Chapter 25

25

I t took an entire fucking week to gather the small force that would penetrate the Night Realm and recapture Princess Gizela. Time that clawed at my waking hours, and Izidora’s too. Her lower lip was cracked and raw from how she’d chewed it day after day, and down our bond, her fear for the tiny princess was like a dagger constantly digging between my ribs. The mate in me wanted nothing more than to wrap her in my arms and siphon away her pain, to soothe her as Kazimir, once again, forced her to relive her trauma.

As everyone gathered in the war tent, my attention drifted to her, standing firm and strong by my side. Her chestnut hair was braided back, armor secured in place, and twin swords strapped to her back. Chin high, she faced our friends and did not waver in the face of what we were about to do.

My fucking sprite.

Drazen, Zuriel, and Gozzak ducked through the flaps and finally joined us. Katrina slipped in behind them and shuffled through the crowded space toward Rares, whispering something in his ear. The three had remained in the Day Realm to do what Drazen called “damage control” while Katrina recovered. The added benefit of having them there was that we were able to soothe Queen Viktoria and King Consort Geza through complete transparency into our plans to rescue their daughter from the clutches of the fucking insane king of the Night Realm.

Spread on the table like preparations for a bloody banquet was a carefully drawn map of Este Castle, pinned down in all four corners by large, unpolished rocks. Liliana had worked diligently with Artur to map all the ways in and out of the castle as well as all hidden passages that cut through the walls. She’d guessed at a few rooms where the little princess might be held, marking them with fat red Xs.

“Everyone knows their assignment once we arrive?” I asked, bracing my arms on the table and studying the drawing one last time.

“Liliana, Drazen, Savich, and I will take the Royal Wing,” my mate said, her arms crossed over her chest as she peered down with me.

“Gozzak, Xorrek, Kriath, and I will search the spires,” Zuriel confirmed, his icy blue eyes flashing with determination. He’d revealed yesterday that he could speak with Izidora mind-to-mind, much like we could down our bond. Communication between the three groups thus fell on my mate, and she leaped at the opportunity to ensure everyone would make it in and out safely.

“Artur, Anton, Slavian, and I will search the lower levels,” I stated, leveling a serious look at the two High Lords. Normally, they were trouble, but ever since Béke, the two had straightened out, for the most part. When they heard of Princess Gizela’s kidnapping, both had volunteered immediately. “Once we find the princess, relay the message to Izidora so we can extricate ourselves from the halls of Este Castle. We will meet in the woods outside the city.”

Rares handed out potions, Demon blood to the females and Slavian, and the disgustingly thick shifting potion to Drazen, Artur, and me. Anton, Kriath, and Savich could perform a full shift, thank fuck, into an Eagle and Bear, respectively.

“Everyone ready?” I said, the severity in my tone leaving no room for joking and teasing. We had no idea what was waiting for us at Este Castle – an army, traps, Kazimir with his binding magic. Stealth was of the utmost importance.

I would not let him hurt Izidora again.

One by one, we filed out of the tent and into the autumn night. A shiver wracked Izidora’s petite frame until the group clustered around us, close enough that it would be easier for me to move us all to the woods in the Night Realm.

Gripping Drazen by the arm, I tugged him closer and growled in his ear, “If anything happens to her, you will answer for it.”

My cousin’s blue eyes were hard and his jaw set in a firm line. “Nothing will happen to her. If anything, they should be afraid of her.”

We glanced sidelong at my mate. Her posture was tense, focused, and she nearly vibrated with fury. We could scent it too – sharp, potent, and deadly. Drazen was right; Izidora was not to be fucked with, and it made me all the prouder of how far she had come.

“Everyone grab onto me,” I ordered, holding out my arms. Nearly a dozen hands took positions across my body. Closing my eyes, I sucked in a breath, allowing the black fire in my chest to flare to life as I uttered the words to move us through space and time.

The world blurred by as my chanting continued, sweat breaking out across my brow as mountains bled into trees and rivers, until finally, the briny smell of the ocean assaulted my nostrils. I ceased the flow of magic, and we landed in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by tall, knotted trees with thick boughs that twisted toward the sky.

I swiped at the salt on my face. While the others stepped back, Izidora raced forward, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I love you. Stay safe.”

The heady scent of roses filled my nostrils as I dragged in a deep breath, burying my face in her hair. I imprinted the feel of her in my arms on my memory as every fiber of my being begged me to keep her by my side. “I love you. You are strong. You are powerful. If anyone tries to hurt you and you don’t kill them, I will.”

Using her long braid as leverage, I yanked her head back and captured her mouth in a bruising, desperate kiss. The feel of her soft lips against mine as I pressed further into her wasn’t enough – I needed more, needed her to understand the intensity of my love for her. Not caring about our audience, I swept my tongue against hers and crushed her against me. A whimper slipped into my mouth as she clutched at me, seeking purchase where there was none against my slick armor. With a groan, I finally released her, both of us breathless. Our gazes collided, and those aquamarine eyes that had captivated me since the moment I saw her in the ballroom at Este Castle blazed with white fire.

When she stepped away, she was framed in a white halo by the rays of the moon peeking through the trees, and truly, she looked like an Angel. Without breaking eye contact, she threw back her drink, not even shuddering at the metallic taste.

While she might have looked like an Angel, I knew she’d unleash her darkness tonight. And I was fucking thrilled for it. A wicked smirk lifted the corners of my mouth as she drew the twin swords etched with long-stemmed roses from her back.

Finally tearing myself from her, I surveyed the three gathered groups. “We meet back here,” I reminded them.

“See you on the other side.” Drazen clapped me on the shoulder, then led my mate through the trees and out of my line of sight. Watching her walk away was like my soul being ripped in two and my heart being slashed by the Fehérmedve’s giant claws.

We waited until Zuriel’s group departed before hanging a right and sneaking through the woods. I’d taken the most dangerous section – the one where there were sure to be more guards and Fae lingering about late into the night. A breeze rustled the trees as we crept along, carrying with it sounds of clanging metal and boisterous voices. I snapped up my closed fist to halt our progress as the scent of smoke filled my nostrils. Creeping forward, I crouched behind a tree, then peered around it.

Row upon row of long buildings filled a clearing just outside the city walls, while around them were stores of food, horses, and stashes of weapons. Judging by the size, this encampment could hold tens of thousands. A few piles of construction materials caught my eye when a group of soldiers moved away from them.

Fuck, this was a new addition.

Gritting my teeth against my rising frustration, I took stock of the layout, trying to memorize what I could and assess any danger from my vantage point. While the camp was enormous, only a few hundred milled about the buildings and fires.

Where were the rest?

They hadn’t seen us and appeared to laze about rather than prepare for an attack. With no time to waste, I hurried back to Artur, Anton, and Slavian. In a low voice, I relayed what I had seen. Then, with grim faces and sharper eyes, we continued our trek.

Once we reached the bridge leading into the city, we threw up the hoods of our cloaks, trying to blend in among those coming and going from Vaenor. No guards patrolled the city walls – likely because of the fucking army stationed outside it – and we quickly slipped inside among a group of merchants. Within a few minutes, we found the alley Liliana had marked.

This area of Vaenor was dark, dingy, and not a place where people asked questions.

The house on the end looked like it had been abandoned long ago, though a heavy lock still remained on the door. With a glance in either direction, I brought black fire to my palms, melting the metal and then using my earth magic to bend and break it so that it fell away. Wordlessly, we entered the space, knives drawn and ready for a surprise attack.

None came.

Instead, dust-covered furniture sagged over the dirt floor, and the thick glass window panes let in the barest amount of light from the moon. In the center, a threadbare rug skewed haphazardly. I kicked it aside and revealed the trap door that led into the tunnels.

Artur gripped the metal handle and hefted the heavy wood with a creak and a groan. Slavian stood by the window, peering through the grime to ensure no one had followed us or was coming to investigate the sound. With a stiff nod, he cleared our entrance. Dropping down, I landed with a heavy thud, followed by Anton and Artur. At last, Slavian joined us, not bothering to close the door behind him. We didn’t expect anyone to discover the entrance – not if no one had for decades before. I had to hand it to King Zalan; his paranoia was certainly assisting us as we invaded his former castle.

The passage was dark and damp, and Artur offered his green fire to guide the way.

“Everything okay?” I asked Izidora down our bond, needing her reassurance.

“So far so good. Just entered the passage into the castle.”

I left her alone then, wanting her to focus on what was in front of her rather than be distracted by me. I’d done everything in my power to prepare her; it was time for me to trust that it was enough. My stomach still ached at the thought.

The dirt gave way to stone as we entered the castle grounds, and I began counting the passages popping up along either side of us. The one we searched for was nothing more than a sliver about twenty from the first one. Apparently, all the others dead-ended, in an attempt to trap any unwanted intruders.

Artur stopped short, then retraced his steps, running a palm along the rough wall until it disappeared. “Here.”

Banishing his fire, he turned to the side and shimmied his way between the wedges. Anton followed, cursing low as his armor scraped against the rock. I nearly cursed myself at the tight squeeze, wondering how King Zalan ever thought he might fit through these.

What felt like an eternity later, we fell into an open chamber with a spoke of passages leading in all directions. “The one directly across,” Artur muttered, keeping his voice low. He beelined to it, disappearing into the darkness, and Slavian, Anton, and I followed, casting motes of fire to guide us. It wasn’t long before we reached the first turn, then the second, until we came to a fork. The left hand path led to our destination – the kitchens.

Lights extinguished, darkness surrounded us as we drew our weapons and prepared to breach the castle. I pressed my shoulder into the stone, feeling it give beneath me. With a groan, it opened slightly, but not enough to allow us entry. Switching positions, I pressed my hands against the edges to push it to the side.

Bags of root vegetables and barrels of spices greeted us, not a soul in sight. But I didn’t lower my guard as Artur and I crept forward, scanning every crevice for a Fae that might give us away. Anton and Slavian picked their way carefully behind us, pausing when we reached the door that led into the main kitchen. This was the spot we were most likely to encounter someone, and I readied my blade to slice and sever.

Flipping the pommel in my hand, I opened the door, revealing two young females sitting at a table and peeling vegetables. A scream tore from their lips at the sight of us, and I wasted no time spilling their blood over their work. They weren’t to blame for their mad king or the kidnapping of Princess Gizela, but protecting both the babe and my mate were my top priority and I couldn’t risk alerting anyone – namely Kazimir – to our presence.

“Let’s hope no one heard that,” Anton muttered, clearing the room along with Slavian.

“Up the stairs,” I ordered, jerking my head to the steps that led to the bowels of the castle.

On silent feet, we ascended, sneaking off the first landing and venturing in the direction of the servants’ nursery. The sound of crying children was notably absent, and all who lived on this level seemed to be deeply asleep. No one opened their door to investigate the screams of the late-night kitchen maids.

At the end of the hall, a door was slightly ajar, and with as much gentleness as I could muster, I eased it open, hoping to find the little princess there. The room was empty, but as I flared my nostrils, I caught the scent of milk. The princess had been there, but judging by the empty crib and basic cot, it had been some time.

“She’s not here,” I informed Izidora.

“Liliana says to go up a few levels and search. Zuriel hasn’t found her either.”

I motioned for the others to follow, and we returned to the staircase, winding up to the next level and exiting in a similar manner. More doors stood wide, revealing barren rooms with no sign of life. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as we neared the end of the hall, and with a spared glance behind me, the others seemed just as tense as me.

Tightening my grip on my sword, I glided forward on silent feet, tuning into my heightened hearing to assist me. A single closed door drew my attention, especially the repeated swishing sound that drifted from behind it. Pausing, I listened for a moment before grasping the handle and twisting. With one swift movement, I threw it open, revealing five leather-clad soldiers waiting with wild grins. Three in the back had arrows notched and aimed directly at us.

“Down!” I shouted, hitting the floor with enough force to rattle it. An arrow whizzed over my head a heartbeat later. I treated my drop like a push up and launched myself back to my feet, charging forward and not stopping to see if Artur, Anton, and Slavian were okay. My blade clashed with the closest soldier, and with a mighty shove, I overpowered him and used his momentum to knock the arrow-wielder behind him off balance.

He blasted me with silver magic in return, causing me to stumble too, but I caught his waiting blade with the metal cuff on my wrist, allowing it to dent my armor but save my skin. I needed every ounce of my magic to ferry us back to the Iron Realm, so I gritted my teeth and swung at him, using my strength to force his back to the wall.

Beside me, Slavian and Anton battled, the former kicking a Night Fae in the stomach, sending him flying backward with a forceful grunt as all the air fled his lungs. Fire heated my backside as Artur cooked two in their armor, their screams piercing the air before gurgling into silence.

Only the one in front of me remained, and the tip of my blade was pointed at his throat. “Where are the others?” I growled, finding sick satisfaction in the way the male trembled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he protested, and for his lie I pressed my blade into his throat – not enough to kill, but enough to draw blood.

“Let’s try a different question. How many others are there in the castle tonight?”

His throat bobbed, causing more metallic ruby to run down his neck. “Only a few. We were in here gambling when we heard the screams from below. Figured the intruders would find us eventually.”

“A likely story,” I grinned maniacally, causing the male’s eyes to widen. Vacillating between severity and levity was its own kind of thrill, especially with how thoroughly it frightened my prey before I slaughtered them like the weaklings they were. “Where are the others?”

The male whimpered as the tip dug deeper into his skin. “Other parts of the castle.”

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose with my free hand. “You’re making this difficult. Why don’t you want to please me?”

Utter confusion crossed his frantic expression, and I relished in the mental pain I was inflicting. “What?” he managed to stutter after a moment.

“Beg for your life.” My tone was like ice, spearing into him as hard as my blade.

He released a whimper that satisfied the parts of me that got off on others’ pain. “Is that a no?”

A lone tear slipped down his cheek, and the scent of piss filled the air. I glanced at Artur, who merely shrugged. In one swift motion, I removed the male’s head from his body, allowing it to fall at my feet with a satisfying thump.

“There are soldiers in the castle,” I relayed to Izidora.

“We know,” was her strained reply.