32. Ciara
“It’s not one I’d let anyone use under any other circumstances, but desperate times call for desperate measures, right?” Pepper said.
“I suppose…”
The tone of her voice made me hesitant to learn what she was talking about.
“I can make a chameleon potion,” Pepper said.
“What does that mean?” Malachi asked.
“It’s a dual-acting potion so two people need to drink it. When you do, you swap physical appearances,” Pepper said. “I’m hopeful it would be enough to get Sir Axis through the Veil.”
“The Veil wouldn’t fall for a trick like that,” I said. “Its magic is too powerful.”
“Maybe,” Pepper said. “But the Veil’s power is erratic now like everyone else’s. In theory, it should work.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Malachi asked.
Pepper shrugged. “You understand the workings of the Veil more than me.”
“The magic might be as simple as stopping the person from crossing through,” Ciara said. “It might be more volatile though, but I’ve never heard of the Veil injuring a person.”
“It’s worth a shot. We have nothing to lose by trying,” Lorcan said. “That’s if you’re willing?”
Malachi clenched his jaw. “You want me to swap appearances with Sir Axis, don’t you?”
“No,” I said, cringing at the idea of Malachi looking like Sir Axis.
“Sir Axis has already agreed to try,” Pepper said.
“Of course, he has,” Malachi said. “He wants Ciara.”
“He won’t get her,” Pepper said. “This is a better idea than her marking him.”
“So, we’re all agreed then,” Lorcan said. “We’ll try Pepper’s potion.”
Malachi ground his jaw but nodded his head.
I grabbed his arm. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I do. I don’t like it, but I do.”
The determined set of his jaw and the way he stared at me made me realize there was nothing I could say to him to stop him from drinking the potion. In a matter of minutes, he’d no longer look like himself and Sir Axis would look like him.
“How long will the potion last?” I asked.
“A few hours. Long enough to get Sir Axis into the Summer Court,” Pepper said.
“I’m only trusting you because you’re Lorcan’s mate.”
Pepper stepped closer to me and said, “I would never harm your family. You’re my family too now.” She touched a hand against her chest where Lorcan would have placed his mating mark. “All I’ve ever wanted was to be loved for who I am not despised for who I am. Your brother gave me that and I’d never jeopardize Lorcan’s love.”
I sniffed because the heartfelt way she’d said those words made me remember what else was at stake. It wasn’t only about me and Malachi. There was Lorcan and Pepper. My other brother Rian, his fated mate Sophia, and her entire jaguar shifter colony. My sisters Briana, Saoirse, and her baby, plus their wolf shifter mates. If I failed to fix the spring, then we’d lose everyone important to us.
I lunged and hugged Pepper. She didn’t hug me back for a few seconds and then she did. It was an awkward hug, but we’d perfect it in the years to come.
“I’m ready.”
We walked up the stairs and found Sir Axis waiting at the top with the Fellowship. They must not have wanted him in their sacred library, and I didn’t blame them.
“Ah, Princess Ciara, are you here to take me to the Summer Court?”
“Aye,” I said holding back the rage simmering inside me when I realized he’d soon look like the man I loved.
“Your witch seems to think a potion will work.”
“It might,” I said, holding onto the small bit of hope that would never die in me.
“This should be fun.” Sir Axis grinned.
I stepped closer toward him and poked a finger into his chest. “I’ll still comprehend it’s you.”
“Will you?” he cocked an eyebrow in the cocky way he always did.
“Aye.”
“We’ll see.” He leaned closer and whispered so only I heard. “Maybe you’ll mark me instead of him.”
“Never.” I stomped away from him and over to my sisters.
His grin never dropped as Pepper motioned Malachi forward. She drew two vials from her pouch. I guess she’d had time to make them while Malachi and I had been in the library having sex. I should be guilty for taking the precious time away from our quest, but I’d never be guilty about loving Malachi.
Malachi gazed at me once before turning back to Sir Axis. They drank the potions together then Pepper uttered a spell. Magic drifted into the air. Tiny particles rose above their heads. The magic shifted colors as each word left Pepper’s mouth. When she finished, the particles dropped from the air and onto their heads. Their bodies shimmered out of focus and no matter how hard I stared, blinked, and squinted, I couldn’t make out who was who. As the magic dissipated it revealed Sir Axis and Malachi standing in opposite places.
“Malachi?”
Malachi who now appeared like Sir Axis turned his head toward me. I staggered back a step placing a hand on my racing heart.
“I’m still me,” Malachi said still sounding like himself.
I nodded, but I hated every second of looking at Malachi and seeing Sir Axis.
“Sir Axis,” I said shoving the pain away and stepping away from the gathered group of people. “Take my hand and let’s go.”
Sir Axis, looking like Malachi, walked over to me with his confident swagger. It wasn’t the way Malachi walked, so I recognized it wasn’t him. Would this trick the Veil even though I could tell the difference between the two? We were about to find out. Emer and Ivo stood behind me ready to protect my back. Sir Axis took my hand, and he felt nothing like Malachi.
“This will not work,” I muttered under my breath before reaching for the Veil.
The magic of the Veil pulsed in the air. It surged and retreated as though struggling to form beneath my power. I threw more power into my hand which turned dark with my shadows. In due course, the Veil gave to the raw royal power coursing through my body. I almost smiled in triumph, but this wasn’t my best friend by my side holding my hand.
I stepped into the Veil tugging Sir Axis with me, but the second his body hit the magic, it didn’t let him through.
“No.” I tugged on his hand, but it was like trying to drag him through a brick wall. “It’s not working.”
“Shit,” Pepper said.
My power throbbed nonstop inside me. My head hurt, but my heart hurt even more. At least Malachi would only look like Sir Axis for a few hours. At least Pepper’s potion failing wasn’t permanent. Like if I’d marked Sir Axis as my mate. That was permanent. The idea of marking someone other than Malachi sent my power into a raging fit. Shadows shot out everywhere engulfing Sir Axis and he fell through the Veil and landed at my feet shrouded in my darkness.
“Oh my god,” Pepper said. “Her powerful shadows engulf others. They become a part of her. Why didn’t I think of that when I saw her in the library?”
As the Veil shimmered, ready to slam shut, Malachi called out, “You can do this!”
At least his voice was still the same even if my last vision of him wasn’t how he should look. I shook my head and clasped Sir Axis’s hand tight because if I let go, he’d become lost in the Veil. And now, I almost had him in the Summer Court. Almost had him close enough to fix the Spring of Life.
I wouldn’t let go for anything.