Amid the chaos, it became clear who remained loyal to Rogan and who believed in Bayleon and Bastian. Fists flew between the Tyvar, and Bayleon had the upper hand on Rogan as his powerful blows left him battered and bruised. Meanwhile, Bastian’s ropes had been cut and he was fighting off the four men who had been restraining him, taking punches to the stomach but never ceasing in his fight. But unfortunately, the odds were not in their favor; there were too many of Rogan’s men in the crowd.

  Bayleon’s eyes were wild with rage as he advanced on Rogan with a loud battle cry. Another Tyvar lunged at Bayleon, but with a single movement, Bayleon seized the sword from the warrior’s grip and brought it down with a vicious slice across the man’s back. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

  Bayleon turned his wrathful gaze back to Rogan, who had struggled to his feet, one arm outstretched in a feeble attempt to defend himself. With a final roar of determination, Bayleon swung his sword in an arc of power, slicing through Rogan’s neck and finally ending the violent conflict. Sadly, it was far from over. Bayleon and Bastian were surrounded by about a hundred Tyvar, with the odds seemingly insurmountable.

  Everything was still and silent until Diawen locked eyes with me and began to move closer, her steps measured and purposeful. Lerissa’s gaze met mine and all I could see was dread as she surveyed the Tyvar, then me, then the box in Diawen’s grasp. Whatever was inside it, I knew it wouldn’t be anything good.

  The force within me resonated outward and my magic connected with the lake once again. The earth rumbled beneath us like an earthquake and Diawen stopped, scanning around to locate where it was coming from.

  A smile spread across my face as her attention returned to me. Then the sound of galloping water began to build until a thunderous roar surrounded us. I unleashed the water in one massive burst that crashed into the Tyvar encircling Bayleon and Bastian, pushing most of them away toward the outskirts of the village, but there were still some around.

  Diawen and Lerissa were also taken in by its power, but I knew it wouldn’t hold Diawen for long; she was a siren born of the sea. Being in the water was one of her strengths. Bayleon and Bastian desperately tried to reach me, but a few of the men who had evaded the wave managed to stop them. I had to free myself before Diawen returned with even more ferocity. Fighting against her with iron shackles around my wrists would be nearly impossible.

  Footsteps echoed behind me, but no one was there when I tried to look for the source. Then, I felt a sudden touch on my shoulder and heard a low hiss escape the lips of who I assumed to be Aidan.

  “Son of a . . .” I gasped, completely taken aback by his presence. “Aidan?” I whispered.

  “Yeah, it’s me. Damn iron,” he spat as his skin sizzled from touching the cuffs. Jangling keys echoed as he searched for the right one to unlock my chains.

  “How are you invisible? Lerissa and I have the necklaces.” He huffed as he struggled to identify the right one. “She came to me and said you needed help but didn’t have time to explain why.” The keys jingled more. “So, she gave me the necklace and the keys and left.”

  My heart suddenly filled with worry for Lerissa, knowing that my own magic had swept her away.

  “Aidan, listen,” I demanded. “There has to be more Tyvar here who are loyal to Bayleon and Bastian. Can you sense them anywhere? Maybe they’re in some kind of prison in the encampment.”

  Aidan stilled behind me, and I knew he was trying to concentrate. A few seconds later, he started back on the iron shackles. “I think you’re right. I can smell many of them on the opposite side of the camp, but it’s like they’re enclosed inside the earth, probably an underground dungeon.”

  I had to believe Aidan was right. If not, we were in even more trouble.

  “I need you to free them,” I said quickly. “Rogan’s men will be coming back for blood, and we need the others to help. Please, go! And when you come back, you know what we need.”

  Aidan’s chuckle was low and sinister. “You got it.”

  The sound of a key sliding home was music to my ears. A whoosh of air blew past me as Aidan hurried off through the camp. Bayleon and Bastian were still fighting off Rogan’s men, but I could see their bodies were growing tired from. I was ready to get out there and fight with them. But before I could slip out of the shackles, Diawen appeared out of the trees, her hair and body drenched from the water. She looked like an avenging dark angel, ready to kill.

  “Enough of this,” she shouted, opening the box. “You’re coming with me.”

  She drew closer and reached into the box, pulling out a red amulet hanging from a silver chain. All I needed was for her to get closer. Then, I’d have a chance to apprehend her. The only person I knew who could help us force the cure out of her would be Elvena.

  With my magic, along with others in my family, it should be enough to help Elvena extract the information from Diawen’s mind like she did with Bayleon and Bastian. It was the only thing I could think of that would work. Diawen wasn’t going to give me the answers voluntarily.

  Lerissa appeared by the tree line, holding a hand to her chest as she tried to breathe. When her eyes landed on me, they widened in panic. She hurried down past the men fighting until she was right behind Diawen.

  “What are you doing?” Lerissa asked, her voice uncertain.

  With the necklace in her hand, Diawen dropped the wooden box to the ground. “Plan B. The second I put this on her, I’m making a portal and we’re getting out of here.”

  Lerissa’s gaze darted back and forth from me to Diawen; it was clear she knew what Plan B entailed. Diawen inched closer, lifting the necklace so she could slide it over my head. Before she could take another step, war cries erupted from the far end of the camp. Tyvar that I recognized from many years back raced toward Bayleon and Bastian, their swords drawn and ready to fight. Then, a few seconds later, another war cry erupted from the sky.

  A blast of fire sprayed above us, and Lerissa dropped to her knees while Diawen recoiled in both anger and fear. She moved away and I lost my chance to apprehend her. Aidan dropped down from the sky as his dragon, the earth trembling as he made contact with the ground. His glowing red eyes fixated on Diawen and he opened his mouth, the heat from his flames sending fear through her; I could see it in her eyes. I ripped my arms and ankles from the shackles, my skin healing within seconds.

  Diawen stepped back, her fear turning to rage as she took her place beside Lerissa and grabbed her arm. Aidan wouldn’t be able to use his flames without hurting Lerissa.

  “It’s over,” I hissed low, preparing to lunge at her.

  Diawen snarled and gripped Lerissa harder, pulling her in front of her body. “You’re right, it is,” Diawen agreed, her breaths coming out as rapid pants. “Your lovers survived, but they’ll still be cursed. You’ll never get the cure.”

  In one quick move, she summoned a portal and stepped through it, still holding onto Lerissa. I could see the sadness in Lerissa’s eyes before she disappeared.

  My men were alive and there was no greater joy than that, but my chances of finding the cure had just vanished.

  “Lia!” Bayleon and Bastian yelled as they rushed to me.

  I hugged them both, letting my healing powers flow through them. As I pulled away, I noticed all the fallen bodies around us and the ones left standing.

  “What now?” I asked, not wanting to let go of them.

  They stepped back and gazed at each other before settling their eyes on me. “We go home,” Bayleon said softly, taking my hand in his.

  Bastian grabbed my other one. “And we live our lives together."

  “What about your men?” I questioned.

  Bayleon hung his head. “They aren’t going to be a problem. All the ones Diawen created recently are dead. Though”—he looked up at me, giving a small glimmer of hope—“the others said that if we ever found a way to break the curse, they would join us in the Blossom Court.”

  My heart overflowed with pride but quickly vanished when I remembered that Diawen had gotten away and our chance of finding a cure was gone.

  “Maybe one day,” I uttered, holding onto some faith.

  I couldn’t give up hope . . . not yet.

  Chapter 23

  Lia

  One Week Later

  The news of what happened between Diawen, the Tyvar, and my men and I had traveled quickly through all the courts and the elvish kingdom. Secrets that had once been hidden were now known by all the fae. Diawen was dangerous, and I knew she would not come to our land willingly; it was to her advantage for me to search for her in the mortal realm, where I was more vulnerable. I didn’t care what I had to do; I was going to find her. The only problem was that Bayleon and Bastian didn’t want me to continue the search, not after what happened. But giving up wasn’t an option. A fire was burning within me to break the curse and I couldn’t let the fire die down. I wanted Bayleon and Bastian as my true mates, to be bonded in marriage; I wanted them to be the kings of my court. None of that was going to be possible until I freed them. The Land of the Fae wasn’t going to let me bond with them without their curse gone.

  As the sun set, casting a deep purple hue across the sky and turning shades of pink and orange in its wake, Bayleon and Bastian joined me on the balcony. They were still wearing their warrior gear, but their masks were off, illuminating their midnight-blue eyes.

  “You’ve been out here for an hour. What are you thinking about?” Bastian asked.

  I smiled at both of my men and then turned my attention back to the setting sun in the distance. “I was thinking about today,” I said, snickering under my breath. “While you two were training with our warriors, I had a visitor.”

  Bastian came up to my left and Bayleon to my right, the combined heat from their bodies melting into me like a cozy quilt.

  “What did Fawn want?” Bayleon asked.

  I stared at him in surprise. “How did you know it was Fawn?”

  A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I’m one of your protectors, my queen. I know everything that goes on in this court.”

  My stomach twisted uneasily at the reminder; soon, I would have to leave them all behind to embark on a quest for Diawen, but now wasn’t the time to think about such things. The joy inside me was too strong and I grinned as I turned away from the setting sun and leaned against the balcony railing to get a better view of both Bastian and Bayleon. My heart swelled just looking at them; they were true treasures, mine to love and cherish forever.

  “As you know,” I began, “I owed Fawn two favors for helping me out before, right? Well, she came to me today to ask for one of them. And let me tell you, her request totally took me by surprise.”

  Bastian raised an eyebrow and cocked his head in curiosity. “I’m intrigued. What did she want?”

  “She asked if I could grow a bigger tree in their village for her sister, Fiona,” I explained. “She’s about to have a baby and Fawn thought a larger home would make Fiona and her mate happier. I thought it was really sweet.”

  Bastian smiled sadly, his eyes far away.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  Bastian looked over at Bayleon before turning back to me. “Nothing. Just memories.”

  Bayleon sighed heavily and stepped closer to Bastian, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I remember too, brother.” He turned toward me and reached out with his free hand, taking both of mine in his grasp. His touch sent tingles racing up my arm, setting my skin alight with warmth. “Our mother used to make things grow all the time with her earth magic; we loved watching her do so.”

  Bastian nodded slowly in agreement, his eyes still distant. “And I always used to wish I could do the same thing she did—that I had those powers, too.” He stepped closer to me and gazed into my eyes pleadingly. “I’ve always envied your people, Lia. I would give anything to be able to do what you do.”

  My heart ached as I placed one of my hands on his cheek, feeling the stubble beneath my fingertips. “You’re perfect the way you are,” I whispered reassuringly. “You make me happy—both of you do.”

  Interlocking our fingers together, I pulled them both toward the door, allowing the warmth from our connected hands to flow through us like electricity.

  “Now let me show you both how happy you make me.”

  Keeping them satiated made them strong; if I couldn’t find a way to break the curse, then at least I could give them moments of joy whenever possible. Until then . . .

  Chapter 24

  Lia

  I spent the entire morning with Bayleon, Bastian, and our warriors, training like usual. Aidan arrived early this afternoon to speak with Bayleon and Bastian about fighting strategies and tactics. He was impressed with how the Tyvar fought and wanted to utilize some of those skills with his own warriors in his court. I was happy to see my men and my family growing closer.

  My parents also visited, and my mother and I had a contest to see who could hit the target with the most arrows. I’d been beaten by my mother more times than I could count, but this time . . . we tied. It was a welcome victory. Everything seemed to be returning to normal, but unfortunately, normal wasn’t part of our lives here in the Land of the Fae. There was always something or someone waiting around a darkened corner. I hate that I felt like that, but Diawen was still out there.

  Did she have a necklace that could hurt me? Yes, but I wasn’t afraid of her. She wasn’t going to get near enough to me to be able to get it around my neck. My hatred for her welled up in my chest and felt like tiny knives jabbing me, provoking me. I didn’t want those feelings to consume me, but they did. Diawen was within my grasp and now she was gone.

  I feared it was going to be a long time before our paths ever crossed again. The thought was almost enough to drive me insane. I didn’t like the feeling of not having control of my life. Bayleon and Bastian were my future; if I couldn’t break the curse, our lives together would be limited. As long as I had them by my side, I knew I’d be happy, but there was more I wanted to give them.

  My steps were silent against the garden path as I wandered through the lush foliage. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow across my palace and its sprawling grounds. With every few steps, I’d pause and take in a deep breath of the sweet-scented air, letting it fill my body with warmth and peace. At last, I made my way to the fountain; its trickling water provided a gentle soundtrack for my evening.

  Sliding my fingers through its cool depths, I sighed in contentment. Behind the gardens, a vast green field stretched into the horizon. It was mine—my court, my land—and an electric thrill of power coursed through me at the thought. Closing my eyes, I let my magic flow from my fingertips onto the ground below. When I opened them again, an explosion of color spread out before me—thousands of pink and yellow tulips danced in their beds of grass. A low rumble of thunder echoed across the sky, seeming to travel directly to my heart. An eagerness built within me as I imagined making love to my men beneath the warm embrace of the storm. We had yet to do that, and I looked forward to it.

  “Very beautiful, dear,” my mother called out.

  Smiling, I watched as my tulips swayed back and forth in the gentle breeze like dancers twirling gracefully across an imaginary stage.

  “Thank you,” I said, glancing back at her. Her red hair had been styled into a romantic updo, but the wind had freed some of the strands and they fluttered around her face like tiny flames. “Are you and dad about to head home?”

  She came up beside me and bumped me with her shoulder affectionately. “Yes. Although, I think your dad is having a little too much fun with your cousin. Aidan convinced all the guys to partake in a few drinking games.”

  “And you didn’t want to join them? Usually, you like showing them up.”

  My mother threw her head back and laughed, locking eyes with the twilight sky before returning her gaze to mine.

  “Yes, I do. I blame it on all those long nights I spent with the warriors when I was younger. Your grandparents hated it.”

  I shrugged, feeling a rush of pride surge through my veins as I thought about my mother’s strength and courage. “You weren’t just a princess. You were a warrior. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be strong.”

  She nodded slowly as if she was reliving past memories—both pleasant and painful alike—in her mind. “I know. It just wasn’t the way things were back then. So, when your father and I had you and Kale, we both agreed to start training you the second you learned to walk.”

  I linked my arm with hers. “I’m glad you did. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to finish my quest.”

  Her head jerked toward me, and I didn’t have to look at her to know she understood my meaning. I had debated on telling her, but I needed someone to know. That way, she’d know where to look if something happened to me.

  “Your quest? Lia, no. I know what you want to do, and I think you should let it go. Bayleon and Bastian are here, and they’re yours. Making love to them to keep them healthy doesn’t seem all that bad.”

  Shaking my head, I looked over at her. Yes, I could heal them with sex, but it shouldn’t have to be like that.

  “I want to hunt Diawen down,” I growled. “The Tyvar curse should never have started.”

  My mother stood before me, her hands grasping mine and her amethyst eyes full of worry. “I agree. But you have to think about this, Lia. What’s going to happen if you waste years of your life consumed by hunting her down? That’s not a way to live.” She flourished a hand around the field of tulips. “This is your home and it’s beautiful. You’re in love and you’re safe here. The last thing you want is to jeopardize that.”

  She was right; I didn’t want to jeopardize what I had, but I had this overwhelming urge to keep fighting. Tears stung the back of my eyes, and I closed them, hoping I could keep them from falling.