Outlines hinted at my vision from the pillowcase over my head. The only source of light came from flashes of streetlights and car headlights dimly glowing through the fabric. My arms ached from being tied behind me.

The van took a corner roughly, slamming my body against the wall, the metal bruising my spine. From what I could see before they put the pillowcase over my head was some kind of small delivery vehicle. Lorcan’s legs nudged mine, his frame cramped in the tiny space. They cuffed him, putting a bag over his head too, but we all knew it was for show. He could tear through both like they were tissue. Lorcan had to be seething, but he didn’t say a word, following along like he was under my control. I knew this was torture for him, but he didn’t try to fight when they put us in bonds. He simply looked at me, his eyes blazing with intensity before they slipped a black pillowcase over his head. It was the only way Major would take us to…well, I wasn’t quite sure where yet.

“Tell Franklin we have someone.” Major’s voice bounced off the metal walls to the back. Franklin? Who was he or she? “Yeah, the Druid from the club.” He huffed. “No, it was Wizard. He has more game than we thought. She came to us.” A pause. “We’ll be there soon. Be ready. She comes with a fae puppet.”

Lorcan’s knee dug into my hip. I could feel him shaking with rage, fighting to stay in control. Would he be able to contain the beast? What if he snapped? Everything we were working for would be lost, and I couldn’t take the chance.

I knew what I had to do. And he was going to hate it. “I’m sorry,” I whispered to him.

“Don’t.” His voice was tight with warning, almost as if he knew what I intended to do.

Guilt gnawed at the back of my throat, but I shoved the spell through the tangled weeds of remorse. It was for the best. The invocation was an updated version of the calming spell I once used on Ember. This one was more powerful and would keep him placid, like he had taken a Valium. His form went stiff, then as my words trickled over him, he sat back, heaving out a sigh.

“I’m so sorry.” I rubbed his leg with my knee. Sluggishly he pulled away from me, and I nipped my bottom lip. He was an alpha where nothing was out of his control. Once the spell wore off, there was no doubt he was going to be livid.

We drove for what seemed like another fifteen minutes before the breaks squeaked and the car turned, hitting gravel. I bounced around the back, my rear taking bruising hits on the uneven floor.

Then just as quickly, the vehicle screeched to a stop and the engine turned off. The doors opened, then slammed shut. I counted five seconds before the doors at the rear of the van were yanked open, cold air sending goosebumps over my flesh. I had run out without my jacket, and my tank did little to fight against Northern Ireland’s winter. Hands grabbed me, pulling me roughly out, and I was placed on my feet.

“Wizard, take her,” Major’s voice commanded. He certainly was in charge of these two, but I wondered where he sat on the DLR chain. How far were we from the top?

Adam’s arm wrapped around me, leading me blindly forward. He was gentle. I could tell he was not the aggressive type. He seemed the kind that would bring down the government with a computer virus, not violence.

“Adam?” My words were muffled under the linen, my feet shifting from gravel to smooth pavement.

“Call me Wizard,” he said into my ear. “No one goes by their real name here. I shouldn’t even have told you. Not sure why I did…your eyes, lips. I couldn’t stop myself,” he babbled.

“Okay, Wizard, where are you taking us?” I cut him off.

“You’ll see soon enough.” He sighed. I was still confused he was human, but I didn’t have time to consider it further before I heard footsteps moving over the gravel toward us.

“This is the powerful Druid you were talking about?” A woman’s voice broke in, her British accent thick. Cockney. I could tell she wasn’t the only one waiting for us as my seer picked up on three others besides her. “She’s the size of a pea.”

“Just because she’s small doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a lot of magic.” Major’s voice emerged behind me. Heavy feet shuffled over the gravel to the pavement. Lorcan. “She controls him.”

The girl’s inhale sounded full of fear and awe. Even with his head covered, Lorcan’s human form was enough to bring most girls to their knees. Average humans would be able to feel the magic of the beast siphoning off him. They wouldn’t know or understand, but they would instantly feel his presence with terror, wonder, and most likely, lust.

“Fuck,” she whispered. “He’s like the oth—”

“I know.” Major cut her off. “And she’s powerful enough to control him.”

The girl cleared her throat. “Franklin’s waiting.”

The way she said the name, I gathered Franklin was in charge here. Was this the leader we were looking for? The one who had almost killed us? I had so many questions, but I kept silent, letting Wizard lead me. My boots hit cement, our steps echoing off distant walls, and the brutal wind receded. The bag was ripped from my head.

I flinched from the glare of a flashlight someone held but quickly took in my surroundings. The building was massive, at least three stories high and several football fields long. It appeared to be an old, abandoned factory left in decay and ruins.

The four people leading us came into focus, all Druids, except one. Two of the women were in their early thirties. One woman of average height had short blonde hair pulled in a tiny ponytail and eyebrow piercings. The other girl was tall, dark-skinned, her hair braided, displaying a string of tattoos down her neck. Two men stood next to them. One was tall, slender, with a large, long nose, and wavy brown hair. The human among them was about five ten, built, with gray hair and beard. All wore dark clothes in greens, blacks, blues, and grays. They carried guns hooked to their belts and old-school walkie-talkies.

The blonde glanced at me over her shoulder, her eyebrows scrunching slightly as if to say she wasn’t very impressed with what she saw.

Dripping water echoed through the vast space. I sensed no other life except for the rats. Where were they taking us?

The troop led us down corridors, through a door hidden behind some shelving and rubbish, before descending stairs. My stomach tightened as we entered the tunnel. Tunnels always took me back to Jared. To that night.

Only a few single hanging lights lit the path. The air turned slightly warmer the lower we went, my skin relishing this tiny bit of heat.

When we got to the bottom, I could see old curved brick ceilings and walls in the dimly lit passageway. It appeared to be an old aqueduct or military shaft. I stayed alert, taking in everything we passed, but the scenery stayed the same. It was a good ten minutes before the group halted in front of a cement barrier covered in graffiti.

The blonde gave a cryptic-sounding knock. What I thought was a cement wall suddenly opened, the paint disguising the edges of the doorway. A large, thirty-something man, dressed like a member of a SWAT team, opened the door for us. He was armed with two semiautomatic rifles, a huge knife, and a handgun. They were not fooling around here.

He was also human.

“Thanks, Ghost.” The blonde nodded at the guard. He grunted, narrowing his gaze on Lorcan, his finger rubbing the trigger.

“Loaded with ‘special’ bullets here,” Ghost said, his glare on the beast. It wasn’t a threat, but a warning. He wouldn’t hesitate if Lorcan did anything he didn’t like.

“He’s fine,” I said quickly, hating the truth of my words. He would be mad, but I hoped he’d understand why I had to do it. “He’s my pet.”

“Better stay that way, or your pet will be a dead one.” Ghost removed his finger from the trigger but still kept his hand on the gun.

Ghost stepped aside, letting us pass. The room was small and dimly lit, and the troop made for another door straight ahead. This was the first line of defense. The blonde did another set of knocks on the wall. This time when it opened by another guard, light streamed through like daylight had just broken. This guard looked to be of Native American descent, just as big and just as loaded with weapons as Ghost. He nodded at our group, opening the door wider. They moved us through the door, and I gasped.

The brick gave way to aged cement and stone. Cords with hanging lights dotted the supermarket-size rectangular room. It looked like an old underground bunker. Life buzzed as people moved around the space. On one side of the room dozens of mats were laid out where people were training to fight. Punching bags hung from the ceiling next to a small boxing ring in the center of the room. People training in sword fighting were toward the back. The other side of the space seemed to be the “magic zone”—a handful practicing charms and spells or blasting each other onto mats. I felt like I stepped into two movie sets: a dystopia and a magical wizard one.

My body hummed with the familiar magic. Druids. A lot of them… forty or so. In the scheme of things hardly a drop, but more than I had ever imagined. My mouth gaped, every sense and thought overwhelmed.

These were my people.

Hiding in a realm under the world.

 

 

Wizard kept me close, his fingers latching onto my cuffed arms. My head swiveled around as I tried to take in everything. Excitement whirred through me at the sensation of being around other Druids. I wasn’t completely alone. I wasn’t the last of my kind.

We went down another hallway before turning and entering a smaller room. Computers, maps, and screens covered the walls, and a large table sat in the center of the room. My gaze went to the man standing at the head of the table, bent over a map. He lifted his head, his crystal blue eyes curious. For a brief second he did a double take, his brows crinkling with puzzlement before his gaze dropped and became emotionless. He had a silvering brown beard and hair. Green khakis and a black wool sweater fit his lean, tall torso. Like the others, he wore combat boots. The similarities to Major were too obvious; they were related in some way.

“Franklin,” the blonde addressed him, motioning to me.

“Thank you, Poppy.” A gruff voice rolled out of him. “You and Ophelia get back to training. Those newbies need a lot of work.” Poppy and Ophelia nodded then left the room.

“The mysterious Druid girl.” Franklin looked at Wizard. “Untie her. I think she understands there is no chance of getting out of here.”

Wizard dug into his pants, pulled out a Swiss army knife, and sawed at the ties digging into my wrists. Relief flicked up my nerves when my arms fell to my sides.

“Sit.” The leader motioned to one of the chairs around the table. I glanced back at Lorcan as I moved around to the chair. He stared off in the distance, his eyes vacant of any emotion or threat. However, Major kept him pressed against the wall while the two other men guarding his other side tensed as though ready to pull out their guns. Lorcan being spelled was the glaring fault in my plan to keep us from being found out. If anything did happen, he would be inefficient in a fight. We would be screwed.

“He is under my influence. He will not attack anyone.” I settled down in the chair with a commanding air, knowing if the leader had the ability to feel magic, he would see I told the truth. It was all up to me now to sell this.

“We aren’t willing to take that chance yet.” Franklin’s blue eyes pinned me to my spot. “We don’t know you. Nor do we trust you.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded.

“You have to prove yourself. Just because you’re a Druid doesn’t mean you get an automatic club card here.”

“Understand.”

“Your name?”

“Raven.”

He stared at me, assessing, poking my aura. I had learned early to build a wall to block anyone from seeing anything I didn’t want them to. But to be faced with another powerful Druid, I hoped my talent was as good as I needed.

“You think me a fool?” He folded his arms.

I swallowed, struggling to keep Raven’s blasé attitude on my face though fear crawled through my lungs like bugs.

“You parade around with an Awen tattoo for all to see, like a fuckin’ idiot. Do you know what still happens to Druids who sport that symbol?” Franklin leaned on the table, his fingers white as he pressed down. “They murder them. But I think you know this. Now that I’ve met you…” He tilted his head, taking me in. “You aren’t dimwitted like I thought. Far from it. So what the hell do you want?”

“I want to fight,” I replied evenly.

He huffed out his nose. “Do better than that, girl.”

“I lost my real parents in Aneira’s genocide.” I sat up tall, letting my real anger slip into my declaration. “My adoptive family was killed in the war. I lost everything. I may sound like every other recruit out there, but I don’t want to be in hiding anymore. I want revenge. I want to make a difference.”

Franklin straightened up, his eyes narrowing as he watched me intently. “You remind me of someone.”

Don’t react, Ken. But what if they recognized me? What would happen if they found out I was the Queen?

“I can sense you are powerful.” He rubbed his chin, his gaze sizzling through me. “How have you been hiding this whole time unnoticed? What family do you come from?”

“I don’t know.” I tried to keep myself calm and centered. I didn’t want him to pick up on my lies. “I didn’t even know I was a Druid until a couple years ago. They left no trail. But I know they’re dead. I feel it.”

Franklin was hard to read. He just watched me like an animal in the zoo. It was a good minute before he spoke again.

“What about your fae pet?” He flicked his chin toward Lorcan. “Only two people here know how to command a fae, and that was after extensive training in black magic. Not a newbie talent.”

I shrugged with disinterest. “When you’re a single female Druid on the run, you learn what you need. Fast.”

Franklin pinched his mouth together like he wasn’t buying my story. Terror sucked out the marrow in my bones, leaving them hollow. What would happen if he didn’t believe me? I knew this was going to be risky, but being here with no easy escape, and Lorcan under a spell? So much was on the line, and I began to feel the severity of it.

He paced around the room, his head bowed in thought. My cool façade stayed strong, while my heart pounded and moisture dampened my palms.

“He stays in the fae pit.” Franklin finally stopped, twisting to me. “And until you prove yourself here, you will be monitored. This isn’t playtime. We are here to make a real difference. Whatever it entails. Your first test will be in three days. If you fail…” He let his sentence fade out.

It was clear. If I failed to show my dedication to the cause, I was finished. And that probably didn’t mean just packing my bags.

“If you make it through, you will find a position here. Everyone has their place. Even if it’s just building bombs.”

“Bombs?” I twisted my hands together in my lap, my voice even. The memory of the explosion crackled through my head. The smell of burnt flesh and smoke. The sight of bloody bodies in chunks. Lorcan impaled with glass. Had it been his order to murder the fae nobles, almost killing the King and Queen?

“This isn’t the place for picket signs and protests. If you can’t handle it, then you should walk away now.”

“I can handle it,” I replied firmly, pushing my glasses up my nose.

“I hope so. We can use your level of magic. The commander will be pleased if you work out.”

“Commander?” I went rigid.

“While I’m touched you think so highly of me, do you sincerely think you could so easily meet with the leader of DLR?” Franklin tipped his head back with a snarky chuckle before it died in his throat. “You don’t get anywhere near the commander. Not unless you prove yourself completely indispensable here.”

I held my shoulders back, hiding the disappointment and apprehension. Deep down I knew it wouldn’t be that easy to find the head of the snake. I had hoped, especially because I had no idea what they had planned for me and knowing at any moment someone might recognize me.

The line I walked was needle thin.

“I guess welcome, Raven.” Franklin rubbed his hands together. “This is the war room, the core of our base.” He held his arms out. “Where everything is planned.”

“Where I live.” Wizard snorted from behind my chair.

The first smile hinted at Franklin’s face. “Yes. Wizard is our computer mastermind. This is his domain. He gets us all the intel we need. A true hacking genius.”

I glanced at Wizard. He met my eyes, a shy smile creeping up his face.

“Have you heard anything about the attack in Switzerland?” Franklin asked.

I almost wanted to laugh, my teeth sawing together. “I saw it on the news.”

Franklin smiled. “Three Seelie fae who had helped Aneira gather up and kill Druids, all dead,” he stated proudly. “Rumor had it the King was supposed to be with them, but from my sources they only found the three. How powerful our attack would have been if he had killed the Unseelie King.”

Fire flamed under my mask, along with rage and nausea. How easy it was for them to talk, sitting here a thousand miles away. I had seen the brutality myself. I had to take a steadying breath now to push away the image of Demrik’s burnt body. He didn’t deserve that. He had been faithful to Lars, not Aneira. He was good and kind. They just clumped them all together. Even Lars.

“The King, if I recall, was never for the genocide nor on the old Queen’s side.”

“He didn’t stop it.” Franklin frowned. “And he is certainly chummy with this new Queen.”

“She’s a Druid. Isn’t that a good thing for us?”

“You’d think. But she’s only a puppet, a figurehead to look like we are progressing. Out here nothing has changed. And most fae don’t even respect her rule. There is a huge revolt happening on the mainland. It won’t be long before she is assassinated.”

My teeth crunched painfully, trying to stop any reaction from showing on my face. Thankfully, Lorcan was sedated. There was a good possibility he would not have responded well to that claim.

Franklin continued, “We may be mostly against the old Queen’s followers, but all fae are our enemy. If taking out the Demon King unsettles the fae world, their dominance over humans, over us…then I will happily do it.”

They wanted a change no matter the costs and clearly did not understand the difference. Lars and I had prevented total anarchy. But if they got rid of the King or me? Life for everyone, including humans, Druids, and fae would be worse. Humans and fae would call open hunting season on all, with no limits or consequences.

“Wizard, why don’t you show Raven around? Get her settled.” Franklin returned to the map he was looking over. “Mayhem, take the fae to the pit.” He nodded at the older, muscular human man who had led us down here. “Go as well, Fox.” He motioned to the young guy.

I took a peek at Lorcan. He wouldn’t look at me, letting the two men shove him out of the room without a struggle.

It hurt to watch him like that. The beast so passive because of me, even though it probably saved both of us. My eyes tracked him until the door shut.

“Raven?” Wizard held out his hand, helping me stand. Major moved to the other side of the table, studying the map with Franklin.

I followed Wizard out of the room, feeling like I had just stepped into quicksand. I was so far out of my league and my comfort zone. And any little slip would bury me.