Chapter 9
MAX
Groaning, I roll over. My nose crushes into a scratchy blanket, the scent of mold and earth strong.
The Black Palace doesn’t smell like this.
Bolting upright, the world spins and I moan, grabbing my skull.
I feel like I drank too much wine. But the events flash back to me—and unfortunately, not enough wine can drown out everything.
Coughing, I look up at the Fae leaning against the cell bars.
Cell. Iron. Dungeon.
“Why is it,” Reid asks, arms hanging over the metal. Thankfully, his tunic covers his skin. “That whenever you or my brother are in trouble, or more better accurate, start trouble, I end up in the dungeon?”
“Just lucky I guess.” Rubbing my eye, I take in the surroundings. The dungeon is cold, dank, and smells like old rotting moss. But the walls are glided in gold. Odd. “You’re alive.”
He touches his neck, the smallest red scratch sitting there. “Thanks to you. I’ll let this imprisonment go because you kept me from meeting Seti.”
“I appreciate your generosity.” Wobbling over to his side, I force his head up. It’s true—he’s whole.
Amazing. I didn’t think I could do that.
My powers really are growing.
“How do you feel?”
“Other than pissed we’re stuck in a Godsdamn cell?” He kicks the bars for good measure. “Fan-fucking-tastic.”
“How long have we been here?” He hands me a cup and I greedily drink the water, taking care to notice it’s not laced. It burns my throat—I’ve healed much since the beast’s attack, but I still ache.
“Days,” he mutters. Pointing to the small cell window overhead, I blink against the violent sunlight. “The full moon is in two days. If Fenrir and Mal can’t convince Aoife of who we are, we risk everything.”
He doesn’t say it, but I feel it. We’re in here because of me.
I rushed leaving the Woodland. Anxiety, fear, and need, all compelled me to move. I had to get to Aoife—and didn’t believe the rumors of her mistrustful nature.
My mistake. I have a terrible habit of running into trouble. Now that I’m a queen, I can’t keep doing that.
“Have they arrived?”
He gives me a look. “No one has come, Max. They’ve left us here to scream into the void.”
Leaning against the bars, I cross my arms. “What happened after I passed out?”
He exhales sharply. “Aoife had us taken. Some of the guards were ready to fight, but with both of us in poor condition, they didn’t want to risk us harm.
Thankfully, you killed enough guards that slaughtering us wasn’t going to happen.
” At my worried glance, he placates, “Easy. The soldiers are in a different part of the dungeon. She didn’t trust them to help us.
” He scoffs. “She took our weapons too. I could’ve used them to pick the lock. ”
“But she didn’t kill us?” She alone could have. Aoife is strong with her magic. A kind I’ve never seen before.
“I think she was intrigued by what you said.”
I touch the necklace. She didn’t want to risk killing Kaden.
“Was Kaden there?” I ask, rubbing the bridge of my nose. My head absolutely kills. It’s been so long since I’ve had this kind of pain, I almost forgot it existed. I need to get better at controlling my magic—I can’t just let it go whenever it wants. “I remember him being there.”
Reid rolls his shoulders, lifting his head, eyes closed.
“He was. He tried to attack, took one swipe at Aoife before she blew him back.” He clears his throat. “I don’t know what happened to him. If she hurt him—”
“No,” I interrupt. “She wouldn’t have. Not if she’s waiting to see if I’m telling the truth.”
She won’t test the bond. She’s waiting to prove me honest or a liar.
I dig deep into my soul for the bond. It’s weaker, duller. We are still tied, but Kaden’s essence—his love—it’s dimmed.
He’s fading.
Not long ago I wished to be rid of the soul-bond, but all I want is to succumb to it entirely. Feel my mate, wrap his scent around me, and have his hands erase all the awful things of the past few weeks until we only remember each other.
“He’s weak,” I say, patting my chest. “But alive. We don’t have long, Reid.”
“We’ll make it.” He sounds so sure. “I’m not giving up. And neither can you.”
I can’t. Everyone is relying on me to keep going, to figure out how to bring Kaden back, how to save the Shadowlands against Griffin. Giving up is akin to death.
Shaking my head, I say, “I’m not. But we’re running out of time.”
“It’s a good thing the calvary is here,” a voice calls from behind.
Stepping into the light, golden rings dangling from one lone finger, Mal grins. His hair is braided over one shoulder, his green eyes tired, but he’s a joyous sight.
“You made it!”
“About fucking time, Malvolio,” Reid growls. “I was growing bored with your terrible hospitality. You should really talk to the maids about their service.”
He slips the key in, and the door opens on a loud squeal. “Apologies, Your Highness,” he says, rolling his eyes. “But this is what happens when you misjudge my mother.”
On trembling legs, I exit and hug the Woodland Fae. “She really is as awful as everyone says.”
“You’re lucky,” he comments quietly. “If you hadn’t evoked the bond and if Kaden hadn’t appeared to defend you, my mother would’ve killed you on sight, guards be damned.
” At Reid’s narrowed gaze, Mal shrugs. “The guards talk. Apparently seeing Kaden made my mother see things differently. It doesn’t absolve you from attacking her kingdom—”
“We did not such thing—”
“Or killing her Fae.”
“We did do that,” Reid concedes. “But, to be fair, she did try to kill me.”
“Something I’m sure she wouldn’t have done if not provoked.
” Turning toward me, Mal lays two heavy hands on my shoulders.
“Make no mistake. My mother is less than pleased to release you. Under our law, you’re to be hanged for killing a Royal Guard.
To kill as many as you did, we don’t have a punishment. ”
Reid scoffs. “Look at you, setting records.”
“But,” he amends, ignoring the Fae, “she understands what happened. She sent me to release you. She wants to help.”
Relief hits me fast and my knees buckle as I grip to his arms. “Really? She’ll help us save Kaden?”
“Like I said…” He helps me to the dungeon doors. “Kaden is her favorite. She’d level homes to make him whole.”
“And our guards?” Reid asks, jumping up the stairs, taking my arm as we step into the grand palace halls.
I stop short, eyes wide. The Veridian Palace is a work of art. The walls are all gold, with large candelabras in the far corners. The flames flicker and glow, casting bright lights reflected off the walls. The artwork is big, beautiful, and all various scenes of the landscapes.
I see bright orange and purple flowers in green meadows. Other paintings are of the mountains shrouded in thick clouds and shadows.
Everything is bright and peaceful, full of wonder and nature.
Servants bustle past us, in long white outfits and golden bangles. All of them stop to bow to Mal, but avoid us. “I take it they know what I did.”
“And most of the palace doesn’t like it. Don’t expect to have the guards on your side.”
“Taste test her food,” Reid quips. “Got it.”
Mal leads us down the hall, keeping stride with my small steps. Reid doesn’t let me go, sticking close to my side. “Your mother knocked us down with only a swipe of her hands. How is that?”
“Magic,” he says, shrugging. “She’s ancient. Older than my father was. She possesses great knowledge. We assume from how long she’s lived, she was able to summon it through spells and potions.”
“It’s terrifying.”
Mal hums bitterly. “Try having her as a mother. She isn’t the most loving. If not for her care of our kingdom after our father’s death, or for her ability to save the kingdom when a sickness overtook our people, I would assume her heartless.”
“That’s comforting.” Reid gestures to the hall. “I assume we’re going to see her?”
“Yes. She’s in the throne room. Fenrir has been with her since we arrived.”
“Still not our greatest fan, I take it.”
Mal barks out a laugh. “No. But they both understand the situation.”
We reach the throne room and I openly gawk. The room is made out of gold, from the sconces on the walls, to the giant seat in the center on a large platform. A white rug runs from the entrance to the chair, and ivy swings high above, with various white flowers woven into the vines.
It smells like roses, but I don’t see any.
On the throne, is Aoife. When her eyes fall on me, my blood runs cold. Dressed in days old traveling clothes, dirt under my nails, I am some peasant compared to her beauty.
With a sharp nose, pointed chin, and smooth skin, she’s otherworldly. Her ivory gown is simple, but elegant, with gold stitching along the collar and cuffs, and the crown on her head—large and gold—sits like a flame as it reflects all the light.
She practically glows. And she glares at me.
“Dark Queen,” she greets, but it’s chilly. She doesn’t like me.
Granted, I killed her guards out of spite, but still. She must understand why.
Dipping low, I mumble, “Queen Aoife.”
She taps her nails along the arm rest. “I understand Kaden, my Kaden, has been changed.” She sneers at me. “Centuries of holding on to that cursed soul, and he loses it over you.”
“To be fair,” I begin, “he lost it while killing his father and enacting his coup. A coup you supported.”
She frowns. “Indeed.”
Fenrir walks into the room, carrying our bags. He looks freshly showered with new clothes and cleaned shoes. Glancing to us, he doesn’t bother to stop, dropping our things and continuing to his mother’s side.
“Bastard,” Reid mutters and I bite back a smile.
Dipping my head again, I say, “Mal said you were willing to help us. To reverse Kaden’s curse.”
Aoife sighs, tapping her nails again. “Reverse? Unlikely.”
“But I was told—”
“You were told wrong,” she says coldly. “Kaden’s curse is near-unbreakable. It was given to his family well before any of you were born and no one here can change it.” Her eyes flash with irritation. “How do you hope to end it? With a simple spell?”
“I—” My hands dig into my bag, pulling out the spell book. Gods above, thank you. “I have the Noir Rose. Oslo told us to take it before he died. We thought it could offer a way to break it.”
The queen pauses, looking at the book in my hand. An emotion I can’t place falls over her face before it’s erased. “How do you have it?”
“We took it from the palace. We came here because your sons spoke of your abilities.” I wave the book into the air. “The pages are blank.”
“An invisibility spell,” Mal adds. “Can you break it?”
She taps her nail once. “Perhaps.” She strides over to me and narrows her gaze. “And you think something in this book will save the king?” I nod and her gaze turns greedy. “Fine. Give it to me.”
“I have to warn you,” I say, hugging it close to my chest. “No one has been able to touch it. Not without setting themselves on fire.”
Reid winces. “Yeah, I can attest to that part.”
Nodding, the queen turns to Fenrir. “Grab my supplies. You,” she says, directing me. “You will hand it to me. I’m not afraid of a small protection spell.”
“Mother—“ Fenrir begins. “I don’t think that’s wise.”
She waves him off as she holds out her hands expectantly. I don’t want to harm the queen, but I also don’t want to wait.
We’re here. We can finally save Kaden.
Before I hand it to her, I ask, “Do you promise? Promise to save Kaden?”
Primly, she nods. “I will do whatever it takes to make him whole.”
With that, I gently drop the leather tome into her hands and wait for the fire.
Strangely, it doesn’t spark. It doesn’t smolder—it doesn’t even heat. She turns to the throne, flipping through the pages as Fenrir directs guards to set up a table. Herbs of all kinds, most I recognize appear in small glass jars.
She sits, smirking slightly. “Now to begin.”