Her father was the reason the Great War began. Adaela stopped for several minutes here, gathering her resolve to talk more about her journey. At one point, I moved Adaela into my lap, silently giving her encouragement to tell the remainder ofthe story. I rubbed small circles against her back as she told us of fighting harpies, Demons, and even Cronus himself to find this object of power.
The object her father wanted was not Pandora’s Box, but rather a primeval sword that held the ability to remove one’s power in death and give that power to someone else. Only people from Adaela’s bloodline were able to wield the sword, and her father wanted it back. Cronus held possession of the sword, but he also had the Box. He had told her a story of her mother, and how the Box meant something to her. In exchange for both the sword and the Box, Cronus granted Adaela the chance to answer a riddle—one she was sworn not to tell another living soul—in exchange for her life. If she was able to answer the riddle, Cronus would then be required to gift Adaela two possessions: the sword and the Box.
Since Adaela had gone to Tartarus alone, the only other person who knew about the Box was her long-time lover when she’d brought it home for safekeeping. It wasn’t until she had learned about her lover’s betrayal that the ruination of an entire people happened. I kissed her tears away, murmuring in her ear about how brave she was for holding this secret for as long as she had.
For a long while after that, I held Adaela in my arms, silently lending her my strength and rocking her in my arms as she finally let out a century’s worth of pent-up secrets and heartbreak. I understood betrayal. I understood the desire to protect yourself as well as the others around you by sacrificing everything you knew to stand in your morals.
Yaga seemed to understand this too, as she puttered around the kitchen, giving the two of us space. She tidied up as best she could in her cluttered kitchen. She was aware of the implications of this Box going missing.
Finally, Adaela’s tears slowed down, and the exhaustionevident in every movement told me she was ready for a nap. Silently standing up with Adaela in my arms, I jerked my head toward the couch, silently asking Yaga if it was okay to lay her down. Yaga nodded, and I gently lowered Adaela onto the cushions, kissing her forehead and tucking her in with the brown and yellow crocheted granny square blanket from the ‘70s on Earth.
“Rest, sweet girl. Your story is safe with us. We will figure this out,” I said to her, and she snuggled under the blanket. She put an arm under her head and lay on her side, facing the back of the couch. I watched her for a few minutes before finally returning to my seat next to Yaga at the island.
“I think you understand now what burdens your mate has been carrying around with her. When we last spoke, I told you that you were going to have to fight for her in more ways than one. I’m afraid the Box has been opened, and now it is up to you and her to figure out how to close it once more,” Yaga told me.
I bit my nails, thinking about the prophecy, “So, does this prophecy mean that Adaela’s going to be queen of all of the realms?”
Yaga’s normally harsh façade softened. “If we stay the path, I’m afraid so. It’s not what she ever wanted, but it’s what we must work with.”
I blew out a breath. Living in the ninth circle of Hell for as long as I had, I was used to the games of the big bad living in every realm. The ninth circle was visited frequently because of the wild sex parties held there. Since I was cursed to live a life without physical pleasure, I found my pleasure in taking down some of the biggest players through their own truths. I understood early on that my curse could turn me into a keeper of secrets, and so I learned how to be stealthy. It was my strongest asset, and one Adaela and I hadn’t talked about yet.
“So, what is the plan here?” I asked.
“I think it’s time you both make a visit to the king. I know that’s the last thing Adaela wants, but you must protect her at all costs. She is the key to making sure everything doesn’t fail,” she replied.
“What does this entail? I need to know what I’m getting myself into.” I stretched. It felt like it had been hours, but the sun was still shining outside like no time had passed at all. I remembered that time moved differently in Underhill, and I’d likely been up for more than a day at this point.
“You know the story of King Cernunnos, right? That his quest for power knows no bounds and that he usurped the throne? His mate, Ardent, was Adaela’s mother, who he brutally murdered when Adaela was born. He had an heir and no desire to share his throne. The man is brutality personified, and he runs his kingdom by fear. He doesn’t have all that much power and isn’t connected to Underhill, so he seeks magical objects to make sure that his power remains intact. Underhill, however, has always taken to Adaela, and Cernunnos’s jealousy of his only living heir has caused her immense pain at his hands,” Yaga told me.
I was unsurprised, based off what little Adaela had told me about her father, but my heart still hurt for her. She had fought so hard to get out of his clutches, yet my mistake in rushing through the portal brought her right back here under his clutches. I was honestly shocked that Yaga was so blatantly speaking treason in his lands. I guessed we were really in the Summer Court now, so maybe it wasn’t as big of a deal as I was making it. The Summer king hated Cernunnos.
Regardless, Yaga was right. I needed to protect Adaela at all costs. “Is it possible I could leave her in your care while I speak with the king?” I asked.
“I’m afraid not. You wouldn’t be let in the door without her. The two of you need to replenish yourselves and makeyourselves known the next time King Cernunnos holds court, which should be tomorrow. I will let the two of you rest up and plan your approach. You need answers, and I believe that King Cernunnos is as good a place to start as any. The Elves, while welcome in Underhill, haven’t made nearly as much progress as you all might want to think.” She paused, choosing her next words carefully. “I have a guest bedroom here. The two of you are welcome to use it for the night. I will make stew to help you replenish your reserves. No debt will be owed.”
I nodded, but my focus on Adaela was sleeping in the other room. She seemed at peace in her slumber, and I was hesitant to wake her to plan what we would have to do in the morning, but it was unfortunately necessary. She’d at least gotten a decent nap.
Slowly, I uncurled myself from the barstool, stretching as I stood up. I walked over to Adaela, going to my knees on the floor to gently wake my gorgeous girl up. I ran my hand up her shirt, touching the skin of her back softly. “Sweet girl,” I murmured. “Come on, baby girl, it’s time to wake up.”
She jumped, and I resisted chuckling. She was a light sleeper, and I was surprised she’d slept through Yaga and I talking. Those post-cry naps were always some of my favorites. She needed good rest tonight, and I’d make sure that she got it, as much as I’d rather be doing other things. I had a feeling we’d be awake well into the evening strategizing, and I needed her at her best.
Underhill
450 Years Ago
Iwas in trouble again. Father, King Cernunnos, was on a rampage. His rival, King Oberon, had gained a stronghold in Underhill overnight. I’d been asleep, but that was no excuse for father. He believed it was my duty to kill anyone who breached our borders. I believed differently. My father had been slowly starving our citizens for centuries. It made them more desperate to do his bidding. They’d receive food and shelter if and only if they ceded to his demands. There was something inherently wrong with this, and I often fought this in ways I could, like sneaking out food, or sending a healer when needed. However, because of my place as his daughter, I never went without, and that didn’t sit right with me. I was often strung up in this very place because I was caught giving my food to those who needed it more. I spent as much time in the libraries as possible, learning about our peoples’ history, and quietly reading texts about other beings as well.
I was the strongest Fae alive. My father didn’t have power over anything other than beasts, but the Unseelie court was full of beasts. His reign of terror knew no bounds, and they were often subjected to do his bidding without their consent. Father was hateful, cruel, andgave our courts the reputation of being ruthless killers. Under his rule, we were. There were only two things holding him in power: his ability to call the Sluagh—the Wild Hunt—and me. Since the Sluagh were flying creatures, often seen as ravens individually, his control over beasts made it possible for him to strike fear in anyone who crossed him. My shadows were technically also beasts who would do his bidding if coerced. However, I’d quietly amassed strength over the centuries, which was unheard of once Fae reached adulthood. What my father didn’t know was that I’d mastered my shadows, and I was stronger than him. My shadows were part of the Sluagh, and was often what he called upon to control me, though I’d been learning how to ignore his calls for some time.
I never got the chance to know my mother. She was murdered by my father’s sycophants shortly after she birthed me, but traditionally, the Fae were a matriarchal society. Underhill only granted its gifts to us, and my father was determined to change that. Instead, I was subjected to carrying out his will. I could’ve killed him many times over, but I was playing the long game. I needed to be careful and strategize the outcome before I was responsible for the genocide of an entire people. My father consistently held that over my head.
I thought of my beautiful Sabine as I wasted away in chains. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been here this time, but she wouldn’t come. She couldn’t. She’d been with me since childhood, first as my childhood friend, then more as the years went on. It was in secret, always had been. She was my confidant, my lover, and my mate. My father could never know, because he’d have her killed. He thought love was weak. I thought it gave me purpose. My love for her helped me learn how to love my people when I was separated from them. I was to be seen and not heard, according to my father, unless he wanted to show his prized daughter off. I was never brought into battle unless my powers would grant my father his greatest desires.
Footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the hallway, and from the sound, I knew who was on their way here. It was what brought meout of my rambling thoughts about the past, about my father, about Sabine. Those steps could only be the king himself. I couldn’t remember the last time he’d graced me with his presence here, but my pulse pounded, death magic fighting off the effects of the iron around my wrists. If he was coming, it only meant one thing. Someone was going to die.
The iron shackles my father loved to bind me in prevented me from being able to tap into my powers. I couldn’t summon my shadows, cast glamour, or use my death magic. It meant I’d have to use my wit, and that was a game Father was still better at than me. I hated the underlying games my people played—especially the Sidhe.
I saw his horns before I saw him, as he had to duck to get his body into the room. I schooled my expression to a placid, meditative-like state. “Father. Welcome,” I rasped out. I’d been here longer than I thought if my voice was this hoarse.
