Chapter 20 – Aline
Chapter Twenty
Aline
“ W e don’t have?—”
I cut Silence off, pushing my mouth to his. He can’t force his gifts to work on me. If I want him to see what I did, then I have to focus on the memories I’ve done my best to forget.
I wake up in pain like I’ve never experienced, but I’m drawn out of an unfamiliar bed as though there’s a string wrapped around my chest, yanking me toward something. My arm flies to support my middle as I hobble along an unfamiliar stone-lined hallway.
It’s similar, but different from the Unseelie Castle. The air is warmer, and although the stone is cool under my feet, it doesn’t burn with the bite of cold like it does in the Winter Castle.
I wander for what feels like hours as I’m drawn toward something... I don’t even know what.
My magic pulses.
I halt, leaning against the cool brick of the wall for support.
I listen in on the Seelie Court’s council meeting as they tell my husbands there’s no guarantee Faere will accept me as queen. Even if the people overlook my gifts, that doesn’t mean a thing if I’ve damaged myself past repair.
My only purpose to them is as a broodmare for the next generation and to be a figurehead for my husbands’ rule.
“She’s the best shot we’ve got at keeping the fae as one unified people, even temporarily, until another solution can be found,” Silence says coolly. “The giants and orcs encroach on fae lands every decade. Without a unified army...”
There’s more discussion, but my head swims with pain and possibly whatever herbs they’ve given me to numb it.
“At this point, our best chance at peace very well might be handing her over to the Unseelie council.” I don’t recognize the voice, but my hand flies to cover my mouth as vomit rises in my throat.
“How can you even be sure your union is binding?” Someone new pipes in. This is a female voice, and it sends a shiver through my entire body as gooseflesh erupts on my skin.
“It hasn’t been consummated. You’re not legally bound to her yet,” another points out.
“She’s our fucking soulmate,” Hex growls.
“The union is binding,” Silence says in an icy tone. “If you hand her over, you’ll be offering up two princes at her side.”
I frown.
“The connection is that deep?”
“It is,” Hex and Silence say in unison.
“Then, you must consummate.”
Someone else interjects, “Only if she’s able to produce heirs. She has so much internal damage that the healers can’t confirm if she’ll survive, let alone be able to carry fledglings.”
My gut pulses painfully.
My magic pulls me backward, or maybe I stagger away.
Everything is so hazy, it’s difficult to comprehend what’s happening.
“We’ll do what needs to be done to ensure our union is binding,” Silence says in a clipped tone. “Is there anything else you need from us?”
“Can we trust you to handle the consummation in a timely ? — ”
“You’ll trust your princes to handle their wife,” Hex snarls. “No more discussion is needed.”
“We’ll manage Alinelle and our bond,” Silence says. “Trust that to us.”
I stumble backward.
My head swims with hurt and unease.
Memories of how dissatisfied they were at our wedding spill through my mind as I retreat. They never wanted me. Not until I ended up as the last remaining heir available.
I back away as my hand slides along the cool brick of the wall. My bracelet jingles, and I freeze. There’s commotion in the meeting room, and panic rips through my system.
I turn to run as lava courses through my abdomen.
I don’t make it very far before an echoing pop fills the air.
At first, I’m sure it’s my sister or Korso coming to rescue me. My sister’s mate can open portals anywhere. It’s one of the reasons my mother viewed him as such a desirable match.
Movement comes my way from behind me. I glance back and toward the portal again, willing someone I recognize to offer a hand.
My heart throbs as the seconds pass. My magic pulses, trying to yank me forward.
There’s no one coming for me. It’s time to save myself.
I don’t know where I’ll land, but I toss myself through, anyway.
I pass out during the trip and land in an unfamiliar human town.
My eyes dart around as I push myself off the unforgiving ground.
It’s not soft like the earth in Faere.
It’s hard, like boulders or rocks.
My face and arm sting where the skin is broken open. I struggle to my feet, glancing around.
I briefly expect to find my sister.
Hell, any friendly face will do.
There’s no one.
Memories of how I got here flood back.
I wander barefoot and terrified for what feels like hours but might only be minutes.
Humans aren’t as welcoming as the stories I heard growing up. I follow a long, hard path as it leaves the small town.
There are trees in the distance.
I aim for those, because they remind me of home. There’s a certain safety with nature that I’ve never found with the beings that fill it.
At some point, my wound opens, and the adrenaline wears off.
My hands shake, and I’m filled with shame. I question every decision I’ve ever made until I’m too tired to go any farther.
I don’t make it all the way to the thick trees, but I collapse against the bark of one close to the path. I face myself toward them; that way, if I pass out, I’ll be able to remember where I was heading once I wake.
Dread’s nude form approaching in the distance is the next thing I remember. His red glowing eyes narrow in suspicion—or that’s what I thought at the time. I know him well enough now to recognize it for what it truly was.
Concern.
“Jesus fucking Christ.” He squats in front of me. “Are you all right?”
My head shakes, and I groan in response.
I think it’s possible I might vomit, but that would be ridiculously painful and probably too much for my body to handle.
“Okay. I’m going to get you some help,” he growls.
I cry out, clawing at his forearms as he lifts me, and blissfully pass out.
“The next thing I remember is waking up in one of the rooms at The Den with a vampire I didn’t recognize leaning over me. Laithe not so politely told me I stunk, while complaining that I drained him dry in order to heal,” I tell Silence, staring up at his icy-blue eyes.
“Gods,” Silence says, running his hand over my hair. “I don’t think I can explain how sorry I?—”
“Can we not do that?” I ask, holding back the ragged breath that might come out like a sob if I’m not careful. “I don’t even fully understand how my magic got me out of the Spring Castle. I thought it was trying to keep me alive. I’m so sorry?—”
“I know,” he says, swallowing thickly. “I can sense the truth, remember?”
“Where do we go from here?”
“We’ve lost many years, but that’s the benefit of immortality, isn’t it?” He gives me a devastatingly handsome grin. “We’ve spent enough years hurting, all three of us. Don’t you agree?”
My eyes dart away from his searching gaze.
“We have, but I don’t know that I’ll ever recover from my injury.
It could’ve been the trip through the portal or being away from you two for so long.
” My head shakes. “I’ll never be able to give you heirs.
I won’t be enough to keep Atlas from slipping into rut and leaving me for a partner who can give him children. ”
“No more of that,” Silence growls. “You’re my fucking soulmate.
The gods only give us that gift once per long lifetime.
I couldn’t care less if we spend our days fucking and napping and simply enjoying our bond.
Children will come or they won’t . The only thing I’m positive I need in my never-ending fucking existence is you.
” He pushes his mouth to mine for a soul-consuming kiss.
It’s slow and careful, like he’s pouring every bit of his truth into it.
My face feels hot.
I know a few tears escaped, but Silence nuzzles his cheek to mine as he finally pulls back.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted. I never had any desire to be queen.” My body trembles under his. “I wanted a home and kids...” And to be loved, but I already feel far too vulnerable to admit that aloud.
It wasn’t that my parents played favorites, but if I was being honest with myself, then I’d admit that they did. After the nature of my magic made itself known, the divide only became more noticeable.
“You’ll have those things,” Silence says. I know he can’t lie, but either he’s delusional, or he still has hope, where mine has been worn down over the years. “Tell me about the bracelet.” His fingers run over my throat. “And the necklace.”
“The bracelet was a gift on our union day. After I came to Haven, I had it transitioned into a relic. The same witch made the necklace to match. They hold my excess magic.”
“Could you take them off?” Silence asks. “Would you be willing to?”
“Why?”
“It’s just a theory, but I’m afraid that keeping yourself drained of magic has hindered the healing process. I have no idea where to begin with having the bracelet examined, but it feels like it pulls my magic to it. When I touched the necklace, I didn’t have the same shock.”
“A little girl gave the bracelet to me right before Ary was attacked.” I frown. “Why would anyone want to weaken my magic? Very few even knew about it at that point.”
“I think it’s safe to say there were members of your mother’s court who wanted to keep you weak. Maybe even guarantee their attempt was successful by hindering your ability to intercede.” Silence studies me carefully.
“And you think they used a fledgling to accomplish that?”
“I don’t find it outside of the realm of possibility; I’ll put it that way.”
I hold my wrist up, and he helps with the clasp. The beads are strung on a stretchy material that will come off over my hand, but if it’s not unclasped, the magic will materialize the jewelry back on my wrist.
Silence holds the bracelet, examining it. My eyes widen. Light pastel green energy seems to spill from his skin toward the relic.
“Can we try with the necklace to be sure it’s not related to the spell the witch put on the relics?”