Court of Secrets: Reverse Harem Fantasy Book 1 (Forbidden Queen) Read online

  "We're here, you can let go of me now," he said.

  I dropped my arms from him and stepped away, feeling like a frightened child who was just told that monsters didn't exist. The difference was, I now knew monsters did exist.

  Chapter Seven

  Trees with fiery red and glowing orange leaves stood in stark contrast against the steely gray sky. A biting chill hung in the air, though it wasn't exactly cold. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a symphony of whistling and rustling. I took a deep breath in, the air smelled of cinnamon and wood smoke, reminding me of a perfect fall day at home.

  I knew this wasn't home, there was something about this place, something that made it too wonderful for it to be the human realm. Without asking, I knew we were in Faerie. "How did you do that?"

  "You have much to learn," Cormac said.

  "You were there when the monster attacked, weren't you?" I asked.

  The males nodded.

  The arrows flying through the air had saved me. I now knew they didn't belong to any of the men my father had invited to the wedding, they had belonged to one of these Fae. They had saved my life when my own family had fled. "Thank you."

  "We wouldn't let an innocent die by beast," Cormac said with a shrug.

  "But you didn't have to come back for me, either," I said. "Why did you?"

  "Curiosity, honor, something like that," Dane said with a shrug.

  I tried not to let him see the disappointment at the answer he'd given. It wasn't that I expected strangers to come in and save me from my fate, but after finding out that I was one of them, I'd hoped for some bond that made them want to help me.

  A red and gold butterfly flew across my vision and I let go of the disappointment. I was here now and I was safe from whatever plans my father and the Baron had for me. Whatever the Fae interest was in me, it had to be better. At least I had to hope it was. I followed the butterfly with my eyes and once again found myself drawn into the scenery around me. "It's so beautiful."

  "Welcome to Faerie," Dane said.

  "We need to get her out of here," Cormac said. "I think we need to take her to see Angela."

  "I'll still never understand what you saw in her," Dane said.

  "And I still say it's none of your business," Cormac said. "She's neutral, and you know it's the safest place for us to go. If I brought a changeling to my house..." he didn't finish the sentence.

  "Can you just explain to me what's going on here? Why is it so terrible that I exist?" I asked.

  "Changelings were outlawed about a century ago by the Queen herself," Dane said. "Too many Fae families were using them in rather unethical ways."

  I wasn't sure I wanted to hear all of the details about that. So I shut my mouth, and followed the Fae males down the road. We walked about five minutes before I realized how strange we must appear to anyone who might see us. Though, to be fair, we hadn't passed a single structure or another living creature since we arrived.

  The winding path was made of pressed dirt and looked like it was well cared for. It didn't look like it had been worn by travelers, but rather placed there on purpose. The trees that lined the path didn't have a single dead branch, nothing out of place. The wind whispered through them creating a gentle shaking sound that trailed us as we walked. I scanned the trees, looking for any signs of life. No rabbit, no chipmunks, no critters at all. I shivered, hugging myself to keep warm. I was still dressed in my thin nightclothes.

  "What is this place?" I asked.

  "Where we are is not important," Cormac said.

  "Why are we alone? Why are there no other animals or faeries or homes?" I asked.

  "This is my family's land," Cormac said. He turned away from me and continued to walk, clearly not willing to elaborate.

  For someone who seemed so disinterested in bringing me to his home, I was surprised that he had taken us straight to his property. Glancing around again, I looked for any signs of buildings. All I could see were trees.

  "How much land does your family have?"

  "Technically," Dane said, "all of it."

  "All of what? All of Faerie?" I asked.

  Dane laughed. "No, not all of Faerie, though I'm sure his father wishes."

  I continued to walk, not acknowledging Dane's comment. I was still feeling completely confused and lost but I didn't know what else I was supposed to do. Going back home wasn't an option. I had no money, no food, no friends in the world as far as I knew. These strangers were probably the best shot I had at survival. Though I wasn't quite sure what survival was going to look like if I stayed with them.

  I wondered if I should ask them to take me back. Maybe I could try and join the Temple, then I realized if they found out what I was, I would be just as unsafe there as I was anywhere else in the mortal world. No, my days of living with humans were over. Even if I did feel like I belonged there more than here. I hoped that would change since I never fully felt at home there. It would be nice to belong somewhere.

  The longer we walked, the more exhaustion set in. I'd been through a lot in the last two days and I was unused to walking long distances. It wasn't something women did. We weren't allowed to hunt or wander off alone. The time I got to spend riding was a rare luxury that allowed me to build up quite a bit of stamina, but the muscles used for that clearly didn't transfer over.

  Either that, or I was still recovering from the seemingly healed injury. I wanted to ask them about that; I wanted to ask hundreds of questions. I had a feeling I wasn't going to get any answers until we got to our destination. So, I stared at the trees as we walked, trying to fill my senses with the beauty of the place.

  I was grateful for the soft dirt beneath my bare feet and the warm sunshine that cut through the chill in the air. I probably should've been feeling self-conscious of the fact that I was wearing so little, but neither of the males seemed to notice. I'd only been here less than an hour, I hadn't seen any other people or faeries, but I could already tell this place was very different than the human world I'd grown up in.

  Ahead, I thought I saw a shadow behind some of the slender tree trunks and adrenaline spiked in my gut. I stopped walking and stared at the movements of the tree. The shadow passed by again, independently of the sun. Something was definitely there.

  "What is it?" Dane asked.

  "I think there's something in the trees," I said.

  Dane pulled his bow from his back and nocked an arrow. Cormac followed suit, and both of them turned toward the shadow, moving slowly. Watching them with weapons drawn made me think back to my monster encounter. Arrows from these men had saved me that day.

  I was grateful they'd been out hunting yesterday, otherwise I'd be dead right now. The memory of the claws digging into my side flashed through my mind. I took a step back, wanting to distance myself farther from what I was sure was going to be a repeat of yesterday's encounter.

  I heard a snarl behind me and I felt warm air blowing through the thin fabric of my night shirt. My skin tingled in fear as I slowly turned around.

  Breathing down on me, was another beast. Before I could scream, the creature grabbed me, pulling me up against its hairy body. Every inch of me tensed and I froze in fear, unable to speak. Breathing down on me, with the scent of death on its breath, I gagged. Regaining control, I screamed, then kicked my feet against its furry midsection, trying to free myself from the creature.

  I could feel its claws resting against my skin, the slightest amount of pressure from his grip would send them into me. As I struggled, one of the claws broke my skin. I gasped as pain shot through me and I stopped struggling, knowing that if I continued to move more of the deadly talons would end up in my flesh.

  In front of me, the Fae males were surrounded by three additional creatures. Two of them already had several arrows sticking out of their hides. The third, was swiping at Cormac who had abandoned his bow for a sword.

  I had never wished for a weapon any more than I did at this moment. If I was going to stay in Fa
erie, in these dangerous lands, I was going to need to learn how to defend myself. That was, if I could get away from the beast.

  With my free hand, I reached up and scratched the beast's face, hoping I could catch it off guard. It shrank back and shook its head, looking more annoyed than harmed. Then it tightened its grip on me again, sending more claws piercing my flesh.

  Stars danced in front of my vision as I fought to stay awake against the pain. The creature spread its wings, and I struggled against its grip again. Once more, each movement pushed claws farther into me.

  Taking shallow breaths, I tried to think of a way out of this. Nothing came to mind. Feeling lightheaded, I looked for the Fae who had saved me once before, hoping one of them was coming to rescue me again. I hated feeling so helpless, but I was running out of energy. Even breathing was painful now.

  Two of the creatures lay on the ground, unmoving while Cormac swung his sword at the third. Dane was running toward me. Maybe he could get this thing to let me go. The creature holding me repositioned me, pulling me closer to its snout. Saliva dripped all over my face. I wiped it away but even that action caused the creature's grip to tighten around me.

  Desperate, I cried out to Dane, "Help, please!"

  The creature lifted me higher, so my face was now at the same level as its own, creating new puncture wounds as claws gripped previously uninjured flesh.

  Dane stopped running and nocked an arrow into his bow. A flutter of hope rose in my chest as he released the arrow. It hit the monster somewhere behind me, causing it to roar in anger. I wiggled, trying to free myself in the midst of the attack. The claws dug into me with every movement and I bit down on my lip to keep from screaming.

  Instead of letting go of me, the monster tightened its grip and in a rush of wind, it leapt from the ground, spreading its wings wide, catching the air and flapping away from my would-be rescuers.

  Tears slid down my cheeks and I hoped whatever this creature was doing with me, it would set me down so I would have a chance to run. That was, if I didn't bleed to death or get dropped first. Below, the ground was a patchwork of red and gold, dotted by crystal blue lakes and a few yellow meadows. Wind whipped through my hair, undoing any of the remaining work that Nani had done to prepare me for my wedding day. How had that only been yesterday?

  Just yesterday, my greatest concern was marrying a stranger and losing my freedom. Today, I learned I wasn't even human, and as blood seeped into my white night clothes, I knew I was fighting for my life. Again. When Nani had told me stories about the Fae, I had romanticized them. Now, I was more inclined to agree with Rose and her fear of the creatures and the unknown found in the Faerie realm.

  Chapter Eight

  The creature shifted again sending a shockwave of agony that radiated across my body. I took a quick intake of breath and blew it out forcing myself to stay focused on the landscape below me.

  To my right I spotted a river that cut through the trees and grassy meadows, all the way back near the location we had come from. I looked for any other landmarks that could help me get to that river if I were able to escape. If I could follow it, maybe I could get back to where I had left my rescuers.

  I shook my head, feeling foolish. What were the chances they'd be waiting there? That wouldn't make any sense. They were either tracking this creature, and coming to save me, or presumed I was dead already and were moving on about their business.

  A shudder ran down my spine at the thought of being abandoned once again. My own husband-to-be had run off when one of these monsters attacked, why would I think these strangers were any different?

  Then, I recalled they had said they were hunting these beasts. It was possible they'd track this creature if that were still the case. I wondered if there was anything I could do to this creature to cause it to go down without killing me in the process. Before I could think of anything, the monster's wings slowed their flapping and we sank lower in the sky.

  The trees and plants below us came into sharper focus, merging together as we neared the ground. We were near a rocky hillside that didn't have the same color or vibrancy as the place I had been snatched from. Hastily, I was dropped on top of the hill, landing hard. A cloud of dirt rose around me and I coughed, fanning the dirt away so I could see better.

  The pain of being dropped was nothing compared to the relief I felt at not having those terrible claws shoved in my side. No sooner than it had dropped me, the beast flew away, leaving me alone on a pile of rocks.

  Forcing myself to stand, I leaned against a boulder to keep myself from falling over. That's when I noticed that I was on a small ledge rather high up. I had no idea why I'd been taken there, but I didn't want to wait around to find out.

  As best I could, I assessed the damage from the claws. Once again I was covered in my own blood. This wasn't something I hoped I was going to have to get used to here. The injury burned, but the blood seemed to be slowing on its own already. I knew if I didn't get proper treatment, I wasn't going to make it. Either that, or I'd be eaten as soon as the monster returned.

  I took a few careful steps hanging onto anything that seemed secure enough to support me as I did so as not to fall over. The hilltop or small mountain or whatever I was on, was about twice the height of my childhood home, which had been two stories. It wasn't the highest hill I'd seen, but as I glanced down I realized there wasn't an easy route to the ground.

  The steep hill was covered in jagged rocks, making it a tricky descent by foot or a blind and risky plunge to the ground. If I jumped, I would end up broken and battered from the rocks I'd smash into on the way down. There was no way I would survive. The only way down, was either flying, which wasn't happening, or taking tiny careful steps hoping that I didn't slip.

  Despite the dizziness and the blood loss, I wasn't willing to wait for the creature to return. Climbing down was my only shot at survival. Even if the Fae males were coming to rescue me, who knew if they'd arrive before the monster did.

  I tore the fabric from the bottom of my shirt and the legs of my pants, doing my best to maintain some dignity, to make bandages to attempt to staunch the bleeding. Then, on aching and bloodied feet, I began the treacherous descent.

  I was a few steps down, when I lost my footing and slid, leaving me dangling by my hands over the drop off. Swinging myself up as best I could, I used my knees to gain hold of some of the rocks before I could place my feet on something steady.

  I looked back up, hoping I'd made it further than I thought. Unfortunately, I only descended about one body length. Sweat trickled down my brow and stung my eyes as I carefully repositioned my footing. Breathing heavy, and now seeing double, I tried to trick myself into pretending the pain didn't exist. When this was over, if I survived this, I had to find a bath and stay there for a week. I would need the rest, and I needed to wash away all of this dirt.

  Day dreaming about sitting in warm lavender scented water, I ignored the sharp pains in my feet as I found purchase in my descent. Slowly, I continued to move. Focusing on making sure my grip was steady before I continued.

  I reached my toes down stretching below me to find the next place I could rest them, and was surprised by the touchdown on a ledge wide enough for me to stand. After getting both feet on there, I loosened my grip and leaned against the side of the rock taking a much needed rest.

  My heart was pounding; my breathing came in short bursts. I closed my eyes and focused on steadying myself as I prepared for another round of climbing. I allowed myself a minute to catch my breath, and though I still wasn't returned to normal, I didn't want to wait any longer.

  Slowly and carefully I began again, rocks biting into my bare feet, hands slipping on loose stones, fear spiking every time the ground shifted underneath of me.

  I was determined to make it down, but dark thoughts started to get in my way. After I made it down, then what? I was alone, I was injured, and I was in a strange place. Desperation and defeat crowded around me like a thick fog I had to cut thro
ugh with each step. Somehow, I was going to make it through this and then I would figure out what to do next. I had to. I hadn't come this far to give up now.

  I was going through the motions more easily now, finding a rhythm, but my body was resisting. My fingers tingled and my toes were numb. I wasn't sure how much longer I could take when finally, I touched down at the bottom.

  I knew I should run, I knew I should get as far away from there as I could, but I had nothing left.

  I collapsed, my arms hanging limp at my sides. Every inch of my skin was covered with either blood or sweat; my hair stuck to my forehead and the back of my neck.

  I'd felt tired when I woke up after the first attack, but this was a whole different level of exhaustion.

  The sound of wings flapping through the air followed by a loud screeching cry shook me from my momentary fog. I looked around, knowing I didn't have enough energy to go far, but hoping I could find a place to hide.

  There was a grove of trees not too far off and also tall plants that reminded me of the cattails we had back home. My heart leaped at the thought of water so close by.

  Dragging myself to my feet, I stumbled forward, hoping I could make it to the trees and then continue toward the tall plants that might get me to fresh water. The only thing keeping me going was the promise of cool, soothing water on my aching limbs. Even fear wasn't enough to get my body moving across the ground, I was too tired to feel afraid anymore.

  A roar sounded above me again, and I didn't even look up. At this point, if the creature dove to try to get me, I didn't stand a chance. There was no fight left in me.

  I stumbled into the trees, leaning against the first one I reached. From there, I could smell the sweetness of the familiar scent of moss and wet rocks. Sliding to the bottom of the tree, I had to push myself to standing again before staggering forward.