MidKnight: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (Tangled Crowns Book 2)

by Ann Denton

  The image of a bucking mare and a groomsman muttering, Whoa! flashed through my head. The thought was too random to be my own.

  Is that you, you shite! Don’t tease me!

  Yes, it’s me, Dove. Stop shouting. I’ve got one hell of a headache.

  Connor. Ryan. Are they okay? Tell me! Now! I paced. My hands shook, my entire being seemed to vibrate with nervous energy.

  They’re okay. I think. We all fell to the ground. What’s going on? Was there another explosion?

  Sard! Sard!

  My hand flew to my mouth. They were okay. They were alive. Alive. My chest felt light as air, but my throat grew tight. I wanted to dance and sob at the same moment.

  My eyes landed on Abbas’ body. Blue’s body.

  He’d told me the truth.

  He was Blue.

  He wasn’t Abbas. I corrected myself: Blue wasn’t Fake Abbas. Blue wasn’t the djinni.

  Blue was Abbas. The real prince. The part-djinni.

  And Blue had given me a wish. He’d made my impossible wish come true. He’d brought my knights back to me.

  My stomach grew hollow.

  Bloss? Are you okay?

  I didn’t answer Quinn.

  I ran out of the cavern as quick as I could. I slid as I went up the slippery stone passage that led to the bigger cavern.

  Quinn, tell Ryan I need him.

  My knights were already at the mouth of the larger cavern and when they saw me, they started to run.

  I launched myself at them. Connor was closest.

  He took a step back as I wrapped my arms and legs around him and kissed him wildly. Before he could do much more than stand there in shock, I jumped down and assaulted Quinn. He was ready for it, having seen Connor. His hands gripped my ass and his mind brought me back to our moment in the woods.

  But I broke off again.

  Ryan scooped me out of Quinn’s arms and slammed his lips into mine. He pulled me roughly into him, before he whispered, “You know you’re still a floating head, right?”

  I laughed. I’d forgotten all about the cloak’s magic.

  But that thought reminded me. Magic.

  “I need you to heal someone,” I breathed to Ryan.

  He started to march across the cavern with me in his arms.

  But Ryan froze and I realized he was staring at the dragon. I’d completely forgotten about the beast when I’d seen my knights.

  I turned to look at where the dragon was chained. My jaw dropped when I realized his chain was no longer connected to a ring bolted to the cave wall. But that wasn’t the most shocking thing I saw.

  At the far end of the cavern, a gigantic sphinx filled nearly half the cave. The giant lion had Donaloo’s face and beard, and a blue eye patch. It pinned the dragon down and batted at it, like a kitten might bat at a lizard. The dragon wheezed in protest and shot a tiny bolt of blue flame at the sphinx. But the fire didn’t burn Donaloo, he batted at it like a ball of yarn and it unraveled into a trail of smoke.

  “What the sard?” I whispered. “Donaloo’s a sphinx?”

  Cerena appeared, coming around a set of columns in the cavern. “Dunno. He can turn into one, at any rate.”

  “How long has he been at this?”

  “He told the dragon he won’t let him go until he answers a riddle. I’ve already yelled at him a couple times, trying to remind him dragons don’t talk.”

  I pressed my lips together and shook my head. Since Donaloo had the dragon covered, I needed to focus.

  “Come on,” I urged Ryan.

  The sphinx blocked us, carrying the dragon in his mouth and dropping him, pinning the blue monster down with a giant paw. The sphinx’s tail twitched back and forth, blocking the passage that led to the second cavern. That led to Blue.

  “Uh-uh-uh. A riddle first before the worst. What door has no knocker, for all are welcome to enter and none to leave, because those who do are considered thieves?”

  My knights stared at the Sphinx, wide-eyed.

  Ryan went to grab at his sword, but I stopped him. “It’s Donaloo.”

  I climbed down from Ryan’s arms, glaring at Donaloo. Blue was hurt. He needed us. There was no time for stupid wizard tricks.

  Donaloo simply glared back and repeated his question, “What door has no knocker, for all are welcome to enter—”

  Can you read his thoughts? I asked Quinn.

  Never could even when he was a human. Too much of a magical shield. Definitely not now that he’s an animal.

  Shite.

  I turned to Connor. “Do you know this? Some court game?”

  He shook his head.

  I covered my eyes and rubbed my forehead. I had no time for stupid pointless riddles when Blue was at death’s—

  I pulled my hand off my head and glared at Donaloo. “Death,” I snapped.

  Donaloo’s tail stopped flicking. “Correct,” he nodded.

  But the implication of what he’d asked sank in.

  No. He can’t die now, I thought. No!

  I bolted past the sphinx, down the passage and into the second cavern.

  I fell to my knees on the rocky floor next to Blue—I refused to call him Abbas—my friend was Blue. I grabbed his hand.

  He was already pale. So pale. The blood was drying on his lips. It wasn’t bubbling anymore.

  “Sarding hell, don’t die! Don’t die.” I pressed down on the puncture wound on his stomach.

  “Bloss?” Declan came over to me. He was naked, having struggled out of the scraps of my dress.

  “We need Ryan to heal him. We need to heal him,” I repeated, pressing deeper.

  “That’s … Abbas!” Declan exclaimed.

  I shook my head. “It’s Blue. It’s Blue and he brought you back. We need to heal him!”

  I heard my other knights gather behind me.

  Ryan knelt next to me and gently moved my hands. His big fingers pressed into Blue’s windpipe.

  “Heal him!” I screamed at my knight. “You were dead, and he saved you!”

  Ryan’s chocolate eyes filled with sadness as he met my gaze. “He’s gone, Little Dearling. I can heal. I can’t bring back the dead.”

  “No,” I whispered. “No, I made a mistake. It was a mistake. Don’t die because of my mistake.” I pushed Ryan back and leaned forward, taking Blue by the shoulders. My fingers dug in. “Come on. Don’t go. Stay, Blue. I believe you. If you’re Blue … and you’re Abbas—the real Abbas…” I was engaged to Abbas. The real Abbas.

  The golden haze that had filled the cave to save Declan appeared again.

  Hope bloomed in my chest.

  But this time, the haze didn’t shoot down and heal Blue. It hovered in midair over us, hesitantly.

  “What is that?” Connor asked.

  I didn’t answer. I stood and yelled at the haze, pointing down at Blue’s body. “I wished for my knights to be alive. All of them. That includes this cad.” I bent over Blue and whispered in his ear. “You didn’t know, but your brother signed an engagement contract with your name on it. You’re mine. You’re my knight.”

  Blue didn’t move. Darkness licked at my stomach like black fire and I rose up, screaming at the golden haze. “Fix him! You have to fix him!”

  Still, the haze hovered. It didn’t move. It didn’t fix him.

  My pleas meant nothing.

  Of course, they meant nothing.

  Magic did what it wanted. Not what it should. What had that wizard said? It caused more problems than it fixed?

  My thoughts and vision grew blurry as I stared down at the poor, innocent prince. The one who’d given a wish to me … even as I’d killed him.

  I bent down slowly and settled beside Blue, stroking my red palm over his soft midnight hair. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.” I stroked the side of his cheek. “The djinni … he looked like you. No wonder you were pissed at him.” I laughed hollowly.

  “Bloss Boss,” Connor gently tried to take my hand and pull me up, but I
wrenched away, grabbing onto Blue.

  I stared down at his empty brown eyes, smoothed his thick straight brow, “You were a friend, right from the moment we met.”

  I reached my fingers to close his eyes.

  Donaloo’s voice sounded in my head. “The spelling’s in the details. And the details are in the spells.”

  My thoughts cleared. I saw what I’d been missing. Like I was now thinking through a magnifying glass and could see details that weren’t there before.

  The magic cloud of golden dust still hovered uncertainly above me as the realization hit.

  Blue wasn’t my knight yet. Almost. But not quite. And something inside prompted me, urged me to bind myself to him.

  I had to try, to see if this was the detail that the spell needed, wanted. I desperately hoped so. But, even if it didn’t work, at least my Blue would see from the afterlife that I tried, I cared, I regretted.

  I leaned forward so that my lips brushed his cold ear and I whispered, “I bond myself to you. In mind. In body. In spirit. For all the days of my life.”

  I looked up. The haze stood, unmoving, and tears gathered in the corners of my eyes.

  That wasn’t the detail the spell was looking for, apparently.

  My eyes closed. I was a murderer.

  I’d killed my friend.

  The impact of it didn’t sink in. Not truly. I was in a numb state of shock. I didn’t process anything emotionally. But intellectually I stood back and stared at myself.

  I imagined how I looked at this moment, kneeling in a cave and covered in blood.

  I looked at myself as one might look at a stranger. I felt like a stranger, like I had no idea who I was. I’d never thought of myself as a person violent enough for murder. I’d never thought of myself as a capable queen either, because I’d hated that casualties were part of that job. Apparently, I didn’t know myself very well. I had no idea what I was capable of. I’d killed many people tonight. Including someone who hadn’t deserved it.

  Red dappled lights flitted against my eyelids.

  “Bloss!” Ryan cried out in alarm.

  I opened my eyes. The golden haze surrounded me. It descended like a rain shower made of light. The droplets of gold went around and past me, as if they were magnetic, drawn to one source only. Glittering golden droplets fell onto Blue’s skin and soaked in. I sat, amazed, as the drops spread like a web over his skin, linking the magic until he shone as brightly as the sun.

  “What the hell …” Declan didn’t finish his sentence.

  I ignored him and latched onto Blue’s hand, leaning forward, urging the magic to be more powerful than death once more. Urging it to fix my mistake.

  I watched as the puncture I’d created in Blue’s belly knitted itself back together and the skin grew smooth once more. My heart beat harder and my mouth grew dry as I waited. After that outward sign, I couldn’t tell if it was working. The golden light continued to soak into his skin, but he wasn’t breathing. I leaned closer, putting my ear to his mouth. Nothing.

  “Come on. Come on!” I squeezed his hand. “Hurry,” I whispered at the golden light, as if that would affect them. It didn’t. I started to rock back and forth. “Dammit all, you shite light. Bring him back. He’s my knight. You’d better be bringing him back.”

  Cursing the magic didn’t seem to affect it either.

  I dropped Blue’s hand and stood.

  “Bloss,” Connor reached for me, but I pulled away. I was missing something. I was still missing something.

  I started pacing, nervous energy wracking me.

  If it it’s not bringing him back to life, what is it doing? I wondered. Sard! Does it need something else? I gave the vow.

  My eyes dropped to Blue, where he lay in a pool of blood.

  Sarding hell. I knew what had to happen next. Of all the stereotypical bullshite magical requirements. The magic wouldn’t bring him back to life until I sealed my vow … with a kiss.

  I had to kiss the man I’d murdered.

  My stomach roiled.

  What the sard? Why did magic have to be such an asshole stickler for the rules? Why did it have to be so exact?

  I closed my eyes and exhaled. This is my fault. All my fault. You have to do this, Bloss, you owe it to him, I thought.

  I knelt back down next to Blue, trying to ignore the wet feel of blood soaking my cloak. I closed my eyes and mentally cleared my thoughts. The magic was healing him. He wasn’t technically dead anymore.

  He’s … in a state of suspended animation, I told myself.

  I pursed my lips and leaned forward, hands clenched inside my cloak, eyes still shut. But trying to kiss him that way meant I overshot his face. My lips only brushed his hair. Dammit!

  “What is she—” Ryan started.

  But Declan shushed him. My scholar had worked out what I was trying to do.

  I leaned up and tried again, lining myself up better so that I closed my eyes only as I got close, making sure my lips would line up with Blue’s. My face tingled as I neared the magic. I could almost hear it vibrating underneath his skin. My lips pursed, ready to touch his—

  “Whoa!” a man’s voice startled me. I shot up and my eyes popped open.

  I looked down to see Blue staring at me, a smirk on his face as he said, “If you’re into necrophilia, I’m not sure things will work out for us.”

  Chapter Thirty

  My heart galloped. I put a hand over it even as tears flooded my eyes.

  Then I punched Blue in the chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  He coughed. “Seems only fair. You did stab me to death.”

  “I’m sorry … I thought you were … the Abbas I knew.” I push away thoughts of the Abbas I’d fought at the castle.

  “Yeah, I know. I would have stabbed me, too, if I’d been you.”

  “Blue, how’d you become human?”

  He bit his lip, “When I saw you free my brother. I just knew—” he touched his heart but didn’t finish his sentence.

  Another of Donaloo’s inane questions came back to me. “What is the most potent magic?”

  I let the silence draw on as the answer thudded in my own heart. I cocked my head and stared at him as he laid there. I took a second to stare at him and tried to burn into my mind the reality that this was the real Abbas.

  It wasn’t until he grinned that I remembered he was naked.

  “Are you feeling okay now?” I tilted my head and acted like I’d been scanning out of concern. “You spent a long time as a bird. Did everything transfer back—”

  He propped an elbow behind his head, showcasing very defined triceps. “I’m fine. No pain or anything.”

  “How do you feel about … retaliation?” I asked weakly. I doubted he’d attack, but still, I wanted to read his face as I asked.

  “Bloss, a wish always costs a living nightmare. I knew what it would cost.”

  I was floored. “That was a nightmare? I’m pretty sure that was worse than a nightmare.”

  “It was my nightmare. That you’d hate me. That my brother—being forced to take on my body—had ruined everything. That you’d just see him in my face. Not me.”

  I gulped and looked down. Guilt scratched my ribs. “That’s exactly what happened.”

  A half-grin lit Blue’s face. “Well, it’s why you don’t need to worry about revenge. I’m not like that. Unlike my ass of a father who forced his full djinn son to steal my body, my weapon of choice is sarcasm. So, if your plump ass can’t handle that...”

  My knights erupted in laughter behind me.

  “Plump?” I was offended and amused at the same time. I glared into his sparkling espresso eyes.

  “Yup, you’re lucky I don’t mind a little cushion, but we really do need to discuss the kissing dead people thing. I’m not about to make a habit out of visiting graveyards—”

  Quinn sent a picture of me prying open a coffin to all of us.

  “I think I might have liked you better as a bird,�
� I narrowed my eyes at Blue.

  “You don’t mean that.”

  I definitely didn’t. This man could’ve given Quinn a run for his money in the mockery department. I decided he didn’t need further encouragement.

  I glanced back over at my knights. Ryan was closest and held out a hand to help me up.

  “Are you still feeling okay?” I asked Ryan, uncertain about the after-effects of this magic. It just didn’t seem possible that they were all okay.

  “Oh, sure, pick a favorite knight,” Blue groused.

  “He’s not my favorite!”

  “Yes, I am!” Ryan joined the banter.

  Impossible, Quinn mind-shouted. He showed all of us an image of he and I rutting on the palace hall floor with me screaming, “You’re my favorite!”

  “That never happened,” I pouted.

  Yet, Dove. It will.

  “What never happened?” Blue asked.

  Quinn pulled a bead out of his pocket and tied it into Blue’s hair.

  Then I assumed he resent the image, because suddenly Blue blushed like a school girl.

  I shook my head. I couldn’t understand how I had continued to exist for a single second without these men.

  I turned to Connor and Declan, a grin on my face. “You two aren’t joining in?”

  Connor shook his head and crossed his arms, “When you know you’re the true favorite, it isn’t seemly to brag.”

  Ryan tackled him. Quinn jumped on top of the dogpile.

  I laughed until I cried.

  Once I started crying, I couldn’t stop. Sobs engulfed me.

  Declan’s arms went around my waist and he lowered me slowly toward the cave floor.

  He cradled me in his lap and rocked me back and forth. “Shhh, Peace. It’s alright. It’s alright.”

  The others stopped wrestling once they realized my mental state.

  “You died. You all died. And I was alone—"

  “Bloss Boss, I’m sorry—” Connor gasped, from the floor.

  Ryan stood, brushing Quinn off his back and helping Connor up. Blue stood awkwardly, nakedly, off to the side.

  “Can you give us a minute?” Declan asked.

  Ryan nodded and swung his arms around Connor and Quinn. He nodded toward Blue, “Let’s get you some clothes, man.”

  They left the cavern.