by Ciara Graves
“What do you want?”
“I wanted to see how you slept.” He glanced around. “Where are the vampires?”
“Went to get their own meal. Just elk. So get that look off your face,” I added when he reached for his blade. “They said they would help, I would start trusting them. No need to piss them off.”
“They’re vampires. I trust them enough to kill Rudarius because they hate him.”
“I hate Rudarius, too and I’m also part vampire, so if you don’t trust them, you won’t ever trust me.”
“You’re my—”
A growl erupted from my throat cutting him off.
“How far is the Middle Kingdom?” I asked after a few, long, drawn-out moments of awkward silence.
“Four days walk with so many. And that’s being optimistic.”
It was going to be a long four days, especially if Rudarius decided to send any of his goons after us. This endless night matter was going to be a problem. I looked down at my rings, then to my brother. “How many here have rings?”
The scout from last night sprinted over to us before my brother could answer. “Prince, vampires have been spotted leaving our kingdom in small groups. We lost sight of them, but they were headed this way. I’m afraid he means to attack us.”
“Or test our defenses. Pick us off. Damn it.” Marlie yelled for the guards to get everyone rounded up. “We have to move, now.”
“Seneca,” Draven yelled as he blurred to me. “Vampires.”
“We heard. Did you see how many? How far away they are?”
“Not far. I would say the sun would be up in a few hours, but with Rudarius using the rings, there won’t be any relief when the day comes.”
An idea nagged at me at his words, and I held up the hand bearing my rings.
“Seneca? What is it?”
“Our rings… Marlie, how many here have rings?” I repeated my question.
“The King and Queen. You. A couple of nobles. Why?”
“Daylight. We can summon daylight with the rings, right?”
“The King and Queen can. The nobles. I don’t know if they have that much power in them,” Marlie said honestly. “And you? Have you ever called sunlight before?”
“No, but it can’t be that hard, can it?”
Marlie’s wide-eyed look said it was that hard and my grand idea for keeping us all safe faltered.
“She can do it,” Draven said firmly. “She can call sunlight.”
“But you two will burn.” I honestly hadn’t thought of them.
He shook his head. “We’ll be fine. You need to keep them all safe. Sunlight is the only way to do it.”
“The Middle Kingdom is four days away. Can we keep it going that long?” I asked Marlie.
He tilted his head back and forth. “I’ve never heard of it being done for more than a few minutes, but anything’s possible I guess.”
“Gather up the nobles with rings. Get Raine and Karina. We’ll space ourselves along the traveling party, ensure no one is left in the dark.” I expected Marlie to argue with me, but he took off for the main tent. The rings on my fingers grew warm as if already anticipating me using them only I had no freaking idea how to summon sunlight. “What if I can’t do it?”
“You can,” Draven said, answering a question I hadn’t meant to ask out loud. “You’re stronger than you think.”
“I had no idea how powerful these rings were.”
“Not the rings. You. It’s who you are. It’s time you start believing it, or this plan of yours won’t work.”
Four days. We had to keep sunlight summoned for four long days to make it to the Middle Kingdom without being killed. What could possibly go wrong?
Maybe twenty minutes later, I stood beside Raine, Karina, and three nobles who all bore rings strong enough to summon sunlight. The fae were lined up in front and behind us, ready to move out. The guards patrolled along the sides, surveilling for vampires.
“Once you summon the sunlight, we’ll spread out along the line as you said,” Marlie told me. “Keep everyone within the bright rays. Unless Rudarius comes himself, it should be enough to keep back his vampires.”
Shane and Draven were already in the shadows of the trees, hoods pulled over their heads to protect them from the sunlight we were about to call down. Or try to.
I wiggled my fingers on my left hand and took a shaky breath in, then let it out. My confidence had shrunk to nothing as I studied those rings. Sunlight. Just had to call sunlight. No big deal. None at all. I waited for one of the others to tell me how to do it, but Karina and Raine simply held up their left hands and closed their eyes.
The ruby stones of their rings glimmered with their power, and a burst of golden light appeared overhead, spreading above us as if the sun had burst through the night. The nobles did the same, and more sunlight appeared.
I lifted my left hand, shut my eyes, and focused on sunlight and warmth.
Nothing happened.
I peeked open an eye to find everyone watching me. I closed that eye and focused my mind again, willing it to work.
When nothing happened again, I shook out my left hand as if that would get the magical juices flowing.
“Close your eyes,” Draven said, appearing at my side.
“Been doing that. Not working. You’re going to burn yourself if you don’t move.”
“I’m fine for a few moments, I’m covered.” He rested a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Breathe in deep, close your eyes, and focus on what you want to happen.”
How he expected to help me, I wasn’t sure, but I shut my eyes and focused on calling down the sunlight.
My power shifted within me but refused to manifest. I bit my lip, muttering curses under my breath.
Draven squeezed my shoulder, and I stopped.
“You are doubting yourself. Stop it.”
“Never done this before. It was stupid to think I could do it now.”
“No, it wasn’t. You are a royal, Seneca, no matter what anyone else says. Hell, you’re more than a royal. You’re a fae and a vampire. You’re more powerful than you give yourself credit for. See past the darkness and find your power.”
The magic stirred deep within me, and as I breathed out slowly, it rose, growing stronger. Warmth flooded me, from my bare toes all the way up, through me, and down my left arm.
I lifted my hand higher, sensing the power needed an outlet, a way to escape.
I guided the power to my ring, and a burst of energy shot out nearly knocking me off my feet.
Gasps erupted around me as Draven’s hand disappeared from my shoulder.
I squinted against the brightness that pressed against my eyes. When I opened them, I had to shut them again for the sunlight I summoned was blinding.
“How do I tone this down?” I asked, hoping someone would give me an answer.
“Pull your power back a bit,” Marlie offered.
I focused on doing that, acting like I was drawing a sheer curtain against the sunlight and when I opened my eyes again, I was able to see. Between me, Raine, Karina, and the nobles we lit up the night like it was noon on a sunny summer day.
Of all of us though, mine shone the brightest.
I smiled smugly when Karina lifted her chin in annoyance and turned her back on me.
I caught the hint of pride in Raine’s eyes, then he too turned for the front of the line.
I situated myself in the middle.
Two hooded figures stood just on the outer edge of where the light touched. Draven and Shane.
I worried I’d burned Draven after all, but when he lifted his face, he appeared to be fine.
The line of fae refugees began their trek on the path through the forest, protected by the sunlight we summoned. We would have to sleep in shifts, but I wasn’t even sure that was possible.
Rudarius’s forces could attack at any time. We had to stay on guard. There would be no stopping, at least not for long, and no losing the sunlight. I wondered if R
udarius was strong enough to block the day from all of Otherworld, but figured it was possible.
I walked with Marlie at my side. Draven and Shane kept watch from the shadows.
I lowered my hand as we walked, worried the sunlight would disappear, but it stayed as bright as ever.
“It’ll stay until you lose focus of it,” Marlie explained. “Or something happens to you. Like you fall asleep.”
“We’ll just have to rotate, is all.”
“It’s going to take a toll on you after a while, especially if you’re not used to using magic like this.” He looked up and down the line, but there were no vampires, aside from the two meant to be there. “This was a damned brilliant idea, by the way.”
“I’m sure someone else would’ve figured it out, eventually.”
“I’m trying to give you a compliment. You should take it.”
I gave him a sideways look. “Compliments are not going to get me to trust you or to stop being pissed off at you and our parents.”
“You have no reason not to trust us. We’re family.”
“I have no family.” I willed him to get the hint and go away, but he stubbornly stayed right by my side. I sensed he wanted to talk more about us, and why they didn’t come save me, but he could save it. None of that mattered anymore. The truth was out, and there was no changing the facts of what they did to me. What they let happen to me.
I disowned all of them at that moment. They could keep the title of princess, too. The only thing that mattered to me now was killing Rudarius and getting my revenge. As soon as the deed was completed, they’d never see me again. I’d always been Seneca Savage, as far as I was concerned. And I always would be. I’d keep the name of those who loved me. Who raised me.
“The vampire,” Marlie spoke after at least an hour of strained silence, “he cares for you.”
“We’re just after the same thing. That’s the only reason he’s here.”
“Is it? I see the way he looks at you.” He shook his head, glancing in Draven’s direction. “He’s not good enough for you.”
“Oh really? And who is?” I asked, curious, thinking of Owen.
A pang struck me in the chest, but he’d made his choice, and it was for the best. I only would’ve dragged him down to my level eventually, and he would’ve hated me for it.
“Someone who isn’t a vampire.”
“I’m a vampire, as much as you can’t seem to admit it.”
“You are, but you’re better than him.”
“Am I?” I stopped short forcing those behind us to go around. “You stand there and act like you know everything about me, but you don’t. He’s managed to hold onto his humanity despite all the pain and suffering he’s endured. So he spills some blood. So what? He wants to save his coven. I see nothing wrong with that quest at all.”
“You have the same one. You said so yourself.”
“No,” I argued hotly. “I don’t give a damn about these people, or the King and Queen or the rest of Otherworld.” Was that true? The words sounded harsh to me, but the longer I thought about it, the more I realized it was true. Every word of it. None of these people cared for me. Why should I care for them? They could think what they wanted, but I knew the truth. “All I want is Rudarius’s heart in my hand and his head on a spike. I’ve waited long enough to have this chance. I am not the sister you think I am, so stop trying to make me fit into your perfect image of who I should be. That fae died a long time ago.”
“But I found you, brought you home,” he whispered as I walked away from him. “This isn’t right.”
“Nothing about my life has been right.”
“Macron said my bringing you home would make everything right with our family.” He was out of breath as he rushed to catch up to me. “That it would save you.”
“Save me?” I whirled around on him.
A couple of guards nearby reached for their swords even as Marlie waved them off.
“Why does everyone think I can be saved? Or that I want to be?”
“Don’t you?”
“No. So stop trying. You lost your chance a long time ago. This is who I am, get over it, or get away from me.” I stormed away, leaving him standing amid his people, a confused look on his face.
It took a while before I sensed eyes on me and glanced to my right. A hooded figure stood there, head lowered against the bright rays coming from my ring. “Think you hurt his feelings.”
“Good.”
“Not defending him at all,” he assured me, “but we are going to be stuck with him until whatever bitter end this war comes to. You might want to play nice.”
I lifted my lip with a snarl, but he was right. “I’ll try.”
“And you shouldn’t lie.”
“About what?”
“About you not caring. Why else would you be using your magic right now?”
I opened my mouth to lay into him with some great, witty come back, but the words weren’t there.
A strange pain grew in my chest like someone jabbed me with a knife and started to twist it around.
Why had I said that? The whole reason I took the jobs I did in the human realm was to get murderers and criminals off the streets. I took care of Lexi. I watched out for the people in Madwich without their even knowing it. What was going on with me? I gave my head a hard shake, but the darkening thoughts of more fighting and blood refused to leave, and the pain in my chest only grew until I was shrugging my shoulders, trying to get rid of it.
Owen said I was changing because I got closer to Rudarius. It couldn’t be true, could it? After all this time, he had a hold over me. I stopped that train of thought quickly and looked straight ahead.
Focused, I had to stay focused on my goal and not murdering my long-lost family in the process if the evil inside me grew to be too much.
“Seneca?” Draven whispered my name.
When I didn’t reply, he stayed silent, but walked alongside me all the same, risking being burned by the sunlight.
Chapter 5
Seneca
I tripped over my feet from exhaustion as black spots filled my vision.
“Easy, love,” a voice murmured. Strong hands caught me, leaning me against his side as we walked. “Easy. Nearly there.”
“Draven?”
“Right here. You’re doing great. Just a bit further and we should be in the Middle Kingdom.”
“No. Go back to the trees. You’ll get burned.” I attempted to push away from him, but my legs were like jelly, and every bit of me ached.
We were on day five of our trip to the Middle Kingdom, and though we’d been able to stop and sleep for a few hours in shifts, the toll of using such strong magic was hitting us all. Raine and Karina were being carted in a wagon near the front of the line. The other nobles were offered horses and guards walking along either side.
Nothing was offered to me.
Lying down in the middle of the path and passing out sounded like a great idea and my body slumped as if ready to give in.
“Not yet.” Draven reached an arm around my back and then he was carrying me in his arms. “Stay awake, Seneca. We’re almost there. Just have to stay awake.”
I forced my eyes wide, taking in his face from this angle. The hood was heavy enough to keep him protected from the rays, but if he stayed under them too long, he would eventually start to burn through his clothes.
I reached up my hand and brushed my fingers along his jaw, following the scar. I wondered briefly if he got it before or after he was turned.
He moved into my touch as his eyes found mine, a question in their depths.
“You’re weird,” I heard myself say.
He smiled. “Weird, am I? And why is that?”
“Because you were trying to kill me a few weeks ago. And now look at you, being all gentlemanly and carrying my ass around.” I giggled. Yep, the exhaustion was getting to me. “Why do you have to be handsome, too?”
“Not much I can do about that,”
he said through quiet laughter.
“Try harder.”
“I’ll work on it.”
I nodded and watched the other fae around us.
They were tired, too. And afraid.
At some point, I’d expected Rudarius’s forces to catch up with us, but the sunlight must’ve been enough for them to keep their distance. That didn’t mean they hadn’t reported everything they saw to Rudarius. He’d be coming here soon. It was the next logical step. If the Middle Kingdom didn’t listen to us, didn’t stop him, I shuddered to think what would occur in Otherworld.
Draven’s arms curled around me tightly, as if sensing my fear, and he was going to protect me from whatever dangers might burst out of the trees.
“The towers. We’ve made it,” a voice cried out.
“About bloody time,” Draven said.
“You should get out of the sunlight,” I told him, trying to get down from his arms, but too weak to do so and he continued to hold me. “I don’t want you to burn.”
“Now who’s weird?”
When our eyes met this time, the weight of what Minnie told me fell around me, all over again. We had a destiny together, Draven and I, except I had no idea if it was good or bad. A tiny part of me expected him to turn on me, though every instinct screamed I could trust him with my life. With more than my life. A couple of years ago, I thought I sensed this strong connection with Owen, but now I realized I’d only wanted to feel it. I told myself it was there.
With Draven holding me now, there was a strange pull to him I had no way to describe except it was strong and nothing like I ever experienced with Owen.
His lips parted as his brow wrinkled. “Seneca—”
Screams cut off his words. He spun around with me in his arms.
The rear line of refugees was suddenly plunged into darkness. More screams and shouts of panic reached us as Rudarius’s vampires made their move.
“Stay with them,” Draven ordered as he set me on my feet. “Keep them safe.”
“I’m coming with you. I have the sunlight, remember?” I pushed past the cloud of exhaustion and forced my feet forward. “I can help.”
He hissed in disapproval, but there were more screams, and then he blurred away.