Leaning forward, I wrapped my arms around him. It was a night for hugs, for goodbyes. “It’s too dangerous. This is a stealth mission, which means we need minimal people.”
Blaine returned my hug so hard my ribs creaked in protest, but I didn’t say anything. I would take this, I would take whatever I had to for my family. “I’ll come back to you, I promise.” I said this to each of them as Monica, Jen, and Victor all got their chance for a hug.
Then it was time to get out of here. Time to get my crown back.
Kade, Violet, and I stood at the vortex that would take us to Baladar’s loft. Once we were back in Manhattan, we would sneak into the royal estate and send the mecca back. It should be even easier than last time, because all of the army was out of the estate, at the vortexes, readying to take on the bears. Finn and Nix, who were supposed to head straight to Baladar’s, had informed us that they would go through first and scout.
They were already out in the alleys of Manhattan. As per usual, they had ignored my request, but I couldn’t be too mad, as now we had some up-to-date intel. Finn said the city was crawling with guards, but that from what they overheard, Selene wasn’t in the borough center. She’d left to check on her people manning the waterway between Manhattan and Staten Island.
“Lucky Baladar was able to change the times this vortex was functional,” I said, sitting on the bench with Kade and Violet. “Wednesday would have been a little late.”
It was Saturday, mid-August. By Wednesday many shifters would be dead. Our battles were fast and lethal.
Kade’s strong hand slipped into mine, more of a comfort than the weight of the sword at my hip. I no longer had my fae blade, that had been lost when the winter queen took me in the Otherworld. This blade was more than enough to take out Selene though.
We connected to Manhattan and Staten Island disappeared from around us, the familiar energy sucking us through to Baladar’s loft. Last time we were here, the environment had been dim and muted, the flowers dull, a clear sign of Baladar’s poor health and loss of power. Everything now looked just a little more vibrant, and I hoped that meant my friend was on the mend. We stepped out from under the tree and crossed the large garden, heading for a door on the far wall.
Footsteps to my left had me turning with my sword raised. Upon seeing Calista, I lowered the weapon. “Cal, you scared me.”
She gave me a smile. “I knew you would choose to sneak in and take out Selene before letting any of your people get hurt.”
“Am I that easy to read?” I said with a chuckle.
She shook her head, soft strands of brown hair falling in front of her eyes. “No, but I raised you right, so I know how you think.”
My throat tightened. The Red Queen might have been my biological mother, but I meant what I’d said to Annette. Calista was the mother of my heart. She was the mother I chose.
I ate up the gap between us. She reached out and grasped my hand. “I’m going to fix this,” I whispered.
Calista nodded, a fierce determination lining her ageless face. “I never doubted you for a second. You are kind and strong, two things Selene knows nothing about.” Her voice got very serious. “Just remember, Selene’s weakness is her overconfidence. She is high on power and you can use that to your advantage. Her ego will be her downfall.”
I was counting on that. Her support gave me a boost of adrenalin; she had just confirmed the information we had built our entire plan on. I felt much better about it now. Calista was brilliant at mecca chess; I based many of my own strategic plays on hers. “Learn your enemy” was rule number one, and luckily, after many years of clashes, I knew everything about Selene and that slimy snake.
“Say it,” Calista said, and I chuckled. Still, it felt right to have this moment.
“I will kill Selene! I will take back the crown! I will win!” The fierceness in my voice assured me I was more than ready to achieve these goals. Achieve them or die trying.
As Kade always said, an honorable death was worth much. But I preferred to live for many more years. I had plenty of honor to last me the distance. Calista nodded, looking every bit the proud mother. Leaning over, I kissed her on the cheek, and then it was time to leave. Turning on my heel, I followed Kade and Violet out of the door and into a fight for my life.
For my crown. For my people.
Chapter Fourteen
Mother dearest.
Finn hadn’t been kidding when he said the streets of Manhattan were filled with guards. They were everywhere. Of course, Selene had them decked out in bright purple shirts, the color of her heir line, which made it fairly easy to spot and avoid them. Finn and Nix were giving us feedback as they cruised through the streets. Neither of them would return to Baladar’s loft, but they were at least staying out of sight, even though both of them were pretty unhappy about not being able to join us.
At about 3 A.M most of the patrols halted and the guards started marching their way through Manhattan.
Selene is calling them to the vortex, Kade said. We were hiding out in a small alley, letting the masses stream past us.
I nodded once at him, but remained vigilant. The moment the street was clear, we were going to have to haul butt to make it in time. 5 A.M was the deadline.
Finn tried again to guilt me into letting him closer. Ari, we’re stronger together.
I know. Once all the guards are gone, come find me at the royal estate. We’ll be in the mecca stone room.
He was satisfied, and I fought against the instinct to order him back to bear territory, far away from the danger. But if I had learned anything from my time with the winter fae, it was that I couldn’t do it all alone, that Finn and I were essentially the same soul. If I died, so would he. I just wasn’t keen on it being the other way around. I’d still live if he died, but I wouldn’t want to.
“We should be able to go in ninety seconds,” Violet said from behind me. She was letting Kade and I have the lookout.
I swiveled to see her better, the dim light reflecting off her pale beauty. “Ninety seconds?” That was oddly specific, even for her.
She gave me a wink, and it almost felt like the old Violet was back. For a moment.
“I know things. Sometimes the universe is my friend.” Her cryptic reply didn’t bother me. I accepted her secrets.
The seconds ticked by, and sure enough, almost exactly a minute and half later, the streets were empty. The quiet seemed extra eerie after all the noise that had just been echoing around. Kade took point, ducking out first. I followed close behind, and I could feel Violet’s energy right there with me. We stuck to the shadows. I sensed Nix right above us, which was reassuring. She was pretty great at spotting problems before they arose.