Power of the Fae (23 page)

“Where is Sogro located?” Colin asks.

“We are from the area that used to be Eplor. Sogro is a mountainous area that protects the sacred portal to another realm.”

“Beta Catesius,” my father says. I look to him and he shrugs his shoulder.

“What realm is that?” Colin’s face is incredulous.

“Surely, you didn’t think this realm and Faery were the only realms out there. There are hundreds of realms that exist,” Epan says.

“No, of course not. I just have not heard of that one,” Colin explains.

“Yasmin has seen things. She is a Seer. Please explain your visions dear,” Azura says redirecting the conversation. Epan pats Yasmin on the hand.

“Your highness.” She is very soft spoken with a strong Sogroian accent. She doesn’t look to me; she continues to stare at the table.

“I have seen you in battle, I have seen you defeat many demons. I have seen you in many of my visions, those good and bad. From my visions, there is a message that I need to deliver to you.” She pauses, looking at me first then looking at everyone in the room. My grandmother nods at her to encourage her to keep going.

“What is the message?” Colin asks. She finally looks to me, our eyes connect and her body jerks, she becomes catatonic in her chair, only the whites of her eyes show.

“He’s coming for her. The small black haired Fae is in danger. The enemy is near; no one is safe. She will face a new evil; strong and powerful she will need to be. She will lose a love, gain a love, bear love and sacrifice for love. The tiny one must be fierce.” Her voice has deepened as she spoke. Her eyes flicker and she comes out of the catatonic state and looks directly at me.

A shiver goes down my spine. I grab both Colin’s hand and my father’s hand for support. What the fuck does that mean?

O
n this day
, my inner beast is extremely pleased. My request for a souvenir from the human realm did not go unfulfilled. Oruzahl did not disappoint with whom he picked to bring to me. I couldn’t have asked for a better gift! My enhanced demons are doing extremely well. There were only a few that were killed and the ones that were injured in the first battle have already healed or almost healed according to Bazin who is still in the human realm.

Bazin has secured a place for the demons to hide out and gather until my return to the realm. According to Bazin and Oruzahl, the demons were no match for the wolves and Fae. Three more nights until Arlina will come to me. Thanks to Oruzahl, I now have a strong bargaining tool that will ensure the Princess will come to me. Keegan Waldmar, older brother to the delectable Fae Princess is currently in my dungeon.

Standing in front of the bars of the cell that holds the Fae Prince, a feeling of accomplishment washes over me. If we can take a strong Fae such as the Prince, we will be strong enough to conquer the human realm. Keegan is shackled to the wall with both arms stretched out just above his head with quarlineum shackles. The quarlineum is a precious metal that blocks all Fae powers. This cell that Keegan is in was built to house Faes, even the bars to the cell are made of quarlineum. This idea came to me centuries ago as I planned my return. Keegan leans against the wall, strung up, holding his head high, green eyes locked on me. The Fae Prince is too cocky. He needs to learn his place here in the Underworld. I will take great pleasure in breaking that confidence.

Keegan is bare-chested, barefoot and only left with his ripped cargo pants covering him. He is covered in filth, bruises and blood. Three large gashes run across his abdomen and one alongside his neck. If not for the quarlineum, he would have almost healed all the way by now. Even bruised and beaten, the Prince has an air of defiance to him. His eyes never leave me.

“Welcome to the Underworld, Prince.” I laugh as the Prince struggles against his restraints.

“Fuck you!” Keegan spits at me, missing by a few inches. My beast wants to come out and play.

“Oh, you will pay for that Prince.” I allow the beast to come to the surface slightly. I can feel my eyes burning red as the rage burns wanting to consume me. My glamour shimmers, revealing to the Prince my true self.

“Go fuck yourself!” Keegan screams.

I signal to the guard down the hall to bring my bag of toys. Opening the bag I reach in and bring out my fourteen-inch modified black cat-o-nines. Each lash is made of copper wires with silver blades on the tips. It’s been a long time since I’ve played with my toys. I flick my wrist, using my magic, to open the cell. A sinister smile crosses my face at the thought of getting to teach the Prince a lesson. No one disrespects me. The Prince is going to learn tonight, and I’m going to have fun teaching him.

T
he meeting is underway
. Azura’s study would not have been large enough to house all the attendees, so we are meeting in the library of the Neophyte School. Azura had the room outfitted to accommodate a large audience. Dorian is present with four of his most trusted vampires and all of my Legion members are present. Vamir has all of the Guardians who are already in the human realm here, and Azura has her most trusted Witches that will assist. Even that Druid Priest is present. The only person that is missing is Lina.

Where are you?
I reach out to her through our telepathic link she created between us. She doesn’t respond.

“So what are we going to do with those demons that escaped? The humans were in an uproar last night!” Someone asks, bringing my attention back to the meeting.

“My witches and I worked through the night casting a large spell, removing those memories from the citizens of the town. Epan, the highest Druid Priest was gracious enough to assist us. It took a lot of energy to cast that type of spell. Most of the town will remember the ruckus as rowdy teenagers running through the streets,” Azura says.

“What we need to do is quickly find the demons and contain them,” Vamir says. Everyone in the room nods.

“We are working on that. There is a spell we could cast that would keep the demons in one area. It would be like placing a large bubble around the town. Humans will not even know it’s there and will be able to come and go from Langdale. Demons will not be able to leave the city limits. We are going to need help with this and I have put out a call for the Witches’ Council to convene. We plan to meet tomorrow night,” Azura responds.

“My vampires have tracked them down to the west side of town towards the National Forest. The trail went cold but we think that’s the general direction they are hiding in,” Dorian says. Nick is in the corner typing on one of his laptops. He looks up quickly at Dorian then goes back to typing.

“There are quite a few abandoned factories and an old abandoned car manufacturing plant on that side of town. We could start combing through there,” Nick says looking up from his computer.

“Those were the largest and strongest demons I have ever seen or heard of. Melomouzor must have kept our supers alive and found a way to accomplish his plan of enhancing his demons,” Christian says.

“Right, those fuckers would not go down!” Reed growls rotating his aching shoulder.

“What are we going to do about Keegan? There’s no telling what that bastard is doing to him?” Tarron asks, concern showing in his face.

“I’ll tell you what we are going to do,” a cold hard voice says from the doorway. Lina walks in the room, her eyes narrowed. She’s different, hardened, distant. Goose bumps appear on my arms. Her power radiates from her, unrestrained filling the room. I have never seen this side of her.

The Guardian Lina is back, that
‘don’t take shit from anyone’
persona of hers is back. Her grieving period is over. Even though she is still in her royal attire from earlier, she exudes Guardian. Every person in the room is enchanted by her. Her green eyes flashing with a fury so bright there is no question that vengeance will be hers.

“We’re going to get my brother back.” She makes eye contact with everyone in the room. “I’m going to the Underworld.”

T
here are so
many people that I would like to thank for helping me with my this book. I would like to first thank my husband, William for being my rock. For being patient when all my time was spent glued to my laptop. I may have neglected you a little! I’ll admit it! To my friend Vanessa who encouraged me to write my first novel, thank you! You don’t know how much your encouraging words and support has meant to me.

To my Beta reader team: Amanda, Misty, Erin, Sam, Courtney and Laura, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read my book and offer great insight, opinions and support. You girls rock! You listen to me, calmed my nerves and offered support. I couldn’t have asked for a better Beta team!

To my editor Joan, thank you for taking a chance on a new author! Your guidance and notes helped me more than you could ever know. To my cover designer Natasha, your work is awesome! You are very talented and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me for the next book!

To all my readers who purchased the book, thank you for reading Power of the Fae! You didn’t have to choose this book to read but you did! I hoped you enjoyed the first installment of The Mirrored Prophecy! Please do me a favor and leave a review! No matter how big or small. It helps independent authors so much to have reviews from readers!

To anyone I may have forgot, I apologize but know that you are forever in my heart!

Love,

Ariel Marie

C
hapter
One

~Lina~

Earlier that day…

S
he will lose a love
, gain a love, bear love and sacrifice for love.
What does that mean? The Seer’s words ring through my mind. My grandmother arranged a meeting with Epan, the Highest Druid Priest, and one of his Seer’s, Yasmin, to discuss my future that she has foretold. A lot has been going on in the last few weeks.

It’s not every day that you learn that your fate is part of a mirrored prophecy that will determine the fate of the world. Your first child will play a part in either destroying the world or saving it. That’s a lot for anyone to take in but I have no choice but to accept my fate. I refuse to believe that I will play a part of destroying the human realm. Earth is as much my home as Faery is. Half of my childhood was spent here. My mother, Loredana Văduva, was a human witch who died when I was fifteen years old in a demon attack. Both sides of the family made sure that my brother Keegan and I spent time with my mother’s side of the family. My father Vamir Waldmar, never denied my witch side, even though he is a full Fae. He is the Prince of the Light Fae to be exact, the future heir to the throne.

The marriage between my parents was arranged to create a treaty between the Witches and the Fae. Both sides have honored this agreement since my parents exchanged their nuptials. In the past two years, supernaturals have gone missing and the Witches and Fae have been working together. Recently, they have teamed up with the Shifters and the Vampires. We were able to trace the disappearances to the current leader of the Underworld, and King of the Demons, Melomouzor. Melomouzor was exiled to the Underworld over a millennium ago because he was trying to develop a super demon and take over the human realm.

Ten supernaturals, called the Ancients, played a part in banishing him to the Underworld, as a way to stop him from conquering the human realm. He is on a mission to complete what he started and he needs my blood to help him cross over to the human realm. Any other day I would tell him to go fuck himself, but he’s found a way to start bringing destruction to Earth. He’s had help bringing his demons to the realm and kidnapping the missing supernaturals.

We don’t know if the victims are still alive. We have no clue except that he must have been experimenting on the supernaturals and demons. There was a large demon attack where he sent his new enhanced demons. These demons were stronger, faster and we could tell that they have been enhanced with supernatural traits. We fought the demons hard but most escaped. One of the demons was able to capture my brother Keegan and took him to the Underworld. I want my brother back. There is no way in hell that I will rest until my brother is back from the Underworld, even if I have to sacrifice myself.

I leave the meeting that my grandmother arranged with Epan and Yasmin, stating that I am tired and want to rest, before our other meeting that is scheduled in a few hours. I talk Colin into going back to check on his pack and the Legion’s progress with the demons. Tonight’s meeting will be all supernatural leaders getting together to plan a way to defend the human realm against the new breed of demons, and keeping Melomouzor in the Underworld.

I have a plan. My amulet that hangs around my neck warms at the plan that I came up with. I can’t tell anyone my plan; if I do they will try to talk me out of it. I sneak into my room locking the door behind me. There is someone that I have to talk to and I need to go to sleep to do this. Since I have the power of the Fae, I should be able to dream walk to reach him. Before gaining these powers I didn’t know I had, I had never dreamed walked. Once learning the depths of my powers, I was sent to Faery to train to learn how to use them before having to make an urgent return to the human realm.

I should be able to dream walk without any problems. Having all the powers and accessing them should come easy for me. I just need to use them and not think so much. I have no choice. It will be up to me to save Keegan and the realm. I lay across my bed trying to get comfortable. This will only work if I fall asleep. I relax my breathing to slow deep breaths. My body finally relaxes and I doze off to sleep.

T
he castle is lavishly decorated
, where no expense was spared. It was built for a king. I’m in an empty hallway that is decorated with dark marble floors and bold red walls, random pictures hang on the walls with white columns lining the hallway. I look down at my clothes and sigh with relief. At least with me controlling this dream, I have on my Guardian uniform of cargo pants, black Guardian shirt and combat boots. My hair is pulled up in a high ponytail that swings down my back. Now to just find the person I’m looking for.

I slowly make my way down the vacant hallway stopping at a large set of white French doors at the end. My amulet warms as I stand outside of the doors. He must be in this room. I knock on the door and hear someone call out for me to enter. My heart races and my hand trembles as I reach for the handle. I pause and take a deep breath. I cannot show weakness or nervousness. I need to get my brother back. The image of my brother before he was taken to the Underworld flashes to my mind and calmness washes over me.

I am powerful, I am a Guardian, I have the power of the Fae, and I am Arlina Waldmar
.

I. Can. Do. This.

I twist the door handle with steady hands and walk through the double doors with my head held high. Melomouzor sits behind his massive mahogany desk. His blue eyes light up when he sees me. His perfectly sculpted face breaks out in a grin as he stands to greet me.

“Arlina.”

“Cut the bullshit.” My calmness turns to anger as I imagine what Keegan has been going through at this demon’s hands.

“I do love your spunk. Are you ready to give yourself to me?”

“I want my brother.”

“Direct and to the point.” His cold smile sends a shiver down my spine. My hands are balled into tight fists ready to strike if need be.

“I’m not into playing games anymore. I want Keegan released.” My voice is hard as steel. My eyes don’t leave Melomouzor as he walks around the room. His eyes are intense as he looks at me.

“What are you willing to give me for your brother?”

“Before we negotiate anything, I need proof that he is alive. I want to see him.” I look around the room and notice a small female minion standing in the corner of the room. Minions are souls of the damned that were corrupted by Lucifer, and created to serve him, and his high-ranking demons. Her face is expressionless as she waits for a command.

“That can be arranged.” He nods his head to the minion and she walks over to the other side of the room and pushes a button on the wall. A door glamoured inside the wall opens, revealing a gloomy staircase that leads down into a dark tunnel. He walks over to the staircase and waves his arm.

“Ladies first.”

“Not today. After you.” I don’t trust him at all. I reach my hand in my pants pocket and find my phone. Great, if this dream doesn’t go the way I need it to go then I can enable my kill-switch, music. I had that kill-switch planted once I was back in Faery training under Eldrin, one of the Elder Elves of Faery that was brought in to train me.

He walks down the darkened staircase that leads to an old musty tunnel that reminds me of the ancient dungeons. It’s dark and chilly. The floor is old dirty stone, large fire sconces line the walls. I follow him down the dark winding hallway, until we come to a large old wooden door with a glass window, where a demon is standing guard on the inside. The demon opens the door and bows to Melomouzor.

Melomouzor nods to the demon and motions for me to follow him. The demon’s red eyes hold my gaze for a brief second before he returns to staring off down the hallway. We are officially in a dungeon. We walk past a few cells, some occupied and some empty. The smell of urine and feces mixed with the strong copper blood smell fills the air causing my eyes to water. Melomouzor stops at the third cell and I can’t stop the gasp that escapes.

Keegan, at least I sense it is Keegan, is chained to the cold brick wall. His arms are stretched out away from him, his head down, his blond hair matted with dirt, blood and who knows what else. His body is bloody, covered with welts and opens wounds lining his entire body. The strong smell of blood comes from Keegan’s cell. His left ankle is twisted away from his body signifying that it is broken. His right leg hangs at an odd angle also denoting that it is broken as well.

“Keegan!” His name comes out on a sob. His head snaps up and both of his eyes are almost swollen shut. Both of his lips have been busted and his face is filled with bruises.

“Lina?” His voice comes out weak.

“Open this cell!” I yell at Melomouzor. He flicks his wrist and the cell unlocks. Pride radiates from his eyes as he looks at his handiwork. I rush into the cell not caring how dirty Keegan is and grab him, trying to take some of the weight off his broken lower limbs.

“No, Lina, you shouldn’t be here!”

“You can see and hear me?” I wasn’t expecting him to be able to notice that I’m here. In the last dream walk that Melomouzor controlled no one could tell we were there.

“I told you, Lina, I can make anything happen in a dream. You wanted to come to the Underworld. I want you to be able to see everything. You will be my Queen, you will need to know about the Underworld,” Melomouzor says from the cell doorway. His face is drawn up in disgust, as if he doesn’t want to get his dark blue suit dirty.

“And why shouldn’t I let you and your dear brother have a family reunion?” Melomouzor shrugs his shoulders.

“Lina, go back home. Leave me!” Keegan says panicking.

“No, I can’t leave you here!“

“You must! The prophecy!” He shakes his head ferociously.

“I don’t care about the prophecy! I need you out of here!” Tears are falling down my face. He’s my brother, my protector. I just cannot leave him here to be tortured to death. He would move heaven and Earth to get to me if the tables were turned. I bring him close to me brushing his hair from his face. I can barely see his green eyes through the swollen lids.

“What do you want Melomouzor?” I ask, wiping my face with one hand while trying to hold my large brother up with the other. I don’t care that blood and dirt is getting everywhere on me. I want him home.

“You know what I want, Lina.”

“No, Lina. Don’t do this! Go back home! I’ll be fine!” Keegan says with a stronger voice.

“I can’t leave you here,” I say softly to him. I drag my eyes to Melomouzor. “If I give myself to you, will you let Keegan go home? No more torturing, just as he is?” Keegan moans ‘no’ repeatedly. I ignore him. He’s here because of me. Once I get him out of here, he can heal. Then he will find a way to save me from Melomouzor.

“You give yourself to me and your brother can go back to the human realm.”

“Do you give your word that no more harm will come to him?”

“I give you my word that the minute you give yourself to me, your brother will be back in the human realm.” A slow smile begins to cross Melomouzor’s face.

“Lina, no!” Keegan yells.

“How do I cross over?”