Everything around me stopped. Time, the world, my heart, even my lungs refused to move, to bring in air. Every emotion, every dream I had, fell away. “I have to kill myself in order to stop Ambrose, in order to protect my mate?”
“Mates, but yes. However, the story doesn’t end there. It’s still being woven…so many outcomes, so many possibilities. It’s quite funny, really, how fate works.”
“Funny?” I scoffed. “You think my death is funny?” My blood felt hot in my veins. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream, to laugh, or to cry.
“No, not your death itself, but what may come after. It’s rather interesting.”
“Do I get to know what’s interesting about it?” I asked flatly, my eyes narrowing on her.She was the queen, I repeated to myself.Be respectful and calm.
“No, unfortunately, you do not. It's something that you’ll have to find out on your own. The only thing I can tell you to do is to follow your heart. It may sound silly, cliché even; however, that’s the only way you’ll survive.” Queen Cassia smiled at me, smiled at the way my lip curled from dismay, how my face seemed to twist from the disgruntled shock of her words.
Cliché my ass.
I cleared my throat, wiping the grimace off my face.She’s the queen. She’s the queen, and I need to stay calm. My frustrationebbed, but was quickly replaced with a sickening fear that I had never felt before. If I truly followed my heart, it wouldn’t lead me toward death. I don’t want to die. I have just barely started living. Not to mention, I just found my mat—“You said mates.”
The queen let out a soft laugh. “I was wondering when you would catch on to that. Yes, mates. You have three, in fact. Two, you have already met. It’s rare to have more than one, but it happens from time to time. They say that when a person has so many facets, so many needs, it's hard to find one equal to foster those qualities. So, fate entwines more than one, to match what is essential.”
“Mine are KieranandSamian?”
The queen smiled and gave me a small nod. I ran a hand through my hair and whispered a curse, earning me a cluck of the tongue from the queen. Her face pinched with disapproval, but she laughed. The sound was so light and serene. I let out a weak huff, but my heart felt heavy. I had three mates. Three. But I would have to die so they could live. Would fate even allow me to meet my third mate? Or would I die before I had the chance?
Chapter 7
Ambrose
My head pounded fiercely, though Arianna hummed sweetly to herself, waiting for Evander to finish with the buttons of my vest. I breathed through the pain and my rising vexation. Arianna’s voice was becoming a drone that grated on my ears, and it never seemed to stop. And Sybil, she shielded against me during our meeting earlier, though I don’t know how.
Her emotions were always there on the surface just days before, so potent and strong, ready for me to grab hold of. It was like she pushed them onto me, letting me feel and feed upon them. But today, I felt a drop of fear, of dread, and then nothing. There was absolutely nothing. It wasn’t like the shield that Samian had, a gleaming silver wall that sat between us, or the warm golden-green glow of Aster’s magic. It was a dark, fathomless pit, a void that ate away everything she felt.
The haunting voice had become more prominent in Sybil’s presence as well. I felt exhausted, weak. I half wondered if her magic was feeding on me, but I knew it was an insane thought as soon as it crossed my mind. She was barely fae. Her magic may resemble the queen’s enough that the public would side with me once they see Sybil’s power, but she was nothing more than adisgusting human. To have the kind of magic that would allow her such a thing? No, the thought wasn’t even worth continuing.
The door opened, and I snarled as Hale entered the room. Evander’s hand stilled, his breath turning slow and careful. I breathed in his fear, along with Hale’s, letting them fill and replenish me. My headache slightly eased. Maybe I was using too much of my magic, using more than I was taking in.
Hale cleared his throat, his fear lessening. “Sybil is in the receiving room, and the lords are waiting for you in the council room.”
“Perfect,” I said, swatting Evander’s hand away. He may be Hale’s twin, but where Hale was calculating, Evander was simpler. But they both knew how to keep their mouths shut. “Come, Arianna dear. Let’s not keep our guests waiting.”
Arianna flashed me a bright, easy smile, looping her hand in the crook of my arm. We made our way to the receiving room, where Sybil stood. Her face was blank, but she eyed the trinkets on the shelves along the wall. She threw me a sidelong glance when we entered the room, and when I opened myself up to her. Nothing. Just that same deep void. Sybil’s hand curled, tightening into a fist, as if she knew what I was doing, yet boredom continued to reflect along the features of her face.
I frowned at her, much preferring the fearful little doe from the dungeons. “Come,” I hissed. “We’re late for the meeting.”
Sybil nodded, following Arianna and me out of the room. Hale led the way, opening the large double doors to the council room and announcing our arrival.
Throwing Arianna a wink, I brushed her off my arm and stepped forward. Arianna whined in protest but quieted when I threw her a pointed look, silently reminding her of her promise to keep our relationship hidden.
No one could know that she would be my consort yet. If the lords found out before I could show them my power, theirsupport would wane. Arianna was good for a few things, but keeping her temper in check was something she could never master. She had burnedmanybridges to get where she was and would not stop until she reached the top.
The lords were already in their seats around the large rectangular table, their impatience thickening the air. As I walked by, one caught my attention. Not a lord, I realized with a start. I stopped short, turning to the female with long, inky-black hair. Those mahogany eyes of hers were on me, though I could never tell what she was thinking. Her gaze always had a sinful look to it, even during our school days. “Lady Ivara,” I purred, giving her a playful smile. “This is a delightful surprise. To what do we owe the honor of your presence?”
Ivara lifted her chin, lips thinning. “I’m afraid my brother, Pasian, couldn’t make today’s meeting. I am here in his stead.” Ivara tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. “Is that alright,LordAmbrose?” The lilt in her voice was full of bold defiance, daring me to challenge her.
“Of course not,” I laughed. “You are welcome here, though I hope to see Lord Pasian at the next meeting.”
Lady Ivara smiled devilishly, her sharpened teeth gleaming in the light, and shrugged. “We will see.”
I fought against a growl and pushed my magic toward the feline, but a shield firmly sat in place, blocking me from her. A sharp pain sliced through my head, the headache returning tenfold.
Reaching the chair at the head of the table, I sat in the queen’s seat that would soon be mine—the seat of a king. Arianna stood behind me to my right, and Sybil, dressed in her black soldier's uniform, stood on my left. I smiled, looking at each of the lords, but it faltered once I saw the last chair empty. “Where is Lord Astaroth?”
