Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
It took time for Jackie to get a handle on how Micah’s dark angel magic worked. Since using his magic was as natural as breathing to him, he never really thought about the actual process of it.
She understood that since it was the same for her and her fae magic.
They’d found a relatively safe spot in the labyrinth to take a break. Kellen and Lia kept watchful eyes on the area while Jackie closed her eyes and searched through her memories. After repeatedly watching him use it, she finally got a better understanding of how it worked.
When she was ready, she simply willed her magic to bring her and her friends to Micah’s location. When she used her own magic to teleport, she usually had to imagine where it was she was going. This felt strange since she was essentially teleporting blind.
Thankfully, it worked.
Her breath caught as they reappeared in another cavern. Light filled the room as torches flared to life as if activated by their presence. She gasped when she saw Micah splayed out on a stone altar. He was lying there with his eyes closed and his hands folded over his abdomen. She started to rush toward him, then stopped abruptly.
“What is it?” Kellen asked. “More magical wards?”
“No.” Jackie shook her head, confused. “That’s not him. I mean, it is, but it isn’t.”
“It sure as hell looks like him,” Lia said. “Is this another test of some sort?”
“I don’t know. I just have a feeling if I touch that version of him, something bad will happen.”
“Then don’t touch it—him,” Lia corrected.
Pouring power into their bond, Jackie searched for Micah. She felt a glimmer of him in her mind, and she sent the equivalent of a magical demand pulsing through the cavern. The image of Micah and the altar wavered, then blinked out of existence. As soon as it disappeared, an intricately carved stone sarcophagus appeared in the center of the room.
Hurrying forward, she shoved at the thick slab of stone on top, opening it a crack to reveal that Micah was inside the sarcophagus. Kellen and Lia rushed forward to help her, and with their combined strength, they were able to shove the thick stone cover aside. As it crashed to the ground, Micah’s eyes opened, and he smiled up at her.
“You found me.”
Without thinking, she hoisted herself into the sarcophagus and climbed on top of him. Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face against his neck and burst into loud sobs. “Micah!”
“Hey, what’s this? Don’t cry, princess,” he whispered as he stroked his hand down her hair. “You passed the trial, right? You found me.”
“Let’s give them a minute,” Lia murmured.
She and Kellen walked away to give them some privacy, but Jackie didn’t care about their audience. Too overwhelmed with emotions, she just kept crying. It felt so good to have him back in her arms that she didn’t want to let go.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “I didn’t realize how much of you I was denying by trying to remain fully fae. I’m a horrible mate.”
“Wait, what? Hold on. What is this crazy talk?”
Micah tried to pull her back so he could see her, but she just burrowed closer to him. Giving up, he wrapped his arms around her and delved into her memories to figure out what the fuck had happened while he’d been taking his magical nap and why his usually composed mate was a sobbing mess.
He replayed her memories of what had happened since they’d been separated, impressed and proud of exactly how she’d figured out how to find him. While she’d come to some surprising realizations about their bond through the events of the last few hours, he realized he was just as guilty.
He’d never once used her fae magic.
Hell, he’d never even considered it, but he didn’t see that as a bad thing.
From the very beginning of their relationship, she had accepted that he was different. She’d never hated that he wasn’t fae. Had never feared him because he was a dark angel hybrid. He’d always considered that a true testament of her love for him, accepting him for exactly who he was. While she worried that she hadn’t adapted enough to his life, she didn’t seem to understand that he’d never expected her to.
Because he accepted exactly who she was as well.
And that was his declaration of love for her.
Before meeting her, he’d had no direction. Sure, he’d made jewelry and weapons using his abilities, but that had simply been a hobby to him. A way to use his skills to pass the time and make a little money.
Unlike him, she had purpose.
A goal that she’d dedicated her entire life to achieving.
Jackie being queen was important not just for her but for her people. The entire kingdom was counting on her, and she had devoted her life to doing what was best for them. As her mate, it was his honor and privilege to support her in that endeavor. He’d never felt slighted because of that or resented the role he would play as her partner.
Sure he occasionally joked about how it was a pain in the ass being royal, but he didn’t really mean it. Honestly, he was pretty much considered royalty in the Hell Realm anyway. He knew if he wasn’t set to love in the Winter Kingdom with his mate, Braxton would have enlisted him to help run the Hell Realm.
And by enlisted, he meant it would be a demand.
But Micah would rather rule by Jackie’s side.
By being true to who she was, his mate had made him a better person. He wanted to do better, be better to be worthy of her. It wasn’t a matter of doing what was expected of them. They’d both made sacrifices. They’d both compromised on things. But that’s how relationships worked. They determined what was best for them. And as long as they were happy, it was no one else’s fucking business what they did.
She stopped crying and sighed. “I never even asked you if you wanted me to give up the throne. I should have.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” he said forcefully enough to have her lifting her head to look at him. “You were always meant to be queen.”
“But you—”
He lifted a finger and pressed it against her lips. “And I was always meant to stand by your side. Don’t flake out on me now, sweetheart. You shouldn’t be second-guessing everything now because of some stupid trial they are putting you through. You determine your worth, no one else. Worry less about what everyone else expects and just be yourself. Be the fucking queen. Own your destiny and trust me to be by your side because I want to be. Not because I have to. Besides that, the only thing I need to know is, do you love me?”
Since he hadn’t moved his finger, she nodded her head. “More than anything.”
“Good. That’s all that matters.”
He kissed her forehead, then her closed eyelids. Moving lower, he brushed his lips softly against her cheeks, then settled his mouth on hers in a kiss of comfort and love. Feeling her against him and breathing in her scent was like coming home. He wanted to stay there wrapped around her for days, but then he remembered exactly where they were.
“You feeling better, princess?” he asked privately.
“Much. I was really scared when I couldn’t reach you,” she admitted. “Since the day we mated, I don’t think we’ve ever been separated like that.”
“I know. Let’s never do that again. Now, can we get out of this fucking tomb? It’s starting to freak me out a little.”
She chuckled as they climbed out of the sarcophagus. “How did you get in there?”
“Don’t know. One second we were falling, then I was opening my eyes to see you standing over me. I mean, I knew I was supposed to wait for you to find me. I’m not exactly sure how, though.”
“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that magic doesn’t always make sense,” Kellen commented as he and Lia walked back over to join them. “So, you rescued your prince charming in distress. Is that really it? That was the Crucible? Are we done?”
“No offense or anything, but that sort of seems too fucking easy,” Lia said cautiously. “I don’t get it. What was the point of all of this?”
“I think the important thing I needed to find was not only Micah but myself. I needed to accept all of my strengths and weaknesses before I could be the best ruler for the kingdom.”
Kellen grunted. “That seems a little too philosophical for me, but okay. Congratulations on figuring that out. Now, how the fuck do we get out of here?”
“I just tried teleporting all of us out, but it didn’t work,” Micah told them. “Let me try making a portal.” He held his hand palm out, then shook it. “Nope. That’s not working either.”
Since he was still dressed in the formal robes he’d worn to the ball, he used his magic to change into black armor to match his mate.
“Maybe there is another part to the Crucible we haven’t figured out yet,” Lia suggested. “I guess we should search for a way out.”
That didn’t take long.
The cavern they were in was pretty much an empty space except for the sarcophagus in the center of the large room. However, there were a variety of carvings and designs on the walls and floor, so they began searching for some sort of hidden doorway or mechanism.
“Over here!” Kellen exclaimed after several minutes.
He and Micah pushed open a section of the wall. It moved slightly, and they had to use all of their strength to shove the thick panel to the side enough for them to reveal a long, narrow passageway that led out into the strong sunlight.
The tunnel was empty yet narrow enough that they would have to enter it one at a time. Micah wanted to go first, but Jackie insisted on being first to make sure everyone would fit. When she squeezed through the opening, she felt a subtle magical shift. For a moment it felt like she was shoving through a layer of viscous gel, but then the feeling quickly dissipated.
When everyone had made it into the tunnel, they started walking toward the light. They had to continue down the tunnel in a single file line, but at least they didn’t have to squeeze through the space. They’d made it about halfway when Jackie realized that something didn’t seem right.
“How long do you think we’ve been in there?”
“Don’t know. A few hours at least.” Kellen’s steps slowed as he caught onto what she was getting at. “It was night when we fell through the portal in the ballroom. So, why is it so fucking bright out there?”
“I don’t think the maze was actually located under the palace,” Jackie told them. “Maybe we are in another part of the Fae Realm. My brother did say that all of the kingdoms used to hold the Crucible to determine who their ruler would be, so maybe they all use the same labyrinth.”
“That would make sense,” Micah agreed. “We could be anywhere in the freaking realm right now. Speaking of your brother, I was thinking about how he seemed to know we would be forced to do the Crucible.”
“That was kind of weird,” Kellen said. “Do you think he tampered with the sculpture thing?”
“No, but I think he might have known something was going to happen,” Jackie admitted. “I think he knew my parents were going to try something, so he did some research to prepare to counter whatever they did. That’s the way Cris handles things.”
She had to squint as the light got stronger the closer they got to the entrance. After being in the darkness for so long, the bright light coming from outside obscured their view of what was beyond the opening in the cave wall.
“There’s another thing I forgot to mention earlier. Something strange happened right before we fell into the portal. I thought I heard my mother talking to me in my head.”
Micah put a hand on her arm and pulled her to a stop. “Wait, what?”
“I thought the fae weren’t telepathic,” Kellen said. “Or was I wrong?”
“No, you’re right,” Jackie confirmed. “That’s why I thought I was imagining it. As far as I know, fae can only speak mind to mind with their mates, and only after they have completed their bond.”
“Show me,” Micah demanded.
Using their bond, she replayed the memory of what had happened right before they had all fallen into the portal. Seeing it again made it clear that she hadn’t been imagining it. Her mother had spoken to her telepathically.
“You didn’t imagine it,” Micah confirmed. “And what the fuck was that she said? You brought what upon yourself?”
“I don’t know.”
“If she was the one who had tampered with the ice sculpture, then she was already planning to send you into the labyrinth,” Lia pointed out.
“But why?” Jackie asked as they came closer to the end of the tunnel. “I just don’t understand why she would have done this unless this is another one of her tests. Is she trying to make me prove myself by going through the Crucible before she and my father officially step down?”
“Or they are trying to kill us while keeping their hands clean,” Micah said wryly.
“Yes, that is more likely.” Jackie sighed. “No matter how hard I try, I can’t find anything redeeming about her anymore. It’s been hard to completely let go of the good memories from my childhood, but I think I’ve finally accepted my parents are no longer who I thought they were. I think that’s why it’s been a lot easier for Kami to hate them than it is for me and my brother. We at least have some good memories of them. Kami has none.”
Micah wrapped his arms around her from behind. “You can cherish those memories and still accept that they are toxic. Forcing yourself to have a relationship with someone who isn’t worth it is a waste of your time.”
“You’re right,” she said, turning around to face him.
“Of course, I am.”
She laughed as she playfully swatted his arm with her hand, then she started walking toward the opening in the tunnel again. “I think I have reached my limit—”
Before she could finish that thought, she felt a hard shove on her back. She heard shouts from behind her as she fell forward, and a strong gust of wind sent her tumbling down a small hill at an alarming rate of speed. She landed with a pain-filled groan but quickly scrambled back to her feet.
Glancing up, she saw that the tunnel entrance was no longer there. All that remained was the solid slope of an enormous black mountain. She climbed back up the hill and searched for any sign of the entrance but found no trace.
“No, no, no! Not again!”
Panic set in, not for herself but at the thought that something had happened to her mate and her friends. Jackie called out to Micah, but there was no response. When she reached out to him through their bond, she ran up against a magical block. Unlike when he’d been unconscious in the sarcophagus, she couldn’t feel him at all.
That complete loss of the connection to him terrified her.
Apparently, whatever the next part of the trial was, it was for her to finish alone. Whatever her task was, she had to get it over with fast. Glancing around at her surroundings told her that she was no longer in the Winter Kingdom. She had visited almost every corner of the land, and nothing about her current location seemed the least bit familiar.
Actually, it didn’t even look like she was in the Fae Realm any longer.
Part of her desperately wanted to search for a way to meet back up with her mate and their friends, but logic told her that she had been separated from them for a reason. With no other choice, she made her way down the hill to a paved path that led directly into a strange forest.
The tall trees had thick black trunks and the blossoms that grew on the branches came in a rainbow of vivid colors. The strong sunlight was barely visible through the thick foliage, but there was still ample light for her to see as she took the path deeper into the forest.
She’d been walking for a while when the wind began to pick up and the air got much cooler. Leaves and blossoms began to rain down on her in a colorful torrent. The cool wind didn’t bother her, but she used her magic to create a shield around her to stop the debris from hitting her.
The sky overhead turned a dreary gray, and her breath began to plume out in a cloud each time she exhaled. She kept going until she found herself surrounded by the skeletal remains of bare branches. She wanted to return to the part of the forest where she had been surrounded by warmth and color, but she continued down the path instead.
She’d come too far to turn back now.
Giving in, she used her magic to create a thick cloak to counter the cold air that surrounded her. The sound of her booted feet crunching down on the frost-covered ground was her only companion for a long while. She wasn’t sure how long she had been walking, but it seemed like forever. She kept her hands close to the hilts of her daggers, wanting to be ready to defend herself if something jumped out and attacked her.
The sky overhead suddenly darkened until not even the stars were visible in the inky black. She created a few light orbs to help her stay on the path. In a matter of mere hours, day had turned to night, and she had experienced all of the different seasons. The area had changed so quickly that it couldn’t be natural. Strong magic was at play, but she didn’t understand what it meant.
Or where it was leading her.
She was relieved when she saw a faint glow up ahead. When it finally started getting warmer, and the trees began to bud and bloom again, she scanned the area for hidden dangers. This time, all of the trees blossomed with pale gold flowers that shimmered with light. The glow from those flowers turned the creepy forest into a magical dreamscape.
While it was pretty, something about it felt off.
Her steps slowed as she saw the end of the path up ahead. The tree branches curved over a large stone platform, making a natural arbor of golden flowers. It would have been beautiful, if not for the gold coffin that resided in the center of the platform.
“Altars, a sarcophagus, and now a freaking coffin?” Jackie muttered to herself. “What the hell is wrong with this place?”
As she drew closer, she could see the coffin was actually made of gold and glass. The gold sides had been carved with strange symbols and ancient runes. While it was impossible to see through the sides, the top was made completely of glass, which would allow a clear view of who or what was inside.
That morbid thought made her shiver.
A feeling of dread settled in her stomach as she forced herself to slowly ascend the stone steps. She swallowed hard when she reached the top of the platform, then she pushed herself to slowly move forward. When she got her first glimpse of the figure inside the glass coffin, her heart felt like it had come to a stuttering stop.
At first, she didn’t understand what she was seeing.
It didn’t make sense.
She blinked once, twice, but the image in front of her didn’t change. The person inside the glass coffin was her mother, Queen Bianca Frost of the Winter Kingdom.
But if she was there inside the glass coffin, who the hell was back at the palace?