Thirty-Five

ELLIS

Ishould have seen it. I should have called it. Hell, Eve had suspected something was off about Feyanna way before I had.

"No fucking way," Eve breathed out, face white.

Feyanna rolled her eyes at Eve. "Focus. You're the only one who didn't eat immediately when you came here. Everyone else did. Even lover boy. Why are you so surprised we chose you to keep the barrier open?"

"Everyone fucking move out of my way!" There was a disturbance in the crowd as a dirty, tired figure forced its way through the sea of fae and humans alike, pushing her way toward us.

Feyanna grinned like a predator, and again I cursed myself for being so, so blind. "Fallon, dearest. You made it."

Fallon wiped dirt off her face and glared at us all, except for me, who she leered at.

"Look at Ellis again, and I will rearrange your face," Eve snarled.

Fallon's eyes narrowed at me, but she backed off. A flush creeped into my face, dirty thoughts intruding in my brain. The moment I had Eve alone …

"You. You fucking traitor!" Fallon screamed, lunging toward Feyanna. "Tell me it isn't true! The city is razed, most of the family is dead! I survived because I had to know if the rumors were true!"

"Fallon," Feyanna began sharply, but not taking her gaze off me, "apologize for raping the prince."

I blanched. That was the last thing I expected, or even wanted.

Fallon's face flushed, her eyes flashing with anger. "I—"

"Raped him. Apologize."

Eve stiffened, and I went rigid. It was so much worse when she said it out loud like that, wasn't it?

Fallon's lips set in a determined line. "I just—"

Eve gasped as Feyanna whirled around, kicking Fallon's sword out of her hand and grabbing it in a single move, then skewering her through the chest.

"Oh my gods!" Eve screamed, taking a half step forward and halting.

"You … bitch." Fallon fell to her knees, blinking in shock and betrayal. Her hands went to Feyanna's, trying to claw them off the hilt so she could pull out the sword.

"Tell me again how I'm the stupid sister, you lazy, ignorant little slut," Feyanna snarled, fangs bared at her dying sister. She pulled the sword out of Fallon and watched dispassionately as Fallon tumbled over, lips moving silently. It was over in moments as she bled out and went still.

"Satisfied?" Feyanna looked between Eve and me, almost casually, as she wiped the blade on the tattered cloak she'd been wearing for the last three days.

"How could you do that?" Eve croaked out, in disbelief.

I couldn't get past the senseless violence—and especially of a family member? It was like my own family's deaths, but in reverse. A vicious, unending cycle of senseless death that dragged me under like a riptide and spat me back out, only to suck me back again. Every sympathetic feeling I had for Feyanna evaporated.

"Come here, brother," Feyanna ordered.

Alihandro froze and Feyanna laughed. She put away her sword and addressed Ellis. "Come, little prince. Time to face our destiny."

She turned and sprinted up the passage, toward the top of the mountain. I shot Eve an incredulous look, and she held her hands up as if to indicate we had no choice.

We followed.

Higher and higher we went until sunlight leaked in through cracks and crevices in the rocks above us. I burst out into bright sunlight, squinting at the sudden harshness after being in the dark depths of the mountain.

I almost ran into Eve, who'd screeched to a halt next to me. The reason was apparent.

At the top of the mountain was literally … nothing. Before us was nothing but a vast, gray wasteland so barren and colorless it blended it with the gray, blank sky. It was confusing and hurt your head to look at.

I turned, comparing it to the view behind me, which comprised the fae lands. Green, green, and more green, with smoke rising from the ruins of the city in the distance. Or it would have been green. The storm had left vast chunks of it black and torn, and the dark clouds rapidly closed in toward us. I didn't see a barrier.

"You must thrust yourself across the line between life and death. It must be a leap of faith, as the first peace talks between humans and fae were. Our land is dying, Ellis." Feyanna emerged into the daylight. Further back, I knew the hordes of people wanting a new life also lurked, waiting.

They'd destroyed their world.

"That sounds like a ‘you' problem," I grit out as Eve turned to face Feyanna, distress etched in the lines of her face.

"We were supposed to work together: humans and fae," Feyanna continued, ignoring my quip, "but generations of my family abused the terms and twisted them for centuries. As punishment, magick is trying to find a balance by ravaging our lands. It has taken us a long time to undermine the crown's authority and have enough support to act."

I fumed. "So bringing your refugees to my home is your answer? Trapping Eve and mating her against her will? Killing innocent people? You broke this world, so it's time to run away and break mine? You've betrayed your father. What keeps you from betraying me and taking over my kingdom? You can pretend your cause is noble all you want, but you still destroyed your own people when you attacked the city. It wasn't needed. It wasn't necessary."

Eve's hand landed at the small of my back, a comforting and reassuring presence behind me.

Feyanna's expression tightened. "Knowledge about the barrier was a closely guarded secret, one that was punishable by death, even if you found out by accident. I'd know, having had to witness the executions myself."

I wasn't sure what that had to do with destroying your own city, but Eve's nails dug into the back of my tunic, urging patience.

"I found out by accident," Feyanna continued. "Father had a personal bedroom slave that wasn't allowed to consume anything that wasn't completely grown, raised, or prepared by her human lover. I had always wondered what made those strange noises from the room down the third corridor, second door on the right. So, I taught myself to lock pick and found out for myself."

Feyanna took a deep breath, but Alihandro interrupted her. "Don't leave anything out. He beat her and starved her as well. Fennis was a cruel male."

"But allegedly not as cruel as Hayida," Eve cut in, conflicting emotions in her eyes.

"We all knew Fennis was rotten." Alihandro cut in. "We had to work quietly and in the background. Feyanna continued to cultivate her persona as a bumbling, silly girl, and it worked. It fooled everyone, including me, at first."

Alihandro flushed while Feyanna gave him a coy smile. He shook his head and continued, "Since I served in the royal guard as a younger and lesser son, I saw firsthand the dead and dying lands. Father would never talk about it with me, instead blaming his enemies and that if he built a strong, thriving kingdom, magick would bring back the land as a reward."

Eve snorted from behind me, and Feyanna glared at her. Eve's eyes narrowed as she glanced around at all of us.

Feyanna stepped forward and lifted Eve's chin with two fingers. "I am sorry for what my father has done to you and your people, and apologize on behalf of the royal family. But I would do all of it again in a heartbeat."

Her golden eyes snapped to me next.

"You think me cruel, little king that you are," she continued on, "but know that I do not intend to bring rapists and other criminals to your lands. I did this to show I am serious. I will govern my people and ensure we are not a burden. Quite the opposite, actually—we plan to help restore the balance of your lands and weather, and we will help each other thrive."

What neat, tidy little entreaty, wrapped up with Fallon's dead body left to rot in the passage behind us.

Now that all the lies and disguises were disposed of, I saw Feyanna quite clearly.

Feyanna would sacrifice anything—anyone—if it got in her way. It was all pretty promises right now, but what happened when she decided I was in her way, or Eve, or Viana or anyone else?

"The gesture is appreciated if somewhat graphic," Eve began, "but it still doesn't change the fact you are self-destructive in your efforts. You harmed your own people. You've shown a lack of restraint that makes me question your judgment. If your judgment is not sound, you aren't coming with us."

Spoken like a true queen. I grabbed Eve's hand and squeezed. She shot me a rare smile.

Feyanna's smile froze on her lips. Anger twisted the edges of her mouth, her hand going to the hilt of her sword at her side.

I frowned. Feyanna's actions were not the controlled, careful machinations of a head rebel in charge of her people. Her decisions were emotional, and, if I was honest, personal.

I thought back to when we'd first arrived at Fennis's court. Feyanna and Fallon had been behind his throne, but I hadn't paid the daughters any mind. I'd been too worried about Eve, and about our fate. And what had been happening in front of us with Cassus and Ferar.

"Was Ferar a rebel?" I asked, trying to put the pieces together.

Eve inhaled sharply beside me.

Breaking my attention from Feyanna was a mistake. Her fist hit me hard before I could even blink. Just as fast, Alihandro pulled her off me, even as she spat in anger.

Eve winced as she put a gentle hand to the side of my face, which was already swelling.

"Don't you dare say his name like that!" Feyanna cried.

"Like what?" I shot back, resisting the urge to hold my cheek or show that it hurt.

"Like he didn't matter," Feyanna snarled. "Everything I did, I did for him."

Eve dropped her hand and made a small sound in the back of her throat.

"I was watching the princesses that day in the throne room," Eve began. "Feyanna … she flinched when Ferar died." She faced Feyanna with a gleam in her eyes. "You loved Ferar. He was your mate."

Oh. Oh.

A lot of things suddenly made sense.

Eve was a convenient scapegoat—someone to blame the sudden change in tactics and retaliation on. Because that's what the violence was about, wasn't it? It wasn't because Feyanna cared about her people or tried to bring her father to justice. She'd had all this time and her long fae lifespan to do that, but hadn't made her move until we had come.

Until Ferar had died.

She'd terrorized her own people and her city to get revenge for her dead lover. That was it. Anything else was supplemental.

I couldn't allow her to step one foot in our homeland. Judging from the hard expression on Eve's face, we were on the same page.

"Is the prophecy even real?" I asked. "Or was it another convenient lie to help hide the truth?"

I anxiously awaited the answer. I hoped it was, but I knew from my dreams what the answer was.

"Only children and fools believe in such nonsense," Feyanna sneered. "Wishes and hopes are only as good as the cold bodies they come from. Action is the only thing that matters."

She gave Eve a harsh once over from head to toe.

"I mean, look at you! A queen who would destroy it all. You couldn't even give me a paper cut. Pathetic, desperate ramblings of a pathetic, desperate people."

Eve's eyes narrowed, but instead of retaliating, her head tilted to the side.

"The barrier stays open as long as I don't eat, right?" she asked carefully.

Alihandro let go of Feyanna, who looked less likely to hack my face off. "The moment fae food touches your lips, our magick taints you, and the barrier will close since you are the last human here without a drop of magick in you," he confirmed.

"Why do you think I followed you here?" Feyanna snapped. "I wouldn't go through all of this just to have you fuck it up at the end. I made sure you only took food prepared and raised by humans. Even that chicken you took!"

Eve laughed. "You're all nuts. I'll just eat something, and all of this will be for nothing. I'm not letting you across this barrier."

Feyanna snarled. "I will kill one refugee at a time, starting with the children until you agree to let us pass through. Allow us all through, and I will stay behind with my sword at your throat. When it is done, we will cross together. The barrier will close behind us forever once you're on the other side. This land can die and magick can have it."

And killing everyone left behind. How noble.

"What kind of princess are you?" Eve challenged. "Why not bring everyone through?"

Alihandro ran a hand through his hair. "Most of everyone who is sympathetic to our cause is here now. Only those worthy and who supported our cause may come to the other side. Otherwise how will we honor the fae and human alliance?"

Eve laughed. "That's your massive plan? Fuck up your world and then come invade ours? Fat chance. Ellis?"

She was right. Whatever problems this world had, we had to get back to our realm and take care of our people. While I wasn't opposed to taking a few people across for a better life, what Feyanna was suggesting could start another war. And I didn't trust her.

"I want to believe that we could help each other, but I have to protect my lands first," I said. "You had your chance with your lands."

As I finished, a clap of thunder erupted over our heads. Was it my imagination, or did the bleak, empty landscape creep closer to us?

A storm gathered in Eve's eyes, her face darkening like clouds before a blizzard.

Another boom of thunder erupted over us, so loud my skin vibrated and my bones rattled.

"Princess! The land … something is wrong!" A fae male emerged from the entrance of the cave, stopping short at seeing us literally at each other's throats. I recognized him from the picnic at the first manor we'd been brought to—Alm. The crowd of fae and humans emerged by the passage behind him, wary.

The ground shook underneath us, loud cracks and groans drowned out by the cries of hundreds of people trapped in the cave.

"What is it? What's happening?" Eve cried out, but not lowering the knife an inch.

Feyanna grabbed a fae male who had been lingering on the edges of the crowd, and threw him over the edge of the cliff, toward where the barrier supposedly was.

His screams faded as he fell, eventually hitting the ground with a muffled ‘thump.'

Eve gasped in shock, and the crowd reared back in fear, away from their beloved princess.

Enraged, Feyanna whirled on Alihandro.

"What did you do?"

Alihandro smiled beautifully.

"Show her your fae mark, gorgeous," he purred at me.

Feyanna's eyes zeroed in on the mark on my neck, and she exploded.

"You ungrateful, little—"

"You think you're the only one allowed to make decisions out of passion or decide what's in everyone's best interests?" Alihandro quipped, but there was no humor in his voice.

There was silence, broken only by Eve's labored breathing.

"You … you …" Feyanna couldn't get the words out, overcome by shock and anger. Eve wasn't in any better shape.

"You used me to close the barrier," I whispered. "It hasn't been open. It–"

"Closed the second I bit you. Not that anyone was enough to check," Alihandro huffed.

My hatred for Feyanna grew as did my begrudging respect for Alihandro.

Lightning struck the top of the mountain, throwing us all to our bellies. An earthquake ripped through the land, the solid mountain under us turning to liquid jelly swaying back and forth like a new sapling.

The voices from my past dreams and screams from the present combined into a noise so loud it felt like my head was going to explode.

I had no idea what was going on, but Feyanna did. She whirled, pointing her sword at Eve's chest.

The sky exploded above us, turning completely black.

Helpless. Out of control. Powerless.

No, I wasn't. Not anymore.

"You filthy little bitch!" Feyanna screamed. "You were prophesied about: the queen who would come to ruin everything, bring us to nothing but smoke and ruin! I will kill you and prove it!"

My heart stopped at hearing it finally said aloud; all of the nightmares that had plagued me my entire life had led to this moment. So much so, I'd even thought I was dreaming that night on the balcony when I'd first met Eve. If I hadn't, would I have been able to save my family? Had she already brought ruin and destruction without even meaning to?

No. That wasn't fair to her. If Eve hadn't been on that balcony, the only thing that would have changed was that my body would have been on the pile along with the rest of my family.

I took a shuddering breath, glaring at Feyanna, this female so filled with blind rage and vengeance she had killed her own sister and father.

Wait. She had killed her father with her attack on the palace.

Shyllon was dead. Fallon was dead.

Feyanna was now the eldest remaining child of Fennis, as far as I was aware.

Which meant she was the queen that had brought ruin and ashes to this land.

Not Eve.

Never Eve.

Eve thought no one ever saw her compared to the other noble girls at court, but I saw her. Her choices set all of this in emotion, and I now understood what Hayida had been trying to tell me.

There are no prophecies. Only the choices we make.

People poured out from the entrance into the cave, crying and yelling for help as the mountain threatened to collapse under us, carrying children and valuables in their arms. They swarmed Alihandro and Feyanna, heading right toward Eve and I.

And the edge of the cliff.

What had Feyanna said? Something about just blindly jumping off the cliff to cross the barrier?

"Die, you fucking bitch!"

Feyanna unsheathed her sword in a motion so fast it was only a silver blur. I lunged forward, but in the back of my mind I knew I was only half of a fae compared to Feyanna.

She was faster.

I wouldn't get to Eve in time.

But I didn't need to.

Alihandro streaked between us, catching Feyanna in the ribs and driving both of them to the ground. He did nothing to stop his momentum as he wrapped his arms around Feyanna in a vice grip, both of them rolling off the side of the mountain.

Feyanna's screams of rage mixed with Alihandro's laughs of victory, until they abruptly were cut off.

"NO!"

Eve shot toward the edge of the cliff and I grabbed her, hauling her back. She fell to her knees, grabbing at me and holding on as she cried inconsolably.

The mountain's tremors decreased, and the lightning and thunder abated.

"Ellis! We have to take them with us—the refugees," she began through her tears. "I get it now! The problems … the unstable magick and the land … It's all tied to a lack of trust between us! That's what Alihandro was trying to show me. Long ago we had a treaty to help each other. To restore the balance, we need to do the same once again. We need to take who we can with us."

Blinding light flared from the bottom of the mountain where Alihandro and Feyanna had fallen. Eve gasped and clutched her chest, and the fae mark on her neck illuminated as if a light shone from behind it. Then it simply disintegrated into dust.

Because the fae who'd given it to her was dead.

A large lump grew in my throat and stuck there, just as a portal of light opened in front of us, just a few feet beyond the cliff.

Because there now stood a human on this side of the barrier with no fae taint.

Eve.

Fae, humans, and everyone in between cheered and shoved past us, diving straight off the cliff toward the barrier. Eve screamed, the scene of females with children in the arms seemingly leaping to their deaths incredibly disturbing.

But no one fell.

Their forms shimmered and flickered, then disappeared.

It worked. It fucking worked! We were actually going back.

The crowd pushed and shoved and ran and panicked. Hordes fell over the cliff, some by jumping, but most by pushing and shoving. All disappeared in a shimmer. All made it across.

"Viana's gonna kill me," I breathed out, the ridiculous thought of Viana's face when a hundred fae refugees tumbled to the steps of my palace bringing a twisted smirk to my lips.

Eve barked out a laugh next to me, her eyes crazed. We were in the middle of the tempest, and never had I loved her so much.

I leaned down and captured her lips with mine. I would never know Alihandro's true intentions with throwing himself off the cliff; had he done it to save his people, or also to free Eve from a bond she hadn't even been aware of?

Either way, he had my eternal gratitude for watching over her, and doing what he could to keep her safe.

And now it was my turn.

The crowd kept going, thinning out until the last few staggered over the ledge of the cliff.

Now was our chance. The moment I crossed with Eve, the barrier would hopefully close. A bolt of lightning shot out from the sky and struck the peak of the mountain we stood on, sending us flying, and the rock under our feet shattering.

As the mountain crumbled, we fell.

Eve cried out as the barrier fell out of our reach as we tumbled, even as I grabbed her to shield her from the rocks and falling debris.

No. We couldn't come this far and fail! I wouldn't allow it.

Magick swirled and built in my chest, glowing white and filling my vision until my world was nothing but a bright blur. I hit the ground hard, but didn't feel it as magick cushioned my fall.

"Fucking … bitch!"

Eve screamed as Feyanna dragged her mangled body across the ground, Alihandro's broken form in the distance behind her. Magick sputtered and died at her fingertips, and with a cry of fury her hand dove back into her waist, searching desperately.

This time, I didn't fear the consequences of my magick. I welcomed the fury. I goaded the destruction. I wanted every ounce of force and fire and I didn't care what the consequences were.

Because I wasn't powerless.

I never had been.

I simply had to make the choice.

Feyanna's eyes met mine in the fraction of an instant, realizing what I planned to do. Her hand grabbed a dagger and threw it. I flinched, but instead of using that last moment to strike at me, once again, she'd chosen vengeance and fury over sense.

The blade soared through the air toward Eve.

The mountain blew up, magick from the deal with Fennis and the chaotic weather finally exploded in a torrent of confusion.

I yanked all my magick up from my core and let it explode outwards.