Chapter 18
KADEN
Iwish I could say the faces of the Woodland Fae guards didn’t make me smile. But it’s hard not to enjoy their shock.
They expected me dead—maybe a mindless beast, still. No one expected my Dark Queen to rise to the occasion and save me.
Stopping right outside the boundary, Reid on my left, Fee on my right, I cross my arms. Chest bare, pants one size too tight, I’m drained, but I am reborn. I make a stark image to these simpletons.
The great cursed Dark Fae Prince— now king—standing before them. They’re shaking being this close. Their fear is a strong odor and I grin.
Aoife has never chosen brave men.
“Queen Aoife sent us,” one Fae stammers. “She wanted to check on the progress of breaking the curse.”
Rolling my eyes, I let one hand fall to my sword—thankfully, my mate remembered to bring that. “As you can see, I am whole.”
“He’s back,” Reid singsongs and Fee snorts. More than one guard swallows.
“The Dark Queen was successful,” Fee states, flames erupting at her hands with her irritation. Fiery Bel’s balls, I’ll need to teach her control. My sister is a natural but quick to react. She’s liable to set everyone on fire who angers her.
There are whispers between them. “And you have crossed the barrier,” another guard says, shocked. “No one can cross it. No one.”
Reid filled me in on the way down. Apparently my little brother has had quite a journey thus far. I’ll be sure to confirm with Baris why that is.
“Clearly, someone can.” Rolling my shoulders, I tap into my magic.
It’s strong and viral. It rises without much thought and I know it’s the bond that affects it. It gives it life, more push, and intensity. It’s more power than I’ve ever felt before.
They whisper again and I step to the edge of the boundary. The wall shimmers and shines, reflecting the bright light of the Woodland territory. On the Summus mountain, it’s still cloudy, as if Sola refuses to shine here.
“What else do you bring?” I call, eyes black. A few guards step back. At least I still have my reputation without my beast. “Spit it out.”
A guard steps forward. He looks much younger than even Reid. “She sends news. If you, the king, was not whole, to be summoned back to the Veridian Palace. There seems to be trouble in the In-Between.”
Fee and I catch gazes. Only one person would attempt to attack the In-Between. An unspoken boundary between all kingdoms it’s said to be ruled over the Fairy Kingdom of Summus years ago—their wings gave them domain. I always thought it was large tales.
Then I met Baris. I fell in love with his daughter. Now, anything is possible.
“We’ll meet you.” We don’t exit the barrier, turning back to the camp. Outside the crumpling palace, Max stands with her father and Mal, inspecting papers. Real life is intruding on our moment of peace, and I can’t help but wish for one more night.
It’s selfish but I don’t care. I’ve been given a second chance—given a future. I intend to enjoy it.
“What was it?” Max asks, looking up. Her neck is raw, my marks shining against the collar of her tunic. I don’t dare be embarrassed. My claim on her looks good there.
“Aoife. There seems to be something happening in the In-Between.”
Her blue eyes narrow. “Griffin?”
“I assume so. We’re needed back.”
Max exchanges a look with Baris. In as little of a time as they’ve spent together, father and daughter seem to have grown close. They share telling looks now, communicating in ways I do with my siblings.
I’d be pleased if it doesn’t seem to be a look of great importance. She doesn’t want to go back.
“What? What are you saying?”
Baris sighs, crossing his arms. “I don’t trust Aoife. She had you get three roses, but only used two.”
“And?”
Max shrugs. “Why? The Noire Rose is used in many dark spells. Why would she have need of it, if not for that?”
Mal’s sun-kissed face turns ashen with dread. I feel it in my gut.
I want to defend the woman—tell Max I know Aoife. I know the kindness that exists in her heart, her love of poetry and herbs. How under her, I learned so much of my magic and heritage.
But my mate rarely sees the bad in people. In fact, it’s the most infuriating part of her. She chooses to see the good. If she is having doubts about Aoife, I need to listen.
Exhaling, I nod. “We’ll keep an eye on that. Aoife is known for her uses of magic and potions.”
“It’s not just that.” Max grabs my hand, pulling me further from the group. I try to ignore how her touch makes me want to sway toward her. There’s a part—a rather large one—that wants to ignore everything, steal her away and make love to her until the Gods call us home.
“Tell me,” I ask softly, pulling her close. “Whatever your fears, we can face them.”
“I’ve done enough of that,” she mutters. “Aoife might have crafted the potion, but I can’t help but think there was another reason for it. Perhaps not to save you, but for something else.”
“Then why else help?”
Max rubs her forehead. “I don’t know. I can’t figure it out. Something is telling me to be careful.” She touches her stomach. “If not for Baris and Fee feeling the same, I’d think I was jealous of her. How she knows you, how she seems to understand you in ways I don’t—”
Gripping her throat, I pull her close, kissing her soft lips like they’ll save me from the wrath of Bel himself. She is divinity, wrapped in the cloak of mortality, and I would fall to my knees daily if she allowed it.
As harshly I steal her mouth, I release her. Her words, her fears, are taken away with my tongue, swallowed to the blackest pits of my soul where they belong. They don’t belong with her.
“There is no one who knows me the way you do,” I reassure her.
My words have bite and I wrap my arm around her waist. “Aoife is a family friend, who has seen me saddened with loss. Only you have seen me at my weakest, most vulnerable. You gave me blood in the forest when you barely knew me—you trusted me with your life. You’ve seen parts of my soul no one knows, and have never run from it. How can anyone compare to you?”
She bites her bottom lip and I have the insane urge to rip it away with my teeth.
“Do you truly mean that?”
“Kitten, for better or for worse, the Gods have tied me to you. They have blessed me with a bond so strong, a mate so impressive, that I can only stare in shock at my luck. There is no one else I’d rather at my side, in my heart or who to share my secrets with. You are all I’ve ever wanted in life.”
She reaches up, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. I want to take her again, sink inside her so deeply, it’ll take lifetimes to be free of me. But now is not the time. Unfortunately.
“Do you trust me?”
“Completely,” I respond immediately. She smiles brightly.
“Then trust what I say. We cannot trust Aoife. She is planning something and we must be wary.”
Resting my forehead against hers, I sigh. Aoife is the most cunning of women I’ve had the pleasure of knowing—she probably is planning something.
Max chose to save me when all was lost. I can trust her in this.
“When we head back to the palace, we will be united,” I promise. “You will not have to worry about where I stand with you, kitten. You are half of my soul, I go where you go.”
“Where one goes,” she says, smirking.
“The other follows.”
Aoife walks around, inspecting me in the center of the golden throne. I’ve always hated this place. It’s too bright—too much. The wealth would better serve her people.
When I mentioned this as a young Fae, she claimed it was tradition and I dropped it. I think it was Aoife, enjoying the lavish lifestyle, using her kingdom’s need for familiarity as an excuse to keep the wealth.
As much as I am indebted to her, Aoife has always been a sharp woman. She favors Fenrir, though disregards Mal—of her two children, her youngest is more fit to rule than her oldest. She rarely leaves her kingdom and when she does, it is usually on the eve of something terrible.
And I can’t forget how she attacked my mate when they came to her for aid. The beast was on the outskirts, stalking a rabbit when I witnessed it. He attacked when he smelled Max’s blood, thinking he could finally have it.
If Max and Reid hadn’t explained how she saved him on our return trip, I’d be setting this entire palace on fire and walking away. Fuck the world, I only need my family.
I watch Aoife with a bored expression. No wonder Max doesn’t like her. She ignores Max entirely, even as I hold tight to my mate. She pokes my shoulder, glances to my legs. She studies my hands, then my eyes, looking for evidence of the curse.
“I see.”
“She’s done it,” I praise, kissing Max’s hands. “She’s broken the curse. Like Oslo thought.”
Like the prophecy said. Baris explained it well enough—I am the first test. Breaking my curse will unravel the Blackwoods Witch’s curse and therefore, the end battles will begin.
If we make it that far. Griffin still sacks the world. The world is still broken.
I can’t wait to rip his head from his neck and procure it for my gate.
At the entrance, the Hadeon sits, huffing, as if he can hear my thoughts.
The protector has grown on me since keeping me contained in the forest. When I was injured, he found me blood for healing.
When I caught Max’s scent, he sent me away.
Without him, I would’ve been lost and Max might have been dead.
“I see,” she says again, crumpling the fabric at her hips. The dress is pale, like her hair and skin, and too revealing for a queen. It’s so sheer, the outline of her breasts are seen, and with every turn the faintest outline of her nipples appear.
I’d expect something of a courtesan, not the ruler. I keep my eyes firmly up and away.
“Is there something you wish to say?” Max asks, never once looking away from the queen. She did the same when surrounded by the men in the forest, or my lords in the court. She’s waiting for an attack.
I’d like to say she’s overreacting, but something is off with Aoife.