“Yeah, no, I was just trying to think of something. Bad suggestion.” He winced.
“Yeah, we all are. Nothing we can think of will work.”
“How's everyone doing? How’s she acting?” He rubbed his jaw, but the worry was clear in his eyes. Adele and Wren got along great, and Birch had taken a liking to her as well. The entire kingdom did.
“She's rash and blunt, very blunt.” I adjusted the ornament in my hair with a frown. “But we’ve found a way to ground her when she gets out of control.”
“I'm sorry, Thorn. I'm sure you guys will figure it out. Grounding her is at least something.”
“Kian has been forcing visions, but so far, the only way to remove it from her is by rebonding her with her rejected mate and letting him die.”
Even then, we weren’t sure if the dark magic would die with him. Kian could never see past Grayson’s death.
Distress pulled at my heart. We needed our mate.
“I trust you. You’re my brother. If you want to get the crystal, I will not mention this to anybody, but I don't feel comfortable with sending a fae team. I don't think anyone else needs to know where it is.”
“I absolutely agree with you. I was thinking that myself and Wren, maybe some more of her mates would get it.”
He nodded. “I won't mention this to Father, but please make sure to return the crystal back to the cave when you are finished with it.”
“If the relic doesn't destroy it first, I will.”
I knew as King of the Ice and Fire Kingdom that this was a big deal for him to do.
“Speaking of the crystals, Adele told me what the special crystal was in the Fire Kingdom.” He wriggled his brows at me.
We’d wondered for so long what the other kingdoms’ crystals were, and we would play spies as kids to infiltrate the royal family and find out. Of course, we never did. “What does it do?”
He gave a dry chuckle. “It consumes a fae’s affinity and replaces it with fire.”
“So that would be no help to us.” I gave a strained nod.
“As long as the Fire Kingdom doesn't get any crazy ideas about making all of the fae fire fae, then we should be fine,” he murmured before running a hand over his face. “Adele found a journal with her mother’s plans. The former fire Queen had one of the crystals with intent to use it, but Adele found it and hid it. The plan was that Nate was going to have one at that battle between the humans and the supernatural at the academy. His target was you.”
My chest tightened. I knew Nate was power hungry and crazy, but to replace a fae’s affinity was mad.
“I thought you should know.” He stood up and dusted off his cape. “I hope the dark magic can be cleansed from your mate. If I can do anything to help, brother, just say so.”
My power subsided as I got to my feet and nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind, but allowing me to get the crystal is a big help.”
“I also wanted to mention that Madison sent in a letter of complaint about Wren against the royal family.”
I scoffed, anger boiling inside of me. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. It says that Wren spoke down to her in a very improper manner void of class.” Birch chuckled, waving a hand back and forth. “Don't worry. I already threw it out. But I just wanted you to be aware that she seems like a scorned woman.”
“Wren has been the only one on my mind since I was young, even if I had a lapse of judgment as a teenager.”
His gaze softened. “I know more about lapses of judgment than anyone, but Madison’s had it in her mind that you were hers since you were betrothed as children.”
“That's ridiculous.” The air around me froze.
“I'm just trying to tell you that I don't think she has any malicious intent other than being a problem with you and Wren. I don’t think she’s evil or anything.”
“Well, that's malicious enough to me,” I grumbled. “I do not want her to attend any more parties within the kingdom that are for the royals.”
“She is of noble blood,” Birch reminded me. “Forsaking her with the kingdom would be to forsake her whole family.”
