Chapter 49

AURORA

I woke up gasping for air, my lungs on fire as if I’d been submerged underwater for too long. My vision was blurry, and my body ached all over.

My mind was foggy, struggling to make sense of anything. But slowly, reality started to seep back in. I realized I was lying on the hard ground, my eyes focusing on the dirt and rocks around me.

I stayed still, trying to recall what had happened and how I’d ended up here. That’s right. I’d woken up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and it felt like something had yanked me out of the room and into the courtyard.

Then there was that woman’s voice calling me, and Rayne trying to stop me. ~Rayne…~ The horrifying memory washed over me. Rayne choking, falling to his knees, then attacking Emelio.

Then I couldn’t breathe and blacked out. But not before Emelio had told me that a sleeping spell had been cast on the palace and that the spell on Rayne was intensified by it.

I managed to sit up, finally able to take in my surroundings. I didn’t recognize where I was. The ground was all dirt and rocks, and towering rocky cliffs enclosed the open cavern where I found myself.

“Ah, you are finally awake.”

The sudden voice startled me, and I turned to see a woman standing about five feet away. My eyes widened as I instantly recognized her.

“Fai?”

I would’ve recognized her anywhere. She was one of the first creatures I’d met in this world after Rin had taken me in. Although she looked much the same as when we’d met at the elf village, I noticed that her skin wasn’t light blue like it had been.

Now it looked more like mine. Half of her long white hair was tied back while the rest flowed over her back and shoulders, and she wore a sparkling red dress. But what caught my attention the most, aside from her change in complexion, were the remains of clear wings jutting out of her back; wings that looked like they’d been ripped off in the middle.

She gave me a smile that should’ve been comforting, but it only felt mocking. I knew why she had disappeared and who she was supposed to be, and I was sure that she had been the one calling to me from the forest before everything went wrong with Rayne.

Fai’s smile faded as she saw the scowl I gave her in return. “Oh, do not be so cross with me. You must understand that one should do as their ruler has asked of them,” she reminded me. She held her hands to her chest and closed her eyes. “Oh, it has been so very long since I have been able to see my beloved queen. I have looked forward to this day.”

“Where is Rayne?! What did you do to him?!” I demanded.

Even though I should’ve been angry and scared of Rayne after what had happened, I didn’t feel any of that. This spell had completely controlled him this time, and I was deeply worried about what it might’ve done to him now that I was here.

“I’m surprised. I would’ve thought you would hate Rayne after what he’s done,” Fai commented.

“Why would I? You all were controlling him! The real Rayne would never have taken me or attacked anyone, especially Emelio!” I countered.

“True, true. Rayne always was rather soft-natured, especially for an alpha,” Fai conceded. “Although I could say the same about that fox brother of his. Rin certainly turned into a fool for you, did he not? But then, it would appear that most males do when they believe that they want a female badly enough.”

I looked around us again. “Where am I?”

Fai looked regretful as she crossed her arms. “Where do you think? You are at the seal on my queen and her kingdom.”

That’s when I saw it. About ten feet from us was a glowing transparent wall, and in the middle of it was a large, deep blue circle. This circle had many symbols looping around the inside of it, and in the center was a small light blue circle with one large symbol that looked like an ornate cross.

The feeling coming from this barrier was ominous; like there was a powerful being just beyond it, patiently waiting to be free. I could see through the transparent wall that there were stone buildings lining what looked like a golden road. They must’ve been the start of the Faerie kingdom that was locked behind this barrier.

I heard footsteps around me and turned to Fai, seeing that she wasn’t alone. There were the four familiar male Faeries from my dream, still wearing dark robes and now carrying long staffs that looked like they were made of crystal with brightly colored stones adorning the tops of them.

Rayne was also with them, but he didn’t look like himself. At least, not his eyes. They were very dark and looked vacant as he stood still between them with a neutral expression. There was also a golden glow surrounding the base of his throat, shaped like a butterfly. That must’ve been where the spell had embedded into him and was now controlling him.

“Let us move on with our duties. She is here, and the time of the Alpha’s Moon is nigh,” the green-haired Faerie declared.

I looked up to see the large moon rising over the horizon. The evening was setting in; the sky darkening above us.

The red-haired Faerie walked over to me, lifting me by my left forearm to my feet. His grip was so tight that it hurt, and he continued pulling me forward to the circle, stopping with me about two feet in front of it.

“You are one with the stone that has been bestowed with our queen’s power and chosen to be the beta to one of the most powerful alphas; therefore, you will place your hand on the seal and finally break it,” he ordered.

“I won’t free her. I refuse!” I declared.

“You will do as you are meant to, or we will simply make another sacrifice to our queen’s power,” the brown-haired Faerie warned me.

I watched as he and the other two Faeries surrounded Rayne, their staffs pointed at him. He didn’t move. It was as if he was in a trance, oblivious to the world around him. The gems on the staffs glowed ominously, signaling the Faeries’ intent to follow through on their threat.

I was torn. If I released Lila, it could mean disaster for these lands and potentially the entire Veil. But if I didn’t, Rayne would likely die.

Rin’s words about his brother echoed in my mind. He wanted to help Rayne, to protect him when he needed it, to support him as he had done for him countless times.

The thought of Rayne dying, and Rin being unable to save him, was unbearable. I knew it would devastate Jekia to lose his only blood son, and Lana and Selenia too.

There was no real choice. If I wanted to save Rayne’s life, I would have to make a sacrifice that I hoped wouldn’t destroy this world.

“Okay!” I yelled, hoping they understood the gravity of my decision. “I’ll break the seal! Just don’t hurt him!”

The Faeries backed off at my words. I noticed Fai looking particularly pleased.

I scowled as I turned to face the seal, silently promising myself that I’d make Fai pay for her betrayal of Jekia and these lands, and for the pain I knew she was causing her husband.

But for now, I had to focus. I slowly raised my hand, trying to steady myself, and placed it against the cross symbol.

The symbols lit up, and I felt a strange static electricity surge through me. The stone in my neck heated up, and the words I needed to say flowed from my lips.

“Unlock the doors to she who has been frozen in time. Release the chains that hold her in place, and let her power reign once more!”

The electricity coursed through me, concentrating in my hand against the seal and spreading out into it. The barrier crackled, flickered, and then shattered like glass.

The force of it sent a gust of wind at us, whipping my hair around and forcing me to shield my face with my arm.

After what felt like forever, but was probably only a few seconds, the wind died down and everything fell silent. But there was a strange, deep pulsing that filled the air.

I lowered my arm and looked up to see that the barrier was completely gone. The golden road into the kingdom was open, though the buildings still looked encased in ice.

The pulsing intensified to a near painful level, then abruptly, everything went eerily quiet. I watched in awe as a golden light began to rise from the road a few feet in front of me.

It took me a moment to realize that it wasn’t a light.

It was a swarm of golden butterflies.

They rose to just above my height, swirling in a tight circle before exploding outwards and vanishing. Where they had been, a figure now stood; a beautiful woman with black and gold eyes.

She wore a gold lace dress with a skirt that trailed on the ground behind her, and a sparkling diamond tiara nestled in her long golden blonde hair.

I recognized her instantly. She was the woman from my dreams, the one who had spoken of Jekia and Rin’s father Sage, and the lycans.

This was the Golden Queen, the Faerie named Lila.

I took an involuntary step back, my eyes locked on her. The power radiating from her was intimidating, unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

It felt like she could kill me with a mere flick of her wrist, or a single glance.

We stared at each other for a long moment before she turned her gaze to the others. I noticed for the first time that they were all bowing to her; even Rayne.

The butterfly mark on his neck glowed brighter than ever.

“You have all done well. I am impressed with your determination to fulfill my requests over so many moons,” she said, her voice as smooth as silk and as cold as ice. She turned back to me. “And at last, I get to meet you face to face, my lovely little human doll.”

I summoned all the courage I had to reply. “I’m not a doll, and I wouldn’t have helped you if I’d known better.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t. Your fate has always been tied to that fox, but that has worked in my favor.”

Lila stepped closer to me, and I felt rooted to the spot. The Faeries around us remained bowed, not moving until she gave them permission.

I noticed their tension. They knew what would happen if they didn’t obey her.

“What do you want from me now? Haven’t you gotten what you wanted?” I managed to ask. I wasn’t about to bow to her, no matter how terrified I was.

“Who said I have everything I want?” Lila replied. She lifted my chin, a satisfied smile on her face as she looked into my eyes. “Every great ruler needs a worthy successor, and I have no desire to bear children. Blood ties only complicate things. But you, ~you~ have the potential to become a powerful beta. Some might even say you have a touch of alpha potential, given the right power and training. The only problem is to permanently separate you from that fox who has claimed you.”

I pulled away from her. “I’ll never leave Rin, and they’ll be here soon to stop you!” I warned her.

Lila didn’t seem concerned, just continued to calmly regard me.

“They won’t be able to do anything easily. I made sure of that by using him to incapacitate their Mage, though I did instruct that his wounds be fatal. It seems this luna dog Pup has a strong will, even when mostly bound.”

I looked at Rayne and saw him grimace, his eyes lightening as he clutched his throat.

“I can’t let this go on!” Rayne gasped out. “She’s not yours to take! She’s Rin’s beta, she’s part of our family!”

“Enough!”

Lila raised her hand and Rayne doubled over, choking just like he had in the courtyard. I didn’t hesitate. I lunged forward, grabbing Lila’s arm to pull it down.

“Stop it! Leave him be!” I demanded.

But in a flash, I was thrown to the ground. Lila towered over me, her eyes blazing with fury. She held her hand above me and I gasped as an immense pressure pinned me down.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand on me!” she hissed.

I refused to back down, even though the pressure was so intense I felt like I might be crushed. It was a better fate than watching her kill Rayne.

“Leave him alone!” I managed to choke out.

A tense silence hung in the air before the pressure started to ease. I lay there on the ground, panting heavily, my gaze fixed on Rayne.

He wasn’t choking anymore, but his eyes were dark and the butterfly in his throat was glowing brightly. He was lost again, trapped within himself by her spell.

“It seems you two aren’t as weak as I thought,” Lila finally said, her voice returning to its usual icy calm. “But I do admire your spirit, little girl. Despite everything I’ve thrown at you, you’ve grown strong. You’ll make a worthy successor to my throne, whether you like it or not.”