Chapter 1
MAXIMILLIA, SOLE SURVIVOR OF THE BLUT COVEN, DARK QUEEN OF THE SHADOWLANDS
“We’re moving too slow,” I mutter, teeth clenched. I wrap my fists into Reid’s sides, twisting the fabric. Gently, he pats my white knuckles, grimacing.
“Easy, Dark Queen. I happen to like this tunic.”
“We need to move.” I glance to our caravan. Filled with Dark Fae soldiers, Woodland Fae guards, horses, and my father, it’s too many people to make this trek.
Too many people. Too long. We’re wasting time.
Turning further in the saddle, I look back to Kaden, who hunkers at the rear, a mass of beast and rage.
Covered of dark fur, with grotesque fangs curving over his chin, he’s nothing like the Fae I married.
But that’s the point. The curse has taken over and it’s only a matter of time before he is lost forever.
He’s accompanied by the Hadeon, my hellhound given to me by Seti due to my worthiness.
Of the three heads, one is trained on my mate as if to make sure he doesn’t run off, while the other two watch me.
He’s always been protective, lingering in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to step in.
I’ve found comfort in his quiet assistance since he joined us.
Huffing, I search the red sky for patience. It’s been days since Kaden succumbed to his curse. How much longer can he hold out? I know it’s taxing to fight the beast, difficult to keep pushing against the tide. And his curse is hungry—I feel it in my gut. He wants Kaden to fail so he can reign.
Rubbing my chest, I focus on the feel of his soul tied to mine.
Soul-bound. We are married—in love and in lives.
His soul is an extension of mine and mine to his.
His soothing presence, though waning and tense, calms the rage of my blood magic.
In return, my magic infuses his power with speed and potency.
Where one begins, the other ends. I hated that saying weeks ago, but now, I longed to hear it from my husband’s lips.
Unfortunately, the comforting weight of his soul and connection to me, is dimming. He’s there—a curse would not end a claiming such as ours—but him, Kaden, my mate, is fading. If we don’t hurry, he’ll be nothing but a mindless beast like all those before him, forced to hunt and ravage until killed.
My mate will not be killed. Seti cannot have him—he will not have him.
“Do we need all these guards?” I ask, looking to Reid, then my father, Baris, as he trots alongside us.
A tall male, who was rescued from King Griffin’s dungeon, he was emaciated and sickly when Kaden found him.
After weeks out of captivity, he sits proudly, regally on the Coal Stallion.
He sustained an injury at the fall of Zelos, Kaden’s tyrannical father, but it seems to have completely healed.
A feat given how weak he was when he was found.
“You are a royal,” my father comments, lips twisting as if annoyed. “Guards take their duty to their queen seriously.”
“I’m sure they’ve never had a queen who could stop hearts,” I remark brightly. Reid snorts in front of me. “I don’t need all this extra protection.”
“Get used to it, Dark Queen,” Reid quips again and I roll my eyes. “Without Kaden, you are our only royal. They’ll be stuck to you like a rake to a courtesan.”
Charming.
“And what of you?” I poke his side. “Are you not a royal?”
“Not a royal anyone would trust with a kingdom,” he quips. “I like gambling, women—and men—too much to be given the keys to a castle. The monarchy wouldn’t survive.”
I ignore his joke. “They’re slowing us down,” I hiss. “We could move much quicker, if we did not have this entourage surrounding us, forcing us to wait as they check every single corner for a trap or threat.”
“Would you rather find said trap or threat?” my father asks, eyebrow raised. “You are exhausted, rarely stopping long enough to eat or drink water. You are not at full strength. A single trap could kill you.”
“I’m fine,” I snap. It doesn’t matter that I’ve barely slept, or have eaten since we started this trek. All that matters is getting to the Woodland Kingdom and having their queen help us break this curse. To save Kaden.
The leather-bound book burns in my bag, like a beacon in the night. It doesn’t set this satchel on fire, almost as if it knows, it belongs to me. Only I can touch it—only I can carry it.
But why? Why is this tied to me?
“You are not,” Baris insists. “The soul-bond can help control your magic, but it will not control them if you are incapable of it first.”
Glaring, ire licks at my gut. “And how do you know of soul-bonds?”
Baris looks ahead, gripping the reins tight in his pale fists. We look so similar—lean, thin, long strands, and wide eyes. But whereas his eyes are as dark as night, mine are bright blue like the skies after a thunderstorm. My mother’s eyes.
“I was bound to your mother, Thea,” he mumbles, refusing to acknowledge me. Poor Reid, sits forward and tense, as if he’s not listening to private family matters.
Scoffing, my heart breaks at her name. A name I do not remember. “If you were, you’d be dead.”
He nods. “A piece of me did die the day she was killed.” Those eyes cut me to my core and I still, breath stuck.
“There is much you do not know, little one. Much. But you need to trust me. I was bound to your mother, the same way you are bound to the king. A soul-bond provides a connection, a way for two lives to become one. And for the Blut Coven, it allows their women the control over their gifts when the power is shared between two souls.” His lips curl.
“Nasty thing, this power. It’s too strong for one, and must be shared, otherwise, the user perishes. ”
Comforting.
“But that connection means nothing if you do not take care of yourself.” He scans me, brows furrowing. “Your magic is the strongest one born, ever, little one. Because of who you are. What you are to be. You must take heed and care for yourself before you care for the king.”
“You said we were running out of time,” I whisper, licking my lips.
If my parents were bound, how did my human father survive the severance?
I’ve felt the pain at just thinking of being separate from my mate—and that alone knocked me to my knees.
“I can’t rest. Not when we’re losing too much time. Not when he needs me—"
“And who will save him when your magic becomes too much and kills you?” he asks harshly. “How will you help him if you are both dead?”
I wince as if struck. It’s not kind—but he’s right. If I die, Kaden will die. And that is not an option.
“The world needs you. Both of you.” Baris looks to the long black trail in front of us, shadowed by the remaining trees of the Shadowlands. “You can’t make a mistake. Not now.”
“And be lucky we’re taking the time to make sure the paths are clear,” Fenrir calls back. Apparently he was listening in.
Rolling my eyes, I ask, “And why is that?”
“Plenty of creatures live in these woods.” As I scan the woods, the heir laughs. “Nothing as extreme at the Eternal Night Forest, I assure you, but creatures none the less.”
“Such as?”
Mal snaps his reins. “Wolves, mostly. Bigger than most, they hunt the deer around us. They usually steer clear of us, but in times of food scarcity, they’ve been known to attack.”
Fenrir winks, green eyes shimmering. “They’d love a tasty queen, I’m sure.”
Flipping him off, Reid shakes with silent laughter. Fenrir is a prick.
We continue to walk the path. The black branches reach overhead, blocking the red haze, hiding us within its darkness. It’s taken precious time just to get this far. We have days still until we get to the Woodland Veridian Palace.
My fingers twitch, and my shoulder hunch with worry. Too slow. We’re going too slow.
“Can we push the Coal Stallions?” I ask Reid. “Kaden pushed them to return to the Black Palace faster than when he left for the White Palace. Can we do that again?”
“We have too much land to cover.” He snaps the leather straps harder, urging the beasts to move.
The clop of their hooves is a steady presence that drowns out the thoughts in my mind.
“Coal Stallions can be pushed if it’s a short distance.
Two-ish days, at most. Kaden was lucky the stallions were able to last. But to get to the Woodland Kingdom, and further still, would drain them. We’d be stranded.”
Gods above. “The Woodland ponies would be left behind,” Baris grunts. “And as much as I don’t care for them, we need the princes to allow us safe passage into their kingdom.”
Fenrir glares at my father as if insulted. Baris just stares back.
Reid mutters to me, “I see where you got your stubbornness.”
Grumbling, I settle behind him. The clops of horse hooves and the quiet chatter fills the cavern-like path and I pull my cloak tighter. Without thinking, I pat the bag, checking to see if the book is still there.
A tingle touches my fingers, zapping it like lightning. Odd.
“How do you know we don’t have much time?” I ask Baris, checking on Kaden again. He stays at the rear, far enough away to not touch. He might be dimming in my chest, but he’s with us. Still calculating—he knows not to be too close to tempt the beast into attacking.
The hold is tenuous, at best. He should flee, take to the woods, to keep us all safe. But he won’t leave me. And I don’t want him to go.
Because I am nothing without him. I will not lose him—I will save him.
“I’ve seen this curse before.”
Reid and I both spin to stare, jaws slack. Even Fenrir and Mal have turned abruptly, watching my father as he continues to trot along. As if he didn’t just drop incredible information.
“You’ve seen this curse before?”
“How old are you?” Fenrir asks and Baris glares.
“Old enough, boy.” Looking to me, he nods at my mate. “This is not my first time, little one. I know what can happen if we waste too much time.”
“Then we need to hurry—”