Twin's Luck by Kelsey Hunsdon (great novels txt) 📕

as possible. The ride was quite and I thought that the horse ran faster than usual, eager to get home. Soon it became cold and when snow coated the ground I knew where we were. I shivered but Ash seemed fine his skin not even goosebumped. He didn't say anything and when a long time later civilization came into view I knew that this was it my last private moment with him.
" Thank you." He seemed shocked but his face was still stone, too formal.
" Just holding up my end, now it's your turn." His voice was cold, unemotional. We passed through some small towns and then I saw the castle on the horizon. It was ice completely. The city around it was bustling with dark haired fey, goblins and I could make out to giant orcs guarding the gates. We rode in silently everyone shooting daggers my way some pointing and laughing. I swallowed loudly and then we entered the courtyard. Ash jumped off the horse and waited for me not even looking my way. The horses hospitality also seemed to be gone as he pranced impatiently. I slid off and Ash held my arms behind my back in an icy embrace. He shoved me forward and we walked until we were at large doors. They opened with a groan and then were in the main part of the castle. All talking ceased and then the queen appeared from one of the tunnels followed by many glamorous fey.
" I heard rumor you were here," She looked me over quickly. "And with my package, what a good boy." She snapped a finger and two Winter guard appeared. They shackled my hands and Ash looked on uninterested. "What was the delay?" She asked impatiently.
" We found Shujii." His mother raised and eyebrow.
" What did she say?"
" The eldest will not be that way forever..." He said it slowly and a few off the fey around the queen jotted it down in notebooks. She let out a high pitched laugh and made us all jump.
" Maybe the old bats onto something." With that she waved her hand and I was dragged away into a dark part of the castle. We went down stairs and I found myself in the dungeon. All around the cells were full of goblins and deformed Fey, Mab's targets. They threw me in one without a word and then disappeared. The only sound were the moans of the others. My brain took a while and then it all clicked together. Ash had used me, he had played me and he had hidden the person he really was. He was just like the rest of them cold and heartless. A few angry tears streaked down my face and I wiped them away with a swipe of my palm. I had been betrayed and it stung like hell.
" Oliver?!" I called. "Oliver!" No answer.
" Miss?" A stranger called from another cell.
" Do you know my brother?"
" I'm afraid so." A cough and some sputtering followed.
" Where is he?" I clutched the bars tightly.
" He's with Rowan, something terrible has happened. They have corrupted his brain." I let this sink in.
" Who are you?"
" My name is Hija, I was one of the queens advisors until recently."
" What happened?" He seemed to gather himself.
" I made a mistake and spoke out of term." It seemed alittle harsh but I wasen't sure how things worked here.
" I need to find him."
" I wouldn't bother, get out. It's far too late for him." I didn't answer. I huddled in a corner. Someone started wimpering and another was whispering to himself. I kept trying to think but everything seemed to cross out. I had counted so much on Shujii and she had let me down. I buried my head and closed my eyes. splashes of light played behind my lids but that did little to affect the pounding that had taken up in my ears. I hummed to myself to drown out the others noises but my brain was so restless with new information. I must have and that all night because eventually I heard the sound of bootsteps. They opened my cell and gripped my arms. They tied them behind my back and shoved me back the way I had been brought in. We went through a maze of hallways and then I was standing in front of Mab. She was seated on a throne and I saw Ash leaning uninterested by her side. She waved off the guards and they waited outside the doors.
" Destiny is it?" I didn't answer her and I saw her eyes tighten. "Your father has made an interesting proposal, unfortunately I cannot take advantage of his weakness." She inspected her long fingernails with critical eyes.
" You see you are here under terms that I cannot change," She waved her hand and a side door opened. "And your brother has chosen to remain here." I starred as a man walked in, He had short blonde hair spiked atop his head. He wore dark armor and a long sword gleamed at his side but it's aura was off it glowed brightly. He bowed to the queen and then turned formaly towards me. Oliver face had changed so much the eyes only seemed the same. But there was something off there too, they were dead, no life resignated. He met my gaze uninterested and then stared at the floor without a thought. A noise came from my throat like a choked animal but I clamped my teeth shut with effort.
" So you are here until you can find someway to earn your freedom." She shrugged and continued talking as if my heart hadn't just been torn apart. She glanced at Ash but his back was turned to us. Hija was right, my brother had been changed deluted.
" What did you do to him?" I said it through clenched teeth. I had spoken out of term but what more did I have to loose. She surprisingly didn't seem put out more like she wanted to explain it.
" Well it's honestly quite and ingenius idea." She ran her fingers in a circular motion of her ice throne. I watched as Ash left the room soundlessly. "We placed a chip in the back of his head that thinks for him, it's not as advancxed as we'd hoped but he follows basic commands." She seemed to have lost her enthusiasm with the thought and she snapped her fingers. The guards returned and dragged me out and I only tore my eyes from Olvier as I rounded a corner. As soon as I knew where I was in the hallways I let my legs go limp. It took the guards a moment to readjust but that's all the time I needed. I swept the feet out from under one guard and turned so that the strike from the other broke the chains. I shoved his sword back at him cutting my hands. It hit his face and he fell unconcious to the floor. The other grabbed my ankle and tried to pull me down but I merely kicked him in the gut and then used my fist to hit him in the temple. I sat and listened for a moment but it had gone unnoticed. I grabbed the keys and a sword as I took off through the halls. I rounded the corner and stopped short. A tall figure was coming towards me and then I saw his face.
" Oliver." His expression was dead as he charged me. I expected him to stop but he pushed me against the wall pulling back to strike. I closed my eyes and turned my head away knowing that this was the end. My eyes shot open at the sound of metal hitting the wall. His sword had hit an inch from my face. A confused look took over his face. Immediatly I drove my knee between his legs doubling him over. I took off the opposite way and heard him pursue. I ducked into a small shelf as he ran by unnoticed. I slipped and and went the other way knowing I could make before he realized what had happened. The large doors were open and no one was in sight. I ran around the back to where the stables were. I stopped short and the air flew from my lungs. I could see Ash's horse standing there, the only thing in the way was Ash. I walked towrds him making eye contact and I stopped a foot from him. His expression was hard as stone and he was emotionless. His hand rested on his drawn sword.
" Thank you." I whispered. A tear rolled down my cheek. His eyes watched it and then they focused back on me.
" I'm sorry but I can't let you leave."
" You don't have to." I said shaking my head slightly. "Take care of my brother." I said as he reached for me. I threw my own sword and knocked his from his hand. A surprised expression crossed his face as I jumped and grabbed the horses mane kicking it in the same motion. We were off in a puff of snow heading away from the castle. I glanced back to see his shocked figure watching us go. More tears ran down my face but I merely shoved my head in the horses mane and nearly laid down on his back. I looked up when it got warmer and the horse stopped at the border. I got off and patted it's face.
" Go." It turned with a last grunt and took off towards home. I heard wings and I turned around.
" Destiny!" Puck called running towards me. I smiled as much as I could manage. "Are you hurt?" He asked looking me over.
" No." I said shaking my head. He picked me up in a hug and spun me around.
" Your father will be so pleased." He said smiling. I shook my head and his face fell.
" I'm not going back."
" What?"
" I'm not a pawn in this childish game. I can't go back, but I need your help." He looked at me like I had three heads. "They have Oliver, and they've hurt him bad." His expression changed.
" You found Shujii." It wasen't a question but I nodded anyway. "What can I do?" He asked alittle nervously.
" Take me back to the human world."
" You want to go back?" I nodded quietly.
" I need to make a plan, some room to clear my head." He examined my face for a moment.
" Alright, I'll do it." I smiled, and I saw him shift down into a horse. I jumped on without pause and we took off along the border of courts headed towards Earth.
Plans

The first thing I felt was the wind. I opened my eyes and looked out across the horizon. Sky scrapers were everywhere.