The door slammed open, startling me out of my reverie. I hadn’t been able to concentrate on escaping; questions about Azure weighed too heavily on my mind. I searched my memories and found no answers. It was all so vague and uncertain.
“It would have been polite to knock,” I sighed. “But I suppose I can excuse poor etiquette when I’m locked up like a damsel in distress.”
I sat up slowly, taking time to retie my hair and peer at the Faerie between the strands. I recognised him as the Faery from the prison.
“Not that I intend on acting like a damsel, or showing distress.”
To prove my point, I beamed and swung a punch at his face. He dodged it, just in time, and glared at me.
“Responding to a pitiful human is beneath my dignity.”
He raised a hand and a troop of heavily armed soldiers stormed in. I gasped as my legs were kicked out from under me and my knees jarred against the cold floor. I tried to strike out, but it gave them an excuse to seriously start hurting me. I wrapped my arms around my head for protection as they kicked and beat me, using staffs to deliver crushing blows. The firm material of my uniform absorbed the worst, but I couldn’t move because of the pain once they finally stopped. The bruises seemed to burn and scream, as if my body had been pulled through a cement mixer. The warmth of blood trickled down my neck from my unprotected left hand, still clasped around my head. I bit my lip, unwilling to give that coward the satisfaction of hearing me cry or scream.
“That should teach you some respect,” he said, disdain dripping from his voice.
“You will come with me, now,” he continued. “Her Majesty, Queen Safeeda, wishes to see you.”
Two guards dragged me to my feet and marched me along. I filled my mouth with saliva and dredged up traces of phlegm, balling it up the way I learnt from the boys in primary school and spat out the disgusting glob. It landed on his shoulder with a satisfying smack. Enraged, he whipped around and struck me across the face. The outline of his fingers stung my skin as the guards restrained me and began a more severe beating. It was a small victory, seeing him stomp off through the slow swelling of my eye as the world went black.
“I hope you don’t get on Queen Safeeda’s bad side as well,” said a familiar voice. “Princess Azure and Prince Lykos already have grudges against you. I won’t have enough magic to heal you if you anger Her Majesty.”
Scorpius shuddered, “then again, not even a High Necromancer is powerful enough to help someone out of Queen Safeeda’s favour.”
He helped me sit up and brushed some loose hair away from my face. By his worried smile, I guessed that he forgave me for insulting him earlier. He really was different from the other Dark Fae, and I was wrong to mistrust him. He glanced around.
“I should take you to see Her Majesty. She grows impatient.”
He pulled me up and led me down the corridors. We left the dungeon area and I saw the full grandeur of the palace. Crystal ceilings showed the intense colour of the sky and revealed a glass bridge spanning the waterfall. The walls, marked with windows at strategic intervals, were covered in an elegant, silver and white engraved design that melted into the marble floors. I glimpsed a ballroom; servants scurried like mice, setting up for a party of some sort. The corridors branched off. We took one that opened into the side of the throne room. I kept my eyes on the ground as I approached the figures seated on the four thrones, carved from ancient wood. Scorpius nudged me to an awkward curtsey and kept his hand on my shoulder until he thought I’d shown enough respect. I looked up at the Queen of the Unseelie Court for the first time in my life.
She was beautiful, in an utterly indescribable way. Although there were no age-lines or grey hair marring her face, her eyes were filled with a depth of maturity. A circlet of platinum graced her dark curls, set with diamonds that shimmered like pure water. She sat with one hand on her lap and the other clasped by her husband. The midnight-blue dress she wore was in a style unlike any human fashion. It seemed to be held onto her with magic, which allowed it to flow in ways that defied the laws of physics.
“Your Majesty, the Dragon-Rider,” Scorpius announced, pushing me forward subtly. Her eyes flickered over my torn uniform and ragged appearance. She turned to her son, who sat on a throne to her right.
“Why did you damage it!?” she demanded. “We need it in good condition!”
Her voice was seemed melodious, but once the sound reached my ears it pained and screeched like bad music turned up too loud. I gasped in shock and agony. The sound drew her attention back to me. She called me an “it”! I knew now where Lykos got his hatred for humans from.
“Excuse my impertinence, Your Highness. I have a name, and I am a she, not an it,” I said through gritted teeth.
Azure’s eyes widened in horror. The first reaction I’d seen since I entered. The silence was thick with tension as Her Majesty decided what to do with me. Then she broke into a smile and laughed. The others joined in tentatively, until she stopped abruptly.
“You have courage to address us so plainly,” she said. “An admirable quality...I just hope it doesn’t become annoying.”
Waves of immense power radiated off her. I realised that she had been restraining her aura, and was now showing me a fraction of her ability. I fell to my knees at its sheer force, which seemed to tear at my soul and physical body. Only Scorpius and Azure appeared affected. I noticed her tight grip on the arm of her throne, and the subtle way he clenched his fist. I was amazed that Queen Safeeda could control that amount of raw evil. She smiled and reigned in her power. I gasped in relief and climbed to my feet slowly.
“What do you want from me?” I asked. “You haven’t killed me yet, which means you intend to use me for something. What is it?”
Her smile turned cold.
“How observant,” she commented. “We understand why you tried to damage her, son. Have her escorted back to the dungeon. Her presence no longer amuses us.”
Some guards grabbed me and dragged me to the door. Scorpius began to follow, until Her Majesty called him back. I glanced over my shoulder and met Azure’s gaze.
“Help me,” she mouthed, before I was forced out of the throne room and back to my cell.
***
“Cover yourself with this and come with me, Renata,” said Scorpius. He threw a bundle of material that flopped into my lap. I shook the dark cloak open and draped the soft fabric over my shoulders. The deep hood fell to my back. He waved a hand and a rope of magic bound my wrists – again.
“I’m sorry about the restraint, but I can’t risk you escaping just yet.”
He pulled the hood over my head, casting my face in shadow and hiding m identity. He took me through past the palace kitchens and workrooms. The areas were almost deserted; the clamour of dishes being washed in one of the sculleries echoed through the passages. A lone, human boy scrubbing the floor was the only living being we crossed, but he was too engrossed on finishing his task quickly to notice us. Smells of delicious, baked pies and rich spices drifted from a kitchen. My stomach growled in protest, making me light-headed.
“You’ll get something to eat soon” he told me, opening a door to a vegetable garden. Produce so perfectly formed that it looked almost artificial hung from the plants. A green apple dangled an inviting two metres away. He gestured for me to pick it.
“Straight from the branch, so that you can see it hasn’t been contaminated,” he explained. Unable to express my gratitude, I plucked the fruit and bit through the skin, still warm from the day’s sun. Sweet juices trickled into my mouth, the flesh at an ideal ripeness. I devoured the fruit, stopping only when I reached the absolute centre and found hard pips. I disposed of the remains in a compost heap near the gate. The waterfall rumbled like thunder at our proximity. We took a path, cut into the cliff-face. Trees blocked the silver moonlight, the darkness turning every step into a possible stumble. The climb was difficult, although I was fit and the evening cool. Scorpius created a glowing orb to lead my way. He seemed unaffected by the exercise, striding leisurely while I puffed for breath. Finally, he came to a stop and pointed to a rock where I could sit. The roar of the falls was now near deafening, but as my heart-rate slowed I turned to examine the view.
The valley opened up before me. The glistening cataract pounded over the rocks a metre away. It plunged into a pool and extended to a river alongside the town. Thousands of lights illuminated the settlement, which seemed busier in the dark hours than during the day. The grid-like streets gave way to a dense forest. A glowing circle of green identified a neighbourhood in the trees. The entire region was ringed by high mountains and cliffs, hiding the town from prying eyes. The nearest airport was hundreds of kilometres away, and no planes flew over. The location kept the town safe. I looked directly at the waterfall and made out a silhouette crossing the glass bridge from the palace. The figure paused, and seemed to look up at us. She – I realised it was a female faery – extended her wings and flew over the waterfall towards me. She faltered, dipping close to the water, but steadied herself and landed nearby. Scorpius was unfazed as Azure stepped into the circle of light.
She smiled sadly, looking more like the Azure I knew than the cold Faery she really was.
“I’m sorry about stabbing you yesterday,” she said, looking at the ground instead of me. “I had to...It was a test my mother set me. I had to gain her trust, and that was what she demanded.”
I almost stepped back and fell off the rock. Was her mother’s trust really important enough to injure her best friend for? As if reading my thoughts, she answered,
“I knew there wouldn’t be permanent damage. I asked Lord Scorpius to look after you. He’s done a great job.”
I glanced at Scorpius, who hung back while Azure and I talked. He looked up at the sound of his name, but didn’t say anything. I kept silent, too, waiting for her to explain further.
“When I heard that I was this...changeling, you can’t imagine what a shock it was. I grew up – I was raised as a human, then all of a sudden I was forced into a prison cell for a crime I wasn’t truly guilty of. No trial, no investigation. They needed to keep me secret, because the idea of a Dark Fae hidden in ordinary society would have caused panic.”
I nodded in agreement, thinking of my mother. Her memory of Azure was hazy because of the spell, but if she knew that Azure had been a changeling...The idea frightened me.
“The days in prison melted together. There was nothing to distinguish them, except for the morning when a new guard appeared at my door.”
She glanced at Scorpius,
“He was sent by my mother, after Mr Everton failed as my protector. Secretly, I began learning the theory of magic from him – this restraint prevented me from practicing,” she fingered her necklace, tracing the crystal at the centre.
“I also started thinking of how to escape. Lord Scorpius soon had the Warden under his control, and orchestrated my release. Unfortunately, the Warden – erm – passed on while in our care and now only a Dragon Rider of rank can unlock the restraint.”
I held up my hand to interrupt her,
“I hope you don’t mean me. I’m still a cadet. I just got my mask.”
She smiled and shook her head.
“We realised that, but you don’t work alone, do you? I’m sure you have a Captain, or squad members who are looking for you. A Vice-captain or lieutenant from your squad will be sufficient.”
“A Vice-captain or lieutenant won’t release you just because you ask...How do plan on convincing Fabre or Dryden? They will know the consequences and won’t do it out of their free will.”
She grinned,
“Who said anything about free will? I’m the princess of the Unseelie Court. I have more influence than you can imagine and lots of ways to get people to do what I want.”
A sliver of cold ran through my heart. She knew how I felt about Fabre, so why was she telling me this? She had some of her mother’s personality after all. I realised that I was nothing more than live bait. That was the only reason I was still alive, so that my friends would come to rescue me and get caught in the process. To free Azure’s abilities. My head spun with the implications. I took a deep breath and sat on the rock. Scorpius looked everywhere except for at me and Azure.
“What do you think about this?” I asked him. He avoided my eyes, looking at the ground.
“My opinion matters only fractionally more than yours, human. It’s my duty to support Her Majesty,” he said. I narrowed my eyes, wondering why he was so pitiful all of a sudden. It didn’t make sense. Someone was taking me for a ride, tricking me, and it was frustrating not knowing who or how. I kicked a pebble off the ground, watching it tumble down the waterfall. Just like my trust.
A shadow passed over our position. As I looked up, I felt the strange swooping of someone using magic on me. My cloak and restraints disappeared and I was wearing an elegant dress. The shadow landed, just behind Scorpius. I recognised the arrogant stance and pale skin immediately. Scorpius rose and bowed to the Prince. I followed Azure’s lead and dropped a curtsey. He looked at me curiously, his grey eyes reflecting like a cats.
“Have we met before, Miss?” he asked. “I can’t be sure if you are hiding behind a glamour.”
An understanding passed between Azure and I. Apparently, three years hadn’t been enough to break the silent communication that exists between good friends.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” I said. “I have a...condition – caused by those revolting humans – which marred my appearance. I rarely leave my home in Springs, and I never remove the glamour when I do.”
The lie sounded far-fetched, but I hoped that he would believe it. He fell for the story, smiling with sympathy. To my disgust he took my hand, bowed and pressed my fingers to his lips. I gritted my teeth and smiled, resisting the urge to punch him in the face. He definitely wouldn’t be so charming if he could see through the glamour and recognised me.
“What is your name?”he asked. “And why are you out here with Lord Scorpius and my sister?”
He released my hand. I subtly wiped my hand on my cloak while I tried to come up with a reason. Scorpius came to my rescue,
“This is my cousin, Your Highness. Her name is Alenry. I was showing her the waterfall, when Her Majesty decided to join us.”
Lykos nodded, but didn’t take his gaze from me. I kept my eyes on the ground, hoping that the spell would last.
“It is certainly an honour to meet you, Lady Alenry,” he said. “I hope you enjoy your stay here. It would be my pleasure to show you around sometime, if you’d like.”
I curtseyed politely.
“That would be lovely, b-but I am leaving soon,” I stuttered. Did he just ask me...out? The idea was too strange to comprehend. I wondered exactly how pretty the glamour made me appear.
“Are you?” his eyes softened with disappointment. “That’s a pity. Perhaps we can still work something out. When will you be leaving?”
“Um, tomorrow, unfortunately. I must return home.”
He frowned, looking genuinely sad. I almost felt sorry for him.
“I’m sure your cousin can arrange someway for you to stay longer,” he continued. “At least until the celebration of my sister’s return. It would be a shame for you to miss that.”
I glanced at Scorpius, hoping that he would bail me out. I couldn’t refuse Lykos without seeming unimaginably rude. He was a prince, after all, and this was his home ground. Scorpius caught my expression and shook his head. There was little he could do.
“It would certainly be, Your Highness,” I answered.
“Then I will see you there.” He smiled, satisfied. He acknowledged Scorpius and Azure, winked at me and flew down the waterfall to the glass bridge. Yes, he winked at me. I sat down, dazed, and glared at the other two.
“Looks like you’re going to be dating your best friend’s brother,” Azure joked. “Wasn’t there a song about that back in the day?”
“You were no help,” I sighed. “How do I even look, with this glamour? He’s not going to be too thrilled when he finds out who I actually am...”
In answer to my question, Scorpius created a magic hologram of my appearance and I looked...exactly the same, only my ears were pointed. I wondered why Lykos didn’t recognise me. The hood probably made it difficult, and the fact that my face wasn’t covered in bruises. Still...
“I should take you back, Lady Alenry” mocked Scorpius. I lifted fist to punch him, but the restraints reappeared.
“Just shut up and walk,” I muttered. I wanted to avoid Lykos as much as possible. The last thing I needed, on top of everything else, was a Faery prince falling in love with me.