“I didn’t expect them to be in a room at all.”
“It’s possible that Kaden might have done this on purpose.” The door swings open. “Whatever Aoife is doing to him, I think he’s still in there. Fighting back in small, unnoticed ways. Magic can’t erase all free will, no matter how powerful the spell is.”
That sounds like Kaden.
The room isn’t gold, like I expected. It’s draped in dark cloths of blue and black, with the faintest shimmer, like the night sky. The windows are covered, sun forbidden from entering, and the fire in the hearth is barely lit.
It’s decidedly cooler in here and the sweat on my brow chills. But something about this room feels… off. There’s a tang in the air, I cannot place it. It’s ancient, rippling with power.
“I can’t see anything,” I whisper.
Mal grabs my wrist before I can take another step. “We’re not alone.”
Something moves in the corner, nothing but a mass of shadow and somber quiet. I try to concentrate, to find a heart, but nothing comes to me. It’s hidden deep under a shield.
“A blood summoner,” a decidedly feminine voice mumbles. “I haven’t met one of those in years.”
“Who are you?” I ask, peering closer.
The fire sparks and we jump back as the inferno rages. Light spreads and there, stands a small, young woman. She’s as pale as the face of the moon, with hair as dark as the evening sky. Shorter than me, she’s thin, with a pointed chin and wide eyes.
I gasp. Her eyes aren’t normal. It’s as if someone pluckedNylxa’suniverse of stars and cosmos and placed them into her eyes. They shine and swirl, mesmerizing but decidedly not Human.
“What are you?” Mal asks, brow furrowed. Neither of us move.
The woman holds out her hands. Dressed in a simple day dress of cream linen, her feet are bare and her hair is long. Though not unclean, she certainly hasn’t been cared for here.
“I’m Layla.”
“Are you a Witch?” I glance around. “Or a Fairy?”
Layla’s lips twist and she picks at her fingers, nervously. “Something else,” she whispers.
“Did Aoife keep you here?” Mal moves closer, hand on his sword. “Are you a prisoner?”
Nodding, her chin trembles. “I’ve been here for many years, never allowed to see to the night.”
“Nylxa,” I breathe. At the name, her eyes drift to mine. “You’re a daughter ofNylxa.”
The Goddess of the Night has long been rumored to mate with Humans, producing half-goddess daughters, made up of stars. Never allowed to leave Neevea, they could only be with their mother if they were able to seduce and kill the men who angeredNylxa.
The Covens often used the story as a warning to men: stay away from the beautiful woman at a crossroads, for it could kill them.
What is one of them doing here, locked up?
She nods sadly. “I’ve not been able to see my mother in some time. The queen trapped me here.”
“But why?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you can’t stay here.” Mal shoots me a dark look that I promptly ignore. “Get shoes on. You’re coming with us.”
I help her dress, braiding her hair and throwing a cloak over her face. It shadows her eyes but if anyone looks at her face, they will see stars shining back.
“You know the stories,” Mal mutters. “What if she kills us?”
I turn the smaller woman in my arms. I’m short, but she’s smaller. “You can come with us and be free. But you cannot attack us.”
