Elvena was several centuries old, yet no single strand of white hair marred her head. The only sign of age was her tiny wrinkles, but her depth of knowledge of faerie lore revealed her actual age. She leaned forward in her chair and patted my hand.

  “It’s my pleasure to help you, my dear. I’ve been expecting you to come to me for some time now.”

  I cocked my head in confusion. “You have?”

  A small chortle escaped her lips. “Yes, of course I have. I’m amazed it took you this long. I suspected you loved your Guardians long before you knew it yourself.”

  A flicker of optimism lit up inside my chest, but the prickle of unease in her deep amber eyes made my stomach drop.

  “I’m just going to come out and ask—do you know of a way to break the Tyvar curse?”

  She exhaled slowly, leaning back into her chair. “I’m not sure how to break it, my child, but I may be able to seek out the information you need.”

  “And how do you intend to do that?” I asked, curiosity pebbling through me.

  Elvena smiled and clasped her hands together. “Your men will be key. They are full of memories and experiences I can connect with and search through. It doesn’t even matter if they remember it themselves. I just need to go far enough back.” She stood, her expression full of worry. “But know this—I cannot guarantee I’ll find the answers you seek.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” I murmured, standing with her. “We have to try.”

  Elvena lifted her palm to my cheek, her voice gentle. “And try we will. Now go fetch your protectors and meet me in the gardens for further instruction.”

  I spun around and made my way out of the sitting room toward the back of the palace, where the training fields were located. Standing at the top of the stairs, I looked out to where my warriors were training, the noise of clanging swords ringing in the air. But Bayleon and Bastian were nowhere to be seen. I started going down to the fields when I sensed their presence nearby.

  Taking light steps, I slowly made my way around the side of the palace and rested against the stone wall. Then, all of a sudden, I heard Bastian’s voice, so I held my breath and listened intently to what was said next.

  Chapter 8

  Bayleon

  I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw Bastian; his once-slumped shoulders were firm and determined, and his gaze was sharp and focused. Last night, he’d been on the brink of destruction, and today it seemed as if a new person had taken his place—a person whose passion burned through his veins, making each movement during his training with the warriors calculated and powerful.

  As much as I wanted Lia in my bed, to have her in all the ways I’d dreamed of, I had to let her be with him. He needed her and she healed him, even if it was only a temporary reprieve. The curse was too deeply rooted to be healed by one night of lovemaking.

  Unfortunately, I had now reached the point of no return. The night was hard, not only dealing with the pain ripping me apart from the inside out but also having the knowledge of knowing my brother got to be with the woman I loved. He spent the night touching her, tasting her . . . feeling her body wrapped around his. I didn’t begrudge him that, but my own need was burning inside me.

  Tonight, Lia would be mine. I just had to wait it out.

  After training with the warriors, I took a break and leaned against one of the magnolia trees, weary from the day’s exertion. I watched Bastian swing his sword with incredible speed and precision, performing each move perfectly. Finally, he finished with the warrior he was training and peered over at me, worry etching his face despite his silver mask.

  He nodded over his shoulder toward a grove of pear trees that Lia had grown the night before and said in a low voice, “It’s probably time we talk.”

  Once we reached the pear trees, I faced him, only able to see a shadow of his eyes through his mask.

  “I see you’re doing much better today,” I said, trying to break the tension.

  Bastian shook his head and sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “I am, thanks to you and Lia.”

  I shook my head quickly, denying my contribution. “It was all her.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” Bastian fired back. “I know you’re in love with her, brother, and you need her just as much as I do.” Moving closer to him, I asked why he hadn’t told me of his suffering. His mouth pulled back in a scoff as he turned away from me. “Why didn’t you tell me about yours?”

  “I wanted to appear strong,” I replied sadly.

  He clenched his jaw and lowered his gaze, unable to hide the apparent shame that welled up inside him. “I’m the one who failed at that. It’s what angers me more than anything. I never wanted you or anyone else to see me so weak.”

  “Believe me, brother,” I whispered, “I’m almost at that point. I feel like I’m barely hanging on.”

  His gaze shifted back to my face, his expression unreadable. “Are you going to be with Lia tonight?”

  I wasn’t sure how much Lia had told him, but I knew there was no option but to tell him the truth.

  “Yes,” I answered, curious as to what his reaction would be. All he did was give a slight nod of acknowledgment. “Does that bother you?” I asked.

  A hollow laugh escaped his lips. “I don’t even know how to answer that. I was certain she would choose you over me.”

  “Why would you think that?” I was surprised by his assumption.

  He shrugged his shoulders, a hint of bitterness in his voice as he spoke. “I’ve always felt second best to you. Our father certainly had no qualms about showing his favoritism.”

  While it was true that our father had often spent more time training me than Bastian when we were children, Bastian had the undivided attention of our mother—something I would have given anything for.

  I placed my hands on Bastian’s shoulders. “Lia loves us both, brother. I need to know if you’ll be able to handle her with me. There’s no room for jealousy in this. Lia deserves our love and loyalty, not anger and discord.”

  Bastian blew out a sigh, his brows furrowed curiously. “Are you saying you didn’t get mad last night knowing Lia was making love to me?”

  There were so many emotions warring inside me, but anger wasn’t one of them.

  I met his gaze head-on. “I wasn’t angry, but envious. I’ve waited so long to touch her in the same way you were able to last night.”

  His expression saddened. “I’m sorry, Bayleon. That had to have been torture.” He hung his head and sighed. “But to answer your question, I can’t promise things will go smoothly all the time. I love Lia and the thought of sharing her is not ideal, but”—he sighed and lifted his eyes to mine—“I will do it for you. You let her go so she could be with me last night when I knew you needed her just as much. You put my needs above your own.” He held out his hand. “I promise I’ll do everything possible to make this work. All I want is for Lia to be happy.”

  A promise in the Land of the Fae was a binding contract; they were never made lightly. His confession was all the affirmation I needed.

  Grasping his hand, I squeezed it tight. “And I promise to do the same.”

  Lia emerged from the shadows, her gaze moving over our faces with a warmth so full of love that it seemed to radiate through her. She took my brother’s hand in her right and mine in her left.

  “I’ve heard your promises, now here’s mine,” she said firmly. “I promise to love you both equally and with all my heart. You will never have to compete for my affection. I will give everything I have willingly.”

  As Lia spoke, the wind whistled around us as if it was sealing our promises as tangible words in that moment. Looking into Lia’s eyes, I could feel the pure truth of her words reverberating through my whole body down to my very soul. We were bound together by those promises, and although I wanted nothing more than to sweep her into my arms and feel her lips on mine, I could tell something else was going on.

  “Where do we go from here?” I asked.

  Lia gently pressed her hands against ours, and a faint glimmer of excitement and hope twinkled in her eyes. “I want to break the Tyvar curse.” Her lips curved upward into a breathtaking smile. “Elvena’s going to help us. She’s waiting for us in the gardens.”

  Bastian and I exchanged a glance, disbelief and uncertainty rapidly replacing our optimism.

  “How is that possible? The curse dates back hundreds of years,” Bastian said hesitantly.

  Lia released our hands from her grasp and cupped our cheeks instead, her gaze flitting between mine and Bastian’s.

  “I don’t know if it can be done,” she whispered, “but I’m willing to try anything. I’m hoping you two will as well.”

  I covered her hand with mine. “I’ll do anything for you.”

  “Same,” Bastian solemnly echoed, leaning into her touch. Lia beamed, like a ray of sunshine had suddenly illuminated all around us.

  “When all of this is over and the curse is broken, I want you both to be mine—heart, body, and soul. You’ll be kings of the Blossom Court.”

  My brows furrowed as reality set in, doubts and worries creeping up on me once again. “What about the land? There have never been two kings. Will we even be accepted?”

  Lia’s smile turned hesitant, her amethyst eyes clouding with uncertainty. “The land wants to help us; I can feel it. It knows how much I love you both and that I want you to rule the Blossom Court with me. I don’t care how long it takes, but breaking this curse is what I’m going to do.”

  The enormity of the task weighed heavily on me as I looked from Bastian to Lia. There had to be a way—being with Lia for the rest of eternity depended on it. Bastian nodded in agreement, his face set in determination.

  “Then let’s break the curse,” I said, offering Lia an encouraging smile.

  She nodded and led us to the other side of the palace. Elvena was waiting for us in the gardens by the massive stone water fountain with two chairs around her. In between the two chairs was a small table topped with a bowl burning with a blue flame. Elvena had arranged all four of the natural elements—earth, air, fire, and water—around her. She beckoned us closer and gestured for Bastian and me to take a seat.

  Lia stood before us, her face unreadable, as Elvena stepped forward. When Elvena’s hand touched my shoulder, a current of electricity flowed from her fingertips, a powerful sensation that seemed to fill the entire room.

  “Now close your eyes,” she said softly, her voice mesmerizing. “This is where I need your help. What do you know about the Tyvar curse?”

  “Very little,” I replied, although my throat felt tight. “It was something we celebrated, not feared.”

  Thankfully, my eyes were shut, so I didn’t have to witness Lia’s reaction to my words. Nevertheless, I was flooded with memories of the past—some pleasant but most of them I would rather forget—and an intense feeling of guilt weighed heavy on me. I focused on the last time I saw my mother: when the Tyvar curse manifested on my eighteenth birthday. It was the day Bastian and I left to join the others. The memories flashed through my mind in a whirlwind—images too fast and fleeting to make out many details—but one clear vision stayed with me: my mother’s face just before we said goodbye.

  “Any luck?” Lia asked Elvena.

  The heat in my head intensified as Elvena sighed. “No, not yet. I’m delving into their minds as far back as I can. It’s getting harder the deeper I go.” After a few minutes, Elvena lifted her hand from my shoulder and her voice sounded weary. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I can’t go any further. I need to replenish my energy.”

  She wasn’t the only one depleted. The pain inside of me came back with a vengeance. When I opened my eyes, they brimmed with defeat, mirroring Lia’s face. Even I couldn’t conceal my feelings of discouragement. If Elvena, the prophetess of the Land of the Fae, couldn’t find the solutions, then nobody could.

  Lia’s face was alive with urgency as she grabbed both my and Bastian’s hands in hers. “No, we can’t stop. If you need more energy, take mine. We can’t give up on this.”

  The prophetess sighed and placed a hand back on my brother and me. “Are you sure?”

  Lia nodded determinedly and squeezed our hands tighter, pressing her warm healing energy into our skin. I felt it flowing through my veins, pushing away the pain that had been consuming me moments before. Elvena’s power seemed to coalesce around us, tightening its grip as she delved deeper into my mind. Images flew by in a blur, muffled voices suddenly becoming more distinct until it felt as if the world was spinning around me. Lia let go of my hand and grabbed my left arm while Bastian held onto my right, steadying me.

  When I opened my eyes, Lia’s gaze searched mine for answers. “Are you okay? You blacked out for a few moments.”

  I blinked a few times, rubbing a hand over my chest before I spoke. “Did it work this time?”

  Elvena walked around to stand in front of us, her face unreadable, before she smiled and grabbed Lia’s arm, her expression hopeful. “I believe it did.” She beamed up at Bastian, then shifted her gaze to me. “I went back to when you were in your mother’s womb. I heard everything,” she said. “She sang to you and told you tales each night, one of which was about how she was going to break your curse.”

  Bastian and I locked eyes, then I rose from my chair. “What did she know?”

  Elvena exhaled and surveyed us all with a knowing gaze. “She knew where the curse originated from—it was the first place she intended to go when she could.”

  The room went silent as I waited for her response, eager to learn the truth after centuries of ignorance.

  “Where?” I pressed. “Where was she going?”

  Elvena rotated her head to look at each of us. “The elvish kingdom.”

  Lia was taken aback and both Bastian and I were astonished. The elvish kingdom was the last place I’d considered finding the answers.

  “But why there?” I asked.

  Elvena shifted her head slightly, cleared her throat and answered, “Because that’s where it all began. It was the elves who cursed you all.”

  Lia made a noise of disbelief and shook her head. “I can’t believe it. Why didn’t any of them say something?”

  Elvena held up a hand to stop her from jumping to conclusions. “If you choose to keep going, your cousin Aidan must come with you.” That was an unexpected request.

  “Why?” Lia questioned, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

  Elvena lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug. “I cannot explain it—it’s just a feeling inside me. My guess would be for his truth-seeking abilities.”

  She said her goodbyes, leaving me alone in the garden with Lia and Bastian. Lia blew out a breath, her long red hair swaying as she turned toward Bastian and me.

  “Looks like it’s time for us to see the elves. We’ll leave out the day after tomorrow. Until then . . .”

  She stopped midsentence and her worried gaze fell on me. I glanced at Bastian and felt his reassuring hand on my shoulder. “It’s your night, brother. You need to get better.”

  He gently kissed Lia’s cheek before turning away, his broad shoulders set with determination. Lia cupped my face in her warm hands and all the emotion I had contained inside of me bubbled to the surface. Her lips brushed against mine and her sweet honeysuckle scent enveloped me. I desperately wanted her, needed her.

  “I think it’s time,” she whispered against my lips.

  “I think so, too,” I replied. “I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

  Every step felt like an eternity as we climbed the stairs, and my heart raced a little faster with every one. My hand found Lia’s and I intertwined our fingers, desperate for a connection. She glanced over at me, and I felt my heart skip a beat—her eyes were burning with desire and I couldn’t help but match it. I had to restrain myself from pushing her up against the wall right then and there.

  Once we got to her room, I quickly shut the door and locked it, bracing myself against it as Lia began taking her clothes off.

  “Don’t worry about me,” she breathed out, untying her leathers and revealing her bare back. She smiled at me over her shoulder and murmured, “I won’t break.”

  I was mesmerized by her glowing skin, wanting to feel its softness against mine. She turned around to face me, exposing her perfect breasts. I could feel my body heat up with desire.

  Without a word, I stepped closer until I could feel her breath on my lips and then kissed her passionately, letting out all the desire that had been building inside me. I pulled away from the kiss and stepped around to stand behind her. With a fierce bite, I nipped the delicate area behind her ear as I kneaded her breasts firmly with my hands.

  “You have no idea how long I have wanted to do this,” I said, my voice thick with desire.

  Rolling her nipples between my fingers, they hardened in response to my touch. The second she pressed her body against mine, I could feel my arousal straining against the fabric of my pants. I hadn’t felt this kind of passion and intensity in years, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I knew that if we kept going, there was no turning back; once I gave in to this desire, I would be unable to resist its power.

  Lia spun around and quickly pulled at my warrior leathers, her fingers working frantically to undress me. She plunged her hand into my trousers and caressed my length, making me gasp aloud. I yanked off my leathers and pants as soon as she had them undone. Lia bit my chest and I groaned as her moans only aroused me more.

  “I want you inside me,” she whispered.

  That was all the invitation I needed. We moved to the bed and I climbed on top of her, delighting in the sight of her red hair cascading around the pillow and her naked body beckoning to me. I pushed my knee between her legs and spread her wide, then poised myself above her.

  Leaning down, I wrapped my mouth around her nipple, loving how she cried out and arched her back to push her breast further into my mouth. She was so wet, I could feel it on the tip of my cock. Getting into position, I kept my eyes on hers as I pushed in gently at first, then slammed into her the rest of the way.