by Lexi C. Foss
Yeah, whatever that meant. “I need to go home,” I corrected.
“You are home, Aflora. You just haven’t realized it yet.” With that proclamation, he began to hum the most beautiful melody.
“What are you doing?”
He didn’t reply, his strange song continuing and surrounding me in an odd sea of bliss.
Another spell, my mind recognized.
But my lips refused to issue a retort, my kidnapper captivating me with his song.
Stop, I pleaded in my mind. Please stop.
“I’m only trying to calm you,” he whispered in response.
I shook my head, trying to clear it and force him out. This is wrong. Everything you’ve done is so wrong!
A deep sigh.
The hint of mint on his breath as he pressed his forehead to mine. “I know,” he agreed. “Trust me, I know.”
What?
Only, he didn’t elaborate.
Instead, he hummed even louder, causing my eyes to roll back in my head.
Soon darkness took over, lulling me into a restless sleep filled with nightmarish images that depicted my new reality. Including the cruelly handsome fae who held me tight, his lips whisper-soft against my ear as he said, “I’m sorry, Aflora.”
That was when I knew I truly dreamed.
Because from what I knew of Shadow, he wasn’t the kind of male who ever apologized.
Chapter Three
Kols
“Any idea what this is about?” Tray asked as we stepped into the portal.
I entered the Council Chamber code and shook my head. “No idea, but Dad said it’s urgent.”
“Clearly,” my twin replied, adjusting his tie. We wore matching suits, but that was where our similarities ended. He represented the darkness of our kind in his hair and eyes, similar to our mother. My features, however, favored the golds and bronze tones of our father’s lineage. “You think it’s related to Aswad?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Could be anything, but probably.” Whatever this was, I just wanted to get it over with so I could enjoy my final week of freedom before the Academy started up again.
Only six hundred and nineteen days to go, I thought, rolling my neck to loosen my stiff muscles. Then fate would take over, and I’d officially have to step in line with Emelyn Jyn at my side. Can’t fucking wait, I thought, fighting an internal groan.
Royal politics came with certain privileges. Arranged marriage was not one of them.
The doors opened to reveal the obsidian interior of Council Headquarters.
I glanced sideways. “Ready?”
“Am I ever?” Tray countered.
With a snort, I led the way inside. Several Councilmen nodded at us as we moved into the room toward our father at the head of the table. He always left the two chairs to his right available for us, and we took them as expected.
Emelyn’s father, Lima, sat in the position of Second Elite Blood on my dad’s other side. In less than two years’ time, he would serve beneath me in the same capacity unless I chose to replace him.
The stoic male gave me a nod of acknowledgment, as he always did. He expected my betrothal to his daughter to be enough to maintain a partnership. Little did he realize I loathed Emelyn. Being related to the female devil incarnate did not win him any points in my book. But I returned the gesture. I was kind like that.
Then I nodded at the other Councilmen in the room who had arrived with their Seconds. My father and Aswad were the only members with heirs of age and status to attend, yet Shade seemed to be playing hooky again. He couldn’t make it any clearer that he had no interest in taking over the Death Magic mantle from his father. Prat.
Silence fell as Tadmir entered, his white hair flowing down his back. “Apologies.” The Malefic Councilman dropped into his chair beside Raz, his second-in-command. “I wasn’t in the realm when the notice arrived.”
My father dipped his chin in acceptance of the apology, then focused on the male sitting at the opposite head of the rectangular-shaped table. “Well, get on with it, then. Why are we here, Councilman Aswad?”
Those two final words dripped with disdain, thickening the air with unveiled animosity.
My twin stiffened beside me, just like half the damn board.
The Elite Bloods and Death Bloods had been at odds for centuries, never seeing eye to eye with how the Midnight Fae Council ran itself. Unfortunately for Aswad and his dark line of necromancers, my family had no intention of stepping down. I accepted the ascension rites on my eighteenth birthday, hence the inky black vines writhing across my skin. They fueled my veins with more power every day, waiting to unleash on my twenty-fifth year.
Ergo, the ticking time clock on my life.
And the dwindling minutes on my priceless freedom.
“Well?” my father prompted, his patience clearly at an end.
The Death Blood actually appeared paler than usual as he cleared his throat. “Shadow has taken a mate not of the Council’s choosing.”
I could’ve heard a pin drop after that announcement.
My eyebrows actually hit my hairline.
What?!
“And there’s more,” the Death Blood Councilman continued. “She is not a Midnight Fae but an Elemental Fae.”
Phoenix fires, I thought, my jaw on the fucking ground. Of all the things for this meeting to be about, I never in a million years would have guessed that.
Tray seemed just as startled beside me.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Council went up in literal flames as magic lashed across the obsidian stone table.
Aswad deflected the incoming blow with his wand, sending Tadmir’s burst into the high ceiling above, where my father trapped it beneath a web of energy that sizzled across my skin. “Stop,” he demanded, his single word laying down the law without fail.
Malik of Elite Blood had led the Midnight Fae Council for over a thousand years.
Ignoring him earned the harshest of penalties.
I knew firsthand what he could do, had sat through countless trials where he stripped other Midnight Fae of their lives for infractions far less potent than the one Shade had just committed.
The bastard had been promised to Tadmir’s oldest daughter, Cordelia.
To take another mate against the Council’s wishes not only broke the laws of our kind but it also issued a massive insult against the Malefic bloodline.
“Excommunication,” Tadmir hissed.
“How bonded?” Svart asked instead, his Warrior Blood energy swarming him in an inky cloak of impenetrable magic. His kind excelled at defensive arts. The complete opposite to the Malefic Blood, who favored offensive talents.
“First level,” Aswad said, taking his seat with a sigh. “And we don’t even know if it’ll hold. She’s not a Midnight Fae.”
“Which doesn’t make the infraction any better,” Lima muttered. My betrothed’s father was clearly not amused, his black irises narrowing at the Death Blood across from him. “What did he have to say for himself?”
“Nothing of importance,” Aswad replied.
“Meaning he’s not even apologetic,” my father translated.
I nearly snorted. Shadow, a.k.a. Shade, was never apologetic about anything. The arrogant dick fancied himself untouchable, even on Academy grounds. His taking a mate against Council wishes didn’t surprise me in the slightest.
But I couldn’t pretend it didn’t leave me a little jealous. I’d considered similar acts more than once throughout my twenty-three years.
Anything to avoid marrying Emelyn Jyn. Just thinking of her gave me hives.
“That’s what I thought,” my father said when Aswad didn’t voice a comment to the contrary. “Then his punishment is easy—kill the partially bonded mate and force him to uphold the binding contract with Tadmir’s Malefic bloodline. Shadow will suffer an eternity of an unfulfilled connection yet produce the requisite heirs.” He spread out his hands. “Now, that wasn’t so hard. This emergency meeting is—”
“She’s the last Earth Fae Royal,” Aswad interjected. “To kill her would be perceived as an act of war against the Elemental Fae. It would also sever them from the earth source.”
Tray whistled low beside me, his reaction one I rivaled in my thoughts with an added, Oh, fuck.
“Aflora?” I asked, unable to remain quiet.
All eyes turned to me with questions in them.
Yeah, I knew of the Earth Fae Royal. I’d never met her, but I saw her at the Water King’s coronation a few months ago. I explained that to the Council and added, “One of Queen Claire’s mates is an Earth Fae. I doubt he’ll take lightly to us exterminating the sole Earth Fae heir.”
A note of respect glimmered in Aswad’s gaze as he considered me, but it disappeared before my father turned to face him.
Was he surprised that I knew the politics of other realms? I’d been training for my father’s position since the day I spoke my first word. Understanding all the fae, regardless of the type, was critical to my future. So yeah, I knew pretty much everything about the Elemental Fae. It also helped that two of the kings of that realm were acquaintances of mine.
“This complicates matters,” my father muttered.
“Yes,” Aswad agreed. “It does.”
Silence befell the room while Tadmir stewed in his chair, his fury palpable.
Councilman Svart and Councilman Chern looked on in contemplative silence.
Lima stroked the dark hair dusting his chin, considering.
I shared a glance with Tray, who seemed as perplexed as everyone else.
“Do we even know if the bond will hold?” I wondered out loud. “Elemental Fae mate differently than we do. What if the mating bond fades?”
Everyone looked at me again, and this time my father’s expression held a hint of pride. I’d begun speaking up more often lately, taking charge where I could, just to prove my worth. And each move I made seemed to appease him more and more.
“Has anything like this ever occurred in our history?” I asked him.
“No, because it’s forbidden to mix fae lines,” he replied.
Right, which meant Aflora and Shade could never physically mate to produce an heir—the various Fae Councils would require the immediate death of their child. Abominations were not tolerated. Intermingling between species created beings of too much power, and too much power led to insanity.
Case in point, the most recent incident in the Elemental Fae realm where a hybrid Midnight-Elemental Fae tried to absorb too much power, costing several fae their lives.
“So we don’t know what will even happen to their bond, or to her.” Midnight Fae were supposed to bite humans, not other fae. Rumors suggested our powers would mix if we drank from another fae, which was why the Council forbade the act. “As I said, it could fade.”
“Or it might morph her into an abomination,” Chern spoke up, his Sangré bloodline known for their infinite wisdom. “But I agree with the future king that we won’t know until the transition has taken its course.”
“Which could take months,” Tadmir put in sourly.
“How old is she?” my father asked. “Twenty-two? Twenty-three?”
“She just turned twenty-two,” Aswad replied. “I had my assistant pull all the information she could while I waited for the meeting to begin.” He waved his wand through the air, causing papers to appear before all the Councilmen. “This would be her final year at Elemental Fae Academy, marking her as a third year at our own, but given her impressive test scores, she could probably join the fourth-year class.”
Tray and I shared a look.
He couldn’t be suggesting—
“You want her to attend Midnight Fae Academy?” My father sounded as dubious as I felt. “Have you lost your damn mind?”
“Actually, it’s an interesting suggestion,” Chern interjected in that thoughtful way of his, his gray irises surrounding his pupils blinking in and out of focus.
His calm demeanor always appealed to me. I leaned forward, curious to hear what other wisdom he would bestow upon us.
“The Elemental Fae will be just as concerned by their potential mating as we are,” he continued. “However, extermination in this situation is impossible with her being the lone Royal Earth Fae. Sending her back could potentially upset the balance. Keeping her here, well, we have wards in place to monitor her.”
“And Shadow?” Tadmir interjected, his white hair flickering with blue flames at the ends. “Does he just return to the Academy as if nothing has happened?”
“I daresay he also requires monitoring,” Chern replied. “He’s initiated the mating with a powerful Earth Fae. That may impact his powers as well.”
Silence met his reply.
If what he predicted was true, then Shade’s life might be in jeopardy. All Fae Councils took the balance very seriously. Any disturbance to it typically resulted in death.
“What do you recommend?” my father asked, his focus on the Sangré Councilman. “Your line is known for strategy and analytics. How do you see this playing out?”
Chern considered for a long moment, his thumb and forefinger stroking his silver goatee. It was the only sign of hair on him, his familial line preferring to tattoo their bald heads with vibrant colors. The more intricate the design, the more intelligent the Sangré Blood was considered to be. In Chern’s case, he wore the most complex pattern of all as the leader of his line.
“Mating the Earth Fae will awaken her access to dark magic, and the Elemental Fae Council doesn’t have the means to control her. We do. The Academy professors can train her on the various lines while we supervise her growth and work on a contingency plan for her strengthening powers. It’s an appropriate interim solution while we work with the Elementals on a complete solution. They will be just as keen on finding a resolution as we are.”
He tapped his fingers on the table, his focus shifting to Aswad.
“As for Shadow, he will require the same monitoring. I suggest we observe the damage he’s caused before assigning his punishment.”
Meaning Shade would temporarily get away with breaking some of our oldest customs. Not to mention the slight against Tadmir’s familial line. The Malefic Councilman’s expression confirmed how he felt about the suggestion. Disapproval radiated from him in waves, but he smartly kept quiet.
Shade would be punished in due time.
Just as soon as we assessed the damage.
It made sense, but I wanted to know how this would work. “Who is going to observe Aflora’s growth?” I wondered out loud.
Then the implication struck me across the face.
Chern’s knowing glimmer as he met my gaze confirmed it.
“Me,” I said. “I’ll be the one monitoring her.”
“You are the most capable, yes,” Chern agreed. “Your connection to the source will grant you the insight into power fluctuations. You’re also the only one with the ability to shut her down, should the need arise.”
The only one with the means to kill her, I translated. Being the future king came with harsh responsibilities. This was one of them.
I nodded to confirm my understanding and acceptance of the burden.
My father considered me for a long moment, then nodded as well. “If this is the path we choose, then I move for this to be considered one of his ascension trials.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the table.
I had seven that would need to be completed before I could fully ascend.
Three were already done.
This would be item number four.
Babysitting an Earth Fae Royal.
Well, there were worse burdens. I’d seen Aflora before. She was certainly pretty to look at. I wouldn’t mind having a reason to watch her. Maybe she would make my final year more intriguing.
Or harder.
That remained to be seen.
I just hoped she stayed in line because if she became a threat, I’d exterminate her without blinking an eye.
It was my duty, after all.
My future.
And I intended to fulfill it appropriately.
Chapter Four
Aflora
Talk about a wicked dream, I thought, stretching against something warm and solid.
I frowned.
Did I fall asleep at Glacier’s place again? I wondered.
Wait…
My eyes sprang open to find an icy gaze watching me intently.
I attempted to scramble backward, but a set of iron bars held me captive while my front was entirely caged in by a lounging predator in jeans and a shirt. “Shadow,” I whispered, recalling the reality I’d hoped was a really bad dream.
“Shade,” he replied.
“What?”
“It’s my name, darling flower. As we’re betrothed now, I imagine you should use my preferred appellation.”
Appellation? I repeated to myself. Seriously? His vocabulary matched the pompous arching of his dark brow.
“Are you ready to leave yet?” he asked. “Because we’re well into the midnight hours and I have things I want to do today.”
“What?”
He sighed. “Is that your chosen word of the day? Because I’m already bored. What a dull mate you’ll turn out to be at this rate.” He rolled along the concrete floor, popping easily to his feet and holding out a hand. “Jacket, please. You’ve been drooling all over it for the last hour.”
I nearly repeated my “chosen word of the day” because I felt like needling him, but the realization that I was snuggling into his coat captured my attention. Black leather surrounded my entire upper body, the soft part of it under my head.
How…? I glanced up at him. Had he given me this while I slept?
His expression told me not to bother asking, that he would probably insult me if I tried. So I shoved away from the makeshift bed on the ground and stood. If he wanted his precious jacket back, he could pick it up himself.
He did.
After putting it around his shoulders in a quick shift of his strong arms, he rolled his neck. “Prince Kolstov is waiting for us upstairs.” With that, he opened the door and left.