Cassius and Archer echoed him, then others followed, kneeling one by one. It was all out in the open now, no more hiding who I was.
“A demigod dragon king and a goddess queen,” someone whispered. “We’ll be the strongest kingdom.”
“We’re not here to dominate the other kingdoms.” Killian’s commanding voice cut through the murmurs. “We’ll unite with them. The House of Chaos stands with the other heirs and their houses under the Covenant. Only together can we defeat our common enemy, the God of Ruin. The war isn’t coming. It’s here.”
“We need to return to the academy now and forge a plan with the other heirs,” I reminded him.
He nodded to Cassius, leaving the Silent Blade to manage the chaos court's grumbling nobles. Then we clasped hands and opened a shimmering portal right before the stunned assembly. They’d never seen such power.
Together, Killian and I stepped through, followed by Rock and a team of warriors.
Chapter
Thirteen
Sy
The House of Chaos loomed ahead, violet steel and glass glinting in the dawn light. I’d seen it a hundred times through Barbie’s eyes and felt her giddiness, her anticipation, her annoyance every time she approached. Three things occupied her mind most often: Killian, sex, and food. My sister was shallow like that.
Now standing here myself, feet planted on the gravel path, eyes tracing the sentient lines of the building, it was different. Everything felt sharper. Colors more vibrant. The scents of earth, pine, and magic hit my nostrils like a waking spell.
Rowan’s hand tightened around mine, his broad shoulders tense, radiating fierce protectiveness as we neared the perimeter. My fae prince, always so composed, was fighting to hold himself together after the bloodshed in his own court.
The sentinels of the House of Chaos peeled away from the shadows, weapons drawn and magic ready at their fingertips.They wore the black-and-violet uniforms of the House of Chaos, all emanating controlled violence and efficiency.
For a heartbeat, I tensed, claws extending, ready to paint the courtyard red if they tried anything stupid. Instead, they formed a protective wall around us.
“Prince Rowan.” The squad leader bowed, formal despite the blood dripping from both of us. “This way, please.”
His brown hair was regulation short, practical for a soldier who didn’t want enemies grabbing it in close combat. His hazel eyes tracked our injuries with professional assessment, not concern exactly, but the cool calculation of someone deciding if we’d make it to shelter before collapsing. Square jaw, clean-shaven, with the kind of face that could blend into the crowd.
Buck.I recognized him through Barbie’s memories, and he eyed me with curiosity. With Rock and Cassius absent, Buck was clearly in charge.
Only the heirs and Killian’s tight circle knew that Barbie and I shared the same body, and now only Rowan knew that Barbie and I had separated. He hadn’t had time to process all this as we were on the run. It would come to him later, and I’d relish the look on his face as he registered that he could have me to himself, all day and all night.
No one questioned why the former fae heir was bloody and tattered, nor did they ask who I was. I had a feeling the entire House of Chaos already knew about the bond between their prince and the other heirs.
We were escorted to the front steps like royalty. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Rowan had just been stripped of everything and marked for death by the fae king, yet here he was, receiving more respect than he ever had in his own court.
“We seek refuge in the House of Chaos,” Rowan said, his voice rough. The formal request was an admission that he had nowhere else to go. His humility only made me prouder.
I, however, lifted my chin. “Where’s Barbie?” I demanded. Even when I had been fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with Rowan, a part of me had been terrified for my other half. A hollow ache, the space where she used to live inside me, flared with sudden panic. “Is she here? Is she safe?”
I was already calculating how fast I could get to the Kingdom of Chaos. My newly separate body might not move in sync with hers anymore, might not feel her heartbeat, but the primal need to protect her hadn’t faded. If anything, it had grown stronger.
Then Cami, Killian’s cousin, stepped out of the house, her dark Viking braids cascading over her shoulders.
Cami took in our blood-soaked appearance with her usual coolness.
“King Killian and Queen Barbie are on their way back,” she said. “Prince Rowan, as Killian’s sworn brother, you will always have a place here. And Sy, as Barbie’s sister, this is your home, too.”
Relief hit me so hard I sank my fingernails into Rowan’s knuckles; he squeezed my hand, his relief and joy echoing mine. Barbie was safe. She was coming back.
Then my brain caught up with the words.QueenBarbie?
I was doomed to exile with my prince, and she had landed herself a throne? We’d been separated for an hour, and she was already doing so well for herself.
Then another thought struck me.
