Page 127 of Ruling the Green

Eyes on me, he kicked off his shoes, removed his tunic and his pants, then stepped right in, then into my arms.

Perfect.

It was absolutely perfect.

Jet - 6 months

“It seems we overestimated our security needs,” Nira said as they walked away from the fifteenth fae we’d passed who’d paused to drop at Jet’s feet and thank him.

Some were thanking him for the return of their loved ones from the camps or the dungeons. Others, for no longer stealing their crops. Still others wanted to show their gratitude for stripping their previous employers of their wealth and titles, which freed them from a life of servitude to cruel bosses.

“If you’re not careful, it’s gonna turn into the Light over here,” Nira teased.

Jet glanced up as a flock of sluagh—the nightmare birds—swarmed overhead with a series of spine-tingling screams and shot Nira a smirk.

“We should be nearly—” Vishen said. But then, just through the trees, we saw them.

No draca army this time, just Cece, her husband, and a small band of guards.

“Well, look at that,” Celestine said, glancing up at the crown on my head. “You got your crown after all.”

“With a little help,” I agreed, pulling Serin closer. “May I introduce my wife? Queen Serin.”

Serin beamed up at me as she always did when I used her title.

“So, you’re the one who created such an uproar in my realm when you got kidnapped. It’s nice to finally meet you. This is my husband, Jasper.”

“Jasper, I’ve heard a lot about you. And your sisters,” Serin said. “I hope they’re well.”

“They are. Thank you.”

“So, I hear our father is off the throne.”

“He is.”

“Where is he?”

“Somewhere where he will never get free.”

“Well, just in case,” Cece said, reaching into her pocket and producing a necklace that she passed to me.

“What’s this?”

“What’s what?” Nira asked, leaning over to look at my hands. “There’s nothing there.”

My gaze flicked up to Celestine. “Magic, obviously. It was how my mom stayed ‘mad’ for so long, so our father couldn’t use her. Only this won’t make him crazy. He will just be very subdued and submissive as long as he is wearing it. The magic is… no one can see it but you. Not even him. So he will never know. Neither will anyone else. But it will contain him without cruelty. A mercy he wouldn’t show anyone else, of course, but one that protects our souls from going that dark.”

“This will come in handy. Thank you.”

We had magic in the Dark realm, of course. But it tended to be more volatile and unpredictable. And, well, Dark.

It was handy to have an ally in the light for this sort of thing.

“I also hear your power has manifested.”

“It manifested a long time ago.”

“You just didn’t want Cass to use it against you.”