33. Aflora
AFLORA
Energy crackledfrom the deadly trees, causing my defensive instincts to flare to life. Zeph was a strong presence in my head, his magic pouring through my senses to surround Emelyn and me in a protective shield of invisible power, one meant to deflect any untoward spells.
Like the one that came from the darkness, aimed right at Emelyn. It bounced back with an emerald spark, causing electricity to sizzle around us.
“Impressive,” the female mused. “Why are you protecting the Elite Blood?”
“Who are you?” I countered, unable to see her cloaked in the darkness.
She stepped forward with several Midnight Fae at her back, all of them raising their wands to illuminate the tips in cerulean magic.
My lips parted. Quandary Bloods.
Except for the woman at the front. Her wand glowed with red magic, marking her as an Elite Blood.
“Dakota,” Emelyn breathed, her eyes widening. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, you mean after your betrothed banished me for playing with his source?” she asked, her lips curling into a smile. “What do you think I’m doing here?” She sent another spiral of magic toward Emelyn, but my net caught it and volleyed it back to her.
I had no idea how I was holding that up in front of us, but I felt the strands of it tied to my fingertips, not my wand. A fresh burst of power flared from my hand to restructure the shield, ensuring Dakota hadn’t damaged the exterior.
The woven threads of magic hummed back at me, confirming their integrity.
It all came naturally to me, like I’d flipped on a switch in my mind that allowed me to suddenly envision every strand of vitality around us. The elements were there just waiting for me to pluck and use them as I required. Which I did now as I reinforced our blockade, the invisible net pulsing with ominous intent, ready to engage at will.
“That’s a bit of an irritation,” Dakota said after dealing with her backfired spell. She polished her nails against her shirt, then lowered her wand. “I don’t understand. Why are you protecting the very being who wants you dead, Aflora?”
“I don’t want her dead,” Emelyn said quickly, her widening dark eyes looking at me. “I know I’ve been a bitch, but?—”
“Not you, but Midnight Fae like you,” Dakota interjected, sounding bored. “Emelyn and her betrothed are the future queen and king of a Council that has hunted and killed Quandary Bloods for over a thousand years. How could you guard someone destined for such evil?”
“I can’t hold Emelyn responsible for a history she had no jurisdiction over,” I replied, not bothering to point out the sexist nuances that would forbid she even be part of it as the Midnight Fae Queen.
“And for a marriage I have no interest or say in,” she muttered, causing me to glance at her. She’d lowered her wand, but I sensed her awareness of our situation, her tense limbs ready to fight as needed.
“Condemning Emelyn would be similar to classifying all Quandary Bloods as evil just for being born into a certain bloodline, as I believe it’s her father’s lineage that made her a match for Kols,” I said, thinking out loud.
“It is,” she admitted, her eyes holding a touch of respect as she looked at me. And a glimmer of fear.
“Then why wouldn’t I defend her?” I asked, returning my focus to the dark-haired fae who seemed to be the leader of the others. “Destinies change every day, and she’s not the one pointing a wand at me right now. You all are.”
“They’re pointing their wands at Emelyn,” Dakota drawled. “As I said, she’s the future queen.”
“And as she pointed out, it’s not by choice.” A discussion I’d love to revisit with Kols later. “What do you want? Who are you? Why are you here?” But I already suspected the answers involved the recent attacks and the trap from the village.
They were here for me, to take me to someone.
But who?
Because this female wasn’t the source of magic I’d felt at the Academy during the assault, and while the others were familiar to me, they weren’t responsible for the events of that day either.
“Where are we?” Emelyn added to my list of questions.
“In an alternate paradigm within the LethaForest,” Dakota replied, sounding amused. “We were only supposed to take Aflora, but you came with her. Would you like to be sent back? Because I can arrange that for you.”
“And what would that require?” Emelyn asked, arching a black brow.
“Leaving Aflora behind, of course.” Dakota sounded so nonchalant, as if the terms of my kidnapping meant little to nothing to her.
“Yeah, I’ll pass,” Emelyn drawled. “Aflora and I are a package deal.”
We are? I thought, shocked by her statement.
“Oh? Are you one of her three mates?” Dakota asked, cocking her head to the side. “I thought they were all male.” She glanced at the fae around her as if seeking confirmation. “What were their names again?”
My stomach twisted. How did she know about my quad?
“Shadow, Zephyrus, and Kolstov,” one of the Midnight Fae replied. He was a shorter male with long black hair—or at least, it appeared black in the night and with the light of his cerulean-glowing wand flaring before him.
“Kolstov?” Emelyn looked at me. “You mated Kolstov?”
“Oh, did you not know?” Dakota asked, not sounding the least bit guilty. “Yes, it does cause a certain perplexity, but we plan to teach Aflora how to undo the bond with him, so he’ll be free again shortly. Of course, he’s going to die in the process, but that’s neither here nor there, yes?”
“You mated Kolstov?” Emelyn repeated, her tone not necessarily angry so much as startled.
“I, uh, yes.” There was no sense in denying it or explaining how it happened or telling her it wasn’t done yet. This situation required honesty and quick responses, not dwelling on things I couldn’t change. We’d deal with the nuances later.
“Does that change your stance on the package deal?” Dakota wondered out loud, her enjoyment in our situation palpable.
Emelyn held my gaze as she replied, “No, it doesn’t change a damn thing.”
My eyebrows shot upward. She couldn’t really mean that.
Maybe she only intended for us to remain in this together until she saw a better escape, because I doubted that Dakota’s offer to let her go came without caveats. Emelyn must have sensed the same duplicitous notion as well, therefore not trusting the proposal.
“Huh.” Dakota sounded amused. “Well, I’ll be. Then I guess you’re both coming with us.”
“Not so fast, Dakota.” The new voice came from the surrounding woods, echoing all around us as if the trees spoke rather than a person. Yet the feminine tones resonated in my thoughts from a single source—a powerful one.
The Midnight Fae before us all raised their wands in a new direction, their expressions grim as another group of fae entered the grove led by a female with long black hair, and a male on each side.
Emelyn gasped beside me, clearly recognizing the trio.
I studied their features. They appeared only a few years older than me, but I could almost taste the ancient air surrounding them. And the male to her right had a Fortune Fae Alpha appeal to him with his silver hair, larger build, and enhanced jawline—suggesting he had fangs. Yet his eyes weren’t slit like a Fortune Fae Alpha’s.
The male on her other side held up a wand lit with purple magic, indicating his Death Blood heritage, and as it illuminated his features, I caught sight of a pair of startling blue irises.
Blue irises that reminded me of Shade’s.
Thinking of my mate had me automatically opening my mental channel to him.
Where the hell are you?he demanded immediately.
In some sort of paradigm,I replied. And I’m pretty sure your dad is here.
That’s impossible.
Well, he looks like you,I whispered, swallowing. Same eyes. Thick, nearly black hair. Chiseled features. Death Blood magic.
Silence. Then he softly asked, Is he with a dark-haired female?
Yes.
And a man with silver hair?
Yes.
Those are my grandparents, he replied. You can trust them. I’m coming.
How will you find me?I wondered.
Just keep the connection open, Aflora. And never shut me out like that again. You scared the shit out of us.
I winced. I didn’t mean to.
We’ll work on it, he promised.
“What are you doing here, Zen?” Dakota asked, sounding wary.
“You know exactly why I’m here,” Shade’s grandmother replied, sounding regal and in charge. “This is not the way.” She turned to address the others with Dakota. “Retribution isn’t the only path. We can do this without spilling more Midnight Fae blood.”
“She’s right,” the silver-haired fae replied. “Reformation will allow us to lead without the unnecessary loss of lives.”
“Unnecessary,” Dakota repeated. “You know what was unnecessary? The Midnight Fae Elders killing my parents for helping Cassandra escape the kingdom. You know what else was unnecessary? The Midnight Fae Elders killing Tobias’s entire line because a grandparent was a Quandary Blood.”
“Violence cannot be countered by more violence,” Zen replied softly. “If you continue down this path, so many more innocents will be wrapped up in a war of blood and retribution. How is that a rightful solution?”
“They deserve to bleed for what they’ve done to our families,” one of the Midnight Fae hissed.
Another grunted in agreement. “The Nachts were never meant to rule. They’ve destroyed our source and polluted it with their false superiority.”
“Blood for blood,” a female said softly.
“Hear, hear!” the male beside her cheered.
Zen shook her head. “I understand you’re angry—we all are—but to kill the lineages entirely will dwarf Midnight Fae kind.”
“It’s what they did to us,” someone pointed out, his voice gruff and lost in the darkness. “It’s what they bloody deserve.”
“We’ve chosen our side, Zen,” Dakota murmured. “Perhaps it’s time you join us once more. I’m certain Zakkai would welcome you home.”
“It’s not the path I choose,” Zen replied sadly.
Aflora?Shade’s voice trickled through my thoughts.
I’m here.
Yes, I feel you,he replied. I’m about to penetrate the paradigm, and I need you to grab onto me as quickly as possible. There’s a fleet of Warrior Bloods waiting out here to attack.
What about your grandparents?I asked, suddenly worried for their safety. Odd, considering we hadn’t really met, but I felt a kinship to Zen, sort of like I’d met her in another life.
They’ll be fine, he whispered. She’s already seen what’s coming.
My lips parted in understanding. Because she’s a Fortune Fae.
Yes, he replied. Ready?
What about Emelyn?
Ajax will take care of her,he promised.
Ajax? I repeated.
He’s with me. And trust me, he’ll make sure she’s safe.
But he hates her.And while I didn’t have a lot of like for the woman, I didn’t wish her ill will. Especially after her show of solidarity here, even if it was for her own survival.
Ah, sweet little rose. Hate and love are so closely connected. Surely you understand that by now?
You mean?—
I’ll explain later,he inserted, an urgency entering his voice. I need to come in there now. Are you ready?
I glanced at a pale-faced Emelyn, then took in the growing tensions outside our shield. The Quandary Bloods had begun arguing, with Zen and Dakota on opposite sides squaring off, their postures a strange mixture of defensive and broken at the same time. There seemed to be pain, coupled with a sense of rightness.
Because they couldn’t agree on a path forward.
Retribution on one half, reformation on the other.
A Midnight Fae faction driven apart by the greed and violence of the rest of their kind.
The question became, what side did I fall on? The Elder Midnight Fae had killed my parents. “Will the Elders pay for what they’ve done?” I asked, cutting off whatever some had been saying. “With reformation, will they pay?” I restated, wanting my direct query answered. “They killed my parents.”
“Yes,” Dakota replied. “They did.”
“Will they be punished? My parents were Royal Earth Fae. That assault can’t go unanswered.”
Zen sighed. “My child, there is so much you don’t understand regarding the circumstances and the consequences of our actions. It’s not as simple as one might predict.”
“That’s a riddle that doesn’t answer my question,” I replied, ignoring Shade’s roaring commentary in my head. He’d asked if I was ready, and the answer was no, not without additional information. “Will the Elders pay for what they’ve done?”
“We will ensure they pay,” Dakota said, her expression gleaming with approval. “And you will lead us as queen.”
I had no idea what she meant by that. “I don’t want to be your queen. I just want the Elders held accountable for their sins.”
“What punishment would you give them?” Zen asked me. “How would you see them properly reprimanded for their actions?”
“How would you?” I countered. “By restoring the balance, yet allowing them to live? They didn’t afford my parents the same consideration, so why should I give it to them?”
“Because it’s our responsibility as the architects of the source to ensure the survival of Midnight Fae kind, not act as jury and executioner,” the silver-haired male beside her said, his voice deep and kissed by darkness. “As the last remaining Earth Fae Royal, I would expect you to understand that sense of duty.”
“Am I an Earth Fae Royal?” I asked, arching a brow. “Or were my parents Quandary Bloods in hiding?”
Zen’s eyebrows lifted in surprise while her counterparts stared at me in confusion, making me wonder if I had deduced that incorrectly. But before I could ask, the ground began to shake, causing the Quandary Bloods to curse and weave their magic through the air in hypnotic shades of cerulean blue.
Shade’s grandparents vanished, the world shifting around Emelyn and me in a delirious dance of excessive light, blinding me momentarily before revealing the similar surroundings of the LethaForest once more.
Burning thwomps released an explosion of smoke and fire, causing me to cringe.
And chaos descended as magic wove through the air in a colorful eruption.
Emelyn grabbed my hand, yanking me to the side. I nearly shook off her grip, not wanting to fall into another enchanted paradigm with her, but then I saw Ajax on her opposite side, guiding us out of the field as his wand produced a thick black smog that hid the three of us from view.
He took off at a clipped pace through the woods, leaving the war behind us as the Quandary Bloods fought the Warrior Bloods—or I assumed that was the case. I hadn’t actually seen who fought whom, my focus primarily on following Emelyn out of the insanity.
Ajax didn’t stop until we were under a blanket of darkness, the trees in this area of the LethaForest boasting leaves.
I squinted.
No.
Not leaves.
Bats.
So many that they completely blocked the moonlight above.
If they were bothered by our presence, they didn’t show it. Only one seemed to care, his little feet moving along the trunk of the tree as he carried himself down until he was a few inches from my face. I slid my wand back into my pocket and studied the adorable little creature with intelligent eyes. He seemed to be doing the same to me.
“Good job, Draco,” Shade said from the darkness, startling me. He stepped forward, and the bat landed on his shoulder with a little clicking chirp. Then his icy blue eyes met mine. “We need to go. Now.”
“I’ve got Emelyn,” Ajax said. “Go.”
I glanced at the pair, who were locked in a hug that spoke volumes about their relationship. It left me wondering what their history entailed, because clearly one existed here.
Shade grabbed my wrist, a thick cloud enveloping us before I could ask for details or even voice my approval, and a moment later, our meadow appeared. My shoulders immediately relaxed, the flowers and sunshine calling to my element. I wrapped my arms around him, breathed in his familiar peppermint scent, and sighed.
Just for a moment, I allowed myself to calm.
To release the last however many minutes or hours of chaos.
To exist in a world that was me and Shade, surrounded by the familiarity of home.
Only, I sensed another presence, one that had my brow furrowing in confusion.
That was when I realized Shade’s arms weren’t around me, his body stiff against mine.
I pulled back to study his eyes, noting the coldness lurking inside. Shade?
No reply.
My lips pulled downward as I tried to access our link and found it closed, just as he’d done before when keeping me out of his mind.
I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”
“I know,” he replied, his attention on something over my shoulder.
No, not something. Someone.
Because I could feel him.
The familiarity of his magic.
The hint of an ocean kiss.
The faint memory of several sleepless nights.
I turned slowly, already knowing whom I’d face—the white-haired male from my dreams. “You’re not real,” I whispered.
He stood leaning against a tree, his silver-blue eyes glinting with amusement. “We’ve had this discussion before, little star. And I suggested you reconsider that thought.”
I stepped backward into Shade, begging him with my mind to whisk us away from here, but other than place his hands possessively on my hips, he did nothing.
“Why are you here?” I asked, terrified of the answer, praying he said anything other than what I feared.
“Because this was where Shadow and I promised to meet for the exchange,” he replied, killing all my hopes.
How could you? I asked Shade. But our link remained closed, the willow stump doing the one thing he told me not to do only minutes earlier—he shut me out.
Zeph!I called, quickly opening another channel.
Silence.
But not in the same way as Shade’s.
Zeph felt… unconscious.
“What did you do?” I asked, shivering uncontrollably despite the warm sun overhead. “What did you do, Shade?”
“What fate required me to do,” he replied against my ear, his lips brushing my temple. “I warned you that you would hate me. Now you know why.”
“Because you’re working with him?” But I didn’t even really know what that meant. This male had attacked the Academy, seduced me in my dreams, tried to trap me in the village, and now stared at me with almost illicit intent. “Who are you?” I asked him. “Why are you doing this?”
“I’m Zakkai,” he replied. “As to why I’m doing this, well…” He smiled, pushing off the tree to saunter toward me.
Shade held me in place when I tried to step to the side.
Energy kissed my fingertips as my powers ignited in automatic defense, only a wave of Zakkai’s hand calmed my power. I pulled out my wand to try again, and he smiled fondly at the item.
“Ah, I’ve been looking for that,” he murmured, plucking it easily from my palm and twirling it between his fingers. “I should have known those figments at AcaWard would give it to you.” He chuckled and canted his head to the side, his silver-blue eyes holding mine as he slid the wand under his cloak. “Thank you for keeping my wand warm for me.”
“Your wand?” I repeated, my mouth dry.
His lips curled again, causing little dimples to appear at the edges. “Yes, sweet star. My wand.”
“I-I don’t understand,” I whispered. “How?”
He reached out to tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear, then stepped into my personal space, trapping me between them, with Zakkai in front of me and Shade behind me. “Close your eyes,” he whispered.
I didn’t want to obey him, but my eyelids slipped shut as if he’d drawn them down with a spell. And then I felt him in my mind, untwisting a strand of magic that led to the root of my mate bonds.
One that finally allowed me to understand and see the connection at the end.
The missing link I’d failed to comprehend all this time.
The real reason I had access to Quandary Blood abilities.
It was never my parents or my own heritage or my lineage.
It was him.
Zakkai.
My Quandary Blood mate.