26. Kols
KOLS
Tadmir was late again.He sauntered in with a muttered apology to my father, then took his seat with a flourish, his white hair sprawling haphazardly against his shoulders.
None of the Seconds were invited to this emergency meeting, but Shade and I were included. I met his icy gaze across the table and noted his trademark boredom. The Death Blood really was skilled at hiding his intentions. Unlike his father, Aswad, who appeared to be brimming with annoyance beside him.
“Right, now that we’re all accounted for, we can begin,” my father announced, drawing the focus to the head of the table, where I sat beside him. Tray hadn’t been allowed to attend, which prickled my nerves. My twin usually kept me grounded, and his absence only seemed to enhance the sense of foreboding in the air.
Something’s coming.
Something I’m not going to like.
The Council rarely called upon the Elders, but this was the second time this week they were requested to join us.
My father reached out to them in the old ways, using his magic to summon the guidance of the ancient ones who ruled before us.
It was the only time I ever saw my grandfather, as well as my great-grandfather. I’d actually only met the two men three times throughout my twenty-four years, indicating how rare it was for them to be called to our chambers.
Midnight Fae lived forever unless killed via very specific means, which was why we only ascended once in a millennium. The oldest of our kind often slept to pass the time, eternity being a long time to live. Sometimes it impacted viewpoints of morality as well, causing the ancients to go mad with sadism. Those Elders were put down if they refused to sleep.
My grandfather had yet to require the mandate, his mind still sharp, as was evidenced in his gold eyes now as he appeared in the Council doorway. My great-grandfather followed behind him, their appearances similar in that they held the forever appearance of a thirty-year-old male, but I could see their ages in their gazes and in the way they carried themselves.
So incredibly old.
Several others followed them, their presence bringing with them a coldness that drilled ice through my veins. I looked at Shade again. He just yawned, like he was ready for a nap.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined a time when I considered him to be my ally, yet I felt the pull to trust him today.
Because of Aflora.
This quad-bond had affected me in ways I never could have anticipated, starting with my desire to follow a Death Blood’s lead.
I did my best to feign boredom as well, all the while hoping the band around my wrist concealed my forbidden connection to my mate. There was nothing I could do about the Earth Fae bond, but as none of them could see the elemental sources of power, I assumed I was safe in that regard.
The Elders sat in the available chairs, the rest choosing to stand around us. There were two dozen of them, all varying in age up to ten thousand years old.
I fought the urge to shiver, their presence always reminding me of a necropolis with their lifeless gazes and still forms. Some of them didn’t even appear to be breathing.
My father cleared his throat, taking charge of the room in his classic manner. “Per our vote earlier this week, it’s time to bring Kolstov into the fold,” he announced.
My heart stopped beating. What? He couldn’t be calling forward my ascension. My trials weren’t done. And the Seconds would need to be here to witness it.
I didn’t dare give away my confusion. Instead, I glanced at my father with an arched eyebrow, feigning confidence and curiosity at the same time.
“As you all know, Shadow was brought in on our efforts four months ago when we provided him with an induction task that solidified his membership,” my father continued. “He’s proven himself at every turn, and it’s time to grant Kolstov the same opportunity.”
Okay, I really did not like where this was going. Particularly at the mention of Shade already being on the inside. He didn’t meet my gaze now, his focus on my father. “I’ve done what’s best for Midnight Fae kind, Your Majesty,” Shade said, the words probably the most respectful ones I’d ever heard leave his mouth. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Aswad dipped his head. “You’ve made our bloodline proud, son.”
“I know,” Shade agreed.
Several members of the Council nodded in agreement, while the Elders merely observed.
“Shadow’s reports have indicated that Kolstov has behaved admirably in his handling of the Earth Fae Royal,” my father said. “It serves as further proof of his acceptance of his future responsibilities, marking him as a loyal observer of our laws with the leadership qualities to carry out justice as we see fit.”
“Hear, hear!” several Councilmen cheered, saluting me while I fought the urge to frown.
What the hell is going on?I wanted to demand but instead forced myself to remain silent. Something told me I was about to find out Shade’s true motives. Finally. And I’d probably want to fucking kill him afterward.
“The recent attacks framing him as the culprit have made this even more important, which is the true purpose of today’s meeting. We’ll need his cooperation in bringing the revolutionaries to justice once and for all.”
Fists pounded on the table, the excitement of the Councilmen stirring an ominous energy in the air. This wasn’t going to end well.
“Bring him in, Warrior Danqris,” my father said with a wave of his wand, sending the message to somewhere else in the building. Given the context of his words, I suspected it was the dungeon.
I swallowed and dared to meet Shade’s gaze again, but he was too focused on his nails as he lounged like a king in his chair, oblivious to the growing animosity in the room.
“You see, Kolstov, we’ve been fighting a war for over a thousand years,” my father explained. “Some centuries are quieter than others, but we caught wind of a growing revolution about fifteen years ago. Our Elders, the ultimate protectors of Midnight Fae kind, handled the disturbance for us, then advised us on what to do next.”
“What kind of disturbance?” I asked, forcing a calmness in my tone that I didn’t quite feel.
“One involving Quandary Bloods,” my father replied.
Forcing surprise wasn’t required, mostly because hearing him mention Quandary Bloods shocked the hell out of me. “Quandary Bloods?” I repeated. “How is that possible? They’re dead.”
“Exactly what I said a few months ago,” Shade put in unhelpfully.
He and I would be having a serious discussion after this, one that would likely end in my fist meeting his arrogant face. I knew the bastard was hiding something, but never would have expected that it involved the Council and the Elders.
Fucking prat.
“The Quandary Bloods were mostly eradicated by Constantine Nacht and his Councilmen,” Aswad said. “However, several escaped and went into hiding throughout the fae realms. Rather than worry Midnight Fae kind about the lingering threat, he wisely chose to safeguard the details with the Council and the Elders. And we’ve been working in secret ever since to eradicate the issue.”
“Most of the problems have been dealt with,” my grandfather added, his tone flat. “However, a stronger resistance has risen over the last two decades, and they’ve caused a few more issues than usual. We attempted to cut them down roughly fifteen years ago, but we weren’t as successful as we would have liked. Which is why we allowed the Royal Earth Fae to live.”
My father nodded. “Yes. Her parents were known loyalists, and we suspect she is, too.”
“What?” I couldn’t stop my reaction, my blood thrumming in my ears.
Known loyalists?
And did they just admit to being the ones who killed Aflora’s parents?!
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me that from the beginning?” I demanded. And, holy fuck, did they know about her Quandary Blood abilities?
Yes. They had to. Because Shade had been informing them the entire time.
Which meant they knew about our bonds as well.
“For what it’s worth, I’ve yet to see any evidence to support that theory,” Shade said calmly, his gaze catching mine. “You’ve been living with her. Have you seen anything to suggest she supports the resistance?”
I stared at him. Is this a trap to test my loyalty to the Council?Or is he trying to tell me something?
“I didn’t even know there was a resistance until right now,” I replied through gritted teeth. Technically, that was true. It also avoided the direct question he’d just asked me, something he seemed keen on doing. Time to repay him the favor. “So how would I know what to look for?” I countered.
What the fresh hell is happening here?I wondered, my mind whirring with a multitude of ideas at once.
Did Shade play us all from the beginning? Did he never care about Aflora?I knew he’d been hiding something, as did Zeph, yet the Council didn’t seem to know all the details.
Unless they were biding their time with me?
“It’s true. She’s shown no signs of linking to the resistance,” my father said, drawing my attention back to him. “Between Kolstov’s and Shadow’s reports, I have seen no evidence of a connection.”
“That’s why you had her attend the Academy,” I realized, thinking out loud. “To use her as bait.”
He dipped his chin in affirmation. “Yes, we felt sure the Quandary Bloods would come for her out of loyalty to her parents. We suspect that was the point of the attack last week as well, but you and Zephyrus thwarted the attempt to collect her, which is the other reason we needed to bring you in—so that doesn’t happen again.”
I blinked. Out of loyalty to her parents? Because they helped Quandary Bloods? No, those weren’t the most important questions to ask. Instead, I focused on the more prevalent issue at hand. “You want her to be taken?”
Another nod. “Shadow’s bonding with her allows us greater insight into her mind, and now that they’ve completed their mating, he can fully track her. So if the resistance takes her, we can use her as a beacon to take them down.” He glanced at my grandfather. “It was Constantine’s idea, and a brilliant one at that.”
“You told Shade to bite her,” I said, feeling numb inside.
“Yes, we did,” my father confirmed.
That doesn’t make any sense. “Then why did the Council almost vote him out afterward?” I asked, unable to mask my confusion.
“It was all for show,” Shade informed me. “They suspect that one of the Seconds is working with the resistance and feeding them information.”
My father nodded. “Yes. So we’re using them to stay one step ahead, which is why we had to make it look like Shade was being punished for his forbidden actions.”
“You were really convincing,” I said, looking pointedly at Tadmir.
The Malefic Fae lifted a shoulder. “We all make sacrifices for the greater good. Mine is to temporarily hold off on a powerful alignment. Shadow’s will be to kill his Elemental mate and take my daughter at a later date.”
My stomach twisted at the casual way he just informed me of Aflora’s pending assassination. But what really bothered me was Shade’s bored expression, like the thought of hurting her didn’t impact him in the slightest.
Yet he hadn’t said anything about our quad-bond.
Which indicated there was more at play here than I knew, unless this was all leading up to that major reveal. Maybe he intended to take my throne, and that was his trump card.
Hmm, no. If that were the case, my father would be simmering with anger toward me. Instead, he seemed pleased to be bringing me into the fold, as he’d called it.
A knock sounded through the chamber, drawing my father’s gaze to the door. “Ah, that must be Danqris with our guest.” He glanced around the room as if to determine our readiness, then called out, “Enter.”
Danqris and Warlow entered with Headmaster Irwin clamped between them. The Death Blood professor’s eyes were wild as he took in the audience before him, his skin paling to a sheet of white. “I-I didn’t?—”
“Silence,” my father bellowed, his cheeks reddening with anger. “You will speak when spoken to.” He shot a spell through the air, aimed at the headmaster’s mouth, physically silencing the fae. “Put him in the chair,” he instructed, gesturing to the lone visitor chair that no one ever wanted to find themselves in.
I swallowed and risked a glance at Shade.
He didn’t give anything away, yet somehow, I sensed his unease.
Yes, something was definitely not right here. What game are you playing? I wanted to ask him, but the attention in the room had shifted to the sweating headmaster. He appeared ready to pass out.
“Shadow, enlighten everyone with the information you provided me,” my father instructed.
I already knew what story he intended to share with the room—the one Aflora had given us the other day about her psychometry experience.
Only, as Shade spoke, I noticed he left out key details of her encounter. Such as how the power felt familiar and how she sensed the energy during the initial attack. He did include the bit about the fae sending her a message, but he changed the message slightly, making it less personal and more of a warning.
“He informed her that they would be coming for her soon but didn’t say when” was Shade’s summary. “I’m monitoring the situation.”
My father nodded at that last sentence, pleased with Shade’s supposed acquiescence.
Yet I knew the real story and saw how he morphed the truth to give the Council just what they wanted to know, without revealing the crucial points.
Just like he frequently did with me.
I took that as a sign to not write him off just yet. He seemed to be playing a role here, as he did with everything.
All right,I thought. I’ll play along. For now.
“Do you believe Headmaster Irwin knowingly provided her with the item, or was he enchanted?” Chern asked, speaking up for the first time today. The intricate patterns woven into his bald scalp seemed to thrive with power as he engaged his Sangré magic to determine the various logical avenues of this situation.
“I believe he was enchanted,” Shade admitted. “He seemed rather out of it that day in class, like he was speaking without really being there.”
Headmaster Irwin started to nod, but a look from my father froze the male in place.
“There are ways to determine what he knew and what he didn’t,” Chern murmured. “I would need a few hours with him.”
“Would you mind allowing Kolstov to join you for the interrogation? I feel it would be a good learning experience,” my father said. “It’ll also provide a reasonable introduction into what we know about the resistance, too.”
Chern nodded. “I would be happy to bestow my experience upon him.”
I suspected that would include a magical transfer of knowledge, given that was what Sangré Bloods were most well-known for doing.
“May I join as well?” Shade asked. “As the key witness, I may have some additional suggestions for your line of questioning.”
“Of course,” my father replied, glancing at Chern. “Assuming you agree?”
The Sangré Councilman bobbed his head in confirmation once more. “It would be a wise move, yes.”
“Then it’s settled,” my father said, clapping me on the back. “Welcome to the inner circle, Kolstov. There’s not a grand ceremony for this, I’m afraid. But you’ll get that when you ascend.” He winked.
I forced a smile, my heart in my stomach. “Understood. Does Tray know any of this?”
My father shook his head. “He doesn’t.”
“You don’t suspect him of feeding information to the resistance, do you?” I asked him, incredulous. “Because I can assure you, he’s not.”
My father chuckled. “No. We know it’s not Tray, or you. We only kept you in the dark because this is usually considered an ascension privilege, and you have enough to worry about with your ascension trials. However, the recent attacks framing you required us to move up our time frame. And you also did too good a job protecting the bait, leaving us no choice but to bring you in so it doesn’t happen again.”
“Yes, the next time there’s an attempt to collect her, we need you to allow it to happen,” my grandfather added, his gold irises whirling with uncanny power. “It’s our best lead to tracking them.”
“Right,” I replied. “Because of her mating bond to Shade.”
“Exactly,” my father murmured. “The Elders had originally wanted it to be you, but we feared no one would believe you’d disregard such a fundamental law on a whim.”
“So they tapped the one known for rule-breaking,” Shade drawled. “Me.”
My grandfather grunted. “You didn’t even balk at the request.”
“Of course I didn’t. You gave me permission to taste an Elemental Fae, and a gorgeous one at that. Why the hell would I refuse?” Shade sounded so flippant, as if we were discussing the damn weather. But I was starting to recognize his tactics for avoidance. He made jokes to deflect, and in this case, he wanted everyone to believe Aflora meant nothing to him.
However, if that were true, then he would have told them all about our united bonds, and he hadn’t.
“Yeah, yeah,” Tadmir replied. “Enjoy it while it lasts, Death Blood. You’re still promised to my daughter.”
Shade smiled. “I’m aware of my obligations, Malefic Blood. Just enjoying my freedom while I can.”
“Shall we give Chern the room?” my grandfather suggested, gesturing to the patiently waiting Sangré Councilman. “Or do you prefer the dungeon for your interrogation?”
“The room is fine,” Chern replied.
“Then we’ll reconvene in three hours,” my father announced, standing and squeezing my shoulder. “Try to learn what you can. We’ll talk more over dinner later.”
That wasn’t a request but a demand. “Of course, sir. Thank you.”
He smiled, pleased, and led the others from the room, leaving me alone with Shade, Chern, and Headmaster Irwin.
“Shall we begin?” Chern asked.
Shade kicked his feet up on top of the table and crossed his legs at the ankles, the picture of uncaring. “Sure. Have at it.”
I didn’t mimic his pose but instead laced my fingers on top of the wood and gave Chern my undivided attention. “Teach me.”