by G. K. DeRosa
As Celeste turned the corner toward her house, she slowed to a walk to catch her breath. When her home came into view, she could see a figure sitting on the front porch steps. He stood up upon her approach and she immediately recognized the sandy-brown hair of her best friend.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” asked Celeste as she jogged toward him.
“I couldn’t sleep and I heard you leave a little while ago so I thought I’d wait up and see how your patrol went.”
“It was all quiet,” she said as they sat back down on the steps.
“Then why do you seem so worked up?”
Celeste smiled at him ruefully. Of course Brian would see right through her. “It’s just this whole thing with Astrid. I don’t think she’s ever going to be held accountable for what she did to my dad, and I can’t live with that.”
Brian put his warm arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be.”
“After ten years to finally know exactly what happened and not be able to do anything about it is just so frustrating.”
“So what are you plotting?” he asked as he arched his brow at her.
Celeste responded with a mischievous twist of her lips. “Nothing…”
“Don’t give me that, Cel. Whatever you’re planning on doing, I want in.”
“Even if I was thinking about doing something, there’s no way I’d let you come with me. Not only is Astrid hiding out in Fae, she’s most likely camped out in the royal palace. Getting to her there would be practically impossible.”
Brian shrugged, as if to say that sneaking into Fae lands was something they did on a regular basis these days—which it kind of was. “Well, you’re going to need Marie’s help to get in there anyway, and I’m going where she goes.”
“Promise me you won’t say anything to her yet. I really don’t want to get her or you involved again, but I don’t know any other way.”
“I promise,” he answered. “As long as you swear you won’t do something crazy and run off by yourself.”
“Okay,” she said, but she only half meant it. In all honesty, she had considered going rogue and slipping into Fae to kill Astrid with her own bare hands if necessary.
“It’s getting late. I’m going to head home. Keep me in the loop, okay?”
“Sure,” she nodded as he wrapped her into a bear hug.
“I’m always here for you, Cel – don’t forget that.”
Celeste watched Brian cross the yard over to his house and disappear inside, turning off all the remaining lights in his home as he went. When the light shining from his bedroom window went dark, she finally got up and went back inside. Rocky greeted her at the door, his cold snout pressing against her hand and his warm tongue tickling her palm. She slowly tiptoed up the stairs so as not to wake Marco – her mom was working another overnight shift – and finally reached her bedroom. Rocky followed faithfully behind her and settled down onto his favorite spot at the foot of her bed.
As she changed into her pajamas, she heard a rustling at the window followed by a menacing growl from Rocky. Twirling toward the sound, she found a familiar black falcon perched at her window ledge.
“Come on in,” she said, motioning with her hand.
The falcon flew in and before his claws hit the floor, he had transformed back into the fully human figure of Roman.
“Whatever you’re thinking about doing, don’t,” said Roman in his most stern dad voice.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” responded Celeste innocently.
“Don’t try that cute smile with me. I just talked to Brian.”
That traitor! Celeste slumped down on her bed. “I wasn’t going to do anything—not yet anyway.”
Roman sat down beside her just inches away from her face. “Look, whatever is going on with us doesn’t matter. I’ll always be here for you even if that means going on a suicide mission into the Fae royal palace. You just have to include me in your crazy plans.”
“I know,” she said. “I just didn’t want to steal you away from the time you have left with your mom.”
Roman exhaled sharply. He stood up and began pacing in front of her. “Being with her and not being able to help her is driving me insane. It’s clear she’s getting worse by the day, and there’s nothing we can do but wait.”
“Has Alek been in touch?”
“Yes, he says he will have everything ready for the next full moon, but that’s still almost three weeks away.”
Celeste put out her hand and Roman stopped pacing to take it, standing in front of her. “Your mom’s really strong. She can make it, I know she will.”
“Maybe a little action would get my spirits up,” said Roman arching his brow with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “I know Nico is going stir crazy too. He’d definitely be in on a reckless rogue mission.”
“Thanks Roman. I feel like you’re always putting your life on the line for me, and, well, before it made more sense but now with everything so up in the air…” Celeste trailed off.
He placed his finger on her lips, interrupting her ramble, then looked into her eyes with so much emotion that Celeste was certain she would be knocked over by its intensity. “I will always love you, and nothing could ever change that. It doesn’t matter who you choose or who you marry ten years from now. I will forever protect you and put my life before yours.”
As Celeste’s eyes were locked onto his, an image flashed across her mind. It only lasted for an instant and while she couldn’t make out the details, she was filled with a sense of love and happiness. And somehow Roman was a part of it. She blinked and whatever it was disappeared, leaving her completely perplexed. Focusing back on Roman, she leaned in gently to brush her lips against his. “I will always love you too.”
Alek stood on the terrace admiring the setting sun over the Roman landscape as he attempted to draw in some serenity from the peaceful scenery. It wasn’t working. He clutched the veranda and leaned over the top of it, allowing out a frustrated groan that sent pigeons scattering. Alek had let his chance to unlock the Negrusurori powers pass in a moment of weakness, and now he was forced to wait another three weeks. He contemplated his decision to work with Stellan to discover a cure for his mother that night instead of meeting with Dalla. He had never put someone else before his own selfish needs and it left him feeling uncomfortable in his own skin. Surely Fabian was laughing at him for allowing this soft spot for his mother; he would never have let anything stand in the way of his desires.
“There you are,” came a familiar melodic voice from behind him.
Alek spun around and his jaw dropped. “My Queen,” he said with a nod of his head, “what brings you to my humble home?”
Queen Elsbetta stepped closer, her statuesque figure towering over him. “I do not require your false pleasantries, Aleksander. What I do require is your assistance.”
“Of course,” he answered, motioning for her to take a seat.
“Your father came to me a very long time ago in need of a favor, and I graciously accepted, agreeing to raise you as one of my own.”
“For a hefty price, I’m sure,” retorted Alek.
“The terms of the agreement are irrelevant, but I would hope that the time we spent together along with the many years in between has solidified our relationship as allies.”
“I do consider you an ally,” he responded nonchalantly. “Now please go ahead and tell me what brings you here today.”
The Queen pursed her lips and straightened up in her chair. “As I’m sure you are aware, the Council and their Guardian, along with those bothersome vampires and Stellan, have been causing some problems for me and my daughter, Astrid.”
“Yes, I am familiar with the situation.”
“You came to me once for my assistance in destroying them and though I was reluctant at the time, I may have changed my opinion.” Alek’s dark eyes twinkled in delight as he clasped his hands together eagerly. “I am c
oncerned for my daughter’s safety. The Guardian and her cohorts have snuck into Fae territory before and I am worried they will do so again. The Council has been trying to work around me to deal directly with the royal court to convince them that turning in Astrid is the best option for all of us. I don’t know how much longer I can fight against them. I am in need of a powerful ally.”
“What exactly did you have in mind?” asked Alek.
“I want to destroy them before they can act against me. Do you have anything that could help me achieve that?”
Alek paused to consider. Things were working out better than he had ever expected. If he could convince the Queen to eliminate the Constantins for him, he could get away guilt free with their demise. The only problem was Celeste. Gianpaolo Caccia had made him swear that she would be spared at all costs. He finally looked up at the Queen who was staring expectantly at him. “I can certainly help you with that. However, I do not believe that killing the Guardian is the answer to your troubles.”
Her eyes narrowed angrily as she gripped the sides of the chair. “She is the one who is leading the charge against my daughter. She must be silenced and then the Council will follow.”
“Killing a guardian is a much trickier proposition as you have recently witnessed. I, however, have friends in the Council. I can see to it that they call the Guardian off. Without their approval, her hands will be tied. It is the Constantins with whom you should be more concerned. Celeste will never do anything without them by her side. If you remove them, you remove the problem. And no one on the Council will bat an eye over the death of two vampires.”
Elsbetta twisted her lips as she contemplated his words. After a moment she said, “So do you have something to help me destroy your half-brothers?”
A huge grin formed across Alek’s face. “I happen to have just the thing.” He flipped his wrist, his palm facing upward, and a vial appeared, filled with a dark, inky substance.
“What is it?” she asked, eyeing it curiously.
“It’s an immortality stripping potion—the very same one used to kill that foul werewolf Brazen.”
The following morning, Celeste awoke with a renewed sense of hope. This was it, regardless of how crazy the idea was: they were going to sneak into Fae lands and end this with Astrid once and for all. Now all she had to do was recruit her all-star team.
A light tap on her bedroom door disrupted her from her musings. She ran her hand through her hair and sat up in bed. “Come in.”
“Good morning, sweetie,” said her mom as she poked her head in.
“Are you just getting home?”
“That’s right,” she said with an exhausted sigh as she walked over to the bed and stretched across it. “I wanted to make sure I got to say hi to you before I passed out and you disappeared again.”
“Yeah, sorry about that Mom. Thanks for being so understanding about all my nights out at Stellan’s.”
“I know Guardian duty comes first. I just hope that you and Roman aren’t taking advantage of the situation,” she said with a sly smile.
Celeste could feel her cheeks turning rosy at the implication. “Of course not, Mom!” she cried. “I still haven’t figured anything out with Roman anyway. There’s just been too much going on.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear that,” she said ruffling her daughter’s already messy bedhead. She stood up and headed to the door, then spun back on her heel. “Oh and I almost forgot—this came in the mail for you yesterday.” She pulled out a large envelope from her purse, which lay by the door.
Celeste glanced at the oversized package and noticed the return address said New York University. She quickly ripped open the seal and pulled out the thick booklet. “It’s my welcome packet from NYU,” she said looking up at her mom. “I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I deferred.”
“It looks like you’ve got some more important decisions to make,” said her mom as she turned and disappeared out the door.
Celeste held the packet tightly in her hands as she flipped through a few pages. She couldn’t think about this right now, not with everything else going on. She opened the drawer in her nightstand and tucked it safely away. That decision would have to wait for another day.
All eyes were on Celeste as she stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows at Roman and Nico’s apartment. The sun was setting behind her, casting a beautiful glow around her figure. With her lips pursed tightly, her back straight, and her golden blond curls tumbling over her shoulders, she resembled an avenging angel come down from heaven to vanquish all evil in her path.
“Thank you for being here today,” she began, looking at her friends gathered in front of her. As she glanced from face to face, she was filled with a mixture of happiness and guilt. She was so lucky to have friends willing to go to such lengths for her, but she couldn’t help the guilt that was eating away at her for entangling them in such a risky mission. “Before I go any further, I want to reiterate that Stellan knows nothing about what we’re planning today. That means we won’t have back up if we get into trouble in Fae. We are on our own.”
Brennan’s hand shot up in the air, and Celeste nodded for him to go ahead. “I didn’t tell the Master anything about this either. As much as he agrees Astrid should be punished, I don’t think he’d approve of the future Alpha of the River Renegades trespassing into Fae territory to kidnap the Fae princess.”
“You’ve been selected?” asked Celeste, her eyes widening. “You’re going to be the new Alpha?”
“Yeah, it’s no big deal,” he said, his cheeks flushing bright crimson.
“Of course it is,” said Celeste. “To be chosen Alpha at such a young age and to a large pack like that? Congratulations!” She immediately felt the guilt again surging inside of her. “Are you sure you want to risk all of that by helping us?”
“Absolutely,” he responded, his eyes flashing gold. “We would have never been able to kill Brazen without your help, and getting Declan and the remaining members of the Black Devils to fall in line was all thanks to you. If I hadn’t accomplished that, I doubt I would have ever been chosen Alpha.”
“I think he’s in,” said Marco.
“How about you, Marie?” asked Celeste. “The Queen knows you were the one that helped us into Fae last time. I don’t want to get you into anymore trouble.”
“As it turns out, having an ex-guardian for a dad can be pretty valuable, especially with everything that’s been going on lately. The Queen wouldn’t dare punish me now, and if she tries anything I’ll just go to Astor and hideout for awhile.”
Celeste could see the worry in Brian’s eyes, but he wanted to be here as badly as Marie did. They were both willing to risk it all for her.
Her gaze moved to Marco next and before she could even open her mouth, he said, “I’m in.” She shot him an appreciative smile and turned toward Roman and Nico.
“And you don’t even have to ask us,” said Nico. “We’re the three amigos, your fearsome sidekicks, the unbeatable trio—Batman, Robin and Alfred!”
Celeste couldn’t help but laugh. It was good to see Nico in such high spirits and they could all certainly use a little humor right now.
“So what’s the plan?” asked Brian.
“Marie leads us to the royal palace, we break in, find Astrid and get out of there as fast as we can,” answered Celeste.
“That’s it?”
“Well, we don’t know much about the royal palace since none of us has actually ever been inside. And without Stellan, we can’t rely on magic to help us locate her or portal in and out of Fae.”
“Okay, but again—why aren’t we telling Stellan about this?” continued Brian.
“Because he would never let us go,” explained Celeste, “and he has enough to worry about with Lilliana.”
“Maybe it would be better if you stayed here,” said Marie, putting her hand on Brian’s shoulder.
“No way. If you guys are all going, so am I—no matter
how bad the plan is.”
Chapter 25
“This is it,” said Marie. They stopped under cover of a large willow tree, its multi-colored leaves providing camouflage for all seven of them. Directly in front of them loomed the impressive royal palace of the Fae adorned in gold leaf and glittering pillars made of solid gold. Beautiful flowering vines crawled up the towering columns, giving the sense that the monument itself was alive. Celeste stared up in awe at the domed turrets wondering how they were ever going to find their way inside the colossal structure.
“It kind of looks like a pimped out version of the Taj Mahal,” said Brian as he craned his neck for a better view.
“You should see the inside,” muttered Nico.
“Wait, you’ve been in the royal palace?” asked Celeste, spinning toward him.
“Maybe once or twice, a very long time ago,” he answered. His eyes took on a faraway expression as if he had been transported back to that very time and place.
Celeste bopped him on the side of the head. “How could you not tell us that before?”
“Ow,” he complained, rubbing his temple. “It’s not something I really talk about much. There was a fairy and we dated for a while … in secret of course.”
“You dated one of the royals?” asked Marie, her bright green eyes widening.
“Allegedly,” he responded with a smirk. Roman shot him a glare and Nico’s expression grew serious. “I can probably get us around once we’re in there.”
“Okay, well that’s great news,” said Celeste. “Now we just have to figure out how to get inside.”