Forever Fae (Forever Fae #1)(5)

Gothin lifts his head and shows his rotten, pointed teeth when he grins.

“Our people are in place. No one suspects what we have planned.”

This is great. Once I have the princess in my grasp, I’ll be able to keep the prophecy from coming true. I wish I could just walk right into the Summer Court and take her, but I can’t. I have to be patient, and then when the time is right she will be mine.

I am Alasdair, the last dark sorcerer of my time. I escaped as a young boy, but only in spirit form, while my family and friends were slaughtered by the courts. Our goal was to take over the courts and claim all of the Land of the Fae. Unfortunately, the sorcerers in my clan became careless and greedy. They let their own greed lead to their destruction, but not this time though. I have been building my army for over a hundred years now. It’s taken a lot of time, but I am very close to my goal.

My dwelling in the Black Forest is actually luxurious. I conjured up many different homes in the trees and on the grounds. My home is set in the middle of the hugest tree of the forest. The prisons are well secured and I have my army patrolling the grounds in shifts. We are safe for the time being because no one dares to enter the forest. Many have tried but they were either killed or are now part of my army. Inheriting my family’s power has come with many advantages. My army and minions listen to everything I say and they follow my orders. I’ve lured numerous creatures here with thoughts of wealth and prosperity. In return, I have their full loyalty. Most of my army are traitors to their own kind or thieves that have been cast out. They are greedy, murderous fiends that will help me take over this land.

My family came to the Land of the Fae from the mortal realm. When my people used their magic to find other realms, they stumbled upon the Land of the Fae. Once they crossed over, their magic intensified. The natural magic of the land fueled theirs and with their arrival the courts were alerted to the change. When my people were told to leave war broke out because my people didn’t comply with the demands. We were told the black magic of our people would corrupt the land. Both courts came at us full force and they almost didn’t win. Our power didn’t have enough time to strengthen before they devastated our numbers and I have been planning my revenge ever since.

The courts don’t know that there is a dark sorcerer out here in the Black Forest. They may be close to figuring it out, but hopefully my plan for vengeance will be well under way before they have a chance to stop me. My power has slowly gained over time, and the power I absorb is giving me a body. I can obtain my solid body for a small amount of time if I use the talisman I’m wearing for energy. When I take my true solid form, it’s the body I was born with. I have long, brown hair to my shoulders and gray eyes. However, I can change my true form to make me look like anyone a person desires. This will come in handy when I have the princess here. When I am in my spirit form, I take my true form’s shape, but I’m not solid. I appear as a ghost, but more corporeal than a ghost. Over time I will be solid, and will be able to enjoy the temptations of life on my own. I can take over a fae’s body and enjoy things through them, which I have done occasionally, but it takes a lot of power to do it, so I don’t do it that often. I have done it several times with my minions to get the inside information myself. As long as they wear the necklaces I give them, I have the power to transfer into them. They don’t really like it when I have control of their bodies, but it’s not like they have a choice. They signed over their lives when they decided to join me.

I absorb my power through the forest and by a secret way that nobody other than my army knows about. Around my neck I wear a talisman. The gem is a bloodstone that naturally helps to strengthen and lengthen lifespan and it also helps to steal traces of power from the people in my army as well so I consider it payment to be able to be a part of my army. The power I steal then gets absorbed into me, making me stronger.

If I were to put the talisman around someone’s neck it would absorb their power more quickly and kill them in mere seconds. I do this as punishment to those I capture who won’t pay fealty to me. Once I capture the almighty princess, I plan to steal most of her power. The more power I take, the easier it will be to persuade her. I don’t want to completely drain her because I want to keep her to be my queen. There are no lovely women here in the forest, but I’ve actually been around the princess and have seen her exquisite beauty. No one even suspected that something was amiss during that time when I inhabited my minion. I have spied on her numerous times since then to witness her power. I could see the light inside of her that only one of The Four possesses. It will soon become mine and I will be one step closer to gaining the power I need and the body I desire.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and then I look back to Gothin and say, “Prepare the scrying bowl. I need speak to my informant.” He leaves immediately and comes back just as fast. He sets up the scrying bowl for me to use and bows.

“The bowl is ready, Master,” he informs gruffly.

I dismiss Gothin so I can talk to my spy in secret. The scrying bowl allows me to contact any of my people through a reflective surface. All that is needed is a drop of blood and the true name of the one sought. I pull on the power of the talisman to make myself solid, and I take the knife from my belt and prick my finger. I let the droplet of blood fall into the bowl, and I called forth the person I am seeking. He appears in the bowl, looking a little nervous and apprehensive. I love that they fear me. I take a seat and peer into the bowl.