Relieving Astrid of the uninvited embrace, I glance behind me to see Kirian shrugging, his eyes firmly glued to my ass. It doesn’t seem to matter that I’m wearing the baggy pants, oversized shirt, and the fur coat. He’s still attempting x-ray vision. Men.
“And you.” Putting her hands on her hips, Astrid raises her eyebrows at me. “You left before I was finished.”
I lean into Kirian when he puts an arm around my waist and pulls my back to his front. “Sorry. I was just so excited.”
“No matter.” Astrid waves a hand. “I knew you would. This is exactly how it’s supposed to happen.”
“What’s happening, exactly?” I ask, sharing a questioning glance with Kirian as I look up at him.
His stare lingers on my face. His eyes soften, and a small smile spreads over his lips. He enjoys looking at me. He likes my appearance. All my worrying was for nothing.
“The darkest day in the history of the Night Realm,” Astrid replies solemnly. “At least, since the young princes were cursed.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I comment needlessly. It’s not like I expected a cake walk when we came back, but that’s pretty freaking ominous.
I’m a bit pissed Kirian neglected the kingdom while I was gone, but I can’t be too hard on him about it. If the situation were reversed, I’d have been just as much of a wreck as he was. Probably worse.
Drawn by the light of the fire, Kirian paces away from me to peer at the low flames around the logs. He straightens and his fingers bump over the rough texture of the rock walls. Studying the grooves and divots, he moves over to the kitchen area and pokes a few dishes around.
It’s cute and a little startling. I’m not used to seeing Kirian explore his surroundings with his eyes. As if he can sense me watching, those beautiful irises flit to me.
Despite Astrid’s warning hanging over our heads, he smiles. His gaze goes lower, pausing at my chest before moving down to my lower half. My nipples prick and I swallow hard.
Snapping her fingers between us, Astrid makes a slicing motion through the air. “Hello? Did you hear me? Danger. Death. Destruction.”
“Yeah.” Kirian squares his shoulders as he looks down at the witch who’s almost half his height. “I get it.”
“No, you don’t. Today, you’ll choose between right and wrong. You’ll choose between your people and your family. There will be a fracture in your kingdom, but whether or not you fix it is up to you.” She clicks her tongue as she goes over to her empty bowl. Pouting, she peers inside. “This is one of the rare occasions when I can’t see what’s coming. I don’t like it.”
“Explain further.” Kirian takes on a softer tone than the last time I heard him talking to Astrid, and the familiarity between them is endearing.
“I wish I could, my king.”
“What fracture?” I butt in, because I’m not willing to let her off that easy. “What about his family?”
Her honey-colored eyes dart to me. “If you’d stayed longer, I would’ve told you who your biggest danger is.”
Didn’t we already go over this? Yes, I was hasty and made a mistake. No need to rub it in my face, especially when she seems to think destiny wanted it this way in the first place.
I wait several seconds for her to elaborate. When she doesn’t, I sputter, “Well, who is it? Torius and Kai?”
“That would be preferable. An easy fix. But unfortunately, no.” Dramatic pause. “Princess Gia’s the one who wants you gone.”
Kirian’s body goes rigid as disbelief paints his features. “That can’t be.”
“It is.”
“Are you positive?”
Astrid nods sadly. “Yes.”
As we absorb the news, there’s a heavy silence. I can feel Kirian’s anger building. I remember days ago when I could physically feel his rage. Now that the bond is complete, the sensation is tenfold.
I clutch my burning throat and press a hand to my twisting stomach. I can barely breathe. Wheezing, I struggle to suck in air while Kirian fumes.
“I put her in charge of the kingdom in my absence. I—trusted her.” A string of profanity bursts from him as he grabs the back of his neck with both hands. “Why would she want to hurt Quinn?”
“Can you try to calm down?” I whisper, swaying on my feet as I swallow around the painful lump in my esophagus.
The unpleasant feeling recedes a little when Kirian’s emotions turn to concern.
He rushes over to me. “What’s wrong?”
I open my mouth to respond, but it’s difficult for me to talk.
Luckily, Astrid has an answer as she peers at us through her magnifying glass. “Amazing. Your bond is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen.” Her attention shifts to Kirian. “You need to control your temper. It seems to have a physical manifestation in Quinn.”
“You mean my anger hurts her?” Cupping my face, he gazes down at me with an apology in his eyes. “Will it always be this way?”
“Maybe,” Astrid replies. “Maybe not. She’ll probably get used to it after a while.”
Kirian pets my hair, soothing himself and me at the same time.
“It was a man who pushed me through the portal,” I supply, hoping Gia isn’t to blame. “I’m sure of it.”
“That just means she has accomplices.” Kirian takes a deep breath before asking Astrid, “My men? Gia made them turn from me?”
“Your friends were loyal to you. They still are. Gia set them up so you’d send them away and have less protection.”
Well. That information would’ve been helpful a long time ago. From the tic in Kirian’s jaw, I can tell he’s thinking the same thing and his rage starts to burn hotter again.
I have an idea. Reaching into his pocket, I grasp the marble. I press it to his palm and manipulate it under his thumb in a circular motion, demonstrating how I use it to calm my nerves.
It seems to work because the tightness in my gut unwinds as he rolls it around.
Hanging his head, Kirian admits, “I’ve played right into Gia’s games. At this point, she might’ve gained loyalty among our people. She could be building an army for all I know. Control is what she wanted all along, and I handed it to her on a silver platter.”
He looks at the table, and somehow I know he’s thinking about flipping it over. Probably wouldn’t be the best thing to wreck Astrid’s home after she’s done so much for us.
I take his hands in mine. Gazing up at his face, I place gentle kisses on his knuckles. Pain swims in his eyes as he looks back at me. His tumultuous emotions turn into a deep hurt, crashing into my heart with a different kind of pain.
It isn’t physical. I feel the betrayal.
I’m not sure if it’ll help, but I try to send strength and sympathy to him.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” Astrid pats his forearm. “Like I said before, this was bound to happen. You and I will see each other again soon, but don’t delay. I’m afraid this home might not be safe for me much longer.”
Kirian seems lost for words, so I take it upon myself to ask, “You said something about witches to Kirian? Are they involved?”
“Yes.” She glances into the bowl again before shaking her head. “But it’s all murky. They found out about me and cast a distortion spell.”
“Why would they team up with Gia?” I wonder. “More importantly, why would Gia agree to something like that?”
“She was the perfect person to exploit.” It isn’t a detailed answer, but it’s something. “Some witches think they’re more powerful than the royals.”
“Are they?”
She glances at Kirian. “Would it be treason to say yes?”
His strong arms go around me, and he pulls me in for a hug. “Not if it’s true.”
“Then, yes. Many of us could wipe you off the map,” she states plainly. “But it’s not in our nature to rule. We don’t want the spotlight. We like our privacy. However, that doesn’t mean the coven isn’t attracted to power. They’d rather be pup
pet masters, controlling the outcome behind the scenes.”
“And the future?” I ask. “Can you be more specific about anything? Any detail could help.”
“I see nothing.” Rubbing her temples, Astrid seems tired and frustrated, and I get the feeling she’s not used to being out of the loop. “The answers you seek are near. You’ll find out soon enough.”
Kirian tilts his head. “You’re much more forthcoming than usual. No hair bargains this time?”
She sighs. “It would benefit me if you prevail. If you win, I’ll consider that my reward.”
Quinn
Getting out of the Shadowlands isn’t as scary as going in the first time. Probably because I’m too busy worrying about the man carrying me. We don’t have the carrier this time. He’s just got both his arms under me, and I prefer it this way.
I like being held by him, even if it does occupy his arms. He’s running like our lives depend on it, and maybe they do. Or maybe he just wants to exert some of his anger.
Now that Kirian’s gotten over the initial shock, he grapples with his rage. It’s bubbling just below the surface like lava, ready to spew out any second.
He keeps dropping kisses to the top of my head, and I can tell it’s more for him than it is for me. Staying focused on me pushes his temper down.
Soon, the rock walls start to narrow, and the rough surface grazes the toe of my shoe as it closes in.
Then, we’re out.
We go from complete darkness to the dim pink glow on the horizon. As we adjust to the sudden change of light, Kirian and I both blink as he sets me on the ground.
I try to stay focused on him. I don’t want to miss the expression on his face when he sees the sky here for the first time since he was a kid.
When he finally looks up, breath whooshes out of him as his jaw goes slack. His knees give out and he falls to his butt on a patch of grass.
I sit beside him and he promptly pulls me onto his lap. We don’t talk. I don’t ask questions or try to make conversation. I just let him take it all in.
At least three minutes pass before he says, “It’s bittersweet. I always imagined this moment would be the best of my life, but how can I be happy when my sister—” His voice cracks, and he lowers his gaze to the ground.
Pinching a weed, he bends the stem, watching the way the fuzzy yellow top bounces up when he lets it go.
“It’s okay to feel a mix of emotions right now,” I say softly. “You’ve been through a lot. Even if you want to be pissed, go ahead. I can handle it.”
“I won’t hurt you.” Toying with the marble, he mimics what I showed him earlier. “Damon’s castle is just on the other side of the hill.” He points down the road, and I welcome the change of subject. A distraction is good. “It’s in a town called Cassia. Just a short walk, or an even shorter flight.”
“The Dream Realm is pretty.” My head whips around. Now that I’m searching for the differences in the landscape, I see them. The Dream Realm still has the same purple trees, but the grass has a blue tint to it and the land isn’t as flat. A shimmering light between two hills in the distance catches my attention, and I realize it’s the moons reflecting on water. “Is that a lake?”
“Issika Lake,” he confirms. “Mermaids live there.”
I gasp. “No way.”
Kirian grins, and it’s nice to see him smile. “Yes way. I’ll take you there when we have time.”
“I’d love that.” Sighing, I rest my head on his shoulder. “I’m looking forward to our life together here. As long as no one’s trying to murder me.” My joke falls flat. Way, way flat, like if a monster truck ran over a pancake. “I’m sorry, Kirian.”
“Nothing will ever be the same again. When we were kids, Gia followed me everywhere. She’d beg me to play with her, and I did, even though I was too old to be participating in childish games.” He works his jaw. “I don’t want to end her, but isn’t that what I promised?”
“Do you have to follow through? Is that a fae thing?”
“Yes. You know we don’t say things we don’t mean. I’m bound to the promise the same way I’m tied to our vow.”
“Maybe there’s another way. A different bargain you can make.”
He caresses my cheek. “But how can I let her live after what she did to you?”
I place my hand over his. “If killing Gia means hurting yourself, then find another solution.”
“Don’t you want vengeance?”
“Not if it comes at the cost of your happiness.”
Briefly closing his eyes, Kirian leans over to bump his forehead against mine. “Just a few hours on the job, and you’re already the best queen this kingdom has ever seen.”
I give him a doubtful smirk. “Let’s see what the nobles have to say about that.”
“They’ll learn to love you. It’s impossible not to.”
The sun fades away, draining the pink wisps and the yellow light in the sky, and Kirian stands before helping me up.
“Was that dawn or dusk?” I ask, completely unaware of the time here.
“Dawn.”
Gazing up at the constellations and the moons, I remember Astrid’s demonstration; the way they clicked into place as if someone had stamped the sky right onto my face. “If you’d been able to see me, would you have recognized the patterns?”
I don’t have to explain what I mean, because Kirian answers, “Absolutely. In fact, I don’t understand how no one else here noticed it.”
His observation makes me pause. “Maybe someone did.”
Kirian and I lock eyes as we both come to the same conclusion. “Gia.”
Kirian
To save time, Quinn and I decide to fly to Cassia. Seeing the world from above is thrilling, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. As Quinn clings to me, she doesn’t hide her face by my neck. She glances over her shoulder, looking down on the lands that are now her home.
I haven’t told her yet, but Damon and I plan to merge the Dream Realm and the Night Realm once again. He’ll still be king, but our people will be free to pass from one place to the next as citizens of both. Our resources will be pooled instead of traded. Together, we’ll be stronger.
As we soar over a gnome district, Quinn smiles at me. I can’t help smiling back.
“Yes, we’ll go there someday,” I say before she can request it. “I think a celebratory tour will be needed once we’ve set everything straight.”
She beams, her eyes becoming wider and her grin stretching as wide as possible. “I’d love that.”
Happiness bursts from her heart to mine, and for a second, our problems dim. Right now, I’m with my mate. She’s alive and well, and we’re going to have a future together.
“I love you,” I breathe out, our eyes locked.
“And I love you.” Pulling herself up, she closes the distance between us to press her lips to mine.
Did I think seeing the landscape was important? It isn’t anymore.
Nothing is better than the feel of my mate wrapped around me.
Shutting my eyes, I go on autopilot, kissing her while paying attention to the direction we’re going.
I know we’re close when I hear the Dream Realm flag flapping in the breeze. Reluctantly, I separate my mouth from Quinn’s.
“Damon’s palace is quite a bit smaller than yours,” she observes as we swoop down to the bridge.
“Don’t let the size fool you,” I tell her, unable to look away from her expression of awe. I like watching her face as she sees my world. Our world. “This place is more valuable than the castle in Delaveria. Damon and his parents have expensive taste. The entire thing is built with stone from the meteors.”
Quinn’s mouth pops open. “Is that why it’s glowing?”
I glance at it, realizing the light I followed here wasn’t from lamps, lanterns, or chandeliers.
It’s the castle itself.
Every rectangular stone is illuminated from within, and I’m taken aback by the beauty
of it. I’ve been on this bridge countless times, stayed hundreds of nights here. I’ve felt the rough texture of the walls on my hands and the cool floors under my feet.
But I never pictured it like this in my mind. Like a faded star.
The inside is probably the same, and I can’t wait to see it.
Guards outside the front door blow their horns in a familiar tune, alerting Damon of my arrival. They add a couple notes at the end to signal I’m not alone.
“Kirian.” Damon rushes over as soon as we step through the main entrance.
I recognize his voice, but seeing him is surreal. His dark blond hair reaches just under his shoulders. He has a build like mine, but he’s just a couple inches shorter than me. No tattoos visible on his shirtless torso.
I’ve never asked him what he looks like. Both of us have always considered ourselves too manly to play a game of feel-my-face.
The women call him pretty boy, and they aren’t wrong. His features are softer than his father’s.
“We need to talk.” Sniffing the air, Damon tilts his ear toward us. “Hi, Quinn. Glad you’re back.”
“Likewise. I’m sure all of Valora missed me terribly,” Quinn says sarcastically.
Damon’s face is serious when he replies, “You have no idea. Kirian was unbearable at times. Terrible company.”
“Hey, I wasn’t that bad,” I defend, even though I know he’s right.
“You trashed my throne room. Broke a table, six chairs, and two mirrors.”
Quinn gapes at me. “Seriously, Kirian?”
I can’t answer her because my mind is stuck on the word mirrors. Up until now, I hadn’t even thought about what I look like. But I’ve never seen myself in adult form. Quinn tells me I’m attractive, but I need to see it.
“A mirror,” I blurt out, suddenly desperate to see my reflection. “I need one.”
“Before you go breaking shit, you need to know we have a big problem.” Damon chases after me as I sprint through the dining hall.
Scanning the walls, I search for a reflective surface. There are paintings and tapestries, but no mirrors. I stop at a silver tea pot, but when I bend down, my face is distorted in the round shape.
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