I continue on through the kitchen to the servants’ stairs.
I’ve got Quinn’s hand in mine, and I’m practically dragging her behind me. She doesn’t protest. She knows this is important.
“Aha!” I spy a full-length mirror at the end of the hallway on the second floor.
“Kirian!” Damon shouts. “This is serious. I’ve got news. Zella sent a sprite, but since the message is for you, she won’t say anything without you present.”
I raise a finger. “Hold that thought for just two minutes.”
Releasing Quinn’s hand, I approach the glass. I don’t recognize myself. I almost expected to see a child on the other side. Last time I was face-to-face with a mirror, I was a boy. I was thinner. Shorter. Younger. Smoother.
Running a hand over my jaw, I feel the rough stubble and watch the way my skin stretches. I note the higher cheekbones, sharper jaw, and how my nose has grown.
I puff out my chest and flex my muscles. I turn so I can see how my butt looks in leather.
Quinn’s right. By regular standards, I’m a stud.
“Whatever you’re doing, we don’t have time for it,” Damon snips impatiently, interrupting my self-appreciation.
“All right.” I face him. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll let Gemma tell you herself.”
Suddenly, a sprite flies in front of my face, and she’s a blur of sparkles. Wings, hair, clothes—all blue. I’m surprised, and a bit alarmed, to realize I had no idea she was trailing us. I didn’t hear her wings flapping. Didn’t sense her movement in the air.
I’ve been so consumed by what I’m seeing, I’m not paying attention to what’s going on around me. Not good. I can’t let my other senses fall to the wayside. They’ve protected me, guided me, kept me alive.
Quinn gawks at the little sprite.
On our road trip, we’d passed by a couple sprite forests, but they couldn’t be bothered with our presence. Many sprites consider themselves separate from the kingdom. They don’t do our bidding without hefty rewards, usually requesting gold or jewels for their tiny treehouses. And we pay them well for their ability to send word across the entire realm within hours.
“She’s so pretty,” Quinn says with amazement. “I’ve never seen one up close. Her wings move so fast, like a hummingbird.”
“I’m right here,” the sprite harrumphs, her voice high and reedy. “You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not in the room.”
“Sorry,” Quinn responds, adequately chastised.
Sprites are known for their saucy attitudes, but I won’t let Quinn get lectured for simply making an observation.
I bristle, shooting daggers at the little troublemaker. “If I didn’t need your message so badly, I’d send you away for being rude to my mate.” Shocked, the sprite flies back a little when she realizes I can see her. Raising an eyebrow, I nod. “That’s right.”
“Forgive me, night king.” She bows her head. “I was told your mate had perished.”
“Still—” I start to argue with her, but Quinn cuts me off.
“What’s your name again?”
“Gemma.”
“You must be exhausted after flying for so many hours.”
“Yes.” Gemma pouts, milking Quinn’s compassion.
“If you need a place to rest, I’ve got two good shoulders.” Quinn looks at me and whispers, “Or is that offensive to offer?”
“No,” Gemma answers with a tinkling giggle. “I’ll get to tell everyone I sat on the queen.”
She isn’t shy about taking Quinn up on it. Flying around us twice, she lands on Quinn’s right shoulder, primly crossing one leg over the other as she looks in my direction.
“I need you to promise no harm will come to me. If I’m found out, she’ll kill me.”
“Who?” I ask. “Princess Gia?”
“Yes.”
“Of course we’ll keep you safe here,” I offer up Damon’s castle, knowing he wouldn’t refuse. “Your risk won’t go unrewarded, either.”
“And my family?”
“Refuge will be available to all who need it,” Damon interjects. “Now, for the love of the constellations, tell us.”
“I have a message from Queen Zella,” Gemma states formally, before her voice changes and becomes an exact replica of my mother’s. “Come home quickly, my son. Gia’s out of control. She made trade deals with the Day Realm. Some of our females have been sent away for breeding against their will. Gnomes and trolls have been sent to harvest Day water. Some of them… they’re children, Kirian.” There’s a sob, then she continues, “Your father has gone to retrieve them. The treaty will be no more, and I fear war will be in our future. Be careful when you enter Delaveria. Gia’s powers are… unleashed.”
Well, strike it all. It’s been a long time since I heard my mother sound so shaken.
Quinn grips my forearm and looks up at me with concern. I know how much our people mean to her. Especially the gnomes.
I have to make this right. Fast. “Gemma, do you have the energy to deliver another message to the citadel in Aelustria?”
“I’ll require four rubies.”
“All right.”
“And twelve emeralds.”
I growl, because she’s pushing it. “Fine. Go to Torius. Give him this message: Torius and Kai, I owe you an apology. If you’re not already aware of what’s going on in Delaveria, just know I need you to meet me there as soon as possible. Bring reinforcements.”
As soon as I give Gemma a nod, letting her know I’m finished, she takes off, zipping away so quickly I almost can’t see her.
Whistling, Damon rakes a hand through his hair. “This is low, even for Gia.”
“It gets worse.” Needing comfort, I hug my mate from behind. “Gia’s the one who tried to kill Quinn.”
“Your own sister,” Damon mutters, shaking his head. “I should’ve suspected. It’s not like this hasn’t happened before.”
I know he’s referring to the rift between our own fathers or the deadly altercation between Zarid and Zed. The royal fae families of Valora don’t have the best history when it comes to greed and the pursuit of power.
“I wonder what resource she traded for.” Damon’s face is pinched with a thoughtful expression as he paces away before turning back. “King Zarid’s been gunning for this for a long time. Our females would go at a high price.”
A couple tidbits from Gemma’s message stand out to me—harvesting Day water and unleashed powers.
“I’d bet my best axe it’s distilled Day water.” Grabbing Quinn’s hand, I start walking down the hall. “Damon, are you coming with us to Delaveria?”
Running up beside me, he grins. “Wouldn’t miss it for all the stars in the sky. Besides, this means you’ll owe me. You know I love it when someone racks up a debt.” His smile falls away. “But how are we getting there?”
“Be a lot faster to fly,” I say. “If we push hard, we could be there by dusk.” Giving Quinn’s fingers a reassuring squeeze, I pat my chest as we descend the stairs. “We can use the carrier. Strap you to me for the ride.”
“Won’t it be difficult for you to go that far with the extra weight, though?” She sounds worried for my well-being, and it’s cute.
“You’re not that heavy.”
“Still, I’m going to slow you down and you’ll be worn out by the time we get there.”
She’s right, but what other choice do we have?
We’re walking through the large kitchen when Damon says, “She can ride my pet griffin.”
Whipping toward him, I cock my head to the side. “You don’t have a griffin.”
“Yes, I do. Had him since he was a baby.”
A cook stirring a steaming pot of soup on the stove lifts her head long enough to back up his statement, while a baker kneading bread on the butcher block countertops nods.
“How did I not know this?” I ask, thinking of all the time I’ve spent here without a clue.
Damon
shrugs. “You’ve never been to my stables. Listen, Talon’s totally safe. My parents used to ride him often, and he’s never dropped anyone.”
I steal a glance at Quinn’s comically wide eyes. “What do you say?”
Swallowing hard, she looks a little pale when she squeaks, “Sure. His name is Talon and he’s never dropped anyone. Sounds great.”
Noting the sarcasm, I smirk. “At any point, if you want to ride with me, just say so.”
“And if I fall?”
“I’ll catch you, love. Always.”
Quinn melts at my words, and the affection and trust shining from her eyes is something I’ll never tire of.
“All right.” Damon claps his hands once. “Let’s go. I’ve been looking for a reason to kick Gia’s ass ever since she chopped off my hair in my sleep.”
“That happened when you were seventeen.” I follow him out the rear entrance nearest to the stables. “You’re not over it yet?”
“You know how important my hair is to me.”
I roll my eyes at Quinn, and she cups her mouth, stifling a laugh.
“I heard that,” Damon mumbles, irritated.
The guy really is touchy about his hair.
When we get outside, the air is cool but there’s hardly any wind. It’ll be a nice night to fly.
As a kid, my wings were underdeveloped and I didn’t have the strength to go far. This’ll be the first time I’ve ever seen the entire Night Realm from above. The mountains, the villages, the sprite forests.
My body hums with excitement as we stop at the stone outbuilding. “Oh, Damon, by the way… it’s great to finally see you.”
“See me?” The color drains from his face when he catches my meaning. “I knew something was different about you! Why? How?”
“Quinn,” I explain, unable to keep the pride out of my voice. “She’s more than just the girl I fell in love with. She’s my fated mate.”
“A human?” Damon seems as baffled as we were when we found out.
“Mostly human,” Quinn informs him. “Turns out, one of my ancestors got it on with a fae dude.”
Blowing out a breath, Damon rubs his jaw. “And I thought my parents were so foolish.”
I turn to Quinn. “King Silas and Queen Tehya left for the human realm about six hundred years ago in search of Damon’s mate. They were sure they’d find her there and swore they wouldn’t return until they did.”
Her lips turn down as she looks at my cousin. “That must be really hard for you, Damon. Being all alone here.”
“It is,” he agrees, opening the wooden stable door. The smell of hay and animal feces assaults my nose, but it isn’t as strong as it normally would be without my sight. “My staff is great. They’ve been loyal, but it’s not the same as having family around. I worry about my parents every day. There was no talking them out of it, but maybe they were onto something.” He gives me a hearty slap on the shoulder. “Having this guy around has been nice, even if he was a broody asshole the whole time.”
We’re interrupted by a huff, some scraping sounds, and a screech.
Quinn jumps.
Damon smiles. “That would be Talon.”
Quinn
You’d think riding on a mystical creature would be really cool.
It’s not.
I’ve been holding in a scream for hours.
Talon came by his name honestly. Each of his claws are as long as one of my arms. His beak looks like it could snap me in half with one bite. Long white-feathered wings flap in time with the fae kings on either side of me.
Kirian shouts a question at me, but it’s hard to hear it above the wind rushing past my ears. I just give him a quick thumbs up before going back to holding on for dear life. The saddle is secured to Talon’s lion-like rear end, and the fluffy brown puff on the tip of his tail occasionally whips around and smacks me on the back.
A gust of wind hits us, and the ride gets rough for a few seconds.
After this is over, I think I’m going to take a break from riding anything requiring reins.
Shutting my eyes, I try to imagine I’m on a horse, but it’s not the same. I miss the bumpy carriage, because that’s nothing compared to the turbulence up here.
It doesn’t help that I’m sore from my time with Kirian. Not sore in the sense that I’m in pain. There’s a hollow ache deep inside. A craving. I can feel that he was inside me and now he’s not. Every time I shift, it causes a twinge of yearning between my legs. Like phantom pains, but in my vagina.
A wave of exhaustion hits me, and my eyes droop. I shake my head to keep myself alert.
Adrenaline combined with the lack of sleep is taking a toll on me. My body wants to sleep, but my nerves are ramped up.
I need a nap. With Kirian. Some downtime and snacks.
I think of Kirian’s soft mattress and—holy shit!
My stomach drops when we suddenly go higher, plunging through a cloud and stealing my fantasy of being safe in bed. The cool mist kisses my skin, and the hazy fog is too thick to see more than two feet in front of my face.
Don’t panic.
I hold my breath until we break through to clear skies. When I look down, I’m pretty sure I see flashes in the dark mist below.
As we’ve gotten closer to Delaveria, the weather’s changed for the worse. The normally clear skies are thick with storm clouds.
I don’t miss the concerned glances Kirian keeps sending my way.
“Is that lightning?” I yell.
He nods.
That’s just great. I could’ve been electrocuted. According to Kirian, getting struck by lightning isn’t a big deal to faeries. It’s a nuisance because it causes temporary paralysis, which makes them fall from the sky. The result is usually some bruises and broken bones when they hit the ground. It’s the origin of their ‘striking’ cuss words, because it can really mess a person up.
Well, the fae might be able to survive it, but I sure as hell can’t.
Another blast of wind rocks us, and Talon lets out a sound between a roar and a squawk as he rights himself. Thunder rumbles beneath us, and a second layer of clouds form above. The stars disappear as the sky darkens.
We’re being closed in.
My heart pounds as rain begins pelting us. At least it isn’t cold anymore. I’m still wearing the coat, and I’m so sweaty I’m not sure getting wet will make a difference.
“Not much farther!” Kirian shouts. “Let’s get down to land. Quickly.”
Both guys do a nosedive, and this time I really do scream when Talon trails right behind them.
This is it. I’m going to die. Death by griffin, of all things.
I should close my eyes, but I can’t.
Frozen with fear, I watch as the ground approaches at the speed of falling. Right before we crash, Talon swoops so he’s level with the road.
The landing is jarring as he trots to a stop, but I don’t care that I’m being jostled around.
I’m still alive.
Before I have a chance to dismount, Kirian is picking me up. “I’m sorry. That was much rougher than I thought it’d be. Are you okay?”
Now that I’m not moving, I realize I’m shaking. My teeth are chattering so much I can barely answer him. “I—I think s—so.”
I’m hot and cold at the same time, and I can’t feel my fingers. I might be in shock, but I have enough sense to look around and realize we’re on the outskirts of Delaveria. I recognize this road as the one we left on.
“This storm isn’t right, Kirian,” Damon says as the wind whips through his hair.
Kirian nods. “It’s Gia. It has to be.”
“I didn’t know she can manipulate the weather.”
“Under normal circumstances, she can’t.” Kirian rubs my upper arms, like he’s trying to massage some sense back into me. Lightning flashes behind the palace. When Kirian follows the light, his eyes go wide. “Oh, fucking shit.”
“What?” Alarmed by his outburst, I look in the same
direction. It’s darker than normal, but when another bright bolt slices through the sky, I see what he sees.
And he’s not wrong. Fucking shit is right. The entire perimeter of the palace is blocked by brown thorny vines. The walls go all the way up and around like a dome, and the only part of the castle sticking out is the highest tower. Black billowy clouds circle right above it, as if that’s the eye of the storm.
It’s our only way in.
“Obviously, that’s a trap,” I say, even though I’m sure Kirian’s already figured that out.
“I might be able to break through the vines or make them move. Maybe not. Gia’s never been as strong as me, but if she’s hopped up on distilled Day water, her power might outweigh mine.”
“What about Torius and Kai?” I suggest. “Will they be here soon?”
“This can’t wait. We have to go ahead without them.”
“Agreed.” Damon nods. “Let’s get this over with.”
I figured they’d say that.
I’m also not surprised when Kirian adds, “And you’ll stay here.”
He motions to a nearby home with a barn. I see a few faces peering out through the windows. I’m not sure if they’re looking at us, or whatever the hell is happening to Delaveria.
But I know I’m not game for staying behind. “No.”
“Yes.”
“You said you’re stronger when we’re together,” I point out. “Your powers will be better if I’m near you.”
“And you’re also my greatest weakness. Gia knows that. She could use you to get to me.”
I throw my arms up. “She doesn’t even know I’m here. The whole kingdom thinks I died.”
“But you didn’t.” Kirian’s tone is patronizing, like he’s talking to a kid. “And it’s going to stay that way.”
Going behind me, he takes me by the shoulders and starts leading me forward to the two-story stone house. The people inside scatter when they see us coming, and a tall fae woman opens the door.
Nobles.
Well, isn’t this the icing on the cake.
But the face staring at us isn’t one filled with pride or snootiness. She’s devastated, on the verge of tears.
“King Kirian, thank the stars you’re back.” Wringing her hands, the woman’s chin trembles. “My youngest daughter was taken and sent to auction in the Day Realm.” She falls to her knees on the front stoop, clinging to Kirian’s pants as she sobs. “The princess’s soldiers came into our home and dragged her out. Please, I beg of you, bring her home. She’s only fifteen. She’s not yet of breeding age.”
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