The Court of Outcasts Read online

  She braced for angry words, but Rowan heaved a sigh and moved to sit sideways with his legs hanging down.

  “And that is why you will be a great ruler,” he said, voice softening to match hers, though there was a note of sadness in it. He looked off into the trees.

  “That troubles you.” Kelty frowned at him. What if I can never be what he needs? What if everyone else has to come first?

  He said nothing. After a moment, Kelty sighed and leaned forward.

  “What would you have me do?” She was careful to pose it as a thoughtful question with no trace of annoyance.

  “I still think it is too dangerous to get involved in this,” Rowan said, his voice hard.

  “I disagree.”

  He met her challenging gaze with raised eyebrows. “So that is how it is going to be?”

  Kelty said nothing.

  Rowan sighed, still looking tense but more resigned as he held up the Telk stone around his throat that gave him the magic to travel the path between worlds.

  “You will want to take a breath,” he said. “Your parents wish to see you. Well—us.”

  Kelty’s heart skipped a beat. She searched his face, looking for a joke. He was dead serious. The joy came first, quickly switching to suspicion and then fear.

  He told them. What will they think of me?

  “They just want to see you,” Rowan said in a calm tone, but his expression was still guarded, “so they can discuss further action directly with you. Ready?”

  I will have to face them no matter what.

  Kelty took a deep breath and nodded, clasping her hand with his over the stone.

  Though her eyes were closed, the flash of light caused a brief flash of pain behind her eyelids. She gripped Rowan’s hand tightly as her lungs constricted and her whole body felt as if the life was being squeezed out of her.

  And then she felt it. Home.

  Tears leaked from her eyes the moment her feet touched the land of Faerie. It welcomed her, filling her with power. She was once again surrounded by magic and life, and she never wanted to leave.

  She turned her head and smiled up at Rowan. He, too, looked more relaxed and handsome than ever as he smiled back. Then he nodded in front of them. Kelty looked around, taking it all in and trying to memorize every detail.

  The darkness was broken by the glowing of the plants surrounding them. The vegetation was thick with large trees looming over them so that they could not even see the sky or anywhere beyond the clearing. Kelty didn’t need to see beyond to know this was Night territory. The plants around her glowed brighter at her joy, and star-shaped flowers began to poke out of the soil and bloom. The lumin. Her namesake.

  “Kelty,” a strong male voice sounded from off to the left. She looked up from the flowers to see her father, Baron of the Night, striding toward them. In the dark, his green skin looked almost black. His expression was closed off, causing Kelty’s heart to constrict. Her mother melted out of the trees to join Baron, dark blue skin blending in with the night and silver hair shining like the stars. Kye of the Night gave Kelty a gentle smile, easing the grip on Kelty’s heart. She had the urge to run to them, to be enveloped in a hug, or at least clasp hands.

  But they stopped a few paces away from her, in direct sight but far enough that Kelty’s heart sank again.

  Right. I am the outcast now. They will not risk being near the one tainted by the human world. A sudden urge to run threatened to overcome her. My parents cannot stand to be near me.

  Rowan’s warm hand on her arm gave her enough courage to remain, but she suddenly wished to be anywhere but here. The moment she had hoped for for so long was not what she wanted anymore.

  “Calm them before we are discovered.” Her father gestured to the flowers around her.

  It stung a little that those were his first words to her, but she obliged. They were taking a great risk allowing her here.

  Her mother gave him a sideways look. “We are happy to see you, Kelty,” she spoke, gaze shifting to Kelty.

  Kelty wanted so badly to run to her in that moment, but knew she couldn’t. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, despite her desperate efforts to blink them away.

  “How—how fares the Night?” Kelty faltered, not sure what words would accurately convey what needed to be said.

  Her father answered. “We only suffer the loss of you, daughter.” His words were softer this time.

  “You look well.” Her mother’s eyes looked Kelty over as she spoke.

  “Very well, for being in the human world.”

  Kelty turned sharply to the side as her sister, Kallyn, spoke. The younger faerie leaned casually against a tree trunk about the same distance away as their parents. Her eyebrows were raised challengingly, but otherwise, she gave Kelty an openly friendly look. She wore her hair in the same mass of small braids with interwoven leaves as Kelty remembered. The dark garment Kallyn wore made her purple skin seem brighter, but there was something about her that looked less sullen, more grown up. She was the heir as long as Kelty was outcast. And Kelty had to begrudgingly admit that it suited her. That didn’t stop the flash of annoyance at the reminder of what Kelty lost—and what Kallyn now had.

  “I have learned to resist the constant drain of the human world,” Kelty shot back.

  Kallyn gave her a look that seemed to hold both pride and jealousy.

  “You are staying away from the humans?” her father asked sternly.

  Kelty worked to keep the wince off her face as she turned back to him. She was tempted to challenge his words, to tell him of the human she now called sister who showed her they were not all so bad, but held her tongue. “Yes, Father.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kallyn smirk. She always knew when Kelty was lying. But she remained silent.

  Her mother then got straight to the point. “Kelty, we have tried to fight the words of The Glorious. We have sent our own kind through the land. We have proclaimed that you have done no wrong, but the fact that you were banished contradicts our words. And without the other faerie responsible, our claims are unfounded. The truth will not be heard in Faerie,” she finished with defeat and sadness in her voice. “It is more difficult to fight a war of words than violence.”

  Kelty took a breath. “And what would happen if I returned?” she asked. She had a feeling, but she needed to hear them say it.

  “Even our kind may turn from you.”

  Kelty looked to the ground. Rowan’s grip on her arm tightened. She was sure he meant to be reassuring, but it didn’t help.

  No. I will not be treated this way any longer.

  She raised her head. “And if I was a ruler?”

  Her parents shifted uncomfortably. Kallyn’s eyes went wide.

  “Rowan has told us of the Court of Outcasts,” her father spoke. “We would urge you to reconsider.”

  “There is another way,” her mother said hesitantly.

  Kelty suppressed a sigh of frustration, guessing the words her mother was about to speak. “What is it?”

  “We ask The Glorious to clear your name.”

  A flash of annoyance went through Kelty. That is always the answer, isn’t it? Well, not this time. Doing that will only mean I owe her a debt I will never be able to repay.

  “No. I thank you for all you have done, but I will rule the outcasts. It feels right. It feels like what I was meant to do.”

  Despite the rejection, her mother smiled and nodded. “You are the only one who can know your true path.”

  Kelty took a steadying breath and asked, “Will the Night recognize the ruler of the Court of Outcasts?”

  There was a tension-filled silence.

  “That is yet to be determined,” her mother said.

  Kelty’s hopes deflated. I should not have dared to hope they would welcome an outcast so readily. But it is not a refusal.

  A feeling of finality hung in the air.

  “We must go,” her father said in a clipped tone. “May you find your p
ath, my daughter.”

  Kelty nodded, biting her lip. Her parents turned away as one and melted back through the garden.

  Kallyn said nothing, but gave a nod of respect before she, too, slipped away.

  Panic gripped Kelty. This will not work if they don’t accept me as a ruler. I will never be able to return to Faerie—

  Rowan clasped Kelty’s hand and took her back before she could fully process what had just happened.

  The path nearly suffocated Kelty once more. Landing back in the human world felt like death.

  She turned to look Rowan in the eyes. “I suppose you will have to choose now,” she said quietly.

  I am the ruler of the outcasts. He will have to be an outcast with me, or leave me forever.

  If he knows what is good for him, he will not choose me.

  “I chose a while ago.” Rowan gazed steadily back at her, looking more calm and centered than he had just before their visit to Faerie. Kelty knew she should be glad for that answer, but something still nagged at her.

  “Then why is our bond not yet sealed?” she asked, desperation in her voice.

  “Maybe it is you who still has to choose.”

  Tears pricked at her eyes as a torrent of emotions swirled within her. It was all too much.

  “Kelty.” Rowan reached out to her, but she turned away.

  “Don’t follow me,” she bit out as she opened her wings and lifted into the air.

  Chapter 13

  Nola trudged to school the next day dreading seeing any of the former cloaks—and also Tris and Lauren since she couldn’t text them back last night. Her parents had gone for a punishment they hadn’t used since she was probably twelve: they took her phone away.

  As much as she showed them she could walk a straight line and her pupils weren’t dilated, they still thought she was on drugs.

  Maybe they can sense the change in me. Maybe my eyes are brighter or something now that I’m part faerie. But it’s not like I wasn’t this way all summer long.

  That feeling of not belonging in her own skin rose to the surface of her thoughts as Nola joined the throngs of students heading up the steps.

  “Nola!”

  She stopped short as she heard her name, causing a group of boys behind her to scatter around her and swear. “Sorry,” Nola said weakly as she turned to see Tris waving at her from across the grassy yard.

  When Nola made it over to Tris, all she did was point to their right with a suggestive smirk. Nola followed her finger to see Lauren leaned up against the side of the school building, a smile plastered across her face as she looked up at a tall, slightly familiar boy.

  Mark. The glowing ball of light within his chest still visible to Nola.

  Nola’s mouth dropped open. “He’s the boy?”

  “The boy she’s been keeping a secret from us,” Tris confirmed. “Not that they are together or anything. He hasn’t even been here that long. I told Lauren that, but she won’t hear it.” Tris shook her head disapprovingly.

  “What else do you know about him?” Nola demanded of Tris, eyes still on the strange boy.

  Her friend shrugged. “Only that he’s the new guy.”

  Nola’s unease grew. “We have to stop this.”

  Tris gestured to the couple. “Be my guest. I’ve already tried to talk some sense into her. Apparently when older boys are concerned she loses all her senses.”

  Nola started toward them and then stopped abruptly. Wait. I shouldn’t just walk up to him.

  “Something wrong?” Tris peered at her.

  “Call her over,” Nola hedged. “I—uh, I don’t want to get involved in this just yet.”

  “Okay,” Tris drew the word out as she gave Nola a concerned frown. But she turned and called Lauren’s name.

  Their friend ignored them, so Tris called again, louder this time. Lauren still ignored them, but the boy suddenly turned his perfect blond head in their direction.

  Nola couldn’t turn her head away before their eyes locked. She couldn’t help a shiver as it seemed like his eyes saw right through her. It was similar to what she felt when she looked Kelty directly in the eyes, but this boy’s gaze had alarm bells going off in her head for no reason she could discern.

  And then it was over. Mark turned back to Lauren. Time seemed to move again.

  “Rude,” Tris huffed. She grabbed Nola’s arm and steered her up the steps to the school. “We will have to talk to the princess later, I guess.”

  As much as Nola wanted to get away from the strange boy, she also still didn’t want Lauren anywhere near him. Her eyes caught sight of another perfect blond head up ahead of them.

  “I’ll meet you at your locker,” she told Tris. “I have to tell Cameron something.”

  “You, too?” Tris called in exasperation as Nola rushed past her up the steps. Nola cringed, knowing what this looked like, but forged ahead anyway.

  She caught up to Cameron just as he was about to enter the double doors.

  “Hey,” she said, quickly pulling him aside into the small section of brick wall beside the doors.

  The look on his face was one of pleasant surprise. In fact, he couldn’t manage more than a confused, “Nola?”

  “Look.” Nola spun him and pushed on his back until he was forced to lean around the corner of the building. “See that boy talking to Lauren? Do you recognize him?”

  It took a second, but then he answered, “No.” He turned to her, face blank in confusion. “Why?”

  Nola sighed. “I—uh, I don’t know why, but I don’t trust him.”

  “And why are you so concerned about him?” A suspicious look came into his eyes that meant he thought she was jealous.

  She almost rolled her eyes. “He glows like a faerie,” she said in a low voice.

  Cameron paled. “You sure?”

  “It’s blinding,” she said tersely. “At least to me. Whoever he is, maybe he is the one behind those notes.”

  “But the handwriting was the benefactor’s.”

  Why is he arguing with me right now? Nola thought in frustration.

  The shrill ringing of the bell interrupted them.

  Nola shoved past Cameron to peek around the corner. What she saw caused a pit to form in her stomach.

  Lauren was walking with Mark toward the back of the school.

  “Where are they going?” Nola cringed in indecision, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

  “Come on, then.” Cameron started down the steps.

  “We’ll be cutting class,” Nola protested, following anyway, but looking back at the school. Most of the students were in class now, the few stragglers racing up the steps past them.

  Cameron stopped and gave her a look. “He could kill her,” he said simply. Then he continued around the corner and down the side wall where they had last seen Lauren and Mark.

  Nola heaved a sigh and rushed after him. My parents are going to kill me. But it will be even worse if Lauren is hurt, or worse, and I had the chance to stop it.

  She caught up to Cameron and they trailed the odd couple side by side down a few tree-lined residential streets. They made sure to stay far enough back, but Nola started to wonder if it was even necessary. The two up ahead never glanced back once, which Nola found odd for Lauren at least.

  If you were skipping class, and were normally a dutiful student, wouldn’t you look back to make sure no one saw?

  Both of them also walked casually, like they were on a morning stroll.

  This is beyond creepy.

  The swishing of Cameron’s pants seemed really loud in the quiet of the street. Nola glanced at him in annoyance before reminding herself he elected to skip class with her to follow a strange faerie boy and her best friend.

  She turned her head forward again just in time to see the couple make a sharp right between two normal-looking two-story houses.

  Does he live here? Nola wondered. She and Cameron both slowed as they peeked around the hedge between the houses. Lauren and Mark w
ere visible about twenty feet away from the houses. What lay beyond them was an empty field.

  Nola was just about to step forward when the two stopped suddenly. Cameron jerked her back behind him, which Nola thought was unnecessary, but they didn’t have time to argue as a smooth voice rang out, “Come forth, follower.”

  Nola’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She gave Cameron a wide-eyed look. He chewed his lower lip for a second, then a look of determination crossed his face.

  Oh, no, Nola thought. Her hand tightened on his arm. Don’t try to be the hero.

  He removed her hand, gave her a stern look, and stepped out into view of the new guy and Lauren.

  Nola put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet her breathing as he walked forward.

  “Hey,” she heard Cameron start. He did not continue.

  Nola went into panic mode. No! What happened?

  She was just about to reveal herself to see when a smooth, male voice spoke.

  “Bliss awaits.”

  Nola dove around the corner, just in time to see the back of Cameron as he disappeared into thin air, as if walking through some sort of invisible barrier.

  Nola reeled backward. Okay, that was definitely magic. But, faeries? The Court of Outcasts?

  Bliss awaits…the note!

  Throwing her pack to the ground, she fished the note out of an inner pocket. She took a look at the address. Then at the houses around her.

  Whoever wrote this is kidnapping people. Crap! I should’ve told Kelty earlier. I should’ve done more.

  She turned and ran toward the woods.

  Chapter 14

  As Kelty emerged from her tree in the early morning—still feeling tired, confused, and emotionally spent—she stopped short.

  Rowan sat crossed-legged in the middle of her clearing, papers strewn about, but also in neat little piles around the perimeter of the mess directly in front of him. They appeared to be the thin nature of human-made papers, and a second glance showed he was using a human pencil. A cute frown was etched onto his brow as he finished scribbling something before he looked up at her. The early morning sun just starting to show through the cracks in the foliage above gave his green skin a softer color.