“Will you continue to grow weaker the longer you are in the mecca?” I said, focusing on her energy.
There was a brief pause and then: Yes. I will eventually fade into almost nothing. But a small part of my consciousness will forever be trapped. No release. No rebirth.
One life for another. I could not sentence another to the same fate she had … except for Luca. This had all started with him — with his need for power, his greedy and evil ways. He had killed the Red Queen, betraying the love and trust she had in him. It was time I showed him what karma had in store.
“I will get you out,” I told my mother. “I have an idea.” I felt a sliver of her relief, before I turned to my friends. “We need to find Luca, now!” I growled.
Kade wore his warrior expression again, but there was a true twinge of pride in his eyes. He was staring at me with a look even more adoring than he had given that staff. It was nice to see that. Before I could say anything … or maybe climb my mate and kiss the hell out of him, Violet poofed out of the room. By the time I had swung to stare at the spot she’d disappeared from, she was back, the shoulder of her dress torn.
“Good news, I found Luca in the war room. Bad news, it was really crowded in there and the guards almost got me. They know we’re here.”
“Good.” I grinned, all focus returning to me.
Climbing will have to wait for later, mate. Kade let those words drift into my mind, and a burst of anticipation exploded in my belly. Later could not get here soon enough.
Pulling mecca power into me, I headed for the door. “Violet, please make a portal for Blaine and the Summer Court army. They will be heading to Rowan, but I need them here. Also, make sure Baladar is on his way. It’s time. I am kicking these squatters out.”
Kade unsheathed his sword and stepped aside. I no longer had a sword; my ice one disappeared in the Otherworld. Luckily, I didn’t exactly need a weapon anymore.
I walked with purpose, fast and without care for being silent. Kade followed me out of the room just as Violet popped in right behind us.
“That was fast,” I said.
My best friend grinned. “The basement is filling with soldiers as we speak.”
We opened the door that led to the outer hallway. Two guards were standing there. Two of my guards. Shifters.
They raised their weapons at me, but I blasted them with mecca, knocking them back into the wall. My aim had been to use enough mecca to break the spell Luca had on them, but not enough to do any real damage.
I let out a relieved breath when they blinked rapidly, looking around, confused.
“Your Highness…” one mumbled as he stared at me in shock, before bowing low.
“All is well,” I said swiftly. “Go to the basement and join the others,” I ordered, my tone firm but not unkind.
They both nodded, clarity returning to their previously blank gazes. In a flash they were up, running toward the staircase.
I was trying not to grow overconfident, but it was a relief that the spells from Luca’s weapon were as easy to break as everything else I’d tried. And I intended to break his weapon.
Along with his neck.
We traversed the halls quickly. I blasted guards as we went, and as more of my people came back to me, the more powerful my center of magic felt.
As we turned down the hall that led to the war room, I nearly collided with one of Luca’s fae guards. Throwing out a ball of mecca, I struck the guard and he flew five feet into the air, slamming his head on the wall, and slumped to the ground.
“What is—?” Luca stepped out, and upon seeing me held up his staff, ready to emit its powers.
A staff. How original.
I didn’t give him the chance, thrusting a mixture of mecca and fae magic straight at him and his little weapon. Kade collided with a guard behind me — Violet was blasting one on my left —both of them keeping the emerging fae from touching me while I fought their prince. The staff flew out of Luca’s hand, skidding across the tiles. I was really getting sick and tired of these freaking evil staffs. I never wanted to see another one for as long as I lived.
In calm strides, I crossed to my fallen fae. Without his little weapon, he looked weak and sniveling as he stared up at me.
“You have a debt to repay to my mother,” I informed him. Using great force, I slapped out with my energy, shoving Luca against the wall. His head cracked with a solid thump, and he slumped into unconsciousness.
I turned to Violet. “Can you please transport him to the mecca crystal room.”
She nodded, grabbing his wrist, and in a blink they were both gone.
His guards had filed out into the hall now and were about to attack. I raised my hands, and let every ounce of mecca that was in my body flow out in a purple light show. It filled the room, and was so huge and spectacular, that it worked in halting the attack.
“The winter queen is dead!” I said, my voice was loud, strong, and brimming with fury. “As is the dark fae, and soon Luca will be also. I am the interim winter queen until I find a replacement, which means you all have a choice to make. Fight me and die … or pledge your allegiance and I’ll let you go home to live in a new, kinder winter realm.”
The men and women froze, most with hardened looks, but there were more than a few who looked relieved to hear of their queen’s death. I’m sure they felt it, the same way shifters did, and my confirmation was enough for them to truly believe it. Those soldiers fell to their knees, like the weight of their relief was so much they literally couldn’t stand anymore. Heads fell into hands, and cries and sobs started to echo around. The winter fae still standing looked at each other, like they were trying to find a leader, like they needed someone to tell them what to do. One of the men near the front line had more decorative clothing, with large jewels inlaid along his cloak. He looked, and held himself, like a commander, or someone of great importance.
He did not hesitate. “Yield to the queen,” the commander ordered. This time no one hesitated. These were a browbeaten people, used to having their will stripped from them.
I nodded. “My army is waiting in the basement for my command. If you make one move against me or my people, I won’t hesitate to kill all of you.”
The commander nodded, laying down his sword.
I turned to Kade. “I’m going to see if I can figure out how to trade a life for a life.”
He grinned at me and straightened, arms crossed over his chest. “I will keep an eye on our people, make sure the fae don’t decide they have a little more warring in them.”
I stood on tiptoes, and he still had to lower his head so our lips could touch.
I love you, we both whispered through our bond at the same time.