Chapter 13
MAX
Joy runs through me, stronger than the shock from the magical shield.
We might actually be able to do this.
My hope wasn’t misplaced. I was right in trusting my instinct.
Reid looks around at the blackened dirt and the drag marks of my heels from being shoved far away. “What makes you think I can do this?”
“A dream said you could.”
The Fae rolls his eyes. “Right. That seems on par for our lives.”
“I’d still like to discuss this dream,” Baris interrupts, rubbing his pointed chin. “How long have they been going on? What did the woman look like?”
“It’s only a dream.” I shrug. “I had one the night my magic attacked the guards.”
“Did you try to attack the woman in your dreams?”
At my silence, he grows taller, agitated wings fanning out. “Maximillia, if there is something about the dream—”
“There’s nothing,” I assure him. At least I don’t think so. He doesn’t need to know the woman is terrifying and given the chance, I would crush her heart. “Let’s focus on getting the roses.”
Reid carefully examines the shield, watching as the light reflects off the magic. It rains down, colorful patterns that would pull a smile from a child.
Not us. We just need to get through.
“You need to understand,” he murmurs, grabbing my wrist. He turns me so I have to see him. “Those roses are known for love potions and dark spells. If what Aoife said was true—which I don’t think is the case—there could be another reason for this flower.”
“Such as?”
“Distraction. Dissension. Take your pick.” He releases me. “You have to trend carefully.”
Baris might be right about it. Aoife wasn’t enthusiastic about this working, and made mention of how this is a fool’s errand. A slip of the tongue?
Regardless, I’m getting them. What if these are the right steps—what if I have to do this to save Kaden?
Reid spins, hands out wide. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to—”
Mal shoves him into the barrier. I expect the young Fae to be thrown clear into the sky, shot off like an arrow much like I was. Instead, he simply falls through.
A hard gasp leaves his lips as his looks overhead to the dark sky. “I hate you, Mal.”
“Tell me later when your brother is whole.” Tossing the bag on to his shoulder, he waves him forward. “Hurry up. Grab each of us and pull us through.”
Dusting himself off, Reid reaches through the magic and takes each of us one by one through the portal. It’s like stepping through a lightning storm—my hair stands on end, currents dance over my skin; they’re tiny needles that want to cut but don’t. When Baris steps through, I stare in wonder.
We crossed a barrier that no one has in centuries.
“Why me?” Reid says out loud. “I’m not from this kingdom. How am I the one to cross?”
My father nods once, mostly to himself. He claps Reid on the shoulder and walks on to the bushes. “Because, muse, your destiny is far from over.”
The bottom of the mountain is silent, with only the whistling wind blowing around our ears.
The trees here are in a state of dormancy—looking to awaken for spring.
Mal and Reid settle by the bushes, taking their daggers out to cut.
The leaves are sharp, the stems thick and they take great care not to ruin the flowers.
Baris stops to gaze at the trees, running a hand over the barren limbs. I’ve never seen him so pensive.
“Has it always been like this?” I ask, carefully keeping my voice low. They might know who he is and this is his territory, but Baris is private. I won’t share his secrets—the little that I carry.
“The trees? No.” He shakes his head, black hair falling along his shoulders.
“This place has always been full of life. Dark leaves, fruitful trees. The trees planted behind the cottage were seeds from home. It’s always been full of life.
” He drops his hands, shoulder drooping.
“When my kingdom fell to the sleeping curse, everything fell, it seems.”
He glances back to Reid, who gently places on flower into the bag on Mal’s hip. “But it will awaken. When the true ruler takes over.”
Whenever that is. We have a lot to figure out when it concerns Reid and the young Fae is not ready to learn of his true path.
The second flower is plucked and the knot of worry in my chest starts to unravel. We’re getting closer to saving Kaden. We can do this.
“Max,” Baris says, licking his lips. “These flowers might bring ruin instead of love.”
“How will I know?” I whisper. I’m sure Mal doesn’t need to hear of our suspicions over his mother.
“She can’t kill you,” he reminds me. “Not without killing Kaden. And she won’t do that. But she will make it difficult for you to succeed. Every obstacle, every challenge, is a test. I still don’t think it’s necessary for the king, but given to you as a labor.”
“Because she doesn’t trust me?”
“Because of Kaden,” he says, shrugging. “You will see when you return. If you are to save Kaden, you will have to play her games.”
“And if they’re not games, but she actually is helping us?”
He scoffs. “That is not Aoife’s style.”
The third flower goes into the bag and the Fae stand, pointing out features around them.
Rubbing my brow, I nod. “Fine. Then why don’t you come with us? With your insight, you could help us see things—”
“I can’t,” he stresses. Gently, he pulls my hood over my head, tucking my hair back.
Oddly, it’s feels familiar, like a tic he’s done my entire life.
“Aoife tolerates you because she thinks you are simply Kaden’s mate.
If she knew who you were—in this world, to me, you would not survive.
But if you need me, send a hawk. I will be there. ”
Reid stops at my side, hands dirty and a beaming grin on his face. Hope radiates off of him, and my heart soars. It’s been too long since I’ve seen that spark. “Ready, Dark Queen?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him why he could enter—what this means for him.
But I snap my mouth shut. We have too many things to worry about, and if I add this onto his shoulders, he might not appreciate the destiny he was handed. He should embrace it.
Right now, Kaden is our united concern. When it is over, he’ll know what I do. And I can only hope it won’t hurt him.
“Return to the Veridian Palace,” my father commands, “but remember what I said.”
Impulsively, I rush forward and throw my arms around Baris’ neck. It’s the first hug I’ve initiated, the first time I’ve allowed myself to believe.
It could also be my last, his warning about Aoife clear in my mind. All of this could help Kaden—or be a waste. I have to be vigilant and make the right choices.
Everything in me wants to save my mate. To rush out there, consequences be damned.
But I can’t. I won’t risk running into danger when Kaden’s life—and the world’s—rest with me. I have to think. I have to be the queen the Shadowlands needs.
Baris gently wraps his arms around me and presses a light kiss to my temple. “This is your fate, little one. Believe in yourself and you will succeed.”
He departs, returning to the cottage with barely a grunt as Mal warns him of Kaden’s return. My father seems to think Kaden is only drawn to me. Without me there, Baris will remain undetected.
We trudge through the forest on foot, stopping only to take quick breaks. It’s long without the horses, but we don’t stop. Not until the sun rises and the castle appears in the background.
Mal leads the way this time. I don’t bother to catch a guard’s eye—I’m not here for them. At the throne room, we drop the sack of roses on to the middle of the golden tile, Aoife in her chair, Fenrir beside her.
And she looks mad.
“How?” she growls and I step forward. Everything is telling me not to disclose Reid’s connection to the barrier. She might exploit it—or she’ll kill for it. Aoife can go either way.
“Just special I guess.”
Her green eyes flash with malice. I don’t need to taunt her, but it makes me smile.
“I’m ready for the next step.”
Aoife stands abruptly, her pale-yellow gown swinging as she descends her stairs. Tight at the waist, low in the front, it’s made for nights dancing, not sitting over a kingdom.
My eyes travel to her son. Fenrir stands resolute—almost dazed. Something about him is off—he’s not the prick from the forest or the charming heir from the Black Palace. He just… is.
Strange.
“Smart little blood summoner,” she mutters, fists clenching her dress. “You will bathe,” she says, waving her hands. “Then, you will return to the throne room. Wear what the servants bring you. Then you will eat the petals.” Each instruction is clipped and irritated.
She doesn’t seem thrilled describing the next steps. She thought I would fail.
Does that mean all of this is for nothing? Could Baris be right?
“I’ll be back.” If this is for nothing, I’ll need to be quick. Kaden’s curse solidifies tonight and I can’t risk waiting any longer. But if this works, the sooner my mate will return.
It’s a perilous decision: not knowing which way is right.
She glares at us as we exit, and the males follow me to my chambers. Mal stays outside as a guard, while Reid comes into my bedroom. The roses, black all over, shimmer in the morning light as he places them gently on my bed.
They smell familiar and I don’t know why.
“This will work,” Reid tells me, calming my fears. The servants enter, holding sheer fabrics and various bottles of oils and scents. “Kaden is coming back to us. We can do it. You can do it, Max.”
Placing a hand on the gem at my throat, I can only nod. Nerves, fears, and hope tangle together into a tarry mess that sinks low into my belly.
We’re getting him back. Aoife might deceive, she might hinder, Hell, these obstacles could be for nothing—but I will succeed.
The bath is quick. A hard scrubbing by impersonal hands, the water is filled with various petals—lavender, hibiscus, sage and thyme, and the dirt from travel falls in clumps into the milky water.
When the servants lead me out, Reid steps into the hall and they dress me into a silken dress.
Similar in style to the Black Palace dresses, it hangs in heavy chains around my shoulders, with high slits along my thighs.
A golden belt is wrapped around my waist where my daggers are placed, and then they pull at my scalp.
The servants braid an intricate knot onto my head, as they gather my strands and tug it into place. They’re not nice and I endure it with a barely bit tongue. This is the least of my concerns for their pettiness.
Stepping out into the hall, the sun is high and the palace is buzzing with activity. Mal and Reid haven’t moved from their places, still smudged and covered in grass stains.
Reid whistles playfully at me and Mal looks skyward, as if to know that if he takes too long, Kaden will come from the shadows and rip his throat out. It makes me grin.
“Are you ready?” Reid asks, flicking one of the stray strands over my shoulder.
“To break a curse? Sure.” I shrug and walk with them back to the throne room. “This is what I was apparently born for.”
“You were born for more than that,” Mal says confidently. “Breaking curses is a large part of it. But you offer more than that.”
“Like?”
“You discovered who the Crimson Army was, who Griffin truly was,” he explains. “You were the catalyst for the coup of the Shadowlands. Kaden wouldn’t have done it so soon, if not for your safety.”
“And you made my brother love again,” Reid reminds me. “That is a defeat no short of divinity.”
Reaching the throne room, I notice it’s changed. In the time it took me to bathe and dress, the area has been set up like a small training yard. There are weapons all around, with sand in the middle, waiting for a duel.
My fingers turn red and I stall, heels digging into the tile as we all look to Aoife. The queen stands at the side, directing more barrels of sand to be distributed, with her table of potions in the back corner. A black pot boils ominously.
When she sees us, she smiles ruefully. And my stomach sours.