5. Chapter 5

"Were you sleeping this time or just escaping another dreadful meeting?" I huffed at the shadows in the hallway. Golden eyes narrowed on me from under his black-as-night cloak.

"Are you flirting with me, Little Viper?"

I scoffed as a retort. "I don"t even know how to flirt."

"I think you do. I think you know exactly how to flirt, Little Viper."

Sybil was right. I should be cautious of this man, but I didn't feel threatened when he was around. It was an odd feeling to have.

He stepped towards me but not enough to reveal anything about him. The smell of rain and the forest flooded my nose as he moved closer, though. I turned from him so he wouldn't catch a glimpse of my smirk. My eyes met the dark wooden door and I wanted to destroy it. My hand paused on the door handle when his hand grabbed my wrist.

"You're seriously going back in there? Do you not remember the creepy encounter you had last time?"

"Are you scared?" I taunted.

He scoffed.

To my surprise, the door opened when I shoved into it. This time the man and woman were in a heated discussion I couldn't quite make out. I stepped forward and they both turned to me. I worried they would see me this time, but they turned toward the door when someone else walked in. My eyes followed a dream version of myself entering the room. My dark hair was in a thick braid, and I wore my green cloak, but I looked…different somehow.

A memory.

This was a memory.

I stopped in front of them. Again they had no faces, but it was far less creepy from a distance. I knew the man in the shadows was in the room with me, but I didn't turn to figure out where he was.

"Where were you?" the man hissed.

"Making sure everyone was prepared for the fight."

"You will go with them." The woman hissed in my direction. I watched my face contort into confusion. Then my hands and jaw clenched tightly.

"Why would I go with them? That was not part of the plan."

"You are the only one strong enough." The man answered defeatedly. "One of us has to go to lead them, and you have the strongest magic, Thea."

My eyes watched the memory version of myself. It was clear I had been upset. Betrayal floated thick in the air between me and the man ordering me around. This was a memory. This was not a dream, but who were these two fae? And why couldn't I see their faces?

"You will go, or you will be banished." the man spoke again.

Storming from the room, I muttered, "Fine."

The man from the shadows stood next to me. He was silent for a long moment.

"It's a memory," he said. "Do you know what they're talking about?"

"No." I sighed heavily and turned away from the man and woman. "I haven't been able to remember anything about my past. It"s one of the reasons I wanted to see what was behind this door. I thought it would give me answers to who I am."

He didn't respond, but his body was rigid at the comment.

"My friend said I shouldn't trust you. Are you a spy or something?" I questioned him, hoping to catch him off guard. He wasn"t fazed.

"Maybe I shouldn't trust you, Little Viper. Besides I only remember you in dreams. When I wake up, I have no recollection of you or what happened."

"That's odd for a dream stalker" I accused. Part of me was disappointed he didn"t think of me outside these dreams like I thought of him.

"I'm not a dream stalker."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because you called to me in my dreams, and I answered. You need me here."

"Sounds like something a dream stalker might say."

"You've met a lot of dream stalkers?" he asked sarcastically. "I told you I"m a friend."

It didn't make sense still, but maybe he didn't know anything either. Neither of us had answers to this.

"Well, friend, why do you think you"re here with me?"

He didn"t answer at first, and I thought maybe he wouldn"t at all. "Maybe the Gods saw two lonely souls and didn"t want either of them to be so alone anymore."

My heart raced at his words. His hand reached out and smoothed my braid over my shoulder. The touch was unexpected, like he couldn't help himself. Just as quickly as he touched me, he pulled back his hand. His golden eyes swirled with black, and I was so tangled in their beauty that I didn't register that he was upset.

"It's time to wake up, Little Viper. Something is wrong."

"What do…"

I was pulled out of my dream before I asked my question. Screaming consumed the normally silent night. Outside, fae were in utter chaos. Anxiety shot through me, and I jumped up from the bed and hurried to find Sybil. She and the twins had blocked the doors and huddled together in the small living space. Relief spread through me when I saw the twins here safely with us.

"What's happening?"

"There are strange men here. We don't know who they are, but they're killing anyone they come across and setting fire to buildings," Kaz explained between breaths as if he had run over here.

"How are they here? There's a boundary."

"We don't know." Kai frowned. "Do you think the king sent them to deliver a message?"

It made sense, but the king had never done that before, so once again we had to ask ourselves why now? I could hear blood-curdling screams and headed for the door. Kaz gripped my hand and pulled me back. Fear laced his features as he held me close to him.

"No." He gripped my hand tightly. "We aren't going to lose you today. Stay here with us. If they come in, we will fight."

He was right. I didn't know what I was up against or who these men were. Squeezing his hand back I nodded in agreement. Kaz and Kai both let out a relieved breath that I wouldn't argue.

I grabbed weapons and made sure everyone was armed. We stood in the small space ready to fight. Smoke from burning buildings seeped through the crack of our door, but no one tried to enter. My eyes burned from the smoke and my mouth felt parched.

My heart beat erratically in my chest. I would never let them hurt Sybil or the twins. I would die if I needed to. The handle jiggled, and I pulled back my bowstring. I was ready, physically and mentally, to kill whoever stepped inside, but the jiggling abruptly stopped, and so did the screams of chaos. Uneasiness coiled deep inside of my stomach. Was everyone else dead? Why was it so quiet and where did the bad guys go? I lowered my bow and arrow and listened closely. There were still fae crying outside but the chaotic, terrified screams had evaporated into thin air.

"Are they gone?" I whispered.

"It has to be a trap, right?" Sybil asked. She might be right. They could be trying to lure out everyone who had locked themselves indoors.

"Let's wait a while before we check," I suggested. "It might be a trick to get us outside."

None of us spoke or made any noise. It was as if time stood still, and blood-curdling screams rang through the air. The cries were dying down and smoke no longer seeped in. It had been hours since I woke up and yet it only seemed like minutes had passed. Sybil seated herself at the table and busied herself by concocting medicines. The twins and I stayed alert watching the only entrance into the home. The screaming rang in my ears even though no one was screaming. The haunting cries of fae being murdered would haunt me for a lifetime.

Why did the king do this now? Was it because I crossed the boundary, or did he know someone had used elite magic on the other side? Grief gnawed at me over the thought that this could be my fault.

Sybil cut bread for each of us, but I didn't touch mine. I couldn't stomach it right now. What would be waiting on the other side of the door when we opened it? Would there be anything or anyone left? An urgency filled my chest. I needed to know.

I hurried to the door and started moving things.

"Thea, we should wait until tomorrow," Kai pleaded.

"You guys can stay here, but I have to know who and what is left outside." Unlocking the door, I cracked it open. There was no noise or movement, so I slid out of the door quietly. To my surprise, Kaz, Kai, and Sybil followed.

What we were met with was a massacre. Almost half the town was burned down, and dead fae littered the pathways. My eyes didn't know where to look first. My chest tugged with sadness.

I walked forward and stopped when I spotted her. The woman and her young child lay in a small opening between the buildings. The boy lay in the blanket I had given her in secret. I rushed over to them and begged the Gods above to let them be okay. Falling to my knees I assessed both of them, but they were long gone.

No.

Tears threatened to escape when the wounds and blood came into view. It wasn't fair. They had deserved to live.

"Thea," Sybil sobbed quietly. I glanced up with tears in my eyes. Fae were starting to come out of their homes to witness for themselves what had happened. Horrified sobs escaped many of them. Some begged for their loved ones or friends to wake up. Numbness spread over me as I stared at the woman who sacrificed her happiness to follow her child here and for what? To be murdered in an unprovoked attack?

A spark of rage ignited deep in my chest. Someone would pay for this. I locked eyes with Fallon as he assessed the damage. It was the first time I saw absolute total fear consume his features. All of this destruction within minutes when it had taken us years to build it.

Time stood still as we realized the amount of destruction that occurred. Smoke lingered in the air, small fires still raged, and half our buildings were leveled. This was the only home I had ever remembered and more than half of it was gone. We would never be able to recover what we lost today.

"Everyone!" Fallon yelled, standing on a piece of wood to gain extra height. "Did anyone notice what attacked us?"

No one spoke a word. Of course, no one here did, we were all inside. Fallon looked as if he didn't know what to do or say, so I spoke up.

"Was anyone outside while they attacked?"

The fae shook their heads no.

"Whatever it was couldn"t open our door but tried. I don't think they can enter homes. We should enforce a strict curfew until we know what we are dealing with. Every fae that was outdoors was slaughtered, so perhaps staying inside will help protect us. If there is a sighting of something unusual, we will go into lockdown. Fallon can sound the bell to notify everyone."

Fallon nodded in agreement. "I'll take the bell to my home for quick access."

"Now let's give those we lost today proper burials," I shouted. Everyone got to work. I went to the woman and her small son. I would make sure they were properly buried.

Kai and Kaz helped me carry them to the edge of the forest near the boundary. No thoughts entered my mind as I dug a grave big enough for them to be together. My body was numb from any feeling. If I let myself acknowledge what had happened, I would explode, and I didn't know if I could control myself if that happened.

When I shoveled the last bit of dirt on them, I sat there next to them. Gone in the blink of an eye.

Sybil and the twins went to help others, but I couldn't force myself to leave them yet. This had to stop. The king had gone too far this time. We were defenseless and weak. Even by the king's standards, this was a disgusting act of power. He didn't even kill us in the first place, he sent us into Exile. So that begs the question of why now?

A brief thought flitted through my mind that maybe this wasn't the Crimson King's doing, but who else would have done it? I shook the foolish thoughts away. Of course, it was the Crimson King. He hated us for simply existing.

After a long while, I stood up to head back home. I picked up my cloak from the ground next to the grave. The sound of something hitting the ground caused me to look back.

There on the dry dirt lay the red envelope I had stolen. Looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching, I picked it up. I had forgotten I hid the envelope in my cloak last night. I didn't know what would be in this envelope, but I didn't want anyone to see I even had it.

My hands dirtied the fancy crimson-colored envelope as I fumbled to open it. The paper inside was also red and adorned with the Crimson King's crest. My eyes scanned the page quickly.

Congratulations!

Your family has the honor of being randomly selected to participate in the King's Guard for a special mission. The rules are as follows:

Only one member of your family can participate, so choose wisely.

Your family may choose not to participate. If that is your wish, then you must find someone to take your place.

A series of trials will be given to fifty participants that have all been randomly selected. These trials will give participants opportunities to demonstrate useful skills.

The top ten in performance will move on to the final task, which will be revealed once the finalists are announced.

Whoever is selected must present themselves at the Crimson Kingdom in two days" time from when you receive this letter. You must have this letter as proof you were invited.

Like previous years, the grand prize will be one wish granted by the King and his court. Nothing is off limits, except the Crimson Kingdom's crown. The wish will not be granted until the final task is completed.

Do not take this lightly, as no one has completed the final task.

My heart pounded so loudly that I couldn't hear anything around me. I forced myself to read the page again and again to make sure I was not imagining things. "Nothing is off limits but the crown." which meant I could free everyone here for my wish. All I had to do was sneak into the king's secret guard and complete the mission.

The twins and Sybil were sitting in the small space eating bread when I barged into the house. I couldn"t contain myself as I held up the letter. They stared at me like I had finally snapped and lost my mind.

"I found this when I was out last night and forgot about it until just now. It's an answer to save us all." A whirlwind of possibilities swirled within me as I clutched onto that precious piece of paper – a lifeline amidst despair.

Sybil took the letter and read it while Kai and Kaz read over her shoulder. Their eyes flickered over the words multiple times like mine had. My heart dropped when they peered up frowning, clearly not sharing in my excitement. I grabbed the letter from them, worried they would burn it or something to prevent my participation.

"Thea, the chances of you winning are low," Sybil muttered. "You might be injured."

"We will all die if nothing happens. This is our only chance to escape this prison before we are all slaughtered."

Kaz and Kai were silent for a long moment, and I thought they would agree with Sybil.

"Thea's right." Kaz sighed in defeat. "It"s our only chance."

I hugged him tightly against me. Finally, someone agreed with me on something. The small validation lifted the suffocating burden off my shoulders and eased the feeling of hopelessness. He gave me a hard hug back which was unlike him.

"But what if you get caught? Maybe they'll know that you took this envelope." Kai questioned.

"It says the home was randomly selected. I doubt they will question if it was mine or not. It's not like they know every single fae living in the realm and where they are from. Besides, I can use my magic to escape if needed."

"It's a risk, but it is our only chance to leave Exile." Sybil nodded.

"I'll need to leave tonight to make it in time." I suddenly was unsure of leaving Sybil on her own. As if they sensed my hesitation, Kai and Kaz spoke at the same time.

"We will take care of her."

"I know."

"You boys should just move in here," she suggested.

"That would be for the best," I agreed. "Besides, I loaded up on supplies this last trip, so you should be alright for a long time. Hopefully, this won"t take long."

They all nodded in agreement, but I saw the hesitation on their faces. Emotions bubbled up, but I needed to put on a brave face for all of us. This was the only way to save everyone. There was no other option. I took a slice of bread and ate it before gathering a small bag of my clothing and daggers. When I walked out of my room, I handed Kaz my bow and arrows. Maybe Kaz could use this here if anyone decided to attack them,

"You keep this safe for me until I come back."

"I will," he said, nodding. I hugged Kai before moving to Sybil. She had been like a mother to me even though we hadn't viewed the world through the same lens. She hugged me like it would be our last one and a soft sob released from her throat. She was trying to be strong, but this was hard for all of us. This might be the last time I was ever with them.

"Take this." She slid a long chain she always wore off her neck. On the end held a small amulet that swirled with bright colors of orange, red, and yellow. It was stunning.

"Sybil, it's beautiful." I admired it as I took it in my hands. I had never seen the amulet at the end of the necklace before. The pulse of power caught me off guard when I grabbed it. My eyes snapped up to hers. She couldn't give me this. How did she even do this?

"Sybil…"

"My magic is of no use here. I paid a witch to transfer part of my Elite magic into the amulet before Exile in hopes that my family would keep it. I'm not sure how potent it will be, but I'm sure it will be helpful in healing."

I glanced at the small sphere that held elite magic knowing she was right, but this was such a high honor to give. What if I didn't come back and she lost her magic forever? Then everyone here would die too.

"I'll give it back as soon as I free us all from Exile." I hugged her again. Her eyes sparkled with pride as her smile stretched from ear to ear, but beneath that joy, there was an underlying worry etched into her features. "I should go."

Turning, I walked for the door but paused one last time. I turned to them and captured their faces in my mind. My eyes drifted around the small house like I would miss it while I was gone. It had been the only home I had any memories of. The weight of saving everyone settled on my shoulders, but their confident looks made the pressure bearable.

"I'll see you soon," I promised. All three smiled like they believed that they would. Then I turned and headed for the Crimson Kingdom to win freedom for all those who held elite magic.