Chapter 11
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
The others watch me closely as I eat the skewered meat, but since I feel exposed after my talk with Luan, I refuse to meet their gazes.
Instead, I watch the fire. The flames leap and dance, and for a moment, familiar music fills the air, the type that used to be at our parties.
I would dance with my friends and my mother all night to songs like this.
Our hearts were full, and our powers were strong.
Now, I sit in the middle of nowhere, all alone, while my people are trapped and my powers are faltering. How quickly the mighty fall.
“What happened to your court?” My head jerks up, and I meet Bellami’s eyes. “I know what you told me, but I was just curious.” He glances around and winces. “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to.”
“I should. You’re helping me, after all.
” I’m quiet for a moment, and I draw my knees to my chest, anchoring myself.
“My mother built our court as a safe haven for women like me and her . . . best friend. They had been inseparable since childhood, but one day, her friend was gone. She faced unimaginable horrors at the hands of men. My mother saved her and vowed to give her peace and safety for the rest of her life. It was then she realised she was not the only one who needed it, so she created a court far in the wilderness, away from men and their wicked intentions. We were happy for so long. That’s what I remember of my childhood—pure happiness.
Music was a constant, and laughter was everywhere.
We had great feasts and parties, and we sang under the moon and danced without fear, but our people needed to feed.
They used to go into the city, but they grew tired of that.
Eventually, men flocked to us, finding us even then.
A decision was made for our people to allow men with a touch of incubus blood to stay.
In return, we would feed on them, and they would help protect us.
It lasted for a long time, but I guess they grew tired of never being anything more than our playthings.
Their egos couldn’t allow it. One night, I woke to screams, and when I got there, it was too late.
They executed my mother, our queen, in front of me.
Her best friend couldn’t handle it. She killed herself to be with my mother, and the men turned their attention to me.
Their leader is someone who always wished to claim me for himself.
I knew that, and that’s why I planned to stop playing with him.
He always had this . . . possessive gleam when he touched me.
But I was helpless. They had guns and hurt my people.
I became what he wanted. I was his plaything to keep my people safe.
” I lift my eyes, meeting each and every one of theirs, refusing to be ashamed.
“I would have done anything to keep them safe, and I did, but for men like that, it isn’t enough.
They crave power and control, and when it came down to it, I was not born to bend or kneel.
I was born to lead. When my people were in danger, I placed myself in their path.
He punished me, they all did, and left me for dead.
My people came and freed me. I knew what it meant.
He would kill the women who saved me, and they knew it too, but they still demanded I go. ”
Swallowing, I close my eyes and send up a prayer for their souls.
“My only consolation is they are free of those chains now. I promised I would go back, free my people, and put my court right. I don’t care what it takes.
I will sacrifice my soul, my body, and my powers, but I must save them.
I am their queen. It is my duty. They are my people.
” Licking my dry lips, I glance back at the fire.
“It’s what my mother would have wanted.”
“In exchange for your life?” Corbin asks softly.
“I am not a fool. That is why I found all of you. I know what I will face when I go back. I don’t plan on dying if I can help it, but that’s why I need you—something I truly hate,” I admit.
“After what they did to me, I find it hard to trust anyone, but I trust you.” I sweep my eyes over them once more.
Frost looks angry, while Corbin wears a knowing expression.
Bellami looks sad, and Luan appears proud.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I must secure it for my people.
I must be the queen my mother always thought I would be.
My life has been dedicated to this path since before I was born. ”
“You could leave and not go back, find your own path,” Luan says, and my eyes widen as I look at him, righteous anger filling me.
“Never,” I vow vehemently. “I could never live while knowing others suffer for my freedom. After it is all done, I might be free to make my own choice, but for now, this is my path, and I gladly walk it. My mother’s ghost is guiding me.
In a world that has only shown them violence and pain, I will show my people strength and comfort. I must.”
“I think, Elara, you were born to be a queen,” Corbin remarks. “Not many would sacrifice everything for others.”
“You did.” I look at him. “Didn’t you?” I glance around once more. “We all did. That’s why we are here, lost, wandering souls.”
“Yes, little mate,” Frost replies. “That and you. You have a way of calling to us, of capturing us and making us yours.”
I don’t know if I’m ready for that, so I nod and stand. “I’m going to rest now. We will leave at first light.” I head a little farther from the fire and turn my back on them, forcing my eyes closed.
A shiver rolls through me from the chilly ground and the harsh wind until it seems to stop.
My eyes snap open to find Corbin lying with his back to me, blocking the wind.
He doesn’t touch me. There’s a small space between us, but he lies between me and the cold wilderness around, offering comfort without touch, and that makes my eyelids slide shut again as my body relaxes, and I finally drift off to sleep.
My face is pressed to something cold and hard, blood covering the surface.
I realise it’s tile—tile that is in our court.
There’s a grunt, and I realise what’s happening.
I try to move away, to wake myself up, but I can’t.
Laughter fills the air, and I lift my head as the man behind me steps away.
Every inch of me hurts, and I wish for death, just like I did a thousand times that night.
Through tear-filled eyes, I watch it, and my heart breaks all over again.
My mother’s body is being paraded around the room.
Soft, classical music fills the air as he twirls and moves her in a horrific rendition of a ballroom dance as she is mocked before my people and his.
Her dignity is being stolen once more. I can live with mine being taken, but not hers.
Tears stream down my face as I scream and crawl towards them, but he keeps moving, holding her hand up as he swings her around the room in a macabre manner. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get to them, and their mocking laughter fills my ears until they bleed and I can’t take it anymore.
Covering my face, I scream, begging for it to stop.
That harsh touch turns soft, and something warm covers me.
The pain is gone, the harsh tile turning soft below me, and when I drop my hands, I see Luan.
His smile is soft, and then he’s gone, and I’m in a field, free and alone.
Sun warms my skin, and my body no longer aches.
There is so much beauty, it replaces the memories haunting me.
Shh, cor meum, rest now. I will watch over your dreams and ensure you only have good ones.
That soft voice soothes me, so I lie down and stare up at the sun, letting it dry my tears as my eyes close and peace takes hold of my aching chest.
I startle awake, something I never used to do.
I loved lazy mornings, but now I wake with my heart hammering and fear coursing through me, which only grows when the first thing I see is deep brown and black fur.
I stare at the huge animal as I lean on my elbows.
Running my eyes down the sleeping animal, I realise it’s draped over my legs, warming them, as it snores softly.
I finally understand what it is.
A bear.
A huge bear.
It’s bigger than any bear I’ve ever seen before and equally as beautiful and terrifying.
Its head is bigger than my entire body, but the early morning chill is not touching me thanks to its fur.
For a moment, I panic before I realise the men never would have let anything hurt me, and this animal must be helping.
“You were shivering in your sleep. We didn’t want to touch you, but we couldn’t let you freeze to death.
Corbin shifted forms to keep you warm, thinking it would be the least upsetting for you,” Bellami explains, and I whirl around to see him keeping watch.
“Go back to sleep. It’s still early. He will not harm you. He might look scary—”
“He’s beautiful,” I correct, and I mean it.
The incubus aims a crooked smile at me before his eyes go back to the woods. “As you say, his bear would rather harm himself than you. You have nothing to fear. Rest. You will need it.”
“I’ve had enough sleep,” I murmur, but I lie down since I’m trapped by the huge animal. I stare at the sky, which is just waking up. “I didn’t know he was a bear.”
“I had my suspicions,” Bellami responds. “He was too big to be much else, and wolves are pack creatures.”
“Aren’t bears?” I whisper, not wanting to wake him. My hand snakes down and strokes through the fur. It’s soft and comforting, and I bury my hands in it like one does grass, anchoring myself to nature.
“Most. They are still solitary creatures, but they reside in mauls. The fact that he doesn’t means something happened.
Bears don’t really interact with supernaturals.
They tend to live deep in the wilderness, clinging to the past. They are also known to be hard to get along with.
Even mates are known to be aggressive with one another, fighting for dominance.
” He looks at us. “I guess that part was wrong.”
Before I can ask him what he means, he looks at the sky. “We should get ready to go. It will be a long flight.”
Nodding, I sit up and gently shake Corbin.
“Corbin,” I murmur. His bear groans and flips over, knocking me back and making me laugh.
He’s like an overgrown house cat. “Corbin, it’s time to go.
Can you change back?” A black, amber-ringed eye opens and stares at me.
“Please?” I murmur as I hesitantly reach out and stroke his snout.
He leans into it, a rumbling sound slipping from him, and then he lumbers away, careful while getting up.
I watch him disappear into the woods, and a moment later, he comes back as a human, wearing clothes.
“I did not wish for you to feel uncomfortable,” he says, and I smile as I stand.
Looking for Frost, I find he’s already changed. As we head over, I stop by Luan and offer him my hand where he’s sitting. “Thank you for shielding me and changing my dreams.”
“Always, cor meum,” he replies as he places his hand in mine. I help him up, and we turn to Frost and climb onto his back. All of us take our spots, and then we are in the air.
We soar over the last of the land, and then we are out above open water.
I gasp and lean over, staring into the bright blue ocean, seeing dolphins hopping alongside whales.
Suddenly, Frost lowers, his wings stretched out until they almost cut the sea.
My laughter fills the air as I spread my arms and close my eyes.
The feeling of flying is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
It can’t last forever, however, and we have to ascend quickly.
When my eyes open, I realise why. There is a storm in front of us that seems to have come from nowhere.
The calm blue water begins to churn, and mist crawls along it, obscuring everything, but I swear I see the carcasses of sunken ships.
A tunnel of wind with lightning fills the air like a barricade, but Frost slams through it without fear.
Gripping him tighter, I lie down on his back, and Corbin covers me.
Wind and rain assault us, drenching us through and trying to dislodge us.
Frost beats his wings hard, trying to tackle the storm as he flies through it.
I don’t know how long we fly for, but even my body aches. When the barrage suddenly stops, I look up and realise we are in the eye of the storm, and when I glance down, I see the island below us.
This must be his world, the one we seek.