by G. Bailey
“My apologies, Your Majesty.” I hold my hands behind my back, more so because they are clenching into tight fists, and bow low. “I cannot break your daughter’s trust.”
“Admirable and yet such a pity.” Queen Narah clicks her tongue and then pivots on her heel, returning back to her ostentatious throne. My pulse spikes as I watch her go. Something tells me I’m going to regret this decision. At least Corvina will not be hurt in the process.
Corvina is more than just my student. She’s everything to me. I might not be a prince or a dragon, but I’ll bring this entire kingdom to its knees if they so much as touch a hair on her body. My power is strong, but by Selena, my wrath is stronger. Queen Narah and King Ulric would be wise not to underestimate shadowborns.
I weave my way through the dancers towards Corvina. Just as she turns to look at me, a sharp pain pierces my heart, and nothing but darkness catches me as I fall to the floor.
It’s like the gods have pressed pause on the world. I watch Gage smile at me from across the room, so handsome in his light grey tux, and my heart jumps upon seeing him. But then a man in a black cloak steps in front of Gage, blocking my view of him. When he pulls away, a scream tears its way from my throat as Gage falls to the floor, his hand clenched around the dagger in his heart.
I run over to him, my wings lifting me across the ballroom, and crash down at his side, placing my hands over his chest. He looks so young and broken in my grasp. My hands are trembling as I check his wrist for a pulse, but after a few seconds, I still don’t feel anything.
No, no, no. Gage can’t be dead. He can’t just leave me like this.
My panic turns into grief and I start to scream, my power exploding out from the cage I always try to keep it in. The floor shakes and the glass walls of the ballroom smash into millions of pieces, but they hover in the air around the floor between all the fae that dare not move.
All but one of them.
Queen Narah brushes the glass from her face like it’s just snow and flies over to me, even as it cuts her skin. She lifts her hands and all the fae drop to their knees, covered in blood as red as my dress and blessed with so much magic. I’ve never felt this kind of magic before. It surges into me. Light, dark and shadow magic snake around my body, caressing me with comfort.
Promising me destruction in the name of revenge.
“Corvina, listen to me,” Narah demands in a whisper. “You can save him by drawing a small amount of blood from everyone in this room. Use the glass and make your bond if he means that much to you.”
I look down at Gage, tears stinging my eyes as I lean closer. I hope he doesn’t hate me for what I’m about to. But I can’t lose him. Gage is mine. I press my lips to his temple and let go of my power, willing it to do whatever it must to save his life. A wave of dizziness hits me as light and dark blasts from my eyes. I can feel the shadows wrapping around us, tethering our bodies, protecting us from anything that may come, while the glass falls and shatters around us.
Every inch of my body aches as I continue to use more of the magic, knowing I’m healing Gage as much as I’m creating a bond to him. I look down to see the dagger disappear into dust and the wound slowly heals itself. I collapse onto the floor next to him as I pull my power back into its cage. Eventually, I see the rest of the room is covered in bodies lying sprawled on the floor, and the only ones standing are my parents and Eva. I should be terrified of what I have just done...repulsed...but I’m just exhausted.
I close my eyes and let the darkness welcome me home.
“When will she wake?” Pitch asks softly, and someone strokes my forehead, brushing away the strands sticking to my skin.
“Never in history has a fae saved the life of a shadowborn by draining nearly one thousand fae of their magic. This is unprecedented,” someone replies. I don’t recognize his voice.
“Get out then,” Pitch hisses and I soon hear a door open and slam shut.
“Is Gage okay?” I mumble, blinking my eyes open.
Everything hurts and I groan, looking around my room with narrowed eyes. We’re back in my room at the academy and Pitch is sitting beside me, holding my hand. He lifts it and kisses my knuckles, looking relieved. Someone gently touches my other hand and I turn to see Gage sitting beside me in my bed. His shirt is missing so I can see his bare chest. The delicate scar is still there but he looks okay. I breathe out a sigh of relief before sitting myself up and glancing at the door. Zander and Jonah are talking outside my room, but I can’t hear them. I can only see them through the gaps in the hinges.
“I’m weak but you saved me. Thank you, Vina,” Gage whispers, brushing my temple again.
“What happened?” I ask as Pitch hands me a glass of water and I drink some of it while he explains.
“You cut every fae in the room with a shard of glass and then drained them of their magic to save Gage. All temporary, of course, and Gage has quite the power boost now.”
My eyes widen. I just remember losing control but not exactly what happened when I did.
“Is everyone mad?” I put the glass down on my counter and yawn. I don’t feel as exhausted anymore. If anything, I feel like I, too, have a power boost.
Pitch shakes his head, a small smile on his lips. He leans down, brushing his lips across my cheek. “No, if anything, they all admire you. I will leave you both to sleep and rest.”
“Don’t go far,” I whisper to him and he bows his head.
“Never.”
We both watch him leave the room to talk to Zander and Jonah outside. I turn to Gage’s open arms. I snuggle into his chest and he kisses the top of my head.
“If ever I die again, don’t save me if it risks hurting yourself,” he warns me. “You could have died.”
“Why would you say that?” I demand and take a deep breath. “I can’t lose you and I would do the same again.”
“Vina, I never want to leave you.”
Relief washes through me.
“Then I won’t let you and you won’t let me. We are in this together, Gage. Always together.”
My eyes drift shut as Gage holds me and I almost miss his reply.
“Together is our always.”
I wake with a scream again. The sight of my best friend impaled on the Fountain of Mene is the worst of my nightmares so far. I know what my dreams are trying to tell me but I refuse to listen.
Sage is not dead.
Glancing at Gage sound asleep beside me, I kick my covers off and rush over to the window, throwing it open to take in deep gulps of the cool twilight air. This is the first night this week my parents haven’t forced me to stay at their palace and I’m thankful for the break. The fae are exhausting. Toss a whole list of royal duties into the equation, and yeah, I’m glad to be back at the academy. I just wish I could hang out with my best friend right now. We’d probably go for a fly, eat junk food and laugh so much we can’t breathe. Tears sting my eyes as I think about her. Sage, where are you? Give me a sign you’re all right.
I scan the grounds below where a dozen of Ivywood’s guards are patrolling. The fire from the sconces bounce off their silver armor, but that’s not all that catches my attention. Something brighter flashes in the corner of my eye...something red. I push onto my tiptoes and search the shadows. It’s coming from the trees surrounding the academy.
Jumping up on my windowsill, I shift into my raven and take to the skies. I could fly down as a fae but I don’t want the guards to catch me sneaking out past curfew.
Rook is close by, probably hunting for a late-night snack. He’s always hungry, that raven.
I swoop down into the trees and land on the ground in my human form with a barely audible sound. The forest floor is surprisingly soft against my bare feet.
“Trouble sleeping?”
I turn to see Jonah leaning against a tree. He tucks his ruby pendant under his shirt and smirks at me.
“If you wanted my attention, you could’ve just said so,” I tell him, walking over.
/> He eyes me closely, and I suddenly realise my tank top and striped hot pants aren’t the best things to wear in the forest. Luckily, my fae side protects me against the cold. Still, I wish I had brought some shoes with me.
“I saw you at your window. Figured we could hang out.”
“And by hangout you mean...” I glance down with a raised eyebrow. Even in the shadows, I can see his trousers tented with an erection. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to the idea.”
“I’d like nothing more than to pin you against this tree and take you, Corvina.”
He closes the distance between us and reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. It’s a surprisingly gentle gesture from him which makes my heart thump.
“Then why don’t you?” I whisper, glad of the distraction. Anything to erase my nightmares.
“Because your little pet, Echo, got out and Zander can’t get him down.” He nods to the trees behind us. “He told me not to tell you but I’m sick of trying to help him.”
My expression sobers. “Where is Echo?”
“Devil’s Drop. Take my hand.”
Curious, I place my hand in his, and he shadowlocates us away. When we arrive at the Devil’s Drop, I see why the guys have been struggling to get Echo ‘down’. He’s turned himself into a giant pink dragon and is lying on top of a pointed cliff at the other side of the gorge.
Each time Zander flies over and tries to catch him, enormous fireballs shoot out from Echo’s behind. Zander’s water dragon is no match for Echo’s fiery flatulence. Just looking at Zander trying to dodge the balls makes me burst into a fit of giggles.
“What’s so funny?”
“He’s...he’s a pink dragon...farting fireballs.” I hold onto my stomach, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Oh my gosh, I needed this laugh.”
“Uh-huh. Well, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to get back to my bed before class starts.” Jonah’s smiling at me despite his slightly bitter tone. “What are you gonna do?”
“Do what I always do, Mr Vincent.” I roll up my pretend sleeves and wink at him. “Save the day.”
“Pssht, yeah. I usually have to save your sorry ass.”
“Cover me.”
“From what?”
“From Echo’s flaming farts, of course!”
I take my bracelet off, let my wings out and fly over the gorge. This is definitely not how I thought I’d be spending the wee hours of my night, but I’m glad. I really needed a distraction and this one is just damn hilarious.
I join Zander hovering about fifty feet in the air. He stays in his dragon form which tells me he’s either too pissed off to shift back or exhausted.
“How long have you been out here trying to get Echo down?”
He growls at me, a surge of water building in his chest.
“That long, huh?” I look up at Echo, my cheeks sore from all the smiling. His pink wings lift him into the sky and he flies down from the cliff in three effortless swoops. He lands on the ground, shaking the earth around us, and then transforms into his usual adorable self. His familiar little bat-wings carry him over into my arms.
“Awwww! Our wittle baby just wanted his momma,” I say to Zander, pouting.
With a thunderous roar, Zander shifts back and storms over. “Echo, that was bad! Bad!”
“Quit shouting at him already.” I turn away, holding Echo protectively in my arms. “He likely has no idea what you’re angry about.”
“Vina, I’ve been out here for four. Goddamn. Hours. I’m tired, hungry, and pissed. Stop defending the rascal.”
I gently boop Echo on his little nose. He lets out an adorable screech that I try desperately hard not to giggle at.
“Okay, I’ll take the rascal tonight and give you a break. How’s that?”
“Fine. Thanks,” Zander grits out, though I can tell from his tone that he’s genuinely thankful. Echo is really beginning to test Zander’s patience lately. If he’s not sneaking out, he’s turning into pink dragons and farting fire at him. I wonder what’s wrong with Echo? It suddenly occurs to me that I need to study Shades more. I barely know anything about them.
Jonah laughs at us, crossing his arms over his chest. “You two legit have custody over a Shade.”
“Sshhh.”
Jonah glares at Zander. “Did you just fucking shush me, dude?”
“Yeah, now shhh. You hear that, Vina?”
“No, but I can smell it. It’s rancid.”
Almost like damp clothes gathering mold in a washing machine for several weeks kind of rancid. I search the darkness around us, wrinkling my nose at the stench. It’s growing stronger. At first, I don’t see anything but the occasional pixie lighting up the leaves, but then I catch it, just a flicker of pink darting between the trees.
It’s Sage.
That awful smell is coming from Sage!
I hand Echo over and shift into my wolf before the guys stop me. My paws pound the earth as I race after her. This is why Echo brought me here. He knew Sage was close by, or at least, whatever’s pretending to be Sage. I should be more concerned about the latter but I’m just so desperate to find her. I use my wolf senses, stronger than my fae, to track the scent. My insides recoil at how foul it is but the fact that it’s getting stronger gives me hope.
Images flash before my eyes. A statue bathed in moonlight, a white owl swooping over it, feathers fluttering from the sky. I would know that owl anywhere. It’s Ambrose and he’s trying to help me. The best part---I know exactly what statue he’s referring to.
I increase my speed and reach the Statue of Aeon not ten minutes later. To my utter dismay, I find the clearing empty apart from the statue. I shift back and walk over, touching the God of Life’s beautiful face. His gaze is turned to the ground, as it has always been, and I follow it. My heart freezes in my chest. Laying on top of the soil is the feather from Sage’s quill.
I lurch forward and grasp the feather into my hand. It smells putrid just like before, but it gives me the sign I’ve been looking for.
Sage is still alive and I will find her.
But first, I need to find out who, and what, the God of Life is.
Something tells me he holds the key to finding my best friend.
“Corvina, may I have a moment?” King Ulric steps into the kitchen where I was teaching the fae how to make real tea like normal people. Every cup I’ve tasted so far in the fae kingdoms has been more sugar, honey, and leaves than actual tea. It’s no wonder I can’t sleep with all the sugar. The two fae, who were talking to me just moments before, drop everything and scurry out of the kitchen. The king watches them leave with his lips pressed tightly to his teeth. “What in the name of Selena are you doing in the kitchen talking to the staff?”
“Showing off my tea brewing skills,” I whisper, turning around with a fake smile. “What’s up?”
Ulric takes a deep breath, almost like I’m trying his patience. “I demand you spend some time with your sister. Eva may have her troubles, but so do you and she is your blood. If you just spent time together, you may find you are both more alike than you know.”
Knowing the king has just backed me into a corner I can’t escape, I all but roll my eyes. “Do I have a choice?”
“No.” A smile lights up his features. “She is waiting outside.”
“Wait. If I go and play nice, can I spend the night at the academy again?”
He laughs, clasping his hands behind his back. “Forever my daughter. Yes, you may. Now go play nice.”
Play nice with Eva? I’d rather watch paint dry. I grin and dump my tea in the sink, then I walk over to the door. I suspect I won’t find anything in common with my crazy sister, but I want to spend the night at the academy, so beggars can’t be choosers and all that.
Eva stands perfectly still outside the kitchen door, her arms crossed tightly and her lips pressed into a thin line. Her dress is pure white, covering every inch of her ivory skin from her neck down, even her hands are covered by s
ilver gloves.
It doesn’t make sense to me why she is so dressed up. The light fae kingdom is forever warm, almost suffocatingly so, even as the seasons change. The dark fae court has the opposite issue, but I’ve always liked a chill in the air. At any rate, I don’t understand why Eva is covering up so much in the heat.
The four guards, two on each side, all look as awkward as this moment is. What do I say?
“Have you seen the royal library?” she asks, her posh and delicate voice always making me cringe inside for some reason.
I swallow it down and plaster on a smile. “No. Would you care to show me, dearest sister?”
“Of course.” Eva nods her head to the left. “This way.”
I join her side and walk down the endless corridors and stairs of the castle. Neither one of us say anything to each other, and to be honest, I prefer it that way. Eventually, what seems like an eternity later, we get to the library and the guards stay outside as we walk through the large wooden doors. The library is different than I expected. It’s filled with spiraling tunnels of glass with books stacked on shelves inside. All the tunnels make a star shape that hovers in the middle of the enormous room. On the floor there are intricate tiles and every one is like a painting of some kind.
“Are these paintings of gods?” I ask, my gaze scanning the floor, but I don’t recognise any of the paintings.
“Yes. As a child, I would spend hours playing in here and pretending the gods were my friends. Every tile is a fae depiction of what the gods and titans would have been like.”
“Titans?” I glance at her, frowning in confusion. “What are they?”
I haven’t heard of them before. Eva just smiles and waves her hand for me to follow her. We go to the back of the room where there are five tiles interconnected with each other. In them stands a small woman with long brown hair and to me, she looks human. The five men—no, titans—at her side tower over her with more muscles than should be allowed on one body. But it’s the power they give off that draws me to them like a moth to the flame. It shimmers around them and even though it is just a painting, I can feel the danger they represent.