by Ivy Clyde
I’d initially only wanted to protect Rowan, Leon, and Cade but now, the duty to protect the people of an entire kingdom also fell on me. My father never asked me to do anything in exchange for his powers but something deep inside me compelled me to think of Amaris as my own home.
My magic warmed me up thoroughly, dispelling the sadness I’d felt earlier from my human mom’s complete rejection. I would never forget the years she spent to bring me up. Despite her abusive behavior, she sheltered me and fed me. How could I be so ungrateful and deny the things she did do for me?
Still, I would take Isla’s advice and not let those feelings come in the way of my ultimate motive. I wouldn’t let Rowan, Cade, and Leon become Coran’s victims.
33
Moira
I woke up to a new day in the palace.
The whole morning passed by and no one came to ask me anything about my whereabouts since yesterday afternoon. Gilly had seemed quite nonchalant as she set up breakfast dishes on the table earlier that day. My brownie maid had no idea about the secrets I unraveled last night. Perhaps, it was better she didn’t know what was going on.
I went about my daily routine of eating breakfast, waited for Gilly to prepare my clothes for the day and then headed into the luxurious bathroom for a long bath. My mind churned with thoughts and ideas on how to approach the subject with Cade and Leon. They had to know the truth behind my true parentage. They’d already guessed most of it but telling them the actual facts might help us make better plans to bring down Coran from his position of power and influence.
Weak autumn sunshine fell in thick beams across the floor. Dressed in a long, flowing dress of peach-pink silk, I sat by the window and enjoyed the gentle warmth of the sun. Gilly was arranging a bouquet of goldflowers in a vase in the corner when heavy knocks sounded on the door.
Alerted, I looked toward Gilly.
Gilly left the flowers on the table and hurried to answer the door. A moment later, a palace maid strode inside the room. She ignored Gilly’s inquiries of why she was there and made a beeline for me.
I straightened up at once and moved away from the window sill.
“Greetings, Lady Moira,” said the woman. I noticed the fine silver bells dangling from an elegant side bun on her head. She was definitely not a common maid.
“How can I help you?” I asked.
“The queen has asked me to deliver this invitation card to you.” She bowed and extended a small silver plate toward me.
A pristine white card lay on top of it. Picking it up, I looked at the luxurious ivory paper. The note was written in the strange fae script I’d come to read and understand. It was an invitation letter asking me to visit Lord Coran’s manor tomorrow for a feast.
“I have a message from the queen as well,” said the maid.
“What is it?”
“She insists you accept the invitation and attend the feast.” Her voice seemed to be made of steel as she repeated the queen’s message to me. “You will have the opportunity to meet courtiers from other noble houses there. It is a good opportunity to present yourself to them.”
I gave a nod. “I understand,” I said. “I will go.”
The maid inclined her head and strode out of the room.
I looked down at the invitation card in my hand. There was no doubt in my mind it was an invitation to a trap rather than a feast. The only question was who’d laid it. Was it Lord Coran or his daughter, Deirdre?
“Gilly?” I called.
“Yes, My Lady?”
“Find me something appropriate to wear to a feast at your old master’s home,” I said. “They have invited me there tomorrow.”
“You, My Lady?” Gilly looked hesitant.
“Yes, me.” I smiled despite the unease welling up inside me. Even if I wanted to refuse, I couldn’t. Queen Brenna “insisted” I go, after all.
“I will find something really good for you, My Lady,” said Gilly. “You will be the prettiest lady at the feast tomorrow.” I smiled at her effort to please me while she seemed hesitant about the whole thing.
Gilly finished putting the flowers in the vase and went out of the room, leaving me with my thoughts.
I went back to my perch on the window and gazed out. Part of me wanted to get to Coran and find him alone somewhere. With no one watching, I could probably call on my darker magic to wrench out his magical core from his body. It would be so sweet to avenge my mother that way.
While the thought made me smile, I had to forget about it. Coran was involved in a lot of crimes against the kingdom and the royal family. People whispered of them but there was probably no proof to bring him to justice. Simply murdering him wouldn’t bring the truth out nor would it clear my mother’s name who seemed to have disappeared without a trace. No. I wanted him to confess to everything before punishing him.
My mind oscillated between the two possibilities. Killing Coran was the easier option and a much quicker one. I had to keep reasoning with myself to not go down that route.
The afternoon faded into evening. At some point, Gilly came in and left my dinner but I wasn’t hungry. My mind was still trapped in the thoughts between crass revenge and planning an impossible scheme that would force Coran to confess his sins.
A sudden breeze whooshed in from behind me. Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed the corners of a black garment flying in through the window next to me. Alert, I got to my feet immediately.
“Rowan,” I gasped, staring at the most unexpected visitor.
He walked forward, closing the distance between us and pulled me into a tight hug. The familiar scent of sage enveloped around me, bringing with it a kind of warmth and solace. Head resting against his chest, I could hear the strong beat of his heart. That’s when the memory of his harsh words faded from my mind.
He wasn’t repulsed by me nor did he hate the mate bond between us. His true feelings for me were carefully concealed from the rest of the world.
Leaning down, he captured my lips in a searing kiss. My lips smiled against his before opening up to him. His tongue slid in at my invitation, sweeping into my mouth.
I moaned at the feel of his warm, velvety tongue swirling over mine in a languid dance. My hands clutched onto the front of his tunic to stay steady on my feet as his kiss turned fierce. His tongue delved in deeper, as if he was searching for some elixir in the cavern of my mouth that could quench his thirst.
When he parted, I was left completely breathlessly.
I gazed up into his piercing silver eyes. Apart from desire, there was another emotion swirling in them. “Why are you here?” I asked, still staying in his warm embrace. “What if someone saw you?”
“I took precautions.” He loosened his arms around me and forced me to separate from him. Taking a step back, he looked around the room, his keen gaze zeroing in on every corner as if he was searching for something. When he looked back at me, his expression was grim. “I am here to take you away. The palace is no longer safe for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Deirdre.”
That one name had the capability to drive away the warm, fuzzy feelings I was just beginning to enjoy. “What about her?” I asked.
“She has asked me to kill you,” he said in a cool tone. “If I don’t, she will do the deed herself.”
I scoffed. “Has she forgotten what happened the first time she tried?”
Surprise flitted through Rowan’s eyes. “You’re not afraid of her?”
“Nope.”
A smile flickered across his luscious lips, suddenly brightening his handsome face but his grin disappeared the next second. It was like watching a comet flaring through the night sky. “You should be afraid of her, Moira. She won’t come after you on her own anymore but she is planning to send assassins to do the job.”
“I am not afraid of them either,” I said.
“Moira, don’t take this lightly.”
“I am not running away from her or her daddy.”
> “You must.”
I let out a frustrated huff. “Even if you want me to run away, it won’t be happening today or tomorrow. The queen has been asked to attend the feast at Coran’s manor tomorrow. There is no way I can go against her command.”
“You can’t possibly be planning to go,” said Rowan. “It’s equal to suicide.”
“Rowan.” Taking a step toward him, I placed my hand on his chest. “I can handle things on my own. If anyone comes to attack me, my magic will protect me.”
“Did you have anything to do with the death of those three young noblewomen?” he asked in a low voice.
“Do you mean Desiree and her two friends? Then, yes. I was the one who killed them, but in my defense, they attacked me first.”
Anxiety swirled in his beautiful grey eyes. “Have you told about this to anyone?” His hands came to grasp my shoulders.
“Cade and Leon know,” I said.
“What?” His tightening grip on my shoulders made me wince.
“Cade was with me when the incident happened,” I said. “Well, he was gone for a while and those girls took the opportunity to attack me. By the time he came back, I’d already retaliated back.”
Rowan shook his head as pure panic flickered through his eyes. “No, no, no.”
“It’s okay, Rowan,” I said in a reassuring voice. “They will keep my secret.”
“They won’t,” he said. “At least, not Cade. He will use it against you. Or me.” Letting go of me, he looked around the room again. “You have to go now, Moira. You can’t keep staying here where they can hurt you.”
“Do you trust me so little, Brother?” said a voice from the corner.
Next moment, two figures leaped out of the open windows.
“How long have you been there?” hissed Rowan, pulling me behind him as he faced Cade and Leon.
“Since the time we saw you sneaking into Moira’s quarters,” said Leon.
I peered around Rowan’s tall and broad frame to look at my two other mates. Grinning at them, I said, “I’m so glad you guys are here. There is so much I have to tell you.”
“Stay back,” barked Rowan, pushing me behind him again.
I frowned. “Stop being so paranoid,” I said. “They don’t want to hurt you or me.”
“Cade has been bullying you constantly,” said Rowan. “Have you forgotten everything?”
“I haven’t but he did make up for it,” I said. Stepping out from behind him, I walked toward Leon and Cade. “Will you please calm down and hear me out?”
The look on Rowan’s face said there was no way in hell he would do that but he gave a nod and said, “Explain.”
“Cade and Leon have accepted me as their mate,” I said. “And I have accepted them as mine. They know about my powers and have been trying to help me. Cade even taught me to channel my magic. So, please trust them. They don’t want to hurt me or you.”
His gaze narrowed at the two men standing behind me. “What game are you two playing? Moira can only have one mate.”
“And who said that?” asked Cade with a smug smirk. I wished he wouldn’t channel his inner bitch at this moment when Rowan was visibly seething at him.
Rowan glanced at Leon. “I didn’t think you’d stoop so low as to be his companion. I never thought you’d betray me.”
“Neither Cade nor I have ever thought of betraying you,” said Leon in a frigid tone. His amber eyes were cool as he met Rowan’s angry gaze.
“You and your mother have been suffering under the queen,” said Rowan in a rage-filled voice. “How can you still side with him? Is the queen making you extra promises in return for your support?”
“Cade has nothing to do with what the queen is doing or planning,” said Leon.
Rowan rounded on me. “And you, Moira. Have you truly given yourself to them?” His silver eyes flashed with desperation. My heart squeezed at the look in his face. Rowan was feeling completely betrayed at the moment.
“I am yours too,” I said. “Cade, Leon and you…the three of you are my fated mates. I accept you all.”
“What madness are you talking about?” he suddenly bellowed. I cringed at the violence in his voice. “Are you saying they are willing to share you with each other and me?”
I nodded, despite the way my heart pounded in my chest.
Rowan looked enraged at my answer. His entire body suddenly lit up with flames.
“Rowan, calm down.” I ran toward him but his arm thrashed out at me, hitting me in the gut so hard, I flew backward and hit the floor. A pained gasp escaped me as I tried to raise my body from the cold, hard floor.
“Moira!” Leon and Cade rushed to me immediately.
I looked toward Rowan who suddenly realized what he’d done. He’d knocked me so hard, I could barely speak through the pain in my stomach. My lungs collapsed, suddenly out of air. Through a haze of tears, I watched his figure heading toward the window.
“Stop him,” I managed to whisper through my pain.
“Look after her,” said Cade in a tight voice. Next moment, he got up and climbed out of the window.
Leon slid his arms under my body and hauled me up in his arms. “That brother of mine was always loose with his patience,” he muttered as he walked toward the bed. “He’s been in good control of his emotions these last few years but I guess he finally had it and broke down.” He laid me on the bed and hovered over me, his amber eyes swirling with anxiety. “Just look at how much he hurt you. Do you want me to get him back for you, darling?”
I smiled through the pain. “No.”
Removing his boots, he settled down on the bed beside me. He stroked my cheek with a gentle finger. Slowly, the pain in my stomach started to lose its intensity. Gazing up at him, I played with a strand of his crimson hair. It made him smile, brightening up his beautiful face.
“I am so sorry he hurt you,” he whispered.
“He didn’t mean to.”
“Still…”
“I’m going to be okay,” I said. “This is not the first time for me to get beat up.”
His expression turned grim. “Who hurt you?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I said. “Just know that a few hits here and there wouldn’t reduce me into tears.” I looked toward the window. “You should go after them. What if they end up fighting and hurting each other?”
“Let them,” said Leon. “Cade has a lot of explaining to do. He’s been quiet all this while. He has watched his mother do things without confronting her or trying to reason with her. I suppose he didn’t have a say in any of those matters but he chose to alienate himself from both me and Rowan. It made us think he supported the queen’s actions. If he came clean earlier, we wouldn’t mistrust him so much.”
“Cade can be a real prick.”
Leon laughed and captured my lips for a kiss. When he parted, he added, “That’s a very mild way to label his infuriating personality.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle and think of the way he would sit with a group of girls and pretend to be a playboy. A sight like that was bound to irritate just about anyone.
“Do you think they’ll come back any time soon?” I asked.
“I doubt they will be returning here tonight,” said Leon. “They will talk, fight, talk some more and fight again.” An exasperated sigh escaped him. “No one holds a grudge as strongly as those two. It will be a while before either would accept their mistakes.”
I traced a finger over Leon’s luscious lips. He was so painfully beautiful, it made my heart squeeze a little. There was no way I could let anyone hurt him. Deep inside, I hoped Rowan and Cade would make up and begin to trust each other. I needed them on my side to fight through the plots and conspiracies Coran designed for each of us.
“There is something I must tell you and it can’t wait,” I told Leon when I felt his fingers inching toward the spot between my thighs.
He stopped at the seriousness in my tone. “What is it?”
Taking a
deep breath, I began narrating about the things I discovered yesterday. I wanted to disclose my secrets to all three of my mates but my intuition told me not to wait for the perfect time.
Tomorrow morning, I would be walking into my first battle at Coran’s manor. If things didn’t go in my favor, my mates would at least know who I really was and where I came from.
34
Rowan
I strode through the gardens of the royal harem to get out of there as fast as possible before unleashing the rage burning inside me. Razing the plants and trees to the ground would draw attention, I kept reminding myself. Get away from here first.
“Rowan! Oi, Rowan!” Cade’s voice shouted after me.
I came to a halt, wondering if it was really him. Turning around, I watched Cade running toward me.
A confrontation with him in the middle of the harem’s ground wouldn’t be a good idea. Our shouts would attract the guards and maids to come this way. I didn’t want anyone knowing of us sneaking around here.
Turning away from Cade, I hurried away, determined to get away from him. On the other hand, Cade was shouting his head off, calling my name in earnest. Again, I wondered what kind of game he wanted to play tonight. Either way, I wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction to make a fool of myself in front of the harem maids and servants.
“Rowan! Rowan, slow down!” Cade shouted behind me. “Hey, are we playing a game of tag? Why didn’t you say so before? I would’ve gotten Leon to join us too.” His easy laughter drifted toward me. “Rowan, stop!”
I stopped only when we were out of the harem grounds and in the abandoned ruins of the west wing. Standing tall, I waited for Cade to get nearer. When he came close enough, I turned around and lashed at him. A streak of fire cut through the air. Cade stumbled backward quickly enough to dodge it.