by Lexi C. Foss
I shook my head. “It’s an instinct awoken by my contact with the source. It’s done something to her, or perhaps her parents are to blame. But there’s a history there.”
“Like why she came to live with you?”
“Yes, like that.” Because it was never really explained to any of us. “Our mothers were best friends, but I never actually met Aflora’s parents. I assumed all this time that they died from the plague, but given Elana’s struggle against me and the source—as a seven-year-old—I have to wonder how true that is.”
“And if perhaps they hid her for another reason entirely,” my mate added.
“Yes.” Which meant Aflora’s story wasn’t finished yet. Not nearly. “We shouldn’t try to unlock her memories, though. Or even hint at them.” Because she had never displayed any of the signs that I had. Aflora was funny, light-spirited, and a stubborn thorn when she wanted to be. I didn’t want to do anything to change that.
Claire squeezed her arms around me as far as she could. “I agree. The elements will tell her when they’re ready.” She kissed my chin. “Let’s sleep, just for a little while longer, before you dig us out.” She glanced at our makeshift roof, a smile curving her lips.
I chuckled, looking up through the tangle of vines that blocked the sky. “Or we could just stay here forever.”
Claire awarded me with a soft laugh. “My other mates might not appreciate that.”
I hummed. “Perhaps not.”
We held each other, reveling in our love while I also reveled in the light suffusing my soul.
All thanks to Claire, my mate, my heart, my rock. She’d chased away my darkness. For good.
Claire
Two Weeks Later
I studied the final building on our tour and nodded. “It’s done.”
“Yeah,” Exos agreed, his palm at the base of my spine. “Good as new.”
“Minus the Chancellor’s house,” I added. We hadn’t bothered to reconstruct that monstrosity. “And the Spirit Quad is looking a little less dusty.” And a lot more alive, I thought as a butterfly fluttered by my nose.
Sol had helped me spread seeds all over the campus, creating new life in every corner to help improve the vitality among campus. He’d also assisted Cyrus in creating a series of fountains—a combination of Sol’s rocks as the foundation and Cyrus’s water element for the visual art. Vox had managed reconstruction with his squadron, the Air Fae using their wind to lift heavy Earth Fae–crafted boulders for the Fire Fae to weld together.
It took a literal village, but the Academy had never looked so beautiful. “What’s the verdict from the new Council?” I asked my spirit mate. There’d been an emergency gathering among all the royals—new and old—this morning to discuss the fate of the school. While I was invited, I’d chosen not to attend in favor of helping Sol, Titus, and Vox around campus. My elements craved a release more than a political meeting.
“We’ll reopen in the next term, which would be similar to a human university in the autumn.” He brushed a wisp of my hair behind my ear and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “They’ve agreed to allow the four of you to graduate early, but there are some conditions that come with the allowance.”
With the Academy not reinstating itself this year, it left Vox, Titus, Sol, and me in limbo. So Exos and Cyrus had agreed to ask for a waiver that allowed us to call our education complete. It seemed strange since I’d only attended the Academy for a few months, but the whole purpose was to master my elements. And the last few weeks had more than proven that task to be accomplished.
“What are their terms?” I asked.
“Well, first, they’ve asked me to take over as temporary Chancellor and Head of the Council,” he said, his tone suggesting just how he felt about that. “Apparently, I’ve shown great leadership in my young years.”
My lips curled. “They’re not wrong, Exos.”
“Yes, that remains to be seen.” He heaved a breath, his acceptance of the requirement evident in that gesture alone. Exos was a man of duty. If the fae requested his leadership, he would give it, if nothing else but to protect those he loved. Like me and Cyrus and our mate-circle.
I pressed my palm to his chest, allowing him to fold me into his arms. “What else do they want?”
“You,” he replied softly, his ocean-blue eyes glittering with challenge. “Specifically, your connection to the elements. They say it makes you a fine Advisor to the Council—a title they made up this morning that essentially means you’ll function as a conduit between them and the core of our powers. Any decision they make, they want to run by you for approval.”
“Approval from the elements,” I translated, frowning. “They make it sound as if I can speak to them.”
“Can’t you?” Exos countered, palming my cheek and drawing his thumb across my lip. “You have access to all five sources. It’s likely that your instincts would tell you if the Council made a decision that went against our elemental cores.”
I swallowed, considering.
A shallow dive into my spirit showed a series of bright stars awaiting my command, all flashing their approval, knowing I would never do anything to abuse them.
“My goddess Claire,” Exos mused, having followed me along that path, his spirit right beside mine, his mouth at my ear. “As you said, love, they’re not wrong.” His lips against my temple drew me back to the quad, my gaze capturing and holding his.
“What else do they want?” Because in that brief touch of our spirits, I sensed there was more. These were just the two biggest concessions.
“Vox, Sol, and Titus,” he murmured. “The Academy is in need of strong mentorship. Particularly the Earth Fae, which is why they want Sol to take on a teaching role among his kind. As for Vox, Professor Helios is on the verge of retirement. They feel Vox is a suitable replacement but want him to mentor beneath Helios for a few years first. And Titus is the perfect replacement for the intramurals professor who fled before the battle.”
“So all three of them have to stay at the Academy.” I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. “What about me, you, and Cyrus?”
“I plan to reside here as well, having already proven to be able to effectively manage the Spirit Kingdom from afar. Not to mention, I want to be here when the Spirit Quad reopens. There’s going to be a lot needed to get it ready again. Fortunately, we have some time before the life cycle kicks in again.” His eyes lit up with the words, his relief flooding our bond.
Already, two Spirit Fae had fallen pregnant in the last couple of weeks, proving Elana’s hold over the death fields had been the cause of infertility.
“And Cyrus, he can mist between the Academy and his Water Kingdom. As can you,” he added, his palm sliding from my cheek to the back of my neck. “You can live here with us and still see Cyrus whenever you want. Which, I assume, will be often because I don’t see him going more than a day without your touch.”
“Where will we stay?” I wondered out loud. “The Spirit Dorms?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “No, baby. I was thinking of building a place for us out in the field.”
“In the forest?”
He nodded. “Unless you have another idea in mind. But I’d prefer to live off campus grounds.” His lips brushed mine before drifting to my ear. “Your rapturous screams are for your mates and no one else, Claire. Therefore, privacy is a must.”
Exos nipped my escalating pulse, the heat of his breath raising goose bumps along the back of my neck.
“What do you think, Claire?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Would you like to stay at the Academy? Help mentor some students and continue learning about your elements?” He kissed my cheek before pressing his forehead to mine. “If you think about, it’s the perfect place for you, surrounded by all the Elemental Fae. You’d thrive here.”
I shivered, my arms loosening to allow me to clutch his shoulders. “I want to be where my mates are,” I told him, locking my gaze on his. “I want to be where you are,
Exos. And if that’s here, then I’ll be here. If that’s in Spirit Kingdom, then I’ll be there. If we all stay with Cyrus in Water Kingdom, I’m okay with that, too. I just want all of us to be together.”
“Spoken like a goddess,” he mused, pride beaming from his gaze. “I think they’ll all vote to stay where you are, Claire.”
“But being here would make them happy,” I added.
He nodded. “I think so, yes. Vox has always wanted to be a professor. Sol would thrive on the idea of helping his fellow Earth Fae through mentorship. And I don’t see Titus balking at the idea of taking over fae intramural athletic activities.”
My lips twitched. “No, I don’t see him rejecting that either.” In fact, I pictured him loving every minute of it. All of them would enjoy the opportunity. “And what would I be doing all day?”
“What you already do,” Exos replied. “Leading us all.”
“To where, the bedroom?” I teased.
His amusement tickled our bond. “If that’s where you want us to go, we’ll happily follow.”
“Uh-huh.” I smiled up at him. “I want to help you.”
“Me?”
I nodded. “With Academy responsibilities. While also being the conduit, or whatever you called me, for the Council.”
“Advisor,” he corrected, his grip tightening. “And I accept, Claire. You’re my queen, baby. We belong beside each other. Always.” His lips touched mine for too fleeting a moment, leaving me with a craving deep inside for more. The hardness pressing into my lower abdomen through his suit pants told me it was a yearning he shared. But the seriousness in his gaze warned that we weren’t done discussing important matters.
“Your mother,” he started, his hand finding my hip while the other remained against my neck. “While the Council is convinced of her innocence, they’re concerned about her mental state. Which is the other reason they recommend we remain on campus. Because they want to keep Ophelia here for the time being.”
“Why?” I wondered out loud. “She’s a Spirit Fae. Can’t she live in Spirit Kingdom?”
“She could, but the fear surrounding her is too great. Believing the truth is entirely different from accepting it, and unfortunately, the Spirit Fae have villainized your mother for so long that it will take time for them to see her in a new light.” His thumb stroked up the column of my throat. “Her mental state is too fragile to handle them right now.”
I sighed. He was right, of course. Most mornings she woke up screaming. Once she remembered her location and everything that had happened, she was usually fine. But some days, she walked around with a distant glow in her eyes, one that reminded me very much of death.
“Mortus has agreed to remain as well, to continue trying to heal her,” Exos added.
“Because that’s going splendidly,” I muttered.
Allegedly, they were archrivals in school, something being forced to bond only made worse. Because the link still remained, awaiting their true consummation. For years it was believed she’d died and Mortus had just chosen not to take another mate. Apparently, it was all a charade, because the Spirit Fae couldn’t bond with anyone else while my mother still lived.
They were forever engaged.
Mortus seemed to be more accepting and apologetic than my mother.
At least at first.
But a few words from her, and his ire spiked, creating this strange energy between them that left me decidedly uncomfortable.
“They’ll work it out,” Exos mused. “I have faith in that.”
“Glad you do, because I think they’re going to end up killing each other.” When my mate informed me of his decision to pair Mortus with my mother for her recovery, I feared it would do more damage than good. But the only time she really seemed to come alive was when she bickered with him over old wounds from two decades ago. “They fight like teenagers.”
Exos chuckled. “Reminds me a bit of Titus and Cyrus. All that tension and animosity. I do wonder what will come of it.”
“We both know how I intend to resolve that problem,” my water mate informed us from behind me. I hadn’t sensed his approach, too wrapped up in Exos’s aura. But I sighed as Cyrus pressed his chest to my back, his lips against the top of my head. “Mind if I steal our little queen for a moment? We have state business to discuss.”
“Ah, the coronation.” Exos waggled his brows. “I did catch on to your father’s impatience this morning. Best not to leave the old man waiting much longer, brother.”
Cyrus buried his face in my hair while murmuring his agreement, his arm sliding around my middle as Exos took my mouth in a kiss underlined in promise. The heat from them both kick-started my heart, reminding me of the night the three of us shared together what felt like too long ago.
I wanted to experience that again.
To revel in them both.
To lose myself to their touch.
Soon, little queen, Cyrus promised, his warm exhale sliding over the back of my neck and Exos’s hand. Soon.
Now works for me, I replied, my tongue eagerly engaging in the sensuous battle Exos had just initiated. He meant to tease. Well, I happily returned the favor, arching into his groin and moaning as he deepened our embrace.
He grinned against my mouth. “Playful little minx,” he whispered, then spun me into his brother’s waiting arms. “Try to keep her warmed up for me, Cyrus. I’d like to continue that when you’re done.”
My water mate spread a possessive palm against my lower back while his opposite hand gripped the back of my neck, just like his brother’s had. “She’ll be ready,” he promised, his lips gently claiming mine. Mmm, we need to talk about the coronation. But kissing you is far more enticing.
His tongue engaged mine in a slow, sensual dance that stirred butterflies in my lower abdomen. When Cyrus kissed me like this, I felt fragile, worshiped, and very much his. Mist spun around us, our element playing in time with our mouths. It left me feeling giddy, eliciting a giggle from within that he swallowed with a groan.
How are you so perfect? he marveled, his hands falling to my hips to lift me in the air.
I wove my legs around his waist, my arms encircling his neck. The elements made me this way, I teased. And I remember a time when you didn’t think I was all that perfect.
He nipped my lower lip in reprimand. Nonsense. I adored you from the beginning.
Uh-huh.
You were my stubborn little queen then, just as you are now. He took a few steps, halting when my back hit the trunk of a tree. It provided him with the leverage he needed to hold me between his body and the earth behind me.
I groaned as he pressed his growing arousal into the pillow between my thighs, making me wish I’d chosen a skirt today instead of pants. Or perhaps it was better this way. Cyrus and I couldn’t be trusted in this state, too consumed with devouring each other to care about propriety.
With the Academy no longer in session, my father wants to do the coronation next week, he whispered into my thoughts. He states that I can no longer use your studies as an excuse to delay.
Okay, I replied, sucking on his tongue and threading my fingers through his thick hair. Just tell me what to wear.
He pulled back, his eyebrows lifting. “This is a big deal, Claire.”
“Mm-hmm,” I agreed. “So you need to tell me how to dress.” I went to try to kiss him again, but he held me at bay with an incredulous look.
“This will make you the Water Queen.”
“I know.”
“And things will be expected of you.”
“I’ll need to give you an heir,” I translated. “Yes, you told me that.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You make it sound so easy, Claire.”
“Isn’t it?” I countered, arching an eyebrow right back at him. “I’m your mate. You’re the future king. That makes me the future queen. We’ll need to provide leadership over the Water Fae, and eventually, we’ll need to produce a son. How am I doing so far?”
“It’s a lot of responsibility, Claire. And easier said than done.”
“Aren’t all things easier said than done?” I asked him, my lips curling. “But I’m sure you’ll enjoy the procreation part. We can practice as many times as you want, my future king. And when we’re ready, I’ll carry your heir and raise our child with you and the others. You just have to work out with Exos who gets to impregnate me first. Let me know what you decide.”
He openly gaped at me. “Who are you and what have you done with my little queen?”
“She turned into an elemental fae goddess,” I replied conversationally. “Now she listens to her elemental instincts.” I tightened my hold around him, drawing his mouth closer to mine. “And right now, they’re telling her to devour her water mate. Then follow him to his coronation next week and wear a pretty crown at his side.”
“Fuck,” he breathed, his exhale reminding me of an ocean breeze. I wanted to revel in it, taste him, indulge him forever.
“You’re mine,” I told him softly. “And I’ll be whatever you need in return. It’s as simple as that, my Water Prince. Now kiss me. I’m tired of talking about politics and want to fuck instead.”
He released a surprised chuckle. “My needy little queen,” he mused.
“You promised to satisfy me for eternity, Cyrus.”
“Indeed I did,” he agreed, his mouth lingering over mine. “I’ll ascend next week, then.”
I nodded. “Yes. You will.”
“Then I’d better get to satisfying my future queen,” he said quietly. “She’s a stubborn little thing.”
“Demanding, too,” I added.
He smiled against my lips. “That she is.”
“Kiss me, Cyrus.”
“Happily, my queen,” he whispered, his mouth taking mine.
All talk of the future was swept away beneath a wave of lust and erotic intention. The Water Prince seducing his Water Princess beneath a sea of matrimony and bliss.
Forever and always.
To the moons and back.
Over and over again.