by Lexi C. Foss
“Can we wrap these up to go?” Zeph asked her softly. “I just received a call from Prince Kolstov, and we’ve been requested at Nacht Manor.”
The Council is convening with the Elders, Shade informed me, his mental voice annoyed. Get the hell out of there, Aflora. This can’t be a coincidence.
We’re working on leaving, but Zeph just said we’re needed at Nacht Manor? I phrased it as a question because it seemed strange to me.
He must be lying to protect you. Trust him, Aflora. He won’t let you down.
Famous last words, I thought back at him. The last time I trusted Zeph, I ended up in a dungeon.
I won’t let anything happen to you, little rose, Shade vowed. And neither will Zeph. Trust your mates.
It said a lot that Shade wanted me to put my faith in Zeph. They constantly bickered with one another, but it seemed, on this point, my Death Blood mate trusted my Warrior Blood mate.
Anrika had been in the middle of talking to Zeph, her excitement lost to a cloud of concern. “Of course,” she was saying, picking up our untouched glasses. She disappeared without the glitter this time.
Zeph sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. “I hate doing this to her.”
“Doing what?” I asked, wondering what else he had planned.
“Everyone is too unnerved by what happened here to come in for a bite, and I’d hoped to provide her with a little bit of normalcy today. Unfortunately, I’ve just further driven the proverbial stake through her heart.” He shook his head. “Things are changing. It unsettles people.”
I leaned forward, dropping my voice to a whisper. “Can you feel the magic?” I asked him. “The lingering spells?”
He frowned. “From the restoration?”
“No, the at—”
“Here you are,” Anrika announced, reappearing with a floating bag beside her and two plastic cups. She tried to smile, but it turned into more of a grimace. Her disappointment was palpable.
“Thank you, Anrika,” Zeph murmured, holding out a card. “Aflora has been craving food from home, so I’m wondering if there’s a way to start ordering a few meals a week. I’ll talk to Kolstov to see if Sir Kristoff is open to picking it up for us.”
“You don’t need to do that, Zephyrus.”
“Oh, but I do,” he replied, grinning. “Aflora needs the sustenance and hates the Academy food.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong about that. But I also knew he was doing this to be supportive, and seeing that side of him warmed my heart.
He stood and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks again,” he said to her before waving his hand over the bags. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Anrika nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. I stood to follow him, but she stepped into my path, her hands finding my shoulders. “Be careful,” she said in a voice so soft I could barely hear her. “If they find out what you are, they’ll come for you, too.”
I froze as she disappeared.
Zeph turned with an arched eyebrow, having missed her words.
I opened my mouth to tell him, when a strange energy caressed my skin, causing all the hairs along my arms to stand—just like it did that day at the Academy. Right before the attack. “We need to run,” I told him urgently, my eyes rounding.
Chills skated up and down my body, that familiar magic kissing my senses.
Zeph grabbed my hand and yanked me forward, the food and drinks forgotten as he pulled me outside and into the empty street.
Not a soul in sight.
Similar to what I’d seen in the vision after the mysterious male had woven spells to vacate the building.
Zeph didn’t seem to notice, his focus on getting me to the portal, but the cobblestones began to shake beneath a wave of harsh power.
I jolted to a stop, my essence reacting to the incoming attack. No!
Electricity hummed over my being, crafting an enchanted net of cerulean blue. I didn’t allow myself a moment to consider the repercussions, my instincts roaring to life and forcing me to wrap the buzzing cloak around myself and Zeph to block the incoming meddlesome energy.
Wind soared around us, the familiar caw of alarms and stone shifting to fight.
I caught the glimpse of white, there and gone in a flash, a warm chuckle brushing my ear. I whirled around, searching for the culprit, only to find air.
Zeph was speaking, his tone insistent, but I couldn’t stop hunting for the source of power.
Who are you? I demanded, the words in my mind rather than out loud.
Your destiny, a deep, sensual voice replied. My darling Aflora, you truly have grown into a beautiful woman. Just like your mother.
Another kiss of power touched my heart, working its way through my blood, heating all my frozen limbs beneath a ripple of authority and awareness. I tried to track him, but he lingered in the shadows, his presence there and gone in the breeze.
We’ll play again soon, he promised darkly. Retribution will be ours.
He started to hum the song my mother taught me as a child, the haunting melody weaving an enchantment through my spirit and drawing out the memory of my past.
Only it was no longer my mother singing to me, but another—a male without a face, his voice hypnotic and empowering. I closed my eyes, lost to the sound, to the moment in my history that seemed forever changed.
I began to sing with him.
A promise.
Our futures forever intertwined.
He owned half my soul.
“I’ll protect her,” I heard him saying. “Always.”
“Then our deal is done,” another voice replied. Lighter. Feminine.
“Mom?” I asked.
But no one heard me. They were too busy enacting a blood vow, with my life at the center of the puzzle.
Something sharp bit into my neck. His teeth. He swallowed. Binding us as one in a forbidden claim.
“Aflora!”
I couldn’t open my eyes, my world painted in shades of black. Of a destiny I never desired, but chosen for me by another.
“Aflora!”
The voice had begun to change, the deep quality one I recognized.
My vision wavered, someone shaking me to awareness once more.
And I opened my eyes to see bright green orbs of horror staring down at me, his beautiful lips reddened by my blood.
“Zeph?” I whispered, my voice a rasp of sound. Had his been the bite I felt?
“Fuck,” he breathed. “You scared the shit out of me.”
His mouth touched mine, my essence sweet on his tongue.
He’d bitten me again, tying us closer together.
Yet it wasn’t his image in my mind but one of a male cloaked in white.
My other half.
Then everything went black once more, Zeph’s curse the last sound to grace my thoughts.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kols
Tadmir was late again. He sauntered in with a muttered apology to my father, then took his seat with a flourish, his white hair sprawling haphazardly against his shoulders.
None of the Seconds were invited to this emergency meeting, but Shade and I were included. I met his icy gaze across the table and noted his trademark boredom. The Death Blood really was skilled at hiding his intentions. Unlike his father, Aswad, who appeared to be brimming with annoyance beside him.
“Right, now that we’re all accounted for, we can begin,” my father announced, drawing the focus to the head of the table, where I sat beside him. Tray hadn’t been allowed to attend, which prickled my nerves. My twin usually kept me grounded, and his absence only seemed to enhance the sense of foreboding in the air.
Something’s coming.
Something I’m not going to like.
The Council rarely called upon the Elders, but this was the second time this week they were requested to join us.
My father reached out to them in the old ways, using his magic to summon the guidance of the ancient ones who ruled before us.
It was th
e only time I ever saw my grandfather, as well as my great-grandfather. I’d actually only met the two men three times throughout my twenty-four years, indicating how rare it was for them to be called to our chambers.
Midnight Fae lived forever unless killed via very specific means, which was why we only ascended once in a millennium. The oldest of our kind often slept to pass the time, eternity being a long time to live. Sometimes it impacted viewpoints of morality as well, causing the ancients to go mad with sadism. Those Elders were put down if they refused to sleep.
My grandfather had yet to require the mandate, his mind still sharp, as was evidenced in his gold eyes now as he appeared in the Council doorway. My great-grandfather followed behind him, their appearances similar in that they held the forever appearance of a thirty-year-old male, but I could see their ages in their gazes and in the way they carried themselves.
So incredibly old.
Several others followed them, their presence bringing with them a coldness that drilled ice through my veins. I looked at Shade again. He just yawned, like he was ready for a nap.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined a time when I considered him to be my ally, yet I felt the pull to trust him today.
Because of Aflora.
This quad-bond had affected me in ways I never could have anticipated, starting with my desire to follow a Death Blood’s lead.
I did my best to feign boredom as well, all the while hoping the band around my wrist concealed my forbidden connection to my mate. There was nothing I could do about the Earth Fae bond, but as none of them could see the elemental sources of power, I assumed I was safe in that regard.
The Elders sat in the available chairs, the rest choosing to stand around us. There were two dozen of them, all varying in age up to ten thousand years old.
I fought the urge to shiver, their presence always reminding me of a necropolis with their lifeless gazes and still forms. Some of them didn’t even appear to be breathing.
My father cleared his throat, taking charge of the room in his classic manner. “Per our vote earlier this week, it’s time to bring Kolstov into the fold,” he announced.
My heart stopped beating. What? He couldn’t be calling forward my ascension. My trials weren’t done. And the Seconds would need to be here to witness it.
I didn’t dare give away my confusion. Instead, I glanced at my father with an arched eyebrow, feigning confidence and curiosity at the same time.
“As you all know, Shadow was brought in on our efforts four months ago when we provided him with an induction task that solidified his membership,” my father continued. “He’s proven himself at every turn, and it’s time to grant Kolstov the same opportunity.”
Okay, I really did not like where this was going. Particularly at the mention of Shade already being on the inside. He didn’t meet my gaze now, his focus on my father. “I’ve done what’s best for Midnight Fae kind, Your Majesty,” Shade said, the words probably the most respectful ones I’d ever heard leave his mouth. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Aswad dipped his head. “You’ve made our bloodline proud, son.”
“I know,” Shade agreed.
Several members of the Council nodded in agreement, while the Elders merely observed.
“Shadow’s reports have indicated that Kolstov has behaved admirably in his handling of the Earth Fae Royal,” my father said. “It serves as further proof of his acceptance of his future responsibilities, marking him as a loyal observer of our laws with the leadership qualities to carry out justice as we see fit.”
“Hear, hear!” several Councilmen cheered, saluting me while I fought the urge to frown.
What the hell is going on? I wanted to demand but instead forced myself to remain silent. Something told me I was about to find out Shade’s true motives. Finally. And I’d probably want to fucking kill him afterward.
“The recent attacks framing him as the culprit have made this even more important, which is the true purpose of today’s meeting. We’ll need his cooperation in bringing the revolutionaries to justice once and for all.”
Fists pounded on the table, the excitement of the Councilmen stirring an ominous energy in the air. This wasn’t going to end well.
“Bring him in, Warrior Danqris,” my father said with a wave of his wand, sending the message to somewhere else in the building. Given the context of his words, I suspected it was the dungeon.
I swallowed and dared to meet Shade’s gaze again, but he was too focused on his nails as he lounged like a king in his chair, oblivious to the growing animosity in the room.
“You see, Kolstov, we’ve been fighting a war for over a thousand years,” my father explained. “Some centuries are quieter than others, but we caught wind of a growing revolution about fifteen years ago. Our Elders, the ultimate protectors of Midnight Fae kind, handled the disturbance for us, then advised us on what to do next.”
“What kind of disturbance?” I asked, forcing a calmness in my tone that I didn’t quite feel.
“One involving Quandary Bloods,” my father replied.
Forcing surprise wasn’t required, mostly because hearing him mention Quandary Bloods shocked the hell out of me. “Quandary Bloods?” I repeated. “How is that possible? They’re dead.”
“Exactly what I said a few months ago,” Shade put in unhelpfully.
He and I would be having a serious discussion after this, one that would likely end in my fist meeting his arrogant face. I knew the bastard was hiding something, but never would have expected that it involved the Council and the Elders.
Fucking prat.
“The Quandary Bloods were mostly eradicated by Constantine Nacht and his Councilmen,” Aswad said. “However, several escaped and went into hiding throughout the fae realms. Rather than worry Midnight Fae kind about the lingering threat, he wisely chose to safeguard the details with the Council and the Elders. And we’ve been working in secret ever since to eradicate the issue.”
“Most of the problems have been dealt with,” my grandfather added, his tone flat. “However, a stronger resistance has risen over the last two decades, and they’ve caused a few more issues than usual. We attempted to cut them down roughly fifteen years ago, but we weren’t as successful as we would have liked. Which is why we allowed the Royal Earth Fae to live.”
My father nodded. “Yes. Her parents were known loyalists, and we suspect she is, too.”
“What?” I couldn’t stop my reaction, my blood thrumming in my ears.
Known loyalists?
And did they just admit to being the ones who killed Aflora’s parents?!
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me that from the beginning?” I demanded. And, holy fuck, did they know about her Quandary Blood abilities?
Yes. They had to. Because Shade had been informing them the entire time.
Which meant they knew about our bonds as well.
“For what it’s worth, I’ve yet to see any evidence to support that theory,” Shade said calmly, his gaze catching mine. “You’ve been living with her. Have you seen anything to suggest she supports the resistance?”
I stared at him. Is this a trap to test my loyalty to the Council? Or is he trying to tell me something?
“I didn’t even know there was a resistance until right now,” I replied through gritted teeth. Technically, that was true. It also avoided the direct question he’d just asked me, something he seemed keen on doing. Time to repay him the favor. “So how would I know what to look for?” I countered.
What the fresh hell is happening here? I wondered, my mind whirring with a multitude of ideas at once.
Did Shade play us all from the beginning? Did he never care about Aflora? I knew he’d been hiding something, as did Zeph, yet the Council didn’t seem to know all the details.
Unless they were biding their time with me?
“It’s true. She’s shown no signs of linking to the resistance,” my father said, drawing my attention back
to him. “Between Kolstov’s and Shadow’s reports, I have seen no evidence of a connection.”
“That’s why you had her attend the Academy,” I realized, thinking out loud. “To use her as bait.”
He dipped his chin in affirmation. “Yes, we felt sure the Quandary Bloods would come for her out of loyalty to her parents. We suspect that was the point of the attack last week as well, but you and Zephyrus thwarted the attempt to collect her, which is the other reason we needed to bring you in—so that doesn’t happen again.”
I blinked. Out of loyalty to her parents? Because they helped Quandary Bloods? No, those weren’t the most important questions to ask. Instead, I focused on the more prevalent issue at hand. “You want her to be taken?”
Another nod. “Shadow’s bonding with her allows us greater insight into her mind, and now that they’ve completed their mating, he can fully track her. So if the resistance takes her, we can use her as a beacon to take them down.” He glanced at my grandfather. “It was Constantine’s idea, and a brilliant one at that.”
“You told Shade to bite her,” I said, feeling numb inside.
“Yes, we did,” my father confirmed.
That doesn’t make any sense. “Then why did the Council almost vote him out afterward?” I asked, unable to mask my confusion.
“It was all for show,” Shade informed me. “They suspect that one of the Seconds is working with the resistance and feeding them information.”
My father nodded. “Yes. So we’re using them to stay one step ahead, which is why we had to make it look like Shade was being punished for his forbidden actions.”
“You were really convincing,” I said, looking pointedly at Tadmir.
The Malefic Fae lifted a shoulder. “We all make sacrifices for the greater good. Mine is to temporarily hold off on a powerful alignment. Shadow’s will be to kill his Elemental mate and take my daughter at a later date.”
My stomach twisted at the casual way he just informed me of Aflora’s pending assassination. But what really bothered me was Shade’s bored expression, like the thought of hurting her didn’t impact him in the slightest.