The Summer Court had held up their end of the deal and now I had to hold up mine or risk being struck dead or something. I wrote two long letters. One for my mother and father. And one for Madison and Papa. They needed to know the truth. If I never came home I couldn’t let them always wonder what happened to me. Why I’d suddenly disappeared without a trace. I couldn’t do that to them.
I wrote a shorter one to my brothers. Telling them I loved them and to be good and I’d hopefully seen them soon. And finally to Bindy, she’d be so angry but she’d understand. I held each one in my hands as I drug my loaded trunk out of the closet.
Legacy lunged at me, wrapping her arms so tight I couldn’t breathe. We both cried. “I should be going with you,” she sobbed.
“No you shouldn’t. Stay here and make sure my parents know what happened. Convince them not to come after me.”
She nodded. “I’ll try. And you better come back,” Legacy choked out.
“I will,” I said, wiping my tears. “Send these letters as soon as I’m gone. Don’t forget.”
With tear-filled eyes, she took the envelopes. “You don’t think we’ll be able to communicate when you’re in faerie?”
“I don’t know but I can’t risk it. As soon as I’m gone. Send the letters.”
“As soon as you’re gone,” she repeated. “I won’t forget.”
Strapped with every single weapon I owned, the bow I’d won from the scavenger hunt included, I felt ready. Ready as I could be. My trunk was filled with more weapons, clothes for every occasion and season, a few poisonous plants (one never knew when those could come in handy), healing potions and salves, and some food and drink. A bottle of my family’s famous honey mead (one never knew when that would come in handy either).
“Where’s Sir Gideon?” I asked, looking around the room. “I’d hoped to say goodbye to him.”
Legacy frowned. “I haven’t seen him. Have you Atticus?”
Atticus bumped against my legs. “I am not sure of his whereabouts but he mentioned going home. Be careful, Princess. Come back to us.”
I heaved a sigh and said, “Well, I’ve stalled long enough. Helios is waiting for me.”
“See you soon,” Legacy said as if saying so might make it so.
“Bye, cousin. Love you.” Then I spelled to the orchards. One day after the Fae moon ended, the trees already had green leaves sprouting. The vegetation that had died was returning. Not far off I saw Taron standing with a group of friends. Alive and well. At least I got to see with my own eyes that this realm began to recover.
Helios stood with a hand on the hilt of his sword. Zyacus, Aric and Taz near him, waiting for me. “Are you ready?” Helios asked.
I wanted to rip his head off, but I couldn’t. I’d made a bargain. “You lied to me.”
“Fae cannot lie.” Helios’s brows furrowed then his gaze fell to the tattoos on my forearms. “Does he know of our bargain? Does he know you’re the one from the prophecy?”
“He does,” I said, folding my arms. “Apparently he wants the Winter King dead as much as you do.”
No shock or any sort of feeling revealed on the Summer Prince’s face. “Come,” Helios said, opening the portal to his realm. “There is much you need to learn about the ways of the Fae.”
Taking hold of my trunk with one hand, Zyacus took the other. As we stepped through into the faerie realm, I turned back to look at the academy, to my home, one last time. I didn’t know if I’d ever see it again.
∞∞∞
The End… until the next book: Curse of the Cruel and Lovelyavailable for preorder on Amazon
Other books by J.M. Kearl:
The prequel trilogyRISE (book 1)
WRATH (book 2)
RIVAL (book 3)
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Books By This Author
Rise Book 1
The prequel trilogy to the Allied Kingdoms Academy series
Wrath (Rise book 2)
Rival (Rise book 3)
Curse of Blood and Shadow: Allied Kingdoms Academy 1
About The Author
J.M. Kearl
J.M. Kearl is an award winning author who has been writing since 2005. She published her first book RISE in 2018. She loves fantasy and is a sucker for a good romance, which is exactly what she writes. She's a mother of a little girl, a baby boy, and is married to a great guy. Currently she resides in Idaho with her family, but is usually dreaming of somewhere tropical.
