When I come too, the back of my head feels sore, I'm in a dark room that smells of brine. As I sit up, the room sways, there's a rushing of steps followed by shouts and the roar of the sky. I'm on a ship, those fucken bastards.
"Easy," Lia's voice filters in through the darkness.
I look around until I spot her, on the cot across from mine, she's cleaning a dagger, made of some dark material. "Where are you taking me?"
"You'll see," she sets her dagger down and looks me over, "how's your head?"
"Sore," I rub the spot where a small bump has taken form.
"Blame Hector, he refused to learn acupuncture."
"That wouldn't change the fact you've kidnapped me."
"We didn't kidnap you," Hector says from above me.
I look up to find him tucked into a built-in bunk his leg swings lazily. Call it childish if you want but I can't help it. I reach over and bite his leg, he yelps while trying to pull away. Noah's there in an instant prying my mouth open, "easy," he runs a hand through my hair, the action sending a lulling sensation through me.
"Stop," I growl, "whatever it is you're doing, stop."
He pulls away merging back into the darkness. Hector's leg no longer hangs from the bunk's edge. I spit out the metallic taste of his blood. Lia watches me with an amused smile her sister remains asleep on the bunch above her. The door opens and someone starts descending the wooden steps. A pair of crimson eyes look back at me with curiosity.
"What are you doing here?" Lia asks.
Zia's eyes snap open and Noah's by my side in an instant. Hector jumps off his bunk leg already healed.
"I'm your escort," the stranger says. Could I have seen it wrong, his eyes are as black as coals. Maybe Hector hit me too hard. The stranger looks me over the curiosity in his eyes gone. Instead, he seems annoyed either at being our escort or at being questioned.
I look him over catching a glimpse of a pointed ear, "your ears are pointed, your Fay," I rise from the bunk, "like in the books."
"What?" he gives me an icy stare.
"That's rude," Hector whispers.
"What is?" I ask slightly excited at the thought of meeting the Folk.
"Pointing out the male's ears," Hector says.
"What books?" the male asks.
"My Uncle had a vast library detailing the family history and the old world. The Fay of the Dark and Shadow courts. Dragon clans and shifters of all sorts, it even...
"Got it," he cuts me off giving pointed looks to my companions, "do you plan on staying here forever, or are you going to un-board?"
"I tell you those portals are nifty," Hector reaches up to his bunk and pulls a duffle down, "cuts down on travel time."
The others follow suit, Zia glares at the stranger making sure to avoid him as she passes him on the steps. I look around and find my bag tucked at the end of the cot with my flats next to it. The stranger's eyes follow my every move.
Noah lets out a low grunt which the strange ignore. We walk past him and to the surface where the moon shines brightly. The only sign of the storm we were in, is on the soaked deck. The isle before us has tall mountains with tall aspen trees.
"Welcome to the Isle of Midnight, named after its founder, "the stranger says leading us off the ship and onto land.
The moonlight glides over his raven hair illuminating random strands of violet and indigo. Unlike Zia's and my hair his coloring seems to be natural.
"What are you looking at?" the stranger asks.
"The Isle," I say, kicking a pebble to the side, "how come I've never heard of it?"
"The Isle's a secret," Lia says, "it can only be accessed with magic."
"Of course, you do need permission, and outsiders don't know its exact location," Hector adds.
"Is that why you knocked me out?" I give him a glare which he shrugs off.
The stranger comes to an abrupt stop, swirling around with such grace, had I not been paying attention, I would have missed it.
"You didn't come here willingly?" his voice has a dangerous edge to it.
"I...
"There was no time," Noah interjects.
"I don't give a fuck," the stranger's eyes glow and for a moment I catch a glimpse of crimson before their black again, "she can't be here unless she wants to be."
"Look, Hawthorn, we didn't have a choice," Lia says, "things got complicated."
"Enough," an elegantly dressed female emerges from the trees. Her eyes are two-toned the center is emerald green while the iris is crimson, her hair is violet and indigo cascading over one shoulder, like Hawthorn's, it looks natural. She looks me over giving me a slight smile as my eyes go wide when I notice her pointed ears, she's also Fay, "Thorn take the girl to the Academy."
"But mother...
"Just do it," while her voice is kind there is something about it that leaves no room for argument.
"Lady Iris we can explain," Lia says.
The Lady holds up her hand, "what's there to explain when what you've done cannot be undone," she looks me over once more nodding her head in her son's direction.
I give her a slight nod and run after Thorn, who's already entered the canopy of trees. We walk in silence taking a twisting path that leads to a clearing.
"What is the Academy?" I ask.
Thorn doesn't answer but instead leads me onto a clear path lined with red and lavender roses that wrap around the willow trees. The further we get from the port the more everything changes. I'm too busy taking everything in to notice when my hand brushes against a rose prickle.
"Can't you be more careful," Thorn asks running his hand over my hand the prick marks no more, "the roses here are poisonous had you been alone you would have died."
"Thank you," I pull my hand away closing it into a loose fist, "I didn't want to come here, and I don't mean to cause you trouble."
Thorn gives me a bored look tilting his head so his hair falls into his eyes, "what would you ask of me?"
"Send me back," I say, earning a chuckle and raised brow.
"Why would I do that?"
"It's clear you don't want me here," I try not to flinch when he lowers his head we're eye to eye.
"What I want is relevant," he clasps his hands behind his back eyes searching my own, "you will behave and stay out of my way."
"Prick," I say, and make to walk past him when he catches my hand spinning me around my face and chest pressing against him. Thorn smells of night blossoms and winters breeze. His hold tightens one hand coming down to my waist as he lowers his lips to my ear the action sending shivers down my spine, "I suggest," he whispers, "you keep your thoughts to yourself."
I break free of his hold ignoring the emptiness I feel at the lack of his embrace. He gives me a smug smile walking past me. After a few minutes, we emerge from the canopy of trees. A city of spiraling towers made of glass and moonstone greets us. Thorn leads me onto a paved road.
People go about their business a few mostly children stopping now and then to wave at Thorn. He waves back at a few but doesn't stop until we come before a pink granite building. The building has two dragons curved upward acting as columns. We climb up the steps and stop before a wooden door with a bird I've only seen in books, carved in the center so that when the doors open the phoenix wings part.
The door opens without us knocking and a girl with furry ears and a cat's tail greats us. Even her eyes are feline yellowish green.
"Yuria this is Elisa," Thorn introduces us, "take her to Master Horn, he'll know what to do with her."
The girl inclines her head ushering me inside. I never told him my name. Thorn doesn't look my way as he leaves.
Yuria clears her throat and gives me a knowing smile, "The Prince can come off as aloft at times," she says, "but he is kind to those who don't cross him."
"He's a Prince?" I look back towards where Thorn banished but no one's there.
"Of course," Yuria says, "come along, I'll be late for class."
I step inside and am treated by the soft glow of candlelight and glowing stones that shoot up from the earth. Some of the stones are jagged while others have a smooth cut to them. Yuria leads me into a stone courtyard where various tables are set out along with row after row of bookcases. Cherry blossom trees and maples line our path providing a cool shade.
Various students sit huddled together over books and scrolls. The only ones that pay any attention to us are those that walk down the path. Giving a curt nod but not speaking, could this be an outdoor library? Or is everyone mute?
We walk onto a pebbled path and take a few turns before entering the onyx building. Once on the second landing, we stop before an oak door Yuria gives a light tap.
"Enter," a male voice says.
Yuria opens the door popping her head inside, "Master Horn I've brought...
"Yes, yes I know who you've brought," the male interrupts Yuria, "go on don't be late."
"Thank you, Master Horn," Yuria pushes me into the cluttered room closing the door as she leaves.
A short male with ram's horns stands before scattered papers. His white hair stands on all ends as if he'd pulled at it several times. He runs a weathered hand over his snowy beard shaking his head at the mess.
"Tell me what do you see," Master Horn asks eyes still on the scattered papers.
"A mess," I say.
Master Horn lets out a little laugh, "perhaps to you it's a mess," he stops stroking his beard and rates both hands as if he were conducting an orchestra, "not all is what it seems. Take yourself for instance," at that, he looks up at me emerald eyes looking through me, "to the untrained eye you are but a child, one could even mistake you for a mortal. But deep down to your core, you are more than that more than your species."
The little man walks towards me careful not to step on anything, "tell me Elisa, who are you?"