peak through his eyes. Grey responds with a smile and a flutter of his wings. Smelling the ocean in the air, I know this is going to get out of hand if I don’t control it.