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  Kelty kept her magic running over her skin; it blended her in with the lush, green foliage and various shades of healthy, brown bark as she leapt and crawled from tree to tree, occasionally dodging one of the Day Nym. They passed her by, mostly on foot, their powers not strong enough to be able to detect her own.

  He’s going to the Night territory, Kelty realized as she came to the edge of the tree line around the river. She paused in a crouch on a higher-up branch, the presence of moisture disappearing into the air surrounding the rushing water.

  Her fear was replaced by irritation. He must be of the Night. One of my own.

  But the reason for any of it did not make sense. If this faerie knew her in any way, he would’ve known she would pursue him. Yet, he also told her to save the youth. Very contradicting actions.

  The trees lost his presence as well, as there was only open air over the river.

  Maybe I should go back—

  “Cross the river and you lose her,” the voice sounded again in Kelty’s ear.

  Moon and stars! She jerked around and dropped to the ground, uncomfortable being so high up and not able to see her opponent. She pressed her back against a sturdy trunk, still within the line of trees as she tried to use her powers with the land to see the water faerie again.

  Another taunt. Clearly this one did not want to be followed into Night territory and be discovered. He also wanted her to save the youth that was about to be contracted into the Day’s service.

  Now that the shock of hearing the voice again had faded, Kelty sighed in frustration. This was not funny. And she didn’t even know what was going on. Paranoia swept through her.

  I can’t be here any longer.

  After a quick glance around and a check through her connection with the trees for any nearby Nym, Kelty left her hiding spot. Doing so put her close to the water’s edge. As she prepared to take off, she sensed a movement out of the corner of her eye. Her head whipped to the side, feet still on the riverbank.

  In the few seconds of hesitation, a rush of water enveloped her, a blue ball of light at its center. She involuntarily inhaled the spray as a coolness hit her midsection, a foreign magic reaching inside to her core and making contact for the briefest of moments. Kelty recoiled at the invasion and the hint of warmth awakened within her despite the shocking cool of the magic, but was unprepared to fight it off. She hissed and squeezed her eyes shut as her mind emptied of all emotion other than horror.

  It was the worst invasion of privacy, a complete violation. And a warning that this faerie was willing to cross moral and legal boundaries. Her heart pounded, wings itching to flee as she desperately tried to cast out the foreign presence with her magic.

  The unwelcome magic retreated quickly then, disappearing back into the water, and leaving Kelty speechless, frozen on the riverbank.

  “Stop there and submit!”

  Pure panic shot through her at the sound of a voice that must be one of the Day Nym, realizing she had dropped her magic concealment.

  I can’t be here!

  She squeezed her eyes shut and let go of the power that anchored her to the ground as she stepped quickly into the river, reaching into the part of her power that controlled water. She dipped below the surface, drawing the water around herself like a blanket so as to remain out of sight. The feeling was a little unpleasant, but fear drove her to deal with it until she found a thick patch of reeds by the opposite bank. Seizing on the power within the plants, she pulled herself out of the water and grounded herself in the land once more, immediately ducking into the forest in the Night territory.

  Shaking and reeling, Kelty vaulted up into the trees, not stopping until the thick leaves of the tree canopy surrounded her. The large, blue-tinted leaves blocked out some of the sun’s rays, making a dim cocoon of sorts.

  Kelty wrapped her arms around her knees and her wings around her body. She gasped for air as she realized what she’d done.

  She’d been caught watching the Day. Then she allowed that faerie to get away before she knew who he was or what he wanted. She was seen trespassing in the Day territory during light hours by one of the Nym. And then she used her forbidden powers in front of this member of the Day.

  And all for a youth she didn’t even save from the Day Court.

  Kelty could only hope the Nym of the Day that saw her did not recognize her as the heir to the throne of the Night Court.

  All of this was made worse by the fact that the water faerie chose to taunt her and then reveal himself in the worst of ways.

  Only potential partners could contact each other’s magic like that.

  My first potential. And he has already crossed a line.

  But why?

  Chapter 3

  As the hour of dusk approached and a darkened hush fell over the land, the faerie of the Night awakened. Kelty reluctantly climbed down from her perch when she heard the rustling and sleepy conversation of her kind who lived in the magically enlarged trees scattered about the Night territory. She kept up her magic camouflage as she made her way through the dense vegetation and onto the wide dirt path to court. Soon she would join her fellow Nym as they set out for their duties of keeping the balance of the ara, but for now she slipped by them unseen.

  The Night Court loomed ahead. Created by interlocking trees of massive girth with halls and rooms magically hollowed out of the bark, court was the largest structure in the Night territory. In true darkness, it was a sight to behold, a place of magic, light, and sanctuary, where all of the Night were welcome to voice their concerns.

  In the dimming light, the leaves and vines of bright green and deep blue and purple that covered the walls and formed the thick canopy above were just beginning to faintly glow. Kelty could pick out the lumin flowers even from a distance, their pale yellow shine that lit up the five petals like that of a star were always the first to illuminate in the coming dark. They showed up along the vines of court in Kelty’s thirteenth year, the night she was named the heir to the rule of the Night, as if the land was showing its support.

  Six years had passed since then. Every time Kelty beheld her home, she felt a sense of pride and purpose at being a part of the family that built it and maintained it through generations, and who ruled the Night as justly as was possible.

  Today, she looked upon the towering structure with trepidation.

  I risked my life and my kind. I may have caused so much trouble for them all.

  But there would be no avoiding her family. Kelty inhaled deeply and forced her feet forward, wings hanging on her back. Her head was heavy, eyes raw from crying. She stifled a yawn.

  It’s going to be a long night.

  Kelty dropped her concealment magic as soon as she felt the subtle vibrations in the air that meant she had passed through the shield.

  A gaping half-circle doorway set at the level of the ground led to the Great Room, where the twisted oak thrones of her parents sat and where gatherings were held. It was empty now, too early for the Nym assigned to the area of court and the ones set to fly south to assemble.

  Kelty’s shoulders relaxed a little as she crossed the cavernous room on careful feet. Maybe they will be too busy preparing—

  “Watching the Day again?”

  Kelty froze and cringed at the dry voice of her younger sister.

  “Someone has to,” Kelty mumbled as she turned to see Kallyn leaning against the wall in the shadows of their mother’s throne.

  I can’t deal with this right now, Kelty thought as she met Kallyn’s judging eyes. She spread her wings and took to the air, resuming her path to her room.

  Kallyn was silent, but Kelty could feel her presence behind her as she flew through the network of halls and stairs. Kelty’s jaw tightened in annoyance.

  They touched down in front of the tall door that blended into the bark almost seamlessly. A crescent moon, the symbol of the Night, was formed into the pattern of the bark, marking the room as belonging to one of the ruling family. Not making eye
contact, Kelty stepped forward, but Kallyn stopped her with a hand on her arm.

  “Something was different this time,” Kallyn said, realization coloring her voice.

  Kelty sighed inwardly and turned to face her sister. They were only two years apart and had skin of the same color purple, but Kallyn’s hair and wings had developed into a dark blue. She wore her hair in many small braids, some with long leaves threaded through them. A dark garment was wrapped around her in the functional yet elegant style both their mother and Kelty also wore, though it did not look quite as good on Kallyn’s somewhat stockier build.

  Her sister’s normally apathetic attitude was gone as she stared at Kelty, worry plain on her unremarkable features.

  She had already guessed. And she would not stop pestering until she got an answer.

  Kelty sighed. “I may have been caught.”

  As Kallyn’s eyes widened, Kelty frantically gripped the shorter faerie’s arms. “You will not tell Mother.”

  Kallyn’s wide eyes shifted to something behind Kelty. “Too late.”

  Kelty spun just in time to catch the flick of a black tail around the corner in the hall. She closed her eyes in defeat. Lakera.

  The mezra, who was their mother’s closest companion, tended to hang around court when she wasn’t at their mother’s side. The four-legged beast had slick, black fur, sharp talons, and sleek muscles for pouncing. It was usually a comfort knowing that Lakera was there for protection and to communicate with their mother should the need arise.

  At times like this, though, it only meant Kelty could not possibly keep this secret from her mother.

  A weary sigh leaked from Kelty’s lips as she let go of Kallyn’s arms. Her sister gave her a look that said that she desperately wanted answers but knew she would not be allowed to hear the following conversation.

  “You will tell me later.” It wasn’t a question.

  With a wordless nod, Kelty lightly stepped around Kallyn. The door to her room swung open soundlessly at the touch of her fingertips.

  She crossed the expanse of the simple space, high ceiling giving it the feel of a much larger room. A few compartments were built into the wall for her clothes, but otherwise the vines were left to cover the wall as they pleased. A bed of blankets woven out of reeds and other long plants rested on the floor to one side, the rest of the floor bare. The few Telk stones infused with the power of light and grown into the walls cast a dim glow in the room, echoing moonlight.

  Kelty ran a hand along the rough bark of the wall and over the smooth leaves of the vines, the gesture a habit of years, and inhaled the earthy scent that meant home. Taking a seat on the ledge of the large oval opening in the far wall, Kelty looked up to the darkening sky. The magical barrier woven into the air registered as a slight hum of energy to her senses.

  The familiar sight failed to ease her pain this night. She waited in dread, but as she recalled the unwelcome magic of the water faerie who was her first potential for partnership, she also craved the comfort of her mother like a lost child.

  Why is this happening? What does it mean?

  It wasn’t long before the warmth that coursed through the bark of the ledge she sat on alerted her to her mother’s arrival. Kelty didn’t turn as Kye of the Night crossed the room on foot, gray wings carefully tucked to her back and dark blue skin looking almost purple in the faint light. Her hair was only a touch darker silver than Kelty’s and always flowing free, giving her a kind of wild look. A simple fabric the color of the deepest part of night was wrapped in a criss-cross around her slim shoulders and upper body and down to her knees in a fashion that allowed her to move about among the faerie and the beasts with ease. She gave off a presence of strength, yet her expression was always kind.

  Her mother sat ramrod straight next to Kelty, one leg bent on the sill, the other hanging down, at once regal and relaxed. She folded her hands gently in her lap.

  “You have been seen.” Her mother spoke softly, more of a question than an accusation. Yet Kelty still flinched at the disappointment she heard in the words. She kept her eyes turned to the specks of light just beginning to show in the sky above.

  Her mother let out a soft sigh as she, too, turned her eyes to the sky. “What were my words to you at your naming?” she asked, a thin strand of sternness making its way into her soft voice, a voice that could coax beasts into doing anything but would not tolerate any nonsense.

  That night was burned into Kelty’s mind. After the ceremony in which she became the named heir, after those of the Day retired to their own court, a gathering of her family and trusted members of the Night Court heard the news that Kelty showed the rare power over all six of the affinities; beast, water, spirit, air, light, and land.

  Mother had stood behind her, hands lightly on young Kelty’s shoulders, and proclaimed her the Star, the hope of the Night.

  “Be silent and watchful as the stars,” Kelty repeated the words in an almost whisper. “Wait and watch and do what you can until the time is right. Never—never strike unless you can win.”

  Saying it made the frustration and guilt worse.

  “Are you certain you were seen?” her mother asked.

  Kelty turned imploring eyes on her mother and answered with a question of her own. “Did you have me followed?”

  Her mother shifted, turning more toward her daughter, concern creasing her features. “No. I would have sent Lakera if I had any suspicion you were in that much danger.”

  Right. Kelty sighed at her own ignorance. She would send beasts to spy on me if she wanted to.

  The next words came out of Kelty in a rush, “A whisper came to me on the wind as I watched the gathering. I followed, but lost the faerie who spoke to me. And a Day Nym might have seen me.” She had meant to show her mother she had not done anything, but it ended up sounding just like the careless mistake it was, even though she left out some of the crucial details.

  “Did you recognize the voice that whispered?” her mother asked, voice slightly flat but with a hint of curiosity.

  Kelty’s insides churned at the memory. “No.”

  “Day or Night?”

  “I do not know.” Kelty made a snap decision to keep the detail of her suspicion that the water faerie was of the Night to herself. I want a chance to figure this out on my own.

  “What were the words spoken to you?” Her mother’s voice got harder as she continued to question.

  Kelty worried her lip. “Save her from the lie,” she responded. “There was a female that went willingly with the storyteller.”

  “A taunt.” Her mother’s lips were pressed tightly together. “You do not know if you were seen by the Nym of the Day?”

  “One called to me,” Kelty admitted. “I do not know if he recognized me.”

  After a sigh, her mother asked a question Kelty heard many times in her lessons about ruling the faerie. “And what is to be done?” her mother raised her eyebrows and cocked her head slightly as she said it.

  Kelty straightened at the testing question. “Exercise more caution.”

  Disapproval shone in her mother’s eyes. “No,” she said in a hardened voice. “You will cease spying on the Day. You risk too much.” Her tone softened then. “I named you the Star because I believe you have the power to restore order, but that doesn’t mean you should feel responsible for seeking out and defeating every wrong that exists. You are not burdened with fixing all of Faerie. And it is not time for action.”

  Kelty sighed and threw her mother an insolent look, repeating words she had spoken before. “And when will it be time? The Day only grow in power and the abuse of that power. You said the balance needs to be restored. I have the power and standing to do something, even without revealing my true abilities.”

  Her mother only gazed steadily back at her. “It is not time. Someday you will see.”

  Ignoring Kelty’s frustrated glare, she rose to place her lips lightly to her daughter’s forehead. “One day we will show the world your
true light. For now you must remain in the shadows. Stay in tonight. You will leave this alone.” It wasn’t a request.

  Pressing her lips together, Kelty said stiffly. “I should make this right.”

  A hardness came alive in her mother’s eyes. “You’ve done enough. Your father and I are meeting with The Glorious and Drake shortly after dusk. We will assess if she knows anything and then question those of our own court about this transgression. You will wait here until we return.”

  Stunned that she was being barred from going out with the other Nym for the night, Kelty watched as her mother strode out of the room on foot, at once a commanding and gentle presence, wings shimmering in the moonlight that came through the window. She did not look back.

  Chapter 4

  Try as she might, Kelty could not get the voice out of her mind as she sat in her room alone, curled up in the softest of blankets with her bare feet tracing designs in the soil beyond her bed. The reeds woven into the blanket gave off a comforting aroma, but they wouldn’t fix her problems.

  My first potential has chosen to play games with me. He may even be in this court as we speak.

  The thought angered her, but it also would mean there was a greater chance her actions weren’t known by the Day Court.

  Save her from the lie.

  And every time she thought it, the memory, the phantom feeling of the faerie’s magic brushing up against hers grew stronger. Her potential partner was out there. At the very least, he knew she snuck around trying to sabotage the Day. And he told her to do it.

  It must be one of the Night.

  But a dangerous one at that. One who would violate his own partner before they even met.

  Kelty felt guilty keeping that part from her mother, but she was ashamed of it.

  I will deal with it. I will find him and he will pay.