by Mindy Hayes
Glimmer
A Faylinn Novel
Mindy Hayes
Glimmer
Copyright © 2016 by Mindy Hayes
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Published by Mindy Hayes
Editor: Madison Seidler
www.madisonseidler.com
Cover design and photography by Regina Wamba
www.maeidesign.com
Also by Mindy Hayes
The Faylinn Novels:
Kaleidoscope
Ember
Luminary
Willowhaven Series:
Me After You
Me Without You
YA Standalone
The Day That Saved Us
Co-written with Michele G. Miller
Paper Planes and Other Things We Lost
For my readers
Chapter One
SARAI
Snow gently drifted onto the mountaintops of Rymidon as I watched from the window of my tower nestled within the crevices of the mountainside. Waterfalls frozen mid-stream down the rock, reminded of my life––immobilized, stagnant. I had hope in a better tomorrow, but since returning from Faylinn I’d found myself spiraling into depression. Thankfully, the winter would not last much longer. I missed the green. The cold matched my stage of mourning. I needed the warmth to thaw my sadness, to remind me of what I had to live for.
Focusing on each snowflake falling to the earth was calming. It’d been a month since The Battle of Faylinn. Since I’d lost the rest of my family, since I’d become one fae responsible for so many. While I mostly mourned the loss of Sakari, I couldn’t help but grieve for my father and Skye. Not only for their lives lost, but also for the lives they’d taken. For the men they chose to be as opposed to the men they could’ve been. I mourned for all that could’ve been.
It has been a trial to stay strong for Rymidon as they have needed me most while we try to rebuild the kingdom we once knew. When I stood at my window and saw them working as one, it made it easier for me to push forward and see the importance of my role. They were the hope. I was the guiding light. Though, most days it felt like I was nothing more than a flickering candle.
“Your Grace.” I peered over my shoulder to see Kayne in the tall stone archway. He bowed lowly.
“Yes, Kayne,” I said kindly, though tired.
He stood at attention and took a heavy breath. “There has been an incident.”
I turned all the way around to face him. “What sort of incident?”
“Brae and Gallagher stumbled upon one of our own on their patrol of the forest this morning.”
I waited for him to continue, giving him a look to show I was ready for whatever he would deliver. I could take it no matter how bad. How much worse could it get?
“His throat was slit.” Kayne paused. “He was drained of all his blood.”
Could we not live in peace for more than a month? Must we already turn on one another?
“Who was it?”
“Eldon of the Sowers.”
“Zanna’s betrothed,” I presumed. My heart ached for her.
He nodded, firm.
“Who knows about this?”
“Brae and Gallagher came straight to me. I told them to keep it quiet until we knew more.”
“Good. Keep it that way. I don’t want there to be needless upset in the kingdom until we get down to the bottom of it.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Are there any indications of who might be responsible?”
“There was no weapon on the grounds, nor any disturbance of the land. It was as though he was killed elsewhere and left in our forest.”
“Can you tell me anything else? Do you believe it was the work of one of our own?”
His head shook once, confidently. “No. I do not see why anyone would after we lost so many in the battle. It was not as though it was done out of passion. With his body completely drained, it was almost as if he were killed for his blood. I do not see why any of the other kingdoms would take such an action, unless it was a rogue faery.”
Letting out a breath, I asked, “So, what do you gather, Kayne?”
“I cannot say for sure, Your Grace, but I believe it was an outsider. Who? I do not know yet, but I have every Keeper looking out. We will get to the bottom of it. I promise you.”
Kayne had kind eyes—always had. When I was locked away for my supposed protection, it always made me feel calmer knowing he was on post. Even as he stood before me, declaring his promise of justice, there was no malice or hate in his eyes, only concern and determination.
“Thank you, Kayne. You may go.”
He offered a close-lipped smile and bowed as he backed out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
No matter where my head or heart was, my time to step out of my stupor was now. I could no longer dwell on the past. I needed to be present for my kingdom. It was time I truly accepted my place as Queen of Rymidon.
Chapter Two
CAMERON
“Lia, if you’re going to live in this world, you’ll need to get your butt off my couch and find a job. You can’t keep living with me and expect me to do everything for you.”
Though Calliope had never actually asked me to, it had been implied. Look out for her, Cam. Not that I understood why, after all Lia had put her through, but when Lia had shown up on my doorstep a couple days after I’d arrived at Clemson, with a sigh I’d opened the door wide and let her pass by me. What else could I do? I hadn’t even questioned how she’d found my apartment. Who knows what she’s capable of? Pretty much anything.
“I’d be happy to find a job. If you can find a place that will hire me, I’ll take it,” she mumbled as she scrolled through the channels, not once looking at me standing by the armrest. Her legs stretched out on the ottoman, crossed at the ankles. This was her assumed position every day. Can I really be surprised to find her this way again?
“Do you have a resume?” I asked.
She snorted. “And what would you suggest I put on it? ‘Evil former faery with a horrible track record of lying and deceit, seeking a position at your fine institute.’”
“Well, that’s a start,” I said. “Though I’d leave off the whole horrible track record part. That won’t get you in the door anywhere, but since you’ve got the whole lying and faking part down, you’d be perfect in sales or customer service, blowing smoke up people’s butts all day long. Tell them you’ve never had a job before, but you’re very motivated.”
Lia lifted a dry look. “I’m working on it, Cameron.”
“I can see that. Is it telepathic job hunting? If it is, I’m impressed. I hadn’t realized faeries had that ability.”
“I don’t understand how you still remember everything,” Lia muttered, averting her gaze. “It’s been months. You’re a human. I’m a human. You’re supposed to forget these things. Why can’t we be human beings like everyone else?”
“I think it’s kind of hard to forget when my best friend is the faery queen you tried to screw over.”
Lia rolled her eyes and settled further into the cushions, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes saddened, and I felt a little guilty for throwing that at her. Not that I’ve forgiven her, but a part of me feels bad for her. Even though she did it to herself, Lia has no one. And if Ca
lliope was able to forgive, I need to try, too.
I decided to answer her honestly. “I’m thinking it’s like Calliope’s mom being aware of the existence of faeries through all those years because Finn still had a hint of faery blood in him. And they hardly spent any time apart. Since you’re around me all the time—I assume there’s still some faery blood running through your veins—I haven’t been given the opportunity to forget.”
“I thought Finnian was special because of his Royal bloodline,” she argued. Everything was an argument with her. We could never have a civil conversation. Every word out of her mouth was laced with superiority or irritation. Granted everything out of my mouth was sarcastic, but that was beside the point. She provoked me. I couldn’t help it if my tongue had a mind of its own.
“What do I know, Lia? I’m a mere mortal on planet Earth. I just live here.” When she didn’t respond, I said, “Look, I need to get to class. You going to be okay?”
A look that was less than amused enflamed her eyes. She blinked once, but said nothing.
I cleared my throat. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I’ll survive.” She focused on the TV once again. “If I don’t, I doubt that would cause any issues for you.”
True. “Well, at least we agree on something. I’ll see you later.” I saluted her and walked out the front door.
Chapter Three
LIA
The apartment door shut. Finally, alone again. It was rare to be by myself in his apartment. With Cameron’s two roommates always coming and going, I rarely had a moment alone.
Nothing on TV was even remotely interesting—not that is ever was. Just a bunch of people playing a part for others’ entertainment. Look where pretending to be someone else got me. I grabbed my jacket and decided to head out. We weren’t far from the forest, and that was still the only place where I felt comfort. Where I felt home.
There were times when I’d sit cross-legged at the edge of the trees and do nothing but stare. Some might have found it boring or strange. I found it soothing. And complete torture. Though, it was worse to stay away.
I missed the feel of the wind blowing through my hair and across my wings as I soared through the branches and vines. I missed the soft touch of moss beneath my feet, the taste of vigas and pruillas on my tongue. I missed … Skye. I was fully aware that I shouldn’t. But even after all he’d done, I still loved him. And I lost him, too.
What I wouldn’t give to have my wings back, to have their encircling comfort around my body. I needed their comfort now more than ever. I was alone. Alone in a gigantic world I didn’t know how to belong to anymore.
Sure, I’d lived here for a time before, but I had been acting. I’d had a make-believe family and friends. I’d had school, somewhere to go, a schedule. I’d had a place to call home. This time, I felt lost. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I needed Cameron. I couldn’t survive on my own.
For the first couple weeks, I’d sought shelter in the forest across from Cameron’s house. I wasn’t sure how I’d ever thought sleeping in a tree was comfortable before. After the first night, my back was killing me and I was covered in bug bites. When his Dad had left for work and Cameron had left for who knows where, I’d snuck into his house to shower and swipe some food. I’d had no money. No transportation. No clothes aside from the ones I’d been wearing. No form of identification. Eventually, I’d had to stay in a homeless shelter just so I would have a bed instead of a branch to sleep on.
When I’d seen Cameron packing up and leaving for college, I’d known I had to follow. Somehow I was going to suck up my pride and ask for help. I’d had no other choice. There was no way I could survive on my own in the human world. It ran so differently from Rymidon. I couldn’t barter my way through life or use my status as the betrothed of a Royal. I was nothing here. A nobody.
Little did Cameron know that I had been trying to get a job, but everywhere I went either wasn’t hiring or wanted someone with a degree or at least some sort of experience. Experience in anything. I’d tried restaurants, retail stores, offices that might need a receptionist. None of them could understand how a twenty-year-old was searching for her first job ever, not to mention I didn’t even have a high school diploma. I mean … I assumed I was twenty in human years. Close to it anyway. I’d only pretended to be younger for my human life before so I could go to high school and be close to Calliope. I suppose I could try to pass for someone younger now. Would that work in my favor?
Thankfully, Cameron knew someone who knew someone who had been able to hook me up—for small fee, which Cameron had paid—with a fake ID, birth certificate, and a diploma … to prove I existed.
“Once you get a job, you’re paying me back,” he’d said.
“Like I want to be indebted to you,” I’d retorted.
Granted, I could suck it up and be a bagger at a grocery store or work at a fast food chain, but that kind of money would hardly pay the bills if I wanted my own place, which I needed as soon as possible. I needed something steady if I was going to survive on my own—and that needed to happen soon. I couldn’t stand Cameron’s judgmental stares every time he saw me, for much longer.
Trust me, Cameron, if I had anywhere else to go that’s where I’d be.
My eyes traveled over the vines creeping up the trunks and intertwining with the branches. I missed my life before. I knew exactly what I was giving up. And though I knew, the trees were a part of me. This was my penance. To be within reach of the woodlands and not be able to appreciate them the way I used to.
The leaves crunched, and my eyes shifted. It might not have given anyone else a second thought, but I knew better. I knew what lived in the trees.
Getting to my feet, I let my eyes drift over the branches and shrubs. It was probably smarter to leave, but I was too curious not to stick around. My body took a defensive stance just in case, but then I saw big green eyes and long blonde curls emerge through the vines.
“Calliope?”
“Hey, Lia.”
Chapter Four
SARAI
Kayne followed me down the foliage-covered hillside dusted in snow as we made our way into the village, the rest of my personal Keepers in tow. It was important to me to mingle with everyone daily. I wanted Rymidon to know I was apart of them. While I lived in the castle on the mountainside, high above the kingdom, I was merely a mouthpiece. My role was to create a peaceful, functioning society. This was not a dictatorship. I was here for them. I was not my father, and they needed to know I cared.
Today, I had a secret agenda, but I didn’t want to raise any alarm. I needed to know if anyone else was aware of the death, if someone noticed anything out of the ordinary, but I had to be discreet. The last thing Rymidonians needed was to feel hunted in our home.
Before I was able to begin conversations with anyone I noticed uneasy stares. Did they already know? Was the death revealed without my approval? When I realized they weren’t looking at my Keepers or me, I followed the line of sight to a group of fae with vines wrapped up their right arms entering Rymidon. Faylinnian Keepers. A familiar face approached front and center.
“Declan.” I smiled. “How nice to see you.”
He bowed. “Queen Sarai, Calliope asked that I personally extend an invitation to a celebration in Faylinn. A uniting celebration to bring the kingdoms back together and rebuild amity.”
“Is she sure that is wise this soon after The Battle?” Calliope mentioned she wanted to do something like this, but I had not realized she meant to do it so soon. The other kingdoms may need more time to heal before associating with us.
“She knew you might be apprehensive, so she wanted me to assure you Rymidon is welcome. All kingdoms will be aware of your attendance. The hope is they will join with open hearts and minds. She has assured them all of your stance and the peace you seek, as well as the Supremacy Adair abused. They will know Rymidon is no longer a threat.”
I nodded and smiled kindly. “Thank you, Dec
lan. I will speak with my kingdom. I do not want to accept an invitation before I know they are comfortable. I’m sure Calliope will understand that. Please extend her my love and gratitude for her efforts.”
As the Faylinnians left, Kayne took a step closer to me and bent to speak in my ear. “With the recent assassination, I’m not sure it is a wise decision to accept. There is no way for us to know if it is safe.”
“I agree, Kayne,” I said quietly and continued walking, smiling and acknowledging fae as we passed their dwellings. “But, the celebration may also be the perfect opportunity to further investigate. What if we are not the only kingdom who lost someone? I will leave the choice up to each member of our kingdom. I will be in attendance. If they chose to stay behind, I will not fault them. I will also ask that we have a solid unit of Keepers that remain behind in case there are any more incidents. I pray this was an isolated incident, but I will not take any chances.”
Chapter Five
CAMERON
“Hey, can I catch a ride home? I rode to class with Ryland.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Sure.”
Chase hopped into the passenger side of my jeep and latched his seatbelt. “So, what’s the story with Ginger?”
“Who?” I turned the ignition.
“You know … the red head who’s been sleeping on our couch.”