22.
Queen
P anic doesn’t even begin to cover what I’m feeling. My heart pounds like it’s trying to escape my chest, and my hands are clammy, shaking as I grip the edge of the window frame in the grand sitting room as if it could fix the service issues. Apparently, I passed out and the gargoyle moved me in here from the castle’s lawn. I’m not entirely sure how much time has passed but I still can’t contact Alex.
Something is wrong—terribly, horribly wrong.
Yet, I’m alive. That has to mean he’s still alive. Right?
I close my eyes, willing myself to focus, trying to push past the rising tide of terror before I blackout again.
“You’re overreacting,” the gargoyle says, hovering deeper in the room behind me. “He’s probably just busy.”
“No, you don’t get it.” I glare at him over my shoulder. “I don’t feel him!”
“It’s impossible. The mating bond is unbreakable.”
And then I hear it—his voice, faint but desperate. Julia!
My breath catches, and relief washes over me in a single, choking wave. “Alex!” I shout out loud, my voice trembling.
Julia!
I hear you, I assure him. What happened? I was losing my mind.
Listen to me. I was on my way to you and got attacked. I’m wounded. Baby, I need you to help me.
His words stab at my chest. My strong, unshakable Alex, sounding... weak .
Where are you?
Close to the Veil. Head to the South. Hurry!
That’s all I need to hear. I don’t even think. My legs move before my brain can catch up, carrying me out of the room and through the winding halls of the castle. My boots echo against the stone, my breathing shallow as I race for the main gate.
But the massive form of the gargoyle blocks my path before I reach it. “What are you doing?”
I skid to a halt. “It’s Alex! I need to get to him!”
He folds his arms on his chest. “Get where?”
I try to pass him by but it’s useless. “Ugh! Move, you goddamn brick!” I bark, rage bubbling to the surface. “You’re wasting my time!”
“ Where? ”
I feel tears streaming down my cheeks as I begin to ramble in desperation, “Outside the Veil! He’s close but got attacked. He’s wounded and needs my help. I have to go!”
“I can’t let you,” he responds, his gravelly voice calm yet firm. His glowing violet eyes seem to pierce through me, unyielding.
“I’m not asking you—It’s an order.” I look right into his eyes and say with my whole chest, “Get the fuck out of my way. Now!”
His expression shifts slightly at my outburst, his browbone creasing as if debating something internally before his posture straightens. “Let me go with you,” he says at last.
I blink, caught off guard. “Okay, then let’s go! He said to the South.”
The gargoyle’s wings twitch, but he doesn’t move. “I can’t just leave. I’m tied to the castle,” he reveals, his voice heavier now. “You must unbind me first.”
“What?” I hiss, frustration flaring. “How? I’m not a witch—I don’t have any powers!”
“You’re the queen of the castle,” he responds, his tone steadier now, as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Release me.”
I stare at him, my mind spinning. Queen of the castle. Right. I am the Queen, and apparently, that comes with responsibilities I still barely understand. My fists clench at my sides as my gaze locks with his.
“Fine,” I mumble, the urgency to reach Alex overwhelming any doubts. “I release you.” The words feel strange on my tongue, foreign, as if I’m speaking an unknown language. But the moment they leave my lips, I feel a shift in the air around us—like a string snapping, releasing its tension.
The gargoyle’s glowing eyes narrow slightly, his lips curling into something that might be gratitude—or relief. Without another word, he steps forward and wraps me in his strong arms.
“Hold on tight,” he murmurs, lifting me as if I weigh nothing, his deep voice rumbling against me.
I barely have time to gasp before we’re moving, the ground vanishing beneath us as his powerful wings beat the air. The world becomes a blur of motion, the cold wind biting at my face.
We ascend rapidly, the shimmering dome above us glowing faintly. It ripples like liquid light as we pass through it, and for a moment, the air hums with a strange energy that makes my skin tingle.
We’re outside the Veil now, soaring above an endless expanse of pine forest. The Northern Lights dance behind us, their green and purple hues painting the darkening evening sky.
The gargoyle’s grip tightens as we dive lower, skimming the snow-covered treetops. He doesn’t say anything. Which is pretty normal, yet somehow, his quietness seems stranger now. But I’m too focused on the sight ahead—the dark expanse of the woods, the unknown stretching before us.
Somewhere close, Alex is waiting for me. Hurt. Vulnerable. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get to him.
The gargoyle lowers me to the ground with shocking care, but by the way he avoids my eyes, I already know what’s coming next. His wings unfurl as he straightens, the power radiating off him making the cool air feel charged.
“Wait,” I croak, reaching for him, but he doesn’t look back.
Without a word, he leaps into the sky, the rhythmic sound of his wings beating against the night drowning out my protest.
“Ugh, damn you, you fucking asshole!” I shout, my voice raw and trembling. My cry is swallowed by the dense trees, and the forest falls silent once more, leaving me alone in that darkness with the suffocating weight of betrayal.
I stagger to my feet, wiping my cold hands on my clothes. The snow is sticking to the ground, and I’m not properly dressed for the weather, wearing a pair of jeans with a thin pullover. But I don’t really care much about anything.
Alex’s voice echoes faintly in my mind like a thread I can’t quite grasp. Following it, I stumble through the forest blindly, the branches clawing at my skin as if the very woods are conspiring to hold me back. But his voice grows stronger as I push forward, a beacon in the darkness.
My breath comes in ragged gasps by the time I emerge into a clearing. Relief surges through me for a fleeting moment—until I realize he’s not there.
Instead, a figure stands at the center of the clearing, bathed in moonlight. My heart skips. A person, but not Alex. A woman.
She looks awfully familiar. She’s quite tall and skinny with legs for days, the blond bombshell hair frames her face.
Then it clicks. Dean’s military girlfriend, also known as: Barbie turns G. I. Jane .
I take a cautious step closer, my stomach churning. Her perfect features come into view—the high cheekbones, little Hollywood-type nose, lush lips. But there’s something wrong. Her posture is too rigid, her head tilted at an unnatural angle, her eyes fully dark.
“Um, Emily?” I gasp, my voice cracking.
She smiles—an icy expression that doesn’t belong to her. “Emily is not here right now,” she replies, her voice filled with mockery.
A chill races down my spine. “What do you mean?” I whisper, my throat dry.
“Exactly what I said.” She laughs, and a hollow, abnormal sound reverberates through the clearing. “But you did her dirty, you naughty girl,” she adds, her voice lilting like a taunt. “To avenge her dead lover, she prayed for this. Oh, she prayed so hard, down on her knees, crying every night… Okay, maybe she didn’t pray exactly for this , but I couldn’t resist to answer. And that moron thought she was speaking with heavens.”
I freeze, my feet rooted to the ground. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s always the biggest believers who get fooled the easiest, Isn’t that funny?” she continues, disregarding my confusion as she takes a step closer. “Chanting for Angels, Saints, Mary… You’d think they’d know the book better than that.” Her eyes gleam with a sinister light but are still so dark, as though her pupils have blown up completely, and her smile stretches wider—too wide. “But here's the kicker—white magic is still magic. And every magic opens the door for us… As they say, the road to hell is built on good intentions.”
A dread settles over me. “Who are you?”
“You’re not very bright, are you?” Her laughter dies, and her gaze sharpens, pinning me in place, paralyzed. “I’m Lilith.”
My blood runs cold, and I feel it in every nerve in my body, a primal, instinctive fear. My knees weaken, but I can’t even fall. She has me right where she wants me.
Alex , I think desperately, squeezing my eyes shut. I love you. I’m so sorry.
Nothing. The connection is gone, severed. I can’t feel him. He can’t hear me. It was all a lie.
Panic claws at me, but I force myself to keep her talking. Stay calm. Stall her. Hope for some kind of miracle.
“How—”
“How am I here?” she interrupts smoothly, her tone dripping with condescension. “Oh, I’ve been busy breaking the seal that keeps me locked away. I’ve learned a few new tricks.” She takes another step closer, her presence oppressive, suffocating. “And how did I manage to lure you here?” she continues. “I only needed your blood—or blood from your bloodline—to tap into your brain and break your mating bond.” She stops, her smile twisting into something cruel. “Don’t worry, it’s only temporary. Think of it as a blind spot.”
A heavy burden lifts off my shoulders, only for a moment before her other words sink in. “My blood?” My mind races, trying to piece it together. Then it hits me, and my stomach ties in a knot. “What did you do to my mom?”
All the fighting, the sacrifices, my mother’s new life with her memories erased—all that for nothing.
Lilith’s smile falters, replaced by a fleeting look of amusement. “Relax,” she snorts with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Mommy Dearest is fine. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t hurt innocent people. I just borrowed some of her blood for the spell.”
“What do you want from me?” I ask, my voice trembling, but my tone firmer now.
She tilts her head, staring me down with a predatory gleam in her eyes. “Oh, Julia,” Lilith whispers, drawing out my name like a caress, her voice a sickly sweet venom that chills my blood further. “So many things.”
Her words send a fresh wave of nausea through me. She steps closer, close enough that I can feel the unnatural cold radiating from her.
“Well, I don’t actually care about you, little worm,” she goes on. “But I do care about Marduk.” Her long nails, somehow sharp as knives, trail down my jaw, sending a line of searing pain that feels as though it could strip away my skin. “Ah, and to think that his life is tied to such a stupid, fragile girl. What a waste.”
Her grip tightens, talon-like fingers seizing my chin so fiercely I swear my jaw might shatter. My breaths are shallow, quivering, but I refuse to let her see my fear.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this,” she purrs, her sulfurous breath suffocating me. “I’m really going to enjoy it. But right now?” She takes a short pause. “You see, I need Dahlia’s firstborn. He’s the last ingredient to break the seal. You know, the whole end-of-the-world thing and all. And then I will have my wings back and walk free again as the god of this earth.” Her voice has a deep longing, and I almost catch myself empathizing with her. Almost . “So, right now, be a doll and call him.”
“No,” I spit out with a strength from deep within me.
Her face contorts with rage, and the morbid black glow of her eyes burns into my soul. “CALL HIM!” she screeches, her voice a hellish cacophony that slams into me like a tidal wave. The force is so intense that my eardrums scream in protest, and I feel a trickle of warmth spilling down the sides of my neck. Blood.
I barely have time to register the pain before it starts.
Fire. Fire in my veins, fire in my mind. An unholy invasion of agony that sears every nerve, an inferno that makes me convulse. Her magic rips through me, burning, clawing, tearing. It feels as though my very soul is being flayed alive.
I scream. So loudly that I can hear myself over the deafening pounding in my head. I scream until my throat is raw, until my vision darkens at the edges. But even through the unrelenting torment, I cling to the only thing keeping me from crumbling completely. Alex . My Alex.
“You know, Satan told me about you,” I whimper through the pain.
She stops, sneering. “Ugh, but of course that pegged simp is still thinking about me.”
“He told me how beautiful you were, how powerful,” I keep rambling, distracting her. “And good. People admired you. People worshipped you. You were an inspiration to every woman. The beloved goddess. What happened to you?”
For a second— just a second —I think some of it reaches her. And then, she hits me with another wave—even more acute than the last—her other hand grips my throat.
“Pathetic,” she hisses, tightening her hold until my vision tunnels. “You’re nothing. Just a weak, breakable human. And I will break you if I must, but you will do precisely what I want.”
Through the haze, I feel my body weaken, the fight slipping away as her powers dig deeper. And deeper. Until I can feel him again. My Alex.
And a split second later, I can hear him too. Distant yet desperately reaching for me. Julia! Julia! His deep, hoarse voice resonates in my head, frantic and filled with despair. Please, hold on.
It’s like a lifeline, and I grab hold with every shred of strength and sanity I have left.
Yet, another sound catches my attention now. Low at first and growing. It’s a guttural roar mixed with the violent beating of wings. Thunderous and unrelenting, the sound cuts through my agony like a knife.
Lilith’s grip loosens on my chin and throat as she steps back, her eyes darting skyward.
I crumple onto the snow to the ground, my body a quivering mass of pain, my vision swimming. But even through the blood dripping from my ears and the smudged haze of tears, I see him.
The gargoyle came back after all—of his free will.
His huge, leathery wings span the sky like dark storm clouds, covering the moonlight, his glowing eyes lock onto Lilith with a tracking focus.
With a deafening roar, he dives, arms and legs outstretched, tail curling behind him. She raises her hands, a dark mist forming a barrier, but it’s too late. His claws slam into her, tearing through her defenses like paper—she’s very clearly at limited power. His hind paws latch onto her back, digging into her spine with a sickening squelch like a predatory bird paralyzing its prey as blood sprays in a grotesque arc.
She wails, a piercing, throaty sound that echoes through the night. Her magic lashes out wildly, desperate and chaotic. One hit lands, a blast of shadow striking the gargoyle’s side. He snarls, faltering for a moment, and they both tumble from the sky.
The impact shakes the earth, a violent crash of stone and flesh. Snow and debris explode outward, clouding my already failing vision. I gasp, struggling to crawl away from the fight. My limbs feel like lead, and every movement sends fresh surges of pain rippling through me. I think I’m shattered, but I can’t stop.
Alex’s voice urges me forward, his desperate cries fueling me. I’m trying to control my thoughts, and I’m not letting him in fully. I don’t want him to see. He seems hectic and reckless enough at the moment, running to me.
I manage to roll a few feet away, and in the swirling chaos, I see them. The gargoyle stands tall, wings outstretched, a defiant sentinel against the demon witch who now struggles to rise. Her black blood drips from his claws, and his stony form is cracked but unwavering. Snarling, Lilith finally stands, her— Emily’s —once-flawless visage marred by claw marks and a fury that could set the world ablaze. They circle each other slowly, the air between them crackling with power and rage. Her hands raise as writhing tendrils of dark magic lash out like living whips. The gargoyle counters, his claws carving through the air with lethal precision, his palms glowing purple.
So he has magic. I wasn’t sure before but now I’m certain that he has some powers.
Each strike sends shockwaves that rattle the ground beneath me, but I can do nothing but watch, trembling and broken.
Their battle is vicious and unrelenting, a clash of ancient forces that feels too immense for this world. Lilith, with all her cunning and malice, tries to outmaneuver him, her magic snapping at his wings and legs like ravenous snakes. But the gargoyle is strong and stubborn, his massive wings creating gusts of wind that send her staggering. She lunges again, her movements a blur, and her nails rake across the gargoyle’s chest. Sparks fly as her extended blackened talons scrape against his stony exterior, leaving jagged lines etched into his form and drawing purple blood. He retaliates with a swipe of his own, his hooked claws slashing across her side, drawing a fountain of inky blood that sizzles as it hits the ground. Her scream pierces the night, the sound raw and unearthly, but it only seems to drive the gargoyle further into his relentless assault. Yes, she manages to get a hold of his horns and twists his head the full 180 degrees, forcing him to his knees. Her palms slide lower, touching his temples and her magic starts to overpower him.
Then, out of nowhere, a new sound cuts through his bellows of pain. It’s a soft female voice—a strange, lilting chant, almost hypnotizing, which seems to echo from every direction through the dark woods. The words are incomprehensible, maybe Latin, but their power is undeniable.
Lilith freezes mid-attack, her head snapping toward the source of the sound. “No,” she growls, her voice shaken up for the first time. Her eyes widen in fury and fear as she glances around, searching. “NO!”
I strain to see through the haze of blood and fresh falling snow, but then I spot it. Two glowing emerald stones approach from the forest. In the distance, a lone figure cloaked in shadows emerges on the ridge. A witch. Her face is obscured, her silhouette barely illuminated by the faint glow of the moon, but her presence is palpable, her green eyes unforgettable. She raises a hand, her fingers weaving through the air as she chants. The power radiating from her is cold, sharp, and inescapable.
The enchantment strikes Lilith like lightning. Her body seizes, her back arching unnaturally as a scream erupts from her throat—a scream that morphs into an owl-like screech, so piercing it feels as though the sky itself might shatter. Black smoke begins to pour from her mouth, her nostrils, her eyes. It swirls and writhes, taking on a monstrous, winged, and horned shape, as it is ripped from Emily’s body the demon inhabits.
“No! You cannot banish me!” Lilith’s desperate voice falters.
Emily collapses, lifeless, to the ground as the smoky form of Lilith screeches once more, the sound fading into the distance as she is dragged down and hurled back into the underworld.
Silence falls, except for the ragged rasp of my own breathing. The gargoyle grips the sides of his head and sets it back straight with a loud cracking sound. He rises to his full height, his wings flapping heavily as he shifts, his glowing eyes fixed on the witch. He lets out a low growl and launches into the air, wings carrying him toward her in a single, powerful motion.
But she is already gone.
The air where she stood ripples, then stills. It’s as though she was never there, her presence erased as quickly as it had appeared. The gargoyle hovers for a moment, scanning the horizon, his frustration evident in the deep rumble that emanates from him. He lands heavily, his wings folding against his back as he turns and strides toward me in a hurry.
I feel the rough texture of his clawed hand brushing against my forehead. His eyes, glowing and fierce moments ago, soften as he crouches beside me. He places his other hand over my chest, and a strange, soothing heat radiates from his touch.
The pain begins to ebb. My spine straightens and I can feel all my limbs again. My skin closes back together, and the ringing in my ears stops. The searing agony that had gripped me fades into a dull ache, leaving me whole again.
“You live,” he rumbles, deep and resonant, as he helps me sit up. “Good.”
“You left me!” My voice is hoarse and faint as I shove him without any strength. But my hand lingers, clutching his arm for comfort.
He bows his head and sighs heavily. “I can’t even express how sorry I am.” Then he drops to one knee, his right hand resting on his heart. “I’ll serve you for a lifetime.”
I’m upset, disappointed, and grateful all at the same time. So I let him sit with that guilt for a while longer. “Who was the witch? Do you know her?”
He doesn’t reply, his expression unreadable as his gaze shifts toward the horizon where she had vanished. After a long pause, he turns back to me. “Rest,” he commands gently.
For a moment, I do, having a short exchange with Alex, who still has about an hour to go before he reaches the Veil. He’s absolutely enraged with the gargoyle and I try to calm him down. But I can also tell that he feels better, knowing we’re about to head back home and that I’m safe with him around.
Then, the wet, gurgling sound startles me before I realize it’s coming from Emily. The gargoyle helps me up and we approach her crumpled form, her chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Her face is pallid, her skin damp with sweat, black blood all over her, but she’s alive—barely. My heart lurches.
“She’s breathing,” I say, my voice trembling as I glance at the gargoyle. “Can you help her?”
He kneels beside her, and for a moment, I think he’s about to try, his clawed hand hovering above her body. Yet, with a swift, brutal motion, he slashes her neck instead, blood cascading like a waterfall as she lets out the last choking noise.
I stumble back, horrified, my stomach turns.
“Most humans can survive possession, depending on the demon’s rank,” he explains in a low, even tone, his gaze steady on Emily’s still form. “But not being invaded by Lilith. I could have healed her body, but not her mind. There was no help for her.” His voice grows colder. “Besides, she was a hunter.”
I glance at her lifeless face, slack and vacant, like a puppet with its strings cut. The hollow expression confirms it—she had looked like someone after a lobotomy. Putting her down was… merciful .
But the weird guilt still gnaws at me. “If it wasn’t for me, she would’ve had a happy life with Dean,” I murmur more to myself, the words catching in my throat.
The gargoyle lets out a derisive snort. “You mean, if they hadn’t tried to force you into their special breeding program?” he counters. His sharp violet eyes bore into mine, and I realize, with a sinking feeling, that Alex must have briefed him on my past.
“She doesn’t have vampire blood in her system or anything?” I ask, not needing any repeats.
He leans down, sniffing her with deliberate care. “No. She’s gone.” Straightening, he adds, his tone as hard as granite, “Don’t feel bad for her. Humans aren’t our friends.”
“I’m human,” I say, barely above a whisper.
He looks at me, his eyes softening for the briefest of moments. “No, you’re not,” he replies, his voice quieter but no less certain. “You might physically look like one, but the werewolf curse lies deep in your tissues. You’re the same monster to them as the rest of us.”
The words cut deep, unexpected, and the weight of everything crashes down on me. I choke out a sob, my hands shaking as I try to hold myself together. But perhaps that realization is all I need to fully accept my place in the Veil.
I’m not an ordinary girl. I never was.
I nod quickly—too quickly—because I’m afraid if I speak, my voice will come out all wobbly and shit, betraying me.
He must sense it and steps forward. Then, out of the blue, he wraps his arms around me. He’s all firm muscle, but I didn’t expect to feel actual skin and flesh—his embrace surprisingly warm for a stone.
“Umm… Is that a hug?” I tease him, but I’m fighting off the growing lump in my throat.
“Please forgive me for leaving, my Queen,” he murmurs, his voice thick with regret.
Oh, he’s serious -serious.
I bury my face against his torso, the tears spilling freely now. Both me and Alex could be dead by now if not for him. “Thank you for coming back.”
He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes searching mine. “See, you’re still so…” he begins, then stops himself. His jaw tightens, and he lets out a soft growl of frustration. “Alexander is clearly too gentle with you.”
I frown, wiping my face with the back of my hand. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It was obviously a trap set by Lilith. He would never ask you to leave the Veil, not without him by your side.”
“Why is it obvious? We’ve been in situations where he needed my help before.”
“And you,” he continues, disregarding my words, “should be furious with me, not understanding.”
“You knew,” I accuse, my voice rising as the anger hits. “You knew it was a trap, and you used that to escape when Alex gave you his word he’d free you.”
“Yes,” he admits without hesitation, his tone grim. “And it’s a shame I’ll have to live with. But I don’t trust the wolf.”
I glare at him. “ He gave you his word, ” I snap. “But thankfully, you won’t have to live with it for too long, because he will turn you to fucking dust! And I will let it happen!”
The gargoyle smirks faintly, visibly amused by my outburst. “Come, Julia,” he says, scooping me up in his arms with no effort. He cradles me against his chest, his wings spreading wide. “Let’s get you back to the castle.”
“You know,” I ponder, “that’s the first time when you called me by my name.”
“Is it?” He looks down at me, his voice much more playful than normal.
I nod, then coax. “You never gave me yours.”
“You never asked.”
Shit, he’s not wrong.
I give him a sheepish smile. “Well, I’m asking now.”
“Vernox.”
“Vernox,” I repeat after him, my lips curling into a full grin.
As we rise into the air, the world blurs beneath us, the cold wind whipping through my hair. Above us, the Northern Lights illuminate the way, welcoming us back. For a moment, it’s almost peaceful. But his words keep flashing through my thoughts.
“So, I’m too na?ve. Is that what you’re saying?” I ask, pouting slightly as I look up at him.
“Yes,” he replies bluntly, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Immensely.”
I groan, rolling my eyes. “Ugh! Use some filter, you’re being mean.”
“No, not mean. Just honest,” he counters, his smirk growing wider.
“You wanted me to be furious? Now I am,” I retort, crossing my arms with a huff.
He laughs —a deep, rumbling sound that vibrates through me, and for a fleeting moment, the tension of the night begins to melt away.