Bright Wicked: A Fae Fantasy Romance

by Everly Frost

  I demand her attention. “We were attacked by a band of Fell across the border. They used dark magic to cast a spell on the riders. This one carries the antidote. It’s the only way to revive the Border Guards.” I emphasize my words as I shout across the distance and level my gaze on her. “He is my prisoner.”

  As my declaration sinks in, Mia’s face pales. “A Fell?” Her gaze darts along the length of his body again. “Surely not.”

  I grit my teeth and lean out into space, unafraid of the fall as I address her with as much severity as I can. “Captain Mia of the Dusk, you will ensure that the wounded Border Guards are escorted safely to the palace so we can heal them. As soon as we land, I will take the Fell to the Queen, who will decide what to do with him. If she spares his life, then he will heal the Border Guards. Do you understand?”

  Mia shakes herself. “Yes, Commander Lucidia.”

  “Now tell me what the Queen needs,” I snap, angry that Mia put her own interests ahead of the Queen’s.

  Mia focuses fully on me, a sheen of shame crossing her face. Despite the games she plays with male fae, it’s unlike her to be so distracted.

  She’s fully focused again now, drawing herself upright. “A girl is dying.”

  My heart sinks. “Is she with the Queen?”

  “The healers have done everything they can. The Queen has exhausted herself trying to save the child. You’re her last hope.”

  “Then we need to hurry.”

  “Yes, Commander.” Mia turns in the direction of Eteri City. In response, her bird cracks its wings, spreading a stream of lightning that streaks around the other birds. It’s a silent moment of communication. Mia will tell her bird what to do, and the bird will communicate with the other thunderbirds, who will in turn relay the command to their riders.

  For a moment, all of their heads turn toward me, both riders and birds in an unnerving stare.

  The message has been received: I have a Fell prisoner.

  Seconds later, each Night Guard leaps onto the back of a bird carrying a wounded Border Guard. Mia herself draws alongside Evander and leaps neatly onto his bird, slipping her arms around his waist to make sure he’s supported.

  With a coordinated crack of wings, all of the birds burst forward and I breathe a sigh of relief. Now that the wounded are held safely on their backs, the birds will be able to travel at full speed.

  The weight of lives settles on me, heavier than it was before. I sense the Fell’s dark gaze burning my back as I also turn toward our destination.

  “A band of Fell?” His sarcastic tone makes my heckles rise. I lied to Mia, telling her that we were attacked by many Fell, not just one.

  “If they knew you did this on your own, they’d see you as a serious threat and kill you on the spot. They think our healers can handle it. For now, you’re a curiosity.”

  His cynical response is as sharp as mine. “I could tell.”

  Before I focus fully on the mountain range ahead of us, I give him one last instruction. “Do not touch me again without my permission.”

  I can’t allow him to make me glow in front of my people.

  He leans forward and whispers in a very different tone, warm, earthy, making me shiver. “I can’t make that promise.”

  Damn. He said he’d tell me the truth. This time it’s a truth I don’t want to hear.

  I say, “Then know this: If you touch me and make me glow in front of my people, I will have to kill you. Only touch me if it’s a matter of life or death.”

  He’s quiet behind me for a long moment. When he speaks, his question sounds confused. “Make you glow?”

  I don’t answer. I refuse to say anything more about it. He thinks I’m in control of everything, but I’m not. Even so, I refuse to let it scare me.

  As the silence stretches between us, filling only with the rush of wind, he shifts away from me, his burned caramel scent receding. I’m relieved that he listened to me, but at the same time, a small, empty pit opens up in my stomach. The glow made me warm, a curling, homey warmth I haven’t ever felt before. Now I need to push it away with all of my strength.

  Mia’s attention may have made the Fell uncomfortable, but he was lucky she was so fascinated by him. His looks will save his life.

  I will keep him alive.

  Until he saves my friends.

  Then I’ll kill him.

  Chapter 5

  We soar over the flower fields and then the mountains. To maintain speed, we take the pass between the peaks, avoiding the highest but most beautiful of the crystal peaks. The pass appears dark from a distance, but once inside, it glitters with gemstones. The thunderbirds fly single file, dim their lightning, and coast as much as they can, avoiding cracking their wings in case the vibrations causes any rocks to fall.

  Treble is the largest thunderbird and finds the confined space unsettling, but I lean over his neck and whisper calming words. When we finally sail through the other side of the pass, the first rays of sunlight gleam over the distant mountain range.

  The crystal peaks form a crescent around Eteri City. The peaks in the distance are the home of dragons, including the wise Vanem Dragon. The thunderbirds nest there too, the dragons and birds living symbiotically.

  The palace rests on a crest of lower mountains that cuts across the crescent and sits at the heart of the city.

  On our way toward it, we pass over snow-covered fields and trees that glisten with frozen dew and finally over the Spinning Lake that rests at the base of the palace. It’s safely frozen at this time of the year. The Frost Fae are in their element right now. While most of our food is grown and harvested in the warmer months, orchards of trees bearing cerulean-blue apples and periwinkle-colored citrus fruits flourish around the smaller villages at the edges of the city.

  As soon as the thunderbirds crack their wings, small children run from their homes far beneath us to point and wave. It’s not every day that they see two squadrons flying together. It usually only happens during times of celebration.

  My heart squeezes at the danger I’m bringing into their lives.

  “Fly fast, Treble. Land before the others. We don’t have much time left.”

  Treble responds to my commands, his trust in me complete. His enormous wings carry us high before shooting in a clean arc toward the palace.

  The castle is pure white with countless towers, two of the highest towers supporting a landing pad that’s wide enough for twenty thunderbirds to land and strong enough to hold the weight of several dragons.

  Treble takes us safely to the platform. Normally, I would somersault from his back, but I can’t be seen to lose control of my prisoner. Twisting to face the Fell again, I take hold of the rope and wrap its free end around my wrist, binding us together.

  I fold the fingers of my other hand around his weapon.

  He doesn’t fight me when I tug it from his hold.

  “As soon as I speak with the Queen, I’ll heal your people,” he says.

  He’d better be telling the truth.

  “Follow me and don’t say another word, no matter how I treat you,” I say, hoping he’s prepared for just how roughly I’ll have to deal with him to keep him alive.

  The Fell’s expression is closed off as Treble lowers his wing for us. Without a word, the Fell follows me to the ground, the rope taut between us. He watches the other birds land before he studies the doorway into the third tower that rises up beside the landing pad. He’s doing what I would do: looking for escape routes and weaknesses in our defenses. But there’s nowhere to go from here but down.

  I tug him forward so that every rider can see us. I can already foresee the next few minutes playing out. Mia will call for the healers because she doesn’t believe that only the Fell can heal Evander and his squadron. It’s not a bad thing—it will buy me time to take the Fell to the Queen and bring him back. And in the meantime, the healers will keep Evander comfortable.

  “Lay the unconscious guards on the platform,” I shout as Mia
’s team lands one by one. Everything inside me screams at me to help Evander, but I can’t let go of the Fell now.

  Mia descends closest to us. My heart lurches as she slides Evander to the ground. Just as I anticipated, she orders two of the landing guards to fetch the healers.

  “Quickly!” she shouts. “They need healers now!”

  The two women race past me, their indigo armor blurring their silhouettes in the early daylight. At the same time, three women run from the tower entrance behind us, quickly stepping aside to allow the first two women to pass.

  The newcomers are dressed in indigo dresses, the uniform that the Queen prefers the Night Guard to wear. It’s deceptively feminine. The slits in the skirt and the strapless bodice allows for full body movements, while the fitted corset protects all of our vital organs and provides plenty of places to conceal weapons. Each of the three women carries liquid daggers concealed across their ribcages.

  The three women skid to a stop, surprise shooting across their features when they see the Fell. The woman leading them is Talsa. Like most of the Night Guards, she’s a Dusk fae. She gives a clipped order and the other two step to either side of the Fell, drawing their daggers and taking up defensive poses.

  “Commander Lucidia,” Talsa says. “Are you safe?” Her coral hair is swept back from her face and cascades down her back. Her pink lips purse in worry and her sky blue eyes cast distrustful glances at the Fell.

  It’s difficult to form friendships with the guards when any one of them could challenge me for my position, but Talsa’s perception and dedication mean that I can trust her.

  Unlike Mia, she’s immediately on her guard, understanding the danger. For two years now, I’ve hoped that she would challenge Mia for the position of Captain of the Night Guard, but to my dismay, Talsa let another Winter Ascending pass her by without making a move.

  “I’m safe. The Fell is under my control.” I glare at the human. “He won’t disobey my orders.”

  Talsa remains on her guard. “We were sent to bring you to the Queen, but… Evander!” Her gaze darts from the Fell to Evander. Deep worry floods her eyes when she sees him. She takes an involuntary step toward him before she stops herself. “What happened to him?”

  I quickly lay my hand on her arm to calm her. “Evander’s okay. But he’s in grave danger. A group of Fell attacked the Border Guards. This Fell has information for the Queen that will help Evander. You must take me to the Queen immediately.”

  Talsa gives me a quick nod. “The Queen is in the Inner Sanctuary. I’ll make sure you reach her without any interference.”

  She knows as well as I do that the Fell will draw attention. The single vine wound around his wrists won’t be enough. We’ll have to take the back way instead of walking down the main hall.

  As she spins to precede me down the stairs, Talsa murmurs to one of the other women, “Bring more rope. Chains if you can find them.”

  She throws a glance back at the Fell as we exit the platform through the stone door, her gaze passing over his broad shoulders and strong arms.

  “A lot more rope,” she calls as the other woman speeds away down the stairs.

  Carrying his weapon, I keep the tension on the Fell’s bonds without looking back at him. The greater the disdain with which I treat him, the less likely he’ll appear to be an immediate threat.

  Ten minutes later, we’ve made it to the bottom of the stairs and twisted our way through quiet hallways toward the entrance to the Inner Sanctuary. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to pass through a large entrance to get to it and the voices floating from that direction tell me there are already at least twenty fae in the room—most likely the sick child’s family and any healers her family called to help her.

  We pause as the woman who went to get rope runs up behind us, holding out a bag that clanks as she holds it open.

  “I brought everything I could get my hands on,” she says. “Can you use any of it?”

  It’s filled with chains, but they’re decorative ones. The Fell will pull the links apart in an instant. Beside them, a long red sash rests, along with more rope. I quickly hand off the halberd to Talsa before looping and securing the sash around the Fell’s neck so that it will tighten and loosen at my will. Then I wrap the rope around his waist and secure it to the vine around his wrists, leaving him with free use only of his legs. The rope will stay where it is until I cut it, but I can still manipulate the sash.

  He watches me while I work quickly around him. He wears a wry expression when I go to great lengths not to connect with his skin, but he doesn’t try to slip the bindings.

  Talsa frowns in confusion the whole time. “Why isn’t he fighting you?” she asks, her forehead creasing. “Is he mute? Or perhaps he’s brain damaged?”

  The Fell’s eyes snap to her, his sharp glare filled with enough anger to make her stumble backward.

  “He doesn’t fight me because he knows I’ll kill him if he makes the wrong move.” I yank the sash around his neck tight enough to make him suck in a breath and turn his angry eyes on me instead of Talsa.

  Satisfied that I can control the sash, I take back the halberd from Talsa and spin on my heels, dragging the Fell forward.

  He catches up to me and leans in. “You’re wasting time,” he snarls through strangled vocal chords.

  I grit my teeth. “You will play this game if you want to live.”

  What I really want to do is scream at him. Evander’s life is slipping away, but without this show, we’ll both be dead.

  Especially now that I see whose family stands inside the entrance.

  Calida of the Solstice paces at the entrance, surrounded by her mother, three sisters, and four aunts. Their hair is golden like their power that derives from the sun, and their eyes are eerily similar—the color of marigold flecked with ginger. Calida is the youngest sister, but also the tallest, as tall and lithe as a stem of glitter grass, her mane of dark blonde hair a shining cascade of gold across her bronzed shoulders.

  They are one of the most powerful families, their ability to control flame commanding respect and to some degree, fear among other fae.

  If they’re here, it means the sick child is related to them or someone they care about. If I can’t heal her, they will bear a grudge against me for… well, as long as they live.

  I tap the halberd on the floor like a drum, hitting the marble with every step as I drag the Fell behind me.

  Talsa strides ahead of us, calling out, “Make way for Aura of the Lucidia. The Queen’s champion returns…” She glances back at me and raises her voice to a clear shout. “With a tribute for the Queen.”

  Calida’s family parts to allow me through… for all of two seconds.

  Calida lurches forward. “What is that?”

  She points at the Fell, her dramatic exclamation rising to a shriek.

  I draw to a stop, remaining at my full height to stare her down. “A gift for the Queen.”

  “It’s a Fell creature.” Her lips curl in disgust as she circles around us.

  Suddenly, Mia’s reaction to the Fell feels like a gift. If only Calida were as mesmerized.

  “We should kill it,” she says.

  I don’t look at the Fell—giving him attention will only make it look like I care—but the slight tug on his restraints tells me he’s shifting his weight to defend against an attack.

  I give Calida an uninterested look. “If you wish to deprive the Queen of her gift and all of the knowledge that comes with it… sure, go ahead. But it will be on your head.”

  I sense her power growing. She’s not as strong at dawn as she will be in the middle of the day when she can draw on the sun’s power at its fullest. Likewise, my own power is fading with the rising sun. Neither one of us is at the height of our power right now.

  Firelight pools around her fingers and she drags in a breath that tells me she won’t see reason. For a moment, fear grows at the back of my mind. If it comes to it, I’ll have to stop her from killing h
im and I’m not sure how I can explain my motives without calling my loyalty into question. It doesn’t matter that Evander might die. The Queen’s safety is paramount.

  “Stop.” Calida’s mother steps up behind her daughter, placing a firm hand on her arm. She is the matriarch of their family, a coldly beautiful woman whose golden eyes are anything but warm. She has no reason to be afraid of Calida’s power. She controls the sun’s power too and can absorb Calida’s rage.

  “Why?” Calida snarls at her mother, but the older woman remains as passive as me.

  “Because you can’t break the rules,” she says. “You must not engage Aura Lucidia until you enter the coliseum today.”

  The older woman watches me as she speaks. She’s expecting a reaction from me because of her statement, but I learned long ago to subdue my emotions.

  Inside, my stomach sinks. If Calida is going to enter the coliseum… it means she has been chosen as my challenger for Queen’s Champion.

  I can’t think of a worse candidate.

  What the stars is the Queen thinking?

  Calida is selfish and immature. She’s a minor guard in the Day Guard and often shirks her duties and her training, getting others to do her tasks for her.

  She’s also reckless.

  Fire continues to pool in her hands, amber flames licking along her fingertips, her breath dragging in and out of her mouth, increasingly panicky as she stares at the Fell.

  I act quickly, tightening the Fell’s sash with an abrupt yank of the material. Ignoring his sudden choking and angry eyes, I take a quick, aggressive step toward Calida. “Do it. Kill the creature.”

  She grits her teeth. “You want me to break the rules and engage you.”

  “I’ll put you on your pretty backside,” I say. “No matter where we meet. Here or the coliseum. You should take your chances now rather than wait.”

  Behind her, her mother gives me a cold stare, but it contains respect. I’ve never bowed to anyone or put anyone’s commands above the Queen’s. I will challenge anyone who gets in my way and Calida’s mother has always ensured that her daughters remember that.