“Why? Why would you give up your birthright?”
“For you, because it all comes back to you.”
Serena sits back farther onto the desk, as if she can no longer stand and needs support.
“I never asked—I mean, I never wanted you to.”
“I know.”
“What about your realm? Your duties?”
“Zander is going to step into them.”
“And your mother?”
“Is pretty pissed off, but she’ll get over it.”
“Zander. King?” She blows out.
“Given his pure satyr bloodline, my brother will be a better king to the realm than I could or would have ever been. He understands the realm’s needs. And honestly, at his core, Zander is a far better being than I will ever be.”
“No,” she replies sharply. “He is not.”
“He is. For the simple reason that he doesn’t live with the darkness of the gargoyle blood running through his veins.”
“Your mixed bloodline doesn’t make you inferior.”
“Don’t you see? I no longer belong in that world.”
“Because of what you perceive to be tainted lineage?”
My eyes hold hers. “Because of my love for you.”
I push into her space so our chests are touching, and she closes her eyes and takes in a deep, shaky breath.
“My clan won’t allow it.”
“They already have,” I mutter across her lips.
Her eyes snap open and the cognac flecks woven into the sapphire color blaze with recognition of me being hers.
“How?”
“Gage. He went to your uncles and father on my behalf. Explained the need for me to explore my gargoyle lineage and let them know that I was renouncing the nymph throne. After a few days of questions and seeking out my true intent, it was agreed that I would be allowed to take my rightful place within the Paris clan, so long as I proved myself as chancellor of the Academy. And as your royal protector.”
“My uncles and father agreed to that?”
“No. Your mother and aunts did. Forcing their hands.”
She pinches her face. “Even McKenna?”
A smile tugs at my lips. If she only knew. “Kenna fought hardest.”
“For us?” She inhales the breath I’ve exhaled.
“For us.”
“You’ve forsaken everything, for me?” she confirms.
“In your love, I find peace.”
Serena’s lips touch mine and with a groan, my hands dig into her hips, lifting her so she’s fully sitting on the desk.
Assaulting her mouth, I step between her legs so our bodies align. Her lips are wicked, promising me all things dangerous. Suddenly, I feel like I’m drowning and I cling to her body harder, to prevent myself from completely falling under. My hands slide up her sides, causing her body to arch against me as she squeezes her thighs around me. I push into her and she gasps at the sensation. Fear and barriers are no longer attached to the way we kiss—only temptation.
My body buzzes with awareness and my blood surges with the need to claim her, and to have her claim me. To complete our bond.
I slow our kiss and with everything in me, pull away. She groans in protest, and I swear the sound is more erotic than it should be. I fight the instinct to throw her on the desk, rip her clothes off, and get lost in the warmth of her body. Instead, I step back, putting some space between us.
“Where are you planning to stay while here?” she asks.
“At the chancellor’s house—”
“Or, you could come home with me,” she cuts me off.
“Home?”
“To your home. Where I am. Our suite. We need a third roommate anyway, to help with the pizza and beer, bills and stuff . . . ,” she rambles and trails off, waiting for my answer.
I smile at her tease.
“I have a condition,” she breathes out.
I raise my brows. “What’s that, raindrop?”
“Maria has to go.”
“Jealous?” I ask, already knowing she is.
“Yes. You’re mine. The End.”
“Done,” I reply without hesitation.
Serena stares at me for a moment. “Tell me this is real,” she pleads. “I’m afraid that this . . . unknown shadow is going to descend on us and take you from me. Leaving me alone.”
My fingers stroke her cheek as I stare at her intensely, allowing my thumb to run across her bottom lip. “Trust me,” I whisper, “nothing is going to happen to me, or you.”
Serena
THE FARTHER THE SUN SINKS IN the sky, the eerier and darker the nightfall is. My gaze roams over the trees. I’m suddenly chilled, feeling like thousands of eyes are hidden in the forest, watching me. I’m on edge; my plan has to work.
The silence of the campus steadies my breathing and my mind, making me believe that my eyes are just being cruel and attempting to make me see something that isn’t there.
I remind myself there is nothing to fear. Not with Tristan by my side, which he is now. He’s finally mine.
Inhaling, I relive each moment and word spoken today. I’m still in shock he gave up his position within the woodland realm and his rights to the throne.
Even stranger, Queen Ophelia agreed to allow him to renounce his birthright. I’ll have to figure out a way to change his mind, to fix it. He can’t walk away from what he is fated to rule. Tomorrow, I’ll take him back to the woodland realm, so that everything goes back to the way it should.
Warm, strong arms wrap around my waist. I close my eyes and lean my head back on Tristan’s shoulder, basking in the protectiveness and sense of happiness I feel with him near. I just want to hold onto this feeling forever.
His lips are at my ear. “You okay?”
I nod, afraid if I speak he’ll see right through the lie.
“Magali is still on watch for another hour,” he whispers, and my heart leaps with excitement and anticipation.
This—this is what I’ve been waiting for all afternoon. Secret moments in one another’s arms. The chance to hear him tell me he loves me as he slides into me, and secures the bond between us as it was fated to be by the deities all along.
He turns me in his arms so we’re face to face.
“You’ve been quiet all afternoon,” he points out.
“I’m just happy. That we’re finally together again.”
The intensity in his stare is unnerving. I feel like he reads me too well. The way he’s watching me forces me to control every single facial expression and breath I take, hoping to fool him into believing this is real. I’m real.
He takes my chin between his fingers, lifting my face.
“What is it?” I ask.
He’s staring at me, trying to gauge something. After a few moments, he shakes his head and smiles at me, easing my fears. “Nothing, it’s just, your eyes are more sapphire in the evening’s light. Earlier, they felt . . . warmer, I guess.”
I close my eyes, knowing he’s staring, trying to get a sense of where I am and why I am acting differently. Gods.
Reopening my lids, I smile, as the air shifts next to us and Zander appears out of thin air. Tristan is slow to release my gaze, but finally does, shifting his focus to his brother.
“I see you’ve still got your hands on my girl,” Zander accuses, and I stiffen, unsure of his meaning, or how to act.
“I think we established that Serena is mine,” Tristan replies, with an easiness about him. One I haven’t ever seen.
Zander snorts. “So you’ve chosen then, champ?”
An odd silence falls between the three of us.
“Serena?” Zander prompts in an even voice.
“What?”
Tristan and Zander both look at me with odd expressions.
“I mean,” I catch myself. “Yes. I choose Tristan.” I release a hollow laugh, hoping to seem calm and controlled. Feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny, I shift on my feet and look up from under my lashes
at Zander. “What are you doing here?”
Zander’s gaze slides to Tristan. “I’m here to see Magali.” His voice is gentle, almost hesitant. Concerned.
I smile. “How lovely. Did she invite you?”
“Ah,” Zander begins to answer. “No. Then again, she never does. Hey, is something going on here between us?”
I bristle. “What do you mean?”
“Listen, champ, I know I haven’t been around lately, but with my father’s death, and you know, having the throne thrust at me unexpectedly,” he narrows his eyes in annoyance at Tristan, “I’ve been preoccupied. If Mags is upset with me, that’s between us. I get it, but you don’t have to be mad at me too. I’m under a lot of pressure here.”
My brows pull together. “Why would I be mad at you?”
Zander exhales. “Well, she’s your best friend. Isn’t there some sort of girl code? If one is mad at a boy, the other is?”
“I’m not aware of such a code,” I reply.
Tristan steps in front of me and takes my face between his hands. “Zander will work things out with Magali and since she won’t be back for a bit, let’s go inside and relax until she does return. Then we can . . . chat a bit.”
I pout. “No.”
He rears back as if I slapped him. “What?”
“I mean, I just want some alone time with you,” I seduce.
Tristan’s expression and tone turn hard. “Alone time can wait. You seem a little tired and off tonight, Serena.”
I stare at him. He’s waiting for me to say something, but I have no clue what he wants me to say, which causes his mouth to frown, and me to swallow in panic. I suck at this.
“BEER!” a male voice yells from within the suite.
Zander rubs his hands together. “Ryker’s here.”
Ryker steps onto the balcony and does some sort of hand-shake-greeting thing with both brothers.
“It’s good to see you both. It was getting a little girly up in here for a while. No offense, Ser,” he winces.
“None taken,” I reply.
“Chancellor, are we cool to have some beers together?” Ryker asks Tristan. “I figured now that you and Serena are together, that makes us more like friends than employee and boss.”
“I like the sound of that, man,” Tristan smiles.
We enter the suite and the guys run over to the pizza boxes and beer. Zander leans in and whispers something to Tristan that I can’t make out, and I stand here, lost and annoyed that I’m running out of time.
“Ser, can you grab us some napkins?” Ryker asks, and I roll my eyes, begrudgingly stepping into the kitchen.
Once there, I look around for a few moments before Zander sidles up next to me. He leans over me and opens a drawer to my left, pulling out napkins, and I smile at him.
“You okay?” His tone is off and his face is serious.
“Fine.” I quickly reply, and move to step around him.
Zander’s hand snaps out and he grabs my elbow, stopping me. He leans into my ear and speaks low.
“Remember that time you let me touch your boob?”
My gaze lifts to him in question.
“Why don’t we sneak into the bathroom and you allow me to feel you up. I’m dying to hear those sounds again.”
A blush creeps up my cheeks at the way he’s speaking to me, and I fluster. “Zander, whatever happened between us before can’t happen again. I’m with Tristan now.”
Zander tightens his grip on my arm. “Just tell me one thing, champ,” he pops his p. “How devilishly sexy do you really find me?”
I exhale, racking my brain for the right answer.
“I’ve always thought you were very sexy, Zander.”
“Is that so?” he questions in an odd tone.
“Yes,” I assure him, so he’ll leave me alone.
Before I can blink, the napkins are on the floor and Zander spins me, pulling my back to his chest and pressing a knife across my throat, causing me to scream out in both surprise and fear as I meet Tristan’s and Ryker’s gazes.
“What the hell?” Ryker stands and steps toward us, but Tristan places his hand on Ryker’s chest, stopping him.
Tristan looks at Zander with nothing but respect and suddenly, I’m confused. Shouldn’t he be stopping this?
“You were right,” Zander growls. “She’s glamoured.”
“What are you talking about?” I grate out.
Zander leans close to my ear. “Serena would slap the shit out of me at the mere mention of touching her boobs. And never once did she agree I’m sexy. Even though I really and truly am. And she chose wrong.”
I exhale, having been caught.
Tristan steps into my space. “Freya?”
“How did you know?” I ask Tristan.
“Serena has flecks of cognac taking over the sapphire in her eyes from our link. Mated gargoyles share eye color, and though we haven’t completed our bond, the stronger our link, the more her color becomes one with mine.”
“This isn’t Serena?” Ryker asks, in seeming disbelief.
“No, it’s Freya, glamoured by dark magic to look like Serena,” Zander explains.
“The psycho water nymph princess?” Ryker poses.
“I’m not a psycho,” I snap.
“You killed two gargoyles. And you’re pretending to be Serena. I’m pretty sure that qualifies you under the category of mentally unstable.”
Ryker takes a menacing step toward me, but Tristan places his arm out, stopping him from coming closer.
“Where the fuck is Serena?” Tristan yells.
I smile and fall silent. The knife on my throat is pressed harder and the sting of the metal against my skin causes my eyes to water. A frightened chill seeps through my skin.
Tristan leans into my face. “Either you tell us where Serena is, or I will have Zander kill you.”
“You can’t. You gave up your authority over the realm, and nymphs, when you denounced the throne,” I reply, my tone full of spite. “If you give the kill order, you will sign your fate. And never find her.”
“WHERE IS SHE?” he bellows, coming apart.
“Gone.”
Tristan’s icy eyes are fixed on me, narrowing and assessing me. He’s trying hard not to kill me on the spot.
Zander tightens his hold on me. “How the hell did you escape from the Black Circle?”
“With help. The same help I had in making Serena disappear.” I smirk wickedly at Tristan.
“I certainly don’t need permission to kill you,” Zander states coldly. The knife glides across my skin in the barest of touches, opening the skin with a sting, and I cry out.
“Probably not the best time to say this, but it’s kind of nice being part of this guy shit,” Ryker states.
“Yeah?” Zander asks, sounding pleased.
“Normally, I’m stuck feeding the girls champagne and chocolates. Murdering a nymph is kind of a nice change.”
“Where is she, Freya?” Tristan’s cold glare locks on me.
The emptiness in his eyes tells me that he won’t let up until I tell him. So, I won’t. He’ll have to kill me first.
“Let’s start with something easy. Who is helping you?”
This is the part I’m going to enjoy. Where Tristan finds out that for years, he’s been deceived by those he holds dear.
“Maria,” I choke out around Zander’s hold.
“What?” Tristan asks, incredulous.
“Maria helped me escape the sorceresses. Maria helped me devise this plan. Maria helped drug Serena and hand her off to the dark army,” I admit. Each time I say her name, he flinches and looks devastated at the betrayal.
“Keep talking, nymph,” Ryker demands.
The high I’m getting from seeing Tristan hurt, angry, scared, and confused is making me giddy, so I decide to continue to show him how stupid he really is. “It was innocent at first. When you hired Maria to take care of you, I befriended her. I was worried that you would fall in love
with her. When it became evident you had no romantic interest in her, we became friendly. She would share your likes and dislikes with me. And I listened. I learned what pleased you, knowing that someday I would be your wife.”
“Holy shit!” Ryker blows out.
I ignore him. “By the time you brought Serena into the realm, Maria already felt protective of me. She shared what happened during her first visit. And her second.” I wait for him to put the puzzle pieces together.
“That’s how you knew about the bathroom? Maria?”
“Yes,” I answer, and Zander tightens his hold.
“Keep going,” Tristan demands.
“Maria never left that day that Branna came into your home. She stayed in the shadows, listening on my behalf like she always did. Watching you. Studying your patterns.”
“The fuck?” he responds.
“When Maria heard you had me drugged and sent to the Black Circle, she listened and learned. Then she came to me, rescued me, and told me all about your little plan.”
I swallow, because the blade on my throat is painful.
“What did you do?” Tristan asks with evident disgust.
“We drugged the coffee Maria brought you this morning. Having studied your patterns, she knew that if she spoke in circles, you wouldn’t sip it. But that Serena would.”
“That is why Maria suggested a morning assembly?”
I nod. “When you left Serena in your office, Maria entered, encouraging the princess to drink the coffee, since she appeared so tired from the early morning meeting. She did. Within seconds, she collapsed and I slipped in, replacing her under the glamour,” I barely manage to say.
Tristan’s face turns murderous. “You drugged her?”
“I did.”
“What did you do with her?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” I whisper.
“What happened to you? How did you turn into this?”
“Nothing happened to me!” I shout, as much as I can. “I have always loved you this deeply. My father wanted your realm. I simply wanted you. Want you. Even after you had my parents killed, and chose her, I still want you—only you.”
Tristan studies me. “You’re delusional.”
“I did this for you!” I shout, trying to get him to see.
“For me,” he repeats, eerily calm.
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