by J. L. Weil
The warmth from Olivia’s skin, soothed my apprehension slightly when she clasped my hand in hers. “What can we do to help?” she generously offered.
“Olivia,” the stern and chilly guy scolded from behind her. “I’m not sure we should get involved.”
The queen glanced over her shoulder, turning her focus onto the tall, Viking looking male. “Issik, we’re already involved whether we want to be or not. This blight, it’s at our doorstep.”
Issik didn’t seem easily persuaded. “And she could have brought it with her. We don’t know her intentions, or if what she is telling us is true.” The cold blond, was cautious and definitely didn’t trust me, but could I blame him? If the roles had been reversed, Devyn would have acted in the same manner, putting my safety first.
Suddenly feeling closed in, I shifted on the bed. “Are you keeping me here?”
“For the time being,” Jase replied, not looking all that sorry about it.
“Not as a prisoner,” Olivia quickly clarified. “But as our guest.” She tried to end the note with a reassuring smile.
But it failed to hit the mark.
I didn’t feel like a guest. Not with the four dragons bearing down on me; their intimidating scowls were identical. For now, I had no choice but to go along, but as soon as my magic and strength were replenished and I was confident I could void back to the Second Moon, I was gone. Without having any idea how far the Veil was from the fae realm, I would play it safe.
I just hoped I wasn’t too late.
However, I had a plan for that as well.
A reckless, stupid plan, but were there any other kind when it came to saving the world?
Chapter Eleven
KARINA
I didn’t know how the petite queen managed to usher out the four obviously protective males, but she got the deed done with impressive skills. “Here, I brought you a change of clothes. Hopefully, it will make you feel more at ease. I imagine this isn’t easy for you. And I’m sorry.” Olivia laid out a thin, pretty dress. Something a goddess or a queen would wear on days when she wasn’t attending official business. I guessed that was her version of yoga pants and a tee.
It would have to do despite my longing for actual comfy clothes from my world.
“They mean well, I swear,” she added, rambling to fill in the silence. “We’re just not used to having unexpected visitors. Any visitors, if I’m being honest. It makes their overprotective hackles come out. Damn dragons,” she cursed under her breath, but there was an unmistakable affection she couldn’t hide.
I ran the tips of my fingers over the light material that was a deep, rich blue. “I get it. If you had just waltzed out of a lake in the Second Moon, I can’t say that the fae would react any differently. They probably wouldn’t have been as nice or as hospitable as you. I never got the chance to thank you.”
She waved off my gratitude, offering me a smile. “It’s unnecessary.”
Now that we were alone, I noticed that Olivia had the most intriguing tattoos; they shimmered like a rainbow. What did they mean? “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Are all four of them dragons?”
Laughing lightly, she exhaled. “Yeah, pretty crazy, right? Jase, Issik, Zade, and Kieran are the Dragon Descendants—the last of their line.”
Shock ricocheted within me. “Like the Descendants?”
She nodded, sending her blonde braid over her shoulder. “They directly descend from the original dragon shifters.”
I let my brain soak in the bit of information. “Whoa. They seem so… ordinary.” I wasn’t sure that was the right word, because the four of them weren’t quite typical males.
Olivia chuckled, a musical, amused sound. “Don’t let them hear you say that.”
“What about you?” I asked, shifting my weight to my other foot. “Are you a Descendant?”
Her smile faded. “No, I’m not a dragon. I’m… something else.”
I raised a brow, ready to press her for more details until I saw the shadows of hurt flicker into her aqua eyes. As someone who was no stranger to pain, I recognized the emotion, even when she tried to cover it with a curve of her lips.
“It’s complicated.”
My eyes lowered when my fingers touched the stone under my shirt. “I didn’t mean to bring up something painful.”
“You didn’t know,” she excused, but it did little to absolve me of my guilt. A sigh pulled from her lips. “It’s a long story. Perhaps when you’re done saving the world, we could get together. Queen to queen.”
“I’d like that. A lot,” I admitted, smiling. Turning my attention to the bed, I picked up the dress. “Oh, so which one are you with?” I inquired, intentionally diverting the conversation to what I hoped was a safer topic.
Boys.
How could you go wrong with that?
Olivia’s smile brightened. A wicked twinkle appeared in the corner of her eyes, and a ribbon of relief went through me. “All of them,” she confessed.
Nearly choking, my eyes flew to hers. “A-all four of them,” I stammered. “You’re dating all four of them?” I repeated because my brain couldn’t wrap around the idea of her being with four guys.
Winking, she nodded.
“You’re going to have to tell me how that works sometime.” Genuinely curious, my mind rolled around the idea, coming up with some interesting and embarrassing scenarios. Thank god, Devyn isn’t here. The flitting thought made me wonder about our bond. It had been fairly quiet since I arrived in the Veil. Did that mean he couldn’t find me?
I gave a little tug to our mental link. My heart sank when I received nothing in return. Oh, Devyn.
Olivia toyed with the end strands of her braid, carefully watching me. If she noticed the sudden worry lines creasing my forehead, she chose not to pry and returned to the conversation of her unconventional relationship. “It’s surprisingly normal. At least for us, but then again, there is nothing normal about my life, so I’m not sure that is a truthful assumption.”
I could so relate. It seemed Olivia and I had much in common. “I can’t decide if I envy you or not.”
Her laugh chimed through the room.
Lifting the dress off the bed, I draped it over my arm. “Thank you for the clothes.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry about the… formalities. I hope you won’t hold it against them. Against us,” she corrected.
“I understand. Trust me, I do.” Then I strode toward the bathroom to change and take a moment for myself.
After a quick splash of water on my face, I removed the fitted white shirt and cotton shorts, trading them for the lightweight dress. The material was sleek against my skin, falling over my curves in a way I hadn’t thought would be flattering, yet it was. Best of all, it kept me cool in the tropical heat from this place.
I noticed I wasn’t a popsicle anymore, but I wasn’t sure if it was the spring that had taken care of it, or the climate change. It was difficult to say since they both happened nearly simultaneously.
The girl who stared back at me in the mirror had my features, my nose, my blue eyes, and my lips, but each of those seemed slightly enhanced. My skin color was off, a shade paler, and my cheekbones more pronounced. Testing myself, I clutched the sides of the sink and let my fox rise to the surface. The center of my eyes brightened, canines sharpening in my mouth and lengthening.
I took comfort in knowing the fox was still a part of me, which meant I would find my way back to Devyn. Soon. Very soon.
Feeling more like myself, I took a deep breath and opened the door. An aroma from another life hit my nostrils as I stepped out of the bathroom. My gaze went straight to Olivia at the little round table tucked away in the corner of the room, and my tastebuds salivated. “Is that coffee?” I asked, practically drooling.
She was pouring the dark liquid into two cups. “It is. If you prefer tea, I can—”
“Hell no,” I quipped
, stopping her before she ruined the perfect moment. I rushed over to the little table, the material of my dress swooshing between my legs. “It’s been months. I might cry if I don’t get a cup.”
She offered me one of the poured mugs, which I gladly took. Before taking a drink, I inhaled deeply. My entire body sang in sheer happiness. How long had it been since I smelled the scent of brewed coffee? Too. Damn. Long. I took a sip, savoring the bitter flavors that popped in my mouth. A long moan dragged out of me. “You just became my new best friend.”
Her expression brightened, the swirling tattoos covering her arms dancing in color. “Do they not have coffee where you live?” she asked, adding cream and sugar to her cup.
“Depends on which world you’re referring to.” My coffee was half gone when I replied.
Olivia’s brows drew together questionably over the steam coming from the cup near her lips.
“I was born in the mortal world,” I explained. “I’m only half-fae.”
“Holy crap. So was I,” she squealed. “I’m from Chicago.”
My lips parted, eyes widening. “No kidding. I live near Seattle. How did you end up here?”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “Jase Kidnapped me.”
I spit coffee back into my cup, completely embarrassing myself. “Did you say kidnap?”
“He had a good reason, which is why I want to help you.” She set down her coffee and met my gaze.
An inquisitive part of me wanted to go back to the kidnapping business, but I could see something cooking behind those round eyes of hers. “Help me how?” I whispered tentatively, uncertain just how well dragons could hear.
“I believe what you said, about the blight and you needing to return to save your world.” For the first time, her voice took on an air of gravity. “This thing, it grows stronger. I don’t know how long our shield will be able to keep it out. If there is any chance you can stop it…”
Straightening my shoulders, I set the empty cup onto the table. “I won’t look you in the eyes and lie. There is just as much of a chance that I will fail. That my world, your world, and others will fall victim to this evil. But I can promise you that I will die trying to stop this thing.”
Olivia’s fingers tapped on the mahogany table. “This isn’t the first time we’ve faced a perilous situation. It means that much to you?”
She wasn’t talking about the Second Moon or the fae. Although I did care what happened to them, it was my mom, Devyn, Kai, and Tink that mattered most to me. “There are people I love who are counting on me. Stopping this evil is the only way I can save them.” I allowed the desperation I felt to seep into my voice.
“That’s all I needed to hear. I’m willing to bet on you.”
Ribbons of warmth twirled within me. It was an encouraging feeling having someone who didn’t really know me believe in me.
“What about the dragons? You know, those four, muscular boyfriends of yours,” I reminded her, unable to resist. When would I ever get to reference someone having four boyfriends again? It was too rare of a chance to pass.
A smile tugged at her lips. “Leave them to me.”
I nodded. “Okay. I am in your debt.” I couldn't stay there, no matter how nice Olivia was. That wasn’t my home, and there was no escaping the corruptness. It followed me like a parasite.
We shared a smile of two queens with a secret. “Tonight then,” Olivia promised.
“Tonight,” I confirmed.
Throughout the day, Olivia stayed by my side, showing me around the outlandish castle—Viperus Keep, that belonged to Kieran—the dragon whose mist was poisonous I learned. Each of the dragon descendant’s had unique abilities. Poison, tranquility, flames, and ice. Such an eclectic quartet.
Then there was Olivia. She might be actually more interesting than her four boyfriends, however, she was as skilled at dodging my questions as I was. Neither of us gave much information away about our abilities, but like me, I got the impression there was more than met the eye when it came to the queen. I recognized her power. It was formidable. She might look sweet and innocent, but I sensed she had the will and heart of a dragon.
The queen was never without a shadow. In fact, the only time we were alone was those few minutes in my room. It was Jase who hung back now, keeping an eye on me when Olivia led me through the castle.
Vines climbed up every stone pillar we passed along the corridors, on our way into the dining hall where Issik, Zade, and Kieran were all seated at a long table. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling directly above their heads, casting a soft glow over their features. The three of them looked up as Olivia, Jase, and I approached.
“What took you so long?” Issik frowned, his eyes darting from Olivia to me and back to her.
She rolled her eyes, taking a seat to the right of Kieran, who was at the head of the table. “It won’t kill you to wait a few minutes. Besides, it’s not my fault this place is so big.”
Issik gave her a slow blink.
Bowls of tomato and basil soup waited at each place setting, steaming hot. “This looks delicious,” I commented, my stomach rumbling. It had been days since I had a proper meal. Platters of cheese, meats, breads, fruit, and so much more filled the table from one end to the other—a feast fit for a king. Correction. Kings.
Jase pulled out his chair and sat down. “Wait until you taste it.”
He was right. The food was divine, and I was freaking famished. Also, I needed all the energy my body could store for what I had to do tonight—I’d been counting down the hours. I just had to get through this meal and then I was gone.
I mostly stuffed my face and listened to the chatter among the group. Olivia was also silent, spending the meal pushing the food around on her plate. She seemed off from the lively girl she had been before dinner.
And I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“Olivia,” Zade spoke the queen’s name softly.
“Hmm,” she replied, her eyes sort of spacy as she rested her head on her hand.
“Are you feeling alright, little gem?” Zade crooned, his voice smooth and silky.
My heart melted at the nickname, beginning to understand what Olivia saw in each of them and why she hadn’t been able to choose just one. Except for Issik. The frosty dragon gave me the chills. That one had a frozen wall around him so thick, I didn’t know how she ever managed to chip it all away. Yet, when Issik looked at Olivia, the ice dragon thawed.
Her smile was forced, her eyes not quite clear or focused. “I’m not sure. I think must have eaten too fast.”
Was this part of the plan? Was she faking being sick? Because she had hardly eaten at all. The bad feeling in my gut told me that was not a ploy. Something was wrong.
“You should lie down,” Jase suggested. He looked like he was fighting the urge to hurtle over the table and haul her into his arms.
Nodding, Olivia pushed her chair back. “I’m sorry, I just—” When she stood up, her hands flung forward, gripping the edge of the table for stability. She sunk back into her seat, wincing. Her features contorted in pain as she pressed a hand to her temple, squeezing her eyes closed.
Kieran was on his feet, instantly at her side, his devilish features pinched in concern. “Blondie, what is it? Are you hurt?”
“Something’s wrong,” she whispered, her head bowed. “The darkness…”
The hairs on my arms spiked like I’d just been electrocuted, a bolt of unease lancing through me.
“What about it?” Kieran pressed her.
“Our shields are still intact,” Issik confirmed. I didn’t ask how he could be so sure. They must have a mental connection with the protective barrier.
Her whole body tensed, both hands now pressed to her temples. “My head. It’s trying to get inside my head.” The tattoos covering her arms seemed to shudder.
What the actual—?
Four sets of menacing eyes swung to me. Being glared at by such fierce men had a powerful impact. I suppressed the urge
to crawl under the table and hide from them, or to shove away from it and run as if my life depended on it.
It was clear from their scowls that they would kill anyone who hurt Olivia. That included me.
Except, it wasn’t me who was causing their queen pain. However, the air became dusted with magic—dark magic like nothing I’d come across. “I’m not doing anything. I swear. This isn’t me.” My fox was ready to bolt, prodding me to run. It wasn’t safe.
It was difficult to judge if they believed me or not. Jase’s fingers raked through his hair when he shoved away from the table, clearly agitated. “It’s trying to find another way inside our world,” he concluded.
Zade crouched down on the other side of Olivia, who was still curled up in her chair. “But how?” he asked, his deep voice edged with anger.
Jase’s long legs carried him from one end of the table to the other, his jaw clenched tightly. “I’m not sure, but it’s using Olivia somehow.”
The queen in question whimpered.
I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit there while she suffered. If the blight managed to—I didn’t know, infiltrate her mind or something equally as horrific—I’d never forgive myself, because her suffering might actually be my fault. What if my being here had something to do with what was happening to her? Had I somehow brought that darkness with me when I was pulled into their world?
No one flinched when I got out of my chair, their attention solely centered on Olivia. Cautiously, I touched Kieran’s shoulder. “Let me help her.”
“Don’t touch her,” Issik warned, his ice-blue eyes like sharp icicles as he stared at me.
Lifting my chin, I refused to shrink under his frosty glower. “I can stop it,” I declared with confidence that defied what I felt inside. “You have to let me try,” I pleaded. Banishing the darkness attacking Olivia would put a strain on my energy, energy that I desperately needed to get home, but I couldn’t let the blight take her. Not after she’d been so kind to me, believed in me.
