Shadowborn Academy_ Year Three (Dark Fae Academy #3) - G. Bailey Page 0,12
wooden chair over and sitting next to her in the silence of the room. This part of the Enchanted Forest is all but silent, the only noise to disturb the peace is the birds chirping away. I can hardly look at Narah like this, vulnerable and on the verge of death. It almost doesn’t seem like she’s real anymore. Her black hair is spread around the pillow, her pale skin is clammy and cold to touch. She is still enchantingly beautiful but the magic used against her has corrupted her soul, and I can feel it. I nearly jump when she opens her eyes, blinking a few times before turning her head to me.
“Corvina, you’re here,” she whispers, her voice hoarse. “So many years I fell asleep wishing you were there when I woke but you never were.”
Gritting my teeth, I push away her emotional blackmail shit. “Don’t expect me to play the doting daughter card when you fucked up the loving mother card. You killed Ulric!”
“He deserved it, and I will never be sorry for his death. He. Stole. My. Child.” She bites out every word, looking exhausted from doing so. I can’t imagine her pain at having her baby stolen, and while I understand it, I don’t need to like it. One wrong doesn’t make a right and siding with Eva is just totally unthinkable.
“And Eva?” I question, raising an eyebrow. “My dear sweet sister, who has crashed her train into crazy-ass-town?”
Narah winces and lifts a hand to her stomach. “I wanted the Throne of Helios to fall in ruins,” she whispers, tears glazing her long lashes. “I wanted every single Light Fae, including Eva, to despise their king because of what he did, and for the Dark Fae to finally rule as they should. Eva promised me all of this even when I saw her heart turn black. I wasn’t aware who Ronan was. When I was told, I confronted her, but she would not back down. Eva has some strange desire to see Ronan kill you.”
“It’s because he was my friend,” I all but growl. “Eva wants my heart turned cold before I die. It’s no fun just to kill me.”
“Yes, that is what I feared. You see, Eva was never going to be my heir. I simply wanted to use her to destroy her father and bring down his kingdom. However, last night I was betrayed by one of my former lovers who told her of my intentions. Eva sent the Titans and her army to attack my kingdom out of sheer spite.” Narah’s pale lips bear back into a snarl, “She has lost all control and has since gone mad with power! She has even taken over Kyllaros. Prince Elias has fled to the mountains, but I fear his father has been killed. Not even the Deadlands are safe anymore.”
“By Selena! You mean, all the kingdoms have fallen?” I question in horror. That means nowhere is safe apart from Draconia. But only those with dragon blood can go into that kingdom. It isn’t a place for shadowborns or normal fae.
Narah nods weakly. “I used the last of my magic to lock down my castle with some of our people inside. It’s an ancient spell known only to Dark Fae royals to protect the castle. For now, the Titans will struggle to get inside, but the magic of Selena can only hold the castle up for so long,” she warns me. “I made a mistake but I will fix it if…if you will help me, Corvina?”
“How could I possibly trust you?” I demand, shaking my head.
Narah looks away at the window and breathes in, wincing again. “I have done much wrong in my life, so much that the damage is beyond repair, but you, Corvina, are my one true act. You may not trust me, but please…please know that I do love you, and I will save the kingdom for you. I swear on Selena, I will never betray you again, Corvina.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. I’m still not sure about trusting her, but she’s the only ally we have right now.
“Why did you decide to have me?” I ask quietly. “You must have known a child with Ulric would have never been yours alone.”
“I acquired a mirror that told me of a prophecy,” she whispers and speaks into my mind, probably too weak to say it out loud:
I don’t say anything as I remember Ivywood saying something similar about me being the