4. Zeph
“Constantine attacked shortlyafter you fell unconscious,” I added. “Shade fucked off to who knows where, leaving Zakkai and me to uphold the paradigm alone for… I’m not actually sure how long.”
“Two hours and seventeen minutes,” Shade announced as he appeared. “I’ve been trying to get back inside, but Constantine had a mass of energy blocking all entries and exits.” He looked at Aflora. “I have no idea how you did that, little rose, but it’s mighty impressive.”
I was torn between punching him in the face for leaving and agreeing with him.
Considering he returned, and it probably was Constantine’s fault that he hadn’t been able to enter, I opted for the latter. “Very impressive,” I echoed, brushing my knuckles across her cheek.
Then I frowned. “Now why can’t I hear you?” I couldn’t hear Kols, either.
“Constantine did something to our bonds,” she said, her attention going to Zakkai.
A question formed over her lips, but the Quandary Blood said, “Take what you need,” before she had a chance to voice it.
He leaned down to press his forehead to hers, their mouths grazing in a light kiss that had me narrowing my eyes.
Kolstov and Shadow I could accept.
Zakkai was going to take time.
He’d taken my mate. Kept her from me—from us. Hidden her. But he’d also protected her. Which was the only reason I allowed him to remain in such an intimate position with Aflora.
She closed her eyes as energy pooled around her. Clove flew in from above to settle beside her in the destroyed remains of the bed, her wing brushing Aflora’s shoulder.
Zakkai’s wolf lingered in the former doorway while Raph slithered around my neck.
Then Kols’s familiar soared in to land beside Clove. I blinked at the crow’s ash-tipped black wings, the color rivaling the ends of the Elite Blood’s auburn hair. He glanced at Night and noticed the same thing, his fingers reaching out to stroke the discolored feathers.
They’d both been marked by death.
Shade’s icy gaze traced over Kols and Night as well, his expression holding a touch of wonderment. Then he flinched as magic swarmed around him. The same happened to me half a second later, my mind suddenly paralyzed by Aflora’s enchantment.
Something snapped.
Prickled.
Crumbled.
My heart ached for a solitary beat before emotion and thoughts came rushing through my mind and soul, Aflora’s affection and frustration and fear and relief a torrent of sensations that stole my breath.
I reached for her in the next breath, pulling her mouth away from Zakkai and up to mine, my gratitude at having her inside me again an oppressing wave that I couldn’t release. She returned my embrace with equal fervor.
“Good thing she was done,” Zakkai muttered.
I ignored him, my focus on my beautiful mate and the power rippling through her. My queen, I thought reverently.
Not yet,she returned, her fingers threading through my hair. I… I don’t know if… She trailed off, her uncertainty winning over her other reactions.
“It’s all right,” I whispered against her mouth. “We’re going to figure this out.”
“I want to undo it,” she admitted just as softly. “There has to be a way to undo it.”
Kols’s opinions on that graced my psyche, but he didn’t voice them out loud. Not possible, he said first. And even if it is, is it the right recourse? I followed his analytical reveal, reveling in the ability to be so utterly close to him and his beliefs.
“Voice that out loud,” I suggested to him. “Tell Aflora.”
“Tell me what?” she asked, her focus on me and then the others. “I assume you’re talking to Kols?”
“He is,” Kols replied, flashing an irritated glance my way. “You being in my head is problematic.”
“And very useful,” I countered. “Tell her.”
He sighed, his fingers combing through his thick reddish-brown hair as he shook his head. “My grandfather forced your ascension in an effort to kill you. However, you passed your first trial. Not only that, but the source also embraced you. I was just thinking through what that means and wondering if fate might have a point. If perhaps you should be the Midnight Fae Queen.”
I righted my spine, my palm still around the back of Aflora’s nape. Zakkai stood nearby with Shade on his other side. But my pixie flower’s eyes were on Kols, who still rested beside her on the petal-adorned bed. “How could I be the queen? I’m an Earth Fae.”
“An Earth Fae who is mated to four Midnight Fae,” he said softly. “An Earth Fae who found a way for the two sources to talk to each other. An Earth Fae who should be thrumming with an overabundance of power right now, seeking to destroy—at least according to all the rumors about abominations—and yet I can hear you still putting your people first. You’re not thinking about yourself or what it’ll mean for you, but for everyone else. And that is the mark of true royalty, Aflora. That is the mindset of a queen.”
I released Aflora, aware of Kols’s intention.
His palm found her cheek as he rolled into her. “You were always destined for this,” he whispered, his mouth brushing hers. “I think Shade’s known that all along, too.”
The Death Blood merely smiled, but the look certainly confirmed Kols’s statement.
“As touching as this is, we need to move,” Zakkai interjected, his tone lined with authority, but I caught the flicker of regret in his silvery gaze. He didn’t want to interrupt. However, the brush of energy to the exterior of the paradigm told me exactly why he’d felt the need to.
“He’s right,” I agreed, my defensive energy already flaring to life. “Constantine is still here.” Or nearby, anyway.
“Midnight Fae Academy?” Zakkai asked, arching a brow at Shade.
“Yes,” the Death Blood agreed. “My grandmother gained the appropriate permissions, but he’s demanded a meeting with you.”
Zakkai snorted in response. “Of course he has. He’s been trying to meet me for years.”
Shade just lifted a shoulder. “You know how he feels about making deals.”
I frowned at them. “Who are you talking about? And why would we go to the Academy? That’s the first place they’ll look for us.”
“Your Academy, yes. This Academy, no.” Zakkai redirected his attention to Shade. “And I accept the deal.”
“That’s not the only one they made,” Shade replied. “He also wants a boon at his point of choosing.”
“From me or Zenaida?”
“You know my grandmother prefers to be called Zen.” Shade gave him an indecipherable look. “And he didn’t clarify.”
“I see,” Zakkai murmured. “Well, I’m prepared to pay whatever price so long as we’re hidden. I’ll be sure to thank Zenaida later for arranging it.”
The Death Blood snorted. “It’s already done because I agreed to it on your behalf.”
“Presumptuous of you.”
“I knew you would do anything for Aflora,” Shade returned.
“True,” Zakkai agreed without missing a beat, looking down at her now. “We need to go, little star.”
She nodded. “I can feel him.”
“We all can,” Kols said. “But what Academy are you talking about? There’s only one in existence for Midnight Fae.”
“Is there?” Zakkai countered. “Where do you think all the outlawed Midnight Fae go to study? In the Human Realm?” He conjured a flaming dragon in the next breath, sending it up into the sky to attack those beyond the paradigm walls. “Because I doubt they teach this at local universities there.”
Shade just shook his head and disappeared again.
I glared after him. “Another damn secret.”
Zakkai smirked. “He’s full of them.”
“As are you,” I replied, stepping toward him. His arrogance was starting to grate on my nerves. “If this is going to work, we all need to start communicating.”
“If?” His smirk intensified. “You act as though there’s a choice in the matter.”
“There’s a choice if I remove you,” I threatened, not at all amused by his tricks and games and riddles. He was just as bad as Shade. No, he was worse. A lone wolf used to doing whatever the hell he wanted, however he wanted. I started to take another step, but Aflora slipped off the bed to stand between us, her palm against my chest.
“Can we all try to focus, please?” she asked, her voice regal in its softness. My gaze immediately dropped to the lines of power writhing over her arms, my heart leaping into my throat.
She was right.
There were more important items to focus on right now.
I cupped her jaw, my Warrior Blood gift flourishing beneath my skin with the dark desire to guard her. “We’ll figure this out, pixie flower. I vow it.”
She nodded, but her hesitation remained. She wasn’t sure she wanted this.
However, I agreed with Kols’s statement—she was made for this.
Zakkai moved into her back, his power an irritating wave of warmth that I could feel pulsing around and through Aflora.
Kols slid off the bed then, joining us, our bodies forming a protective circle around our Aflora. Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she breathed in our scents, her resolve somewhat thickening.
I glanced at Kols, his gaze reflecting what I already knew. There would be more trials, all of them equally dangerous and difficult.
While Kols had had his entire life to prepare for them, Aflora had only spent a few months at the Academy. Her knowledge was inferior, her skills rudimentary. Kols had also benefited from his father being the one to outline the trials.
However, Constantine was in charge now.
And there was no telling what he would do or how he would frame Aflora’s future.
Preparing her would be the hardest task of our lives. But I silently vowed in that moment to do whatever was necessary to guard her and help her ascend.
I’d die for her.
Kols echoed the sentiment, both of us promising her eternal loyalty.
She would be our royal.
Our future Midnight Fae Queen.