by G. Bailey
“I don’t deserve to be forgiven,” I mumble into his chest.
“You were just a kid,” he says. “You had no control over your powers just like the rest of us didn’t.”
I close my eyes, my tears soaking through his shirt. “I wish I never jumped into that stupid well.”
“We all wish at times we never became a shadowborn.” Jonah pulls me back and frowns at me. “But if you hadn’t, we’d never have met, and as much as you’re a pain in the ass, you’re my pain in the ass.”
I chuckle, my cheeks heating up. “Are you saying that you love me, Mr Vincent?”
His reply is to kiss me, and I smile against his lips. This is the only forgiveness I will ever need.
When we go back to the cottage, we find David sitting on the porch. Jonah lets go of my hand and enters the cottage first, his shoulders tensing as he prepares to confront his sister. I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling guilty for the pain I’ve caused them both. While Jonah may have forgiven me, I highly doubt his sister ever will, and I don’t blame her.
“She finally calmed down,” David says, jutting his chin over his shoulder. “Sage may or may not have knocked some sense into her.”
“Is Sage all right?” I ask, my heart stuttering with concern. I love that Sage always has my back but I also hate the thought of pissing Jane off even more. At the end of the day, I’m the one in the wrong, not her. Jane doesn’t deserve to get hurt even if my head still aches, and I’m pretty sure she pulled out a few clumps of my hair.
“It’s Sage we’re talking about.” David takes a drink from his flask, the edge of his lips twitching. “Of course she is.”
Chuckling under my breath, I enter the cottage to find everyone gathered around the table. Jane is in the kitchen behind them, preparing dinner, and her eyes never leave me while Jonah whispers in her ear. With obvious reluctance, she sets the soup bowls down on the table and follows him up the stairs. I sigh and sit down between Gage and Pitch, trying desperately hard not to focus on Jonah’s cum making my panties wet.
“So,” Zander starts, tucking his hands behind his head and glancing around the table. “What’s the plan?”
“We can’t stay here forever,” Gage sighs, crossing over his arms. “We need allies.”
Zander nods. “Maybe King Chiron can be persuaded.”
“Persuaded?” I repeat, looking between them. “What do you mean?”
“Ever since King Ares ascended the Throne of Luna, Chiron has remained passive to our wars,” Pitch explains. “He doesn’t involve himself in fae business anymore. He cares only for his own kingdom.”
“Sounds like they’re a bunch of hermits,” Sage mutters across from me, rolling her eyes. “Pass. We need more shadowborns on our side. Plus, they’re more powerful.”
Zander nods and unclasps his hands. “Then we go to the Black Harbour.”
“Is the training arena still there?” Ambrose inquires, narrowing his eyes in contemplation.
“I believe so,” David answers. “I had a former student who moved there a few weeks ago.”
As soon as David finishes talking, Jonah and his sister climb down the stairs. For a long, strained moment, everyone falls quiet as a tense silence drifts between us. Jonah slumps into one of the chairs at the table while Jane starts pouring homemade soup into ceramic bowls.
“What is the training arena?” I ask, trying to diffuse the tension.
“It’s where shadowborns who are training to become wardens go,” Pitch tells me. “The Black Harbour alone has more shadowborns than the academy.”
“Then we should go there,” I say, almost suggesting we leave now until I see how noticeably exhausted everyone looks. “Once we’ve had some food and rest.”
Jonah nods and watches his sister place a bowl in front of everyone. His eyes narrow on her when she sets one in front of me. To my surprise, she doesn’t deliberately spill it like I did with Eva, and I have to applaud her restraint; I deserve more than hot soup poured over me. I wonder what Jonah said to calm her down.
“Titans prefer to rest during the day, so it’s better you leave in the morning,” Jane says, her voice quiet. She reaches for a jug of water and starts filling our glasses. “Hurry up and eat before the broth gets cold.”
The broth is a thick, chunky vegetable soup that’s delicious and filling, but the room stays super tense and awkward which makes it hard to enjoy. When we’re finally done eating, Jonah helps Jane clean up when there’s a knock on the door.
Jane glares at her brother. “If you’ve brought my ex here just to piss me off, even more, I will end you.”
“Don’t look at me.” He dumps the bowls in the sink and winks over his shoulder at me. “The only people I care about are already here.”
My cheeks heat up and a grin slides onto my lips as Pitch stands from the table and walks over to the door. A gust of cool air sweeps into the room and all eyes turn to see who the visitor is. The air catches in my throat when Queen Narah, covered in blood, collapses into Pitch’s arms.
“The queen looks weak,” Ambrose states from behind me as I lean against the door, looking into the bedroom where my mother sleeps peacefully. He’s once again right. Narah doesn’t look healthy, and I fear she won’t for a long time. Ambrose has done his best to heal her, but some dark magic cannot be undone so easily. Especially if not even the Dark Fae Queen can erase it.
Despite everything she has done, and how angry I am at her, I want to be near while she heals. I want to find out what happened and make sure she’s okay. Ambrose steps closer to me, so close I can feel the heat from his body like a comforting blanket on a cold night.
“My own mother was cold and indifferent towards me for as long as I can remember,” he whispers. “It wasn’t her fault. I was a child she never wanted to exist. If I had a mother who loved and cared for me as yours does, I would give her a chance to explain herself.”
“But does my mother truly care for me?” I peel my gaze off her and frown at him. “She betrayed me, killed my father, and took over his kingdom. She also made Eva, a complete psychopath, her heir. Those aren’t the actions of someone who cares about me or even sees me as their daughter. I’m beginning to think that she never saw me as her daughter.”
He pauses and looks at my mother. “If that were the case, Vina, she would not have sought you out.”
Once again, Ambrose has a point. My wise old owl.
“Ambrose, why did you save me all those years ago?” I ask, genuinely curious to hear his answer.
He doesn’t even hesitate. “I saw a young girl making a foolish decision that I knew she would regret the second she jumped. But more than that, I saw a soul worth saving, and you know what?” He looks back at me. “I was right. Whatever is in your soul, no matter how powerful, is going to save this world from the mistakes of our past.”
“I never said thank you,” I tell him and take his hand in mine, squeezing tightly. “Thank you. I will always be your friend, Ambrose, until my death.”
“Which won’t be anytime soon,” Ambrose says with a meaningful stare. This conversation has been a long time coming for both of us. “Magic keeps a god alive for eternity, and with the magic in your soul, Corvina, how long do you think you will live at my side?”
“Immorality is not promised to anyone,” I whisper. “My mother is powerful and yet look at her. Not even royals can live as long as a god. I don’t think they’re supposed to.”
Ambrose lifts our joined hands and softly kisses the back of my hand before letting go. He turns and walks away, and I let him leave. I can’t be what he needs in his life, but I will be his friend for a very long time, forever owing him a debt I feel cannot be repaid.
I head to my mother’s side, pulling a wooden chair over and sitting next to her in the silence of the room. This part of the Enchanted Forest is all but silent, the only noise to disturb the peace is the birds chirping away. I can hardly look at Narah like this, vulnerable and on the verge of death. It
almost doesn’t seem like she’s real anymore. Her black hair is spread around the pillow, her pale skin is clammy and cold to touch. She is still enchantingly beautiful but the magic used against her has corrupted her soul, and I can feel it. I nearly jump when she opens her eyes, blinking a few times before turning her head to me.
“Corvina, you’re here,” she whispers, her voice hoarse. “So many years I fell asleep wishing you were there when I woke but you never were.”
Gritting my teeth, I push away her emotional blackmail shit. “Don’t expect me to play the doting daughter card when you fucked up the loving mother card. You killed Ulric!”
“He deserved it, and I will never be sorry for his death. He. Stole. My. Child.” She bites out every word, looking exhausted from doing so. I can’t imagine her pain at having her baby stolen, and while I understand it, I don’t need to like it. One wrong doesn’t make a right and siding with Eva is just totally unthinkable.
“And Eva?” I question, raising an eyebrow. “My dear sweet sister, who has crashed her train into crazy-ass-town?”
Narah winces and lifts a hand to her stomach. “I wanted the Throne of Helios to fall in ruins,” she whispers, tears glazing her long lashes. “I wanted every single Light Fae, including Eva, to despise their king because of what he did, and for the Dark Fae to finally rule as they should. Eva promised me all of this even when I saw her heart turn black. I wasn’t aware who Ronan was. When I was told, I confronted her, but she would not back down. Eva has some strange desire to see Ronan kill you.”
“It’s because he was my friend,” I all but growl. “Eva wants my heart turned cold before I die. It’s no fun just to kill me.”
“Yes, that is what I feared. You see, Eva was never going to be my heir. I simply wanted to use her to destroy her father and bring down his kingdom. However, last night I was betrayed by one of my former lovers who told her of my intentions. Eva sent the Titans and her army to attack my kingdom out of sheer spite.” Narah’s pale lips bear back into a snarl, “She has lost all control and has since gone mad with power! She has even taken over Kyllaros. Prince Elias has fled to the mountains, but I fear his father has been killed. Not even the Deadlands are safe anymore.”
“By Selena! You mean, all the kingdoms have fallen?” I question in horror. That means nowhere is safe apart from Draconia. But only those with dragon blood can go into that kingdom. It isn’t a place for shadowborns or normal fae.
Narah nods weakly. “I used the last of my magic to lock down my castle with some of our people inside. It’s an ancient spell known only to Dark Fae royals to protect the castle. For now, the Titans will struggle to get inside, but the magic of Selena can only hold the castle up for so long,” she warns me. “I made a mistake but I will fix it if…if you will help me, Corvina?”
“How could I possibly trust you?” I demand, shaking my head.
Narah looks away at the window and breathes in, wincing again. “I have done much wrong in my life, so much that the damage is beyond repair, but you, Corvina, are my one true act. You may not trust me, but please…please know that I do love you, and I will save the kingdom for you. I swear on Selena, I will never betray you again, Corvina.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. I’m still not sure about trusting her, but she’s the only ally we have right now.
“Why did you decide to have me?” I ask quietly. “You must have known a child with Ulric would have never been yours alone.”
“I acquired a mirror that told me of a prophecy,” she whispers and speaks into my mind, probably too weak to say it out loud:
I don’t say anything as I remember Ivywood saying something similar about me being the light in the ever long night. I hate riddles, especially when they suggest I am somehow going to pull a rabbit out of my butt and save the Forest from frigging Titans. Looking back at Narah, who is my flesh and blood despite her mistakes, I know I don’t have a choice but to trust her. I need help. There is zero chance I can do this on my own. If all three kingdoms have fallen, Narah is the only person who is powerful enough to help me stop the Titans.
“I always did love the colour blue,” I say lamely, and she just laughs and reaches for my hand.
I let her hold me as we try to put together the cracked mirror of our relationship, just long enough to save the world.
“Do you trust her?”
I turn my gaze from Zander to the full moon. “I don’t know, Zee-Zee. Should I trust her?”
He chuckles at the nickname and takes my hand in his, the two of us stargazing in the meadow. The cool air against my freshly washed skin and the sounds of the forest are comforting as we watch the night sky. Even as a child, I have always loved the moon and stars. They remind me that no matter where I am, I’m never alone, and now I know that I never was; Selena was always there for me. Would she trust my mother?
When the monsters first came to the forest, she didn’t turn them away as Danica did. She embraced them for who they were and welcomed them into her kingdom because she knew they deserved a second chance. If Jonah was able to forgive me for what I did, I should be able to forgive my mother, at least until the kingdoms are saved.
“I want to trust her,” I answer honestly. “I’m just scared this is another trap.”
“You have every right to be scared, but…” He trails off and I turn to look at him, transfixed by the way the moon bathes his skin in an ethereal glow.
“But what?” I probe him.
“Narah nearly died, right? If this was a trap, I don’t think she’d go so far as to kill herself. She cares too much about her precious throne to do that.”
“She wanted to destroy King Ulric’s throne, not hers,” I say in agreement. “I know how much Narah loves being the Dark Fae Queen. She’d never give the Throne of Luna up willingly.”
“Which means it must have been taken from her,” he counters, turning his gaze skyward again. “Narah is a lot of things—cold, calculating, manipulative—but she’s not reckless like Eva. Every decision Narah has ever made was for her kingdom, and for you.”
“Me?” I repeat quietly, my chest tightening.
“She started the war for you, didn’t she?”
“Yes.”
He reaches out and tucks my damp hair behind my ear. “And she came to you for help despite knowing that you might turn her away and leave her to die?”
“Yeah, she did.”
“It’s because she loves you. I don’t think she would have come here if she didn’t want to see you one last time. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a fucked up, unstable mess who needs to have some sessions with Gage, but I do think she cares for you in her own way.”
I nod, struggling to find the correct response. I never thought about it all like that. Narah did come here, even though she was on the verge of dying. She was potentially using the last moments of her life to ask for my help and forgiveness. Ambrose and Zander are right: Queen Narah sought me out of all the people she could’ve gone to. Surely that must account for something?
“You know, I’m really lucky I have you all in my life,” I tell Zander.
He looks at me again, arching a brow. “And by all you mean me?”
I swat his hand playfully, grinning at him. “Seriously though. Ever since I met you guys, I’ve been able to face things I never in my wildest dreams thought I was strong enough to face. I don’t know what I’d do without you all. It’s like you saved me from the darkness—from myself.”
Zander lifts my hand and kisses me. “We’re the lucky ones, Vina,” he whispers in a low, sexy voice. “Without you, neither of us would have a purpose. You are the one who saved us.”
His words make my heart soar, and I roll on top of him, pressing my lips to his. He has no idea the strength he’s just given me by saying that. Now I feel ready to face the world again, but more than that, I feel ready to give my mother a second chance.
Everyone deserves forgiveness, right? Even a Dark Fae Queen.
“Has anyone h
eard of the legend of the Zorya artifacts?” Ambrose randomly asks, breaking the tension stretching between us over breakfast.
Thank the gods!
Breakfast has been just as awkward, if not more so, than dinner. Jane and Jonah sit together, quietly talking between themselves, Zander is on my left side and Pitch on my other. Gage is next to my mother and Pitch, and the awkwardness between them all makes everyone unbearably tense. I’m almost thankful for Ambrose’s comment as it helps to break up the tension. Before anyone can answer, Sage and David, who were sitting on the sofa on the other side of the room, stand and join us at the table.
“I once read an ancient script about them but there wasn’t much known,” Sage says. “The Zorya artifacts are only really brought up in the old fae rhyme sung to children.”
“I know it,” Pitch says, glancing at Narah. I wonder if she sang him rhymes as a baby, or even played with him as a child. She doesn’t look at Pitch like she does at me, but the queen is hard to read at the best of times, and I know that deep down, she does think of him as a son. It’s weird to think I’m shacking up with my stepbrother. Adoptive brother?
Yep, we are a weird-ass family.
Just as I think that I look over to see Echo hovering in the air above Jane’s head, eating crackers. The crumbs falling from his mouth land in Jane’s hair, covered in Echo’s drool. So gross but my lips twitch. Narah chuckles and everyone turns to look at her. Seeing her still so weak and injured is surprisingly hard. It took all her energy to walk down the stairs. She really was on the brink of death last night. Until we have a concrete plan, and she’s better, we’re stuck in this awkward cottage. Pitch singing softly beside me snaps me out of my thoughts.
Gods, that’s a scary rhyme to sing to kids. But as Pitch sings it, I get goosebumps and a flicker of familiarity about the rhyme. I link my hand with Pitch’s under the table and I look up at Ambrose who leans against Jonah’s chair. He appears almost lost in thought as he stares down at the floor. I wonder if he sang the same rhyme to his son before he was taken.