Lightness Falling (Lightness Saga Book 2)

by Stacey Marie Brown

  The hex locked in my throat. Oh my god. No.

  “Raven!” My name was screamed again, but I stared, locking eyes with the red-eyed fae.

  Words sprang from over my shoulder when I faltered, Kenya’s curse heading toward its victim.

  Family. Protect. Instinct seized my body. I whirled around, the dark invocation spewing from my mouth, directed at the one I stood with scarcely a moment before.

  Kenya’s eyes widened, seeing the change. She slung the words of her spell at the same time my curse hit her. With a bounce, the black magic vaulted off her, heading back to the precise fae I was trying to protect.

  Nooo! I screamed in my head at the same time Lorcan cried out, flinging himself forward. Both of us reached out for the person in front of us.

  West.

  Time both stopped and sped up as the curse flew for him. Then with a pop it hit a target, crashing into a dweller with a hiss.

  “Lorcan!” I screamed, watching him leap ahead of his brother, trying to shield him from the dark magic. A pained howl tore from his throat as it broke over his chest, burning a hole through his sweater down to his skin. His body went still, landing with a crunch on the ground.

  A cry tore deep from my lungs, ripping my heart in half. I moved to Lorcan’s lifeless form. My knees skated on the frozen earth as I reached for Lorcan’s face. I no longer cared about anything or anyone else around Lorcan and me. Mine.

  “Lorcan,” I cried, drawing his head onto my lap. Black goo leaked from the wound in his chest. “Oh my god.” It took my fingers a few seconds to sense a low pulse tapping in his neck. I bowed my head with relief. He was alive but under a spell. I had no idea what curse I had done, nor how to take it off, but it was meant to hurt. To torture. “I am so sorry,” I whispered, leaning over, kissing his forehead.

  A figure moved over me, drawing my face up to West. He was in human form, but everything about him felt beast. Feral and ready to protect or kill, his vertical pupils locked on mine, breathing like he was in pain. Ember slipped one time, hinting West couldn’t turn into his beast anymore. I knew now it was true. There would be no way a dark dweller would not turn and try to protect their family. It was their nature.

  West’s gaze was full of intense emotion, and I sensed a connection there now. One I understood immediately. I was a pack member.

  He snarled so softly only I could hear it. I reached up, gripping his hand, trying to reassure him Lorcan would be okay. I would flip the world upside down if I had to.

  West’s eyes stayed locked on me, the red leaking out of them, but a noise from behind snapped them up. They went deep crimson, a growl vibrating the ground, his body moving forward. I bolted up, stepping in front of him. “Don’t.” I shook my head. “Let me handle this.” He watched me for a bit then eased back. I turned to face my old allies. The “cat” was out of the bag. There was no way of coming back from this. Nor did I want to. I was done with this game.

  All my former allies stood staring at me, guns raised. My head darted around toward the faces I had grown to know, their expressions twisted with utter shock. Not one was friendly or kind anymore. My gaze landed on Kenya and Franklin. Franklin’s mouth twisted in fury. But Kenya almost looked smug. Neither seemed surprised by my actions. Like they had known.

  Shit. “This was the test.” It was not a question.

  “And you failed horribly. It’s a shame. You would have been useful to us,” Franklin snarled. “I didn’t want to believe it. Kenya kept telling me something was not right about you. To set this up.” He kept his gun pointed at me. “You come out of the blue, overtly flaunting a tattoo of Awen, with the same type of shape-shifter that’s been observing us for weeks, your connection to him unquestionable.” Franklin pressured his lips. “The attack on Major instead of that fae sealed it for me. You chose the fae over your own kind.

  “I knew you were awake the other night,” he continued, motioning between him and Kenya. “Good cop, bad cop. You fell for it. I don’t know how dumb you think we are, but we’ve learned over time to be diligent. Careful with even other Druids. They can be traitors and spies as well.” Franklin took a step forward.

  “Don’t get any closer,” West growled, moving until his chest bumped my back.

  “Keep him back or I will do worse.” Kenya snapped at me, her eyes blazing with hate. “And don’t think about doing a spell. I promise, I am faster than you.”

  I didn’t doubt it.

  “These also have fae bullets in them.” Franklin waved his gun at West. “Now move.”

  I peered down at Lorcan, his chest barely rising.

  “Move. Now.”

  I leaned over and ran my thumb over his cheek one last time before standing back up. West moved closer to both of us.

  “What are you going to do with us?” I asked. When should I pull out my Queen card? Would it even help or actually condemn us more? They would have the biggest bargaining chip ever. But I could not let Lars or my kingdom concede to keep me safe.

  “You are going to tell us who you are working for,” Franklin responded. “You don’t have pets as powerful as them without having ties to something.”

  No way was I telling them. They would get nothing from me.

  “Not talking?” Major spoke, inching toward me on the right. “For every minute you don’t talk, your pets get a fae bullet embedded into their body.”

  “You even think about it and I will gut you faster than you can even pop one off,” West rumbled behind me, his boots pawing the dirt like he wanted to charge. I could feel his anger. He wanted to attack, to take them all out.

  “Then how about we start with her?” Major lowered the gun till it was directed at my gut, his finger curling down on the trigger.

  Boom!

  West’s hand shoved me to the side, the bullet lodging into the dirt right where I had been standing. The dweller bellowed, tearing off for Major.

  “West, no!” I reached out for him, but it was too late. I heard Kenya cry out, her chant filled the air with speed and precision as she struck him. He flew back, slamming into me with force. I rolled over the ground, my bones crunching, my head smacking on the back porch. I didn’t feel any pain, my body numb. Darkness came from the outside of my vision, swallowing me up. I tried to swim toward the surface, but it flooded over me, drowning me beneath.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  My eyes opened, lids fluttering against the low voltage light in the room. My brain registered bars, and the cold, hard floor caused my bones to ache. My jaw pounded and I moved it to find a piece of cloth tied over my mouth. Twinges ran up my neck as I tried to lift my head, my skull throbbing.

  “Kennedy?” a voice called my name softly, rolling my head to the side. In the corner, West sat against the wall, his neck, arms, legs, and neck chained to the wall.

  Rising on my elbow with a moan, I tried to lift my hand to my aching head. At the sound of clanking metal I looked down to see I was also shackled. Only my arms were, but that was enough, especially because they had bound the only threat I was capable of: my mouth.

  Magic.

  I grunted to West, pushing my back against the wall. The haze slowly lifted from my mind.

  Oh. God.

  Lorcan!

  My head whipped around, searching the space for him. It was a room I had never seen. I could tell we were deep under the earth, but this room was smaller and had one large holding cell against one wall. West and I were imprisoned, but otherwise it was empty.

  “Lorcan?” My mouth choked over the gag, my eyes locking on West’s brown ones. Dried blood crusted his hairline and a healing gash sliced his cheek. Dirt and blood covered his clothes.

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head, grimacing. It was then I noticed the collar around his neck was lined with nails, draining him of blood. Weakening him.

  My heart twisted in my chest. I had heard this was one of the ways Aneira had tortured him. I couldn’t imagine what this was bringing back up for him. When I had first met
him, after his return from being captive, I saw a dark soul underneath his cheeky humor, damaged and twisted with self-hate and demons. After mating with Rez, it had significantly lightened, but the darkness was still under his southern charm. Whatever happened to him there…I didn’t want to even consider.

  West was probably the most “charming” of the dark dwellers. And so utterly good looking it was hard to look at him without sighing. Actually, all the dwellers were drop-dead sexy. Yet whatever it was about Lorcan, he took my breath away. He had my heart, soul, and body.

  “So, darlin’.” West swallowed, dipping his head to look at me down the wall. “Should I say welcome to the family?” A smirk hinted on his lip.

  He was the first one to know, and I couldn’t stop my head from dropping, looking at my hands in my lap. I wasn’t ashamed of Lorcan but still felt guilty about Jared, a fear of the others’ reactions to this.

  “Hey.” He drew my attention back up, his gaze serious. “He would be happy for you two.” He didn’t have to say whom he was talking about. Jared was never far from any of us. “Believe me, you can’t pick who you fall in love with. It picks you. I understand that the most.” He had fallen for the Unseelie King’s lover, the ultimate no-no. Probably lucky he was even still alive. “Lorc and I have had our differences, but I love him. And you are the best thing for him. I’ve seen such a huge change in him since meeting you. He is good for you too. Truly happy for both of you.”

  I bobbed my head, trying to keep the tears from my eyes. I could only wish Ryan, Ember, and the rest of my court would take it that well. But I knew it was not going to be so easy.

  I was about to ask West why he was here when a door banged down the corridor on the other side of the cage.

  “Ken... whatever happens, I’ve got you,” West whispered. “And I’m sorry. I had no choice.”

  My forehead crinkled, the statement vaguely familiar. Like I had heard him say it before. What did he mean he had no choice?

  A scuffle of shoes pounded the floor down the hallway, surrounding the sound of clipped heeled boots. My seer could pick up the power, the energy coming down the hall toward us. In my gut I knew I was finally about to meet the head of the Druid Liberal Republic.

  West pushed himself up the wall, trying to get closer to me, his chest puffed up, ready to guard me. This whole mate thing came with built-in protection. They looked out for their own, and I was one of their family now.

  A handful of DLR members, all of whom I recognized, walked to the cage grouped together. Fox, Poppy, Kenya, and Major stared at us like we were the scum of the galaxy, desiring nothing more than to see us hang. Ophelia and Wizard stared at me with pain and hurt, like I had killed their puppies on purpose. Their looks of betrayal were the worst. I noticed Cali stood all the way in the back, her expression pinched, but it didn’t feel directed at me.

  “Sorry, guys, petting time at the zoo is closed for the day.” West smirked, malevolence lying underneath his sneer. Even with his legs, neck, and wrists cuffed, he still appeared menacing.

  “Shut up, shifter.” Mayhem snarled and stepped closer to the bars, hate spewing out of his gaze. “We should have muzzled you.”

  “Oh, then you’d miss all my witty charm.” West feigned looking hurt. “Everything that comes out of my mouth is a pure gem. I’m hilarious.”

  “You like to think you are.” A woman’s voice spoke from the back of the group, her thick Irish accent fluttering the room with melody. She stepped forward, and the group parted on either side as her power pushed them back like flipped magnets. “Don’t you, Mr. Moseley?”

  West’s entire body went rigid, invoking a panic I didn’t understand.

  The woman stepped to the bars, the light from the wall reflecting off her beautiful face.

  “Holy crap.” West crashed back against the wall, his eyes widening with disbelief. He kept trying to scramble back, staring at the woman like he’d seen a ghost.

  “And here I thought you’d be happy to see me.” She tilted her head, her high ponytail brushing over her shoulder. Not only could I sense she was a Druid, but the power and confidence coming off her was like a smack to the face. Her authority saturated the room. No doubt she was the commander.

  “Fionna,” he whispered her name, his head shaking. Then his eyes moved between us, a strange expression crimping his face, his mouth widening even farther.

  They knew each other? How would West know the leader of the DLR? What is going on? Nerves coiled around my throat, constricting while fear pumped into my veins.

  She was not what I expected. She couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me. She stood taller than me but had the same petite bone structure. Her long silky brown hair matched her brown eyes, and a sprinkle of freckles dotted her nose and cheeks. If it wasn’t for the tight black jeans, tight T-shirt, leather jacket, knee-length boots, knives hanging from her belt loops, and an unfailing self-confidence, you might want to call her cute. But her face and body language put her at intimidatingly beautiful despite her small size. Instinctually you knew not to mess with her.

  “No...” West shook his head. “You-you’re supposed…”

  “To be dead?” She filled in, her gaze locked on West.

  West gulped, nodding his head.

  “Sorry, to disappoint, dweller. But I’m not that easy to kill either. You’ll have to try harder next time.” She cocked her eyebrow, taunting him.

  My head boomeranged back and forth between the two, lost in the act playing live for me.

  “I didn’t want you dead.”

  “Really? So when you pushed me off the Cliffs of Moher it was to show you cared? How sweet.”

  “You went after mine. I only did what was in my nature. You were going to kill Rez.”

  Oh my god. What was happening? I knew West had gone to Ireland on a mission for Lars with Rez, where the two fell in love, but I didn’t know anything else. It hadn’t been my place to ask. I had been too busy trying to get my feet underneath me.

  I wiggled my chains, grunting through my gag, drawing the attention over to me.

  Fionna curved her body, putting her weight on one hip. “Ah, yes…and how could I forget you?” She clicked her tongue. “The Druid Queen. Welcome, Majesty.”

  Oh. Shit.

  The entire assembly around her gasped, all eyes turning on me with disbelief, fear, and awe. Raven, the punk girl they had been fighting beside, the one covered in tattoos and piercings, was surely difficult to link to the Queen’s image.

  Wizard’s gaze met mine, his former affection turning to hate in front of me.

  “Didn’t you think I would figure out who you were?” Fionna stepped down the row, closer to me. “Lars has greatly underestimated me. I know how he works. I’ve been waiting for someone to infiltrate us from your side for a while now. I have to admit, I didn’t actually think it would be the Queen herself, as she’s ‘supposedly’ safe in her castle right now.” Fionna’s eyebrows rose mockingly. “But it makes sense. A Druid is the only one you could send in.”

  “You kept this from us?” Franklin’s fists punched his leg.

  “Yes. I apologize. I couldn’t let you guys in on it until I was sure.” Fionna nodded at me. “How special we must be for the Queen to attend to us herself. We must have done something right.”

  I didn’t flinch but held my chin up, ready to take on whatever was coming. Like a true Queen, I would not hide or cower.

  “You should have been our greatest front-runner in this fight. A true leader seeking revenge for what the fae have done to us, but instead you took their side. A traitor to our kind is even worse than a fae.”

  I gurgled, my tongue shoving against the constraint, retaliation on my lips.

  “I will untie you, but remember you are surrounded by Druids. Most are far quicker than you, Queen. And I promise you do not want to go up against me.” Fionna lifted her hands, a chant spilling from her mouth with ease. Her accent made the Latin sound more like an eerie son
g than a spell. The knot behind my head loosened, and the tie dropped to the ground.

  I worked my jaw, stretching it after being stuck in the same position for so long. I strolled out as far as the chains would allow me, my attention on her. “A true leader knows extremists in any cause destroy this world. You are no better than Aneira.”

  Fionna hissed, her head jerking back. “I am nothing like her. She took everything from my people. From me. I am simply going after those who harmed us. This is retribution.”

  “But by going after the handful, you are killing dozens of innocents and enslaving fae against their will. Exactly what Aneira wanted to do with humans. So don’t tell me your cause is different. It only is because it happened to you. Druids are light; we help, heal, and protect. We do not hurt.”

  “God, you are so naïve,” Fionna lashed back, her lids narrowing. “No one listens unless you force them. Do you think if I held weekend protests with cardboard signs anyone would care? No. You have to make them.”

  I understood her reasoning, misguided as it was. People didn’t concern themselves unless it directly affected them. That didn’t make it right, but I understood her, which scared me.

  “Lars has the perfect playfellow. He can mold you exactly how he wants. He is not on your side. You know that, right? He is on his own side. The things he’s been doing behind your back…like with this one.”

  “Fionna.” West tugged against his manacles, his voice laced with warning.

  Fionna glanced at him; a knowing smile curved up her mouth. A look transpired between them, spiking my curiosity.

  “What?” I asked. “What are you talking about?”

  West’s eyes blazed into Fionna’s, widening her smile.

  “Still his puppet, huh?” She tapped at her lip. “You know I can help you with that. You no longer have to be his bitch.”

  “And what? Become yours? No, thank you,” West scoffed. “I gave my word. I don’t hide from that. Not anymore.”

  “So noble.”

  “Fionna, come on. You know you can’t go against the Unseelie King. Stop before you get all your people killed.”