Epilogue Shade
Epilogue
Several Years Later
“You realizeyou don’t have to accompany me every time I go to visit my grandmother, right?” I asked as a presence materialized behind me—an action that made me strongly regret bonding Zakkai because now he could shadow anywhere he wanted at will.
Which was great for protecting Aflora.
And horrible for my privacy.
“I’m aware,” he replied. “Just as I’m also aware that Lucifer will be there today, and I’m eager to check in on my pet project. You know, the one from that meeting? The power exchange that I didn’t want to do but had no choice to do because you had already agreed to it on my behalf?”
I snorted, this incident one he loved to bring up despite it being several years old. “You would agree to anything where Aflora is concerned.”
“Yes, but that’s not the point, is it?”
I sighed. “I’ll never apologize.”
“I know.”
“And you’ll forever bring it up anyway.”
“I will.”
“Excellent,” I deadpanned, shadowing to my grandmother’s front door.
Zakkai appeared beside me, humored by my annoyance. Because he was a dick who enjoyed provoking me.
Pretty sure that was why we’d bonded, too—just so he could have more thorough access to my thoughts and ample opportunity to piss me the fuck off.
Aflora also likes watching us together,he added via our link. And I like making her happy.
Couldn’t fault him for that logic.
I lifted my hand to knock, only for the door to open. My grandmother stood on the other side with cookies, which elicited another sigh from me. More bad news.
What food does she make when it’s good news? Zakkai wondered.
Not cookies.
Ah.He stepped inside and took a chocolate chip cookie, then proceeded to inspect it for magic with his mind.
If she wanted to poison you, she wouldn’t use cookies.
You say that, he drawled. But Zenaida is quite clever.
Which means she knows you’re inspecting her cookies and would ensure you couldn’t feel or find whatever she’s hidden, I pointed out, ignoring the platter of treats and hugging her instead. “Hi, G’ma,” I whispered against her ear before kissing her cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“I know. I’ve missed you, too,” she replied, leading us to the table. “But Ajax keeps me on my toes.”
“It’s true,” the male in question agreed as he appeared in the middle of the living room. He’d been living in the Hell Fae realm with my grandmother, helping her maintain the paradigm. My grandfathers were here, too. But my old friend had become her pupil of sorts, training to become whatever it was Lucifer had in mind.
Ajax wandered over to the table and sat down, his tall, muscular form flexing with the movement. Zakkai studied him, his calculative nature taking over.
“Hmm,” he hummed. “Your magic is finally settling.”
Ajax grunted. “Just in time, too.”
“For what?” Zakkai pressed.
Ajax merely smiled. “You would like to know, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, I would,” Zakkai admitted. “Particularly as it’s my ability that has morphed your power.”
That had been his part of the deal with Lucifer—the Hell Fae King had asked him to rewrite Ajax’s magic and align him to the Hell Fae source.
Zakkai had refused at first.
However, then he’d realized Ajax wasn’t just a willing subject but an eager one as well, and he’d complied, after penning a whole bunch of loopholes into the agreement with Lucifer, of course.
It’d been a fascinating debate to observe between Zakkai and Lucifer, both of them evenly matched in power, and neither afraid of the other.
Zakkai had essentially made it so Lucifer could never ask Aflora for a single favor or demand anything from her or her mates.
In exchange, he’d help him as required with Ajax’s development only.
And anything with my grandmother was up for negotiation, meaning Zakkai would step in to help her if he wanted to. And I knew he would under the right circumstances.
“It’s the opening ceremony of the bride trials.” The deep tone belonged to a dark presence lurking in the shadows of the room.
Zakkai didn’t react, clearly having sensed Lucifer’s arrival before me. “That sounds vile,” Zakkai murmured. “Tell me more.”
Lucifer chuckled as he stepped into the room through some sort of invisible door. My grandmother didn’t react, just set a cup of coffee at the head of the table and took a seat beside me.
The Hell Fae King took the chair like one would a throne. The white streaks in his black hair glimmered beneath the low lighting, his piercing blue eyes flashing with amusement as he nudged the mug aside. “Nice try,” he told my grandmother.
She shrugged.
And Zakkai snorted. See?
So maybe she did attempt to bespell drinks or whatever.
She wasn’t a typical Fortune Fae Omega by any stretch of the imagination, her magic having been altered by Grandfather Kodiak a thousand years ago.
“I’m organizing a bride trial to satisfy the Hell Fae males of my world,” Lucifer said conversationally. “As you know, the source rarely accepts females. Which means I’m governing a bunch of bloodthirsty men. The best way to tame them is to mate them. So. Bride trials.” He spread his hands like that explained everything.
“And where are you acquiring these females?” Zakkai asked, his tone just as casual and calm.
Lucifer’s lips twisted into a feral grin. “From other fae realms, of course.”
“Through deals.” Zakkai didn’t voice it as a question but as a statement.
Lucifer merely waved his hand again as though to say, Obviously.
Zakkai studied him for a long moment before focusing on my grandmother. “And you knew this was going to happen. That’s been your agreement all along, hasn’t it? That you could protect the Quandary Bloods in this paradigm and build a magical school to train them. All the while preparing for the inevitability of Lucifer turning this into a training camp for potential Hell Fae brides.”
My blood ran cold at his suggestion.
But the look in my grandmother’s eyes told me he was right.
“There’s always a price for leadership, Zakkai. I did the best I could with what I had on offer. And now I’m fulfilling my part of the obligation.”
“By acting as Headmaster to these brides,” he completed for her.
“Not entirely accurate.” She looked at Ajax. “He’s the chosen Warden. I’m merely here to keep the paradigm safe and alive while Lucifer organizes his trial.”
Zakkai whistled. “That’s one hell of a price.” Then he looked at Lucifer. “Aflora has no part in this.”
“We’ve already negotiated our deal, Source Architect. I’m merely here for amusement purposes today.” He smiled and cocked his head. “But how is your beautiful mate? Pregnant yet?”
“Is this the part where you demand our firstborn?” Zakkai tossed back.
He looked affronted. “I would never do such a thing.”
Zakkai grunted, his disbelief palpable.
“You’re right. I absolutely would and have, but your pretty mate is free from my negotiations.”
“Good,” Zakkai and I said at the same time.
Lucifer met my gaze, his amusement carrying a lethal edge that made me uneasy. “I’ve always liked you, time meddler. You’re… exceedingly resourceful.” He smiled before focusing on Ajax. “Are you ready to begin welcoming the bridal candidates?”
“I am, sir,” Ajax replied, his serious tone nothing like my easygoing friend from our Academy days. This new version was hard around the edges, strong, and held a sorrow in his dark gaze that never seemed to abate.
He’d taken Emelyn’s death hard, having wanted to lash out with revenge.
But with Aflora taking over and reforming the full Council, there hadn’t been anyone for Ajax to hurt.
So Tadmir had brought him here… where Lucifer had recruited him.
He’d seen a broken soul, and he’d offered him something he couldn’t refuse—a chance for retribution.
Which was the whole point of this project.
Lucifer would take female fae from all the realms and force them to fight. Those who won would be rewarded with a forced marriage to a group of his men. Those who lost would die.
Either way, it served as a wicked form of justice against those who had ostracized abominations for over a thousand years.
It made me wonder what trick my grandmother had up her sleeve. She would never agree to such a ploy without some sort of secret path.
As I glanced at her now, I caught the knowing twinkle in her gaze.
It was similar to the one she’d given me years ago when I’d told her about Aflora.
A plot was unfolding.
And it seemed Ajax and Lucifer were at the heart of it.
I would have laughed, but something told me this would be a dark tale lacking in humor.
Fae were going to die.
But in the end, perhaps the deadly Hell Fae King would find something he never knew he needed. Love.
Check out more information about the Hell Fae series here.
Curious about Tray and Ella’s story? Check out Ella’s Masquerade. It’s a standalone Midnight Fae Academy novel with Cinderella elements.
Looking for something a little lighter? Take a visit to the Winter Fae Realm with Water Fae Artica and her three sexy mates.
Or consider jumping into a new dark world and indulging in Carnage Island, a complete standalone reverse harem romance featuring three psychotic wolves and the female they want to bite.