by J. M. Kearl
“You have the gift?” Bindy asked in awe. “Like your mother…” her voice trailed off then her eyes snapped back to mine. “Open a portal. That is the ultimate test.”
For everyone but my mother or the use of combined powers it was impossible. “I don’t know the spell.”
“Heal Zyacus,” Mateo said, with an arm around Zyacus’s back, helping the prince to his feet.
“I can heal myself,” he wheezed.
“No, let her try,” Bindy said and nodded at me.
What does this mean? If I am powerful like my mother… if I’m this princess of the Fae prophecy… “Where are you hurt?”
Zyacus placed a hand over his right rib cage. “I think they’re broken and I think one may be puncturing my lung. I can barely breathe.”
Watching him only for a moment, I could see each intake of breath hurt. I laid my palm against his side and looked into his eyes. “Tell me when it starts feeling better.”
“And you tell me if you start to weaken too much.”
I nodded and chanted the healing spell in my mind. My magic surged creating a feeling like before Zyacus kissed me for the first time; intense, unsure and glorious. My palm glowed and warmed. Zyacus took a breath and I could see it didn’t hurt as much as before. He started standing straighter and on his own. A grin spread across his face as he watched me.
I half expected to start to feel weak, but if anything I grew stronger the more I used my magic.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m great—mighty even. Is that strange to say?” I couldn’t think of a better word to describe it.
He chuckled, “The Mighty Visteal. I like it.” He took my hand into his, lifted it and kissed my knuckles. “I’m better now. Thank you, love.”
“You two are just adorable,” Mateo teased. “I’ve never seen the prince so enthralled by a woman before.”
Zyacus gave Mateo a light shove. “You’re meant to guard me. Quietly.”
Mateo laughed too. “Quietly? You know I’ve never kept my thoughts to myself.”
I couldn’t help but smile at their laughter even if it were at my expense. “I thought you were a student, Mateo. I had no idea you were his guardian.”
“That’s what everyone is supposed to think. It’s easy for me to blend in, go unnoticed.”
Bindy folded her arms. “Are we going to talk about the silver-skinned man with power to control all of us like puppets? And this prophecy he spoke of?” She looked at all of us like we’d lost our minds. “And I’m glad you’re healed with Visteal’s apparently new magical strength but we need to get back to the academy where it’s safer. Now.”
No one dared argue with Bindy. So I caught Proud Boy by the reins and hopped onto his back. I didn’t know how much they heard of the conversation I had with the Fae. “I’ve met him before—in Hesstia. He’s supposedly the Prince of the Winter and Night Courts. Don’t bother asking me where those are because I have no idea.” I needed to find Atticus and see if he’d found out anything. He’d disappeared over the last week. He was either completely dedicated and had gone far and wide to find the information I’d asked or he was a terrible guardian cat.
Bindy glared at me as she mounted her horse. “When did you go to Hesstia and why haven’t I heard about this encounter prior?”
I half smiled at Zyacus who rode his horse up beside me. “She came to see me a few weeks ago.”
If I had to guess, Bindy ground her teeth as she sent mental daggers my way. “That was you in the hallway outside your room in Legacy’s appearance. When I asked why Legacy had your sword and bag.”
I cleared my throat. “It was me.” I was surprised my parents hadn’t told her.
“Girl, you are going to be my end.” Bindy sighed and kicked her horse. “Let’s move.”
Dust kicked up as we rode. I could see the academy on the horizon. We hadn’t actually gotten that far and since we weren’t supposed to be back until sundown, I’d have to find another way to distract Zyacus. Or he’d just find out about his party in the evening. At the moment I had bigger things to worry about. Prophesies, and mad Fae, and a blood moon.
I reached up to scratch an itch on my head and realized that the bastard had kept my crown. Not only had he threatened me multiple times now, threatened my friends, but he stole my crown. The next time I saw him, I’d come at him with everything I had.
If I was like my mother, my magical power would draw energy from things around me. Things like other people, vegetation, and animals, an endless stream. With my magic no longer tied to my own energy, I could be unstoppable.
∞∞∞
When we were about a hundred yards from the gates of the academy, Bindy turned to me. She was usually serious but her face dropped with worry. “I need to go home and see your parents. I must find out more about this enemy and prophecy. Stay inside the academy grounds. Please for the love of all that is holy and good, be safe. Don’t do anything reckless.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“He toyed with us like we were nothing. He also is interested in you. I have much to worry about.”
“Bindy,” I chided. “I will be here when you get back. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Mateo called from the far end. “Zyacus usually has two.”
“See,” I said. “Besides, Madison and Papa are here. Not to mention the hundred guards.” I hoped she wouldn’t think about how the vampires had managed to get through the guards and not a single one of the blood drinkers held a candle to the fae prince as far as magical power went.
She didn’t argue further and hurried ahead to return the horse.
I didn’t know how I was supposed to go on pretending everything was fine, like we didn’t get attacked by an enemy but a party for Zyacus was going to happen. If we canceled it there would be suspicion as to why. As usual we would keep threats hidden from the students until they had to know.
“Since that plan was ruined, care to join me… in the apple orchard?” It was the only secluded place I could think of where he might not hear about a party being discussed.
“I suppose apple picking isn’t a terrible idea,” he drawled as if the idea bored him.
“There are other things to do besides pick apples.”
“This sounds like the sort of thing I should exclude myself from.” Mateo cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t want to intrude on any… activities.”
Zyacus grinned and looked at me. “What sort of activities might one do in an apple orchard with his incredibly beautiful girlfriend?”
I rolled my eyes. “None that either of you is alluding to.”
Both of them laughed like I’d told the best joke in the world.
“You’re too fun to tease...Race you to the stables!” Zyacus kicked his horse into a gallop through the front gates.
Proud Boy and I chased after him hoping this race wouldn’t end like the last one.
Chapter 14
Zyacus leaned against a tree, looking as delicious as the perfect fruit hanging above us. I reached up and plucked a bright red apple, inspecting it for blemishes. Finding it clear I rubbed it against my shirt to make sure it was free of dirt.
Watching me with curious eyes, Zyacus pushed away from the tree. “Has your cat come up with anything Fae related yet? We need to find out how to kill them. One in particular.”
“I haven’t seen him. I’m beginning to worry.” It had been a week. I couldn’t imagine him taking a vacation; he had a duty.
Moving close enough that I could feel his body heat, Zyacus backed me up against smooth bark and toyed with my hair. “When the pointy-eared bastard was questioning you, I tried so hard to break free of his hold. I wanted to help you. I want you to know that.”
I nodded slowly, feeling a little intoxicated by his closeness. “I know. Don’t blame yourself.”
“If there is a next time, I’ll find a way.”
I hoped he could. “Do yo
u think kirune works against them like it does magic born? Kirune blocks magic ability so it should. You could carry a manacle. If we could get it on him, he might lose his power.”
Zyacus drug his nose from my collarbone to my ear causing waves of wanting to course through me. “It would be worth a try,” he murmured.
“Princess, Prince?” a male voice called, drawing us apart. “Is that you?”
Ugh, right when we were getting a moment alone.
“Yes?” Zyacus sounded as annoyed as I felt.
We both turned to a professor, my Herbology professor, Nimblewatt. “Pardon my interruption.” He cleared his throat and patted his silver hair with a wrinkled, gnarled hand. “I seem to have lost my glasses. A few students told me they thought they found poisonous plants in the orchards which we can’t have, and my glasses must have slipped off my head. Could you two help me find them?”
“Of course.” I slipped by Zyacus and approached Professor Nimblewatt. “Do you have any idea where in the orchards they might be? If it’s close by perhaps we could do a calling forth spell.”
“I don’t know, but I’ve been all over the orchards. I went to grab them off my head and put them on and found them to be missing.”
“I’ll try it,” Zyacus said. He rubbed his fingers together and we waited in vain. No glasses appeared. “Hmm, they must not be close enough. We’ll take a look around.”
“We should split up so we can find them faster,” I said and waved to my left. “I’ll go this way.” I started off, eyes scanning the ground. I was far away from the others before I knew it with no glasses in sight. When I reached the end of the orchards I turned on my heel. I froze when my eyes fell to my glittering black crown sitting inside a swirling, knotted cage of thorns that hadn’t been there moments ago.
Eyes darting, I pulled my sword and readied my magic. This time I wouldn’t play the victim. “Show yourself,” I demanded.
No stirring of the trees, no black cloud of mist, nothing, but my crown and the thorn cage. After waiting several minutes in the quiet of birds calling and bees buzzing, I sheathed my weapon. Tapping a finger against my lips, I cautiously moved around the black vines and turquoise thorns that encased my crown. An opening wide enough for it to slide out of, if I was careful, revealed itself upon close inspection. This had to be a trap or trick of some kind.
“Oh, dear,” Professor Nimblewatt said, drawing my eyes.
Zyacus stood beside him, staring at the cage of thorns and what lay within.
Nimblewatt, with his glasses in hand, moved close. Apparently having found them, he put on his spectacles and stooped until his face was within an inch of one of the thorns. “I’ve never seen a thorn bush like this.”
Zyacus stepped to my side with a worried expression. “Is he here? Did he try to hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No. If he is here, I haven’t seen him.”
“Is that your crown in there, dear?” Nimblewatt asked, pointing with a shaky hand. “How did this happen?”
I shrugged and told them that it just appeared there.
“I’m afraid these barbs could be poisonous and since I don’t know what it will do, I think it’s best we don’t touch it.” He straightened his spine and folded his arms.
Zyacus took out his sword and swung; the moment his blade collided with the vines it bounced off and he stumbled back. Recovering, he flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It was worth a try.”
We took turns hitting it with spells but nothing affected it. It seemed the protection enchantment over this thing was impenetrable. I squatted down to eye level with my crown and noticed a small piece of paper underneath it. I tentatively reached my hand for the opening and Zyacus caught my arm.
“Don’t,” he warned. “That’s what he wants you to do.”
“How else can I get my crown? Also I think he left a note.”
“I don’t like this.” He released me and shook his head. “Forget the crown. I’ll buy you another one.”
My curiosity ate away at me. It wasn’t just the crown I wanted, but the message I thought was inside. “If I do get poked by one of these thorns and it’s poisonous, you can heal me.”
“This is Fae magic. What if it doesn’t work?”
“Why would he let us go if he wanted to kill me now?”
Professor Nimblewatt stopped his circling around the cage. “Did you say Fae?”
Both of us turned to him. Zyacus replied, “Yes, you know something about them?”
He shuddered and took his glasses off. “When I was a boy,” he began and took in a deep breath, “the Fae came. They took four girls from my village to make them their brides with promises of riches and abundance, and also to offer us relief from the blood moon. The village was so happy. These powerful, beautiful, men from a better land came to give their girls a better life or so they thought.”
Relief from the blood moon? And that’s what the Fae came for? Human brides? It didn’t make sense, especially when Prince Winter Prick made it clear he thought himself superior.
Nimblewatt went on, “But the same night of the wedding celebrations, they also took my brother—I followed them. After the binding ceremonies of four girls, the happiness and celebrations ended. On the last day of the month of the blood moon, they slaughtered my brother and three other boys. A white essence flowed from their fallen bodies into the Fae lords. I don’t know what it was. But I can tell you the Fae are wicked and cannot be trusted. If this trap is made by one of them we should build a tomb around it with no way in.”
A white essence—did they collect souls? The thought of that made me shudder. A feeling of impending doom hit me in the gut. If this happened on the last day of the month of the blood moon again, they’d come in just a couple weeks. We hardly had time to prepare. How could we prepare? “I’m sorry you lost your brother to them… How do we stop them?”
Professor Nimblewatt shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. They had some sort of persuasive power. Everyone who drank and ate at the wedding celebrations suddenly became carefree. My parents smiled as they waved goodbye to my brother who also grinned like a fool as he left with them. The girls didn’t even react when the boys were killed in front of them. Boys they’d known their whole lives. I’d hidden when I saw them come. I never drank their wine or ate their food even though I was starving. My ability is to see people as they truly are, and I knew they were bad. So I never forgot but my parents—they’d forgotten they even had another child. I cried and cried about my brother, I screamed his name at them but their memory of him was gone. That was even more tragic than his death. He and the boys and girls had been forgotten.
“Over time mother’s memory came back in pieces. She’d stare at the empty bed next to mine and ask me why we had it. She’d say, ‘go wake up your brother’ and then stop herself. She’d cry in her sleep.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said softly. The story made my gut churn. Made my chest ache. I also believed that Nimblewatt was the boy Edwin from the Thirsty Pirate tavern had spoken of. No one believed him.
He sighed. “That was hundreds of years ago now. But if they are back, we must stop this ritual. We cannot let this happen again.”
“We will,” Zyacus’s firm voice left no room for doubt that he’d do whatever it took.
“We’ll find a way,” I promised.
“For now,” Nimblewatt said, lifting his hands. “I’ll hide this trap with a spell. Stay away from it.”
As Zyacus and I walked away, my crown called to me… not with words but almost as if an invisible rope tugged around my middle, beckoning me to come back. I pushed the feeling away. What did he do to my crown?
Chapter 15
As we entered the academy, small groups of students whispered as we walked by. Not that this was entirely unusual but it was obvious they were talking about us. They were going to ruin the surprise party. I grabbed Zyacus’s hand and the first thing that popped into my head was my room.
Looking taken
aback at my abrupt action, he dropped my hand and looked around. “Um, I thought we were going to see Madison and Jordane?”
Why didn’t I think of her office before I used the appearus spell? “I-uh, forgot but we can go there now. We do need to tell them about the crown and our encounter with the Fae bastard, and to add to the list what Nimblewatt told us.”
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion and gave me a sideways look. “Alright, but I overheard some of the students mentioning a party. You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”
Heat rose up my neck and into my cheeks. Damn, he knows. “Party?” I repeated with a shrug. “I didn’t hear anything.”
He grinned and plopped down on my bed, relaxing like it was his own. “You’re a terrible liar.”
I folded my arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He grabbed the unicorn sculpture he made me last year for my birthday from my nightstand and inspected it like he didn’t know every curve and detail. “How about I go talk to Madison and Jordane so you can get ready for my party. Unless you plan to go with windblown hair and dirty clothes.”
“Prick,” I said and stormed into my closet. The surprise was ruined. I was attacked by the Fae prince a second time. My stolen crown now called to me in some poisonous thorn cage and ugh, I wanted to scream.
Poking his head inside, Zyacus tapped a finger on the doorframe. “Don’t be angry. You look beautiful no matter what, and I don’t know if you know this about me or not but I hate surprises.”
I whipped my head toward him. “Even a supposed-to-be-surprise party that’s now ruined? I should enchant your memory to forget the last ten minutes.”
Eyebrow arching he asked, “Can you do that?”
“No,” I sighed. “This day is the worst. And everything is ruined.”
His strong arms wrapped around me and he pulled me against him. “We’ll make it a good day from here on out, alright? Thank you for being the best girlfriend ever.” He kissed my forehead and then leaned back. “No more stressing. I’ll take care of reporting the Fae issue with your grandparents and Headmaster and you relax and send word whenever you’re ready to get me.”