Chapter Fourteen
CAIR
“I received word from Rathe this morning,” I announced, standing at the head of the room as the others gathered around me, my mate sitting on the couch beside his father. “It has become apparent that the king used my time in the human realm to rally support. They are creeping out of the shadows, boldly making themselves known as they weren’t before. The numbers have almost doubled.”
“Fuck,” Flick cursed from his position behind his lover, his arms crossed over his chest in a protective stance. He offered me a sympathetic look—a substantial development from our frosty introduction. I appreciated it.
“His intentions are clear, but…” I inhaled deeply, quelling the frustration building inside me. “I must think logically.”
“Fuck logic,” Gary piped up, and all eyes swung to where he leaned against the far wall. In all honesty, though his delivery could have used a little more tact, his advice was solid, and I wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment.
Privately .
I dipped my head toward him. “Thank you for your input, Gary.”
The basilisk saluted me with the muffin he held between his pincered fingers before tucking back in like a hound that had been deprived of its dinner.
I caught Luca’s lips thinning with stifled amusement.
“I won’t retaliate until I have spoken, in person, to Teighan,” I vowed. Besides my mate, my brother was the only being I trusted to assist me in devising a course of action. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he already had several plans lined up. “I want to tear my father apart for what he has done, but I must consider what is best for the people. If there is any chance it can be resolved peacefully, I will take it. However, I highly doubt the king will step aside without fuss, and if he is resolute in his declaration, then it will be war.”
I recalled the conversation I’d had with Luca several days ago. Relinquishing my position as heir to the throne was still a notion whirring away in the back of my mind, and having clocked my mate’s reaction—the subtle, excited hitch in his heartbeat, the trace of hope in his scent even while his mouth told me to wait—I knew I wouldn’t be able to imagine any other conclusion. That said, he had been right to curb my haste. Regardless of my impatience to break free from it all, and my desire to give him the life he dreamed of, I wouldn’t leave the realm in turmoil.
I would be the prince our kingdom needed first, then decide our fate.
“Whatever else he is planning…” Zadok spoke up. “With Luca having lived, we’ve hopefully stalled him somewhat. He may still proceed with this farce, but once he realizes he no longer has the upper hand, he may accept a peaceful retreat. Reluctantly.”
I nodded. “Whatever he has lined up, I’m certain that sending assassins after Luca was only one part of a bigger scheme, but his failure might buy us time while he prepares another strategy. Plus, once word spreads that the king made an attempt on my mate’s life, it will dim any chances of winning that he obviously believes he has. He’ll get nowhere without the backing of his people.”
“I have an uneasy feeling,” Luca said, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. I barely resisted the urge to beckon him to my side, to caress him until his anxieties subsided, but despite the trepidation creeping into his ambrosial scent, he seemed relatively settled in his father’s company. I wouldn’t uproot him unless he spiraled. “I mean, you were adamant that he wouldn’t dare touch me, and now he has, so… he must have something up his sleeve. He wouldn’t just kill me and hope for the best. He also used my own father’s poison, so he clearly doesn’t care if you or the people find out who did it.”
My brow creased. “That’s true, but until he shows his hand, it’s speculation, and all we can do is prepare ourselves for every possible outcome. He wanted to provoke me, force me into making the first discernible move, but I refuse to give him that satisfaction. It may not make much of a difference, but if he wants to take me down, he’ll have to play the antagonist.”
“Alright,” my mate said, though he didn’t seem reassured. I had a hunch as to why as soon as he dropped his gaze to the floor, lost in his thoughts.
“You are worried for me,” I said, and he looked up, his head bobbing.
“Of course I am.”
“You have no need to be, though I know that will not stop you.” He huffed a small laugh, the sound flat. “You have my word, I will not be reckless, and I will not accept his challenge until I have us in a position to beat him.”
His eyes studied me, those shimmering pools of the most ethereal blue, so gentle and trusting, tunneling into my very soul. He must have found what he was looking for as the tension in his frame eased somewhat, and he sent me a genuine smile. “Okay. I’m with you. Whatever has to be done.”
I fed him my appreciation through our bond, reveling in the love I was returned, before addressing the room once again. “I have Rathe continuing his work to quietly gather our forces and muster my supporters in each province,” I informed them. “Zadok, those outsiders you mentioned that would fight for me? Put the word out to them. As a precaution. We need everyone we can get.”
Zadok nodded.
“The Shades will stand beside you,” Cee announced, her blood-chilling voice drifting from where she perched on a desk in the corner. “Your father is the reason I am separated from the woman I love. My mate. I have waited over a hundred years to see his downfall, so I can finally return to her side.”
A brief glance at Luca suggested that particular anecdote had piqued his interest, and I could almost detect the instant he filed it away for later. I stifled the fond smile tugging at my lips. “You’ll get your wish, I guarantee it.”
“Woah, back up…” Gary cut in, mouth full of cake and his eyes bugging. “You’re mated?! I’ve worked with you for nearly five years , and I’ve literally had your fist up my ass, how did I not know this?”
That creature and my human shared a penchant for information, it seemed, though Luca at least had the fine skill of knowing when not to pry.
Or airing out his sexual experiences for all to hear.
Cee glared at him, her hand instinctively reaching toward the dagger in her belt, but surprisingly, it was Flick who spoke up. “Not the time, lad.”
The basilisk huffed, muttering under his breath about how “best buds don’t keep secrets” before returning to his snack, pouting with every chew. Cerila just rolled her eyes, and thankfully, seemed to decide against violence.
I made a mental note to ask Rathe what his vetting process entailed.
Potential bloodshed avoided, Leaf strutted out from her sleeping basket and chirruped. “Your help would be appreciated too, Leaf,” my mate crooned, giving the beast a scratch at the apex of her tail. She snuffled happily in response, arching into the touch before curling back into a ball to sleep.
Silence fell over the room, no one having anything else to say. In truth, there wasn’t much else that could be said. Not yet, at least. I wished I had more to go off, more time, more resources. It frustrated me beyond belief to have so little to work with, but until we discovered the intricacies of the plot, all we could do was be ready to take action at a moment’s notice and make judgments as we progressed.
Only one factor was certain: If I had anything to do with it, whether this ended in war or amicable resolution, my father would not stay on the throne. Whether I took his place or not, the people would be free of him.
We would all be free of him.
“So that’s it?” Luca filled the lull, glancing at everyone before returning his gaze to me. “We gather our troops and wait to see what happens?”
“Precisely.”
* * *
“I don’t want to leave,” my mate grumbled as he stuffed piles of books into his backpack. They weren’t the tomes he had arrived with or the ones he’d purchased at the market, so either Zadok had gifted him half of his library or Luca had developed light fingers. Perhaps both. “But I know we have to.”
I paused in my own task of folding our clothes to thread my fingers through his curls, smiling softly. “We will come back as often as you wish, pet.”
He glanced up at me. “You promise?”
“I promise.”
With a nod, he returned to packing, a musical hum vibrating in his throat. A plant appeared out of nowhere and was added to the bottomless bag alongside his mini archive.
I huffed a laugh.
We’d lodged at Rosewood Creek for a little over a month, and we’d made the decision to leave that afternoon. Physically, Luca was fully healed, and the quiet and rest had done wonders for the both of us, but with the threat of my father looming, it was time to depart. My mate was understandably disheartened. Six weeks was not enough to bond with the male his curiosity had chased for twenty-seven years, but he felt more at ease with the knowledge that he was welcome to return. Zadok was no longer a stranger, and now knowing the circumstances of his absence, Luca was keen to make up for lost time, to build the relationship they’d missed out on all those years. They were unbelievably alike in many ways, to the point that my blood pressure would spike whenever they wandered off together as there was every chance they’d find something mildly dangerous to invest in—a lack of self-preservation was clearly a family trait. They had much in common, similar interests, and of course, their shared gift, so I doubted they’d take long to navigate their way to a healthy kinship.
They were already bounding down the right path.
He had also made incredible progress with his magic, and I was convinced he had devoured every book his father had offered on the subject. He was dedicated, determined to hone his skill and eager to enhance his means to defend himself—to defend us —should the need arise. I was more proud of him than words could describe. He was the most talented and intelligent creature I had ever met, and I knew he would make a difference in this world.
Even if he didn’t yet believe it himself.
“I want to check on my apricot tree before we go,” he spoke again, his excitement evident in his tone. “I finally managed to get it to the seedling stage, so I’d like to ward it, make sure it’s protected until I come back. Not that Zadok will let anything happen to it, but I want it to be my project and my project alone, y’know? I want to see what happens, good or bad.”
“Of course.”
Suddenly, he let out an exclamation, and green light gathered in his palm. He held it out, making a beckoning gesture with his fingers until a scroll from the shelf at the other side of the room came floating toward him. He snatched it out of the air before wrestling it into his pack.
I raised an amused brow in his direction.
It took him a beat to sense my stare, but his movements faltered, and he peered up at me. “What?”
“I believe you are showing off, sweetheart.”
“I am not.” He scoffed indignantly, then he thought about it. “Well, maybe a little. Are you impressed?”
“I am,” I said easily. “ You impress me, sweetling. In everything that you do.”
He scrunched up his cute button nose, blushing at the compliment, before a thought seemingly popped into his head. “Oh my God, I wonder if we could use my magic in the bedroom! Why have I not thought of that before? I bet there are specialized books on the topic. It would totally heighten the sensations, and be like an extra set of hands.”
The thought stirred me. Tendrils circling my cock, stroking me as I fucked Luca with my tongue. The fizz of magic tickling my skin, adding vibrations to each twist from hilt to tip. A devilish expression gradually spread over my mate’s face, and he drifted toward me, rising on his toes to loop his arms around my neck.
“Does that turn you on?” he purred, already knowing the answer. “I could restrain you, have it bind your arms and legs while I had my wicked way with you. I am pretty powerful, you know. You wouldn’t be able to move.”
His sultry tone and teasing smirk had heat rising in my belly. Had we the time to play out his fantasy now?
As we’d discussed, I hadn’t fully taken him after our interruption in the stables. We’d used our fingers and mouths when the need became too much to bear, even rutted against one another in the hallway whenever his father and Flick left for a stroll in the woods. But I was aching to sink my cock into the hot clutch of his body. To bury myself in the spot created only for me and claim him again, over and over, until he could only babble an incoherent chant of my name.
Now that I felt more comfortable within myself to take that step, it was a challenge to resist the delicious little creature. Especially in instances such as this, where he’d do whatever he could to torment me. However, I knew that waiting until we could go for days uninterrupted would be worth it.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t have a taste.
“I would be amenable to that.”
To my utter dismay, Luca chuckled like a little shit, and retreated. The impulse to reach out and haul him back flared in my gut. To pin him against the wall, tug down his trousers, and use his thighs like a sleeve, but I refrained. Only just. “I mean, I might singe your dick off by accident because I’m not totally confident in my abilities yet, but it would absolutely be worth a shot.”
Ice water trickled down my spine, and my cock rapidly deflated. “Hm, perhaps stick to your lessons, pet. We can keep it in mind for the future.”
He shrugged casually and went back to packing as if he hadn’t just propositioned and cockblocked me in one fell swoop.
Brat .
A knock sounded, officially derailing the moment, and with an eyebrow scrunch, my mate strolled over to see who it was. I knew it was Zadok without even glancing past my shoulder. Cerila and Gary had already departed for the Shades’ hideout, planning to regroup and await our call, and Flick rarely dropped in on us unless it was a call to dinner. It was morning, yet even without the powers of deduction, I’d have guessed our visitor’s identity regardless. The older Fae had a habit of rubbing his fingers together whenever he was nervous, excited, or deep in thought, and I could hear the motion even through the door.
“Hey,” Luca said, voice like sunshine. “We’re almost done packing.”
“Oh, I won’t disturb you for long, I only wanted?—”
“Don’t be silly. Come in.”
The door creaked almost shut, and two sets of footsteps—perfectly in sync with one another—advanced to the center of the room. I turned, nodding to Zadok in acknowledgment. He had his shoulder-length hair tied up, messy strands falling over his face and twining around his horns.
A cursory look down confirmed that he was indeed fidgeting.
“What d’ya need?” Luca asked, plopping himself down on the bed without a care for the shirts I had just neatly piled there, awaiting his father’s reason for being here. Not that he needed a reason, but he clearly had one.
“Last night at dinner, you mentioned your friend Alex. Teighan’s mate?” He removed an item from his pocket, a pleated leather bracelet with a rune attached to the clasp. “You said he’d like to visit, but because of the ward on the Veil, he can’t…”
Luca nodded. “Yeah, he’s dreamed of it since way before I met him. I think he went off the idea for a bit after he found out how badly the king treated Tee, but they’re still open to finding a way through, at some point. If there was a way, that is.”
“I should have taken the ward down the day I was banished,” his father said as if scolding himself, shoulders slumped. “Or the day I felt the mating bond snap, but I didn’t want to invoke more of the king’s wrath, didn’t want him harming the people I love.” He looked up from the bangle in his hands, his next words directed toward me. “If you overthrow him, and I have the guarantee that he won’t retaliate, I will remove the ward without hesitation.”
I nodded at him in appreciation.
“Until then…” He offered the trinket to Luca, who took it with a frown and a curious head tilt. “Hopefully this will be enough for your friend.”
“What is it?”
“It will grant him passage to the Otherworld, but only for short periods at a time,” Zadok explained. “As he is mated to Teighan, the magic of their bond will slightly weaken the strength of the ward on the Veil, but still not enough to allow him through. This band is enchanted with a counter spell, and it will give him a boost. As soon as it is on his wrist, he will have three days before he must return to the human realm.”
“What happens after three days?”
“He will be dragged back, and depending on where he is, it might not be pretty.”
My mate’s eyes widened. “Right. Three days.”
“Once he returns, tell him to bury it under soil from the Fae side of the city and leave it for at least a month to let the magic refill before visiting again. That’s important.”
Luca nodded along, absorbing the instructions. “Got it. I’ll tell him.” He slipped the band safely into the front of his pack before returning his attention to his father, a grateful smile on his lips. “Thank you. This will mean the world to him, and Tee . ”
“I am glad that your brother has found his mate,” Zadok addressed me once again, his expression soft. “He deserves it after everything he went through. It may not be much of a grand gesture, but this is partly my apology for not telling him of his mother sooner.”
“You knew her?” I said, and the light in his eyes dimmed slightly.
“Yes. Eleri was an extraordinary woman—strong, generous, and fair—but fate dealt her the cruelest hand.” He gazed off to the side as if recalling a troubling memory. “When she died, the king ordered all mention of her to be wiped off the face of the earth. I obeyed, but per her final request to me, I drafted a contract in blood ink, ensuring that her journal could never be destroyed or modified. It was the least I could do to protect even a fraction of Teighan’s legacy. The king found out and... punished me severely for it, then had me hide the documents in my office, so only he and I would have access to them. I should have tried harder to tell the boy of his birthright when he grew up, but I was… terrified.”
“He’s such a bastard,” Luca growled, a spark of magic igniting at the tips of his fingers before disappearing. “Teighan wouldn’t blame you for it. You did what you had to do to survive, as everyone does within that dickhead’s orbit. I swear, every time he’s brought up, I’m given more and more cause to despise him, and then I end up hating him even more for bringing it out in me.”
I rested my hand on the boy’s nape, squeezing gently. “Breathe, sweetheart.”
He heeded my request, inhaling deeply before releasing the breath slowly. “I’m fine, I just… I hate what he’s done to all the people I care about. It’s not fair that he gets to go unpunished, and everyone else has to do his bidding or get hurt if they step out of line.”
“I know.” I brushed my thumb over his pulse point, content with its steadying pace. “That will not be the case for much longer.”
Luca aimed a weak smile at me, and I felt the urge to lean down and kiss him, to soothe the distress emanating through our bond, but I refrained. Only because I knew he would fuss at having an audience.
“I apologize,” Zadok said, shifting awkwardly from side to side. “It was not my intention to dampen the mood. I only wished to make amends.”
“You didn’t,” my mate reassured him. “I’m just very protective of my family and friends—a trait I only really realized I had when I met Cair, funnily enough.”
I smiled proudly.
“An honorable trait to possess.” Zadok appeared just as proud, and after a moment of fondly admiring his son, he inched toward the door. “Don’t let me delay you further. I will meet you both outside when you are ready, yes?”
“Uh, yeah,” my mate said, lunging to his feet to walk his father out. I busied myself with refolding the pile of shirts he’d unwittingly knocked over, giving them a moment of privacy. “We won’t be long, then I’m going to check on my flower patch if you wanna join? Maybe you can show me that forcefield spell once more? The one that can dissolve an arrow.”
“Absolutely.”
“I think I’ve almost got it, but something’s not quite working and I still have to dodge out of the way before it hits me.”
My head snapped up, a growl vibrating in my throat before I could stop it. “I beg your pardon?” Zadok’s face turned pallid, and he slunk out the door. Luca just reached back, waving a dismissive hand.
“Pretend you didn’t hear that.”
* * *
“Don’t be a stranger, junior,” Flick said, giving my mate’s shoulder a firm squeeze. “You are always welcome here. You and your princeling.”
It was a jest, an ode to our first meeting, but I still dipped my head in appreciation.
Leaf wound her sleek body around Luca’s legs, expelling sad chirping sounds. He bent down to scoop her into his arms. “I’ll miss you too, girl.”
She trilled, then looked over at me, subjecting me to the most manipulative puppy-dog eyes I’d ever seen. I briefly wondered if she’d learned that tactic from my mate. I huffed in amusement, reaching out to scritch her chin. “Yes, you will be missed, little fire creature.” That pleased her greatly as she ruffled her wings before leaping back to the ground and wandering away like a spoiled kitten.
Zadok stepped forward, his eyes wet and red-rimmed, attempting to school the aura of discontent shrouding him. He was hanging back, but Luca didn’t give him the chance to worry about protocol as the boy threw himself at the older Fae and hugged him tight. Zadok wobbled on his feet but recovered quickly, smiling and wrapping his son in his arms. A heartwarming display.
“Send a missive if you need me, and I will be there,” he whispered into Luca’s mane. “Banishment be damned.”
The boy sniffled. “I will.”
“You’ll make a change, I can feel it,” his father expressed with a tone of resolution. His eyes found mine. “Both of you.”
My mate gave him one last squeeze before reluctantly withdrawing, tears welling in his sweet eyes and a wet smile firmly on his lips.
Zadok faced me. “Take care of my son, do you hear?”
I bowed slightly in a show of deference. “I will defend him with everything I have, you can rest assured.”
“I don’t want to say bye ’cause it feels too final,” Luca said, voice wavering. I inched closer to him, hooking an arm around his waist for comfort. He sagged against me, and gripped my shirt as if he desperately needed the purchase. I held him even tighter.
“See you soon works just fine,” Zadok offered, a tear tracking down his gaunt cheek. Flick appeared beside him in an instant, threading their fingers together.
“See you soon… Dad.”
My mate’s bottom lip wobbled, and never one to linger over drawn-out goodbyes, he turned to conjure his magic, crafting the symbols in midair and missing how his father’s tears flowed freely at the endearment. That familiar rush swooped in, goose bumps rising on my skin as an emerald tear opened at our feet. We had discussed beforehand where it would be best to travel to, so I was already aware it led to my office at the club in the human realm.
It was not wise to return to the capital yet, and The Veil was the safest place I knew.
Luca glanced over his shoulder, his wistful gaze spanning the farmstead once more. This was where he longed to be, I could see it plainly. The way he seemed to be memorizing every detail, soaking up his surroundings so he would never forget the source of the pure contentment I knew he’d experienced here. The peace and simplicity that a life here afforded was his calling, and in that moment, I vowed to do everything in my power to one day make it so.
With one last parting smile, my mate nodded his readiness to me. I rested a hand on the small of his back, and together we stepped through the portal.