Chapter 3

Istare at the covered up sword on my bed, wondering what the hell I’m meant to do with it now. I came back to this world to bring the sword to Elle, and I’m glad I chose to return to the Spirit Court. At some point, Earth was no longer my home but a place to hide from the horrors of this world. Except, similar horrors exist on Earth without all the people I love. My parents and siblings are the only people I miss, but they are safer without me, and they knew I wasn’t meant to be there anymore.

They brought me up, not knowing that there was a chance I’d end up in this world, not knowing I could’ve been a queen and not a stranger like I feel. I can’t say I’m disappointed about not being a queen—it sounds like too much pressure for me. The spirit castle has been nothing but accommodating at least, bringing me food, and warm baths are ready for me after training. It really is the perfect home. But I need to get this sword to Elle, and I can’t at the moment. I have no idea how I would get to her, and it’s not like I can make a portal.

I glance at my dragon lying out on the balcony where she sits quite happily protecting me now. I asked her to fly me to Elle, but she doesn’t know what court she is in, and with Ares and Aphrodite around, it might not be safe. I can’t lose the sword to her enemies. She will come here, I’m sure of it; it’s her home after all.

It’s likely best I don’t attempt to fly that far with my dragon. We still haven’t got the knack of actually riding together. If anything, the one ride I’ve done round the castle with her was disastrous, and I nearly died on the towers of this castle when she dropped me, but still, she seems happy that I’m back. I’m happy too, even if I’m a little lonely and lost. I leave my new bedroom, shutting the door behind me to aimlessly wander around the castle again.

There are a few riders here who came with Terrin and the dragons, but they keep to themselves. They are happy to fight for the spirit princess, but I’m not her, and they don’t know if they can trust me either. It’s still quiet this morning, and I can smell breakfast in the dining hall. I occasionally see Matron hovering about, but she doesn’t speak to me and hasn’t since I arrived. Terrin, I’ve had a few conversations with through my dragon, but he doesn’t speak much in return. I wanted to tell him about the sword so he can tell Elle but it didn’t feel right. Ever since I accepted the sword, I knew in my soul it is different and makes its own rules. The sword doesn’t want me to tell him. Terrin’s moody anyway. I can’t blame him. He has no idea where his mate is or if she’s in trouble or not.

I promised that strange god that I would get this sword to Ellelin. I need to figure out how to do that. I’m not paying attention as someone slams straight into me, and I go flying into the air, smacking straight into the wall. The room is spinning as I sit up, blinking as a man charges right at me, a familiar red glow in his eyes. I barely have time to defend myself as he picks me up and pushes me against the wall. I manage to shove him away and take several steps back, wincing at my sore back. I might have broken a rib. I pull out my dagger from my thigh clip, holding it between us.

“Are you the princess?” he questions, and I frown.

“No,” I answer. He must have no idea what she looks like if he thinks I’m her.

The man is possessed by Aphrodite’s magic, I’ve seen it before. “Show me where the princess is or die.”

“She’s not here.” My snapped reply echoes between us, but I wouldn’t tell him where she was even if she was here. She is my friend and I’m loyal to her. Elle makes it easy to like her, to want to be her friend, and now that I know who she is, maybe serving her in her court when the war is over could be a place for me. The man doesn’t like my answer, and he charges at me. He’s a big opponent, difficult to battle, and I need to avoid getting hit directly by him.

I dodge to the side, and he slams into the wall, immediately turning to face me without an ounce of pain in his features. My dragon snarls into my mind, “Get to a window. I will burn him.”

“There are no windows.” The corridor is empty, and my dragon can’t get to me here, deep in the corridors of the castle. She roars in my ear, knowing that I’m worried, and I slam my hands into his chest, shoving him back, but he is quick. He smacks me hard across the face, and I fly down onto the floor, wincing as blood fills my mouth and my dagger falls out of my hand, sailing down the corridor. He pulls out a silver sword from his hood, the blade glittering in the firelight. Fuck.

Suddenly a cat jumps in between us, hissing loud. Surprise has both me and the man pausing as we look down at the white cat. Its head whips back, his red eyes bright, and I swear it smiles before it changes, red magic swirling around it until it’s a man in a suit. His wild, curly, white-blond hair falls over his ears, and his white suit is spotless, tight to show off every single one of his muscles. His bright red eyes flash in the darkness as he looks down at me with his devilishly handsome face. “Are you in need of help, Livia?”

My mouth opens once, and I blurt out my words. “Erm, maybe.”

The cat/man smiles wide, and in two moves, he’s in front of the other man, his hands wrapped around his head. Scorching hot white fire pours out of his hands, the flickering flames smothering the man’s body and the sword too. The man screams for what only feels like a few seconds before there’s nothing but white ash falling onto the ground and an awful smell in the air. The cat/man turns around, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets as I climb to my feet. I rub my sore cheek as I look at this dangerous cat person. He tilts head to the side as I search for words. “Thank you… That was both helpful and really awful.”

He looks about my age, and he’s ridiculously gorgeous, more so when he laughs. I mean, I am bi. I usually date women, but he might be an exception to that rule. Then again, I’m not sure I’m ready to date. After Florence, I don’t think I could like anyone ever again. I didn’t protect her, I couldn’t, and she is gone. She died in this castle, and I don’t even have a body to bury. Just ghosts of our memories, and they are not enough. I loved her and she taught me that loving anyone in this dangerous world is a mistake when they can be taken so quickly.

“My name is Jinks, and I’m guessing you wish for an explanation on”—he raises his eyebrows—“on me. Yes, I’m disgustingly gorgeous, and yes, I have a cat form. I am a seduction demon and mostly a cursed cat. It’s a pleasure to come and protect you. Hera sent me your way. She was worried about you alone in the castle when you have an important mission to finish.” I don’t know what to say, but he keeps going. “Hera opened a portal so I could come here and be your guard. I’ve been watching you for a few days to assess your needs.” He moves right in front of me, so all I can smell is him. He smells like fire, melted chocolate and cat. It’s a strange mix but perfect for him. “And I’ve not figured you out yet, Livia. You’ve come into this world to bring back a sword for your friend that you abandoned to go back and play mortal. It’s a pretty boring life you picked. You were a dragon rider and friend to the princess of the Spirit Court, destined for a life of honour, and you gave it up.”

I straighten my back and cross my arms. We are close enough that my forearm brushes his chest when I do. “I didn’t ask for your judgment.”

His smile is too wide, revealing too many perfect teeth. Demon… Demons are real? “I’ve been trapped in the mortal world as punishment, in that cat form, for a very long time. You can say I made some mistakes that made Phobos pretty fucking mad at me, and I will judge anyone who chooses that boring life with no magic.”

“What kind of mistakes would a god of nightmares think is so bad that you needed to be cursed into a cat form?”

Jinks grins like how I would expect a demon to, and my heart races as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. My mother used to warn me about demons, friends of the dark gods. She warned that they have no souls, can’t do good deeds, and only want death. I know she just heard rumours, old stories, and told me them, but it makes me nervous as I watch Jinks. “It was bad.” He smirks. “But while I’m protecting you, I will behave. It looks like we’re trapped together, me and you.” He pops me on the nose. I blink. Did he really just do that?

Why is he acting like we are old friends?

I shake my head at him. “I don’t need a guard or demon, or cat!”

He laughs, stepping away from me. “You can tell yourself that, but that’s not going to be true when you find out?—”

“We must talk.”

We both turn around at the new voice, and standing in the ashes is the matron. If I didn’t know her, she would just appear to be a normal old lady as she hobbles in. Her silver walking stick clicks on the floor, her wrinkled hand gripping it tightly. Her hunched back means she is almost constantly looking down, and the hood of her black cloak doesn’t entirely conceal that she is bald. On the edges of the cloak are four symbols of the courts, and I believe the darkness of the cloak is for the Spirit Court where she lives. She lifts her pure black eyes, their darkness like an endless night.

I’m surprised she learnt how to talk, as she hasn’t said a word in weeks. “Oh, so you’ve decided to speak to us. I’ve been in the castle for a long time, and I’ve been shouting at you every time that I’ve seen you in the distance before you just vanish.”

The matron is expressionless. I don’t know what she is, but she isn’t human. She isn’t a dragon or even a demon…she is just Matron. Being in her presence always sends a chill down my spine, and I have to cool my features so she doesn’t see it. “We did not need to converse until now.”

Jinks laughs and I really want to elbow him. “Right. What do we need to converse about?”

But the matron is looking at Jinks. “We do not usually let demons into the castle, but I overheard that you’re protecting her, so this once I shall allow it. The castle might prefer the cat form.”

Jinks inclines his head, his words like a purr. “Respectfully, so do I sometimes. I am honoured.”

Her cold eyes drift from Jinks to me. “Princess Ellelin has left this world.”

I frown. “She’s back on Earth?”

“No.”

I dig my fingers into my arm. Elle, what have you done? “Then where is she?”

“In another world. Terrin has gone with her, and I feel there will be weeks before they return. There is a problem we must solve. The soldier you saw. He was one of Aphrodite’s possessed people. It seems she has gone west, rallied an army who also hates the princess, and they’re all coming here together. The first place they’re going to attack is the Spirit Court. I’ve informed the other courts, and they’re going to put their wards up to make sure no one can come in and out. It’s important that the Spirit Court does the same now we have the dragons here, the people who need to be protected until the princess and the other kings are back. We cannot send them away once again.”

“Right, you go and do that.” I wave a hand.

“It cannot be done by me.” Her answer is blunt and to the point. I didn’t think it would be that easy.

Jinks looks at me, and I glance back at him for only a moment. His eyes are both creepy and strangely pretty. “Why not?”

The matron closes her hands over her walking stick in front of her. How she snuck up on us with the stick is scary to think about. “It must be you.”

My throat feels like it is closing up. “Why?”

“Because I am not linked to this world by blood, but you are. The demon is not. There are other mortals in the castle, but the princess does not trust them like she does you. The sword you protect is proof enough to me of your importance to this court, so I came to you first.” Her words hit home. Elle trusts me, Phobos too, and it seems even Hera does, because she sent Jinks to protect me.

I square my shoulders. “Tell me what to do.”

“Come.” Jinks and I look at each other as Matron walks away. I frown, wondering why I’m looking at the cat for reassurance. Jinks is devastatingly good-looking. He was right about that, in his human form. We both follow the matron down corridors, through the central part of the castle, and to the back of the central room where there are two massive doors that were definitely not there before. The matron stands in front of them. The doors themselves are works of art, pure stained glass in various shades of black, grey, and white, all created to make dragon wings. “This is the throne room behind these doors. To activate the wards is very simple. There is a sphere to the left of the throne. It controls the magic of the castle and the wards around it. Put your hand on it, ask it to put the wards up, and do as it asks.”

Sounds easy enough. I take a step forward, but the matron isn’t done. “If you do this, you’ll be bound to this court forever. You’ll be swearing yourself, your life, to an allegiance with everything from your blood to your soul. You will not be able to leave these court lands. Ever. You will not be able to travel to the other courts. You will be bound solely to here, to this court. There will be no return for you to any world.”

I know my face has paled, even before I take a step away. “What?”

“There is always someone in every court, someone that acts as a protector, usually appointed by the ruling king or queen. This will be your chance to be the protector of the Spirit Court, if you wish to take it, Livia. If not, we will have no protection unless another steps in. I believe there is no one else suitable in this castle to do that, who can be trusted by the princess with the magic of this land.” I blow a breath. “You know exactly what I’m asking you to do. Make your choice, Livia. Will you become a protector of the Spirit Court?”

She walks away and we both watch her go before I glance up at the big doors to the throne room. Jinks stays very close to my side, and I don’t know much about him. We only just met, but it helps comfort me not to be alone in this choice. “You can walk away, and no one will judge that choice.”

The choice was made for me the second I took the sword and came back here. I already know my choice, and maybe one day I will regret the fact I made it and trapped myself here…but I doubt it. “You know, my home was never on Earth. The minute I was there, I was just itching to be back here. I think I wanted to be there because I thought it would protect me from myself, but nothing can do that. I was drawn to this world from the second I came here, and this castle…it holds the grave of someone I loved. Being bound here doesn’t sound like the worst fate. I will always be close to her.”

“I lost someone once, and every decision I made after that was terrible and cost so many others the same fate as I lost,” Jinks tells me, his voice hollow. “I came here for a second chance, to make a new path for my life at your side. I will protect you, Livia, as you protect the Spirit Court. Perhaps we can both have a second chance that way.”

“To second chances.” The doors open on their own, like they know my choice, and I walk into the throne room, knowing that I’m offering my life to the Spirit Court.

If it falls, I fall with it.