7. Shade
My grandmother stood justinside the gates with a platter of cookies, her smile welcoming and knowing.
Because she’d probably foreseen that trial outside the gates.
A heads-up would have been appreciated, but that wasn’t her way. Fortune Fae never wanted to alter fate, just project potential paths. And I’d made it my life’s work to alter my own—hence Kols standing beside me.
My grandmother cast a cursory glance over him, her blue eyes taking on an appreciative gleam as she studied his hair.
I arched a brow, daring her to say something.
She didn’t.
Instead, she held out the treats for everyone to enjoy while formally introducing herself to Zeph and Kols. I didn’t partake in the cookies, because I knew what they meant—more bad news.
“Take them on a tour,” she advised. “Then come see me afterward.”
I dipped my chin in agreement, knowing she meant for me to visit her, not the others. But a glance at Zakkai told me he saw right through the act and he would be attending that meeting with me.
I’d hidden a lot from him over the years. However, he always seemed to know, as though he could remember the timelines just like I could. I knew he couldn’t actually recall them because that was impossible—his memory had been altered with all the others.
Although, his Quandary Blood ability probably allowed him to sense those alternate timelines. Or perhaps the manipulation of the power was what he felt.
Regardless, he’d suspected my interference and questionable allegiances our entire relationship. Which meant he would either follow me to the meeting or attend at my side.
The latter was preferred, especially as we both were tied to Aflora now.
She walked along beside me as I provided the tour my grandmother suggested. “It’s similar to the other Academy, at least in terms of architecture. But this campus doesn’t have a Death Blood dorm or building, or an Elite Blood, or anything categorized. All the classes are combined because the majority of the fae are Quandary Bloods. However, there are a few from every type. There are also a handful of other fae, like Hell Fae, who attend. It’s part of Lucifer’s arrangement with my grandmother.”
Among other things.
I didn’t understand everything they’d worked out, as their deal predated my existence by several centuries, but I’d gathered educational opportunities had been involved.
“These are the dorms,” I said, gesturing to a series of gothic-style buildings. They were reminiscent of the other Academy grounds, framed with darkness and a high moon, but they weren’t exclusive to a single Midnight Fae type. And they didn’t require spells for entry.
Gargoyles moved around more here, walking or flying to different locations, rather than residing behind doors.
They bowed to Aflora as she passed, their reverence palpable. But she was too busy studying the campus to notice.
“You don’t have charcoal blades,” she noted, gazing out over an obsidian courtyard of sharp rocks and dangerous grooves.
I caught her elbow as she bent to touch the ground. “Don’t.”
She frowned at me, then gasped as a swirl of fire erupted from the center into a geyser of furious flames. “Mother Earth…”
A few passing fae tossed sparks into the pit, their cerulean embers dancing with the red and yellow flickers. Then it all whirled together into a tornado of heat and sucked the air around it right back down into the hole, disappearing.
“It’s like… like a burning thwomp?” she guessed.
“Only worse,” I replied. “There are certain aspects of the Hell Fae realm that couldn’t be erased, so my grandmother altered the paradigm to accept the nuances.”
“That’s fascinating.” Kols had gone to his haunches on the cobblestone path, his burnt-gold gaze on the black rocks. “I can feel the merging of magic.”
I nodded. “Yeah, certain areas of the paradigm are stronger than others.”
“The meadow?” Aflora wondered.
“Is in a neutral area. Not all of the Hell Fae realm is fire and heat. It’s… sporadic.” And why other fae refused to visit.
Well, that and the Hell Fae didn’t take kindly to visitors. They were all shunned abominations, with Constantine Nacht being enemy number one among them.
“Where will we be staying?” Zeph asked, his arms folded over his chest as he analyzed the field with a speculative expression.
“In one of the dorms near the back of the campus grounds,” I told him.
Aflora appeared disappointed. “Not in your cabin?”
“Our cabin,” I corrected her with a squeeze of her hand. “And no. It’s too far from the Academy grounds. We need room to practice and learn, and we can’t do that in our meadow. These buildings are meant for training and mastering magic. So it’s best for us to stay here.”
“Oh.” Her lips pinched to the side, then she slowly tilted her head in agreement.
I urged us along, showing them a few of the academic areas and recommended enclosures for practicing offensive and defensive arts. Zakkai and Zeph took interest in those, their calculative natures taking over. Kols just seemed to take it all in stride, observing all the Midnight Fae we passed and studying the general makeup of the paradigm.
It was all very real—as paradigms should be—but the underlying presence of Hell Fae lurked in the area around campus. Mostly because of the protection charms. Since some of Lucifer’s most powerful fae attended the Academy, he helped bolster the natural defenses around us.
The village where my grandmother resided didn’t have the same feel because it was on neutral ground.
I used a spell to bring up a map for Aflora, explaining where the different sections of the paradigm resided and how each one interacted with the Hell Fae realm. She gaped at it, fascinated.
Zeph appeared to be memorizing it.
Zakkai merely gave an appreciative grin. “Zenaida’s clever.” He admired the sky and the buildings, his approval evident. “I never considered mingling elements the way she has. It bolsters the structure while helping it blend.”
“Going to pass notes to your dad?” I wondered out loud.
Zakkai snorted. “I doubt he’ll want to talk to me anytime soon. I saved a Nacht, after all.”
True. It didn’t matter that Kols was innocent in the war; his grandfather had started it. And the Quandary Blood wanted the Nacht line exterminated.
“Am I still considered a Nacht?” Kols called a cloud of magic to his hand, the colors a swirling mix of purple, red, cerulean, and green. “I don’t really feel like an Elite Blood anymore.” The flames extinguished in a flip of his palm, his burnt-bronze gaze flickering with curiosity and a hint of something else. Not sadness—I felt his comfort with being part of our mate-circle thriving via our connection. Yet there was a sense of loss in him.
For Tray, I realized.
Yes, Kols replied, our link open and allowing him freedom in my thoughts. I considered pushing him out like I had earlier but didn’t. Instinct told me he needed the bonds right now. Because the one he’d established at birth was suffering.
He couldn’t exactly feel Tray, but their souls were joined in a unique manner—one that would never truly be severed. “You’re still a Nacht,” I said. “But a good one. Like Tray.”
Kols blinked at me.
However, it was Zeph who spoke. “Was that a compliment?” Shock underlined his words. “Like an honest-to-fae compliment?”
“I think so,” Kols replied, humor in his tone.
“How odd.” Zeph’s green eyes found mine, a grin lurking in their depths. Probably a joke at my own expense. Or maybe I’d pleased him. It was hard to say with the Warrior Blood.
“Shade has many layers,” Aflora said, dissolving my map spell as she stepped through it to wrap her arms around me. I kissed the top of her head, her embrace immediately putting me at ease.
Thank you, little rose,I whispered.
She responded with a rumble in her stomach, her hunger evident.
Zeph smirked. “Someone wants some mustard berries.”
Aflora shook her head against me, mumbling the appropriate term back to him like she always did.
The Warrior Blood’s gaze sparkled with delight, loving their banter.
Zakkai ignored them all, his focus on me, his eyes telling me that he was impatient to meet with my grandmother. He’d wanted a full briefing on security and everything else that went with the paradigm, too.
“The dorm we’re staying in is just over there,” I said, gesturing with my chin over Aflora’s head.
The others followed as I led the way, Aflora’s hand in mine once more. A week ago, this would have felt surreal—like a dream. Seven timelines had ended in destruction and near death.
And number eight had led to this.
To a union between five Midnight Fae.
I knew better than to rejoice in the victory. We were nowhere near done. Focusing on unity became all the more imperative with Constantine engaging us in this new dangerous game.
Zakkai and Zeph were the two who posed the biggest threat.
Two alpha males vying for dominance.
Aflora was the key to keeping them in line, and I wasn’t entirely convinced she had Zakkai under control.
He moved behind me with silent steps, his presence a threat and a comfort. Power radiated off him, his connection to the source rivaling Aflora’s ascension.
I moved up the stone steps to the double doors of the dorm where two gargoyles waited, their eyes cast down in a sign of respect.
A third stood just inside with Kols’s crow perched on his stone head. “Sir Kristoff,” I greeted with false cheer. The little creature loathed me for all my dates with time. He didn’t know all the details but possessed certain memories of Kyros and me twisting fate on numerous occasions.
“Death Blood,” he muttered. Then he inclined his head. “Mistress Aflora.”
She paused midstep, her blue eyes falling to the short stone being. His head didn’t even reach her knees. “Mistress Aflora?” she repeated.
Kols moved to her other side. “You’re the ascending royal, sweetheart,” he explained against her ear. “And you passed your second trial. The creatures all respond to you now.”
“I transferred your box to your new quarters, Master Kolstov,” the gargoyle informed him after standing up straight. “Nothing is remiss.”
“Good to know your loyalty is unwavering,” Kols replied, grinning.
“I’ve never liked Constantine,” Sir Kristoff muttered. His tone displayed a hint of emotion—a rare trait for a gargoyle. “Power-hungry and cruel.”
He stomped off toward the stairs, taking over the job of host. My grandmother had only told me we would be staying somewhere in this building, mentioning something about the gardens behind it. Fortunately, it seemed Sir Kristoff knew where to take us.
“Do all Midnight Fae creatures know how to find this paradigm?” Aflora asked as we trailed after the gargoyle.
“They know how to locate Midnight Fae,” I replied, my hand releasing hers and going to her lower back as I moved upward beside her.
“Does that mean they’re all allowed here?” Her mind added a follow-up inquiry soon after, telling me why she’d voiced the first question. If Kristoff can enter, is it possible for Constantine to send in a less loyal gargoyle or something worse? she asked herself.
“No,” I answered, addressing both of her queries. “There are numerous protective spells and layers that will prevent anyone and anything with ill intentions from crossing the boundary into the paradigm.”
“Can’t they just use a stonepecker? Like that day on campus?” she pressed.
“Hell Fae wards are not something stonepeckers can absorb and regurgitate,” I assured her. “Which means it wouldn’t even be able to reach the paradigm boundary to try to learn the spells.”
“Because the ill-intentioned creature would be destroyed upon entering Lucifer’s gates,” Zakkai added from right behind us. “Extremely useful setup, and also why your grandmother afforded us that meeting the other week. She knew I had good intentions.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Caution is what keeps her alive.”
“It’s more than caution, Shadow. Zenaida’s brilliant.” The conviction in his tone told me he meant the praise in his words.
I nodded in agreement and continued up until the stairs stopped, indicating our floor. It was nearly impossible to know what level we were on because the steps had just continued up and up and up until they ended on a floor with a single door.
“Concealment charms,” Zakkai mused. “As I said, brilliant.” He stepped up behind Aflora, his hands finding her hips and trapping my palm between his abdomen and her lower back. “Can you sense the magic, little star? All the secret wires pulsing through the floors and hiding all the rooms except the one intended to be ours?”
She leaned into my side and back into him, allowing us to hold her as she considered the enchantments of the building. “It’s… intense.”
“It’s beautiful,” Zakkai whispered. “Like you.” He kissed her neck, then relaxed his chin on her shoulder. “But can you see through it? To the electrical energy beneath?”
“I sense it,” she admitted. “But I don’t understand it.”
“Close your eyes,” he breathed, his arms slipping around her middle while my palm remained between them. It created an intimate connection between the three of us, Zakkai seeming unbothered by the fact that I stayed close while he engaged their mental link to coach her through the magical lesson.
Her thick black eyelashes splayed across her cheekbones as she did as he’d instructed, her lips parting at whatever he unleashed inside her.
Kols and Zeph shared a look while Sir Kristoff stood stationary in the hallway.
Static hummed through the air as Zakkai and Aflora spoke mentally to one another, and after several minutes of intense silence, Aflora opened her eyes once more.
“What floor are we on, little star?” Zakkai said.
“The fourth one. Room seven.”
“Well done,” he praised, kissing her neck again. “Very well done.” He released her then, his focus falling to the gargoyle. “Continue.”
Sir Kristoff gave a subtle bow, acknowledging Zakkai as superior because of his Source Architect role. Or maybe because he was Aflora’s mate. Regardless, the gargoyle led us to our room and through the door into a living area surrounded by windows.
My eyebrows lifted at the courtyard beyond it. “Fourth floor?”
“Another impressive illusion,” Zakkai said. “That’s a roof garden above one of the other rooms.”
“Filled with real plants.” Aflora practically ran forward, her intrigue clearly replacing her need to eat because she ran right past the kitchen and open dining area to the sliding doors at the side. Zakkai sent a spell ahead of her to open the glass doors, allowing her to dart straight into the garden of flowers and trees.
The four of us chuckled at her excitement, then Zeph wandered after her and leaned against the doorway. “Are you going to strip like last time, pixie flower?”
That piqued Zakkai’s interest. “She stripped in a garden?”
“In Central Park.” Zeph didn’t take his eyes off her while he spoke. “The humans didn’t approve.”
Aflora muttered something back about only removing her sweater last time before collapsing onto a pile of green grass beneath a tree. “Oh, so pretty!”
My lips twitched at her amusement. Then I glanced up at the high moon. This part of the paradigm never saw the sun, so it was hard to determine the time. However, I suspected my grandmother expected me any minute now.
I glanced around the open living area, spotted a hallway to the side, and wandered down it by four different bedroom doors—all of them open. The biggest bedroom was at the end of the hall, where I found a walk-in closet filled with clothes. Most of them were feminine and appeared to be Aflora’s size. There was also a dresser inside with four wands on top.
Because Aflora still didn’t have her own.
Odd that the dark source hadn’t gifted her one yet.
With a shake of my head, I grabbed my own and turned to find Zakkai behind me, expectant. “Do you want your wand?” I asked him.
“No. Leave it for Aflora.”
A good answer, I decided. He followed me back into the living area, where Zeph and Kols were both watching Aflora in her element. She’d completely lost herself to her Earth Fae nature. Roots were dancing along the ground as she renewed the soil with life, causing the trees to elongate and the flowers to blossom.
“I need to go meet with my grandmother before she sends for me,” I told them. “Can you make sure Aflora remembers to eat something?” Because I suspected she had forgotten all about her hunger now.
Zeph nodded without looking at me.
Zakkai didn’t bother commenting, just turned to lead the way.
Because we both knew he was going with me, and he didn’t feel the need to mention it to the others.
Rather than comment, I followed him out and ensured that my connection to Aflora remained wide open. It was my way of telling her there would be no more secrets.
Whatever my grandmother said, I’d share.
Because Aflora and I were finally on a true path—as fully bonded mates.
No more alternate timelines. No more Paradox Fae. Just a single way forward, with all four of us by her side.
Hurry back, she whispered to me, acknowledging that I’d left.
I won’t be far,I promised.
I know, she replied. Just like I know how to find you now. She breathed a spell into my mind, telling me she’d not only learned how to use my shadowing ability, but she’d also memorized it.
Good, I murmured. Eat something.
Mmm, she hummed, her mind purring with life and earth once more.
I laughed under my breath as we exited the building. “When this is all over, we need to find a place with a real garden for Aflora.”
“So we can watch her frolic in the nude?” Zakkai asked.
My lips twitched. “Among other things.”
Many other things.