The Weight of a Wing (The Stolen Wings Book 1)

  The Weight of a Wing

  The Stolen Wings Book 1

  IOANA VISAN

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The Weight of a Wing

  The Stolen Wings Book 1

  Copyright © 2015 Ioana Visan

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Art by Vega Mandalika

  http://xilveroxas.deviantart.com

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  First eBook Edition: April 2015

  Alise has achieved the impossible. The Fairy survived having her wings chopped off, and now finds herself in the human world, hunted like prey by the sadistic Gorem once again.

  With her help, locating him means that the two Guardians of Balance, Rafe and Vale, will not only be able to make him pay for maiming her, but hold him accountable for the deaths of other Fairies, as well.

  However, Gorem has plans of his own for the rogue Fairy. With the help of a Wizard, Fabian, and an army of monsters, Gorem will stop at nothing to recapture Alise.

  With already so much on the line, Alise not only has to keep herself safe, but will also have to protect her new human friend, Cassie, in the process.

  Who will win the battle of good versus evil? Is capturing Gorem worth risking what remains of Alise's life?

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Books by Ioana Visan

  Chapter One

  In a world where sources of real magic were rare, anyone used to living and breathing by it was constantly aware of its presence and could easily locate it, even if the magic was several kilometers away. In reverse, its absence was just as poignant, a red flag, too bright to be ignored because it had to hurt.

  With the spell working, he saw her in his head, the beautiful brunette with dark eyes, long dark hair, and even longer legs, sitting in that booth inside the bar, quietly sipping on her drink and watching the agitated conversation going on around her. She had a calm demeanor while her body screamed for a spark of magic. It was a craving so intense, he could feel it over two corridors and through four sets of walls, her pain resonating inside him like a black hole.

  In vain, he told himself he was doing her a favor, but it was not the case—nothing good could come out of this for her. He was doing this for selfish reasons, and she happened to be caught in the middle of it. A mission… That’s what she was, only she wasn’t like any other mission. The more he thought about it, about her, the more he hated what had been done to her and what was likely to happen if he followed his orders. Sometimes he hated his job. When he was done with her, she would hate him, too.

  He was so screwed.

  * * *

  “You people are ruining our city,” Cassie said for the thousandth time.

  Alise glanced at her friend seated next to her at the table, fully engrossed in the debate on the pros and cons of building a modern downtown in the city. It happened every time Cassie dropped by to whisk her away for some retail therapy. Since the summer had started and they were right in the middle of the exam session, Cassie was stressed so they seemed to be doing a lot of shopping lately.

  “That park of yours … It’s not a park. It’s a handkerchief!” Cassie shook her honey-colored, shoulder-length curls.

  Alise tuned out the rest of the tirade. She knew the lecture by heart. It wasn’t even Cassie’s hometown. The girl had come to study international law at the university—one of the best in the country—but she had adopted it as her own. Cassie would never agree with tearing down the entire park behind the old Culture Palace, conveniently renaming it Palas, and replacing it with office buildings, restaurants, and hotels, with a patch of green in the middle of it all.

  As a member of the team in charge of the redesign of the park, Alise saw both sides of the coin. People had to eat, and this business was much bigger than they were. If their small architecture firm hadn’t snatched the contract, it would have been some other company who probably would have done a sloppy job. Alise admired her friend’s determination and dedication to the cause, but she would have to get Cassie away from there soon before the girl started to annoy her colleagues.

  Cassie turned to her. “Well, you’re the landscape expert. Tell them!”

  Alise blinked, having not paid attention to what they were saying. The skin between her shoulder blades itched, and she had an odd feeling that someone was staring at her. She had to fight the impulse to turn around. Still, from the corner of her eye, she noticed him standing on the other side of the glass wall in the busy gallery. The dark shadow towering over her made her shiver. They had found her. And now they would want to take her away. She didn’t want to go back. Nothing good waited for her on the other side … no happiness, no hope. She was lucky she had escaped alive in the first place.

  As a rebellious act, Alise refused to acknowledge the menacing presence, but the silhouette wouldn’t go away.

  “Not now,” she hissed under her breath. In fact, she meant not here. They wouldn’t come to pick her up in the middle of a crowded bar, would they? People would freak out, so they had to stay hidden. After all, there were rules.

  “Sorry. Did you say something?” Cassie’s soft brown eyes watched Alise with curiosity. “You look pale. Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” Alise pushed back her chair, wishing to crush the shadow behind her, and got up. “I just need some air.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Cassie asked, concern in her voice.

  “No need. I’ll be fine,” Alise murmured. Grabbing her purse, she walked out of the bar. She heard a faint chuckle as the silhouette behind her dematerialized, but that had only been inside her head because the
presence was a projection. No one else had seen it.

  She didn’t need a compass to show her the way. Her body felt the magic, which was so rare in these parts, and steered her in the right direction. She crossed the gallery, her high heels clicking on the tiles, and turned around the corner where he was waiting near a closed exit.

  For a long moment, they just stared at each other. He was not much different than what she had expected. They hadn’t changed the uniform in recent years. It was the same black leather long coat that hid firm muscles and all kinds of weapons inside—no surprise there. Crossbreeds. They sure made them pretty. And deadly. What a pain.

  He was one head taller than her and twice as heavy. She could never match his strength without magic. And all crossbreeds did was fight. Maybe not right now, but soon. It was the reason for their entire existence.

  From below short golden locks, quicksilver eyes peered at her intently.

  That look made her uncomfortable, even more so than the presence of the magic. His eyes trailed from her face to her curves, wrapped in a short khaki designer dress, down her long legs to her strappy sandals, and then jumped back to her eyes. Everywhere his gaze went, her skin burned. Did he do it on purpose? No one would have dared to look at her like that on the other side. But she was a nobody here, just another face in the crowd. She had no rights.

  It meant she also had no responsibilities. She didn’t have to help him or listen to him. By agreeing to meet with him, she was doing him a favor. That thought alone, as crazy as it was, brought a smug smile to her face.

  “What do you want?” Alise asked, getting straight to the point.

  “I’m—”

  “I know what you are. You’re a Guardian.” And he was not supposed to be there. She had traveled a long way to get away from anything related to her old life.

  “Well, I was going to say I’m Rafe, but if you want to keep things impersonal…” He shrugged, his tone teasing, not caring one way or the other.

  She glanced at the ceiling, lacking the patience to put up with his antics. “Again, what do you want?”

  His smirk stayed, but his eyes turned serious. “I need a Fairy.”

  “I don’t do those things anymore.” She shook her head, her ponytail bouncing on her shoulders. “Go find another one.”

  “I’ve searched the entire city,” he said. “There are no other Fairies around. You’ve gone to great lengths to find a place so utterly devoid of magic.”

  And she intended to keep it that way. “If you know I’m a Fairy, then you also know I’ve lost my wings. I can’t help you. Ask a Witch. There are plenty around.” Human witches, yes, but not Witches in the way they knew them. Still, Alise couldn’t help enjoying the idea of seeing the Guardian running around the city, trying to find the real deal.

  “I can’t go to a Witch with this,” Rafe said.

  A Witch would have burned his ass just for daring to request assistance. They were one of the most uncooperative creatures out there and, given their nature, they could hardly be forced into doing something against their will. Alise envied them.

  “All I need is a location spell. You can still do that.” He sounded determined, as if he knew.

  Their gazes locked as a battle of wills commenced. Alise was about to say no when another man appeared near Rafe. He had come from around the corner, but he had moved so fast, it looked like he had materialized on the spot. He was slimmer, but he had the same gear and was close in height. Under the long brown hair that fell to his shoulders, partially hiding his narrow face, the smoky grey eyes looked restless.

  Alise rolled her eyes and muttered, “I should have remembered you traveled in pairs.” Where she came from, people used to say, Careful with those Guardians. One of them is going to betray you sooner or later. She wondered which one it was going to be. She wasn’t anxious to find out.

  “How are we doing?” asked the newcomer.

  Rafe peered at Alise. “Still negotiating.”

  “You didn’t offer anything,” she countered quickly. Physically, they could force her, although it remained to be seen whether they would succeed in making her cast the spell. Legally, however, they had no ground to stand on. After her disgrace, she’d left their realm. She didn’t owe them anything.

  “Oh, did I forget to mention who we’re looking for?” Rafe feigned surprise.

  His companion shook his head, obviously not in the mood to play Rafe’s cat and mouse game. Or maybe he just didn’t like her.

  “It’s Gorem,” the blond Guardian said, his bright eyes fixated on her, waiting for a reaction.

  Alise’s jaw clenched. Of course she knew that name. Gorem was the one responsible for her misfortune. “He’s here?”

  “All signs point to somewhere in the area.”

  Alise went quiet for a moment. She had hoped for and feared this for a long time. Right now, she didn’t know how she felt anymore. She was stunned, frozen inside like the roots of her missing wings. “What will you do with him when you catch him?” When, not if, as Guardians never abandoned their missions.

  “Attempt to take him back for proper punishment … kill him if he puts up any resistance,” Rafe said. He must have seen a glimpse of suspicion on her face because he added, “The Council sent us. He’s not protected anymore.”

  That was an interesting turn of events. It didn’t help her situation, but it did feel good to know they hunted him like the criminal he was. Death would be too good for him, but it would have to do. The Guardians weren’t famous for their mercy.

  “So, are you going to help us?” the other Guardian asked. “Before he disappears again?”

  “Where are you staying?”

  “At the Horizon Hotel,” Rafe said.

  “I’ll be there at midnight.”

  The Guardians took off in a hurry … no thanks, no goodbye, nothing. She hadn’t expected anything else, though. This was a business arrangement. Still, once she found herself alone in the corridor, she wondered briefly if she hadn’t imagined the whole thing. But, no, magic withdrawal did not cause hallucinations. What she had feared the most was finally happening and, in the end, one of them would be dead. There was no way around it.

  Alise drew in a long breath and thought about the ingredients she needed for the spell. She was not going down without a fight, not after everything she had already lost. Good thing she had brought her purse with her. She could leave right away and get to the market before it closed. She wasn’t going to make it back to the table.

  Chapter Two

  At a quarter to midnight, Alise quietly knocked on the hotel room door. She waited in the narrow corridor, holding onto her shoulder bag, until Rafe opened the door. He looked serious, his blade in hand, but he grinned when he saw her. She didn’t return the smile.

  “Ready?” she asked, making a sour face. She had changed into skinny jeans and a light jacket for the occasion, and she couldn’t wait to get it over with.

  “Come in. It will only take a minute.” Rafe nodded for her to step into the room. All the lights were on, the room positively glowing. The Guardians liked light. “I told you she’d come,” he said over his shoulder.

  She felt Rafe watching her as she looked at the second Guardian. He was running a healing stone over his torn shoulder, the claw marks fading quickly. Apparently, they had been busy.

  “This is Vale, by the way,” Rafe said with a smirk.

  Vale nodded on his way to the bathroom, clean shirt in hand. The one he wore was unbuttoned and sported several tears and a big bloodstain on one side. He looked fine, though. Not a wound in sight. The muscles danced nicely on his lean torso as he moved.

  Alise turned her eyes to Rafe. “Is this going to take long? I didn’t come for a strip show.”

  “Does it bother you?” Rafe replied.

  It didn’t, but the presence of the magic did. She didn’t want to start bleeding through her clothes, the way it happened on the other side. But maybe she wouldn’t. She had little magic lef
t.

  “Done,” Vale announced, emerging from the bathroom, still working on buttoning his shirt.

  “Good,” she said while adjusting her bag. It pressed heavily on her shoulder, although there was hardly anything in it besides her wallet, cell phone, and make-up kit. Her grandmother had always said spells were heavy, but that was a different lifetime. “The roof.” She pointed up.

  “All right,” Rafe said, not about to argue with a Fairy whose help they needed. She had the upper hand, at least for a little while. He opened the door and gestured for her to go first. Vale grabbed his coat and followed them.

  The elevator ride to the top floor was awkward. The small metal box could barely contain the magic dripping off the Guardians. Alise held her breath, trying to distract herself from the war raging inside her body. She felt the magic and needed it, but she couldn’t have it. The magic would bring back the pain. Rafe appeared to be willing to chat, but the look Alise gave him made him keep his mouth shut. Eventually, they walked out, still in one piece.

  The restaurant on the roof was popular because of the tall building’s panoramic city views. However, being late and a Wednesday, the restaurant was closed. On one side of the terrace, a small flight of stairs led to a locked door on an elevated platform. The restaurant terrace wouldn’t do for what she had in mind. They had to go all the way up to the top.

  Slipping in front of her, Rafe took two steps and touched the tip of his blade to the lock. A blue light seeped off the blade and lingered around the lock and handle for a moment before the door opened with a click. Alise shifted her weight from foot to foot. Anyone could do that. She conveniently forgot she couldn’t do those things anymore.

  The Guardians went ahead to investigate the battlefield and take down any enemies. She doubted they would find anyone else up there, but she let them do their job. Meanwhile, she looked for a spot not far from the ledge with a good view all around—the fancy lit façade of the old palace nearby, the busy traffic downtown, the deserted Palas farther down the hill, the river in the distance. She stopped there and waited while the linden-scented, warm breeze played with her hair. Rafe and Vale positioned themselves at a safe distance. The spell she had to cast posed no danger, but they still shouldn’t get in the way.