Five

Moon

A s we make our way under the portcullis, Daire uses his speed to dash ahead of us to map out the best route to take as we make our way through the castle. On several occasions, he returns with his lips dripping blood. It says something about me that I’m jealous he’s tasting someone else's blood…I’m not sure what, but something.

“Clearly someone stopped for a little snack,” I snark, lifting a brow, hands braced on my hips. I wince. Obviously, I’m hiding my jealousy well.

“What can I say, I’m in a good mood,” he smirks. Along the way, he has also lost his glasses, and I can’t help but smile at my handsome mate. I could easily get lost in his vibrant red eyes.

“Moon, I was thinking we should prepare,” Odas says as he steps beside me. “Here.” He hands me a small vial filled with red liquid, and I frown. “It’s my blood. If you need to use me, I want you to have it.”

“What? No.” I shove the vial back into his hands, but Odas shakes his head. He gently places the vial in my grasp, and closes his large palms over mine, holding me. Like that’ll stop me… As soon as he releases me, I slip it into his pocket.

“So stubborn,” he snorts, this time tucking the vial into my bra, and I swat his hand, making him lift a brow at me.

“Hey,” I protest, but his stern look makes me pause.

“Just listen, would you?” he grunts, and I sigh. “If I get knocked out, you can still use this to control me. At the very least, you can use it to move my limp body out of the way. To safety,” he adds, and judging by the glint in his eyes, he knows he’s got me with that one.

I glare at him, and he chuckles. “Fine, but that's the only way I’m using this,” I huff. I would never use him to fight. But I suppose if he’s in danger, I could use the blood to move him to a safe location.

“You only need one drop, in either eye,” he adds, and I wrinkle my nose. “It’s no worse than drinking my blood.”

“It’s nothing like drinking blood,” I scoff, and he snorts.

“Fair, I guess.”

“I enjoy drinking your blood. You taste yummy. Pouring blood into my eye is like a sadistic version of eye drops, which I’ve never successfully administered to myself, by the way,” I add.

“Good thing you have so many mates. One can hold your eye open, one can hold you down, and the other can add a little drop…” Odas says in a slightly amused tone, and I grumble.

“Yeah, well, that seems like a waste of a perfectly good opportunity for forced submission and restraint… Just keep your ass out of danger, and I won’t need to use it.”

“Moon.” Odas pauses, giving me a look, before gesturing to our surroundings. “You’re kidding right?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “No. Keep yourself out of immediate danger. Don’t get knocked out. Be safe.” I uncross my arms to prop a hand on my hip and stare up at my Cyclops, daring him to argue.

“Moon–” Odas starts but is cut off by my Orc.

“If we’re attacked, Daire is going to use his speed to get you to safety,” Arlo says from behind me, and I spin to face him, glare deepening. His steps falter as he approaches us. My jaw ticks as I grind my teeth. I take a moment to count to five, so I don’t bite his head off.

“Um no. We fight together. Or have you forgotten what a badass I am?” I ask, and Arlo chuckles. “Oh, I’m serious, Orc boy… Remember the heads I exploded? I’m your best asset. I could take you down with one hand!”

“Wanna bet?” he growls in my ear as he leans into me, and I shiver. I don’t give him time to rethink the bet, I just focus my chaos on him, imagining him lying on his back on the floor. In the blink of an eye, Arlo is flat on his back looking up at me in shock. “Touché,” he says when he shakes off the surprised look in his eyes.

“Stop underestimating me. I fight with you. The days of running away are over. We have no idea what I can do,” I say, flipping my hair over my shoulder and stomping away.

“You get sexier every day,” Cato says, as I walk past him. I ignore the fact that he has somehow just marked me with his scent. It’s cute. I like smelling like my Dragon mate, and I know it helps settle his inner beast.

“Thanks. Now let's go free the King.”

It’s already been twenty minutes and we still haven't found the King. And that's with Daire zooming all over the place. This place is freaking massive. I mean, I could tell from the outside that it would be huge, but walking these endless halls is wild.

The longer we walk, the more my nerves grow. My men must sense that because each one of them presses gentle touches to my skin every few feet. We also pass a few suspicious blood puddles, but no one mentions them. The bodies are nowhere to be found, but we all know who the culprit is.

“This way, Moon,” Daire finally says, a drop of blood rolling down his chin.

“You found him?” I whisper, my heart rate spiking while my anxiety skyrockets. I haven’t really had time to think over the fact that I’m meeting my father for the first time, and he’s mentally not all there. Not only that, but I spent twenty-five years believing another man was my father. A man who is the biological father of my mate…

As we walk into the room, there’s a shift in the air. I can sense power…a familiar thrum of energy.

“He’s in here?” I ask Daire, who nods, his red eyes flashing. “Is it weird that there are no guards?” I ask as I look around, wondering if maybe Daire got rid of them already, but Cato shakes his head.

“She controls him completely,” Cato whispers, “there’s no need for her to have him guarded. Who would dare enter her kingdom to release him? How could he ever leave?” Cato shakes his head. “The magic she uses to keep this castle under her thumb is powerful and terrifying.” My mate's fear of the Queen is unnerving.

“You four wait over here,” I say to all my men as I creep slowly further into the room. I can see the King. Well, the back of his crowned head, anyway. He’s facing a window that's letting in sunlight. Panic sets in…

What if I can’t help him? What do we do then? If the Queen dies, will he remain like this forever?

“King Lark?” I whisper, and when I’m five feet away, I pause. Looking over my shoulder, I see that my men are following close behind me, ignoring my instructions. At least they’re letting me approach him first. “Uh, my name is Moon. I am Shine’s daughter…your daughter…” He doesn’t respond, so I close the gap and step in front of him. He’s so much younger in appearance than I expected. He looks like he’s Kili’s age. Tousled brown hair with vacant blue eyes, his expression is completely blank. It is doubtful he even knows he’s in this room, let alone sees me.

“Shit,” I whisper. I take one finger and poke his cheek. “Psst,” I hiss, but he doesn’t even blink.

“Fuck, we need to move, guards are coming!” Daire growls, before scooping the King up, and tossing him over his shoulder. I yelp, jumping out of the way, and as Arlo grips my arm to tug me with him, I snatch up the crown that fell off the king's head. At least I try to, until touching it burns my fingertips. It clatters to the floor for a second time, and Cato grabs it instead.

“Fuck!” I yelp, but Arlo doesn’t even pause as he drags me out of the room and after Daire.

“Where are we going?” I whisper-shout, and Daire just waves a hand in front of him.

“That way,” he says in a tone that implies an unspoken ‘duh.’ Smart ass.

“The dungeons,” Cato supplies when Daire doesn’t offer anything else, and my eyes go wide.

“Will you two be okay down there?” My head snaps to Cato first and then to Odas. I don’t want them somewhere that is going to harm them… Both men look tense with raised shoulders and jaws clenching, but neither of them looks triggered by the thought.

“It’s not ideal, but we will be fine,” Cato sighs, meeting my eyes. “As long as we don’t get stuffed in a cell,” he adds, and a growl slips from between my lips.

“No one will ever put either of you in a cell as long as I live. They’ll have to go through me, and I’ll burn this castle down before anyone gets close,” I hiss, feeling my magic simmering across my skin, ready to do exactly what I threatened.

“Okay killer, calm down baby…” Odas says teasingly, and I huff. Daire shushes us, and I glare at him for only a moment before remembering we’re running from guards and searching for the dungeon.

As we follow Daire –with the King tossed over his shoulders– down the stairs, the vibe in the air around us shifts.

I can feel power radiating down there. The taste of Chaos on my tongue leaves little doubt of what I will find at the bottom of these stone steps.

“I think my mom is down there,” I whisper, and Cato nods.

“By now probably your grandmother and the others, too,” he adds, and I nibble my lip.

“Go faster, Daire,” I hiss, as anxiety creeps in.

“I can go faster just fine, it’s the rest of you that can’t match my speed,” Daire grumbles.

The need to make sure Grams is okay and to get my eyes on my other guys causes my feet to carry me faster down the stairs. I know that Fen has probably made it to his mother by this point, so the sooner we get done in the dungeon, the sooner I can get to Fen.

I know Silas has a plan and will keep him safe, but I just feel like I need to be there.

“Oh shit.” I hear Daire grumble as he turns a corner in front of us. Cato and Odas form a fucking wall in front of me, and Arlo drops his big ol’ meaty hands on my shoulders to keep me still.

“Let me pass,” I snap with an edge of venom in my tone. Their desire to protect me, while expected, is not fucking needed. Saving my mother and keeping my mates safe from the Fae Queen are my only goals right now. Just as I feel the frustration in my chest grow stronger, a being pops into existence right in front of us. Startled, I pause, staring at her. Her ears flick, as she looks between me and the guys.

“Oh fuck,” Cato grumbles, taking a step backward. The shock only lasts a second as I jump forward, squeezing between my men as I break free of Arlo’s grip and charge the Mungus.

“Sweet Girl!” I scream, as I wrap my arms around her neck. “Oh, I missed you so much! I didn’t think I’d get to see you again!” I cry, happy tears falling as I hug the Mungus in a death grip. She’s tough though, and when I release her, she noses me. I swipe the tears from my eyes and sniff.

“Did she just teleport the Mungus to her, across Realms, without touching her?” Cato asks, and Odas grunts. I smile smugly over at them and then stick my tongue out at Arlo.

“Told you I’m powerful. Stop freaking underestimating me!” I grumble. In all honesty, I don’t know how I just did what I did. I was thinking about how scared all the guys were of my Mungus, and that they’d leave me the hell alone if I had her by my side, then poof. There she was.

She shrinks herself to a large pony size, and I climb onto her back.

“She’s riding a Mungus into battle,” Odas chuckles, giving me an idea. I close my eyes, and imagine her with a massive iron head of armor, as Sweet Girl heads in the direction Daire disappeared in. Her steps never even falter as it appears, making her look ten times more intimidating.

“I’ll have to start calling you Badass Girl,” I whisper to her, rubbing her neck. A little piece of me that I didn’t even know was sad and missing her this much heals. After we dealt with the Fae Queen, I would have gone to look for her, but I’m so glad to have her by my side.

As we turn the corner, and enter the dungeon, I see why Daire cursed. There’s chaos happening down here.