Luminary (Faylinn Book 3) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Me After You

  Preview

  About the Author

  Luminary

  A Faylinn Novel

  Mindy Hayes

  Luminary

  Copyright © 2014 by Mindy Hayes

  All rights reserved

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Published by Mindy Hayes

  Edited by Madison Seidler, Madison Says

  Cover image by Abbey Lane Photography

  Cover design by ©Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations

  To Brittany DeLys

  Because this story belongs to you as much as it does to me

  Prologue

  SAKARI

  Prisoner.

  That was what I was. A prisoner in my own body. My thoughts were my own and yet, my actions and words contradicted me. There wasn’t a thing I could do about it. From the beginning my father had that kind of hold over me. Did I honestly want to follow through with these actions? Were these my words? Or his?

  The lines blurred.

  Were there ever any lines?

  “So, that’s it?” Calliope asked, betrayal lacing her bright green eyes. “Is this how you wanted it to go down? Is this what you want?”

  No. I wanted to plan this bonding on our terms. I wanted her to be deliriously happy about it. I wanted to do everything properly, but I was not in control. I could only do as my father commanded of me.

  While she’s in this room you keep your mouth shut unless you’re in full support of me.

  He deserved my respect. He was, in fact, my king, and so I said what I had to. “My father has a plan that makes sense. You’ll understand. Eventually.”

  “Wow,” she whispered. Her head shook back and forth in disgust. All I could do was stare expressionlessly at her, giving nothing away. Of course she was disgusted with me. She trusted me. We took over what was rightfully hers. She deserved more. She deserved so much more.

  If only she could see the bigger picture. It would all make sense in the end. Why couldn’t she just understand?

  My father ordered Gilad to escort Calliope to her room, and Rollin and Cage to take care of her Keepers. Kai snapped at Cage when he took hold of his arm. If Kai knew what was good for him, he’d keep his mouth shut. Rebellion would mark a target on his back, and my father wouldn’t let it slide. Before Kai walked out, he looked over his shoulder at Calliope. There was something in his eyes, but I couldn’t grasp it before he walked out.

  I wanted to reverse the scene, take Calliope aside and talk about us in private. That was how it should have happened. I should have been the one to propose our bonding and kiss her and promise her a lifetime of happiness. Instead, I had to stand by wordlessly as my father demanded it.

  “This isn’t over, Adair.” Calliope stood her ground. “I won’t bond with Sakari. You can’t force me.”

  It should have hurt more to hear her say those words, but I admired her. She stood face-to-face with a man threatening her entire world, but she continued to fight back. I knew she’d never stop.

  And a piece of me didn’t want her to.

  My father darted across the room in an instant and snatched her by the arm. I fought against the Supremacy holding me back. Leave her alone, I wanted to shout. Fear rose to the surface of her big green eyes. Where was this anger coming from? Calliope's soft features were harsh against my father's as he whispered words I couldn't hear into her ear. Anger engulfed me. I wanted to tear her away from him—keep her safe—but the only thing I could do was watch helplessly from the sidelines as my mind screamed.

  After a minute, he stepped back with a look of satisfaction. Calliope didn’t say another word as Gilad escorted her out. She didn’t look at me again. It equally stung and eased my heart. I couldn’t bear to see the betrayal in her eyes one more time.

  “You shouldn’t have touched her that way, Father.” I was finally able to speak now that she wasn’t present.

  When he looked at me, the disapproval in my comment was clear. He walked back to the desk. “She needed to be reminded of who is in charge. Now she knows.”

  “It felt clear to me,” I boldly said and nearly regretted it when he leveled me with an icy stare.

  “Some need to be reminded more than once,” he said harshly. “Must I give you another reminder?”

  “No, sir,” I begrudgingly replied, straightening my spine. I set my mouth in a firm line.

  His expression remained the same—daring me to challenge him again—for several moments before sitting back behind the desk.

  As I stood silently, he gave orders to the remaining Keepers. Where to station themselves. What to look for. What to allow and what to stop. “I don’t want a single inch of Faylinn unguarded. Do you understand?”

  They nodded curtly. “Yes, Your Highness.”

  As they filed out of the atrium I asked if I might be excused. I needed to apologize to Calliope and make sure she was okay. Father didn’t answer right away, most likely still upset with me for opposing him. He finally answered with a nod, expressionless.

  When I was nearly free, he warned, “Don’t let her be a weakness, Sakari.”

  I stopped in the doorway and turned ever so slightly—not enough to look him in the eye, but enough for him to know I was acknowledging him, trying to respect him, even though it was a challenge. I nodded once before walking out.

  Though I hadn’t realized it, she already was.

  Chapter One

  KAI

/>   The forest was a blur.

  My feet thumped with resolve across the ground cover. In the pitch black I dodged and weaved around every limb and root in my path. With a few more serpentine turns I’d have the Rymidonians off my trail. It was comical for them to think they could catch me. The foliage latched onto my arms and legs, pulling me back, begging me to go back, but I had no intention of that.

  Not yet.

  It was so foolish of me to believe everything could work out for us. Calliope and I were worlds apart. We had been from the start. I should have accepted that on day one. But how could I? I didn’t want to, and my heart wouldn’t let me. My mind and heart battled it out and—inconveniently—my heart won.

  I peered over my shoulder, but there was no sign of my Rymidon trackers anymore. I stopped and concealed myself in a hollow trunk, listening for any sound of their possible approach. Leaves rustled and insects twittered, but no other sound was made. I lost them. When enough time passed, I shot off into the dark once more.

  I could keep running and leaping. If I ran far enough, I might be able to outrun this throbbing ache in my chest. Part of me wished the ground would burst open and swallow me whole. I could disappear and hope the ache would disappear too, but what would that solve?

  Why couldn’t I think of a plan? There had to be something. I would run until my legs or lungs gave out on me. Whichever came first.

  I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t give up on her. I couldn’t give up on us.

  The farther I ran, the deeper the ache in my chest grew. I waited for it to lessen, to dissipate just a fraction with the distance, but my body was slowly recognizing its loss. I left my heart in that bedroom.

  With her.

  Calliope was my future. There was no other course for me but her. For now, she was merely confused. She needed to remember her strength. She needed to be reminded of who she was.

  My feet slid across the ground, dirt bursting up around my legs as I came to a halt. Of course. Why that wasn’t the first thing to enter my mind I didn’t know, but I knew what I had to do. It was risky. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

  For her.

  In an instant I changed my course.

  Chapter Two

  CALLIOPE

  My body sank deeper into my bed, creating a Calliope-shaped crater. The vine canopy above me closed in the longer I stared at it, trapping me in a cocoon of foliage. It suffocated me. Took hold of my lungs and squeezed. It shouldn’t. Nature should free me, but there was no air.

  I slowly blinked once—hoping the scene around me would transform when my eyes reopened, that I’d be back in my old room in Walhalla and this would all be a dream, a vividly horrendous dream. My dad would rub my shoulders to wake me up and urge me out of bed.

  Nothing changed.

  I’d been cooped up in my bedroom for the entire day. There was no way out and no one but Sakari came in. There were only five days until the bonding. Five. Somehow the time dragged on and flew by. I can’t believe this is happening.

  Sakari already attempted to see me three times today, but I’d remained in bed—covers pulled over my head—and ignored him the entire time. It was easier to ignore him when I couldn’t see him. The last time he came was right before dinner. He set some radik and boiled roots on my nightstand and had a pruilla sliced up because he found out it was my favorite.

  “Calliope, please get out of bed.” He pulled the covers away from my face.

  There was a place made of flames where I wanted to tell him to go, but I kept it to myself and let silence be my response.

  “At least talk to me. Say something.” The weight of his body shifted the bed as he sat down on the edge closest to me. I rolled to my side, facing away from him, toward the window where Kai fled. I couldn’t stand the sight of Saraki’s face. If I weren’t being forced into this, Kai would still be here.

  “You know you can’t ignore me forever. I’m rather persistent.” The touch of his hand on my shoulder made me flinch, and he slowly pulled it away. “If you get out of bed, I might be able to persuade my father to let you leave your room.”

  With false enthusiasm I finally turned to him. “If I get out of bed, can you persuade him to let me pee unguarded, too?”

  My comment was met with an unimpressed raised eyebrow and pursed lips. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut though. “Since you have so much pull, maybe you could convince him to leave my kingdom and never come back!” I nearly clapped my hands together for extra emphasis, but decided against it.

  “Okay,” he said with a nod. “I see that you’re still very upset. I will let you be for the rest of the evening, but I will be back tomorrow morning. Sleep well, Calliope.”

  With his hand on my bedroom doorknob, he called over his shoulder, “And for Fallen Fae’s sake, eat something.”

  There were so many more things I wanted to say to him, but I kept them to myself. For Fallen Fae’s sake, leave me alone! If I had to go through with this, I would make it clear I had no intention of making it easy for him. I had no intention of faking happiness for him or anyone else.

  …

  As night fell, the moonlight seeped into my bedroom and hushed voices crept through my closed window, invading my thoughts. I knew who it was. Declan camped outside my window after Kai had vanished. I didn’t want to think about Kai and what I’d lost anymore. How could I have really lost him? Not that he was ever really mine, but the reminder that Kai was gone was more than I could bear.

  Gone.

  He would come back. He had to.

  It was evident that sulking in my bed wasn’t the answer, but I didn’t have much of a choice at the moment.

  “He left? What do you mean he left?” she hissed.

  “He’s gone, Allura.” Declan sighed. “Maybe for good this time.”

  “No. My brother wouldn’t abandon us like that. There’s too much at stake. And what about Calliope?” Don’t. “He loves her.” Stop. “I know he does.” Please. “He wouldn’t leave her.” Please stop!

  “He didn’t leave because he wanted to,” Declan said. “Calliope made her decision. I can’t say I would be able to idly sit by either. I really don’t think he’ll come back this time. It was too much for him.”

  “Seriously!” Their shocked faces spun to me when I flung open my window. “Do you think I’m deaf? That I can’t hear every word you’re saying? Why did you think this was the best place for this conversation?”

  “Calliope,” Declan breathed. “I wasn’t aware that you were awake. Allura just found out and came to me for confirmation.”

  “Well, she has it now. Please leave.”

  “Calliope, we didn’t mean—” Allura tried.

  “Now. Please!”

  My bedroom door shuddered open, and in came the Keeper of the hour to guard my door: Cage.

  I spun around with my hand over my heart.

  “What are you shouting about in here?” he demanded, his massive figure filling my doorway.

  “Me?” Of course, he meant me. Look a little less guilty, Calliope. I cleared my throat. “Birds. I was shouting at the birds to leave my window alone. They kept… pecking the glass.”

  Cage stared at me with a look of suspicion. “Birds,” he said flatly, and I nodded, straightening my spine to look more certain of my reply.

  “Did she just call us birds?” Allura whispered. She was quiet enough, but if his hearing was extremely exceptional he could have heard her. I watched his eyes for any telltale sign, but he merely studied me.

  “If we’re birds, then I’m a falcon,” Declan whispered back. I wanted to shout at him to shut. up.

  Cage’s eyes shifted from me to beyond my shoulder, outside the window. I decided to step away in an attempt to divert his attention. If I didn’t hover there, maybe he wouldn’t think I had something to hide.

  “Can I help you with anything else?” I asked.

  He grunted with a glare, but said nothing more as he backed out of
my room, keeping an eye on me until the door was firmly shut.

  I waited a moment before darting back to the open window.

  “There is no way a peacock could be with a falcon. Pick a different bird,” Allura whispered.

  “Could you two be any louder,” I hissed as quietly as I could.

  “Sorry, Calliope,” they murmured in unison, eyes wide.

  “Please. I know what you’re trying to do, Declan, but keeping an eye on me from the trees isn’t helping. I don’t need protection from the outside. The problem is inside. I need to find a way out. Get me out of here!” I kept my voice low enough, but couldn’t hide the desperation.

  “I’m working on it.”

  “Sooner than later would be great.”

  “He said he’s working on it, Queeny,” Allura said, defending him.

  Gripping my curls at the root, I sighed. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I just… I don’t know what to do.”

  “Why don’t you just escape out the window?” Allura suggested.

  “You think I haven’t tried? Adair must have wards set up.” I pressed my palms against the open space to show Allura there was no getting out of here. My hand met a solid barrier. “Declan can’t get inside either. After Kai escaped, I think Adair got wise.”

  Her hope visibly faded. “Well, it was worth a shot.”

  “What about the Waking Oak, Declan?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “Any luck in getting through to warn the other kingdoms?”

  “Adair has an army of Keepers guarding the Waking Oak now. I’d need an incredibly good diversion or an army of our own to penetrate theirs. It might not be worth the risk yet. It’s barely been a couple of days since I went to Elfland. They could still come.”

  “If they were coming, don’t you think they would have already?”