by Leia Stone
Baladar led us across to the far side of his bear party area, and pointed toward a door that was discreetly hidden in a small alcove. “Use this exit. It’ll drop you very close to the royal residence. Selene hasn’t had time yet to incorporate too many new security measures, but she is actively keeping an eye out for you. Especially after Calista’s letter.”
I grinned. “You knew it was her. That she wrote on my behalf?”
The magic born threw back his head and laughed. “I could see my little spitfire in every word, but it was your words she used. She knows you better than anyone else. She knows what you’d want her to say to your people.”
“I’d be lost without her,” I said, injecting every ounce of my love for Calista into the sentiment. “She’s been my rock for twenty years, and she has never given up on me.”
Baladar surprised me then with a hug. I was so used to no one touching me without permission, I tensed for a second. But then it was nice. Just a light, comforting hug.
When he pulled away, he had a bright purple flower in his outstretched hand. “Take care in the Otherworld. Use this to stay in touch with me, and be safe. I would not see you lost. The shifter world needs you and King Kade.”
He pulled away, and before I could say anything more he was gone, disappearing into the brightness of his prison world, leaving me with the fae flower communication device, which I tucked into my backpack. I needed to figure out a way to break the imposed imprisonment of him here. I still couldn’t understand why it hadn’t fallen with the death of the Red Queen. Somehow she had figured out a way to continue to rule, even from the grave.
Kade reached around me to open the door, his hands brushing along my sides as we stepped out into the dark night, bathed by the glow of the street lamps. What the…?
We were nowhere near Baladar’s loft. We were only a block from the palace. That man had some serious magic up his sleeve. Kade wrapped one of his arms around me, offering comfort in the way of our people – touch. It hit me hard then. I wasn’t alone. Sure, I’d never been fully alone, always surrounded by dominants, guards, advisors, but I had stood apart from them, always with the proper protocol, me being heir or queen. The only one who was my equal was Finn, and I’d clung to our bond with ferocity.
Now I had Kade too, another equal – more than equals, we were partners – and that gave me a sense of strength and happiness I’d never felt before. It also scared me to death. How did one go on without their partner? It was like my soul was divided again now, and I had twice as much to lose if this went badly. Crap. Going to the Otherworld was a really bad idea, but we had no choice. If anyone else was the third part of my soul, it was Violet. I couldn’t lose any of them.
I would just have to pray to all the shifter gods that I was strong enough for this, that I could be a queen, friend, and mate, without losing any of my loved ones.
We moved silently toward the royal home as Nix took to the skies. So far we’d passed a few shifter patrols, but my dominants were familiar with the general walk line and shift changes, so we were able to avoid them. The closer we got, though, the harder it would be. Selene seemed to have doubled the numbers patrolling, and I wasn’t sure if it was fae or me she feared. Either way, she was continuing her trend of being a pain in the butt. It was stressful to think of all the stupid and selfish energy she was probably filtering across our boroughs, and right when we were at war. It was not a time for that sort of weakness to be here.
“Three royal guards on my six,” Victor whispered. “Turn into this alley. We’ll wait it out here.”
No one spoke or questioned his orders, even though he sounded a little uncertain. All of us were missing Ben right now; he would have had a million routes plotted out in his head, already have known which way to turn to avoid everyone. My heart squeezed tightly in my chest as I swallowed down my sorrow. There was no time for mourning, no matter how much I needed to grieve.
Nikoli stepped closer to Kade and me, whispering softly: “I can cloak three people, but not all six.” Darkness surrounded us in the alley.
“Cloak, Monica, Blaine, and Victor,” I said. “The king and I will meet you in the crystal room. They know the way.”
He moved to argue but Kade interrupted. “Do it.”
“But—”
“That’s an order, Nik.” Kade’s voice could cut glass. We didn’t have time for anyone to be second-guessing us. The truth was Kade and I together were stronger than everyone in this alley. We would be fine.
Reluctantly, Nikoli slowed his steps, squeezing himself into Monica, Blaine, and Victor’s space. The alleyway was tight, and three wolves walking side by side left barely any room for the bear magic born. Before my dominants could ask what was going on, they vanished, as if they had just traveled on the vortex, but I knew they were still standing before me.
Kade, Finn, and I hugged the wall to let them pass us. A whoosh of air brushed across my face and then they were gone. I’m sure they had wanted to argue, but Nikoli had probably cloaked and silenced them, for their own safety. We gave them a few minutes before Kade and I stepped out of the darkness.
The street was empty again, so we stuck to the shadows and moved with speed toward the royal home. I had no idea how we were going to get inside, but that was a problem I’d deal with once we got there.
The huge building dominated much of the sky in the area. I could feel the surge of mecca stronger there than anywhere else.
“Cloaked shifter to our right,” Kade said with urgency. I felt it then: shifter energy. They had to have been cloaked and shielded so no one would notice. The only reason Kade had was because he was powerful and the shifter was basically right on top of us.
Too late to run.
“Don’t move,” a male guard growled.
Raising my hands, I swiveled my head enough to see who it was. A familiar face came into view: long amber hair tied back at the nape of his neck, lean corded muscles, and burning dark eyes. Mason. Now I understood how he had snuck up on us. He was the sneakiest of all border guards. His entire training had been in stealth and subterfuge. On top of that, he’d clearly been spelled to hide his scent and energy.
Kade growled, but I shut him down with a look.
I got this, I said, trying the newly formed bond between us. Kade’s eyes still swirled, but he gave me a nod.
I slowly peeled my jacket hood back and Finn stepped out of the shadows to stand beside me.
Mason’s face fell and he lowered the sword he had raised. Looking back over his shoulder, he called out into the dark alley. “Stand down!”
There must have been more guards, possibly with bow and arrows ready to take us out.
“Your High … Arianna.” He wasn’t sure what to call me and I wasn’t sure either. I was a dethroned queen. There was no title for that.
The two guards hiding in the shadows walked out slowly to join Mason. I looked up and saw Nix circling lower in the sky, ready to dive down here and join if a fight broke out. As the other guards stepped closer, I relaxed a little. I knew them all. Selene had not yet had time to switch out her entire staff.
“Mason, Garret, Gwen, I am not here to cause Selene harm. I know you’re sworn to protect her now, and I give you my word as your former queen that I will not actively harm her today. I’m just here to get Violet back.”
They all shared a look, and then Garret, the senior guard of the group, nodded. “It’s good to see you again, My Queen.”
Then they all turned and walked away down the alley and out of sight.
I exhaled the breath I had been holding.
“Come on.” Kade grabbed my arm and we jogged the rest of the way down the alley to the back terrace entrance.
That meeting had been pure luck, and I knew it wouldn’t happen again. Selene would put the least-trusted guards on the perimeter; her loyal guards would be inside and they wouldn’t hesitate to take my head if they found me on the grounds.
“Plan?” I asked Kade, because we were r
unning out of time to just wing it.
He tilted his head toward me, a glint in his eye and a half-smile turning up his lips. “I have a crazy idea.”
That was usually Violet’s line. “I’m okay with crazy right now.”
Nix dropped from the sky and onto Kade’s shoulder. I had to back up several feet so her wings didn’t hit me in the face.
Kade was staring at his familiar, no doubt having a conversation. I knew now that I could probably link up with Kade’s thoughts and listen in, but I would never do that. If he wanted me to hear he would share it with me, but I did sense some apprehension from him. His feelings were seeping into me and making me nervous.
“What’s the plan, Kade?” If it made him nervous, I wasn’t sure I liked it.
He looked at Nix. “A diversion.”
Right before my eyes, Nix changed her appearance to that of a smaller, less-imposing black crow. Everyone would recognize Kade’s large rare eagle, but a crow might be passed off as just another New York pest. I grinned. It was a good idea, but it did put Nix at risk.
“They’ll never catch her,” Kade said, either reading my thoughts or my expression.
He nodded to his familiar. As she launched off his shoulder, Kade snatched up my hand and we were running. Nix began squawking like a bird in mating season, and we slowed our steps, choosing to take the last few at a silent tiptoe. Finn remained by my side, now looking like his dog persona.
A door opened on the back porch. A guard peeked his head out to hear what the commotion was all about and Nix took the open door as her entrance, flying right into the back patio and entering the castle.
“She’ll use her energy to keep the doors open, and make sure all the guards follow her,” Kade murmured to me.
Sure enough…
“What the—”
Two guards yelled as she dashed past them. They then raced inside after the bird. I saw Nix circle around a few times, before heading upstairs, squawking the entire time. A few guards followed, but there would be more around. We’d have to be cautious.
The door remained open, as Kade said, so it was time to move. We crept across the back patio and slid inside. Nix’s screeching was distant now, but still echoing across the many floors, no doubt waking the entire castle. Which could be an issue for us in the long run, but getting inside had been our first obstacle, and we’d managed it.
Even though my rule had been short, I knew the estate quite well. I led Kade and Finn to the elevator just off to the side of the entrance. This particular elevator was not used a lot. Most shifters preferred the grand stairs, so we slipped inside unseen, hit the button for the floor that the mecca crystal was on, and the doors closed.
“How will she get back to us?” I said, as soon as we were secured inside.
The plan worked to get us inside, but now we needed Nix back before we could enter the fae lands. Kade just grinned. “Don’t worry about Nix, she’s a wily familiar. She’ll find us before we leave.”
Trusting him, I focused on the elevator numbers. We were closing in on the floor, and I pressed myself to the side of the door. Kade did the same on the other side, preparing for the fact that there would probably be guards on this level somewhere. It was the queen’s private floor after all – my private floor. I tried not to let my anger about Selene stealing my throne get to me now. That needed to be dealt with later.
With a barely perceptible ding, the lift doors slid open. Finn went first, scouting out the hall. Somehow we all knew this was the plan, though none of us had discussed it. This mental link thing was getting stronger. And even though I couldn’t hear Nix now, I sensed she was near.
All clear.
Kade and I moved out of the elevator and straight along the corridor. The small library-sitting room that hid the entrance to the mecca stone was at the end of this hall. We passed no one in the first half, and I was giving myself a mental high-five when a door to the right opened and two people stepped out into the hall.
Selene and her lead guard.
Chapter Sixteen
The dance of life, one step forward, ten steps back.
As soon as he saw the queen, Kade gathered me up into his arms, slamming us both back against the wall. We’d have barreled right into them otherwise.
“There has been no security breach, Your Majesty. You have nothing to…” The lead guard trailed off as he finally noticed Kade and me standing there. I recognized him from our time together in the Summit. He’d stuck pretty close to Selene’s side and was a brutal fighter. He wore a spelled talisman that gave him mild magical powers and increased strength. Selene had always said she needed such a talisman to make up for the fact she had no personal magic born like me. Yeah, no bitterness there.
I should have known this initial infiltration had been way too easy. Of course we would run into the freaking queen and her most powerful wolf. The four of us faced off, and the redheaded wench stepped forward, dressed in a ball gown of all things, floor length with a mass of tulle and satin. Upon her head was a simple diadem, nothing like my crown of mecca, which was still in the possession of the council. Either they hadn’t had time to make her crown yet, or the special covenant that the council used to figure these things out had run out of ideas. It was literally a few pieces of gold twirled around some greenish hued gems. So simple. And I was pleased to see she was sans her slimy snake familiar, although I doubted he was far.
“How the hell did you get in here, Arianna? The guards have strict instructions to remove your head should you step foot in Manhattan. I have all the vortexes being triple guarded.”
Clearly not all of them.
When I didn’t answer immediately, her voice went into a shriek. “What are you doing here?” She slapped out at us with mecca, but Kade easily absorbed it, filtering it out into the world.
My wolf rose within me, both of us letting out low growls. “I am here to rescue Violet, and any more of our people who might have been taken by the Tuatha. I will not let them die in the Otherworld. I protect my people.”
My voice was low, each word resonating across the hall with a heavy and powerful tone. The mecca was so close here, it was filling up the gaps stolen by my dethroning. Almost like the power didn’t like our joining not being complete.
“A queen’s responsibility is to all of her people, not an individual few,” her lead guard said, shifting around slightly. They were maneuvering themselves to attack from both sides. I recognized the procedure, and found it amusing they thought I wouldn’t notice.
“Let us pass. I’m not here to fight you, Selene. But if you try and stop me I will be forced to retaliate.” That was my best attempt at being political in front of the fake queen.
Selene’s cackle ricocheted off the halls and I knew my attempt at peace was futile. She wanted my head.
Nix will be here in seconds, Kade said in my mind. She’ll attack them from behind. I can channel mecca through her, surround them with it.
I will join with Nix from behind, Finn added.
Okay, then, confirmation that Finn could hear the conversation too. We really needed to work this mental link thing out. Another time, when we weren’t about to jump into a shifter throwdown.
Let’s attack now, I said, hoping everyone would hear. They won’t have time to call in more guards, and I sense that Victor and the others are close.
Now! Three voices crossed the bond, and I had the first chance to hear the light, whispery tones of Nix.
Kade grabbed my hand, the two of us drawing in mecca energy. It was easy this close to the stone; there was so much it was literally seeping in from all directions. Our mated bond also helped. It was like the well of energy in my center was connected to Kade’s, and holy crap … his connection to the mecca was beyond anything I’d ever felt.
Selene shrieked before the skin on her hand and forearms shone purple. She blasted out again, running toward us. Of course she must have forgotten she was wearing a ridiculous gown. Her legs tangled in the hem,
tripping her down flat onto the floor, and her shot went wide. Ignoring her, Kade and I advanced on the guard. The talisman around his neck glowed a purplish hue as he began to chant a spell that had the wind whipping up around us. Sabina must have made that talisman. No one else was powerful enough, save for Violet, and she never would have.
He’s calling the guards and magic born,” I said, loud enough to be heard over the whipping winds. “I felt the call go out.”
Kade pulled me closer, his chest rumbling against my arm. If I attack them, they could declare war on the bears. I can’t let that happen while I’m not here to defend them. What’s your plan?
I shook my head. They won’t declare war on the bears. They don’t have the manpower to fight both your people and the fae. Besides, their beef is with me alone. They’re going to try and take care of this in-house, and probably hope your people think you were taken by the fae.
I knew Selene. That was the devious path she’d take.
Kade grinned, his rumbles turning into chuckles. “In-house is perfect. That’s exactly what I hoped you’d say.”
He dropped my hand then and charged toward the guard, leaving me to deal with Selene, who was already back on her feet. I wasn’t worried about Kade. The guard was powerful, and he had a spelled talisman, but he wasn’t royal or magic born. He couldn’t manipulate mecca like we could, and he stood no chance against an almost seven-foot bear king. I watched long enough to see him slam into the giant guard, knocking him back into the wall, breaking his magical call for help. The guard quickly stood, pulling a blade from behind his back with a menacing look in his eye
Kade winked at me before diving into the fight; he looked to be enjoying it.
“Figures you’d end up slumming it with a bear,” Selene said, spitting blood out of her mouth as she advanced on me. “You always were scum. No idea who fathered you to even know if it was a decent lineage. All you had going for you was the Red Queen’s lineage, and look at what a whore she turned out to be. She let fae into our world. She caused all of this, and I think the red line should be wiped out now, forever. No longer are you fit to be heirs.”
