Chapter 7
MAIZE
Early evening shadows stretched long over the frozen landscape of the Horde as we cut through the outer reaches of Gray’s territory.
The world felt eerie—too still, too quiet—as we neared the Nightmare Forest. It wasn’t a place people traveled to often.
I’d avoided it myself, considering it sat on the border of the Dark Fae lands.
Our carriage jolted over the uneven road, the padded, luxurious interior doing little to soften the ride.
I leaned against Maddox, his lips brushing the side of my head as I watched the snow-covered terrain pass by.
Beyond the window, skeletal trees swayed against the darkening sky, frost decorating their dark bark like silver glitter.
Since the four of us—Maddox, Chait, Valerio, and me—had settled into the carriage, no one had said much.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable; it was the kind that came from the shared understanding of what we were going to do.
Still, it pressed heavily on my chest. I knew my brothers were safe back home with my other mates and that they needed to stay there, but that knowledge didn’t make the separation of our family during such dangerous times any easier.
“So, Raziel.” I tilted my head curiously. “What’s his deal again?”
“He’s part of the old guard,” Valerio said, then glanced out the carriage window before continuing.
“Queen Gray’s bloodline always worked hand-in-hand with the natural creatures of the fae, including those that have been living here long before societies were formally established.
Where the Light Fae and Dark Fae thought themselves above the others, her ancestors embraced the ancient protectors of the land like Raziel and his brothers. ”
I shifted in my seat, my fingers reaching up to trace patterns against the fogged glass. “Ancient protectors,” I repeated softly. “So they’re older than the Horde itself—well, at least the established kingdom.”
“Much older.” Valerio confirmed. “They were the force meant to keep the fae gods, like Oberon and Titania, in check. Think of it like the Greek pantheon keeping the Titans contained.”
I made a quiet sound in my throat, half disbelief, half awe. “And they’ve just been…living here this whole time? I’ve heard nothing about them.”
Chait spoke up. “I think they only arrived back here a few years ago. Before that they’d been traveling for centuries.”
Valerio nodded in agreement. “Once Oberon was sealed, I imagine they thought they could finally rest. They built a home here in the Horde, right on the edge of the Nightmare Forest.”
The carriage jolted over a ridge, and I caught Maddox’s arm to steady myself. “So wouldn’t that make them the ones who actually sealed him?” I asked.
“It’s possible they played a part, although they haven’t said that,” Valerio said, his gaze flicking back to me, “but I’m more interested in what they know about Oberon breaking free.
” He tapped his finger once against his knee in thought.
“Raziel mentioned the prison could move, remember? That could alter any potential leads they would have.”
“Well, he also said he’d check on Oberon,” Chait muttered from across the carriage, “and clearly nothing came of that. So this might end up being useless.”
“Possibly,” I murmured. “But maybe we can recruit their help in fixing this.”
Maddox huffed a low laugh. “He’s got his brothers with him—and his mate. That’ll make this more delicate. I’m glad you’re here, teacup. He didn’t seem too thrilled when we showed up at his door last time—not with this mate there. Maybe once he realizes you’re our mate it’ll go smoother.”
Hopefully. Especially considering how little came from our library research earlier. Although, as I said to Philip, I could hardly consider it a waste of time. My body still felt afloat from the multiple climaxes he’d brought me to hours ago.
Our transport slowed, and the last traces of daylight vanished behind the treeline, replaced by the eerie glow of Nightmare moss that pulsed along the side of the road. The light had an unnatural rhythm, like the forest itself was breathing.
“We’ll walk from here,” Valerio said as the carriage came to a stop.
The cold bit through my coat the moment I stepped outside.
Frost crunched beneath our boots, the sound echoing too loudly in the silence.
The forest loomed ahead, vast and waiting, and my magic rose instinctively.
It curled under my skin, prickling at the edges of my senses—alert and ready to defend us if it came to that.
“Charming place,” Maddox muttered as his eyes swept the darkness.
“Keep your guard up,” Chait warned. “The Nightmare Forest likes to make you see things that aren’t there.”
Wonderful.
As we reached a break in the stone wall that lined this part of the forest, the landscape shifted. The air grew heavier, charged with a subtle vibration of power that made the fine hairs along my arms rise.
The fortress appeared slowly, as if the shadows themselves were reluctant to reveal it.
A sprawling, three-story estate took shape, built entirely of black stone.
Its high walls were capped with iron spires that glimmered as moonlight slid over its surface but never seemed to touch it fully.
It was like the structure drank the moonlight rather than reflected it.
“Hiding in plain sight,” Chait murmured beside me. His voice barely carried over the wind as I nodded in agreement. That was probably why I’d never noticed it before, even after all my time in the Horde.
We followed a narrow path leading toward the gates, each step igniting the moonstone beneath our feet in a luminescent light.
Despite the fortress’s imposing exterior, firelight flickered and spilled from behind narrow panes of glass.
The smoke from the chimney carried the scent of burning wood and spice, a strange contradiction to the cold, ancient power that pressed against my senses.
As we reached the foot of the steps, the enormous black doors gave a shuddering groan and then slowly opened on their own. Candlelight poured out across the path, cutting through the darkness. I hesitated only a moment, then squared my shoulders and stepped forward.
“Hello there!” The bright, feminine voice snapped my attention upward.
A massive spiral staircase dominated the center of the foyer, curling up toward a vaulted ceiling aglow with soft amber light. The house might have been carved from stone on the outside, but inside it was completely different. Inside it felt like a home.
“You must be Maize—I saw that you would be coming,” she said, not even bothering to look at my mates behind me.
“Yes, I am.” I offered the woman a polite nod, trying to match her energy as I took her in.
She was tiny—barely five feet—with an effortless grace that made her presence feel larger.
A long, soft gown cloaked her, made of the kind of fabric meant for comfort and relaxation.
Two wolves padded at her heels, their massive forms flanking her like silent guardians as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
They were calm but watchful, eyes trained on us in quiet curiosity.
I gestured to the men standing behind me. “And these are my mates.”
“It’s wonderful to meet all of you,” she said with a soft smile. “My name is Kendahl. I’m Raziel’s mate. Come, he’s right in the next room.”
Before I could respond, she reached out and took my hand. Her touch was gentle but confident as she led me toward a set of carved doors to our right. They opened on their own as we approached, revealing a study crafted of dark wood with leather furniture.
That’s when I saw Raziel—and understood the fear associated with him.
The man behind the desk looked up, and the second his eyes landed on Kendahl, a low rumble broke from his throat.
The sound was so deep it seemed to vibrate through the floor, causing me to tense.
She only laughed softly, completely unfazed, and rounded the desk to stand by his side like he wasn’t incredibly threatening.
Raziel was objectively terrifying, there was no way around it. Even restrained, his magic was lethal, rolling through the air like heat off burning stone. It reminded me—uncomfortably—of my own power’s intensity.
“You’re supposed to be in bed,” he pointed out to his mate. Then his attention shifted to us. “And you all are back. In our home.”
“Be kind,” Kendahl admonished gently, settling into his lap as if this was just another run-of-the-mill evening. I suppose it possibly was, for them.
Raziel let out a long, resigned sigh but nodded. “Come. Sit. I have things to do.”
I was fairly certain that was his version of kind.
“You received our notice,” Valerio said, his tone edged with the authority that always slipped through when he was navigating volatile ground.
Raziel leaned back in his chair, one arm draped lazily around Kendahl’s waist in a familiar way. One that suggested her touch, her presence, kept him anchored.
“I did,” he said evenly. “I’d already been trying to locate Oberon when your message arrived. Considering even our magic can’t find him anymore, I’d say the situation has greatly escalated.”
The weight of his words settled heavy in the room.
“And that’s unusual? Not being able to find him?” I asked.
“Our family’s duty, older than any crown or kingdom, has always been the same. For millennia, we’ve maintained the balance—ensuring Oberon remained sealed, his influence restrained.
“But over time, his power weakened. The seal held steady and we grew complacent. Somehow he managed to block our awareness of his plans, of his siphoning. It’s now clear he’s been influencing and feeding on the Dark Fae for decades, maybe longer.
When we felt the shift in Mario’s power, we assumed it was war or corruption.
Clearly, the truth is far more complicated than that. ”
“So why can’t you restrain him again?” I asked. “Or just…kill him?”