After reaching my magic out to the destroyed trees, I found their roots deep within the earth. Slowly, I poured my magic into those roots. Beneath my fingers, the earth warmed.
A soft tremor stirred the ground as trunks sprouted, branches blooming with fresh leaves and tiny white flowers. A young sapling stretched to the sky as it forged into the beauty it once was, now decorated with new life.
“The destruction has to stop,” I said, resurrecting the life Kane had destroyed.
My fingers tingled with magic. I’d never fully restored a treeto life before, and I prayed that was a sign of something greater to come.
Kane huffed, his gaze stuck on the restored trees. Those gigantic eyes blinked twice, almost as if he was assessing what just took place.
When he didn’t speak, I dropped to my knees, bowing my head, hoping he would listen. A lone tear raced down my cheek.
Things will never change. Not when Kane has so much hate in his heart.
The only way I can help anyone is if I can free myself.
Something warm touched my face. I opened my eyes to Kane back in fae form, kneeling in front of me.
“Just this once,” he said. “I'll listen to you.”
Without waiting for a reply, he lifted me up into his arms.
“Go,” he said to the guard. “I want whoever attacked her arrested and sent to my dungeon. They need to see what happens when they harm the queen. This cannot go unanswered.”
He said the last part to me and I nodded. “I understand.”
“Good.”
He looked back at the guard. “I will take care of the queen.”
What does that mean?
Black shadowy wings protruded from his back, growing so large they cocooned around us. I had done nothing wrong, yet seeing the anger in his gaze, the magic pouring out of him, made me question whattake care ofactually meant.
Because it didn’t sound good.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Deirdre
With a suddenwhoosh,Kane vaulted into the air, taking me to some kind of undesirable destination or event.
The wind whipped my hair in front of my face, making it impossible to see. I gripped Kane’s neck tighter as we tore through the sky and up into the clouds, his shadow wings gliding us through the air. He held me to his chest, and I didn’t dare let go, even though being this close to him was as dangerous as being back in that village.
Throughout our time together, I garnered slight glimpses of the monster I had heard of, the dragon of this castle, and it would only take one moment for Kane to get furious and bite my head off. Just because he hadn’t didn’t mean he wouldn’t.
“Where are you taking me?” I held on to him, praying he wouldn’t drop me.
“Somewhere where you can stay out of trouble.”
This wasn't my fault. I just wanted to help. What was hegoing to do with me? Was he going to put the collar back on? Was he going to put me back in the spire and not let me leave?
Or something worse.
Even after we wed, nothing had changed much. We were still strangers… enemies, weren’t we?
His reactions were unexpected and confusing. Didn’t he find me bothersome?
Why do I care what he thinks or feels? It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t.
