The Fae & The Fallen: Gifted Fae Academy - Year One

by Brittni Chenelle

Me:

  I’m almost back to campus. We were attacked by some kind of monster. Yemoja Roux made me leave. She’s fighting it alone. Kai, I’m so afraid. If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself.

  Kai:

  It’s going to be okay, Rei. Whatever happens. We’ll get through this.

  I was too panicked to respond again.

  Kai:

  Let me know when you’re back.

  His words only comforted me for a second and, by the time I reached campus, I was panting as I tried to explain what happened to the headmistress.

  Ms. Tricorn surprised me with her response. “You’re foolish,” she said.

  I wiped my eyes, looking up at her in confusion.

  “You think the Great Yemoja Roux will be defeated so easily?”

  My stomach swirled with shame and relief and I waited eagerly in her office for nearly an hour before an exhausted Yemoja Roux limped through the door.

  I ran to her, throwing my arms around her. “I’m fine,” she said, rubbing my back.

  The headmistress said, “I’ll call Doctor Azul.” She hurried back in a minute later and asked, “Did you kill it?”

  Yemoja Roux nodded. “But when I broke through, it turned to ash.”

  I took her hand. “How did you kill it? It… absorbed my gift.”

  She touched my face. “By refusing to lose.”

  I texted Kai that I was back and that Yemoja was alright. I told him we didn’t need to meet.

  He replied, K. I didn’t want to dwell on the fact that I’d texted Kai instead of Oden, nor did I want to explain it to Oden when Kai inevitably brought it to his attention. But Kai never mentioned it.

  My independent study was suspended after that. I was moved into the classes I’d been missing, including Professor Cordovan’s Combat Training with Kai and Oden. I was also allowed to visit Yemoja Roux in the private infirmary during her recovery, a privilege I took advantage of whenever I could.

  “So,” she said one afternoon, “things are getting pretty serious with you and Oden, huh? Are you being safe?”

  Heat burned my face and I narrowly resisted the urge to flee. I’d been waiting for an opening to ask some questions and, if this wasn’t it, I wasn’t sure what was.

  “I… uh… well. Safe?”

  She smiled. “Oh my, do we need to have a talk?”

  “Well, he’s my first boyfriend and we haven’t... you know.” I fiddled with my necklace, too afraid to make eye contact. “We were thinking after the Winter Ball.”

  She nodded. “Big step.”

  “How do you know if you’re ready?”

  “I suppose it’s different for every person, but if you care for each other and you trust him, it can be a meaningful way to express your feelings. Sex is a part of life. It can complicate and intensify things.”

  I tucked a curl behind my ear.

  She continued. “As you grow, you face more difficult obstacles. If you think you’re ready to face the ones that come when you’re sexually active, and if you understand how to be safe, then it’s your choice to make.”

  “However!” she said, with so much intensity I jumped. “If you can’t say the word, chances are you’re not ready.”

  I grinned. “I can say it. It’s weird to say it when I’m talking to you.”

  She tossed a pillow. “Sure.”

  “You know, this is a little off topic, but there’s something I always wanted to ask you.”

  “Shoot,” she said, gesturing for me to fetch her pillow.

  I handed it to her. “On our first day training together, what truth brought you to tears?”

  She paused for a long time and I wasn’t sure if she would answer, but then she said, “I don’t want to be Fae anymore. I’m afraid my chance to have a family has passed.”

  “What? You can definitely have a family. You’re only twenty—”

  “Sixty.”

  I knew it, technically. She’d been saving people long before I was born. But she looked nearly identical to the images of herself when she was twenty. She was so strong and youthful it was hard to think of her as old or ready for retirement.

  “Being Fae means putting others before yourself. How would they feel if I just abandoned them to pursue my own goals? Especially now.”

  I shook my head. “So what are you supposed to do, die in the field?” Her silence and kind gaze confirmed that theory. “You don’t owe us anymore.”

  “I’ll tell you what, train hard and take my place so I can retire.”

  “You got it, Roux.”

  42

  Kaito

  The night of the Winter Ball arrived and I knocked back several drinks at the fort along with a ton of other students while we waited for the event to start.

  I looked for Reina, but she wasn’t at the pre-party. Many of the girls were still getting ready while the guys drank and bragged about their dates. However, Miranda was there, strutting around in a pink skin-tight gown that trailed behind her and left nothing to the imagination. There was some kind of furry dead animal draped over her shoulders, and her expression was pleased as she drew the lust-filled gazes of every guy there. Quan looked like he might spontaneously combust.

  “You alright, buddy?” I asked.

  “She’s a goddess, I say. A real live goddess.”

  I patted his back and took a swig from my cup.

  I had kept my distance from Reina over the last few months because I knew I’d have a chance to see her at the midterm exam that marked the end of our first term at GFA, but since Reina and I both ended the term ranked in the top ten, Headmistress Tricorn waived it.

  My suit didn’t feel much different from my school uniform, except thank god it was a nice charcoal gray instead of that horrible maroon color.

  The only one who seemed more nervous about the dance than I was, was Carter. How could a famous pop star be so wary about performing at a small high school function?

  On the other side of the fort, Zane caught my eye. He raised his cup and took a sip. He was a good guy and I felt guilty for being virtually a shut-in this past month while I tried to let go of Reina.

  The ballroom glowed with lights that hung mid-air like snow, and everyone looked so different than how they normally looked in their uniforms. Even Carter had taken the time to slick back his hair, though his shirt was just a long-sleeved mesh monstrosity that proudly showed his nipples. I thought he might’ve been wearing eyeliner too, but I didn't get a good enough look at him to know for sure.

  He took his place on stage and I held my breath as I shared in his nervousness. The moment he began to play, the party boomed to life and his voice sailed through the arched ceilings strong and angelic. My chest warmed. Even though I lost Reina, I’d been more than fortunate to leave this term with some new friends. Carter, Zane, Finn, even Quan. If I got nothing else from GFA, I got them. Things weren’t so bad.

  When Reina arrived at the top of the stairs, my breath caught and my mouth fell open as she glided down the steps in a dress that glimmered the same iridescent purple that I saw when she used her gift.

  Fuck. I was not over her.

  The world crashed back to me as Oden took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. Why had I even come tonight? For Carter? With the number of crazed women who reached for him at the bottom of the stage, I was sure he’d be just fine. Wait. Why were the women crazed when they should have felt relaxed by his music? In fact, even I felt a sort of involuntary mania coursing through me. Was Carter’s music causing it? He could only calm, right? Unless he lied.

  Reina and Oden danced into my line of sight, Oden’s hands running up and down her body.

  I turned away. Reina was with Oden. I had to let her go, and I refused to stay here and risk wrecking her special night.

  I’d wrestled with the idea and finally made my mind up to leave. Then I heard her voice behind me. “Kai.”

  I spun. “Oh, hey, Reina. You… you look beautiful. I mean, obviously…
like for Oden, because you’re his girlfriend and not mine.” Oh god. Shut up. Shut up.

  She smiled. “Thanks.” She reached up and started fiddling with her necklace. “I uh… I just wanted to thank you for being there for me that day, when Yemoja Roux and I—”

  “It’s no problem. I’ll always be around if you need me.” I gulped. “I’m so sorry about everything I said. It’s your life and I’ve been terrible.”

  “It’s really okay.”

  “Can I ask a favor?” I asked before I panicked and turned away. Across the hall, I could see Oden carrying two glasses of punch and scanning the crowd for Reina. “Uh, never mind, it’s stupid.”

  She tucked a curl behind her ear. “What is it?” She grabbed my arm and turned me back to her.

  “I wanted you to use your gift on me one more time, so… you know I’m not a monster.”

  She took a step closer. “I know you’re not a monster, Kai.”

  “Please?”

  She smiled. “You’re not going to make yourself bleed again, are you?”

  I felt the blush sting hot on my cheeks but, before I could respond, her eyes flashed purple and I felt her gift take hold.

  43

  Reina

  Kai looked down at me, the truth on his lips. I felt wracked with nerves. What could he possibly say? I knew whatever was coming would hurt, even if that wasn’t his intention, yet I couldn’t walk away. I was sure Oden would be looking for me now, but when I saw Kai across the dance floor alone, I knew the least I could do was come over to thank him. A moment ago I believed myself to be completely over him, but now, as he stood in front of me, I wasn’t so sure.

  “Reina, I know I’m not good enough for you.”

  “That’s my choice to make.”

  “But you won’t. You never do. No matter how I hurt you, you always end up back here. Choose better. I mess up everything in your life and most days I can’t see any good in myself. I’m afraid I’ll never meet anyone else who can believe in me like you do, but you’re wrong about me.” His eyes began to tear and mine mirrored them. “I think I might be in love with you, which is why I’m going to let you go be happy. Even if that means being with Oden.”

  My heart raced, and I wanted nothing more than to touch him, but I didn’t. “Kai, I—”

  A shrill scream filled the air as the glass wall separating the ballroom from the balcony shattered and rained down on us all. My gaze snapped up and three shadowy figures crept into the room. Glass demons. The students scattered into a panic. A sharp whistle shot out and in an instant Oden, Enzo, Quan, and Finn were assembled in formation.

  “Run, Reina,” Kai said, and he dashed to Oden’s side.

  Oh, fuck no. I sprang into action behind the guys, taking licks at the creature from a safe distance as the guys tried wounding it from close range. Behind me, Professor Greene and Professor Cordovan took on a glass demon of their own, its barbs shooting out and retracting with no predictable pattern. The shrill screech of glass on glass echoed through the ballroom while most of the students sprinted for the exit.

  The third demon was headed for Carter, whose expression showed no trace of fear as he strummed his guitar, no doubt lending his assistance in our battle. Kai shot audio equipment from the stage at the demon, and it seemed to hardly affect the faceless creature at all. Oden was slower than usual, no doubt from his injuries, but still kept his body in front of his team as they slung their attacks futilely at the monster. But the demon absorbed Oden’s punches and his fists had already begun to bleed. He slipped. A barb flew toward him. I slashed at the monster to deter it, but it was no use. Quan leapt between Oden and the glass demon, only to be run through his chest with black demonic glass. Stunned, Quan turned back to us before he collapsed on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

  I screamed with horror as the boys charged in recklessly. We were all going to die here. A flash of magenta shot through. With an arm encased in magic shaped like a sword, Yemoja Roux sliced through the demon. It burst to ash and smoke so I sprinted to Quan, pulling him onto my lap and pressing his wound. Kai grabbed my shoulder and slid Quan and me out of the way as a second demon attacked. As if thirsty for more of Quan’s blood, the demon charged me, and my gaze moved to Yemoja Roux who was busy blocking attacks from the third demon. Too far to help. I dropped Quan and stood to block the attack, but its powerful limbs broke through my gift. The demon’s talon slammed into my head as Kai’s gift yanked me back and tossed me into the air.

  My ears rang as my vision blurred. I hung suspended over Quan as he bled out, but the darkness stole the scream from my throat and everything went black.

  44

  Reina

  I awoke in a haze, feeling the warmth and familiarity of Kai’s gift wrapped around me. It had been some time since I was held by him, like this. The memory of the attack on the school dance slammed into me, jogging me fully into consciousness. Suspended above a shattered ballroom, I resisted my urge to scream. Below I saw Yemoja Roux, Headmistress Tricorn, Veranda Yarrow, and some police officers standing around a body-shaped lump under a black blanket. They whispered sharply and their voices carried just enough for me to catch bits of their conversation.

  Ms. Tricorn said, “I understand, Yemoja, but a student is dead.”

  Yemoja Roux shook her head. “I know how it looks, I just think we should take a moment to consider other possibilities.”

  Veranda Yarrow held out a large screen, but the headmistress blocked my view of it. Veranda said, “This was obviously orchestrated by The Fallen. But how did these students get involved? And what was their end game?”

  Yemoja shook her head. “If he wanted to betray us, why did he try and rescue Reina? Why is he still holding her?”

  The three turned, noticing that I was awake. Yemoja walked over and I felt her gift slip between me and Kai’s gift. It broke and she caught me like I weighed nothing at all.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, and she reached out and touched my forehead where a sharp sting flared beneath her touch. “We’ll get you to Dr. Azul,” she said.

  I looked at the lump on the floor, tears springing to my eyes. “Is that Quan?”

  Yemoja Roux nodded, putting me down before pulling me into her shoulder.

  “W-why did they attack here?” I said, my voice breaking. I reached instinctively to touch my necklace charm for comfort, but it was gone. I must’ve lost it in the battle.

  Veranda Yarrow stepped forward, a harsh look on her beautiful face. “We think it was a recruiting mission. A message to the students to pick a side.” She turned to Headmistress Tricorn, who nodded at her, before returning her gaze to me.

  Yemoja Roux said, “I’m not sure this is a good time—”

  “This is a crime scene. I’m sure for Mr. Levout’s sake, Reina would like to help in any way she can,” Ms. Tricorn said, her words pin sharp.

  “I do,” I said, and Veranda Yarrow held out the screen. I held my breath as a video played. Zane Blaque stood at the school’s barrier. He cast his gift, a shield that seemed to be concentrated on his left arm. He reached out and held it to the barrier, the glossy wall bending around his gift like a crowd of Serfs around an Elite. My pulse rose as one demon creature after another crept through the gate.

  “Oh my god. Zane Blaque let them in,” I said.

  Veranda Yarrow said, “Just wait.” She swept her finger over the screen and the video sped up. She slowed it as two figures approached Zane’s gap in the wall. My heart stopped as Carter walked cheerfully toward Zane, his ever-present guitar slung on his back. Beside him was Kai. My Kai. The guy who had apparently saved my life. No. It was impossible. Kai didn’t have anything to do with it. He and Carter fought with us. Carter stepped through the barrier and Kai looked back at the school dance as if reconsidering his choice. Then, of his own free will, he walked through the gap in the barrier—and Zane followed before closing it for good.

  “It’s a mistake,” I said. “Kai isn’t involved.”


  “You never saw him spend time with Carter or Zane?”

  “I… I mean of course. Carter was his roommate.”

  “And Zane?” the headmistress asked.

  “He…” My breath skipped as I exhaled. “He’s not involved.”

  Kai seemed to become more unhinged these last few months. Was it possible I’d missed the signs? Was I so blinded by our history and his pretty words to know he was saying goodbye? No. I knew him. I balled my hands into fists, grinding my teeth. I knew with certainty that someone had set Kai up.

  The evidence was damning. Which left me with only one option: find him and clear his name. There was no one left to believe in Kaito Nakamaru but me.

  The Brave & The Broken

  Reina

  Lightning crackled through the courtyard as the last of the students filed into the auditorium. Though midday, the clouds blocked the sun’s rays and threatened rain like a knife at our throats. The thick mossy smell of the impending storm filled my nose as I stepped out of the cool air and into the auditorium only to regret it a moment later. The sobs of the broken hearted students echoed through the domed ceilings, and the air was so thick it was as if we might all suffocate in each other’s grief. Dressed in black attire, the room was guarded by a catalog of Fae ready to jump into action at a moments notice. We were no longer safe. The walls of Gifted Fae Academy had been breached and with them fell our most beloved student.

  I took my seat beside Briara, my head pounding from a night spent crying, but unlike her I had no more tears to shed. It was as if I cried myself dry. My roommate, however, seemed she’d never dry out. I wanted to reach out and to hold her hand but she was so fragile I worried she’d shatter at my touch. I traced her gaze past the rows of students to the stage where there was a large portrait of Quan Levout, grinning brightly. Bri choked on her tears and I turned my face away, clenching my jaw to endure the sound of her agony. I reached for the owl charm on my necklace, only to remember that it too was gone.