Queen Mecca

by Leia Stone

  By the time we all called it a night — technically it was early morning — we had gathered quite a bit of new information to study, which at least felt like a step in the right direction.

  I watched as Baladar wrapped the dark book in a thick, spelled material he had worked on for most of the night. “I’ll keep this book with me,” he said. “I’ve placed securities on it which I have mimicked off the safe. Minus all of the darkness.”

  “Are you sure you will be okay with it?” I had to ask. The last thing we needed was a crazy, evil, powerful magic born on the loose.

  He threw me a withering look. “I’ll be fine. My spell will keep it contained for a long time. Plus, even if it did awaken again, it would take years to fully corrupt me.”

  That shouldn’t be a problem. I was pretty sure we only had days, or maybe a few weeks, until the fae attacked.

  “How long will it take for you guys to set this spell up, to track the dark crystal?” This question I directed to the three-magic born in the room.

  Violet and Nikoli exchanged a glance, both turning to Baladar, who let out a bark of laughter. “This wasn’t my idea, young ones.” As their faces fell, he let out a deep breath. “But I also won’t leave you to try and navigate this dark book alone. I will need a day to cleanse an area, set up special spells of protection, and to let light into my soul. We will all need to do this. Otherwise, the darkness could claim us.”

  Violet blanched, her already white skin turning an almost sickly gray shade. I hurried to her side, grabbing her as she swayed. “What’s wrong?” I gripped her arm tighter, ignoring the swirls of energy zapping us both.

  She recovered with a few rapid shakes of her head, her eyes focused on me as she gently pulled her arm free. “Letting light into my soul means I have to face the darkness in there. If I cannot be cleansed of it, I cannot be part of this spell.”

  She might have pulled herself together, but I could see by the shimmer of emotions on her face that she was terrified.

  “I don’t think I can face the darkness,” she whispered.

  Oh, Violet. What happened in the Winter Court? What did you sacrifice so that you could keep my fae essence safe?

  From the dreams she’d shared with me, I had a reasonable idea of what she had gone through. I saw some of the marks on her, felt the pain in her soul. But I had no doubt she hid much from me. Which I hated. I’d been waiting for her to come to me, to tell me everything, which would be cleansing for her, but so far she’d remained mute. I didn’t want to push her, but something had to change soon. It was slowly killing her.

  Before I could think of how to console my best friend, Nikoli was there placing both hands on either side of her face, capturing her full attention. “You can face anything. You are far stronger than even you know. The Tuatha did not break you, Violet, they reformed you into something unbreakable, like steel tempered over fire.” His voice lowered, I could barely hear the last few words. “We will do it together.”

  My friend’s entire energy changed then; she relaxed and almost fell into him. The anguish that had been sliding across her body like a second skin was dissipating. She leaned into Nikoli as if he was her only strength. This was much more than a fling. This was serious. I was torn between overwhelming joy for them both and that continued worry that I wasn’t doing enough— that this war was distracting me to the point where I neglected the ones I loved. Ultimately, I was trying to save them, but there were smaller battles each was waging, battles I could not be there for.

  At least she wasn’t alone, she had Nikoli, and she would tell me everything when she was ready.

  Kade slipped his hand into mine. “Let’s all get some sleep. We can deal with the rest in the morning.” His voice was gruff, and at the mere mention of sleep I felt like a hundred-pound weight had settled into my body. We had been weeks, months even, without decent rest. It was catching up to us, but we would soldier on.

  “Take whatever guest rooms you like,” I told them, assuming no one wanted to travel all the way back to Staten Island tonight.

  Nikoli, who was still holding Violet’s hand, chuckled. “Never thought I would be sleeping in the Red Queen’s house.”

  Violet just grinned and then walked down the hall, Nikoli following behind her like a lost puppy.

  “Don’t forget the run in the morning,” I called after them. “It’s mandatory. Last run, bonding exercise, you know the drill.”

  I got some waves and mumbled agreements, and then they were gone.

  With a yawn, I let out a muffled goodnight to everyone else, stumbling into the hall with Kade. The others branched off to different areas, and I led my mate down the long corridor to my wing of the mansion. As we approached my door, two of my guards stood outside.

  “Good evening, Your Majesty. We did a sweep. It’s safe.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “How did you know I was sleeping here tonight?”

  “Calista,” Michael said. He was a short and stocky shifter with dirty-blond hair. One I didn’t know very well, but Blaine had vouched for him.

  Blaine and Calista were worth their weight in gold. It might seem like a queen ruled her people alone, especially in the dictatorship style rule of the shifters, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It took a village of people to lead properly.

  After entering, Finn curled up on the couch, and we made our way to my room. We both kicked off our shoes and slipped out of our clothes. Kade sat in his boxers on his side of the bed, appearing lost in thought. I knew my bear, he was bothered by that dark stone. By what we had discovered.

  I inched along the duvet until I rested close to his back, then I rose up to my knees and dropped my hands onto his shoulders. It took all of my strength as I started working out the kinks; his muscles were hard, the tension he carried making it even more so.

  He let out a low groan, tilting his head around to flash a sexy grin at me. My body, despite its exhaustion, perked up at that look on his face.

  His face, which was far, far too gorgeous, was distracting. I forgot everything in my head when he looked at me like that.

  I paused my massage, leaning in to kiss him gently. He let out a rumble of bear-like annoyance when I pulled back, and I resumed kneading his hard muscles, letting my hands trail around the front of his pecs and along his hard, chiseled abs.

  As my hands trailed lower, Kade growled again, and then in a single move that should have been impossible, lifted me up and over his shoulder, dropping me down into his lap. By instinct, I wrapped my legs around him, molding our bodies together as my inner wolf growled with pleasure.

  His molten copper eyes raked over my black bra as he said, “How tired are you?”

  I grinned. “I’m wide awake actually.”

  Chapter Four

  Spell breaker.

  It felt like moments after going to sleep I was awoken by a light knocking on my door.

  “Go away,” I mumbled. I needed ten more hours of sleep and another sexy session with Kade before I was ready to face the mess of a world we had going on.

  “Arianna, the Summer Court is here. They’re in the dining hall.” Calista’s stern but hushed statement had both Kade and I bolting upright.

  “Be right there!” I leapt out of bed and flew to my closet.

  Kade, who was calmer than me, pulled on his clothes from yesterday and went to use my toothbrush. “We need to bring some of your stuff here,” I said, following him, one leg in my pants while I hopped around to get the other in. “Looks like we’re going to have to spread our time more evenly between the two royal estates.”

  Kade finished up at the sink, turning to me, leaning himself back on the marble countertop. Immediately the room felt smaller, and I wanted to drag him back to bed. He just did casual confidence in such a way that it was sexy without trying.

  Needing a distraction, I quickly said, “I only spoke to Prince Caspien yesterday. Do you think something has changed in the Otherworld that fast? Is the war finally here?
”

  Kade ran a hand through his hair, somewhat taming its natural curl. “I hope not, we’re not ready.”

  We weren’t. If the fae flooded through a portal today, we would be defeated — I knew that. Especially in light of this recently discovered dark mecca stone situation. We had been unknowingly up against something like that the entire time, and it was kind of scary how easily that could have destroyed us all. Learning the origins of that dark stone meant the Dark Fae Lord was even more powerful than I had previously thought. Possibly undefeatable.

  “Well then, hopefully they have good news.” I forced a smile, before brushing my teeth, and both of us left the bathroom.

  Finn and Nix were waiting for us outside, Kade’s familiar perched on the wolf’s back. “Jota is still in the sky. They are taking breaks,” Kade explained as we hurried toward the dining hall.

  Slowing for a second, I turned to the familiars and brushed my hands along one of Nix’s massive wings, which she had pressed against her body. “Thank you, we appreciate you working so hard to keep us safe.” I added my other hand to Finn. “Both of you.” They had been relentless in their patrolling, never faltering on their duties once.

  It’s nothing, Ari. This is what family does.

  Finn’s words filled me with warmth.

  Thanks for being my family, I told him.

  He let out a low howl, nuzzling into me, and I kind of thought Nix looked pleased as well. Hard to tell on her bird face.

  I remembered the Summer Court then, and we again hurried toward the dining hall, prepared for anything. As we opened the doors, I was surprised to see not only Prince Caspien, but also Rowan, a Summer Court magic born. They were seated at the table, having tea with Violet and Nikoli. At our arrival, Prince Caspien stood and gave a small bow.

  “Greetings, Your Highnesses.”

  I took a second to look him over closely. The prince was very handsome, one of the most perfect specimens of man I had ever seen, actually. For my personal tastes he was too refined and pretty, but there was no denying his beauty. There was a glow about him that was very enticing, drawing you in to his warmth.

  He had changed since the last time I’d seen him in person. I’d noticed it a little in the magic water door yesterday, but today it was very clear. He looked healthier, strong, his skin flush and sparkling with a golden tan that was deep and rich in color. The restoration of mecca had done him well.

  “Greetings, Prince Caspien. I’m so sorry for the wait. We had a late night researching.” I nodded my head as Kade shook the prince’s hand.

  Prince Caspien waved a hand toward me. “It’s fine. We have not waited long. I have come with a gift from my father, a thank-you for restoring the mecca, and for your continued alliance with our court. I also bring more news of developments in the Winter War, since we were cut off last we spoke.”

  The Winter War must be what they were calling it. I was excited and nervous about his news — not to mention that we had some of our own developments to share on that front too.

  I turned my attention to Rowan, who had also stood. Kade and I both greeted her with a hug. She had saved us in the Otherworld and healed Violet. For that she had our eternal gratitude and friendship. After our greetings were over, we all sat at the table again, and Prince Caspien waved a hand toward Rowan. She gave him a simple nod back before producing a small jar of purple powder.

  “Your gift has two parts,” she said, handing me the jar. “Part one is mecca power.”

  Violet gasped from her place at the table, and when I looked at her, her eyes were locked on the purple powder. Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I reached for the mecca powder with an awed reverence. It was priceless.

  The moment it touched my hand I was zapped with energy, which felt akin to the stone we had here. Akin but not the same, a smaller scale, but somehow still as potent. “Thank your father greatly for this,” I said, as magic continued dancing along my skin.

  Violet had been trying to figure out how they ground up the stone, but so far nothing she’d tried had worked. After seeing this powder in action in the Winter Court, I knew how incredible it was. I was hoping that having some of our own would at least give us a shot against the winter queen.

  Prince Caspien looked pleased, his eyes sparkling as he leaned forward. “The second part of our gift is Rowan.”

  I reeled back, some of my joy fading away. “What?”

  Magic born were highly valuable, but they were people and not gifts to be given. The prince seemed to recognize my unease with that wording he used and gave me an understanding smile. “Only for two weeks. She was the one who offered actually. She’d like to train you. She feels it’s time you learned to harness your fae magic. Then we may have a shot at beating the winter queen. You’re the secret weapon in this fight. You hold magic from the Winter Court and your Red Queen’s line, and therefore have a lot of power to wield. A lot of unexplored gifts.”

  My eyes locked with the fae magic born and understanding flashed between us. I nodded a few times, leaning across the table. “Do you think I can actually learn anything in time? I barely have control over my mecca powers, and I’ve trained for that my entire life. The fae side is a whole other kettle of power.” It was constantly smashing around inside of me like a crazy beast. It didn’t scare me anymore, and I had used it in a battle situation, but I still didn’t feel in control of it.

  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could help you.” Rowan’s soft voice somehow cut through the room and drew all attention. “I am well trained in our ways. I have studied mecca power and fae magic for many years. And I was once a prisoner of the Winter Court, so I know their ways well. I can help you tap into your powers and hone them as a weapon.”

  I had not known she had been a prisoner of that court. Although Dalia did say that Rowan knew the ways to sneak in and out … I’d always wondered how. Now I knew.

  Violet spoke up then. “As someone else who was held prisoner there and learned a few things, I would also like to help with the training.” She turned toward Rowan. “I know your knowledge would be far beyond anything of mine, but I would like to learn as well as help, if you would accept me.”

  Rowan smiled warmly. “Of course, Violet. I would be honored.”

  Prince Caspien smiled. “Well then, it’s settled. Now I must share some news and then be on my way. We have a lot going on back home, and as you know, I can’t be away from my land too long without it negatively affecting my people.”

  I nodded. “Of course. I understand.”

  Caspien looked uncomfortable for a moment. “What I got cut off from telling you yesterday is that we received word that Isalinda has gone deep into the Dark Fae Lord’s territory, while her son prepares their army.”

  My pulse immediately kicked into gear, adrenalin rushing through me. Just the mental image of the queen and the darkness together had me on alert. It was what we had all feared.

  It was time to let Prince Caspien know what we knew as well. “Last night we found something, a book the late queen had. After consulting with our oldest magic born, I’m told it’s the book of the origin of dark fae magic. It’s connected to one of the dark crystals. We assume the Dark Fae Lord has the other one of these dark crystals, and that’s where he gets his power. My magic born are looking into how to find the other one, and how to destroy them both.”

  The prince was very still, listening to my every word with care. After an extended pause, he said, “It’s our worst fear. The dark stones are legend in the Otherworld, and my father has believed for a long time that this is where the Fae Lord draws his power. But we never confirmed it.”

  I swallowed hard, rubbing suddenly clammy hands across my pants. “I’m also afraid of what this means. Even if we find the other dark crystal, it will be almost impossible to wield without one of us falling to the darkness.”

  What looked like shooting stars sparked across the fae’s eyes, and for a moment he looked so otherworldly that I cou
ldn’t imagine that we both shared even a shred of the same DNA. When he spoke again, it was weighty, the words drifting out in a melody of sorts.

  “Light and dark are just two sides of the same coin. Without one, you could not experience the other. The mecca has these properties. It can be used for good and evil as you have seen, depending on the user. But these dark stones, they are pure evil. That being said, I believe that if you harness the light, you can banish any darkness.”

  I wasn’t sure anyone was breathing as we all hung on his powerful words. I felt the weight of them settle inside of me like a promise — a journey I would go on.

  Caspien stood, sweeping his hands out in a broad gesture of thanks. “Thank you for your time today, for sharing this news with me, for allying with us in this war. If you can use Rowan, feel free to include her in anything that has to do with the dark book project.”

  “Of course. She’s welcome in our home, and we will hopefully be able to get word to you if we learn anything new.”

  He seemed lost in thought for a brief pause, staring off at the painting on the wall. Finally he met my eyes. “I think it would be a good idea — if you could spare some warriors — for our people to train together — in the Summer Court. My warriors could teach your shifters what to expect from the Winter Court, and how to kill fae. And you could teach us about this city, about the energy of Earth, the humans even.”

  Kade shifted forward in his seat, long arms extending across the table. I felt his approval through the bond, and sensed the others around the table also approved. It was a good idea. But who would I send? It would have to be someone I trusted, who was a top warrior, who had a lot of knowledge of our world. Blaine ideally would be the best choice; he had been to the Otherworld, he knew what to expect, and he was a top fighter and strategist.