Staying in Hyvenmere to help rebuild my people’s trust was the logical solution, but one I only accepted with resentment. Slowly, reluctantly, I shifted my mate’s body into the arms of her most trusted person.
“If you hurt her,” I muttered, “Iwillkill you.” The fae curled his lips back, unhappy with the blatant threat I just gave his mate.
“The same goes for you,brother,” my sibling replied. We stared at each other for a brief moment before she accepted Vanessa’s body with a gentle hold of her own.
Perhaps the halfling—my sister—wouldn’t be so annoying after all.
“We’ll stay in touch,” Caelena addressed them. The fae prince and his mate both nodded, and the halfling sent me a glance as her mate draped her and Vanessa in his arms.
“She’ll be safe,” Audrey reassured me. “She’s just not like us. She needs more time to heal. Somewhere safe.”
“I’m aware,” I spat. I flinched at myself, remembering that my mate was now going to be in the care of this person. “Just—” I pinched the bridge of my nose, my lap and arms felt terribly cold with the loss of her warmth, “Help her get better.”
“We will.” My sibling bit her lip as she gave her mate a look I couldn’t identify. A look that felt like a secret conversation between the two. “…Whatever Vanessa wants.”
The fae pressed his lips together, nodding once, before they disappeared. Lyskifted back to the human realm. I frantically reached out toward the space they once occupied, even though it was useless. They were gone.
“She healed him too much,” I growled at my cousin. “If he was able to lyskift that easily.”
“She needed to stop Ilia.” Caelena flipped me off with her words. I knew, logically, that she was right. But the thought of my mate getting the last remaining dregs of my sibling’s gift irritated me beyond control. “…One step at a time.” Caelena wrapped her fingers around mine.
One step at a time. Clean up this mess. Rebuild with the people I wasn’t sure I could claim as my own. Invite those who had to flee back, without the threat of execution hanging over their heads, should they choose.
Get back to Vanessa.
Shesaidshe’d stay with me. I wasn’t above holding her last spoken words to me over her head.
I will. Her voice sounded wrong. Weak. Too close to death. Rage flooded my veins as my gaze landed on the…mush that was once my father. And to think some males in my realm thoughtthattheywere the superior sex. Winning back trust with my people needed to start with the fem—the women.
“You’re right,” Caelena spoke, locked into my thoughts. “First our people. Then we’ll figure out how to help you get your mate back. I promise.”
I nodded, squeezing her hand in acceptance.
I couldn’t force my expression into one of understanding. Starving me for several days in a cell while being forced to injure myself seemed to do a number on me. The fact that I thought I heard Vanessa’s voice above the cells my father kept me in was enough for me to call to that base instinct inside of me. To tear out of my cell, to throw guards out of my way, destroying my home until I made it outside, where my heartknewshe was waiting.
I wasn’t fast enough.
“I promise,” Caelena repeated. I nodded once; my eyes stuck on my father’s remains. Of course, my cousin had her own reasons to return to the human realm as well. That was all the assurance I needed to listen to her. I straightened my shoulders and dropped my cousin’s hand to fold my arms across my chest.
I lingered back as my cousin started barking orders to set up a medical tent, while I focused on the remaining scent of Vanessa in my nose.
Clinging to it. Savoring it, alreadydesperateto be close enough for her scent to fill my head again. But I couldn’t. She would want me to help my cousin, I realized. That was all I needed to get myself to follow Caelena’s lead.
And then, no matter what else happened, I was getting back to my mate.
Even if I had to beg her.
Get me back, I silently prayed to the old goddesses of my realm.No matter what happens, get me back to Vanessa.
Chapter 30
AUDREY
It had been two days since I killed Ilia Shaw.
“By unanimous vote, it is determined that the Mellhawn Gates will remain open indefinitely to halflings and humans who discover Hyvenmere, and wish to enter our realm peacefully,” Queen Ada gently slapped her palms on the surface of the table to punctuate her decree, making the two Kings and Queen of the Nereids repeat the gesture in support. I followed suit, officially the human realm’s representative as the halfling who fulfilled an ancient prophecy. However, everyone at the tribunal noticed a missing set of hands slapping their agreement, and we each turned to face the newest leader of the sirens.
Drustan Shaw.
