The Alpha’s Cursed Queen (Eternal Oath Saga #1)

Chapter 27

Alice

“I’m fine, Darian.” I remove my persistent mate’s arm from around my waist. “Stop trying to pick me up and carry me everywhere.”

“What, taking care of you is a crime now?”

“It is when you hover over me like this,” I retort. Seeing the hurt look in his eyes, however, I feel guilty. “I’m okay, really. Mary has healed me most of the way. I’m just not used to people worrying about me like this.”

He takes my hand and holds it to his cheek. “I’ll always worry about you. That’s my job as your mate. I would rather you weren’t even here right now, and if you weren’t so stubborn—” I narrow my eyes at him, and he cuts himself off, backtracking. “Did I say stubborn? I meant determined.”

“Nice save,” I say dryly, feeling my heart flutter at the wicked grin on his lips. “You’re lucky you’re so good looking. That really helps your case most of the time when you put your foot in your mouth.”

He kisses my knuckles. “And I’m lucky my mate is so shallow when it comes to looks.”

“You bet your ass I am.”

He lets out a bark of laughter.

Seeing him laugh makes me want to smile. He’s always so tense. The more time I spend with him, the more I notice that Darian has changed. The man I remember, even if I knew him for just a few weeks, was lighthearted and relaxed. The man I met seven years later has a constant strain in his eyes, and he’s always careful, always walking on eggshells around me. At times like this, when he completely lets go, I feel happy.

“There she is.” Darian straightens up. We’re standing outside the gates of the mansion, and I follow his gaze to see a cloaked figure approaching us. I immediately tense up. My experience with cloaked figures hasn’t exactly been the best.

On reaching us, the woman removes her hood, and I come face to face with the dark witch who is known as the archive keeper. She stares at me and then smiles softly. “You’ve grown up. You have your mother’s hair.”

I start at her words. “What? Do you know me?”

All she says is, “Follow me.”

“Wait…”

But Nara has already begun walking. She heads in the direction of the forest, and Darian shakes his head when I shoot him a frustrated look. She knows about my mother. There is no denying it.

“Later,” Darian cautions me.

He takes my hand in his and squeezes it. Tightening my jaw, I start off with him after the witch.

When we reach a small lake, Nara touches the surface of the water, and it begins to swirl. Soon, the water parts, and narrow steps appear. Nara begins to descend into the dry lake. Darian and I exchange a bewildered look, then we follow her.

The water doesn’t touch us. Once we get to the last step, Nara continues walking, and her body begins to disappear into the bottom of the lake.

“Darian?” I look up at my mate, flabbergasted.

“Let’s go,” he says in a determined voice.

A false bottom , I realize. Created by magic.

As soon as the last strand of my hair vanishes into the ground, I hear the roar of water, and I look up to see that the lake is now covering the entrance overhead.

“We’re not trapped down here, are we?” I whisper to Darian.

“Of course not,” he replies uneasily.

We walk down another staircase. It is lit up, but I can’t see the source of the light. It takes us quite a while to get to the bottom, where there is a door made out of stone. Nara places her palm on it, and it swings open, revealing a massive room filled with golden light and white marble floors.

“Each king renovates the archives room according to his preference,” Nara explains. “The previous king hated the darkness and the stone flooring. He had it all replaced with marble.”

“Who laid the tiles?” I murmur without thinking.

Nara looks over her shoulder at me with a small smile. “I did.”

“Of course you did,” I mutter. “Silly me.”

Darian looks around. “How are we supposed to find information in all of this?”

Shelves filled with thick tomes line the walls, all the way up to the ceiling. It will take months to go through all of them.

“You can ask me what you want to know, and I will tell you,” the witch informs us. “I have memorized every book, journal, and entry within this place. I am the archive.”

Darian and I exchange another look. That’s not creepy at all.

“I want to know about the white witches, their weaknesses,” he says.

“They don’t have any,” Nara says steadily. “Although, if you mean in terms of physical weakness, they’re as fragile as humans.”

“How do we get rid of them?”

“Kill them,” is Nara’s simple response.

I can feel my mate’s frustration and squeeze his wrist. I ask the archive keeper, “Why are the white witches so dead set against the dark witches? They used to coexist before, didn’t they? What changed?”

Nara shifts her gaze to me. “Greed. The dark witches used battle magic. The white witches were always limited to healing magic. Both covens existed for centuries till the white witches began to resent the important positions held by the dark witches. The white witches wanted such power and glory, as well. However, it was impossible because healers exist in the background. So, they vied for the positions of their counterparts.”

“What happened?” I ask, enthralled.

“A wolf shifter, the king at the time, fell in love with a dark witch. He made her his queen and took her as his mate, and they had a child. Childbirth was difficult for the queen, and the child was born with the dark witch bloodline. Those who carry the dark witch bloodline have a mark on their ankle. White witches have their own identifying mark.” Nara pauses, studying Darian. She’s reciting everything in a monotone voice as if reading from a piece of paper. “The queen did not die from the birth. She was recovering, but one afternoon, she began to experience pains. The white witches were called in, and they declared her dead. The death of the queen created an uproar. The white witches used the king’s grief against him. They told him that his mate’s death was because of the child she bore him, that the dark witches had cursed the child to bring about the end of the royal bloodline. They wanted the king to hand over the newborn to them. The king refused.”

I can feel Darian stiffen. “I’ve never heard of any of this.”

“If you do not believe me, you can confirm every word written by your ancestors, including the king of whom I speak, his trusted hand, and the king’s younger brother, who betrayed him. It is all recorded in these journals.”

“How do I know that those words aren’t lies?” Darian demands.

Nara gives him a long look. “Once a king takes his rightful place, his first task is to visit the archives. Had you arrived when I expected you, I would have given you a journal and one for your most trusted hand. Like the journals of those who came before you, they would be enchanted. They would never record a word of untruth. It is the only way to uphold the sanctity of the royal family’s archives. Your father received one, and his most trusted attendant received one. The minute a king passes, these journals vanish from the palace and appear here in the archives. This has been the case for centuries, ever since the dark witches and the wolf shifters first formed an alliance. The archive keeper is always a dark witch, the guardian of prophecies and the caretaker of the past.”

“I think you’ve offended her,” I whisper to Darian. “Apologize.”

Nara looks amused. “I am not offended, child.”

I can feel my cheeks flush. “Sorry. You said the king’s younger brother betrayed him?”

Nara is quiet for a moment. “Those who have greed in their hearts can recognize others with that same bit of darkness within them. The younger brother wanted the throne. After the death of the queen, he murdered the king using poison. The white witches, being the official royal healers, declared that it was the newborn princess who was responsible for this death, as well. They said that both of her parents had died because of the curse she carried, a curse that was spread by the dark witches. The younger brother then ascended to the throne.”

I feel sick to my stomach.

Nara turns around and heads over to a small podium. She holds out her hands as she continues speaking. “The new king handed over the child, and the white witches used her in a ritual to drive the dark witches into a bout of temporary madness. However, the dark witches had anticipated what was going to happen, as the gift of prophecy is present in some dark witches. They took precautions. The dark witches’ bloodline would continue, but through the royal family. It was not a curse as the white witches claimed it to be but a precaution. They transferred the bloodline, which involved a complicated spell. The dark witches knew they had no choice.”

She holds up her hand, and a thick journal flies into it from a shelf. She sets it down on the podium as Darian and I watch in awe.

“When the new king had children, twins, the girl carried the mark of the dark witch. The white witches realized what had been done. They would never truly be able to eradicate the dark witches as long as the royal bloodline continued. Every girl born within the royal family would carry the bloodline of the dark witches. The bloodline is not cursed; this was the only way for the dark witches to protect their kind from utter annihilation.”

Nara opens the journal and holds it out to us. “This is the journal of the king’s brother, the one who stole the throne.”

Darian approaches her, and I wonder aloud, “If this is true, then there should be plenty of women out there who carry the bloodline of the dark witches.”

The archive keeper shakes her head. “Any child born with the mark was handed over to the white witches. It was the only way for the royal family to keep their power.”

“Keep their power?”

“The royal family joined with the white witches to get rid of the dark witches—the same dark witches who had once led the royal family to victory in every battle. The new king helped the white witches wipe out the dark witches because he wanted the throne, but the kings who came after him were ashamed of his actions. For as far back as the archives go, the royal family has not had a single blemish on their record aside from this. Every king was interested in protecting the name of the royal family. Thus, each time a daughter was born with the mark, she was handed over to the white witches.”

“Why?” I ask, my voice low. “What happened to those girls?”

Nara meets my gaze, her own heavy. “The royal family was told that these children were dark witches who had to be put to death to preserve their secret. That is what you will find within the archives, but as a dark witch who is connected to nature itself, I can tell you that those girls were not killed. They were used in rituals. They were kept in cages till their powers were completely drained. These rituals could take years. The stronger the bloodline, the longer the ritual. The oldest child who died was within her third decade.”

All I can think of is Mira. “I don’t understand. What sort of ritual?”

Darian is reading from the journal, and Nara glances at him before saying, “Greed is a terrible thing. Greed for power, greed for magic.” She sighs. “The white witches wanted the same power as their counterparts. They have spent the last few centuries trying to gain that power by using those of the dark witch bloodline.”

Darian’s head lifts as he growls. “Was my father aware of this?”

“Your father was the first king who learned of the rituals. When he was forced to give up his daughter—”

Darian’s whole body jerks. “What?”

Nara closes the book he has just set down. “The king had a daughter. When she was being born, a white witch helped deliver her. The queen tried to protect her, desperate to send her somewhere far away in order to save her life, but the king had to follow what his predecessors had done. He gave her up to the white witches, and then he approached me. He only wanted to know whether his daughter would die a painless death. I told him the truth.”

She holds out another book to Darian, who seizes it. “The ritual is in here. Letters and records kept by white witches—they are all recorded here. The king saw them, and he asked me for help.”

Darian staggers. “I have a sister?”

Nara doesn’t respond.

“Where is she?”

The witch shakes her head. “I’m afraid I do not know. But after that incident, your father tried his best to control the white witches. The problem lay in the fact that the royal family, along with the white witches, had created a narrative in which the dark witches were evil. And changing the narrative was impossible. If he had attempted it, the white witches would have implied that he was under the influence of dark witches. And since it was so ingrained that the dark witches were evil, the wolves would have believed the white witches and turned against your father. There was not much he could do.”

“I want to know where my sister is.”

“She’s not your sister,” Nara says calmly. “The king only had one child.”

Darian goes still for a moment as he processes what she is saying. “You’re lying.”

“I have no reason to lie. I’m the archive keeper. I tell the truth.”

I can see Darian’s claws extend, and I immediately put my hand on his shoulder. “Relax. She’s not the enemy here.”

“She just said that my father’s daughter is not my sister.”

“Because you are not the king’s son,” Nara explains. “The king never had a son. Only a daughter.”

It’s my turn to go still. “Excuse me?” Darian is frozen solid, and I lift my hands, trying to calm myself down now. “Wait. What the hell are you talking about? Darian is the last king’s son. He is king now.”

Nara remains unflustered. “Soon after the king gave away his daughter, the queen died. She wasn’t able to handle her grief. The king then brought in a young child and claimed that he was his son. You are that boy, King Darian.”

“You’re lying.” Darian shakes his head, his voice unsteady. “My father would have told me.”

“It was a well-hidden secret,” Nara tells him. “The queen’s death was concealed. It was said that after the loss of her daughter, the queen was sent away to another estate to recover. Supposedly, she gave birth there and raised you until she died and you were sent to the royal palace. Your birth certificate and all records of you were altered. Nobody questioned your existence because it was said that the king was traumatized by his wife’s death. It was all very carefully planned.”

“You’re lying,” Darian repeats hoarsely.

“I’m afraid I’m not. The king had no choice. He refused to take another mate. And if he didn’t take a mate and have another child, he would have to appoint a king. And if he did that, the royal family secrets would come out. Also, he couldn’t be sure whether the person he appointed would protect the white witches. He needed someone who would willingly begin to strip away power from them.”

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Darian looks over at me, and when I see the agony in his eyes, I wrap my arms around his waist.

“It doesn’t matter, Darian. You are the king,” I whisper.

My mate turns his head to address Nara again, his voice unsteady. “The other day, you said the true heir was coming. You mentioned it a few times. Are you saying the rightful owner of the throne will come back for it? Are you saying that my sister—no, that my father’s daughter is alive?”

“I cannot share the prophecy,” Nara says softly. “I cannot reveal that which will alter the future. But you are the king. Your mate is right. You may not have royal blood, but you are the king.”

“Not for long, though, right?” Darian replies. “When the true heir arrives, I will have to step down to prevent the war. I will no longer be the king.”

Nara is silent.

“It doesn’t matter, Darian,” I say adamantly. “It doesn’t matter to me whether you’re king or not.”

He gives me a small smile. “I know. I guess I could always move in with you.”

There is sadness in his eyes, and I know it’s not because of his title but the former king’s actions. To find out that the man he considered his father all these years wasn’t his biological father is not the kind of blow that any amount of words can soften.

“He loved you,” I reassure him. “You know he did.”

“Did he, though?” Darian asks quietly. “I spent my life trying to please the man, but he was never happy with me. Now, it makes sense why. Lucius must have known. That’s why he was always so disdainful of me.” He looks at Nara. “What about my parents? Who were they?”

She shakes her head. “The journals are filled with the truth, but there are certain things your father did not want to reveal, so he never wrote them down.”

“I want to read his journal.”

“I am afraid that is not possible at the moment,” Nara demurs. “The king was aware of the prophecy. He has made mentions of it in his journal. Until it has come to pass, you cannot see it. I cannot let the future be altered.”

“Is it because the future is in our favor right now?” I inquire.

“It does not matter,” Nara responds gravely. “A prophecy will always reveal multiple futures. We can guide those involved in the prophecy, but the rules restrict us from sharing anything that can help the individuals make an informed decision. Your father was not mentioned in the prophecy, but near the end of his life, he wanted to know it in its entirety, and I told him. However, the results of the prophecy will affect everyone you love. Therefore, I cannot allow you to read his journal. I am sorry.”

“Why mention it to me, then?” Darian snarls. “Baiting me—”

“That was not my intention. You already know a war is coming. With or without the prophecy, you would have known. I can tell you about the war, but I cannot tell you what actions to take that will impact it.”

“What about my parents? Surely, I came from someone.”

Once again, Nara’s answer isn’t helpful. “As I said, your father did not mention your birth parents in his journal.”

I can sense that Darian is breaking apart at the seams right now. Taking him by the hand, I pull him aside. He doesn’t meet my gaze, but I take his chin in my hand and force him to. “Darian, I know this isn’t easy.”

“You can say that again,” he laughs shakily.

I put my hand on his chest, my voice gentle. “You don’t have to pretend to be strong in front of me. I know this is hard for you. We will find your parents. And whether or not you are the king, or who your parents are, doesn’t change the fact that you now have a family. Your own family. A mate and a daughter. And if you’re not the king anymore, it will remove all chains from you, won’t it?”

He sighs. “Silver lining, huh?”

“I don’t know what else to say to you. Everything you know has been fundamentally changed. There’s nothing I can say that will fix it. But I can tell you that I’m here for you.”

He puts his arms on my shoulders and rests his forehead against mine. “I know.”

“We’ll figure everything out,” I reassure him. “For now, though, we have to protect our daughter. That is why we came here.”

He meets my eyes, and he nods. “You’re right. We’re here for Mira. I can put aside my personal problems for her.”

“You don’t have to put anything aside for anybody,” I tell him firmly. “Let’s make sure we can protect our daughter, and then let’s find out about your parents and whoever this ‘true heir’ is.”

Darian looks thoughtful now. “If the white witches conspired to eradicate the dark witches, we already have proof of it. We can use that against them.”

“And it’s not like they’ve been killing those with the dark witch bloodline. They’ve been using them for rituals. That can also be used against them,” I add. “We have to topple them from their powerful positions. A scandal like this will do it. If you go after them without any proof, the wolves will turn against you. But if you have proof that they’ve harmed our own kind and have conspired against the royal family and blackmailed them, the wolves will turn against them. Getting rid of the white witches will be easier, and the backlash will be minimal.”

Darian agrees, but he’s still hesitant. “We still have to take into account that the white witches will deny everything. Just saying that we have proof from the royal archives, which no one knows exists, won’t go far.”

I rack my brain, looking around the room. There has to be a way.

I’ve argued plenty of cases with insufficient evidence or evidence that the court ruled inadmissible. I’ve always found a way around it. Why should this situation be any different?

I’m too emotionally involved, which is why I’m not thinking straight. My eyes narrow as I take in the archives room. If all the records of the white witches can be disposed of in a heartbeat, there has to be a way to convince the wolves that the white witches are working against them, that they have been lying to the wolves for all these centuries. I doubt that the white witches will come out and say it themselves—

As soon as the thought strikes me, my head whips around and I look at Darian, my eyes glittering. “Wait! Wait! What if we force them to say it?”

He is surprised and confused by my sudden outburst. “Force the witches to say… To say what?”

My nails dig into his arms as I explain my thought process. “What if we put them in a position where they have to admit what they’ve done? We can broadcast it. With all the technology that humans have, that we have, we can force them to admit what they’re doing on a live feed. If the wolves hear it from the witches’ own mouths, they’ll have no reason to doubt it, will they?”

Darian shakes his head. “They will never admit to it. We both know that. They’ve managed to hide their secret for all these years. Why would they ever admit on live television—”

“I’m not saying we bring a TV crew with us,” I cut him off. “We can both wear those pin cameras. I’ve seen them multiple times. There are cases where it’s been done. Heck, I’ve had clients do this. But the only problem is, we will have to create a situation in which they feel comfortable revealing their actions. We’ll have to have bait.”

“We are not sending Mira in as bait,” Darian growls.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I glare at him. “Of course we’re not going to use Mira. But what if we use me? I could—”

“Absolutely not.” Darian refuses to even consider it, but I try to persuade him.

“Just think about it, please. Darian, we don’t have time. We don’t know where Thomas is. You’re the one who said he has supporters. We have to deal with the situation before he gets to them and creates a riot, before he has people coming after Mira and me. If he creates the narrative that you are under the influence of dark witches, the entire Wolf Kingdom will fall apart.”

“There has to be another way,” Darian argues, turning his head to the side so he doesn’t have to look me in the eye. “I am not putting you in a room with those witches. Everything can go wrong in an instant, Alice. I will not take the risk.”

“We can’t win if we don’t take a risk,” I insist. “We have to do this. For Mira’s sake.”

“I can just execute them,” my mate snarls. “I can wipe out the entire race. Pick them off one by one. No more witches, no more problems.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I frown at him. “The Wolf Kingdom will turn against you if you behave like that. And you will give more leverage to Thomas and his followers. You may be the king, Darian, but you’re not infallible. Don’t give anybody an excuse to come after you.”

He looks like he wants to object, but I don’t give him the opportunity.

“You are not thinking straight,” I tell him. “Killing indiscriminately isn’t the answer. You will only succeed in putting our daughter in more danger. If even one person considers her a threat, she will never be safe. We have to completely open the eyes of the public to what the white witches have been doing. Violence isn’t always the solution.”

I can see my mate’s reluctance before he asks, “And what if they don’t admit it? What if they keep their yaps shut?”

This worries me, too. “We’ll get them to talk.”

He runs his fingers through his hair, not happy in the least. “I don’t like it, Alice. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

It doesn’t help that I have the same sinking sensation in my gut.