Prologue
The Otherworld
The fae are as cold as a frosty night.
In the twilight, they steal your heart.
In the morning, they tear you apart.
Never trust a fae, my dear.
They will only wreck you and depart.
* * *
“You have to go. Now!” My uncle’s fevered voice, littered with panic and fear, shouts from right behind me. I stop singing my song, the one my mum always sings to me before I go to sleep, and turn around. He stands in the middle of my small room, his eyes wide with worry as he looks down at me. My uncle is never worried. Mother always said she was the worrier and my uncle was the laid back one. His sweaty hand clamps onto mine as he drags me out of our small house and into the high grass field outside. The straw and grass snag in my pink dress, and stones cut my feet as I run faster, struggling to keep up with him and wanting my shoes. Why can’t we stop for my shoes? My uncle suddenly comes to a halt, and I smack into his back, hurting my nose and crying out.
But he doesn’t move to check on me as tears burn my eyes. His whole body shakes.
I peek around him to see the fields in front of us are on fire, an unnatural blue fire that spreads faster than should be possible. Right in the middle is the shadow of a man, and before I can really see him, my uncle spins around and kneels down in front of me. He leans closer and kisses my forehead.
“Is my mother coming back soon? Are we going to get her now?” I ask in a rush, my heart beating so fast that I can hear it in my ears. “Who is that man? Is that fae magic that you said was banned?”
“Shit, you’re just eight. This isn’t fair!” he breathlessly tells me, placing something cold in the middle of my hand. I look down to see my mother’s necklace, a silver pendant with a purple stone in the centre and a strange symbol on the front of it. “Daesyn, I need you to run into the woods and find the yellow portal. You can’t miss it. I’ve opened it for you, and it will close soon.”
“But—”
“Daesyn, listen to me,” he all but shouts, looking over his shoulder once more as I slip the necklace into the pocket of my dress. The fire is getting closer, and I can feel the heat of it now, making me feel warm in the cold night. His green eyes lock down on me, and he looks so sad. His hands shake as he cups my face once more. “Don’t stop running. Don’t stop training to fight, and never trust anyone. Your mother is dead and I will be next, but I will make sure you escape here. Don’t ever come back to the Otherworld! Be brave, like we taught you, and kind like your mother.” He cups my cheek, his cold sweaty hand shaking. “Survive, Daesyn, and this is all worth it a thousand times over.”
“No, no, no,” I cry, and he shoves me back, shaking his head and turning around to face a man walking through the fire in the distance.
With one final look over his shoulder, his forest green eyes lock onto me as they turn from green to black. “Run, Daesyn, and remember: Don’t ever come back.”
With tears streaming down my cheeks, I take off through the tall grass, pushing it away with my hands as my uncle’s warning repeats in my mind over and over again. The fire nips and flickers at me as I run as fast as I can, wondering if the fire will get me before I get out of the grass and into the tall trees of the forest I’ve never been allowed to go into before.
My mother can’t be dead. I don’t believe my uncle. It’s always been my mother, my uncle and me since before I can remember. We have always lived here, alone, with only the fae creatures for company. Mother told me we are safe here, but only if we don’t leave the field, and we never did.
Until three days ago when my mother kissed my cheek and promised she would come back for me. She promised.
My mother never, ever breaks her promises. A small cry catches my ears, and I come to a halt, breathing heavily as I look down at a tiny blue monkey-like creature trapped under a rock. It struggles, wailing as it tries to pull its foot from the rock with no luck. It’s big yellow eyes look up at me with so much fear, the flames behind me reflecting in its eyes. I glance back at the fire, only seeing it just above the tall grass and making a quick choice. I can’t leave it. Mum would tell me that all creatures in need are worth saving. Anyone hopeless needs a little help sometimes. I rush to the rock, digging my fingers into the mud and gasping as I pick the heavy rock up enough for the monkey to pull its silvery grey and blue furry leg out before passing out in the mud. Without waiting, I pick the monkey up, tucking it under my arm and rushing into the forest, my footsteps slapping across the muddy ground. I don’t look back as I head towards the yellow light that spins in a circle, sucking in leaves and twigs as it spirals. Every second, it gets smaller, and soon it won’t be there at all.
Magic.
Forbidden fae magic.
I’ve only ever seen my mother use this kind of magic, and she told me I would get powers one day. One day the Otherworld will grant you a gift, and that gift will be decided on your twenty-first birthday. My mother’s softly spoken promise whispers in my ear like she is right next to me as I get to the shimmering yellow light. On the other side is a beach, the gentle water lapping against the shore, but it’s covered with a yellow haze. I look back as blue and yellow fire blasts into the air, and I hear my uncle scream as the floor shakes under my feet. Terror chokes me as I turn around and do what I was told, jumping head first into the magic and hearing my mum’s voice sing to me like she is right here. I fall into another world with only a monkey in my arms and my mother’s necklace in my pocket, hearing a song my mum will never sing to me again.
* * *
“The fae are cold and dance in delight,
To see them is to love their sight.
Never trust a fae, my dear,
And never trust your heart.
In the presence of a fae, your heart is naught but a part.”
Chapter 1
Twelve years later…
I’m going to kill the queen.
With a fae monkey’s help… Easy. Hopefully.
I watch the half angel, half Protector queen, who stands not too far away from me, much like every single supernatural and human in this room does as well. The beautiful queen has long blue hair and eyes like azure diamonds that cut down anyone who even dares to approach her. I’m pretty certain her large ass tiger, who sits at her side, could eat me with one bite. I’m not sure which is more intimidating, the tiger or the queen.
The room is full of supes of every kind, and the magic in this room is suffocating, pressing against every inch of the magic I use to protect myself. Glamour magic costs a pretty penny, and the glamour I currently have on, which is making me look like one of the invited guests (who “accidently” got herself thrown off a boat), is slowly waning under the pressure. Dammit, my plans have gone to shit. Typical for me, and now I have to rely on my old favourite, plan B: sheer damn luck. I move around the crowd, careful to dodge anyone who tries to talk to me, and I focus on who else is in the room. Protectors are easy to spot, they stand taller, like they have a stick up their arses. The demon’s stand out thanks to their brightly coloured hair or skin, and the witches have a certain glow to them. A few shifters are dotted around, and I spot at least one reaper, which makes me want to get out of here as quickly as possible once my job is done.