The Last Daughter of Elysia

Chapter 26

The shadows took shape, until Morgana saw Prince Caliath slinking through the Cursed Forest, a once lush place that had been decimated by the Witches' War. The earth was scorched, and the trees were gnarled and blackened. Poisonous sap seeped through bark like rancid fluid from a bloated corpse. Even though a thousand years had passed, curses from the war still lingered in the trees, like poisonous webs threatening to ensnare any fae or faery who dared visit.

Caliath tried to avoid the trees. But sometimes it was impossible when they were clustered along the path or sentient enough to attack any passers-by. An elm bowed forward and snatched Caliath's cloak with its branches. Sap burned through the cloak with a hiss, and Caliath flicked a hand, splintering the branch with his earth magic. It fell with a crash and green sap pooled onto the forest floor, reeking of bitter poison.

Caliath ripped his cloak off and left it behind. A precaution in case it was cursed. Thankfully, none of the sap had touched his dark leathers.

An icy wind howled, stirring toxic leaves into the air and Caliath shielded his face.

Morgana shivered and wondered if he was afraid. She'd learned all about the horrors of the Cursed Forest at school. Most fae who went there were never to be seen again, or they returned cursed to kill loved ones they mistook for enemies. Some were found on the edges of the forest in pieces.

Magnus stepped out from behind a skeletal tree. "We're nearly there," he said, his dark cloak undulating in the wind.

Caliath sniffed the air. "They're not far." He gripped his sword, and Morgana frowned, wondering who they were talking about.

Caliath's boots snapped over twigs and leaves as they approached the center of the forest. The breeze died down, as Magnus and Caliath reached a vast crater that had a ring of ravaged trees around it. The silence crept over them like a pair of eyes and there was a threatening charge to the air that was thick and suffocating.

The scent of cloying wildflowers curled through the air and two cloaked figures stepped out of the shadows as silent as leaves falling from a tree.

King Erik and Prince Damon came into view and Morgana's heart stuttered.

Damon sneered at Caliath and a tense silence followed.

"I felt the power surge last night," Erik said, not bothering with niceties.

"So did I," Magnus replied.

"If it is what I think it is..."

"Then there hasn't been one for a thousand years."

"Only the strongest ones surged with power at birth."

"The last one to do that was Allegra."

The Kings stared at each other.

"The fae's power is at risk," said Erik.

"But she's in the mortal realm."

"It doesn't matter. She must be brought to Elysia."

"We can take her and raise her as one of our own." Magnus shifted.

"Why would we allow that? You weren't on the right side of the war a thousand years ago," Erik said.

Damon smirked.

"Allow? Don't you know who you're speaking to? You have no authority over us!" Caliath gripped the hilt of his sword.

"Quiet, son," Magnus admonished.

Caliath gave his father an incredulous look.

Amusement danced in Damon's eyes.