Chapter Eighteen
She’d been staring out the window for a long time.
Long enough that the steady rhythm of the road had started to blur into something almost hypnotic.
The highway had fallen away behind them, replaced first by a sprawling city: towering skyscrapers cutting into the sky, glass and steel reflecting the fading light, before Joshua took a sharp turn onto a quieter road.
Then another. And another. The city vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Forests rose up around them, acre after acre of towering trees stretching farther than she could see. Thick, ancient, untouched.
Anabelle had never seen anything like it. The air itself seemed to change: cooler, cleaner, heavy with the scent of pine and earth. It was… serene. Peaceful in a way that felt almost unreal.
They’d all gone quiet again, the hum of the engine filling the space where conversation might have been. When Joshua finally spoke: “Five minutes and we’ll be there”...she realized she’d been holding her breath. Her fingers tightened unconsciously around Emmett’s.
The road curved again, and suddenly...Lights appeared ahead. A checkpoint.
Two tall men stepped out from either side of the road, looming as they approached the car, shadows stretching long across the pavement.
Anabelle’s heart kicked sharply in her chest. Instinct took over before logic could catch up, she grabbed Emmett’s hand and squeezed, pulling him closer to her side.
Cameron rolled down the passenger-side window smoothly, as if this were routine. He handed over a piece of paper. “Protection Agency, Code T5448,” he said evenly. “The High Queen should be expecting us.”
The guard glanced at the paper. Said nothing. Then lifted his hand and waved them through. Just like that.
Her eyebrows shot up before she could stop herself.
Protection Agency? she thought. Is that what they do? What exactly did they protect?
She told herself she shouldn’t care. That it didn’t matter. But curiosity stirred anyway, unwelcome and persistent. Four devilishly handsome men, tall, broad like they’d spent hours daily just...working out. They were striking in a way that felt almost unreal...of course they’d work in protection.
The thought hit her unexpectedly and her legs clenched reflexively. And immediately, immediately, all four of them stiffened. Every single one turned to look at her.
Her breath caught. What? she thought, heat creeping up her neck. Why are they all looking at me?
Before she could ask, or before any of them could explain, the road curved once more. And the mansion rose up before her. She gasped.
“Gods,” she breathed.
They’d called it an estate. An estate. This was just shy of a Victorian castle.
Stone walls rose high and imposing, intricate architecture wrapped in climbing ivy, tall windows glowing faintly from within. It looked timeless...ancient and powerful and impossibly grand, nestled into the forest like it belonged there. Unbelievable didn’t even begin to cover it.
When the car finally rolled to a stop, Anabelle slowly turned, taking it all in.
The house, no, the grounds, were vast. To the right, amongst the trees, she spotted a playground of sorts: wooden structures, rope bridges, treehouses built seamlessly into the forest, and another larger play structure elevated off the ground entirely.
Her heart softened.
On the left, the forest thickened again, giving way to what looked like a sprawling garden, paths veering off into greenery so lush it looked like something out of a storybook.
She sat there, stunned, Emmett’s small hand still clasped tightly in hers. Whatever this place was...It wasn’t what she’d expected. She swallowed hard, then reached for the door.
Right. No going back now. Nowhere left to run.
The door clicked open and cool air brushed her face as she stepped out. Gravel crunched beneath her shoes, loud in the quiet. She’d barely taken two steps before the others exited the vehicle as well, and it was obvious they hadn’t expected her to move first.
For half a heartbeat, they looked startled. Then they were there.
Dominik moved to the front without thinking, his presence solid and grounding. Rian and Joshua flanked her on either side, close enough that she could feel their warmth without being touched. Cameron fell in behind her with Emmett, one hand hovering near the small of the boy’s back like a shield.
Jesus, she thought. They’re like the points of a compass. Protective. Precise. Instinctive.
Before she could overthink it, the front doors opened and a servant ushered them inside with a polite nod. They passed through a long hallway lined with soft lighting and warm wood, then turned into a room that made her pause.
It was… cozy.
Large, yes...vaulted ceilings, wide windows...but unmistakably lived in. Plush couches, throws draped casually, toys scattered without apology. It felt like a home, not a palace.
Two massive men sat on the floor in front of the couch, utterly absorbed in play with a pair of toddlers who looked about three. The twins laughed as one of the men pretended to be some kind of monster, crawling dramatically across the rug.
From the kitchen doorway stepped a woman carrying a tray of drinks.
Anabelle’s breath caught.
She was beautiful.
Her skin had a warm, mesmerizing tan, her cheeks were flushed with life.
Big brown eyes sparkled with humor and kindness, framed by thick lashes.
Her lips were full and curved into an easy smile, the kind that felt genuine.
Her long light brown wavy hair, fell to her waist. She wore a short skirt, an off-the-shoulder lavender top, knee-high socks tucked into ankle boots, and around her neck rested the prettiest necklace Anabelle had ever seen, delicate Celtic knots tangled together in silver. She looked… happy.
At the sight of her, all four men dropped to one knee instantly.
“High Queen. High Leaders.”
“Oh gods,” the woman said with a laugh, rolling her eyes fondly. “Boys. We have discussed this...extensively. In private, please don’t bow. And welcome into our home.”
They rose at once.
“Our apologies, my Queen,” Cameron said.
The woman waved him off, with an eye roll but she was...still smiling.
Anabelle smirked despite herself. Yeah, she thought. She seems like my kind of woman.
At that moment, a little girl around Emmett’s age came flying down the stairs, small white wings fluttering wildly at her back.
“Mommy!” she cried, panicked. “Really tall Daddy is going to find me. You have to hide me!”
The woman laughed and bent low. “Celeste, baby, I have company right now, how about—”
Anabelle didn’t hear the rest. She was staring at the wings. Holy gods. This wasn’t metaphorical. This wasn’t magic tricks or illusions. This was real. Tangible. A child with wings.
Emmett tugged on her sweater hard enough to break her trance.
Celeste turned her head, and the moment her eyes landed on Emmett, her wings folded neatly into her back, disappearing beneath her skin as if they’d never been there.
Emmett stared, jaw slack.
Celeste swallowed, then whispered, “Mommy… who is that? Can he play with us?”
Emmett leaned close to Anabelle, whispering with awe, “Oh my god. Angels! Sissy. She looked like an angel.”
The queen smiled warmly. “Yes, baby. Why don’t you take Emmett? He can help you hide from really tall Daddy.”
Celeste’s face lit up. She grabbed Emmett’s hand without hesitation. “Come on! I know a really good hiding place.”
And just like that, the children disappeared into the house together, laughter trailing behind them.
Anabelle watched them go, heart pounding, wonder and fear and disbelief all tangled together. This was real. She thought again. All of it.
The woman turned back to Anabelle with an apologetic smile, her expression softening.
“I’m sorry,” she said gently. “She’s still training to keep them in.” She nodded in the direction the children had gone. “I don’t know if you were planning to hide this world from your brother, but kids tend to adapt to it much faster than we do.”
Anabelle swallowed, her fingers curling into her palm as the truth settled deeper in her chest.
“No,” she said quietly but firmly. “I won’t be keeping anything from him.”
A warm look crossed the woman’s face at that. “Good.”
She gestured toward the kitchen. “Let’s go there to talk.” Then she turned to the four men behind Anabelle. “Why don’t the four of you make yourselves comfortable while I speak with Anabelle?”
They stiffened immediately. Each of them glanced at Anabelle, hesitation clear on their faces, instincts warring with reason.
The queen laughed softly, shaking her head. “Gods, I understand your instincts right now...but please don’t insult me by assuming I would ever harm her.”
A low growl rumbled through the room from one of the men sitting on the floor.
Anabelle startled, eyes widening as she took a reflexive step back.
“No, my Queen,” Rian said quickly. “We’re really sorry.”
She nodded in reply once, then looked down and bent slightly, pressing a kiss to the cheek of the man who had growled. “Lennox baby...shush, you.”
She turned her head toward the two men on the floor with the twins. “Will you and Alastair be okay here with Camden and Camila?”
“Of course, Sweetheart,” Alastair replied easily. “Go work.”
The woman straightened and headed toward the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “Just sit down, boys. We’ll be out soon.”
Anabelle hesitated for only a heartbeat before following her.
Each step carried her deeper into a world she was no longer pretending didn’t exist.