A Heart of Midnight (Dark Fae Academy Book 2)

by Jenna Wolfhart

  Bree poured the healing light into the twisted wings, gritting her teeth against the force of it. When she finally opened her eyes, she stared down at the creature. As before, it slowly twitched, every moment bringing with it more movement.

  Eurig’s breath was ragged as he stood just behind her, gazing down at the creature with a tortured expression on his face. “Bree. What have you done? I told you not to do anything rash.”

  “You don’t make my decisions for me, I’m afraid,” Bree said, as gently as she could. She knew he was only trying to keep her safe. He was trying to do what was best for her. But only Bree could be the one to make her own decisions. Not Eurig. Not Rafe. Not even Taveon, who was pounding against the walls with as much anguish as Eurig displayed on his face.

  The raven lifted into the air, took one long look at Bree, and then it was off through the open door of the hut to join his brethren in the night sky. Bree felt her heart lift at the sight. That was two now. Two lives that had been lost, now brought back into the realm of the living.

  Eurig and Bree found some chairs and made camp just outside the hut where Bree had healed the raven. It had taken several hours for the villagers to wake up from their curse after Bree had healed the raven there. It would likely take several more hours again.

  It was hard to stay still. Bree was itching to get back to the Court. Now that they had learned the Wilde Fae were not behind this—not this Clan of Wilde Fae at least—she was desperate to return to the castle and ensure that the true attackers had not descended on those stone walls.

  It was funny. King Midas had built his hulking monstrosity so carefully all those years ago, demonstrating his power, his cruelty, and his cunning. He’d designed the structures in such a way that it would be next to impossible for an invading army to reach the Keep.

  He hadn’t considered this curse though. That changed everything.

  After what felt like years, the Wilde Fae began to wake up. Eurig and Bree stayed just long enough to see them stirring, slowly standing with confusion wrinkling their skin. But they didn’t want to stick around much longer than that. Yes, they had managed to undo the curse on them, but the Wilde Fae were nothing like the villagers. They were dangerous, cruel, and chaotic. And they were far more likely to stab Bree on the spot than to hear her out.

  Eurig was quiet as they rode down the dirt path that would lead them back to the castle, but he didn’t need to speak for Bree to know exactly what he was thinking. He did not approve of what she’d done, and he didn’t want her to do it again, even knowing that it would likely bring every fae inside that castle back.

  “You know I have to do it,” Bree finally said, her entire heart lifting when she spotted the first peak of the highest tower on the distant horizon.

  “I know,” Eurig said with a heavy sigh, glancing over from where he clung tightly to his horse’s reins. “But before you do, promise me one thing.”

  Bree arched an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

  “Ask Taveon to tell you what he is,” Eurig said, his voice firm and strong.

  Bree opened her mouth to reply, but she didn’t have a chance to speak. A single arrow slammed into the ground just in front of her, and her horse jerked to a sudden stop, neighing as it kicked its front legs high in the air.

  Bree barely held on to the reins as the horse bucked underneath her.

  And then a storm of arrows rained down.

  Chapter 25

  Bree

  Bree’s heart galloped in her chest as she twisted on the horse to see where the attackers were hiding. Another dozen arrows soared through the air. Bree kicked the horse’s sides and yelled, flicking the reins as it bolted forward. Eurig did the same, the two of them racing toward the front gates that were still too far in the distance to see.

  “What do we do, Eurig?” Bree shouted into the chilly air that bit into her face.

  He frowned as he turned to look behind them. Despite the intensity of the situation, she couldn’t help but gape at him. He was not even holding on to the reins as his entire body curved toward the attackers now riding after them, dozens of horses kicking dust into the night air. Eurig’s leg muscles rippled as he rode, and his golden eyes glinted underneath the light of the moon.

  She had never seen anything more powerful.

  The riders behind them began to gain ground, and Eurig motioned for Bree to...

  Jump. He wanted her to jump off her horse. Bree shook her head, refusing to do any such thing. Not only would that hurt like hell, but they’d be stuck on the ground where the rangers would no doubt hit them with their constant lobby of arrows.

  “Trust me,” he mouthed.

  Their eyes locked, and something passed between them. Affection, heat, and a kind of trust that she didn’t feel she could ever earn. Not from him. Not from anyone.

  Eurig pushed off his horse and tumbled to the ground. Gritting her teeth, Bree followed suit. Her body slammed hard on the dirt, and her shoulder screamed in pain. Eurig was beside her within an instant, grabbing her arm and hauling her to her feet.

  He pressed his forehead against hers and hissed, “Shift. Change into your beast. It’s the only way we’ll be fast enough to beat them to the castle.”

  Shift. Of course. Because Eurig was right. In her beastly form, Bree was far faster than any horse, any human, or even any fae. She took one glance behind her at the riders quickly approaching and forced her mind to center on what she had to do. Eurig had already begun to change, his lion coming to him far easier than Bree could claim her wolf.

  And there was no time to waste.

  Bree’s arms and legs stretched out into long powerful limbs as she succumbed to the power of her beast. Claws ripped out through her fingertips, and her head shifted and shook as sharp teeth cut through her jaw. Her entire body ached from the force of such a quick shift, but she did not pause to catch her breath. The distant sound of hooves on dirt had grown louder and louder, signaling that their attackers were only feet behind them.

  Beside her, she could hear the panting of Eurig’s, and then his roar that shook out across the rolling hillside. He took off in a run, and the beast within her yearned to follow. Together, they raced across the dirt, the night blurring by in silver streaks.

  The sound of hooves grew fainter as the massive gates of the castle rose up before them. They reached the iron entrance within moments, and somehow, Eurig had transformed back into his fae self just as he slowed to a stop before them. He reached up and pushed open the gates, and the iron clanged from the force of his touch. Bree galloped just behind him, her beast making claim to her body. As much as she had practiced shifting these past few months, she had not mastered it, not fully and completely as Eurig had. She would need time to catch her breath before she could shift back into her mortal self.

  But that didn’t matter. They had made it. Eurig slammed the gates behind them, blocking out the riders and their arrows. For now.

  After Bree had shifted back into her fae form, they headed straight to her quarters where she threw on another set fighting leathers. She tried not to think about the torn shreds of her Light Fae leathers that she had been forced to leave behind on the dirt path. She had managed to grab her dagger in time, but there was no way to gather the scraps of her clothes. Those fighting leathers had been her only link to her past, the only reminder of who she truly was. And now they were gone.

  “Who were they?” Bree asked as she shoved a tunic over her head, blinking the tears out of her eyes. “Another Wilde Fae clan?”

  The truth was, she hadn’t caught a particularly good look at their attackers. She had been far too focused on shifting and charging toward the castle gates. But she had caught a glimpse of their faces, and she had seen the size of their forms. They didn’t look like Wilde Fae, or at least any of the full-blooded Wilde Fae that she had seen in the past. Those fae had been massive, their skin tinged with green or yellow. And their faces had been twisted and gnarled. The fae she had seen on the horses cha
sing them…well, they had looked just like any of the other fae at Court.

  Eurig’s jaw rippled as he clenched his teeth together. “As hard as it is for me to believe this, I am afraid those were outposters you saw. I recognized some of them. Friends of mine from way back then. And they recognized me too.”

  Bree froze, and her gut churned with dread. “Outposters? Are you certain?”

  Eurig gave a solemn nod. “I am more certain of that than I am of anything else. I want to be surprised by this, but it makes sense. The Queen has likely decided to make her move against the Court here. The outposters have been unhappy for years, and the Queen’s wrath has only increased as the years have gone by. She did not trust Midas, though she did fear him, so it makes sense that she would choose Taveon’s coronation as her chance to attack and take the throne. I would not put it past her. She has already taken one crown.”

  “But I thought there was a truce,” Bree said in a whisper. There had been dozens of riders chasing them, and if Eurig was right, there would be far more than that when they decided to attack the castle. He had said there were thousands of outposters. Thousands upon thousands. And they were more highly-trained than anyone thought. Eurig was the perfect example of that.

  “There was a truce between King Clarke and King Midas. Both of them are now dead,” Eurig said in a hard voice.

  Bree fought back the urge to sit down. This was bad. Really bad. She needed to find that raven and bring it back to life, and she just had to hope that the Court would wake up before the Queen launched her army at the gates. As strong as the barriers were, and as much of an advantage that the castle held against attackers, they needed to soldiers to protect it. They needed archers to rain down their arrows. They needed swordsmen on the battlements to fight off anyone who managed to scale the walls. Without all that, there was nothing to stop the Queen from invading and taking the castle as hers.

  “So, she will take this castle,” Bree said tugging the leather belt around her waist, and slipping the dagger into the band. “And what will she do to all of the cursed fae when she does?”

  Bree knew the answer to that question. She did not need Eurig to confirm the reality of this war, but she felt compelled to ask him anyway. She needed to hear him say it. She needed the reality of what was about to come to solidify itself in her mind. Because it would be what she needed to keep moving forward.

  “She will either kill or imprison them, probably both.” Eurig’s expression hardened as he remembered everything his Queen had done to him as well. “Some she will deem useful to her, so she will lock them up in your dungeons. Others…she will not want around. Taveon, for one. Most if not all of the council members. And I cannot see her wanting to keep Rafe around either. He’s too volatile, too loyal to the King.”

  Shivers coursed along Bree’s skin. She needed to find that raven, and then she needed to warn Taveon of what was about to come. She still hadn’t sent the information through the bond, knowing that he would only try to talk her out of bringing the raven back to life. Whatever he was scared him, and it scared Eurig, too. Bree had a feeling that she would understand that fear when she finally knew the full truth of him. But it was just one more raven. One more life she had to bring back. It was a life that could save the entire realm.

  “Right. Well, I’m not going to let her take it that easily,” Bree said with a nod, and crossed toward the open door. “I’m going to go get that raven. Don’t try to stop me.”

  “I’m not going to try to stop you this time, Bree,” Eurig said, a new determination hardening his voice. “I’m going with you, and I am going to help you. The Queen has no claim over this throne, and I will not let her have it. If that means you bringing back another creature, then so be it.”

  The Queen had done her best to beat him down, but she had failed. Eurig was stronger than he ever was, and she had made an enemy in him. An enemy that might very well end up being her undoing.

  Bree and Eurig exited the hall and found the little patch of ground where Bree had buried the Raven. She sank to her knees and dug until she found it, extracting the fragile creature from the dirt. She hoped it hadn’t been too long. She hoped it wasn’t too late. The curse had happened days ago, and there was no more warmth left underneath the dark feathers.

  Bree closed her eyes and called to the brightness that sung through her veins. It sparked to life, that brilliant flame that licked her insides. It was brighter and harsher this day, the power so strong that she felt as if it might topple her to the ground. Bree dug her fingers into the dirt, one hand brushing against the birds feathers.

  In the back of her mind, she heard Taveon whispering into her ear. The walls had fallen between them now, despite her every urge to keep them up. It was the intensity of the power, she realized. It had knocked away everything else. She was the power, and the power was her. They had become one, and a spark of fear lit in her gut.

  She was not sure she would be able to let it go, not this time.

  “Bree,” Taveon whispered, his voice insistent. “Bree, please stop. This is a terrible, terrible idea. It will end up killing you if you are not careful.”

  Bree shook her head against his words. The power could not kill her. It had made her immortal, just like Taveon. It did not take life away. It gave it.

  Bree found every ounce of courage within her veins and she pushed the power down to her fingertips and into the cold bird. Her heart and soul felt torn in two as the magic ripped out of her body. Booms shook through her, and her eardrums popped in her head. Her vision went black, and the world went on mute.

  Nothing existed but Bree and Bree alone. Without the power, she was nothing.

  Chapter 26

  Eurig

  Bree collapsed onto the ground just as the raven spread its wings and soared away through the air, disappearing into nothing more than a black speck on the cobalt sky. Eurig dropped to his knees, fear churning through his gut. Bree was far stronger than he had first given her credit for, and she was fiercer than even the beast that lurked inside of her.

  But she was still mortal, even with the bond she had with Taveon. And whatever she had just done was far too much for her frail body.

  “Bree?” Eurig asked, taking her soft hand in his and bringing it to his lips. He had seen her do this before. Twice now. The first time, she had looked as though she was a little dizzy. The second, she breathed as though she’d just run a marathon. But now, something about this one was different. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and she had fallen heavily to the ground, just like all the other fae who had fallen in this castle.

  Blinking back the tears in his eyes, Eurig slid his arms underneath her and lifted her from the ground. He would take her straight to Taveon. The King would be the first to wake from the curse, and he was the only one who could bring Bree back from whatever had happened.

  Eurig had to act fast, pounding his feet against the stone floor as he flew down the hall toward Taveon’s chambers. The King was already waiting for him when he arrived. His eyes were wide and his mouth was grim, and he took in Bree’s state with such a look of dread that it made Eurig’s bones go cold.

  “You should not have let her do this.” Taveon would not meet Eurig’s eyes.

  Eurig strode over to Taveon’s bed and lowered Bree onto it. “You know how she is. There is no telling her not to do a damn thing once her mind is made up. If I had tried to stop her, she would have run away from me and she would have done it anyway.”

  “You did not tell her what I am,” Taveon said, a statement more than a question. Because of course Taveon would know. The bond he had with Bree went far beyond anything Eurig could even imagine. They shared thoughts. And memories. And yet Taveon had still managed to keep the truth hidden from her.

  “I swore I would never tell a soul, and so I have not. But she deserves to know the truth, especially now. Your corrupted power has done something to her. Will you be able to heal her, Taveon?”

  “I do not know.
”

  Chapter 27

  Taveon

  Taveon’s heart had never hurt more than it did in that moment. This was all his fault. Bree’s strange trance-like state was all because of him. Because she felt compelled to help him. Because he had been unable to help himself. And because he had been too afraid to tell her the truth about him.

  But Taveon also knew that Bree would have gone through with it even if he had told her who and what he was. It would not have stopped her. She would have insisted on sacrificing herself to save the raven, to save him.

  And now he would have to do the same in return.

  Bree had not only brought him back, but she had saved his court as well. When the walls had collapsed between them, he had heard everything. And he had seen everything that had happened since she had closed herself off to him. An army of outposters was on the way, led by a desperate Queen willing to sacrifice every outposter life in order to get the power she had always craved. Taveon had always known that she would not stop at the outposts, that one day she would come for his throne.

  And now that day had come.

  Taveon knelt beside the bed and took Bree’s hands in his. Oh, how things had changed. Only days ago, she had been the one comforting him while he had imagined the feel of her skin under his. He tried to talk to her through the bond, but only silence answered. Wherever she was and whatever had happened to her, it was not the same curse that had been cast upon him.

  No, this was something else. This was all Taveon. A punishment for his power. A reminder of just how dangerous he could be.

  Taveon closed his eyes and sent every ounce of his healing power toward Bree. He still felt weak from being stuck inside of his own mind for days. But he still managed to find every ounce of power he could.