Page 11

Juniper

I blinked awake to find myself standing in a dark cavern, the only light shining dimly from a single sconce embedded in the rocky of the far wall.

There were others spread out, though they were too far away to catch a proper glimpse of. They were mostly just shadowy silhouettes that I only realised were people because they moved.

No one called out, each of us taking in our new surroundings while trying to figure out what the heck was going on. I wracked my brain to recall any memories, but the last thing I remembered were the Fae, Evander and Aspen, and Aspens dagger at my throat. And then the drumming…

Oh, shit. We had been magically hypnotised and transported to what looked like a pocket inside a mountain. I scanned the space to find the Fae or someone I knew, but it was no use. We were too far apart and there was no picking out individual features. I would just have to move forward under the assumption that these were strangers and mama taught me never to trust a stranger.

Suddenly, a distorted, disembodied voice boomed throughout the cave. It felt like it should have been shaking rocks loose from the walls and burying us alive, but the physical realm had no reaction. Everything was still.

‘ The Unity Trials have been initiated. Succeed and survive or fail and perish. The First Trial has commenced.’

Well… that wasn’t ominous at all…

It was slow at first, but movement soon picked up as everyone began trying to figure a way out. I stayed put knowing my best chance would be to cast out my Earth magic to get a lay of the land and find any obstacles or threats. This was a trial of some sort, and it sounded deadly, so I wanted to be sure I knew what I was getting into before I made any moves.

If there was anything that I was completely sure of, however was that I wasn’t going to make it out of here alive on my own. It was called the Unity Trials for a reason, and that little clue hadn’t gotten past me. I was going to have to find an ally before whatever these trials contained left me for dead.

But first, the lay of the land.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply of the stale, musty air, wrinkling my nose at the scent. It smelled a little like cheesy feet and a lot more like rotting meat. Not a good sign. If there was anything I knew about the Earth it was that there was always a balance. With life came death. It was inevitable, but the dangers it posed right now were more concerning to me. I needed to find which direction it was coming from so I could avoid the predator responsible.

Because that smell, rank though it was, confirmed that there was at least one, and I doubted it would be friendly.

I pushed my magic out in a pulse I kept subtle to avoid the others detecting its presence and assuming the worst. I didn’t know what the others were capable of, if there were more than just Fae interspersed throughout the cavern. The magic reported back to me in the form of an image inside my head. The cave itself was a giant bubble in the centre of what seemed to be a system of offshoot tunnels that all converged here. The only way out would be through one of the tunnels, but which one?

My magic kept creeping along so I quickly pulled it back, afraid I would accidentally brush against the creature that called these tunnels home and draw its attention. I had no idea if it would even be able to sense me, but I didn’t want to take that risk. If I could sneak out of here unnoticed, that would have been great. I was vaguely satisfied with the general knowledge of the immediate vicinity that I was comfortable enough to take the time to try to find an ally or two.

I could probably use Arden and Evander’s weapons at some point, though my magic should suffice to at least keep me alive. Hopefully.

With a bit of pep in my step born from my eagerness to get this show on the road rather than actual happiness, because let’s face it, things weren’t looking so great for me in my current circumstances, I headed towards the centre of the room to start my search for new friends.

The closer I got to the shadowy figures, however, the more space opened up between us. It was like they saw me coming and were actively avoiding me. My heart sank a little at that, knowing my best chance for survival here would be to team up, but I wasn’t about to give up that easily. I could practically hear my mother’s voice berating me from here. Juniper Olwyn, you are not a quitter.

It seemed everyone was moving away from the centre to spread their hands over the walls as they searched for a way out so I rerouted, heading instead to where a group had accumulated. My eyes had adjusted well to the darkness so I was able to get a better look at them when I was close enough to recognise them all as Fae. In fact, if I squinted, I thought I could make out the faces of the two Fae I had recently met.

Confidence bolstered by even the smallest grain of familiarity, I strode forward with a pleased grin already stretching my cheeks and inserted myself in their circle. ‘Hi!’

Evander and Arden stood side by side and blinked at me in surprise. Or perhaps it was the brilliance of my smile. I had been told on numerous occasions that it could light up a room, and this room in particular needed it more than any other.

The shared a glance with each other and then the other members of their group. Words were exchanged in a lyrical language I couldn’t understand until they came to some sort of consensus, then Evander stalked toward me with a frown darkening his eyes. My heart sunk, the coming rejection stinging more than I would ever admit. I thought we’d had a bonding moment back before we found ourselves down here, but apparently that meant nothing in the face of hardship.

Well, at least it was better to find out now that he wasn’t worth shit. Time to move on.

He raised a hand and patted the top of my head, the condescending action shooting fire through my veins. How dare he?

I swatted him away, giving him a little taste of that fire as sparks danced along his skin, threatening to catch light. He jumped away, startled, then met my scowl with one of his own. I huffed and spun on my heels, my unbound hair whipping behind me with the momentum and I hoped it smacked him in the face. I could just find someone else who would appreciate me and what I could bring to the table before completely dismissing me like I was an incapable child. Little did they know I was anything but, and I hoped it bit them in the ass.

The Fae tittered behind me as if they were making fun of him, or me, but I ignored them. It was when I heard the booming laughter nearby that I turned to look. A heavily muscled man stood close by with skin so dark he practically blended into the shadows. The only reason I was able to see him were the fact that his yellow, serpentine eyes were glowing like a beacon in the darkness. The hissing sound he made with his laughter clued me in that this man was a Shifter, his second form likely something scaly and slithery.

But I wasn’t able to dwell much on my awe of his species even existing, let alone in the same space as me, breathing the same air, because he was making crude gestures at me that very clearly poked fun at my size. I was short, I could admit that, barely scraping past five feet tall, but it had never hindered me before and it certainly wouldn’t now. I turned a thunderous look on him which only made him laugh harder. He really thought I was my height was that pathetic, huh? Well, I’d show him. I’d damn well show them all. All he could do was turn into an animal, and perhaps he even had the ability to tap into those animalistic traits in his humanoid form but I still held more power in my pinkie finger that he did in the entirety of his tiny brain. I wondered if it rattled about in his skull, knocked about by the shaking his laughter caused. I could see the brain damage happening right before my eyes.

Jerk.

I scanned the room for the umpteenth time, searching for any Witches or Warlocks I could team up with, but I couldn’t seem to find any. Oh well, I would just have to go it alone and hope for the best.

I sent up a quick prayer to Hecate, asking for her assistance getting out of this maze of rock alive. A warm sensation filled me, prickling at my skin to let me know that she had heard me and was on my side. I quietly thanked her, then again when I felt her urge me toward one of the offshoot tunnels I’d catalogued nearby.

I hid behind a stalagmite large enough to cover me as I climbed inside, ignoring the derogatory chuckles and undoubtedly snide remarks from those I was leaving in my dust. They hadn’t gotten far enough to even find one of the offshoots yet, so they could kiss my ass.

I was glad for all the times I’d scaled the dorm buildings over the years, the practice coming in useful now as the tunnel’s entrance was quite a significant height from the ground. I knew that as soon as I entered, however, there was an almost vertical decline that, worst case scenario, I could use my Earth magic to create some steps to make it easier to walk down. I could even remove those steps to make it harder for anyone who followed me, but I dismissed the idea as soon as I had it. I wasn’t a cruel person and I didn’t want to condemn those people to death, bully or not.

Just as I was about to reach the top, a gust of wind suddenly swept over me and pushed my hair into my face, further mussing the already tangled strands even further. I huffed in annoyance but it got stuck in my throat when I tilted my head up to see where it had come from and my eyes connected with a vivid green that, though they were glowing like the shifters, they may as well have been with how bright they were.

Eyes that belonged to a man almost as stacked as the Shifter with his muscles of full display with his bare chest. But it wasn’t the mouthwatering abs and pectorals that drew my attention, nor was it the simple piece of fabric he wore like a loin cloth that didn’t do much to cover the thick outline of a long, girthy cock, sizeable even when soft that strained against the flimsy material. I took all of it in within a blink of an eye before I focused on what really grabbed my attention. The source of the wind were the giant, white-feathered wings protruding from his back that beat with an immense amount of strength to keep him aloft, and my breath stalled in my lungs at the stunning sight.

He was a gods-damned Angel .

His eyes shifted from mine to the gap in the wall just above my head and understanding dawned in those bright green depths. He whistled once and a flurry of feathers sounded as an entire host of Angels flew up to meet him. He said something in a deep, baritone voice that normally would have sent delicious shivers down my spine if it were for the underlying arrogance coating his words, but the other Angels didn’t seem to notice. Instead, they listened raptly and then followed him obediently as he charged into the tunnel, the sounds of their beating wings echoing loudly back into the cavern.

Well, shit. If that was the tunnel that led to the predator, they’d just thrown my plan for stealth right out the fucking window.

Grumbling under my breath, I began the journey back down. I would need to find a different way out now that my gut was screaming at me that they’d just drawn the predator right to us.

I jumped the last foot or so, landing in a slight crouch to find myself surrounding by the snickering Fae and Shifters. I pulled up short when I noted another race thrown in the mix, one with varying shapes and sizes of horns protruding from their heads, a few even with bat-like wings rustling behind them, and all in a wide range of colours.

Daemons.

Well, that rounded out the list of so-called mythological beings. Now we just needed a unicorn and a dragon to put the cherry on top.

I noted that the Daemons weren’t making fun of me, however. They eyed me up, their gazes bouncing between me and the offshoot tunnel I’d just abandoned with a curious glint in their eyes that matched the colours of their skin. The monotone colouring was odd to see, but beautiful in its own right, especially when my gaze landed on a stunning scarlet woman with small black horns and curves in all the right places. Her pouty crimson lips pulled back in a sultry smile when she caught me looking, and I wondered if she was some sort of sex Daemon.

It didn’t really work on me, though, since I wasn’t sexually attracted to women. She caught on quickly, her smile losing its sexual lure though it was impossible to lose its sensuality as well – it was very clearly just a part of her – and she beckoned me over with a friendly wave.

Excited to have finally found a potential ally though still a little concerned I had yet to see any other Humans in the cavernous chamber, I pushed through the still snickering crowd and practically bounced over to her, extending my hand to greet her with my grin firmly back in place.

‘Hi! I’m Juniper.’

She tilted her head to the side as she listened to my language that would have been utterly unfamiliar to her, and I facepalmed at making the same mistake twice. It was easily fixable, though, and I patted my chest. ‘Juniper.’

She smiled back in understanding, nodding her head to acknowledge me and tapped her own chest. ‘Qarinah.’

I tested the name on my tongue, liking the way it ended almost on a sigh. I had a feeling that was intentional on her parent’s part, giving her a name that could only add to her appeal. I mean, even though I was completely straight I still found myself unable to tear my eyes away from the fullness of her breasts as they rose and fell with each breath. The woman exuded sex so much that my clit pulsed just from being near her. It was a wonder I could even still think straight.

I liked her.

I liked her even more when she tried to communicate with me with gestures rather than words, bypassing the nonsense as she waved in the direction the Angels had just left with a single, perfectly arched eyebrow in question.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, then grunted like a neanderthal and beat my chest, ending my display by running my finger across my neck like it had been slit to indicate they were going to die.

She watched it all, vacillating between amusement at my admittedly terrible acting skills and horror and what I was expressing to her. When she backed away from that particular tunnel, proving she’d understood, I was glad. My instincts were telling me she was someone I’d want to keep around.

Grunting from behind me drew her attention and she pursed her lips at what she saw. I turned to look, finding that same Shifter with the glowing yellow eyes mocking the way I’d just communicated (successfully, I might add) with exaggerated movements and noises. He even went so far as to raise the pitch of his voice to mock how high mine was, and that was the moment I decided I’d had enough.

Now, it wasn’t normal for Witches or Warlocks with the ability to manipulate the elements to create something out of nothing, but I was fortunate enough to also have an affinity for Conjuring which was how I was able to make vines grow from where they previously would not have grown and where no seeds lay dormant beneath any soil. They snapped out of my fingertips, twisting and growing, thickening into sturdy ropes that I used to wrap around his body and constrict like the snake I believed him to be, squeezing until he was barely even wriggling and his chest could no longer expand to take in a breath.

All humour fled as his Shifter friends watched on with wide-eyed surprise and the Fae stumbled back, all of them stunned into silence.

I urged the vines to move so he was pinned in place against the stalagmite I’d previously used to hide behind, then prompted them to let up just enough for him to keep breathing.

I may have wanted to teach him a lesson, but that didn’t mean I wanted to kill him.

‘That’s quite enough from you and your half a braincell, asshole,’ I spat at him.

When his wide, panicked eyes met mine like he expected me to finish him off, my vines retreated back into my body where they dispersed back into the magic they came from, humming delightfully inside my veins. He fell limply, hitting the hard ground like a ragdoll and I turned away from him, effectively dismissing him to refocus my attention on the only person in this gods-forsaken place that had shown me even an ounce of respect and kindness.

I extended me arm in the direction my mind-map of the tunnels showed me we needed to go. ‘Shall we?’ I asked Qarinah.

I knew she couldn’t understand my words, but she at least understood my intent. She nodded, a pleased smile tilting up her lips as she fell into step beside me. The other Daemons that had watched the interaction trailed behind us, smarter than the other three races combined.

When we reached the other tunnel, this one opening through the floor where it met the wall, I finally found the other Humans. They had congregated near the single lit sconce which was why I hadn’t seen them before since it rested on top of a large, rocky shelf. They were completely hidden in the shadows. Clever.

Thankfully, I recognised one particular face amid the crowd. George Morven was a friend, though we’d not be as close since he’d accused me of crushing on Oz. The curse had forced me to distance myself from him in case our secret was revealed after he began noticing too much, but I was pleased to see him now. I waved and he returned the gesture, though anxiety had his eyes darting everywhere as the group huddled together.

I waved them over and it took a moment for them to pluck up enough courage to leave the false safety of the shadows, they joined me and the Daemons.

‘Hey, June,’ George greeted me.

‘Hi, Georgie,’ I gave him a small smile I hoped helped soothe him a bit, but I didn’t think there was anything that really could.

‘What was that over there?’ he asked, point in the general direction of where I’d left the Shifters and the Fae though I didn’t turn to look. Also, if they’d watched all of that go down, why hadn’t they tried to help me? Or at least let me know they were there.

I hid my annoyance with a pasted-on smile and a shrug. ‘There are bullies in every realm, apparently.’ And fake friends too, it seemed . ‘Just teaching them a lesson. We should go, though. The tunnel I was trying to go through would have led us out, but those idiotic Angels ruined any chance of stealth. This tunnel system belongs to some sort of predator, so we need to move before it finds us.’

‘Wait… hang on a sec. What predator?’ he all but squeaked. Georgie had never been a particularly courageous man so I couldn’t imagine the fear he felt being thrust into the unknown like this. I tried not to take his previous inaction as a slight against me.

‘Can’t you smell the rotting meat?’ I asked.

His nostrils flared as he lifted his nose in the air and sniffed. ‘No. Just stale air from the cave.’

‘Well, there’s no time to get your nose checked right now, Georgie, but we’ve been dropped in something’s home and we need to leave before it gets pissed at the intrusion.’

‘Gods above, June. What the fuck is even happening?’

‘I know as much as you do, George. I’ve just managed to scope out our immediate surroundings. The other tunnels either loop back around or have dead ends. There were only two that kept going when I stopped scanning. I just hope you’re not claustrophobic because this way is gonna be a tight squeeze…’

I nodded hello to the others, clasped hands with a few, and turned back to face those gathered around me. I pointed at the hole, speaking for the benefit of my people while hoping the Daemons would get the gist of it.

‘We need to crawl through there. There’s a steep incline on the other side and I don’t know what trouble we’ll fine along the way, but I do know this is the way.’

‘Thanks, Juniper,’ someone I didn’t recognised spoke up, relief dropping their shoulders as they had one less thing to worry about. Navigating was only one part of the challenge. Facing the unknown threats that lay ahead was what would either kill us or not, but we would need to stick together for any chance of survival. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, so I cast aside any negative feelings towards my own people.

Succeed and survive or fail and perish.

It didn’t matter if they hadn’t stepped forward before, I wasn’t about to leave them to die.

Qarinah took the place on my other side and grasped my hand in hers, the action creating a sense of solidarity I’d been searching for when I’d first approached the Fae. I beamed at her then tugged her to the hole, ignoring the way my people panted after her like she was water in a desert. I could tell she was holding back on whatever magic that ensnared horny idiots but I hoped they would be able to control themselves. We’d wasted too much time as it was and we needed to get moving.

I knew in my bones that whatever predator called this place home would catch up eventually, but I wanted to make sure we had a head start before the inevitable encounter. Hopefully, it would give us enough time to make a plan or two while we had the chance.