by Meg Xuemei X
“What?” Adrian frowned. “I’m not going to take the princess away from you.”
The princes traded an uncertain look. Right, Sphinx had forced me to spill the answer to his riddle and now my mates knew there would be four true loves for me instead of three. They’d thought it would be Elvey. But now with Adrian having suddenly returned, they weren’t sure which one would be the final mate.
“I served Princess Daisy centuries ago,” Adrian continued. “I’ll continue to serve and guard her until the end of time. Even as her mates, none of you can or shall stand in the way.”
Blaze glared at the tattoo of the daisy flower on Adrian’s left temple. Rai glanced at the tattoo with displeasure as well. Only Iokul seemed to be fine with it. I tried not to stare at it, though my breath caught at the sight of it—it was beautiful.
Adrian had been my first crush, and we’d stolen a few kisses. I’d been only fifteen then. Now, with centuries passing by and between us, and t I already having three mates, I didn’t know how I felt about him. I still loved Adrian, and I always would, but I no longer felt the spark between us. I no longer had the gut-punching feeling whenever I’d been in his presence. All I felt for him now was warmth, trust, and friendship.
Adrian caught our gazes fixing on the tattoo on his temple.
“I etched it the day Princess Daisy disappeared.” Adrian heaved a heavy breath. “It served as a reminder every time I looked in the mirror. It reminded me never to give up on my future queen until I found her and brought her home.”
“I’m glad you returned, and that we are united again, Adrian,” I said, tears moistening my eyelids. “It’ll cause me great pain if I have to hunt down my general in every corner of the universe when I need him to lead my army.” I held his gaze, which was filled with centuries of grief, guilt, and resolve. “What happened to me centuries ago was never your fault. The curse was already set upon me. Get rid of your guilt. It’ll only wear you down. War found me before I sought it out. I need your focus on our enemies.”
The light returned to his eyes, and with that, the steel will and determination to eradicate our enemies. “Yes, my queen.”
I wasn’t a queen yet, but I would be.
I nodded. As I stretched out and probed my feelings toward him, I knew I was no longer in love with him. And I knew he understood that I wouldn’t have a place for him in a romantic relationship.
Falling in love could happen in an instant and falling out of love was also a flick of decision. As I’d bonded with my three mates, I had no room anymore for any other man.
What about Elvey? A voice insisted.
I blinked as a moment of confusion fogged my mind.
Before I’d left Pandemonium, Elvey had asked me the same, “Do you have room for one more?”
I hadn’t been able to answer him back then.
And I didn’t know how to answer it now, even though I’d pined for him, and my heart ached at his absence.
That reminded me. Where were Elvey and the others?
My anxiety spiked, and fear coursed through me. Had I lost him? Had we lost more men?
I struggled to sit up, and a cry escaped my lips at the movement, painful and pitiful. My mates fought to help me and bumped into each other with growls and snaps.
Adrian shook his head, sympathy and amusement wheeling in his eyes, which had grown cold and hard over the centuries and had just started to warm up.
I leaned against Iokul’s cool chest. “Where’s everyone?” I asked. “Did we all make it?”
Rai dropped his gaze as grief brewed in his eyes. “Chiron was killed protecting you.”
Tears stung my eyes. I really liked the healer. And Henry loved that dragon shifter. My hound must be devastated.
I touched Rai’s face. “I’m sorry.”
He grabbed my hand and leaned into it. I wanted to give all my strength to him and comfort him.
“I lost three dragons as well,” Adrian said darkly. “The rest were wounded. They’re recovering in the great hall.”
“I’ll visit them soon,” I said, swallowing hard. As war bore down on us, we were going to lose more men.
I closed my eyes for a second. When I’d lived in the jungle with my curse, no one had to die for me. Life had been miserable but simple. Now, it was just like Elvey had said—danger and death lurked at every corner. I thought that had been meant only for me, only now did I realize it meant for my mates, my friends, and my warriors because of me.
Yet I couldn’t go backwards, no matter how dark the path ahead.
To walk on that path, I had to become steel, though not without feelings.
Rai pulled me into his arms, seeing the turmoil inside me.
A second later, I pulled away. No one had mentioned about Elvey and his companion.
“Where’re Elvey and Rosalinda?” I asked, my heart stuttering.
“Elvey is with Rosalinda,” Blaze said, watching me.
My breath came in short bursts. I shouldn’t be jealous. If Elvey had feelings for Rosalinda, I should bless their togetherness and be happy for him. He and the Fae woman looked good together. They’d known each other for a long time and they fought well as a team.
He didn’t owe me anything. He’d done so much more for me than I could ever ask.
I, on the other hand, owed him a life debt.
But why did my heart still feel heavy and bleeding at the idea of Elvey with Rosalinda?
I kept my face neutral. “Are they okay?”
“The demons cleaved Rosalinda’s arm,” Adrian said. “She also has two cracked ribs. The Fae female is one of the best, toughest fighters I’ve ever met.” The admiration was unmistakable in his gruff voice. “The Fae mage is a formidable warrior as well. I’m happy you’ve garnered their support. I need to go check on Rosalinda and relieve Elvey. He’s been tending to her ever since the battle died down.” He looked at me. “None of us can regenerate while the magic is stripped off us.”
“While we’re still on the quest,” I said, defeated.
“Let’s find this goddess as soon as possible,” Blaze said. “This slow healing like a regular human is fucking killing us.”
“We’ll be on the road again only after our mate and the men recover,” Iokul said.
“Is Elvey also wounded?” I asked, worry clawing at my heart.
“He has a small slash on his jaw and lost a section of his left pinkie that’s less than one inch long,” Blaze spat. “I don’t understand why he keeps whining about it. It’ll grow back once the magic returns to the realm. Everyone has suffered more than him.”
Adrian nodded. “He does like to constantly complain and nag. He finds some twisted delight in it, but I’m still glad he and Rosalinda are our allies. I’ll go see if they need anything.”
I had a feeling he was eager to visit Rosalinda, and I fully supported him on that.
“Give them my gratitude, Adrian,” I said. “And give them whatever they need.”
Adrian nodded, came to me, and kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll see you later, Princess.”
My mates repressed a snarl. But if Adrian’s kiss lingered, I believed my mates would throw him off.
They’d now seen that there was nothing romantic between Adrian and me. He was my loyal general and friend.
Adrian sauntered toward the door and exited.
I took a brief moment to scan my surroundings.
We were inside a modernized room converted from a vast cave, the kind dragons loved. Starlight poured from the high ceiling and windows. The walls were crafted to have both primitive and modern features.
“A cave?” I asked.
“Your royal family’s haven,” Rai said, “according to Adrian.”
How did my general know more about the realm and even my curse than I? How much had my grandfather kept from me? He’d either thought me a threat to his throne, or he’d tried to keep me locked in the tower to keep me safe.
Rai gave me a look. “I know you want answers,
sweetheart.”
“You were out for a day after the land magic healed you,” Iokul said, kissing the top of my head. “Elvey recognized the magic and told us so.”
“We slew all the demons,” Blaze said, “including the flying one who shot you. I had hoped we could torture him before we killed him.”
“Henry and Sybil?” I asked.
“Elvey had to give your hound a sedative to put him to sleep,” Rai said, “so he could calm down and heal faster in the process.”
My breathing evened out. I’d feared that Henry was lost to me.
“Your pet bird is with Elvey and his female companion,” Blaze said.
He kept referring to Rosalinda as Elvey’s female companion, mostly for my sake, I thought sourly.
“Her name is Rosalinda,” I offered.
“Your bird is a bit mad at us,” Rai said. “Somehow she got offended and threatened to teach us dragons some manners.”
I gave a wan smile. She must have gotten the idea from Elvey.
Iokul laughed. “She really threatened us.”
I stared back at where Adrian had stood. I’d meant to ask him how he’d gotten back and how he had known that we’d been under attack.
Rai brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear gently.
“Adrian returned to the realm just when King Daghda went crazy,” he said. “He then followed the king and his elite guards to the mountains.”
I gave him an appreciative nod. My mates always got to the bottom of things.
“Elvey, on the other hand, had been tracking the demons and us,” Iokul chimed in to show that he was equally informative. Among all my mates, Iokul was on better terms with Elvey. He respected Elvey more and evaluated him with cool logic. “When he spotted the army of the demons, he went straight to the mountains to solicit Adrian’s help before he rushed to our aid. The mage is resourceful.”
Blaze shrugged. “I wonder what his agenda is.”
I didn’t intend for them to get into an argument over Elvey.
“I’m thirsty,” I murmured. “Can anyone get me some water, please?”
Blaze banged his forehead with the heel of his palm. “What kind of mates are we? This is not the way we treat our mate.”
Rai also looked ashamed and shot to his feet.
I couldn’t see Iokul’s expression since my back leaned against his chest, my head on his shoulder, but he tensed behind me.
“Sorry, honey,” he said. “Blaze, while Rai goes to fetch the water, you’d better run to bring food for Daisy. She has to be hungry.”
Blaze gave Iokul a hard glance before rushing out of the room.
Both Blaze and Rai returned with water, bread, cheese, and a pot of stew.
Now they all looked hungry.
I figured that none of them had paid attention to their stomachs while I was unconscious.
I took a big swig of the cool water and let it soothe my parched throat before I handed it to Iokul.
“No, you drink more first, love,” Iokul said.
I sighed and took another gulp before I gave it to him. He drained half of it before passing it to Rai. Rai drank his fill and left the rest for Blaze.
“Let’s sit at the table and eat properly,” I said, and my mates helped me settle on a chair. The four of us were like a big happy family around the table.
I bit into the bread topped with cheese that Iokul had prepared for me. My mates looked content as I ate and then they started attacking their plates of food.
They were famished.
I waited until they were half done with their food before I asked, “Has anyone heard anything about my crazy grandfather?”
Just then, a commotion stirred outside the door. We snapped our heads toward the window.
My princes shot to their feet as one, drawing their swords.
The door swung open, and King Daghda stood at the doorway, blocking light and shadow. His dragon guards, the ones who had aided me in the battle against the demons, braced their feet behind him in a guard stance, even though they were all wounded.
Unlike mortals assumed, time wasn’t any kinder to immortals. My grandfather appeared no more than a few years older than me, but he had a worn-out, desolate look in his amber eyes.
His skin had a grayish tone, in contrast to the healthy tan I remembered, which indicated that he’d been sick. Immortals didn’t get sick unless they were wounded or poisoned.
Despite all, my grandfather was still the most regal being I’d ever seen.
It wasn’t just that he towered everyone. Ancient power rolled off him easily.
My mates froze and bowed to him. They did not need to kneel because they were also royals. “Your Majesty,” they greeted.
The king’s gaze still had a hint of lingering madness as it fixed on me, a mosaic of joy, grief, guilt, rage, and something else brewing in his eyes like a morning storm. He swallowed to compose himself, then swept his now calmer gaze over my mates. “Princes, I see you’ve brought my granddaughter back and are now cozy with her.”
“You should have told us the Furies were Daisy, King Daghda,” Blaze grated. “We almost killed her!”
At the reminder, my joy at the sight of my grandfather receded, rage replacing it.
King Daghda arched a golden eyebrow at Blaze before fixing his attention on me again. “We can discuss that another day, Princes. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I need to speak to my heir alone.”
I swallowed a choke and pushed out the air from my tight throat.
“Where I stay, my mates stay,” I said, keeping my face blank, though I could feel muscles twisting across my face at the burst of anger. “If you have any explanation, my mates are here to listen as well.”
He narrowed his eyes at my defiance. The old king was still intimidating, but we stood our ground and stared back at him, not friendly.
“We stay where Princess Daisy stays,” Rai said simply. “We won’t go anywhere without our mate.”
King Daghda snorted. “Already mated, I see. And to three? When was the wedding? Why wasn’t I invited?”
This was how he welcomed me back—giving me attitude after his hunters had failed to take my heads? Well, I wouldn’t have the stomach to take his head, no matter what he’d done to me, unless he came to harm my mates. However, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t take the crown from him. He no longer deserved it. Not only had he tried to eliminate me when I hadn’t done anything to deserve it, but he’d abandoned the realm and his people.
“We’ll have the ceremony when our mate is truly safe,” Iokul said coldly. He’d just hinted that I wasn’t safe with my grandfather.
All my mates were as tense as whips ready to snap and attack. Their eyes never left the king, their hands close to their swords.
King Daghda snorted at our defensive poses.
Adrian chose the moment to push through the guards. I wondered if his loyalty would lie with the old king or with me, but I knew he would never harm me, no matter what.
Daghda gave all of us another sweeping, thoughtful glance and suddenly laughed. “This is exactly what I wished for,” he said.
CHAPTER 15
“Wished for what, Grandfather, my head?” I asked, my voice bitingly cold.
“You came back with your three true loves,” King Daghda said.
“You achieved that by sending three ships of hunters to take my head,” I said.
“Two ships,” he said. “I came up with the brilliant idea as soon as the Archangel delivered your message and gave me the coordinates. You have no idea what it meant to me to finally know you were alive.” He paused to recollect himself. King Daghda hadn’t been one who had needed to compose himself. He’d been an ancient mountain that couldn’t be touched or moved. Or that was what I’d thought.
The next second, the storm left his burning amber eyes.
“We have ancient enemies, very powerful ones,” he said, “and they aren’t just dark Fae.”
I knew Fae and dragons had been in war f
or eons, but the war had stopped when I was born. A veil had been put up to separate the two realms where no Fae could cross over to the Dragon Realm, and the dragons couldn’t trespass on the Fae territory, either.
King Daghda stepped into the room, and his guard immediately brought him a chair, which meant this wouldn’t be a short visit.
The king sat and gestured for us to take a seat. I perched on the edge of the hard chair across from him, Rai, Iokul, and Blaze stood behind me, just like the royal guards lined up behind my grandfather.
“I was being watched,” King Daghda said. “There are spies all over the realm, and I couldn’t purge them. I hadn’t been the same since your father died defending your mother. I neglected my duties as the king, driven by grief. When you were born, and I learned about your curse . . . Not a day passed that I wasn’t terrified it would come to pass. I sent my most trusted men to the corner of the universe to find the cure for the curse, but most of them never returned. They perished. That was how far and deep our enemies—the Fae, the demons, and witch covens—could reach. Only a handful of my trusted council knew about the curse you carried, and I intended to keep it that way. I forbade any of them to let you know anything about it or your half-Fae heritage, hoping for the best that if you didn’t know it, then the curse wouldn’t be real.”
That was why my grandfather had forbidden so many things in the realm and limited where I could go or what I could do.
“You almost locked me up in the palace tower during my childhood,” I accused. “You were reluctant to let me roam free even inside the castle. After I constantly fought you, you let me only have freedom in the Dragon Realm. In my first fifteen years, you never permitted me to go to the six cities, even though the humans were my subjects, too.”
“The Fae, our most lethal enemies, couldn’t come to the Dragon Realm,” the king said. “But they infiltrated the human cities. I couldn’t risk you.”
The only Fae who were allowed to enter were Elvey and Rosalinda after I’d offered them the path to the Dragon Realm through my blood ritual.
“The dark Fae Queen cursed you,” King Daghda said. “I tried but failed again and again to take her out.”
