My gaze drifted to the garden outside, leading my thoughts to Kellen’s guardians. Could they be a tree of death? I didn’t think so. Logan said Kellen’s mom created them. Unless she was part fae, they couldn’t be the same. I doubted she was fae. They didn’t let their children stay among the humans. Not usually, anyway.
I drifted to the patio door and pushed it open. The trees rustled in the soft breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers. The garden was perfect now that the long table was removed from our meeting. I approached the nearest guardian and ran my fingers along its rough bark.
“Were you once a person?” I asked, not expecting an answer.
A gentle nudge on my arm brought a smile to my face. The tree’s long limb wrapped around my shoulder and hugged me. A sense of protection and contentment pressed against me, and I leaned against the tree’s wide trunk. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I knew the sentient being wasn’t angry with its existence.
“I need to go see my dad and the forest he’s been imprisoned in,” I mumbled. “I won’t be able to keep my emotions in their little box.”
The tree moaned, and another branch wrapped around my shoulders.
“Thanks. I need all the support I can get.”
I forced the memory of the Forest of Tears to the forefront. Could I get there with just Cedric’s vision? Was it worth the risk to try?
Cedric?
I waited, trying to remember the hundreds of trees surrounding him, his sense of anguish and regret. Several minutes went by with no response. I’d waited too long. I should’ve gone when he first spoke to me. More guilt piled on top of the existing, and I struggled to breath past the lump in my throat.
Göksu, will you help me get there? I asked.
What do you hope to accomplish by going?
Closure? I replied. I’ll never get to see Logan again, never have closure for his death. Maybe I can find Cedric’s tree and at least leave a few of my tears with him.
Are you sure you want to do this now?
I could hear the doubt in his thoughts, but I was sure. I needed to relinquish some of my heartache somewhere. Maybe I could leave it in the Forest of Tears.
I’m sure. I can’t carry it any longer.
Then I’ll make sure you don’t get lost.
I stepped away from the guardian, and it shivered, its leaves rustling in the breeze. The other guardians joined it in their choreographed dance. I pulled both straps of my bag over my shoulders and cinched them tight, then sat on the stone path.
The Forest of Tears filled my mind, clearer than the vision Cedric showed me. Göksu must have given it to me, just like he said he would. I held on to the hope of seeing my father and jumped.
Chapter 23
As soon as I arrived in the Forest of Tears, a cool dampness wrapped around me, making me shiver. The air held a strange musty scent, almost like decaying leaves but not quite. Hundreds of trees surrounded me, each one of them too large for me to wrap my arms around. They reached into the dark sky, their tall canopies blocking any light from the moon.
A thick, eerie silence lingered, as if the birds, insects, and small critters were forbidden to make any sounds. Maybe there weren’t any animals, only the trees.
I rose to my feet and circled the tree closest to me. I’d expected to see blood dripping from the bark, like it did with the vines I’d wrapped around Ernesto. But there was none. The layers of bark looked like any other hardwood.
Tentatively, I reached out my hand and let my fingers glide along the grooves in the bark. A fierce sense of protectiveness slammed into me, followed by anger and resentment. I jerked my hand away and frowned. It was nothing like the guardians in Kellen’s garden. Would I be able to find Cedric among them? I doubted it. I had no connection to him.
“Don’t move,” a deep voice said from behind me.
My entire body tensed, but I didn’t move. The thought of being caught up in a fae spell immobilized me. Cedric had taught me several that used movement to activate, and none of them were nice.
“I’m only here to say goodbye,” I said.
“How did you get here?” he asked, his voice closer than before even though I couldn’t hear his footsteps.
“A realm jump?” I replied, making it a question.
He appeared in my peripheral, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from taking him in. He was incredibly handsome, of course, and didn’t look a day over thirty. He wore an odd assortment of clothing. His pants and shirt appeared to be homemade, but his leather boots obviously weren’t. His strawberry blond hair hung to his shoulders, framing his square, rugged features. His amber eyes surveyed me, too.
“You must be Cedric’s half-breed,” he said. The nostrils on his perfectly pointed nose flared, the only change in his stony expression. “You have a blood oath.”
“Your powers of observation are impressive,” I snapped. “Can I move or is there a trap beneath my feet?”
His pale eyebrows rose. “So he did train you?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, you can move.”
I eyed him skeptically and took a step forward. When nothing happened, my muscles relaxed. I hadn’t counted on meeting anyone here, which was stupid.
“What did he teach you?” he asked again, maintaining an unnatural stillness reminding me of a vampire.
“Too many ways to kill people,” I replied. “I hope there is more to the fae than just death.”
He shifted slightly and the corners of his thin lips dipped down. “Indeed. Did he tell you about his family?”
I wasn’t sure how to reply. He was obviously fishing for information, and the longer I stood here with him, the more uncomfortable I became.
“No,” I replied, taking a step back. My shoulder brushed the tree next to me and the same sense of hatred smacked into me. I flinched.
“You can feel them?” my beautiful companion asked.
“Can you?”
“Of course, but…” His brow narrowed, and he glanced over his shoulder.
“Are we expecting company?” I asked, hoping he’d be honest. I wasn’t ready to face my people. Cedric had said the queen would force me to stay, and that wasn’t happening.
“No, but she won’t leave me alone for long,” he replied.
“The queen?”
He nodded, and I tried to decipher the strange look on his face. He struggled with something.
“Cedric was my only brother,” he said. “Which makes you my only family besides her.”
It took a few seconds for my brain to register what he said. He was my uncle. My family. And the scowl on his face led me to believe he hated the queen just as much as Cedric.
“I didn’t know he had a brother,” I whispered. “I assumed the last of my family died with him.”
He glanced into the trees again, and his frown deepened. The struggle on his face worried me. What if he used his telepathy to tell someone I was here? Was he just stalling until the queen arrived? Or maybe her guards.
“I better go,” I said, adjusting the bag on my back. “I have a war to fight. Vampires to kill. Maybe even a world to save.” A nervous laugh escaped my lips, but my eyes didn’t leave his face.
“Will you come back?” he asked.
“Probably not,” I said honestly. “I’m pretty sure your queen wants me dead. I’d hoped to be able to say goodbye to Cedric, but I’m too late.”
He closed the distance between us, and I struggled not to move. The haunted look on his face was the only thing keeping me from running.
“She kills all the females in her line to keep them from threatening her throne,” he whispered.
“Then I don’t have anything to worry about, do I?”
He frowned. “She’s your grandmother. It’s why the trees didn’t attack you when you arrived. Anyone other than royal blood would’ve been killed.”
My mouth fell open, and I didn’t even try to stifle my gasp. How had Cedric left out that little deta
il? “The women in my family are sick,” I muttered. “My mother wanted me dead to protect her throne, too.”
“Many deals have been made for your life, princess,” he continued, running his hand along his jaw. “The prince’s oath will ensure you stay alive, but he’ll take your magic.”
“The prince?” Surely he didn’t mean Braden. If he did… My stomach rolled with disgust. I’d almost had sex with my uncle. “Didn’t you just say Cedric was your only brother?”
He shook his head and threaded his fingers together behind his back. “Walk with me. Staying in one place for too long will draw her attention.”
It was a weird request, but okay. “Lead the way.”
“I’m Grant, by the way,” he began as we strolled among the trees. “Elise is my mother and queen of the Woodland Fae.” His footsteps didn’t make a sound among the dry leaves, unlike mine which crunched with each step. “Braden and Jack are the oldest sons of Sabina, Queen of the Highland Fae.”
“There’s more than one fae kingdom?” I asked, not hiding my surprise, but grateful Braden and I weren’t related.
“Cedric was supposed to teach you about your people, not just how to kill them,” he replied, his hands still clamped together behind him. “Our history is long and complicated.”
My thoughts went to Braden and Jack. I knew they were brothers, but princes? I also knew how they ended up being vampires. Did Grant know?
“Are all the fae kingdoms ruled by a queen?” I asked.
“No.”
“But?” I studied his face as we walked. He wanted to tell me something, that much was obvious.
“The men aren’t prisoners in all the kingdoms either,” he whispered. “If you survive the war with the humans, will you help us?”
I stopped and nearly laughed. Did he seriously just ask me to overthrow my grandmother? He stopped a few feet away when he realized I no longer followed him.
“I’ll tell you what,” I replied. “If I survive this nonsense, I’ll come back and we’ll talk. But seriously, I can’t even think about something like that right now.”
“If you let Braden turn you, you cannot come back,” he said.
“If I don’t let him, we’ll both die,” I replied. “I don’t suppose you have any suggestions to keep that from happening?”
He shook his head. “His oath with the queen is binding.”
“Even if she made it in bad faith? She knows the fae can’t be turned.”
His eyebrows rose dramatically and he grabbed my arm. “Keep walking,” he hissed. “What do you mean the fae cannot be turned?”
I snorted and clapped my free hand over my mouth. “How do you not know that?”
“Braden and Jack are vampires, are they not?” he asked with a harsh whisper.
“Have any other fae been turned since?” I questioned in return.
He looked at the forest floor and scowled. “Not that I know of, but vampires cannot enter the fae kingdoms, and we rarely leave.”
“According to a very reliable source, fae can’t be turned,” I said. “The original elders are a rare circumstance that won’t happen again.”
“How do you know this? Who told you?” The urgency in his voice scared me.
“How do you not know? And how does it affect the queen’s oath with Braden?”
He pulled me to a stop and gripped my shoulders in his long fingers. The expression on his face unnerved me. Was that fear?
“If she made the oath knowing he could not turn you, then it is voided,” he replied. “But how would she know? And why would she keep it from us if she did?”
How did my elementals not know that the oath would be voided? I twisted my fingers in the hem of my shirt and bit my lip. Regardless, I had no way of confirming whether she knew that my human half was susceptible to vampire magic or if she was as ignorant as the rest of the fae seemed to be.
“Is there a way to find out what she really knew at the time?” I asked. “I don’t want to be a vampire.”
“If I find out, will you help us?” he countered.
“Why does there have to be a stipulation? Can my life and Braden’s not be enough?”
“No. Don’t you see? You will be the one to change everything,” he replied breathlessly. “Do you not hear the stories being told about you?”
I twisted out of his grip and choked on the thought. “No, I haven’t heard, and I’m not sure I want to. I’m a stupid little girl whose been thrown into a fight I can’t win.” I took another step away from him. “I don’t want to fight. I can’t deal with the guilt of those I’ve killed already. What makes you think I can add more to it?”
He reached out to me, his eyes pleading. “I’ll find out if she knew about the fae being immune to the vampire’s venom. If she did, will you help?”
“I can’t promise you anything,” I replied. “I would be lying if I did.”
His arm dropped to his side and he nodded. “I understand and appreciate your honesty. I’ll tell you when I learn something, but my contact will be very short.” He dropped his gaze the forest floor again. “Telepathy is not much different than cellular signals. She can intercept them if she wants.”
“Don’t risk it if you think she suspects something,” I said. “I’ll see if my elementals can find out.”
“I’m glad you came,” he stated, looking around again. “But you should go. She’s looking for me.”
“Thank you for telling me what Cedric didn’t,” I said. “It’s nice to have family.”
He smiled, but it faded quickly. “Hurry.”
I thought about where I wanted to go. My home in LA, but I really needed to go to Cairo. Indecision is my enemy. Los Angeles, here I come.
I stumbled into the stone room below my house and let myself fall to the floor. My mind raced over the new information and all their possibilities. Great. I’d wanted to let go of my grief and anxiety, but I just gained more. Lucky me.
My cell phone buzzed in my back pack. I pulled it off my shoulders and dug out the phone. Braden’s number blinked at me.
“What?”
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked, yelling into the phone.
“You don’t have to yell,” I replied. “What do you want?”
“I’ve been trying to call, but it wouldn’t connect, and my texts refused to go through,” he replied. “Where were you?”
It made sense that the fae kingdom didn’t have cell service, but I didn’t tell Braden I was there learning about his family.
“What’s wrong, Braden? Did Jack move up his timeline?”
He growled and huffed into the phone. “Yes. We found two more camps in the desert. They’re already moving toward Cairo.”
“Shit. I need to tell Kellen.” I zipped up my bag and slipped the strap over my shoulder.
“I already did when you refused to answer,” the vampire snapped. “We’ve established a rendezvous point which should intercept Jack’s forces. How soon can you get to Fadil’s?”
“I can be there in seconds, but will there be anyone to meet me?”
He growled again. “You should’ve answered the damn phone earlier, Alisandra. I can send Gordon, but you’ll show up to the fight late.”
He was right, but I couldn’t do anything about it now. Or was there?
“Turn on your video and give me a three-sixty view of your surroundings,” I said.
“No, you cannot jump somewhere you’ve never been,” he hissed.
“Bullshit,” I spat. “I was in the Forest of Tears when you tried to call me. Now give me the damn video.”
He cursed, then changed languages, likely cursing again. A few seconds later, a video popped up on my screen. Desert. Lots of fricking desert. The setting sun cast long shadows across the sand. I searched for some unique reference point I could use as he slowly turned. Gordon’s body blocked the camera for a couple seconds, then an outcropping of rocks flickered across the small screen.
“How close are those rock
s?” I asked, knowing he would hear me regardless of how far away the phone was.
“Close,” he replied. “Maybe a three-minute run.”
“Call me back when you get there,” I said. “I need to change clothes really quick, then I’m ready.”
I disconnected our call and raced up the steps. Blue jeans sucked in the desert, but my new favorite slacks didn’t.
My phone rang again as I tossed my jeans on the floor and slid my legs into the soft fabric.
“Let me see,” I said, putting the phone on speaker and laying it on the bed while I buttoned my pants.
Jagged rocks resembling one of the little meerkats on its hindlegs filled the screen. Two more stood next to it like a little family. Perfect.
“Be ready to catch me,” I said, reinforcing the scene in my head while slinging my bag onto my back.
“Alisandra.”
“Shut up and catch me. My landings are horrible.”
I jumped, holding my breath and praying it worked.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a solid chest. Sandalwood engulfed me, and I melted.
“It worked,” I muttered.
“You will never do that again,” Braden hissed.
“Whatever.” I pushed away from him, but he gripped my shoulders much like Grant had just done.
My slow brain finally put the pieces together. Of course Grant knew Braden. They were both princes of their realms. Which meant that Braden knew the queen was my grandmother. I glared at him, loathing and anger flooded my vision along with the red haze that preceded my beast.
“You knew and didn’t tell me,” I hissed, twisting away from him.
“I know many things. You’ll have to be more specific,” he replied, but I didn’t miss the wariness in our bond.
“I had a nice little chat with Uncle Grant,” I spat. “You’re using me, just like everyone else.” I spun around, looking for his little army and spotting it in the distance. “I thought you were different. That there was more.” I bit my tongue and starting running. I didn’t want to face those emotions. They needed to get back in their damn box.
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