I abandoned the bed and started to clean up, using the bowl of water waiting for us on the nightstand. It was horribly cold, but fortunately not frozen. Larue followed my example, still looking a little guilty. “You didn’t force me into anything,” I said through our bond, distracted from the physical discomfort by the ideas popping in his head. “Stop thinking silly things.”
“I can’t help it.” Larue offered me a sheepish smile as he finished washing and began to pull his pants on. “I guess now we’re stuck worrying about each other.”
His eyes glittered as he spoke, and for some reason, in that moment, it truly struck me that he was mine. I had the unmistakable urge to undress him and ravage him again, and perhaps I’d have done just that, had a knock not sounded at the door.
Larue blinked and gave me a confused look. “Kirril?”
I shook my head. It wasn’t anyone we knew, neither Kirril, nor Philippe. “Stay back. I’ll go check.”
My mate’s eyes widened, but he complied. I might have been accused of over-cautiousness, but in a hostile land, or at least one where an evil witch hid, there was no such thing as being too careful.
In truth, my instincts weren’t warning me away, like they usually did in dangerous situations. Still, I remained on my guard as I opened the door. I was somewhat surprised at who I found at the other side.
Our early morning visitor turned out to be a dark-haired young man who fidgeted and looked startled when I actually open the door. His pulse was hammering—I could hear it, see the way the vein in his neck moved. His wide eyes, pools of fathomless black, took in my appearance with a measure of panic. His skin was white, somehow not pale, but rather pure, flawless. It reminded me a lot of freshly fallen snow—or would have, if it hadn’t been covered in soot.
“Yes?” I asked, doing my best to sound welcoming and friendly.
“I…Are you Victor Frankenstein?” he inquired in a small voice.
“I am,” I replied, now cautious. There were only a few people who knew we’d come here, and while I had a suspicion regarding the identity of our visitor, I couldn’t be sure, not just yet. “And you are?”
“My name is Snow. I need your help.”
* * * *
A few minutes after Snow’s arrival, I could already tell how much the poor thing had suffered. He’d reluctantly entered the room upon Victor’s invitation, but he lingered close to the door, as if ready to flee any moment now. He seemed awed when he looked at me, but not frightened, so I gathered he wasn’t leery of magical creatures.
I beckoned him closer, and for some reason, he seemed to trust me more than he did Victor. Hesitantly, he made his way toward me. His gaze fell on the bed, and he quickly looked away. I couldn’t help but blush, wishing Victor and I had managed to clean up a little more before receiving this visit. Not that I was embarrassed of what the two of us had done, but Snow was obviously uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the small inn room also had a couple of chairs, so I could gesture the human to sit down somewhere else. He accepted my offer, plopping down on the seat without looking at me. When he didn’t speak again, I decided to take the first step.
“I’m Larue,” I said softly. “Tell us, what exactly can we do to help?”
He licked his lips, not seeming to mind that they were covered with soot, much like the rest of him. When he looked at me, his gray gaze held a decision. “A friend told me you would come. It was…Well, I didn’t know for sure it was going to happen. Sometimes, I can’t believe what he says.”
“That you’re the real Morgannian heir?” I guessed. At the very least, his nationality was quite obvious to me. Arthurians were mostly blond and very muscular, but Morgannians tended to be on the athletic side, with dark hair, just like Snow. Not to mention that the Fairy Godfather had mentioned him by name. Likely, the only reason why he seemed comforted by my presence was the fact that I looked a little like our common benefactor.
To my surprise, Snow shook his head. “No, that’s not what I can’t believe. I know it for a fact. I know who I am. But…can I truly get my family back?”
“You know?” Victor inquired. “You remember?”
“I was only a boy when Anelah took my place in the royal family,” Snow replied. “I still have no clue how she did it, how she managed to convince an entire nation that I no longer exist. It seems that she actually wormed her way into their memories, and the moments they had shared with me became hers.”
I couldn’t even fathom how painful that must have been for him. If something like that happened to me with my family and loved ones…I didn’t think I could have survived it.
But Snow wasn’t done telling his story yet. “I tried to get them to listen to me, but none of them even recognized me. My mother was the only one who seemed to feel something was amiss, and because of that, Anelah attempted to kill me. I only escaped because at that time, she had to focus on solidifying her hold over Morganna.”
“So that’s how you ended up here, then?” my mate inquired.
“Yes,” Snow answered. “I crossed the border and ran until I couldn’t any longer. The innkeeper found me and took me in. I wanted to go back one day, to break her hold over my family, but I’m not strong enough. And now, she’s found me.”
Victor shared a look of me, and I began to understand everything. If Anelah married Medwin, she could easily have access to the throne of both Morganna and Arthuria. After that, it would be easy for someone of her power to arrange accidents for her in-laws and supposed power. She could take over both lands.
But Snow was in her way, and she hadn’t managed to find him so far. This would have been unbelievable, but I suspected the Fairy Godfather had a hand in it. She must have sensed the foreign magic as well, which was why she had needed a dragon’s head. Had Kirril succeeded in his task, she’d have used it to fortify her spells and shatter whatever wards protected Snow.
“She hasn’t found you yet,” I soothed the human. “But we do know where she is, and we can stop her.”
“How?” Snow inquired. “What can we possibly do?”
“As you probably know, Anelah is in Arthuria now,” Victor answered. “We’ll be heading there to face her. That means she can’t actively keep a close eye on Morganna.”
“The Fairy Godfather said that we should strain her spells,” I explained.
“My presence there might stir things up.” Snow seemed to have caught onto the idea. “I can start with my mother and work my way up to the others.”
“You have to be very careful,” Victor warned him. “We might be able to keep Anelah busy, but she likely has minions in Morganna.”
“I’m willing to take the chance.” Snow met our eyes, no longer hesitant. “I want my life back.”
Naturally, we couldn’t take rushed decisions, so we proceeded to put together a plan that would allow Snow to return to Morganna with the smallest risks. We were still at it when a knock sounded at the door. Snow’s expression grew cautious once again, but Victor pacified him by saying, “It’s all right. It’s just my brother and Kirril.”
Snow must have known about the two other members of our party, as he just nodded. When Victor let the two men in, he bowed and greeted them, a little calmer than when he’d introduced himself to us. “This is Snow,” I explained. “Snow, meet Prince Kirril of Arthuria and Victor’s brother, Philippe.”
“It’s an honor,” Snow said. It seemed that in spite of his long absence from court, he still remembered the basics of royal education. He didn’t even blink at the sight of Philippe in panther form.
“The honor is all ours, Your Highness,” Kirril replied smoothly. Snow looked startled when Kirril addressed him by his title, but I gathered that, technically speaking, Snow’s rightful position in Morganna was more important that Kirril’s in Arthuria. After all, Snow was the crown prince and heir, while Kirril only a third son.
I was honestly quite curious about what sleeping arrangements Kirril and Philippe had used. Dineiro certain
ly wouldn’t be happy if he heard his mate had slept in the same bed with another guy. Then again, given that their bond worked just like mine with Victor, he probably already realized that.
Philippe was just as polite. “If I may, have you come up with an idea to defeat the witch?”
We explained what Snow would do. Kirril and Philippe listened carefully. When Snow finished, Kirril finally said, “It’s a risky plan. Anelah might not be in Morganna, but that doesn’t mean she is without allies there.”
“Perhaps I should join His Highness,” Philippe suggested. “I stand out here, and I won’t be able to help much anyway. In Morganna, I could at the very least watch his back.”
Personally, I thought it was a brilliant idea, and was thrilled that he had come up with it. We could carry around a cat, especially since Victor’s curse only manifested at night, but it was a little more complicated with a panther. Arthurians were jumpy to all things magical, but Morgannians wouldn’t particularly be surprised at the sight of a panther.
Victor seemed to agree. “You’re right, Philippe. It’s much safer this way.”
Snow looked like he wanted to protest, but we didn’t give him a chance. Truly, trying to go into a country where he would likely be hunted was a fool’s errand, and the only reason why either of us even accepted it was that we recalled what the Fairy Godfather had said and trusted that our benefactor would protect the young Morgannian.
In the end, Snow reluctantly acquiesced to the new plan. He left the room, presumably to pack. Once the young human was gone, Kirril said, “He won’t have an easy time, and neither will you, Philippe.”
“I know,” Victor’s brother replied, “but he needs all the help he can get, and so do we.”
“On this note, you should pack up at once,” Kirril told us. “Once Snow comes back, we’re leaving. By now, Anelah must have Medwin wrapped around her little finger. I won’t have her toying with my family. I refuse.”
There was decision in his voice, something which I understood and appreciated. I knew that even without us telling them, Kirril and Philippe had realized what had happened between Victor and me, and wouldn’t blame us for it.
Confirming my thoughts, Philippe tilted his large head inquiringly, giving us a curious look. It made for a strikingly cute picture, given his current shape. “So tell me, was it worth it?” he asked.
Victor released a strangled noise, but I just gripped my mate’s hand and squeezed it. “Always.”
Before Victor’s brother could reply, Snow returned to the room, carrying a depressingly small bag. He’d washed his face and changed his clothes, and while his garments weren’t exactly princely, they nevertheless clung to his frame nicely. My mate’s original guess was therefore confirmed. Snow was quite a beautiful young man.
“I left a note to Master Jerynn,” he said. “I’m all set to go.”
“Is there a back door to this place?” Victor asked. “We need to leave without drawing attention.”
“Just follow me.”
And we did, as soon as Victor and I gathered the rest of our things. We hadn’t brought much, and most of it was in Kirril’s bag, so it took maybe one minute. Kirril left a generous pay on the nightstand, more than enough to cover the services provided, and then, we were off.
As promised, Snow guided us out of the inn through a side door that I wouldn’t have seen for the life of me. There were already people moving around, so we needed to get going before we drew too much notice.
I’d have actually been confused as to why we’d chosen to sleep in an inn in the first place, except I had a feeling we’d been guided here for the specific purpose of meeting Snow. The Morgannian prince might have been very brave, but he couldn’t do this on his own. Philippe’s support would aid him greatly.
We slipped out of the small village with minimum fuss. But even when we safely reached the outskirts, we didn’t stop. There was too much at stake and too little time for taking a break.
Everyone remained silent, lost in their own thoughts. Victor and I were a little different, since we had our bond. Still, there was a feeling of thick tension in the air that kept even the two of us quiet. We communicated at a deeper level, but not through actual words.
It was only when we reached a crossroads that Kirril at last spoke out. “Here’s where we part ways,” he said to Snow. “Good luck. I promise we’ll keep her busy. Stay safe.”
“You, too,” Snow replied. “May we meet once again under better circumstances.”
My mate patted his brother’s head, earning himself a small growl from Philippe. “Don’t get yourself killed,” Victor told his shape-shifted sibling. “Mom and Dad are going to have my hide.”
Philippe snorted. “As if. You were always their favorite.”
“Ha!” Victor shook his head in exasperation, and I gathered this must have been an old debate for them. “You’re saying that to rile me up. You know as well as I do that you’re the one they always dote upon.”
I almost thought they’d take forever to finish this strange little ritual, but they didn’t. Philippe nudged Victor’s leg with his head, almost like a cat would, and added, “Until our next meeting, have fun with your mate.”
As he and Snow took the left road, I watched them go with a strange feeling a melancholy that might not have belonged to me. I hoped that once this whole thing was over my mate and his brother would fully settle their differences.
That couldn’t be done now, however, as our path took us in a different direction. Kirril started walking straight ahead, and we followed, hoping that soon, we would reach the famous Camelot.
Naturally, our hopes were in vain. We trekked for hours through the Arthurian countryside, passing through villages and more villages, avoiding the one larger town that appeared in our way. Kirril seemed tireless, and Victor didn’t have any trouble with keeping up with him, likely because of his shifter nature. However, I had a disadvantage in this regard, as I wasn’t experienced enough with long journeys, or long flights for that matter. My new bigger body gave me a measure of endurance, but I wasn’t fully used to it either.
On occasion, my mate threw me concerned looks. “I could carry you if you want.”
I just scowled at him, clearly illustrating my displeasure. “I can walk by myself, thank you very much.”
“I know you can, lovely,” he replied. “I just don’t want you to strain yourself needlessly.”
There was nothing needless about it. We were in this together, and I didn’t want to become a liability for my loved ones. Our task was too important, for Victor and me, but also for Snow, Medwin, Philippe, and everyone else the witch had hurt.
My thoughts almost seemed to have summoning abilities. Just as the sun reached its zenith, we saw a cloud of dust in the distance, closing in fast. Kirril stopped and narrowed his eyes, presumably to see better. “Horses,” he said. “I can’t tell who the riders are from here.”
Once again, Victor’s senses came to our rescue. “I do believe they might be royal envoys,” he said. “I can distinguish a banner with your crest.”
Anxiety welled up inside me at his words. I had hoped that we’d be able to take Anelah by surprise, at least to some extent, but it seemed that it wouldn’t be possible. Thank the Goddess Snow had left our party. Otherwise, she’d have caught him for sure.
We walked for a while longer, then when the cloud of dust became too close for comfort, got off the road and waited. I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but running was out of the question.
When at last, they reached us, the first thing that registered was that Kirril’s two brothers led the party. Leonard, the older brother, looked stoic, but I’d learned that he was always that way. Medwin, however, was grinning from ear to ear, something which I suspected had something to do with the dark-haired woman riding on a mount next to his own. Anelah.
“Kirril!” he exclaimed. “Oh, little brother, I almost couldn’t believe it when I heard you’d be coming home. Why didn’
t you notify us?”
Did they see how tight Kirril’s smile was? Probably. Even I could tell, and I’d only known Kirril for a little while. “It was a recent decision.”
“Well, you’re just in time for my wedding with Anelah,” Medwin said, his excitement immediately striking me as induced. “But what of Dineiro? Didn’t he come with you as well? Were there only three of you in the party?”
It was clear to me that that those questions didn’t come from Medwin, but from the witch. She had him in a very powerful hold then. It would be very difficult indeed to break the spell.
“Dini couldn’t make the trip,” Kirril said. “He sends his regards.”
“Ah, of course,” Anelah spoke for the first time. “His condition wouldn’t have allowed him to travel. I understand that he is with child. It’s quite a pity. I’d have loved to apologize, in the name of the Morgannian nation.”
“Water under the bridge,” Kirril replied. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Princess Anelah.”
“And you, Prince Kirril,” she purred. Her voice threatened to make me sick to my stomach. For the first time, I acknowledged the dark shadow now looming over me, the one I had accepted in mating Victor. Her eyes went from me to Victor, and she smiled as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. I met her gaze without flinching, though, and her smirk withered.
“Won’t you introduce us to your friends?” she asked Kirril.
“Of course,” Kirril answered with fake pleasantly. “Where are my manners? This is Dini’s friend, Larue, and his mate, Victor Frankenstein. Victor, this is my brother’s fiancée, Princess Anelah of Morganna, and of course, my brothers, Medwin and Leonard.”
“It’s an honor,” Victor said. “Since Dineiro couldn’t travel with Kirril, we decided to come with him. I hope we’re not much trouble.”
“Not at all,” Medwin answered. “But please, you must be tired. Men, get them some mounts.”
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