Shade ignored her. He sheathed his blade, reached down, picked up theNushtoniawith one hand, and pulled out a small dagger from inside the folds of his snug, black tunic. The book’s dark aura pulsed violently, as though resisting his touch, but Shade didn’t flinch. He raised his other hand and sliced his palm with the blade. Red blood dripped onto the book’s cover. TheNushtoniatrembled, and its aura flickered between crimson and gold.
Celise froze, her breath caught in her throat as the book began to shift. Its dark energy twisted and writhed before settling into a golden glow. Its allegiance was sealed. The crowd watched in stunned silence, and Shade could practically feel their loyalty shifting with theNushtonia’schoice.
Shade turned to face her. “TheNushtoniachooses strength, Celise. And it has chosen me.”
Celise’s body trembled with rage, and her fists clenched at her sides. “You think this is over?” Her voice shook. “You think you’ve won?”
Shade stepped closer, he felt his power urging him to fight more, to prove just how much better he was than her. But some battles could be saved for another day, if they became necessary. “This isn’t about winning. It’s about survival. Build your army. Destroy the humans. Let the demons run free. But the Realm of the Dead? That’s ours to open. And if you think for one second that you can stop us…” He leaned down, his black eyes locking with hers. “Try me.”
For a moment, Celise held his gaze. Her fury warred with the undeniable weight of her defeat. Then she looked away, her jaw tight as she refused to respond.
Shade straightened and turned to address the gathered supernaturals. “The djinn bow to no one.” His voice carried over the crowd. He glanced back over to the sprite. “Oh, and youwillkeep our deal. I open the Realm of the Dead, and you will open the realm of my choosing.”
She pushed to her feet and dusted herself off. Celise held up her hands and black magic flowed from them, though she didn’t try to attack him. She looked from her hands up to Shade.
“You still maintain what the book has given you,” Shade explained. “But you will get no more.”
She dropped her hands, and the magic dissipated. “You won’t interfere with what I want?”
He moved so that he halfway faced her and shook his head. “When the time comes, we will be fighting on the same side, Celise. But there cannot be two leaders. That’s not how power works, and you know it. So, for now, continue to use the demons and other supernaturals to wipe out the humans. I will contact you once I’ve gotten the Realm of the Dead open.”
She didn’t look particularly appeased, but she didn’t have any other choice either. Celise raised her hand and opened a portal, a power granted to her by theNushtonia,and motioned for her sisters to follow her. “Do not betray me, djinn,” she called out as she walked through the portal. “You may be more powerful now, but I have proven that I’m quite resourceful when I need to be.” Then the portal closed.
Shade turned to the rest of the gathered supernaturals. His eyes roamed over them as he spoke. “The agenda hasn’t changed. As you just heard me tell Celise, she can continue her plans. The humans must be destroyed, and all their technology along with them if we want magic to thrive again, so that our races can survive. This is your playground.” He pointed out beyond the trees where he knew towns were nearby. “Go feast on your prey.”
Hisses of delight from the demons filled the air. It was joined by snarls from the trolls, shrill shouts of glee from the pixies and muttered words from the fae, vampires, elves and hybrids. The cacophony of sounds filled the air as they all turned and headed toward the unsuspecting humans.
The clearing was quiet now, save for the crackling remnants of Celise’s magic still dissipating in the air. The crowd of supernaturals had dispersed at Shade’s command, their obedience immediate. They had scattered into the night—some to recruit more followers, and others to carry out Celise’s orders. What he’d said was true. The human realm had to be altered in order for the magic of their races to be preserved and thereby save them. However, Shade wasn’t solely interested in her agenda. He had his own agenda and plans that were equally as important, if not more so, to him. And he would see them carried out. Ultimately, saving the supernatural races didn’t matter if he didn’t succeed.
The three djinn warriors who had joined him stood in a loose semicircle. Their expressions were guarded but curious. They had been silent as the others left, but now, with only the four of them remaining in the clearing, their questions began.
“So…” The one to Shade’s right—a tall, lean djinn named Raith—crossed his arms over his chest. His black eyes gleamed faintly in the moonlight, curiosity and skepticism mingling in his gaze. “You’ve made your stand. You’ve taken theNushtonia. You’ve earned their”—he motioned toward the now empty forest where the others had been—“loyalty. But how do you plan to findthem?”
Shade didn’t answer right away. He turned theNushtoniaover in his hands. Its dark aura was now subdued, and it flickered faintly with the golden glow of his magic. The book felt heavy—not just in weight but in purpose. It was a tool, a weapon, a key to everything he needed. And yet, it didn’t hold all the answers. Not yet.
“They’re scattered across the realms,” said Edric, the shortest of the four, but no less deadly for his size. His voice was sharp, his tone edged with impatience. “Fane’s pack, the gypsy healers, Thadrick, Myanin… How will you know which realm to open first? What if Thadrick and Myanin could be in different realms? Are you just going to pick one and hope for the best?”
Shade’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t bristle at the challenge in Edric’s tone. He had expected this—questions, doubts. The djinn weren’t followers by nature, not even of their own kind. They followed strength, and he had shown them his. But even strength didn’t make one infallible.
“They might be in separate realms,” Raith added, his voice quieter now, more thoughtful. “If it comes to that, how will you choose? Myanin or Thadrick? Can you trick Celise into opening more than one realm at one time? TheNushtoniawill hold you to your bargain with her, considering you basically sealed it in blood when you took it from her.”
Shade’s hand tightened around the book. He let their questions hang in the air. He turned and paced slowly, his boots crunching against the cracked earth. The power running beneath his skin had retreated, but it still flickered faintly around him as a reminder of his power.
“Thadrick betrayed all of us when he chose a witch as his mate.” Shade kept his voice low but steady. “He also warned me off Myanin multiple times because he felt she was too young for me, and she was, which was why I was willing to give her time. But that ass knew how I felt, and he disrespected that when he kept her away from me. He toyed with her emotions, claimed he only thought of Myanin as a friend, and yet, who the hell spends that much time with a female who isonlya friend? And then, after toying with her for a time, he tossed her aside for that witch. For Jezebel. To top it off, he left his people and his purpose and got involved with other supernaturals. That is not our job. That’s the meddling fae. Djinn have a higher calling than policing the rest of the world.”
“And yet,” said Valin, the third djinn, his voice calm and measured, “he isstilla djinn. Whatever his loyalties, he is still powerful. And you know as well as I do that when the time comes, we will need him to possibly help open the Realm of the Dead. A powerful spell was put on that veil.”
Shade stopped pacing and turned to face them. “We don’tneedhim. There are others we can seek out if it comes to that.”
The other three exchanged glances, surprise flickering across their faces. Raith was the first to speak. “So Myanin then?” His tone was incredulous. “You’d choose her over Thadrick? She was disgraced—stripped of her power and banished for killing an elder.”
“And now she’s mated to a warlock,” Edric added, his voice laced with disdain. “Awarlock, Shade. You think she’s going to abandon her mate and come back to us? To you?”
Shade’s eyes narrowed, sharpening his gaze. “Her so-calledmateis irrelevant.”
Edric opened his mouth to argue, but Shade raised a hand, silencing him. “This isn’t just about power.” Shade’s voice was cold and unyielding. “It’s about what’s owed. Myanin was mine before she ever looked at Thadrick, before she ever fell into disgrace. She lost everything because of him—because he didn’t shut down her foolish crush and advances. Thadrick left her an emotional mess and then tainted himself with a witch, and then, as the icing on the cake, lost his own power to hold the history of the supernaturals. He made us appear weak, Edric. He’s made many of our kind question our strength, our purpose. And for that, I’ll deal with him. But Myanin…” Shade’s voice softened, though it lost none of its intensity. “She belongs with me. She always has.”
Raith raised an eyebrow, his skepticism clear. “And if she doesn’t agree? If she refuses to leave the warlock?”
