“Bayleon,” Lia cried, securing her legs tightly around my waist. The sensations were all too intense. As I thrust into her and held her tight, I could feel Lia’s touch healing me, giving me more energy I never thought possible. We moved together in synchronous bliss, our bodies intertwined. I pushed in deeply, savoring the way she contracted around me. Her lips closed over mine, and I held her face in my hands, our eyes meeting as we kissed.

  Lia’s body quivered as I picked up the pace, her eyes rolling back as she came. After a few more hard thrusts, I let go, gripping her tightly as I climaxed. The pain was gone; all that remained was contentment.

  I rested my forehead against hers and attempted to steady my breathing. We were still connected as I kissed her passionately.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  She smiled and rubbed my cheek. “You’re not the only one who needed this, Bayleon.”

  I shifted onto my elbow so I could see her face. An array of emotions surged through me; I didn’t know what to feel. All I knew was that I wanted to be with Lia forever.

  “I love you,” I said, gazing into her beautiful eyes. “I’m never letting you go.”

  She leaned up and kissed me gently. “I love you, too,” she replied softly, “And I will never leave your side.”

  Chapter 9

  Lia

  The sun rose on a new day, and with it, a spark of optimism. Bayleon and Bastian had been healed and were happily practicing with the warriors. I decided to take the opportunity to ride to my parents’ palace on horseback, so they could be informed of my plan to journey to the elven realm and break the Tyvar curse.

  As I guided Prince Ashe through the Spring Court, I recalled my fifth birthday when my mother gave me the midnight-colored fae stallion with silver eyes that glimmered like molten metal.

  His mane rippled in the morning breeze, and I felt his anticipation. “Are you excited about the trip?” I murmured softly. “It’s been a while since we’ve been on an adventure.”

  Prince Ashe had long been accustomed to battles and riding to victory. Luckily, there hasn’t been a war in the Land of the Fae for three decades.

  After I hopped off his back, I bounded up the stairs and into the castle. My father would be training with his warriors, but I had a feeling I knew exactly where I’d find my mother. As I strode through the corridors, people bowed to me reverently.

  When I stepped into a long hallway lined with windows, I spotted my mother just outside, donned in her leather warrior suit and braid of red hair. Her bow was drawn with an arrow pointed toward a target. Although our archery sessions were few and far between nowadays, she was still a master of her craft. The arrow released from her bow and hit dead center as soon as it left her hand.

  Smiling, I stepped outside and gave her an eager applause. “Nice job. I bet you can’t do it twice.”

  My mother rested her bow and arrow on the ground and put her hands on her hips. She had a wry smile on her face that I knew all too well.

  “Are you sure you want to go there?” she challenged, referring to the inside joke we’d shared between us since I was a young girl.

  She was an excellent archer and loved to prove me wrong every time I challenged her accuracy. I couldn’t help but laugh as my mother stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me.

  “You seem happier today, Lia,” she said, pulling back to look me in the eyes.

  “I am,” I replied. “Bayleon is healed now. At least for a little while.”

  Her smile faded a bit. “When I invited him and his brother to live in the Spring Court all those years ago, I never expected them to end up being my daughter’s lovers.”

  She started walking slowly toward the weathered archway that led to a field of golden sunflowers. I followed her, feeling her fear and worry in the air. Her eyes were trained on the ground as if searching for answers in the dirt.

  “I know you’re afraid for me, mother,” I said as I came up beside her. “But I’m here to tell you there’s still hope.” I stepped in front of her and smiled, but her face remained apprehensive.

  “Do tell then,” she said.

  Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and tried to convey my excitement with my words. “Elvena used her magic on Bayleon and Bastian last night to try and uncover information about the curse,” I started, “and it worked! She was able to gain insight that it was originated by the elves.”

  My mother’s eyebrows rose in surprise as she processed this new information. “I don’t know what to say—they’re the last people I thought would be responsible for this curse.”

  “I thought so, too,” I agreed. “But now that I have this information, I want to travel there tomorrow to learn more about it. That’s why I wanted to come here and see if I could get Fawn’s help. Things would go a lot quicker.”

  My mother nodded. “I understand. I’m sure Fawn will be happy to help. I’ll walk with you part of the way.”

  With their magical port-traveling ability, the imps tended to stay away from people who would take advantage of them, so most of them resided in the Mystical Forest. However, some also chose to live in the courts. If we sought out a favor from them, an offering was always made in return. I would never ask for anything without giving something back.

  We set off toward the sunflower fields, where I knew the imp village was just beyond it.

  My mother linked her arm with mine. “Please be careful, Lia. The curse was put in place for a reason. I don’t know what kind of darkness you will find.”

  The sunflowers rustled in the breeze, their petals brushing against our arms as we walked beneath them.

  “Do you think Aelfric and Rhoswen will know anything?”

  My mother sighed. “It’s hard to say. They weren’t even a glimmer in the eye of their parents when the Tyvar were cursed. However, if there’s anyone who may be able to help us, it would be them. They possess archives of ancient historical events in their castle, some even beyond memory. I’m sure they’d be willing to let you take a look through them.”

  Aelfric and Rhoswen had always been our family—ever since they’d taken the throne of the elvish kingdom, they’d been hoping for an alliance between their family and the Royal fae, but it hadn’t worked out yet. It almost did recently with my cousin Ella. The eldest elvish prince, Iston, had loved Ella for a long time, but when she met Kai, she chose him instead. There was still some tension between our people, but I hoped it had lessened some.

  As soon as we reached the edge of the sunflowers, my mother stopped and hugged me. “Be careful, Lia. Is anyone traveling with you besides Bayleon and Bastian?”

  I met her gaze as I let her go. “None of my warriors, if that’s what you’re asking. But Elvena told me Aidan needed to be there. I don’t know why, but that’s one of the reasons I need Fawn. I need her to send him a message quickly.”

  My mother cocked her head to the side. “Now I’m really curious. But if Elvena says he needs to be there, then he needs to be there.”

  “I agree. I just hope he can meet me there tomorrow. I’m ready to get started.”

  She embraced me once more. “When you have finished speaking with Fawn, there’s something I want to give you before you leave.”

  “Okay,” I said. “I won’t be long.”

  She let me go and I took off down the path toward the imp village. Imps were tiny, about a foot tall, with sparkly wings. Their homes were inside the massive trees. I could go inside when I was a little girl, but now I wouldn’t fit in. I remembered the day Fawn moved into her own tree. I’d watched her father carve out the intricate door.

  As I made my way toward Fawn’s tree, the usual chirps and calls of the forest gave way to hushed whispers. It was unusual for Fawn to venture beyond her village, but she never shied away from adventure.

  When I arrived at her tree, I bent down and was about to knock when a voice from behind me rang out.

  “Your Highness. It’s been a long time.”

  I spun around to see her hovering off the ground, her pale green skin glowing in the sunlight. Her hair was the same color as her skin, but her wings were a richer green with silver sparkles that glittered as she flew up to me and smiled.

  “What can I do for you?” she asked.

  I pulled two letters out of my pocket. “I wanted to see if you’d deliver these for me. It’s very important. I’ll give you whatever you want if it’s something I can provide.”

  I knew her kind well enough to know that my wording was imperative here; fae were known to take advantage of any loophole in a promise. Fawn hovered in the air until she was level with my eyes, her wings fluttering gently in the breeze.

  With a playful smile, she tapped her chin with her tiny finger and raised an eyebrow. “It’s a shame I don’t need anything at the moment. How about you promise to owe me something later?”

  I didn’t hesitate. “Deal.”

  She pointed to the two letters in my hand, then looked at my face. “Do those need to go to two separate places?”

  I knew what she was getting at. Fawn was smart.

  “Yes,” I replied, watching her emerald eyes twinkle with mischief.

  “That makes two return favors then.” She snickered triumphantly.

  I gave a short nod of agreement. “Fine. When you figure out what you want, I’ll be here.”

  She held out her hand and I placed the letter addressed to Aidan on her palm. “This one will go to my cousin Aidan at the Court of Fire and Water. I need you to come back with his reply.”

  Fawn nodded and bowed her head as if in respect. “I will return.”

  In a blink of an eye, she disappeared. However, it didn’t take long for her to appear again. I could see a slight crimson hue under her green skin when she did. She exhaled heavily, looking at me with annoyance.

  “What happened?” I inquired.

  Fawn huffed and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m starting to think I’m going to need to ask for a third return favor after going through that,” she exclaimed.

  “That depends on what happened,” I said, gesturing for her to go on.

  She started flying back and forth like a person pacing the floor. “Well,” she began, “I went to look for King Aidan, and my magic took me straight to him. I figured he’d be in his throne room or training with his warriors.” Her face was even redder now.

  “But I’m guessing he wasn’t there,” I asked, feeling I knew what she’d seen.

  Fawn wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “No, he was in his bedroom with a woman who kept shrieking his name. And I don’t mean the way a wife would greet her husband.”

  I grimaced in embarrassment. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

  Fawn huffed in frustration. “Me too. But anyway, I gave him your letter, and he said to meet him midday tomorrow in the elvish kingdom and look to the sky.”

  I raised an eyebrow, unsurprised he would fly in as his dragon. Fawn held out her hand for the last letter. “Let’s hope this one isn’t cringe-worthy, too.”

  I laughed softly. “I sure hope not. This one is to King Aelfric and Queen Rhoswen.”

  Fawn let out a long breath before giving me a quick nod and vanishing when she touched the note. About ten minutes went by and I started to get concerned with the length of time it took for her to return. I didn’t specify why I needed to visit the elvish kingdom in the letter. All I wrote was that I wanted to visit. There was something inside of me telling me not to disclose the truth. If I had, I wasn’t too confident that they would approve or even allow me to come. I adored Aelfric and Rhoswen and cared for them like my own parents, but I had to be careful and concise. Maybe that was why Elvena told me I needed Aidan. Not only was he a dragon shifter, but he was also a truth seeker. That was what I needed . . . the truth.

  A few more minutes passed before Fawn came flying back with a rolled-up scroll tied with a fancy red ribbon.

  “I take it you didn’t see anything scandalous?” I asked. She chuckled. “No. But the king and queen did offer me some of their famous berry wine while I waited.”

  I laughed, already feeling the envy. “I’m jealous. I’ve heard their berry wine is second to none.”

  Fawn fluttered down to the ground and sat in the clover, her body visibly more relaxed than when she left.

  “I may have had too many glasses of it,” she admitted sheepishly.

  With anticipation, I untied the ribbon and unrolled the scroll, curious to see what Aelfric and Rhoswen had responded with.

  Dearest Lia,

  What a grand surprise! We are more than happy to host you and your protectors for a visit. It’ll give us a chance to throw a ball in your honor.

  We look forward to seeing you soon, and I can’t wait to hear more about the Blossom Court.

  With love,

  Rhoswen

  Holding the scroll to my chest, I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was set.

  Chapter 10

  Lia

  It was only going to be a half-day journey from the Blossom Court to the elvish kingdom if we took the snow-laden Winter Court route, so that was exactly what we did. Our fae horses moved three times faster than a mortal horse, which meant what could have been a full day’s ride for someone else only took us a few hours.

  As we emerged from the Winter Court, the elvish kingdom appeared in sight. The rolling green hills, such a stark contrast to the winter white, put me at ease. Bayleon and Bastian sat on either side of me on their horses, their presence a welcome comfort.

  “What exactly is the plan? Are you just going to come right out and ask about the curse at dinnertime?” Bastian wondered, looking at Aelfric and Rhoswen’s opulent castle up ahead, surrounded by giant trees, mountains, and waterfalls.

  Elves were legendary for their beauty, and Bayleon and Bastian both had some similarities to them. So there had to be elf blood in their lineage somewhere. Neither one of them have confirmed that with me, though.

  I snickered at Bastian’s suggestion. “As much as I’d like to do that, I think I need to be a little more tactful.”

  Bayleon then spoke up; his voice was serious, but he wore a small smile when our eyes met. “If they know about the curse but aren’t willing to talk about it, we’ll have to find another way. That’s where Aidan comes in, right?” he added.

  I closed my eyes as I exhaled, feeling the weight of the situation pressing in on me. “Yes. He’ll be able to tell me if they’re lying.”

  Bastian gave me a stern look. “And if they are? How do you plan on getting the truth?”

  I had faith Aelfric and Rhoswen wouldn’t willingly lie to me, but I knew this journey was far from simple.

  “I don’t think we’ll have any issues. My fear is they won’t know anything at all. We could easily be spending days scouring through old ledgers in their libraries.”

  “Such an easy task, my queen,” Bayleon murmured, but his voice was heavy with sarcasm.

  Bastian chuckled and it made me smile. “Nice, brother. I’m glad to see you’ve found some humor.”

  Bayleon had always been the serious one of the brothers, but it seemed as if I’d broken through that barrier a bit. It made me wonder how things would change if we broke the curse. One of the things I looked forward to was not having to see them wear their masks twenty-four-seven. They would be free.

  A spark of determination ignited within me as I looked between them. Nothing was going to stop us now.

  “Let’s go,” I called out.

  We rode our horses across the soft green fields until, eventually, the grandiose gates of the palace opened. Once inside the tall stone walls, it was like entering another world. The elvish kingdom differed from the fae courts, but it had some similarities to the Spring Court with all its lush vegetation and blooms. Everywhere you looked, there were enormous trees that almost seemed to twinkle in the sunlight and rivers that shimmered like they had an inner light. The elves didn’t have magic to manipulate the elements, yet their land seemed enchanted.

  Prince Ashe pranced as we arrived at Aelfric and Rhoswen’s castle, and a group of their servants hurried down the steps to us. I slipped off the horse and one of the servants grabbed the bag fastened behind my saddle. Two others headed toward Bayleon and Bastian’s horses, doing the same.

  Rhoswen stepped forward and threw her arms around me with a grin on her face and excitement in her sea-green eyes. She was beautiful, with golden blonde hair and milky skin that showed no imperfections. She was right at a hundred years old but didn’t look a day over thirty. I could feel the softness of her earthy green dress under my fingertips.

  “Thank you for letting us come,” I began, but before I could finish my sentence, a whoosh of wind blew past us, and a loud roar filled the sky.

  Aidan flew by as his dragon, a reddish blur in the air. Several elves rushed out from within the castle to take in the sight and Aelfric erupted in laughter, slapping Bayleon and Bastian on their shoulders.

  “Well, isn’t this a surprise! Come on you two, Iston’s waiting inside. I want you to try this new mead I brewed. Let’s hurry before Aidan gets settled and drinks it all.”

  That made me laugh. The last time Aidan visited the elvish kingdom, he drank several bottles of their berry wine. When it came to having a good time, Aidan was known for it.

  Bayleon and Bastian glanced at me once and I nodded for them to go. They were now free from their pain, and I wanted them to enjoy everything they could.

  Rhoswen stepped back and grabbed my shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me Aidan was coming, too?”

  Luckily, it didn’t seem as if she minded. On the contrary, she appeared really happy about it. That was a plus for me. The last thing I wanted her to realize was that I needed him here so he could use his magic on them.

  “I’m sorry,” I apologized. “It was a last-minute thing.”