Her honey-colored eyes lift to mine. “I love Helios. I won’t break his confidence, Tristan. Not even for you.”
“I would never ask that of you. But you hold answers.”
“Serena bears the insignia on her skin. I feel its power from where I stand, exuding off her. You must already know of the prophecy, since you fulfilled it. What other answers do you seek that I could possibly be safeguarding?”
“Helios spends a lot of time on the earth realm. He sees and hears things,” I tread lightly. “Treacherous things.”
The nymph stands straighter, understanding my meaning. “Serena smells like the humans on the earth realm. Why can’t she help?” she asks in a strained voice. Fearful.
“Did you just insult me?” Serena interjects, and Zander steps in front of her slightly. Protecting both her and Aoife.
I throw my brother a pleading glare, asking him to help keep Serena calm. Aoife won’t help if she’s angry.
“I understand you’ve spend most of your life, princess, living among the humans in their dingy realm, while we all enjoy the luxury and beauty of the supernatural realms.”
“The earth realm is equally as beautiful,” Serena retorts.
Aoife laughs. “I doubt that. If humans set their eyes on our worlds, they would never return to theirs. It’s why we keep ours hidden. Theirs is full of ugliness. Darkness and deceit. Treachery. Earth is where our kind goes to slum it.”
“That’s saying a lot coming from a nymph mistress.” Serena fires back, and I snap a cold angry gaze at her.
She lifts a challenging eyebrow at me and narrows her eyes a fraction, making her displeasure with me known.
Anger and tension hang in the thick air and Aoife presents me with a hurt look, one that will haunt me, but can’t be fixed now.
I shift my stance so that I’m only focused on her, giving Serena my back. I know it will only piss her off further, but right now, I don’t care. We need answers and I need to leverage my previous relationship with Aoife to get them.
I breathe out a heavy sigh and move closer to Aoife, softening my tone. Hoping our past will persuade her.
“I need your help. I’m not asking you to betray him. Just share with me what you know to be factual. That’s all.”
The nymph frowns. “You’ve made a fatal error by marking Serena. Helios never meant for it to be this way.”
“How was it supposed to be?”
“When Helios discovered what Michael promised the dark army, all those years ago, he was disheartened. But when he found out that Michael forced the queen’s hand and bound you to Serena, he was enraged and stepped in.”
“Why would a god be upset?”
“The gods and goddesses enjoy the company of the woodland and water nymphs and sprites. If the two realms go to war and the beings cease to exist, the deities will be lost without them. The senate wanted Helios to unite the realms, keeping the nymphs and sprites safe. The Sun of Vergina was meant to connect you and Freya. But you changed your destiny, rewrote your fate. And because of this, war is on the horizon at your and your love’s hands.”
“And Oren?”
“Helios has returned on several occasions troubled by what he has seen while on earth. Oren is working with the dark army. Regardless of whether you marry Freya or not, Oren now seeks war and has made agreements that cannot be changed or withdrawn. He wishes to rule both realms.”
Cold sweat breaks out across my skin at hearing the confirmation. “How is he planning to do this?”
“Your realm is sheltering Serena. The dark army can’t attack on supernatural soil, per the treaty. However, Oren has agreed to open his borders to Asmodeus, granting his army access during the wedding. In exchange, Asmodeus has promised to extinguish everything in your realm, including you and the royal family. Your planned deaths are meant to look like casualties of the unforeseen attack. This is the reason he moved up the date, knowing Serena’s love for you would bring her into the realm. You’ve played right into his hands,” she scolds. “Marking her sealed your fates.”
“FUCK!” I bark out.
The look on Aoife’s face is tense as she falls silent.
“And Helios?” I grind out.
“He’s displeased and has made his own arrangements to protect the nymphs and sprites during the war. The gods and goddesses will offer no assistance to you now. If they do, the nymphs and sprites will be caught in the cross fire.”
“This is fucking amazing,” I growl.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, but as my future king, you should know.”
I give her a small smile and pull her into my arms.
“What will you do?” she asks.
“I am a fighter who refuses to be intimidated by any being,” I reply, pulling out of her embrace. “I’ll fight.”
Over my shoulder, I glance at Serena and Zander.
Serena’s eyes have darkened several shades.
Zander just looks pale and at the same time, ready to go into battle and murder someone. I know he’s ready for war.
I turn my attention back to Aoife. “Thank you, for telling me this. On my honor, I’ll protect our kin,” I vow.
The woodland realm was her home before she chose to live with Helios. She is a nymph. She’s worried for her kin.
“Peace be with you,” she murmurs in my ear, and plants a gentle kiss to my cheek. “Go now, before Helios returns.”
The return into the woodland realm is silent and tense. My gaze slides to Serena. She gives me a hard look, still pissed off at the way I spoke to her earlier. Warranted, but annoying as fuck right now. Zander slips past us and stops, turning to face us. The look on his expression says it all.
“What’s the next step here, Tristan?” he asks.
Exhaling, I run my hand through my hair because honestly, I have no fucking clue what to do next. This whole thing is a shitshow at this point. And trust is nonexistent.
“The only thing on our side right now is that we know what their plan of attack is, allowing us time to prepare,” I reply in a clipped tone.
“Why not just show our hand to Oren? Then there is no need for the wedding. I could leave. Return to the Academy. The dark army only wants me. If I’m not here, they don’t have to charge into the realm,” Serena suggests.
“It’s too late. Oren has made his deal with the dark army. Regardless of whether the wedding happens or not, or if you are or are not present in the realm, they’ll attack,” Zander answers. “No offense, but he couldn’t care less about you, Serena. You’re simply the bait. He wants the realm. Your leaving won’t stop that. At least with the wedding in place, we know when and where to expect the attack.”
The chatter around me is starting to grate on my nerves, making me more tense. “Then that is what we do. We give the appearance that we are going to go through with it and allow them to invade. When they do, we’ll be ready,” I reply.
Zander doesn’t say anything.
Neither does Serena.
Which is good, because the feeling that this is all my fault is settling in the pit of my stomach. It’s killing me.
I should have walked away from her months ago.
I can’t protect her.
Or my realm.
Or anyone I care for, for that matter.
And it is my fucking fault.
“We need to be careful who knows. The last thing we want is our knowledge getting back to Oren or Asmodeus.”
“What about Rionach?” Zander asks.
“No. I’m still unsure of my mother’s role in all this.”
“He is the commander of your army, Tristan. And our father. A planned attack on the realm is not something we should keep from him,” Zander counters.
“We need to. For now.”
“What about my clan? Maybe they can help—”
“No. If they start pulling resources from the Academy, or simply show up in this realm without a reason, it might alert th
e dark army that we know something. We keep this between the three of us,” I order, and face Zander.
He sighs. “You want to prepare for war behind the back of the commander of the queen’s army, and not tell a king that his future heir is about to be placed in danger? This has disaster written all over it. We should bring Rionach in on this.”
“Business as usual. Prepare our army, quietly.”
“SHIT!” He yells out, frustrated at me. I get it. I’m pissed off with myself. “I’d better get to work then. Serena, I’ll pick you up around six for the gala,” my brother says, and vanishes.
“You’re putting him in a terrible position, Tristan.”
“I fucking know!” I lash out at her. “What the hell do you want me to do here, Serena? Everyone is vying to hurt us. I trust no one, not even my own mother at this point.”
I wasn’t being tactful or kind. I don’t have it in me anymore and I know she knows it, because she looks at me with a regal edge to her, unruffled. Strong. Fierce. A future queen.
“I understand you are frustrated. I am too. But this is the world we live in, Tristan. It’s shitty and dark and full of lies and deceit. But there is good in it, too. There is us. I get that you are trying to protect what you love. Those are honorable and good traits, not bad. But you aren’t alone. I am here, by your side. I will fight for us with you.”
“Just because I protect, it doesn’t mean I’m good. Don’t confuse my purpose with other emotions.”
“I’m well aware of your purpose.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“You want to protect the princess, lock her away for safe keeping. The problem is, you didn’t choose a princess who needs a knight in shining armor, Tristan. You chose one who protects. Who fights. Who speaks her mind. You can’t push me away under the guise of safety. I won’t let you.”
She crosses her arms over her chest and her sapphire eyes narrow at me in challenge. I rub my hands across my scruffy jaw, watching her. She’s right. It’s time we both accept our fates. Which means I need to stop treating her like a fragile doll and start treating her like an equal.
“You are brave. And beautiful. And irritating as hell. You’re strong and can be extremely violent at times. And goddamn if you aren’t too smart for your own good—”
“You done?” she interrupts, her breathing heavy.
I sigh and let my head fall forward so I’m looking at my boots and the forest’s moss-covered floor underneath them.
“Aequus.” I whisper the word.
“What?”
“It’s what we’ve become. It means equal,” I lift my gaze and hold hers, feeling like I’m drowning in the depths of her stare. “I will never stop protecting you or trying to keep you safe. But you’re right. You’re not a princess who needs saving. You are my equal. A future queen who is ready to save her kin, and mine. We’ve rewritten our fates. Now, we face the consequences, together. Whatever may come.”
She opens her mouth, and then closes it.
“In the real world, good doesn’t trump evil, because evil doesn’t play fair. So I am asking you, as my equal. Stay the course, or reach out to Rionach and your uncle?” I pose, backing away slowly with my eyes locked on hers.
She returns my stare, and I can see her running through all the possible scenarios and outcomes in her mind. I’ve almost decided she isn’t going to answer, when she suddenly blinks and gives me a small, curt nod.
“Stay the course.”
Serena
ALL I CAN THINK OF IS how good it would feel to stand under jets of hot water from a shower. My shoulders are tense and my body aches from today’s realm jump to see Aoife.
At the thought of the nymph, I growl and storm into Tristan’s master suite, yanking off each piece of my clothing with angry annoyance. How is it possible that one being could be so beautiful and so cunning at the same time?
I throw my jeans onto the floor and give them a dirty look before I curl my fingers around my shirt to yank it off, tossing it next to my pants with a force driven by irritation.
And how dare Tristan turn his back to me?
I make a vow to myself that if he ever does that again, I’ll throw my daggers at his back. Without a thought.
Resolved, I take off my socks, placing them next to the pile. In only my white lace bra and matching panties, I make my way over to the bathroom.
I turn the hot water on and allow the steam to fill the spacious room before I look at myself in the mirror. I look as exhausted as I feel. I really need to energy source, but rain isn’t likely anytime in our future if Oren is focused on killing us. Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair before pulling down one of my bra straps to remove it.
A warm breeze floats over me, and suddenly a hard body is pressed against my back, pushing me into the vanity.
My eyes lift and lock in the mirror with Tristan’s. Desire is evident on his face, stirring a hunger for his touch within me. One that I can’t deny, but also can’t act on.
Neither of us move.
We just stare at one another in the mirror.
Our eyes locked.
The only sound filling the room is the water pouring out of the rain shower head. My heart is beating wildly in my chest and breathing is becoming more difficult with each moment that passes. Steam billows around us, causing my body to glisten slightly as the mist settles on my bare skin.
A vision of our bodies intertwined in pleasure hits me, causing my lungs to clench. The lower portion of Tristan’s body hardens under his soft jeans and settles in the crevice of my backside. I breathe in deeply though my nose at the connection. Tristan moves even closer, pressing into me farther, and I release a soundless gasp.
Holding my eyes, he moves his hands up to my shoulders, an inch away from my bare skin, as if he’s afraid to make contact. His right palm glides across the top of my chest, settling on the base of my throat. My pulse beats erratically under his touch as he reads me. One finger on his other hand slowly pulls the other strap down on my bra, so both are hanging on my upper arms.
Tristan’s eyes darken in the mirror as he stares at me. The heat and energy vibrating off him feels like a thousand tiny pricks against my skin. I want to tell him to stop, to move away because I can’t breathe, but the words catch in my parched throat.
The soft cotton of his tee moves slightly against my bare back and the oversensitive skin tingles, feeling every hard plane of his muscles through the material. His scent fills the room, mixing in with the warm, light spray surrounding us, now fogging up the mirror, shadowing our outlines in the condensation.
The fingers on his left hand trail along the back of my arm as the tension between us builds. My knees shake from the slightest caresses, and a soft whimper escapes my lips.
The hand on my throat tightens the slightest bit as he curls his free hand in my hair and pushes the now-damp strands over my shoulder, exposing one side of my neck.
My heart kicks up a notch as he leans down, his lips grazing the sensitive area behind my ear, over his mark. At his touch, it awakens with a burn, causing a pleasurable pain to float through my veins and a heavy breath to push through my lips.
His hand goes to my thigh, skating up it, leaving a trail of goosebumps, as he continues to my stomach, circling around my belly button before the hand on my throat squeezes and the other slides into the front of my panties.
My head falls back to his shoulder. His heavy pants filled with desire tickle my ear as his hard, wanting length is pressed against me. I curl my fingers around both his wrists in anticipation, my muscles shaking. One touch and I know I will explode.
His fingers push away the lace fabric and I hiss through my teeth. Tristan’s knee slides between my legs, holding up my weight and pushing them open farther as his fingers find their way inside me.
I moan and grip his wrists harder. My breath quickens as he moves faster, building friction within me. His movements are vigorous as he slides inside me, pleasuring me to the point I am for
ced to squeeze my eyes shut. His thumb works the most sensitive part of me, pushing me to climax.
Just as I am about to shatter, he spins me around forcefully, one hand still at my throat and the other inside of me. His mouth devours mine, swallowing the deep cry that bursts from me as he pushes me over the edge.
I grip his shoulders for support as my body shakes uncontrollably and pleasure exudes from every pore.
With a whimper, the last shudder runs through me as Tristan gently takes my face between his hands. His thumbs wipe away the moisture on my skin from the steam and my sweat. I steady my legs and try to control my breathing.
A cocky smirk appears on his lips as he releases a deep rumble from his chest, before taking my mouth one final time in a deep, sensual kiss that leaves me breathless.
He drops his forehead to mine, whispering across my swollen lips, “Tonight, dance with me.”
Serena
ZANDER’S CURIOUS GAZE FOLLOWS ME AS I carefully move down the staircase. My gown is floor-length, and I’m afraid it will get caught on my heels and I’ll trip, planting myself face-first at his black dress shoes.
My fingertips lift the bottom of the light blue dress as I take the final steps and move toward him. Nervously, I wipe my palms on the top layer of lace with white and silver beaded flowers.
I flatten my palm over my stomach where it pulls in at my waist. Two thick straps of fabric fold over each of my shoulders, connecting the material. A large V dips low in the front and a matching V shows off my back.
My hair is pulled up, but still covers the mark behind my ear, and my body is devoid of jewelry or heavy makeup.
Zander blows out a low whistle through his lips as he motions for me to twirl, which I do.
“You look stunning,” he grins. “Tristan is so fucked.”
“Did you just give me a sincere compliment?”
“I did. I can act like a grown-up, on occasion.”
I smile. “Thank you. You clean up nicely too.”
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