Page 56 of Broken Lands

It will lead you to what you seek and more.

“It’ll help me find James?”

Yes.

I sucked in a breath, my heart beating a frantic pace. I could not turn away now. If this prophecy could lead me to James, I would not refuse—I would beg to hear it if I had to. I would follow any path that promised to lead me to my brother.

“Go on then.” The sound of the door opening sounded behind me, Professor Flo finally returning from the kitchens. Remaining still, I focused on that bridge in my mind, waiting for the prophecy Siesoulae had held on to for centuries.

A journey of peril. A plan gone awry.

Broken lands ruled upon a lie.

Time shan’t heal as a curse holds fast.

Unknown lessons will be taught by the past.

Daughter of shadows holds the key,

Hope is lost ‘til thy mother is free.

Souls will clash. Lives will be lost.

Contain the light no matter the cost.

Chapter twenty-nine

Riley

“Whatdoyouthinkit means?” Bee asked for what must have been the thousandth time as we strolled along the main path leading toward the center of Danann. The day was mild, a warm briny breeze blowing my hair back from my face and keeping the sun from being too hot on our backs. “Journey of peril might refer to the crossing, that plan definitely went awry. Where is the lie though?” Frowning, she tilted her head to the side, considering her own question.

Broken Lands ruled upon a lie.

It could be referring to the promise the Fae made to heal our lands, though it hadn’t really been a lie, Colin had said they’d been trying, all of their attempts failing despite their best efforts. Maybe it referred to something more sinister.

The entire prophecy had been a hot topic among Stefan and Bee since I’d recounted it after returning from Professor Flo’s office the other night. They’d both spent the entire day yesterday trying to solve the damn thing—like a prophecy hundreds of years old could really be solved within a day of finally being shared. It had completely distracted me from earth wielding—I hadn’t even been able to create a flower, despite filling a field of them unintentionally— and had taken all of my self-control not to constantly roll my eyes at them.

I was going to lose my damn mind if they kept at it.

“Can we just forget about it today, Bee? I can’t work out what any of the damn thing means or how it will lead me to James. Or even what ‘more’ might mean.” Buildings were taking form in the distance, and I quickened my pace, eager for my first tour of the Fae city. If you’d asked me a few weeks ago whether I’d be excited for a tour of Danann, I’d have laughed in your face. How quickly things change. “My brain might explode if I think about that damn riddle any longer. Let’s just relax and enjoy our day off.” Nudging her gently in the shoulder, I shot a small smile at her.

She was just trying to help. I knew that and I loved her for it. No one had ever accepted me as quickly and completely as Bee had. She’d quickly become like family to me. A break was overdue, though, and I really wanted to make the most of this day.

“Of course,” Bee said, her face softening. “I’m sorry. Of course, you need a day off. It’s easy to forget you haven’t been with us forever.” She laughed, linking her arm through mine and the sound was melodic, the notes dancing through the air and lightening the mood as we reached the outskirts of the city. “I’ll drop it for the day. Let’s go meet Amy.”

Small, pale brick houses lined the streets, vines trailing up the walls and bright colorful flowers filling the gardens. Lots of Fae are milling about, catching up with friends, or heading toward the city, just like us. They looked just like the human’s back home, but healthier, less stressed about surviving day to day.

The further we walked through the homes surrounding the city, the more I wondered whether James had lived nearby. Was one of these houses his? Had he been happy here? He’d seemed that way before his letters stopped coming. He’d seemed genuinely happy. What had happened to him?

“Earth to Riley,” Bee said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. I blinked quickly, pulling myself back to the present and realizing we’d entered the city plaza.

The center of Danann was set out in a large semicircle, the flat edge of which ran along the beach, overlooking the ocean as it crashed upon the sand. The salt-tinged breeze was stronger here, chillier as it came in from the ocean. The whole space was lined with the same cobblestones that had been used for all the pathways I’d seen within the walls so far.

My eyes widened as I took in the shop fronts lining the boundary of the plaza. There were a couple of produce shops, some clothing stores, a store that looked like it sold furnishings and another that seemed to sell just knick knacks. The center of the space was filled with a mix of tables and benches, most which were full of fae, having completed their shopping for the day and taking a break or catching up with friends.

This was so much more than I had expected. This level of comfort—of wealth—could only be dreamt about back home. Anger burned through my veins and I clenched my fists as I felt the heat of my flame beginning to gather there. When would I gain control over this? My emotions were so volatile in this place, which was only making learning to control my power all that much harder.

I’d done as the King had requested and submitted a proposal. Well, I’d written one. Colin had promised to submit it on my behalf through the ‘proper channels’, whatever that meant. He’d said it would take time, but that didn’t make the unjustness of the situation any easier to swallow.

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