“I know.”
“It’s Aoife’s influence.” Baris paces the small room, arms crossed. “You’ll need the spell book to see what she did.”
“She never broke the spell.”
“She did,” I mumble. “But only I could see it.”
“Only those of Aoife’s blood could see the spells. She uses blood magic—not unlike your abilities, her blood is used in all things to make them near unbreakable.” Grabbing my hands, he kneels before me. “I’m sorry you weren’t told until now. I was afraid if Aoife knew who you were—who you were to me, that she would kill you. I see now, that was not the right choice.”
“No, it wasn’t,” I argue. “But I understand why.” He only wanted to protect me.
“All of this, your family, your connection is why you can end the curse, little one. Only someone who truly loved the beast and of Aoife’s blood could stop it.”
“She did it on purpose.” Clearing my throat, I push away the defeat swimming in my veins and focus on my anger. Anger at Aoife. “She wanted to be the one to end the curse. She wanted Kyrin to be in love with her and thought she could force him into it.”
“I just don’t think she saw him becoming so uncontrollable. The curse grew, and it spread through the line, becoming its own entity. She could’ve broken the curse with Kaden if he had loved her. But that is not Gods’ Will.”
Fee ignores Baris, glancing to me. “If we get the spell book, we can reverse whatever she did. We can end her.”
It’s the only plan we have. Oslo said the book was important—maybe not to end Kaden’s curse, but to end Aoife.
“We’ll get the spell book.” Exiting the cottage, I inhale, clearing my mind. “But I’ll be the one to kill Aoife.”
No one stops me, or corrects me. We’re in agreement. Aoife has to die.
“Get the spell book. Bring it to me.” Baris stops at the door. “If we can’t figure it out, we may need to focus on breaking the curse over the land fully, to have a chance at saving it.”
Griffin is still a threat. My lands are under attack.
And I don’t care. Not about the worries, the threats, or the world. I only care about ending Aoife’s reign and getting my husband back.
“We save Kaden first.”
It’snight by the time we get back to the palace. I jump from the horse and fall to my knees in the dust. The guards at the entrance ignore me but inside I feel my resolve break.
There are too many obstacles—too many worries. Saving Kaden was supposed to be done. We were supposed to save the Shadowlands together—we were supposed to be together.
After so much time apart, so many concerns, we’re back where we started. I have to save—or let him go. It’s what anyone else would do—choose to save the many over one. But I am not truly selfless; I cannot abandon Kaden.
Reid wraps his arm around my shoulder as a tear falls to the ground, blending into the dirt. “Whatever you decide, we will stand by you.”
Another tear drops. “And if I decide to save the world instead of your brother?”
Fee kneels in front of me, amber eyes as bright as the fire she controls. “You are our sister. And our queen. We will follow you. You’re not alone in this.”
My heart breaks anew as fresh sorrow threatens to drown me. They would choose me over their brother, if it meant doing the right thing. How can they trust me so easily?
“There you are,” Kaden calls, striding from the palace. Dressed in his typically dark clothing, I notice the rose in his breast pocket. A symbol of Aoife—her scent, the rose that did this. I want to vomit all over the pink flowers gathered in front of me.
“And where have you been?” Fee asks, standing. She puts us behind her like a shield.
Looking into my mate’s eyes, I see that flash of madness again. It’s a sign I ignored last night. It’s not him—it’s not Kaden. Not truly. But it is Aoife. Whatever she’s done, she’s put her influence over him and changed him completely.
“Discussing war strategy with Aoife.” He glances to me and smirks. “Move aside, Fee. I’d like to touch my mate.”
“Where did this meeting take place?” Reid helps me to stand, never removing his arm from my shoulders. And Gods bless her, Fee stays at a fortified wall between us. “We checked the grounds.”
He rolls his eyes, smirk growing. The energy coming from him isn’t normal—it’s chaotic. A cat ready to pounce, he feels dangerous. I better watch my step.
