Despite my annoyance, I still wanted to comfort him. Reaching out, I placed my palm flat against his chest, right above his heart. “Because if I fail … and I’m not planning on it, just so you know … but if I do, I need you to lead the army.”
When he exhaled in a loud huff, I knew he had accepted it. He would do as I asked. He didn’t like it, but he would respect my position as queen.
“Just … don’t die, Princess,” he finally said, leaning down to give me a quick hug. “Where you go, I go.”
Violet, Blaine, and I had been saying that to each other since we were kids. Three musketeers. All for one and one for all.
“I’ll be back, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” The lighthearted tone was missing; my joke fell flat.
Before he could comment again, I turned to Bianca and she bestowed her charming smile on me, not looking at all upset at the interaction between Blaine and me. “Look after him for me. I’m really happy you two found each other.”
She surprised me by reaching out and giving me a hug. “Thank you for choosing me to come to the Otherworld. Not only have we learned a lot working side by side with the fae, but I found…” Her eyes shifted to Blaine. “I found something I didn’t even know I was looking for.”
I thought about my first meeting with Kade. Well, second one really — the first I was way too young for a serious romance. “I know exactly what you mean.”
We shared a girl moment, one I hoped I could expand on in the future.
“We have to go now,” Dante warned. “The longer we linger, the greater the chance the queen hears of your plan.”
Blaine gave me one last look, his eyes speaking volumes, before he spun and strode offinto the trees. I knew he was still upset, but he had Bianca. He would be okay.
Kade stepped into me then, and I found myself leaning back against his strength. “You handled that very well,” I murmured, as his arms came around me.
His chest shook as low rumbles of laughter left him. “I’m glad you weren’t paying attention to our bond.”
I tilted my head back for one last kiss, and then it was time to go. This time we walked away from the noise of training and chatter. We walked in companionable silence for over an hour, each of us preparing, in our own way, for the task that lay before us.
Eventually, Dante made a hand motion for us to stop. He got low to the ground and sniffed, looking up at two trees off to the left. They were curved into each other, making an archway.
“This way,” he whispered.
Kade tightened his grasp on his staff. I readjusted my pack so that it was firm against my back, and we followed Dante to the entrance of the tree arch. He was peering into it.
“Damn,” Dante whispered. Shelley broke away from Kian’s side and peered through the archway as well.
“I can help,” she told Dante in hushed tones.
“What is going on?” I asked.
Dante walked back a few feet and we huddled around him. “There is a magical portal here that takes us right into the Fall Court. From there we find the next portal to enter the Winter Court.”
“These portals would have come in handy last time we were here,” I said.
He shook his head and some of my excitement faded away. I prepared myself for the bad news. “This portal is guarded. As soon as we exit the portal, they will alert the winter queen.”
“Winter? You said it was Fall Court?” Kade asked, his keen eyes tracking Dante’s every movement.
Shelley was the one to answer: “The winter queen rules the Fall Court as well. Those fae are actually her guards. I recognize them. But I can confuse them with my magic and make them let us through.”
A flicker of wariness crossed Dante’s golden face. No doubt he wasn’t used to trusting others when he was on a mission. But he simply waved a hand toward the portal.
As Shelley stepped forward, Kian reached out to wrap his hand across her shoulder. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
“I’ll be fine,” she replied.
Kian narrowed his eyes, and I recognized that stubborn look on his face. It was Kade all over. Eventually, Kian released his mate and gave hera nod. Shelley smoothed her coat and unsheathed her sword. “Give me sixty seconds. If I’m not back, come through fighting.”
I pulled out my blade. Kian adjusted the grip on his weapon, and we all moved closer, ready to assist if she needed it.
