Azala Press

CHAPTER ONE

Everlynia

Every fairy tale begins with a tragedy. Mine came in the form of a raven.

We’ve all heard about the two most compelling human origin theories: the creation theory suggests that Adam and Eve—and life as we know it—were created by a divine being, and the evolution theory proposes that humans descended from ape-like species and have since evolved. One night, however, I discovered that what I had been taught in school was only a brief overview of the actual theory. 

Naturally, I was skeptical at first, but what my mother told me and what I saw for myself made perfect sense. The entire world was a fantasy and not the kind where wishes were granted by a singing genie. As a seventeen-year-old junior in high school, it wasn’t exactly what I needed, and certainly not what I’d asked for.

My name is Alexandra Cage. Ironically, I’d been a captive in the mortal realm for as long as I could remember.

My mother was a mystery, to say the least. She raised me on her own, and never spoke about my father or any other family ties. In truth, she seldom speaks to me about anything, and when she did, I found us even more driven apart by her strange requests to move halfway across the country for no reason other than her mysterious job.

We’ve lived in nearly all fifty states, and every time it felt more like running away from my mother’s past. I didn’t understand what that past was until it finally found me: the note that started it all, sitting atop my copy of The Story of America in my locker.

A chill ran down my spine as I sensed a pair of eyes pinned on my back. I turned, but there was no one in sight. Is this a prank? I thought of the slim possibility of that ever happening. No, no one in my school would take the time to prank me. I picked the card up and read it.

Found you, princess!

What did that even mean? I looked around once more and caught a glimpse of something dark at the end of the hall; I couldn’t make it out. Whatever it was, it moved too quickly for the human eye, though I was certain it was staring at me. Goosebumps covered my entire body. I returned my gaze to the card, my hands trembling and palms sweating. My eyes widened to the madness unfolding before me. Letters appeared on the card at random to form new sentences. 

Is Her Highness alright? I can smell your fear … tempting.

I must’ve gasped loudly, because the passing couple stopped and stared, whispering something rude before they turned away. My heart sank to my stomach, and everything was gone in no time. There were no words written—just a blank notecard.

The school bell rang, both making me jump out of my skin and announcing that I was late for my debate class. I slammed the locker behind me, leaving the blank card inside. I decided that whatever I had seen had merely been a figment of my imagination.

Mr. Lozano divided us into two groups: those who adhered to the creation theory, and those who adhered to the evolution theory. I decided to stick to the bigger group to avoid further questioning. A classic strategy used by many introverts to survive high school. 

I hoped Mr. Lozano would forget about my existence much like the students did, but the universe had another plan for me.

 “Ms. Cage, please explain why you believe in the creation theory.” He smiled, moving closer to hear me more clearly. He peered through his clear glasses that covered half his face and made his eyes appear twice their normal size.

“Well, I-I would like to believe in something greater,” I stammered, stepping back slowly. I felt my cheeks burn. A few students snorted. The pressure of having everyone’s focus on me did not help at all. “Um … I think there’s a powerful being capable of creating life from nothing. The evolution theory, although it may be true, doesn’t provide much space for the imagination.” I gripped my hands tightly to prevent them from shaking, feeling my heart pounding in my ears. 

From the look on Mr. Lozano’s face, I knew my argument wasn’t nearly enough, but he accepted it anyway. Perhaps he didn’t want to hear my stupid argument after all. I know I didn’t.

“Dreamer you are, Ms. Cage.” He smirked once more before turning to face the other side of the classroom. “Any rebuttals?” he asked. 

Those last few seconds seemed like a lifetime of embarrassment. I could hardly hear anything. My mind was replaying my childish response over and over again. A dreamer. That’s a nice way of calling me delusional. The rest of the class was inaudible. Students argued back and forth like real scholars, but I was still lost in my thoughts.

The bell rang to dismiss me from that Hell class my mother made me take. With my lunchbox in hand, I zigzagged my way to the oak tree where I ate lunch alone, occasionally accompanied by some friendly squirrels sharing my snacks.

I munched down on my sandwich as I read my favorite novel for the hundredth time that year.

Just as I reached my favorite chapter, high-pitched screams shattered my reading bliss. Peering through my tangled curls, I saw the cheerleaders scurrying back inside the school, leaving their pom-poms scattered on the football field. 

Startled, I dropped my sandwich, peanut butter and jelly staining my pants. A shadow appeared at the corner of my eye and vanished. Someone was watching me again. Before I could think of anything else, my flip phone buzzed, announcing a new message. I opened it immediately, expecting my mother to inform me of how busy she’d be at work, and how I would have to take the bus. Instead, it was a message from an unknown contact.

How long will you refuse to acknowledge my existence, Your Highness?

I had to read the message several times to believe it. I wasn’t imagining things this time. The text message was real. The date and time, it was all real.

 Who is this? I texted back. 

A few moments later, another buzz made my heart skip a beat.

A loyal subject.

I sighed and texted back, I believe you have the wrong number. I’m not who you think I am.

You are Alexandra, daughter of King Alrick, the rightful heir to the Faye Throne, Your Highness.

Who? I pondered in confusion. I began typing my response when my mother suddenly called me. Her name flashed twice on the screen before I picked up. My mother would never call me during school hours. What was so pressing that had caused my mother, Helia, to break the no-calling rule? 

“Hello?” I answered.

“Oh, thank God! Lexi, are you okay?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“I’m alright, mother.”

“Has anything … strange happened today? Anything at all?” she asked. 

How could she know? “Um … yes, I suppose today was a bit odd. I feel like I’m being watched.” I nodded as if she could see me from over the phone.

“Lexi, whatever you do, don’t trust anyone! And don’t talk to anyone. I’ll pick you up after school, so don’t leave on your own, and don’t take the bus. Do you understand?” she said with persistence. I felt her worry from over the phone.

I still couldn’t believe what was going on, all those messages, the shadow, the feelings. “I understand. I’ll see you then,” I said and hung up the phone. Looking back at the messages from the unknown contact, they were all deleted. Only the messages I’d sent remained, which proved that all the surreal events that had happened were not hallucinations.

Time felt like it barely passed and when the last bell rang, I picked up my notebook and colored pencils and tossed them in my backpack. I hadn’t paid attention in any of my classes today. I was too busy thinking about the strange events that took place earlier on. For once, school didn’t matter.

I called my mother, but she didn’t answer. I texted that I would wait for her near the bus stop instead. The school buses left one by one as I waited for her. The longer I waited, the more anxious I became. Has something happened to her?

Another thirty minutes passed, and I was the only one waiting in the pickup area. Everyone, including faculty and staff, had left. My terror grew as the parking lot became darker. How much longer do I have to wait? Pulling my phone out, I began to dial 911 but stopped immediately. What would I tell them? Hello, I’m a seventeen-year-old high school junior, and I need a ride home because my mommy’s playing hide-and-seek with her phone. She told me to trust no one, and I’m scared.

Groaning, I stuffed my phone back into my bag, but a familiar, haunting chill lingered in the air like a mysterious mist. It was as if an unseen presence stood steps away, fixated on me. Swiftly retrieving my phone, I was determined to call the cops this time.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Your Highness,” someone said from beneath the bus shelter across the street from me. A second ago there was no one there. His face was entirely hidden by the shadow. He leaned against the glass back panel, both feet firmly planted on the ground and his arms were crossed over his chest. Something dark fell from his back to his feet.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!” I demanded, “Are you stalking me?”

He straightened his back, slid his hands into his leather pockets, and took a couple of steps forward, spreading his shoulders. It was evident he had wings attached to his back; long black wings with sharp feathers spread wide to intimidate me. Golden eyes came into the light. “Stalking? Hardly,” He said, a menacing grin stretched across his face, revealing his long, pointy fangs.

“Who are you?” I asked. “What do you want from me?”

“My, my,” his tongue brushed against his teeth as he tilted his head, “I’m whoever you wish me to be,” he said, Stepping closer. I could see his sharp features in the light. His eyes were sharp and cunning, like a fox’s, framed by thick eyebrows. His hair, the darkest shade of black, was slicked back. A single strand fell on his face as he clicked his tongue. “What a waste.”

“What?” I asked, my voice tinged with panic. “What did you just say?”

“It’s a waste to kill someone like you, Your Highness,” he said softly, leaning down to meet my gaze. His scent was wild and somewhat spicy. Nothing like a human. “One look at you—at your freckles, your hair,” he whispered, fingers weaving through a strand of my hair as if testing whether the ginger would come off, “and those hazel eyes.” He tsked. “It really is you, Carrots.”

With every step I took backward, he followed. My back slammed against the wall as he pinned his hands on both sides, caging me in. There was no way out, and no use in hiding my fear.

“Why do you want to kill me? I haven’t done anything to you. Let go of me!” I shouted.

He leaned closer and whispered in my ears. “Not because of what you’ve done, but because of who you are.” He pulled his head back, so our eyes met again. He opened his mouth slowly, his fangs growing longer and sharper as he readied to attack me. My heart sped. I closed my eyes tightly as I tried to push him away. He was impossible to fight.

Suddenly, a bright light blinded me, and a loud honk startled the both of us. When I opened my eyes, I saw my mother in her black minivan, death-staring at the raven-like creature. A look that terrified me. She said something, but I couldn’t understand; something only he did. 

Grinning, he stepped away without looking at me. His wings flapped back and forth until black dust began to form around him. In just a breath’s span, he vanished, leaving no trace behind.

“Hurry, get in the car!” my mother shouted. I was still afraid of her and that scary look she had on her face. A knot tightened in my chest as I sat in the front seat. My mother drove off before I could even properly shut the door. Her hands were shaking, and I could see her sweating under her skin. “Did he hurt you?” she asked as soon as we stopped at the red light.

“No, but he said he wanted to,” I stammered. “He said someone told him to kill me,” I continued nervously. “What took you so long? Did you know that this would happen?”

“Of course not! I knew they were after you, but to kill you?” Her brows drew together in a frown.

“Mother, what is going on? Who’s after me, and why?” I asked. Three hours before, I’d been a nobody, and now those creatures were after me. I didn’t know what was going on, but I was sure my mother did.

“Lexi, I’m not sure if you’re ready.” The light turned green, and she drove ahead. “I-I have a lot of explaining to do. I didn’t think I’d have to tell you so soon.” She sighed. 

I desperately wanted to know everything, but the fear in her eyes hinted that I should hold off on pressing for answers until we got home at least. We drove for another fifteen minutes in silence. I thought about what had happened to me and tried to make sense of it, but I couldn’t. Finally, we were home.

As we entered our one-bedroom apartment, I observed my mother’s movements to see if it was appropriate to question her about everything. She paced around the kitchen for a minute before grabbing my shoulders and pulling me into a chair. “Alexandra, you have to listen to me carefully.”

Alexandra. Not Lexi, but Alexandra. Which only conveyed the depth of seriousness. I responded with a solemn nod.

“Okay, okay. First, I need you to know what I’ve been doing since you were born,” she said, her big green eyes staring right into mine. “My sole duty is to keep you safe and out of their reach, no matter what.”

“What do you mean? Keep me safe from who? Mother, what is going on?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, Alexandra, stop asking questions. I’m going to explain everything to you. Seriously, if my duty was your concern, I don’t know how you’ll react to what’s coming.” She shook her head. “I didn’t tell you about my job because I needed an excuse to move around freely without you suspecting anything. In truth, I’ve been running trying to protect you from faeries.”

I tried to keep a straight face. A giggle slipped. I couldn’t help it. Faeries? My mother smacked her forehead so hard that it made me jump, and she turned away. She scratched her head for a good minute and quickly turned around to face me as though she had discovered something new. “Okay, let me make this easy for the both of us. I’ll tell you a story, and all you have to do is listen. Don’t make any faces and don’t ask any questions until I’m done. Got it?” she asked. I nodded. “Good. Let me start from the very beginning.”

She grabbed another chair and sat across from me. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “Once in the land of Everlynia, there were two regions to keep the fairies and faeries apart: Solmark and Icymark. The fairies, kind, and lovely beings, lived in Solmark, where they were ruled by Summer and Spring in the Faye Throne. The faeries, evil and horrid beings, lived in the Icymark, where they were ruled by Autumn and Winter by their Fae Throne. They kept peace by following strict rules, agreed upon by all seasons’ rulers. Everything fell apart when one fairy fell in love with a fae; such union was strictly forbidden. To keep rules in place, the two creatures were exiled from Everlynia. They sought shelter somewhere else and began their own life by taking a new form and erasing all memories of Everlynia from their descendants. Those two creatures were known as Adam and Eve.

“The exile rule remained in effect, but throughout history, only three people were ever exiled. Those were Adam, Eve, and the queen of the Faye Throne. The queen was accused of conspiring with the enemy of Solmark. As a punishment, the king exiled his queen. However, no one, not even the queen herself, knew she was carrying the king’s child; the rightful heir to the throne. The queen gave birth to a beautiful daughter and took all the risks to keep her alive and protected,” my mother said.

She gave me one long stare, hoping I understood the story. She pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows as high as they could go.

“The end?” I asked.

Her eyes softened, and she shook her head slowly, “No.” She placed her hand on my cheek and brushed my tangled curls away from my face, “It’s only your beginning.”

She took another deep breath, “Alexandra, I am the exiled queen. And you…you are the rightful heir to the Faye Throne.”

All my life, my mother had refrained from sitting down with me and sharing any details about herself or her past. She’d never given me advice or pretended to be a loving mother, and now this?

Her hand came up to touch my cheek, but I smacked it away from my face. “How do you expect me to believe or trust you? If any of what you’re saying is true, then why didn’t you tell me before? How does hiding something like this in any way protect me?” 

She covered her face with both of her hands and sighed. Her straight, brown hair fell to her shoulders as she gracefully leaned back in her chair like a queen. “I admit, I made a mistake. I should’ve told you sooner. But you must believe me when I say I did everything for you. I lost everything the moment I got here, to this world. I don’t belong here, and neither do you. My only purpose in life is to keep you safe and away from danger. I don’t know how, but someone in Everlynia is aware of your existence and is threatened by it.”

She ran her fingers through her hair, holding back her tears. “I thought I was doing the right thing, but I was wrong. We can’t stay here, Lexi. We must leave. Now,” she said as she quickly rose from her seat and opened the cabinet above the stove.

My head was spinning. “Great, we’re running away again?” I asked, crossing my arms. “Where to this time? Back to Texas?”

A couple of wooden spatulas and a ladle fell from the cabinet to the kitchen floor as my mom searched for something in there.

 “No,” she said, still looking around, standing on her tiptoes. “No more hiding. We’re going back to Everlynia.” She snatched a small red velvet bag from the back of the cabinet and swung the bag between her fingers as she turned around. “Where we belong.”

“Um…what?” I tilted my head in confusion.

Helia sniffled. Still holding onto the red bag, she walked slowly toward me and dropped to her knees. “Alexandra,” she said in a low voice, “I know it’s a lot to take in, but you have to trust that everything I told you is true. I can’t keep you safe on my own, not after what happened today.”

She took a brief pause before reaching out to grab my hand firmly. “Darling, I can’t imagine what horrors you must’ve seen today. But if we stay here, you will be approached again and again by faeries like the one you saw today. I’m not enough. I need someone powerful to protect you.” She gazed straight into my eyes. “I need the king, your father. Will you trust me? Trust that I see no other option but to let your father know that you’re in danger?”

I shook my head. “No, what if… What if he already knows? What if he was the one who ordered that raven thing to kill me?” I narrowed my eyes. “Why would he be merciful toward me, if he wasn’t toward his wife, the queen?”

Just as I said those words, my mother started sobbing uncontrollably. I’d seen her show more emotions in one night than she had in my entire life. She gently let go of my hands and wiped her tears away from her soft face. “No, Lexi, your father was ready to go to war for me, but I couldn’t let him. Solmark was already weakened by my accusation. And when I learned I was pregnant with you, it was already too late. I assure you, he’s more merciful than you’d think,” she said with a controlled smile and teary eyes. 

A searing pain pierced my heart as my mother unveiled her suffering. I despised myself for ignoring her feelings and focusing solely on mine. I had no right to blame her. None at all. My mother had given up so much for my father, and so much more for me. I knew I couldn’t offer a lot in return, but I’d do anything to ease her pain. “I trust you, Mother.”

A small smile lit her face. “Thank you, Lexi.”

“Well then, how do we…go to Everlynia?” I hesitated. “Do we have to make a sacrifice or something?” I blinked, waiting for a response.

She placed her hand over her mouth as she tried to contain herself. I could see her laughter in her eyes. She wasn’t very good at hiding that. Then she gathered herself and said, “No. To enter the land of Everlynia, we need to consume pixie brew. Luckily, I have some,” she said as she held the small bag high, almost poking my eye with it. “Before I was exiled, I collected a small amount, just in case I needed to return for any reason. But…it’s only enough for one grown woman.”

Seriously? No going down rabbit holes or entering closets? Or even human sacrifices? “So…what does that mean?”

“It means we’ll most likely be transported further away from the Faye Throne. You see, the less pixie brew you have, the further you’ll be from your desired destination,” she said. “All we have to do is mix this brew with water and…bottoms up! Simple, right?”

I nodded. Okay, not so bad. I can do this.

I jolted upright when I heard a loud bang against our window. Another followed a few seconds later. My mother and I dashed to the living room. She pulled back the curtain just enough to see who it was. I peeked over her shoulder and saw a cloud of ravens circling around outside our apartment. Harsh croaks filled the sky. A couple of ravens flew right into the window, cracking the glass with their sharp beaks.

“We have to leave now, Lexi,” my mother said, running back to the kitchen. Opening the dishwasher door, she pulled two clean glasses from the silver racks, filling them halfway with tap water, and evenly sprinkled the black substance from the vial. “Come, Lexi,” she said with a quick glance.

This is it; we’re doing it right now. I hurried to her side as she stirred the mixture with a wooden spoon, working as fast as she could. “It might not taste good,” she said, “endure it. You’ll feel dizzy and you’ll start to see things until we’re in Everlynia. It’s all normal. Now, bottoms up!”

To my surprise, the mixture did not have a bad odor; in fact, it did not smell of anything at all. I gulped the entire drink in one go, just as my mother did. I didn’t feel anything at first, but the taste of expired vinegar began to fill my stomach and throat. The sourness burned my insides, and I began to sweat from the heat. The kitchen appeared to be much larger at one point and very small at another. My legs were barely supporting me; one step and I’d fall flat on my face. I felt someone wrapping their arms around me; it must’ve been my mother. In the blink of an eye, I was in complete emptiness.

My eyelids felt like they were made of metal. It was almost impossible to blink. Colors began to emerge from beneath my feet, many of which I had never seen before. Angelic voices began to sing in a language I didn’t understand. In an instant, I went from slowly breathing to not breathing at all. The sensation of my brain being squeezed made me doze off on the spot.

For what seemed like hours, I was floating in nothingness. When my breathing returned to normal, I slowly opened my eyes to a beautiful fairy staring down at me as I lay in her lap, motionless. Her skin glowed in the dark. In one breath, I smelled various kinds of flowers and spices. I glanced at the fairy as she spoke to me, but I couldn’t hear a single word she said. The fairy shook her head, smiled down at me, and gently tapped my forehead once, sending me back to sleep.