“In that future, he foresaw the Veela flying once again.”

  Murmuring rose to full-volume conversation, but Una raised her voice over them. “All hope is not lost. We will meet this future soon. It is foreseen.”

  “For now,” I continued, “It is my wish that we all celebrate the Nixies’ long-awaited opportunity to explore their newfound magic — as we will celebrate soon with the Duwende, Veela, and Kitsune. I only ask that we all be mindful of other Fae during this difficult time, extending both grace to those who have yet to connect with the Tree of Life and patience to those learning new skills.”

  Una nodded and gestured with one hand. “Please go practice with your new magic, my friends. If any Nixie sees another vision of a future in which Veela and Kitsune magic returns, please send word to myself and Queen Gloriana immediately. As Seelie, we are all in this together, and we look out for each other!”

  One by one, the Nixies in the crowd found their way to its edge. They followed Angel and Valente into the forest. My heart was gladdened for them both, even though I longed to go with them and see Angel shapeshift for the first time.

  A few Elves drifted after them, though they had no need new skills to practice, as most of our newly returned magic was passive. Our bodies healed faster than other Fae, our blood became more potent, and we were more resistant to other Fae magic. Perhaps that was one way the Nixies and Elves could practice together. Nixies could try to overcome Elven resistance to their magic, practicing to better fight the Unseelie.

  The crowd grew calmer, yet more pensive. Where once the Veela and Kitsune among them had been fearful and lost, some now raised their faces toward us with hope. It hurt me to see how much they needed us to reassure them. We were their leaders, and it was our responsibility to not only bring back their magic, but to revive their hope as well.

  “I promise to you all that Una and I will do everything in our power to replenish all Fae magic — we will not give up searching for answers,” I concluded. “Know that one day soon, every Fae’s link to the Tree of Life will be renewed. We will all stand together as one, equal in the ways of the Seelie, all of us enjoying abundant use of our magic.”

  “It is foreseen!” Una reminded them, and the Nixies raised their voices in hopeful song as they disappeared deeper into the forest.

  “Please return to your homes to celebrate with your neighbors and comfort your loved ones. We will send word as soon as we have news.” I wanted the crowd to disperse so we could return to the palace tree and determine what to do next. Nolan had his work cut out for him.

  The Fae gathered their belongings beneath the lingering hope of Nixie song, which soothed me as well. It was a different kind of hope. The strong kind of hope, with confidence in our success, instead of anxiously hanging on without any foundation beneath.

  My ascension as queen had been met with the immediate realization of my failure to help all Fae people. But now, with Una’s ascension, I was freed from the fear that it was somehow my fault. We still didn’t have all the answers, but Angel’s vision had renewed my confidence, as had the decision that Una and I were equals.

  For the first time, I could accept my place as queen without reservations. My fear of being solely responsible for the fate of the Fae now faded. At long last, I could actually look forward to my future as queen, as long as I could collaborate with other queens, each bringing their own strengths to bear on any problems we confronted.

  The fate of the Fae no longer rested in my hands alone.

  Chapter 29

  Kenji

  We made our way back up through the corridors after leaving Una and her consorts behind. I tried to ignore my bond with Glori, which was alive with hope that I couldn’t quite bring myself to share. But there was one thing I knew for certain — not all the Fae did either.

  I’d seen the way the crowd’s despair and rage entwined, and it had taken all my willpower not to yank Glori back from the rock’s edge, where she could have so easily been pierced by an arrow or Kitsune throwing star. Under normal circumstances, the Veela among both Guards would have used their winds to knock such projectiles off track, but what about when they were as hopeless at the Kitsune?

  When we reached the common room, I turned to Lyall and pulled him aside. The easy way he went with me worried me. He wasn’t the proud guardleader he’d once been. We headed for the back of the room, standing beneath the carved woodlands mural near the door to the bathing chamber.

  Keeping my voice low, I said, “I think you and Roq should talk about how to strengthen protections around the heir — queens — now that there’s so much uncertainty. You saw the way the crowd reacted.”

  He nodded, his steady forest-green eyes meeting mine. That old guardleader I knew and trusted was still in there somewhere. “You’re right.”

  Nolan had already headed back to the library. Lyall swept his gaze across the remaining guards. “It’s been a trying day for all of us. Lauren and…” He hesitated, glancing from Fen to Jovanka to Rorik. Perhaps he was as concerned as I was about the Kitsune and Veela. “Jovanka, please keep watch. Fen, get some rest.”

  I didn’t want to question him about having Jovanka keep watch as the Veela gave him a nod and took up her position at the doorway. She’d sworn an oath to protect the Elven heir and now queen, so I supposed Lyall’s trust wasn’t unfounded.

  He crossed the room to kiss Glori’s hand. “I have some things I need to discuss with Roq and the commanders.”

  Just as he opened the door back to the corridor, a naked Elf materialized from a cloud of smoke, and everyone immediately took up fighting stances.

  The Elf bowed, her long white hair falling in front of her azure shoulders. “I don’t mean to cause alarm, but I wanted to deliver some fantastic news to Queen Gloriana.”

  “Have the Nixies had another vision?” she asked, taking a step toward the corridor. Rorik put himself between her and the Elf, easing my concerns slightly.

  “I have not heard that, my queen,” the Elf bowed again, her long hair hiding some of her nudity, though of course none of the Fae minded one way or the other. “But the Nixies who reached the water said they spotted the long-lost hippocampuses and capricorns. Creatures we once thought extinct have returned!”

  “That is indeed fantastic news,” Lyall said. “Anything else?”

  “I’m told that the Seelie forces also encountered a few other creatures on their way back from the Tree of Life,” the Elf rushed to say, as though wanting to spend as much time in Glori’s presence as she could.

  “What types of creatures?” Fen asked from deeper within the room. She’d been headed for her chambers when the Elf arrived.

  The Elf’s green eyes lit with joy. “Tulpar, lynx, and raiji have all been spotted.”

  “Interesting,” Fen mused.

  “Thank you for the news,” Lyall said in a clear dismissal. The Elf bowed again before shrinking back into a squirrel. She ran along the side of the corridor and disappeared.

  “Someone should take this news to Nolan,” Fen said. “It sounds like these creatures’ reappearance may be related to the types of magic that have been renewed.”

  “I’ll go,” Lauren offered.

  “No,” Lyall said, “I’m leaving anyway. I’ll deliver this news or have one of Una’s guards pass it along to him. We are spread thin enough.”

  Rorik let out a snort at that, but Lyall ignored him as he headed out into the corridor and shifted into a squirrel as well. Jovanka closed the door behind him.

  Fen moved toward her chambers but paused when I approached. “What do you mean about the reappearance of the creatures being tied to renewed magic?”

  Glori had been staring at Rorik, but she turned to face us now.

  “Both hippocampus and capricorn are water creatures,” Fen said, “so it makes sense they returned when Nixie magic did.”

  “I don’t remember what the tulpar or raiji are,” Glori admitted. She was intimately familiar with the lynx, considering she’d learned to shapeshift into one.

  Fen pointed at the massive wooden carving over the bathing chamber. “Raiji are the thunder beasts, wolf-like creatures covered in lightning that are said to be able to turn into lightning to travel faster. Just as Elves are fast travelers. Same for the tulpar… they are horses with short wings that help them run faster.”

  “And the lynx?” Glori asked. “How do they relate to Elves?”

  Fen shrugged. “They are forest creatures, just as you are. If my theory is correct, creatures of the earth and mountains will return with the Duwende, creatures of the air and those that resided at the Edge will return with the Veela, and so on.”

  “Creatures of fire for the Kitsune?” I asked.

  Fen gave me a nod. “And perhaps creatures of the plains, as that is our traditional homeland in the Encante.” She gave a slight bow to Glori. “I take my leave of you now so that I may rest before the next guard rotation.”

  Glori nodded. “I’m sure you need your rest after the illusions you put up around us. Thank you again.”

  “Of course.” Fen disappeared into her chambers, and I went to Glori.

  “I’m glad Angel has his magic,” I whispered as I kissed along her neck. I wanted to cuddle up to her in bed and have her tell me mine would show up soon enough.

  “I know the Kitsune and Veela are worried about theirs,” Glori said, wrapping me in a hug. She must have felt my concern in the bond. “We’ll find a way.”

  “How can you be so sure when we have no heirs left?” We still stood in the common room, and I didn’t care if Jovanka and Rorik overheard. They needed Glori’s reassurance as much as I did. Maybe more. I’d grown up never knowing I was supposed to have magic at all.

  “You heard Angel’s vision.” She squeezed me close, and I nibbled along her collarbone. “It’s all magic, isn’t it? No one expected the capricorns and other creatures to return. Maybe we’re just missing something.”

  “Indeed,” Rorik’s voice rumbled. “The Last Queen was clever. Perhaps she had a plan for if the Unseelie managed to kill the heirs… With few Fae able to procreate, she had to know it was a possibility they wouldn’t even have daughters. There’s more to this than any of us could have guessed.”

  That was saying something, since Rorik had actually known the Last Queen. Not that he’d been around her when she made her desperate final ploy to thwart the Unseelie. If he had, he’d have been killed along with her other guards.

  I turned to face Rorik, but couldn’t take my hands off Glori. It was like she was my lifeline, my hope. But I wanted to see if Rorik regretted not joining us in Una’s ceremony. I’d tried to talk some sense into him before, and his even-keeled words just now made me wonder if he’d finally had a change of heart.

  “Yes,” Glori said, leaning her head on mine. “I’m beginning to believe the Last Queen had plans within plans for every eventuality.”

  My eyes flicked over to Jovanka, who stood impassively on guard. Perhaps Rorik’s behavior had more to do with the talk they must have had. The way he’d mentioned being released from the bond had hurt Glori, though, and I still hadn’t forgiven him for that.

  “She was a wise queen, just as you have shown yourself to be today,” Rorik acknowledged. “There are many challenges ahead, however.”

  Then I remembered how Rorik used to intentionally provoke Glori. He’d wanted her to prove herself. Just as he challenged Lyall to make him prove he should remain guardleader, he’d done the same to Glori. He wanted her to lead, to force him to submit.

  “She should have no challenges among her consorts,” I said, taking a step between him and Glori. “Maybe it’s time she brought you to heel.”

  I didn’t miss the spark of excitement in Rorik’s lavender gaze, and from the jolt of arousal I felt from Glori’s bond, she hadn’t either.

  “Let’s discuss this in private,” Glori said, pulling me toward her chambers. “Rorik, join us.”

  Glori’s hand tightened in mine, and a flash of uncertainty filled her bond. She wasn’t sure where she and Rorik stood anymore, and I would do anything to protect Glori from further heartbreak.

  So as soon as he closed the door to Glori’s sitting room behind him, I rounded on him.

  “Tell Glori you want to remain her consort,” I demanded, crossing my arms.

  Rorik’s shoulders tensed as his eyes slowly traveled from me to her, as though reluctant to face facts.

  To my surprise, he then fell to his knees. “If my queen still wishes this unworthy fool as her consort, she has but to command me.”

  Glori didn’t look surprised — she looked relieved. Seeing Rorik grovel boggled my mind, but I remembered the way Glori had taken charge of him during our ceremony. This was what he wanted.

  “Stay on your knees, then,” Glori ordered. “Watch closely.”

  Her commanding tone made my dick instantly hard. I’d never been interested in power play before, but watching Glori take charge made resisting her impossible. I went to her and asked, “Does the lady want help getting undressed?”

  She grinned at me, her eyes burning with desire. But her tone with me was more like what I was used to. “Yes, please.”

  I slowly untied the fabrics she’d hastily tied around herself when we’d realized only Nixies had regained their magic. As I did so, I went behind her, kissing along each inch of skin I revealed. Despite the group sex I’d taken part in so far, I still considered myself heterosexual, but watching Rorik’s eyes devour Glori as I undressed her somehow heightened my arousal. In this moment, she was mine, and he was hers — powerless to do anything but watch until our queen commanded otherwise. I was under no such limitations, and that filled me with a sense of power on some primal level I’d never tapped into before.

  As soon as Glori was naked, I guided her to sit on the couch that was directly in front of Rorik. She spread her legs wide, her eyes on the Veela kneeling before her. I was in unfamiliar territory, but I had the feeling that Glori planned to draw this out, so I started undressing as well. Glori leaned forward, turning to put us in profile to Rorik as she took me in her mouth, putting on a show.

  Her hands cupped my balls, and I heard Rorik’s breath catch as she took me deep. Some guys seemed to think that having a chick suck their dicks put them in charge. It made them feel powerful to take what she offered, giving nothing in return. But as Glori’s hand tightened around my base and her lips teased my crown, I knew the reverse to be just as true if not moreso. Letting someone go down on you meant a great deal of trust, and Glori was the one in charge of this situation.

  My hips bucked as the suction made my eyes roll back in my head. “Oh, that’s good.”

  I gasped as she took me deep again, my tip in her throat. She swallowed, and the sensation almost made me lose it then and there.

  “Glori…” I warned. “Let me at least taste you, first.”

  Rorik suddenly jerked, and I realized I heard voices outside. “Glori, break the geas,” the Veela said as he unsheathed a short sword with one hand. Metal knuckledusters already covered the other.

  “Rorik, I release you from the geas,” Glori said, and he leapt to his feet, spinning toward the door to the common room. Glori got to her feet just as the door opened to reveal Lauren.

  Next to her stood a naked, panting Kitsune, with Erynn right behind.

  “There’s no immediate threat,” Lauren said, but her eyes were wide.

  Rorik glared at the newcomer as though the Kitsune’s very presence offended him, then he sheathed his weapon, trusting Lauren’s word.

  The Kitsune’s eyes never wandered to our nudity when he glanced between us. Instead, he gave a hasty bow. “I bring urgent news. It’s about Thressa.”

  Chapter 30

  Gloriana

  I studied the Kitsune, who straightened under my gaze. His face had that foxy look all Kitsune shared, but his long, straight hair was pitch black. I tried to keep my eyes at shoulder level or above. Even among the beautiful Fae, I imagined it wasn’t polite to stare at another’s nudity. Thankfully, he returned the favor.

  I hated to interrupt the progress Rorik and I seemed to be making, but the worried expression on the Kitsune’s face told me this must be serious.

  “What happened?” I asked as I gathered my fabrics around me and Kenji helped me tie them. Dread pooled in my stomach like black oil, making me nauseous.

  “The Unseelie have returned Thressa to us with a message.” The shorter man obviously knew Thressa was a traitor from his sneer. “Come quickly, for she will tell no one else, and she’s dying.”

  Outside in the common room, I spotted Fen in her doorway.

  “Lauren, Erynn, Kenji, and Fen with me,” I said, and the three of us Elves blurred into the corridor. Kenji’s silver fox wasn’t far behind.

  Fen began divesting herself of clothing even as the Kitsune messenger disappeared into a poof of smoke, reappearing as a small black fox with three tails.

  He took off at a run down the corridor, and we Elves easily kept pace with Kenji racing behind. It wasn’t long before Fen caught up.

  I replayed the Kitsune’s words in my mind. He’d said the Unseelie sent Thressa to us with a message, but also that she was dying. Was that part of their message? That no one was safe, not even their own? After all, I had watched Iona casually kill Caci right in front of me. Unlike most Fae, she clearly had no regard for life, not even Unseelie lives.

  Outside, a throng of people gathered not far from the newly bolstered perimeter some distance away from the palace tree. The recalled Seelie troops were dressed in splotchy green that resembled human army fatigues except that they were made of Fae fabrics and covered by chainmail. Our Kitsune guide switched back into his two-legged form, and one of the troops handed him his clothing. I was surprised to learn he was one of them, though I shouldn’t have been. Of course the perimeter troops had intercepted Thressa.

  The crowd cleared a path upon recognizing me, and Lyall soon appeared at my side. Erynn gasped when she saw Thressa lying on a gurney. The traitorous Elf bled profusely and wore no armor. Her fabrics were ripped and torn, barely clinging to her body and blotchy with unseen wounds that bled through. Dark red blood pooled beneath her body, staining the gurney.