Chapter 17 Maize
MAIZE
Snow drifted past the tall glass windows, silent and soft, layering the Red Masque Academy grounds in a white blanket uninterrupted by footsteps.
We hadn’t left the house all day, and after everything that we’d been through—including my amazing morning with Zed—I was more than content with that.
The fire crackled nearby as I let out a long sigh, curling my fingers around the knit blanket I’d been wrapped in.
I sat tucked against Cannon’s side, his arm resting on the back of the couch, fingertips tracing slow patterns along my shoulder.
My other mates moved through the home with a matched energy that was both relaxed and careful, as if all of us were worried that the tentative rest we were getting would be ripped away.
From the adjoining room came a burst of laughter that faded into softer conversation. My brothers were safe and back at home, and with the threat of Oberon gone, the world felt softer. At long last, I could enjoy my fought-for freedom.
Pip was curled up in front of the hearth, his fluffy body rising and falling with each slow breath.
His tail twitched occasionally, flicking lazily at the heat.
Every so often, a soft snore escaped him, adding its own rhythm to the comforting background noise of home.
If it weren’t for my familiars needing the rest, I had no doubt they would have joined him.
“Food will be ready in ten!” Chait called out from the kitchen. I tossed him a smile as I watched Charm and Maddox move around Chait, aiding in prepping our next meal. While Philip, Valerio, and Zed were talking to the boys, the rest of us were spread out across the main room.
I should have helped with the cooking, or at least pretended to be useful, but my body ached, and I felt mentally drained after such an intense use of my powers.
The ache wasn’t sharp anymore, just enough to remind me that I’d survived.
That we’d survived Oberon. Still, the experience had affected my magic.
I hadn’t tried to actively use it yet, but where it had once felt constrained—locked up—it now felt wild and free.
And, oddly enough, I didn’t fear it. I knew my magic better than I ever had in my life.
I wasn’t sure what tomorrow would bring. But for now, I let the exhaustion settle into something gentler. Something like hope. We had an entire future ahead of us, but I would happily take one peaceful afternoon.
Nearly thirty minutes later, a knock sounded at the front door.
Cannon let out a low, knowing rumble before rising from the couch and approaching the door, both of us easily recognizing the magical signature.
When he opened it, a gust of cold air swept in, causing me to pull the blanket tight around myself as I stood for our guest.
Framed in the doorway, Gray’s white fur–covered cloak almost blended into the snowy landscape, followed by Rhodes’s imposing figure. His eyes swept over the room before he offered us all a nod of greeting. Gray tapped the snow from her shoes and gave me a bright smile in greeting.
“I’m so relieved to see that you’re awake,” she said, striding across the room and tugging me into a hug. I returned the embrace, giving her a gentle squeeze as she stepped back, her gaze sweeping over me in concern.
“I have to admit, you scared me,” she breathed out, shaking her head. “When Oberon’s magic surged throughout the realm…well, I thought the worst.”
“I expected far worse,” I admitted. “I went into this more blindly than I should have, but I didn’t feel like there were other options, and the threat he posed—the possibility of him waking—was imminent.”
“We should have been there to aid you,” Gray said.
“No,” I interrupted gently. “This was something I had to do on my own.”
Gray’s lips curved with reluctant understanding. “And you did do it. You and your mates single-handedly stopped the second threat to the Fae realm in the past two years.”
We had. I felt my eyes warm with tears at the recognition she was offering me. She gave a small, understanding smile as she motioned for me to sit with her, giving me a moment to collect myself.
“How were the boys while we were gone?” I asked.
Her eyes sparked with affection. “Amazing. They’re fascinating. Restless and so powerful, but also just…children.”
I nodded because she was right. Despite the future to come, right now they were just children. Gray had known they were my brothers from the start, apparently, but when we went to leave them with her, we clarified so that we were all on the same page moving forward.
Pip let out a small purr and stretched before moving toward us, sitting next to my leg and rubbing his head there. Gray looked at him in amusement before offering me a questioning look. “Where did this little guy come from?”
“Dark Fae territory. He was used to deliver a message from Zagan, but he’s been with us ever since,” I explained, and when one of the boys shouted something from the other room, Pip ran off in excitement.
“A little guardian for your home,” she mused. “I’m not familiar with all the species in the Dark Fae territory, but he’s emitting protective energy.”
“He’s also a baby, at least according to my familiars,” I pointed out.
After a long moment, Gray moved her gaze back from where she had tracked Pip and asked the question I had guessed was coming—especially because she had known how long I’d struggled with settling down in the Horde.
“What’s the plan now? For you. For your mates. For the boys.”
This time, I had an easy answer for her.
“To live,” I said. “I’m ready to live without feeling as though someone is chasing me or trying to hunt me down. I know not everyone in the Horde is okay with me being here, but I don’t want to give this up. It’s become my home.”
“Then we’ll do everything we can to make it that,” Gray promised, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Plus, I may have made a large public announcement about what you did for the realm. Figured a little ‘hero’ poster being passed around wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
I couldn’t help but break into a smile. “You didn’t have to…but thank you. Really.”
Her face turned more serious then. “Plus, knowing your heritage now—this is probably the safest place for you and your brothers. It’s why, when Nova came seeking refuge here, I knew she would be able to stay as long as she needed.”
Nova—the chaotic, insane, and ridiculously powerful goddess who had visited us this past fall. I hadn’t heard much from her since the holiday celebrations, but we knew that she was on the run from Set, the Egyptian god of chaos, and that she would play a role in what was coming to our world.
I hoped her silence was a good sign and not a sign of something worse.
“I haven’t heard anything from her,” Gray admitted, as if sensing the direction of my thoughts.
“We should see if we can find her or get in contact with her,” I suggested. It was strange to consider that both Nova and I were full goddesses, each with two parents of god heritage despite that being distinctly banned.
“Agreed. But until then, you focus on yourself,” Gray ordered. “Even if that means relaxing and doing nothing, you deserve it after everything that has happened.”
“I was thinking about maybe teaching at the academy.” I spoke the words softly, knowing they would immediately draw the attention of my mates. Interest and excitement surged through our bond.
“I think that’s an amazing idea! And hopefully, the world will quiet down for a bit, give us some time to rest and give you a chance to get settled at the academy.”
I frowned, swallowing hard. “I’m not sure if the ‘rest’ part is possible. Cethlenn told me that while my part of the prophecy was complete—that Oberon’s fall was the end of my path—there is much, much more coming. Something that will shake the realm.”
Gray was silent for a moment, reaching out to squeeze my hand and speaking in a gentle, knowing voice. “There is, but until that day comes, we need to attempt balance—true balance. One that comes from choosing peace over pure power.”
Her words sank in as I nodded in agreement.
Gray continued, “The world will always need warriors. So whatever comes, we’ll be ready for it.”
“I’m hungry!” one of the boys groaned dramatically from the other room. Chait chuckled, breaking the tense moment. I knew they had heard every word between Gray and myself, but I appreciated the moment alone.
“I’m going to leave you to your night, but come by the castle soon. I want to have a girls’ day.” Gray stood and I joined her, walking toward the door where Rhodes and Cannon spoke quietly.
“That sounds amazing,” I agreed.
The door closed behind them seconds later, and I let out a happy sigh. Cannon returned to my side, his arm slipping around my shoulders.
“Were you serious about teaching? You’ve decided you want to?” Cannon asked, the smell of roasted herbs and warm bread filling the air as we walked toward the kitchen.
“Yes. I think so, if that would be okay,” I answered honestly.
“I love that idea—and then we don’t have to be apart during the day,” Maddox said.
“Just have to make it clear that they have to be respectful,” Charm pointed out, frowning at whatever was going on in his head. “Not sure I love the idea of them staring at you for an hour every day though.”
“I mean, they’ll probably be looking at her because she’s talking…” Chait hesitated. “But I don’t disagree.”
I rolled my eyes in amusement as Cannon kissed the top of my head and went to start grabbing drinks. The boys and my other mates made their way out from the back of the house to join us at the kitchen island, Pip making himself comfortable again in front of the fireplace.
The hum of conversation moved in easy waves as I watched my family, a quiet ache of hope and love filling my chest. I truly understood now what my father had meant about unmaking Oberon.
It had never just been about destruction. It was about clearing away the old, breaking what had decayed so that something new could grow in its place. Renewal. Transformation. Of both my power and my life.
I traced the rim of my glass, the laughter and warmth of the room wrapping around me like a ribbon. For so long, I’d been haunted by who I was, the power I held, and by what I might become. But now—now there was peace.
The world was quiet, my heart ready to heal, and when I looked around that room, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.