Dark Court 2, page 12
Eyes still heavy with desire, Kai sat back in his seat. Shifting, he moved his long legs so that our knees were touching. “Sometimes I wonder if my advisors are right about you,” he teased.
The warm, tingly feeling vanished. My throat felt like I’d swallowed half of Waikiki Beach. “Have they been telling you I’m trouble?” The words sounded forced, if only to my own ears.
Kai smiled. “They have been telling me that you’re more than I can handle.”
My relieved laughter was high-pitched and strained.
“I tell them,” he continued, oblivious to my discomfort, “that if I wanted a girl that would allow me to handle her, I would have already married one of the many who offered.”
You were worried for nothing, I told myself as I leaned across the backseat to give him a light kiss on the cheek. Kai isn’t his mother. He doesn’t expect you to follow outdated royal protocols.
“That might be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I said, only half-teasing.
The car came to an abrupt stop, and I fell forward into Kai’s lap. The door was flung open and a flashbulb popped in my eyes. My jaw dropped as my gaze darted from the photographers to the king. I was in his lap in the backseat of a limo like a riled-up teenager unable to control her impulses.
You wanted to make a statement, I thought, suppressing a grin. It wasn’t funny…except I’d managed to do exactly what I’d set out to.
Kenoa and Harton appeared and moved the reporters back to give us breathing room.
“That’s not even close to the most embarrassing moment of mine that’s been caught on camera,” Kai assured me.
Adjusting the halter straps, I made sure all my bits were still covered. Sparing him a frown tinged with amusement, I didn’t comment. Collecting the last scraps of my dignity, I finally exited the car without further incident.
Between the security challenges and short notice, I’d expected the crowd to be relatively small. I’d expected it to be the society casters who won money off my blood, sweat, and tears.
The reality brought a lump to my throat. Hundreds of people, maybe even thousands, stood on the airship docks. Children sat on their parents’ shoulders, casters levitated, and shifters focused their superior vision—all to get a better look at me. And it was me they were there for, I quickly realized. Kai still stood beside the car, yet to join me on the flower-petal carpet. He smiled and gestured for me to go ahead.
It’s just like being in the arena, I lectured myself and pasted on the smug smile I always gave the crowd.
It was only twenty-five yards, maybe less, from the car to the airship. The first few steps were the hardest. My name was a deafening chant that echoed in the air. Many of those closest to the roped-off walkway held signs with congratulatory messages. The sounds and sights were overwhelming as I soaked in the encouragement and support from the people of Hawaii.
Unfortunately, that feeling was quickly stifled as I noticed a caster’s message written in smoke above her. An older witch with way too many hair accessories had spelled out “Fae Deserve Chains, Not Crowns” in slithering smoke snakes, one of which tried to bite me as I passed.
Harton was quick but not quick enough. Luckily, the woman’s casting wasn’t great; the creature’s wispy fangs passed right through me. Three palace guards congregated around the witch and led her away.
“Sorry,” Harton muttered, falling in step by my side as I continued toward the airship. “I should’ve been closer to you.”
Behind us, Kenoa hovered just behind Kai while the king stopped to greet the crowd.
“Maybrie! Maybrie! Over here!” a small, childlike voice called.
A little girl of six or seven held a bouquet of frozen hibiscuses toward me. After the smoke snake, I should have thought twice about straying too close to the crowd. Looking at her wide eyes, I didn’t. Though Harton didn’t attempt to stop me, he did stick closer than my shadow.
“Thank you,” I told the little girl, accepting her flowers.
“When I get old enough, I want to be a fighter just like you,” she told me proudly.
A tall, thin fae woman put her hand on the girl’s shoulder and laughed uneasily. “We’ve been over this, Patty. You are the daughter of a very important warlock. Your kind don’t fight in the pits.”
Harton stiffened, likely in reaction to the involuntary snarl I couldn’t hide. He put a hand on my arm, but I shook him off.
“Please don’t hit that woman,” he mumbled.
“You said there was more of a chance of me becoming a fighter than of Maybrie becoming queen.” Patty crossed her arms and stared up at her mother with such defiance that I almost applauded. “She lives in the palace now, so I think my chances are pretty good.”
The sass on this kid…, I thought with admiration.
All the blood drained from Patty’s mother’s face. Grabbing the little girl’s hand, she yanked her away.
Oblivious, or just not caring, Patty waved at me excitedly over her shoulder. “Good luck, Maybrie! All my friends are cheering for you!”
After that encounter, I refrained from prolonged conversation with my well-wishers. Several more floral arrangements were handed my way. Someone even gave me a rose-petal crown infused with meditative energies. A group of fae from Madame Noelani’s presented me with a gold bracelet marked in ancient runes that represented each of the four elemental magics.
“This is a protection charm, right?” I asked Madame Noelani herself.
The headmistress had turned up for the ceremony even though she clearly wasn’t there to show support for me. It seemed that my send-off was the closest thing to a social event in the kingdom since the luau, and Madame wouldn’t miss the chance to parade her girls around.
“It is.” The very polished and polite fae woman smiled serenely. “May you have good fortune on your travels and a safe return to our kingdom.”
“Thank you. It’s a very thoughtful gift.”
As I left behind the throng of people, there were VIPs lined up near the steps to the airship. Most were palace staff and government officials not accompanying us to L.A. In any other send-off of the sort, this was where the monarch would stand to bestow a blessing on the champion. Since Kai was going with me, that didn’t happen. Instead, I shook hands with many of the casters I’d come to know over the last month. Finally, standing just beside the staircase to the airship, were my friends.
Cala threw her arms around me. “Knock ‘em dead, Brie. I love you.”
Suddenly wishing that I’d asked for her to come with us, I squeezed my best friend tightly. “I love you, too.”
Sumi gave me a much less aggressive hug. “Good luck, Brie. I know you will make our people proud.”
“Don’t hold back, Brie,” Rocko advised when it was his turn. “These guys don’t know you, and they certainly don’t like you. They aren’t going to let you win like we do here.”
Smirking, I punched him lightly on the arm. “Nice revisionist history, bud. I thought the winner got to craft the narrative?” Then, because I couldn’t help myself, I asked the question bouncing through my mind since seeing my friends waiting to say goodbye. “Everly didn’t come?”
Rocko shook his head. “Give it time. When you get back, give her a call.”
The very last person, waiting patiently in her big glasses and absurdly heavy robes, was Samira. Aside from the small pockets of disapproval, the atmosphere on the jetway had been hopeful and energized. The elderly witch’s energy was completely different, though. It was as though she had her own personal storm cloud above her graying hair. When she hugged me, her arms trembled.
“Are you okay, Samira?” I asked, already looking for a palace guard to assist Samira to somewhere she could sit down.
“Never mind me, girl.” She exhaled unsteadily. “Listen. You need to be extremely careful on this trip. Many mean you harm. One will be your downfall.”
“What? What does that even mean?”
Harton was still close, but he’d backed off a little since we were among trusted friends. The bodyguard didn’t appear to be listening to the conversation.
“I can’t say for certain.” Samira closed her tired eyes and grimaced like she was reading the future on the backs of her lids and didn’t care for what she saw. “Many mean you harm. One will be your downfall,” she repeated. Her eyes popped open, and the witch grabbed my wrist with surprising strength. “Betrayal’s blade will make a second cut soon.”
An arm slid around my waist, pulling me away. Kai’s radiant smile dimmed some when he registered the charged atmosphere.
But Samira barely missed a beat. She pressed a small, cold bottle into my palm. “A simple healing tonic. One drop will last you six hours.” The sly glint in her eye told me the bottle contained much more than a simple healing tonic. “Use it sparingly. I dare say you’ll need it more than once.”
Chapter Twelve
The royal airship was large enough to hold the entire entourage of advisors and security personnel coming with us to L.A, though only a few bodyguards and Botto rode with us. With five levels—one main deck, two upper decks, and two lower decks—there was more space than my entire condo building. A gym with a glass bottom allowed one to workout among the clouds and occupied the entirety of the lowest floor. The level directly above it was split with a mix of offices and sleep quarters for the crew. The main level was the longest, with the pilot’s cabin in the front and a dining room in the back. Tables and chairs were bolted to the hardwood floor of the passenger cabin, which had a well-stocked bar complete with bartender. There was also a floor of stately sleeping quarters reserved for the king and his honored guests. Finally, the uppermost level was a giant swimming pool, where lucky passengers could enjoy the warm water while they looked out the windows at the frozen world below.
Despite the fact I found taking two airships extremely wasteful when we could’ve all fit onto one, I had to admit that it was nice to spend a few hours almost entirely alone with Kai. Kenoa, Harton, and Botto were somewhere onboard, but they didn’t join us in the main cabin. The bartender made me a mock mojito and a cup of strong coffee for Kai, and then we sat in a window seat as the airship took to the skies.
“I don’t imagine that you remember crossing through the dome when you arrived in Hawaii?” Kai asked carefully.
My presence in Hawaii wouldn’t ever cease to be a touchy subject for me, especially when it came to discussing how I’d come to be there. Because Kai understood and appreciated that fact, I was becoming more comfortable talking about the awful realities of fae life. He needed to hear them. Repeatedly. If there was even a chance of mending the deep divide in his kingdom, Kai needed to know precisely why fae hated casters so much. And not just in the abstract. He needed to hear details and from someone he cared for, someone he wanted to protect. More than that, I was also someone on whose behalf he would get angry. My time whispering in his ear was coming to an end, no matter which scenario played out.
Will all my work be undone once he learns the truth? I wondered. I prayed to Gaia that wouldn’t happen.
“No, I don’t remember it,” I said bluntly. “I didn’t wake up until I was in a cell on the island.”
Kai’s eye twitched, making me confident that he already regretted sparking the discussion. Nodding toward the window, he spoke evenly with a visible effort. “Just watch, I really want you to see this. No description will do it justice.”
Turning, I peered through the glass. Below, the collective crowd melded together until individuals were no longer distinguishable from one another. Magical writing hung in the air, wishing the king and me well. Despite the brightness of midday, magical fireworks were visible among the clouds. There was also a lot of sparkly confetti and one very large smiley-faced pineapple created using yellow flower petals and green palm fronds. The warmth of the sun warmed my skin through the window.
Without warning, the world was plunged into darkness. Startled, the drink slipped through my fingers. Even though it fell, the sound of shattering glass never reached my ears, thanks to Kai’s quick reflexes.
A light pressure touched on my hand, followed by his whisper. “Just watch.”
It’s pitch-black. What the hell am I supposed to see? I wondered.
Where heat had radiated from the glass only moments earlier, cold air now came through the window. We were officially outside the dome. Thousands, maybe even millions, of colored lights winked into existence in the darkness. They weren’t stars. At least, I didn’t think so. The tiny orbs spanned the entire visible light spectrum and didn’t glow quite the same way as any stars I’d seen, either beneath the dome or in the Freelands.
“What are they?” I asked Kai.
Inside, the airship was still bathed mostly in shadows. The twinkling lights outside cast a prism across the king’s smiling face.
“I do not really know. There are a lot of theories, of course. Personally, I believe they are particles of magic only visible when we pass through the protective layer of the dome.” He shrugged and handed me back my drink. It was then that I realized he’d anticipated my surprise and caught it before the glass fell to the ground. “Who really knows? Maybe it is all an optical illusion.”
I ran my fingertips lightly over the cold glass. “It’s beautiful, whatever it is.”
One by one, the balls of light streaked across the black sea outside the window until it seemed the airship was at the center of a cosmic whirlpool. Power surged inside of me. My hand on the window began to glow a brilliant orange. I looked down and saw the current of flames that flowed beneath my skin. For just a moment, I felt invincible. There was something terrifying in all that power, in all the beauty that surrounded us. Maybe it was fear of the unknown. Honestly, I didn’t know what had inspired the gut-wrenching sensation. All I knew was that the void between the dome and the real world was not simply a wonderous sight to behold; there was something magical here.
As suddenly as we’d entered the luminous void, we left.
In my time beneath the dome, I’d often thought that the yellow sunshine was too bright. I’d completely forgotten that pale-gray skies and a hazy, white sun could also be blinding, especially as the light reflected off the large chunks of ice floating atop the sea.
“I think this is beautiful,” Kai said softly, his gaze divided between the scenery and me.
The fire that had ignited within me died the instant we crossed outside of that odd chasm between the artificial world of the dome and the frozen world beyond. I felt Kai watching me, but my magic wasn’t the only thing inside of me that had fled. It was then that I realized I’d accepted that life on Oahu was permanent for me. After trying and failing to escape plenty of times, I’d eventually accepted that I wouldn’t be leaving the confines of the dome again.
Fifteen years. That was how long I’d lived in Fae Canyon with family, friends, and the snowy landscape. At some point, those memories had started to fade like an aging photograph. I could still recall my father’s face and the way Illion giggled when he thought he was being sneaky, but the images in my head were muted. At least, they had been. Once outside the dome, my life in Fae Canyon came rushing back with startling clarity.
“Brie?” Kai’s touch was light on my arm.
Gently, he pried my fingers loose from the mojito that I suddenly wished contained real alcohol. I kept my gaze directed outward, only truly seeing swirling faces in my mind’s eye.
“You can talk to me,” Kai tried again, his voice soft and soothing. “I’ve been told I am a great listener.”
The ocean zipped by at a dizzying speed. Or maybe I was just lightheaded. Airships traveled exceedingly fast, able to reach the domed city of Los Angeles in less than three hours. That was half the time it used to take humans to travel the same distance in their airplanes.
“Brie, please. Talk to me.” Though it wasn’t a command, there was a slight edge to his voice.
Finally, I turned to face him. My go-to public smile was firmly in place. “I’m fine, Kai. Really.”
He wasn’t convinced. “I am here for you. You can tell me what you’re thinking, what you’re feeling.”
“There’s nothing to say,” I replied. Though my tone was off-kilter with a flood of emotions, I was not angry with Kai. “At least, not right now. Maybe once this whole thing is over, we can talk about it. Right now, I just want to concentrate on getting through the tournament. Crying over the past won’t help me win.”
It was true. I knew that because I’d told myself a version of that sentence too many times to count. Crying over the past and longing for a life that was no longer available to me had only hurt my performance in the arena. Getting mad and channeling my rage were the way to go. That constructive anger gave me the edge I needed to defeat opponents.
Only, for the first time since Mat kidnapped me, I would be on the mainland. Soon, there wouldn’t be a frozen ocean between me and my family. Dad and Illion would be so close. Could I really maintain that level of fury when the feelings of longing for my family were so great? If only….
Don’t. Don’t go there. It’s too risky, and you know it.
That was also true. Even if I could find members of the rebellion willing to smuggle me out of L.A., I couldn’t be sure Kai and his people wouldn’t come looking for me before I could leave. I’d made the mistake of telling him about Fae Canyon. Not specifics, like location, but that was intel that they could readily secure. Kai’s advisors already knew all the fae communities. It wasn’t so much what would happen to me that pushed the idea aside, it was the fate of my loved ones should a royal contingent from the Hawaiian Kingdom pursue me to their doorstep.
And, of course, there was Kai…. Even though I knew our separation was inevitable, I didn’t want to leave him.
The King set down our drinks and took my hands in his. “You are a terrible liar,” he told me with a straight face.
My laugh was too loud. “Maybe. But seriously, can you just hold off on the questions until this is over?”
