Fates Divided: Halven Rising

Three days ago, the portal out of Tirnan had dumped Elena and Derek, along with Deirdre and Camille, onto a pile of burned-out stone and rubble where the lofty halls of Emain had once stood.

While Elena and Derek had been fighting for their lives in Tirnan, Leo, Keen, and the rest of the Emain Fae had waged their own war against the Halven Army, which, ironically, included several full-blooded Fae. They won the battle, but the surviving Halven Army managed to escape through a portal to Tirnan, where it was assumed they’d joined Portia, who’d taken over New Kingdom. No one had confirmed it, but Marlon St. Just was said to be in New Kingdom as well.

Through his telepathy, Keen had sensed Elena after she entered the Emain realm, and escorted her and the others to safety. Ever since then, Elena had been trying to put back the pieces of her life.

“I came to discuss your promise,” she said as she dogged Leo’s steps off Dawson campus to the New Emain, which she had yet to see. “I created the cure for you, but my mother’s life is still in danger. She’s missing, and the Halven Army and Portia have taken over her kingdom.”

After putting together the connection between Marlon and her uncle, and with the disease now contained, they’d had Fae in Sunland search her uncle’s laboratory for more information. Communication between the two realms was spotty, but they’d managed to find more email documentation between Beorhtric and Marlon when both men had worked together in Emain. Leo deduced that Marlon’s longstanding frustration with not being allowed into Tirnan, coupled with Beorhtric’s refusal to provide additional Tirnan ingredients, had been the driving forces behind Marlon’s collaboration with Portia and his final retaliation against Fae.

It seemed Marlon wanted to carve a place for Halven in Tirnan, and he had been willing to wipe out a race in order to achieve it.

How Derek played into Marlon’s plans was less clear. All they knew was that Marlon and Portia—two people with the same goal to take over Tirnan, but with different motivations—had banded together. It was possible Portia had ordered the bomb inside Marlon’s lab without Marlon’s knowledge, intending to remove all remaining links to their plans and take out Derek in the process. That was the only reason they could determine for why Marlon had warned Derek away by appealing to his father. He may not have wanted his protégé in danger. Or perhaps it had been a warning for Derek to stop looking into the virus. Either way, they might never know. They’d found little to no physical trace of the mad genius behind the deadly Fae disease.

Leo glanced around as if to ensure no one overheard their conversation, and turned down the street to her apartment. “Ah, yes, our agreement. We did not say we would save your mother from her enemies. Merely that we would make sure she wasn’t intentionally exposed to the disease.”

They passed Elena’s apartment complex. Where exactly was New Emain?

“She’s the rightful queen of New Kingdom now. Why aren’t you putting all of your energy toward finding her and ridding New Kingdom of Marlon and Portia? And if we’re getting technical, you said you’d do your best to keep my mother safe if I agreed to help cure the disease. You didn’t specify from what.”

Take that, Fae, and your twisted truths.

Leo stopped abruptly and peered at her. His mouth quirked into a small smile. “You are learning. And yes, you are correct. Your mother’s safety and her return to her rightful place in the palace are our top priorities.”

He resumed walking, and Elena scurried to keep up. “We told you that if you came up with a cure for the virus, we would have the means to help your mother.”

He’d better not be telling me what I think he’s telling me.

“In short, you will use your powers to help us save your mother from those who seek to take over Tirnan.”

Yup, that’s what he was telling her.

“Are you saying that I risked my life, Derek’s life, my roommate’s life—who’s still missing, and I want her back!—to find myself in the exact same place, with the burden to save your people resting on my shoulders?”

Thanks to the differences in the passage of time between the Earth and Fae realms, Elena and Derek had returned in time to make it to the farmhouse where the Halven Army had told her to meet them in exchange for her roommate. Of course, the Halven Army had wanted to take Elena instead, but Derek and Keen weren’t going to let that happen.

Even though they were still recovering from the brief but savage war in Emain, Keen had dozens of Fae surrounding the perimeter to ensure Elena got out safely. Elena worried that the Halven Army would figure out their plan and do something terrible, but in the end it didn’t matter. Reese hadn’t been there. No one was at the farmhouse, and it seemed the place had been abandoned for some time.

The only thing they could imagine was that Marlon had somehow heard about what was going on inside Tirnan and run. With her roommate as collateral.

“The burden was not entirely resting on your shoulders. If you recall, Fae in Emain worked tirelessly to find a cure. And do not forget, in the beginning you did not have the capacity to heal a fly. It took a great amount of dedication on both our parts to develop your powers to full capacity.”

“By throwing myself on the mercy of that madman Niall to help your people. Yes, I remember, thank you.”

He continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “The enhanced ability you acquired in Tirnan afforded you the power to heal our people and do what no other Fae was capable of. You are the last of our transmutation wielders until more are bred. With the strength of your powers behind us, we will work together to save your mother. Our soldiers are looking at all angles for how to wrest back control of New Kingdom for your mother. We will keep you informed and involved every step of the way.”

Something about the breeding statement didn’t sit well, considering she was the last in the line of transmutation wielders, but she chose to ignore it for the moment. At least they were working on helping her mother.

Leo turned up the walkway to a massive, dilapidated Tudor-style house at the end of her street. She’d heard it lodged a gaggle of sorority girls some years back. “Keep in mind, however, you may use your powers for Fae activities, but you must never use them to heal or otherwise help humans.”

“What? Why not?”

“Your abilities would be exploited—”

“Like you’re exploiting them?”

“—and your life as you know it would dissolve.” He stopped at the threshold and turned to her. “Our people would be exposed, as would you. We cannot take the risk, Elena. For now, you’ve proven yourself trustworthy and have performed a great service to Fae. Because of that, we have allowed you to resume your previous human activities on the condition that you not reveal your powers.”

How magnanimous of him. And what the hell? Previous human activities? Why would they ever think they had a say in whether or not she returned to classes?

Leo had made sure she and Derek hadn’t been charged in Marlon’s lab explosion, but he’d owed her that.

“Leo, you have no control here. You said so yourself, there are no transmutation wielders left. If that’s true, you need me, I don’t need you.” Her mouth twisted as she considered. “However, you make a good point, and I’ll not reveal my powers to humans. I’d like to continue to blend in and not be a freak.”

That didn’t mean she couldn’t help people without anyone knowing.

Leo nodded. “Very good. And please”—a charming smile spread across his face—“consider this your second home.” He waved a hand at the ramshackle interior. “Our new station will be up and running by the end of the week.”

Elena scanned the room inside the doorway. Drop cloths littered the scuffed wooden floor, beside half-painted walls. The place was a mess. Not to mention her apartment was just down the street.

“Seriously, Leo? This is where your new headquarters are located?” New Emain was so close she could throw a rock and nail her front door from where she stood. Their old compound had been a hundred times larger than this house.

“It is temporary.” He guided her through the tall arched entry and they walked past half a dozen carpenters working on the repairs.

At the back of the house, Leo entered a room decorated exactly like his office in Emain.

“How did you manage to salvage the settees and desk?”

His original office had been destroyed. The only things that remained of Emain after the twenty-four hours of battle while Derek and Elena were in Tirnan were exterior walls and part of the massive basement laboratory. Elena was almost happy she’d been gone. Fae could throw a serious war when they wanted to—one more reason to be concerned about the brewing revolution in Tirnan that her mother had spoken of.

Leo’s brow pinched. “I did not salvage them. These are what the designer brought to replace the old.”

Elena shook her head in disbelief. Fae were serious creatures of habit.

Leo strode across the room and sat behind his desk, plastering on a smile that seemed too cheerful for his typical disposition. “I hope you will visit us often.”

Was that why they’d chosen a place near her apartment? “I thought your kind despised me and sought my help out of desperation. Why do you want me around all of a sudden?”

Leo shrugged. “You have proven more valuable than we presumed. Whether we wish it or not, you carry our blood. It is why our people have monitored the Halven. However…”

When he didn’t finish the sentence, she prodded him. “Yes?”

“Perhaps we were wrong—to keep such a distance between our two species.”

Wow. Elena never thought she’d hear Leo say those words.

She’d argued with Keen about acceptance and he hadn’t budged one inch, despite their sort-of friendship. He still believed Fae were superior to humans. Though the way he was behaving over Reese, maybe there was hope for Keen too.

“Fae have a long memory,” Leo added. “We will not forget what you have done for us. Others of your kind are another matter. They cannot be trusted.”

Here we go. “Just like some of your kind can’t be trusted.” She thought of Beatrice and Portia, in particular, who had orchestrated the ultimate betrayal of their people and nobility.

Leo harrumphed.

“I’ll visit,” she said, “but don’t try and twist the truth anymore.” Elena leaned forward. “And, Leo, if we’re to work together, I expect your help in finding Reese as well, not just my mother.”

Reese could be dead, but Elena just didn’t believe it. Or maybe she didn’t want to.

Leo sighed. “We will continue to search for your friend. Marlon’s disciples took her, and we suspect there was a reason beyond baiting you, since she is still missing. We’d like to find out what that reason was. Every attempt will be made to rescue her.”

Elena sat back, satisfied. Fae-Halven relations weren’t perfect, but her having saved the Fae might be the catalyst for the first step in the history of the realms toward acceptance.

Her mother had held out hope for a better future while imprisoned for all those years. Elena would hold out hope for a better future with Fae too.