Chapter 11
MAX
“The barrier protects us,” Baris growls, leaning back in his chair. Crossing my arms, I lean against the door, Mal and Reid inspecting the hut. “To go past it, if you can, is dangerous.”
“We don’t have a choice, Baris.”
“You do,” he argues. Pointing a finger at me, he ignores the males. “I told you not to trust Aoife. She always lies. How do you know this is the correct course?”
“I don’t!” I shout, throwing my hands into the air.
Gods, I wish I had brought the guards, but we all agreed it was easier to keep the party small.
“All I know is in my heart, where I’m connected to my mate, the light is growing dim.
He’s getting weaker. He won’t be able to hold on to his sense of self for long and the curse will win. And I need to save him.”
Baris snaps his head away.
“You said we needed my blood and my love,” I say quietly. “Aoife says that too but it must be pure.”
“She’s expecting you to fail.” His dark eyes look up at me. “She’s expecting this to either kill you, or you miss your chance. That’s why she sent you here. Getting through the barrier is impossible, and wolves prowl the boundary. This is just a mission that will lead to your death.”
Dropping to my knees, I place my hands in my lap and sigh. “And why would she do that, Baris? How does that help her? How does it help Kaden?”
He remains silent and it’s not the first time I’ve wished for my magic to work on him. That damn protection spell keeps him immune.
“Fine. Keep your secrets.” Standing, I flick my fingers at the males to my back. “Regardless, I came to you for help. To access the barrier and get those roses. I can’t do it without you.”
Exhaling, Bari’s face softens. “There is much you don’t understand, little one. Much that if I told you, would put you into danger.” Placing his hands on my shoulders, he shakes his head. “Do not trust anything she tells you. This errand might indeed certain death.”
“But you’re stubborn. Like your mother.” He unfurls his wings, giants masses that make the tiny room feel so much smaller. “And you’re both needed to break the curse on the world and fight the final battles. I’ll accompany you.”
It doesn’t occur to me that Reid and Mal haven’t seen Baris’ wings until Reid gasps and Mal drops his head in deference.
“What are you—”
“He’s royalty,” Mal whispers, peeking up at us. “There are legends told about the last Fairies. They were rulers of the mountain.”
Reid’s eyes widen. “Max, does that mean—”
“Yes,” Baris barks. “And we’re running out of time.” Turning toward me, he gestures to the mountain. “I can’t guarantee we will enter. But we will try.”
Ignoring their gaping mouths, we take off toward the mountain, our stallions following at a distance. The sun above warms my skin, and the butterflies flying by ease the tension in my shoulders.
We’re doing it. We’re going to save Kaden.
In the shadows, on the edge of the trees, my Hadeon patrols. I like having him there.
“He’s quite loyal,” Baris says, jerking his head toward the creature. “More so than I think he needs to be.”
“Perhaps he knows something we don’t.”
“Perhaps,” my father concedes. “He works on the orders of Seti, and not mortals. He may know the future before we do.”
Traveling further into the woods, we discover a small footpath. Not wide enough for the horses, we leave them strapped to the trees and continue on.
The heavy leaves, wide and dark, hide us from the bright rays. Wiping my brow, I duck under a branch as Mal hacks through vegetation ahead of us. Reid covers our back, scanning the grounds.
I don’t feel Kaden nearby, only the flicker in my chest that tells me he’s alive.
“Tell me about the curse.” I step over a root, toe catching on the end. “The one Neith laid on the world.”
“At my urging,” he admits, gripping my elbow to steady me, “Neith laid a curse on the world. To strip away magic. It was a way to delay the war, let the world rest, until the child born of life and death could come and save everyone.”
“Stripping away magic, and memories of it,” I add. “So that no one could remember it.”
“Unfortunately, the Humans were corrupted by the allure of magic. Effy has a wicked tongue.” Mal’s head tilts, listening to us without turning. “The theory was, if we erased magic from the minds of all creatures, and hid it away, the fighting would stop.”
“It did for a time,” Reid comments lightly. “Oslo said the kingdoms were at peace, in those old bedtime stories he used to recite. Then, the Humans grew greedy.”
“A terrible habit of their kind.” Baris sneers. “It doesn’t take much to corrupt them. Effy chose well.”
Mal’s ear twitches again, but he remains silent.
“But the curse was layered,” Baris continues, helping me over a fallen log rotted from time. “The first crack happened when Max bonded to Kaden to help him control his beast.”
Stumbling, I fall against a large trunk. “That broke the curse?”
“Fractured it,” he corrects. “You must fully break his curse for Neith’s curse to dissolve. Then, comes the next layer.”
“Which is?”
Baris licks his lips, carefully choosing his words. “To break Neith’s curse, you must destroy what she tied to it. In her case, the source of the corruption and strife.”
Reid cracks his neck as we break the forest. “And what is that, old wise one?”
I scan the empty area before us. Grass doesn’t grow, trees do not shade us and no flowers bloom. It’s as if the life has been sucked from the land, another ring to prevent anyone from coming too close to the mountains.
My father sighs. “Effy.” His wings flutter as we all turn to look at him.
“She’s still alive?”
“Is this a Fairy thing?” Reid asks. “You all live exceptionally long lives?”
Baris glares at the prince. “I am a High Priest of Seti, my life is extended due to his influence, but yes, Fairies live long lives. Effy, though, relies on dark magic to continue her reign.”
Not only do I have to save Kaden, but I can’t save the world until I break his curse. Knowing that Effy is centuries older than a simple Fae makes all of this much more difficult.
She must know everything. She has seen everything. Does that mean she will be impossible to defeat?
One thing at a time. My main concern is Kaden.
“How does she do that?” I ask, walking further into the blackened path. Everything is burnt, as if fire ravaged the lands. “From what does she draw her dark magic from?”
My body hits a wall, jerking back. It sears my flesh, like a blazing dagger is dragged over my skin, but nothing is there.
In the distance are rows of bushes, with black roses lining their inky foliage. The barrier. It’s invisible to the eye, but there, keeping all beings out.
“The curse,” he says plainly. “As long as the curse continues to feed off the Dark Fae royals, it gives her life. If you can break Kaden’s curse, she’ll no longer be invincible. You’ll be able to kill her.”
“If she doesn’t kill you first,” Reid mutters. “Being an ancient Fairy with dark magic means she won’t be easy to defeat.”
Exactly my thoughts. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“That’s a matter for another time,” Baris direct, pointing into the air. “The first concern is accessing the roses.”
The barrier shines with magic and purpose, keeping us from crossing the line. In the charred dirt there is a deep divot, showing the barrier goes down too far to dig under.
“Can you fly over it?”
Baris shakes his head. “It’s all encompassing.”
“Then, how do we get through it?”
My father shrugs. “That is the question. It is built to keep everyone out.”
Taking a stone from the path, I toss it at the shield. Because that’s what this is—a shield to keep the outsiders away from the plague. But the disease should be done, or rather, not able to infect anyone.
The stone shoots back at us and we all drop to the ground. Reid lifts his head, glaring at me. “Please don’t do that again.”
How do we access it? Slowly, I rise, dusting off my knees. If a small stone cannot enter it, how do we expect to get through?
Aoife knew this barrier existed and no one could cross it. But there must be a way if it’s in the spell book. How?
“When you were sent away,” I say, turning toward my father, “what did they say to you? Your parents?”
Baris shifts his weight, wings fluttering behind him, and crosses his arms. “When my parents took us here, they gave us each a kiss, a bag of essentials, and said we would never be able to return.”
There has to be more. “And?”
My father rubs his chin. “They told me when the true ruler is shown, the barrier would fall. And since I am here, and have tried many times to touch it, I am not the true ruler.”
I exhale, wrapping my arms around my body. His bitterness is overwhelming.
To be raised as a prince, just to be removed from the line and to watch his family die off, must have been heartbreaking for my father. He’s suffered so much in his long life. Yet, he’s here, helping me.
My resolve cracks a little toward him. He’s a grumpy old man, but he’s earned it after everything he’s endured.
“So, if we can find the true ruler,” I surmise out loud. “We can get in.”
It glistens in the sunlight. Maybe the ruler is me? I’m of Bari’s blood, Effy’s, and my grandparents were on the mountain who enacted the shield. Maybe it’s me.
Worth a shot.
Taking out my daggers, I twirl them between sure, red fingers. My magic hums in my ears, and I can pick up on all the beings around us, from the biggest wolves in the far distance to the Fae at my side.
Taking one final breath, I charge. Leaping into the air, I raise my daggers to slice the barrier.
As soon as the silver touches the barrier a charge erupts, dancing from the metal to my fingers and higher.
Everything stands on end and I’m frozen, stuck midair, pain so encompassing that I cannot shout out against it.
Then as quickly as I jumped, I’m thrown from the barrier into the woods. My back slams against a giant rowan tree and I collapse.
Before my eyes close, I see the three males charging through the brush to reach my side, the Hadeon in front of them. And there, in the shadows are the burning ember orbs that stare at me with worry, before I grow unconscious.