Chapter 55

The destruction of the final Nebula Inquisition Centres, alongside the successful trick we had played on my father and his army with our illusions, plus the hoard of fucking monsters my wife and her equally insane sister had unleashed upon his forces were all anyone in the rebel army could speak of. In reality, all of that paled to nothing in comparison to the victory that had been claimed by the trapped star releasing its magic into the world, the weapon Lavinia had so brutally wielded against us in our last collision now ripped from the playing board.

Celebrations had taken over the entire campus, the army were letting off a bit of steam and there were plenty of drinks being consumed around bonfires which blazed before crowds of dancing, celebrating Fae.

I sat in the shadows beneath a towering oak tree, watching the enormous fire blazing at the heart of the clearing in The Wailing Wood, the orange light flickering over my skin and momentarily illuminating me before leaving me in shadow again.

I had my hood drawn up and a glass of whiskey dangling from my fingertips over the arm of my chair. I'd taken one mouthful but it had soured on the way down, the burn doing nothing more than remind me that we shouldn't be celebrating yet.

In fact, though we had struck several harsh blows against my father's army today, I knew as well as everyone else who had been invited to this exclusive gathering that we were still far from where we needed to be if we stood a hope of winning this war.

I watched Roxy as she danced with Rosalie Oscura, her head thrown back and one arm in the air, while her other held a bottle of mostly untouched tequila. She was putting on a damn good show of being unconcerned. And a damn good show of being irresistible too, I admitted as my gaze fell to the expanse of bronze thigh where her dress kept riding up as she moved.

The Wolf beside her howled, drawing a flood of Oscuras up to dance with them too.

Darcy was dancing with them, Sofia and Geraldine too, all of them celebrating and putting on a great show of victory. I felt it. But I didn't at the same time.

"This seems all too familiar," Orion said casually from the seat to my right as if he'd been there this entire time instead of having just shot into the space so fast that no one had noticed him.

I glanced his way, noting the love bite on his neck which the collar of his shirt was doing very little to conceal and the dishevelled appearance of his hair.

"You mean the bit with us sitting on the outskirts like the miserable bastards we too often are, or the bit where you pretend not to have been fucking a Vega five minutes before hanging out with me?" I asked, making him laugh.

"It's easier now that we don't have to hide it," he said and I looked into his eyes, that still unfamiliar ring of silver which lined them suiting him.

It would have made sense for me to envy those silver rings. If I'd followed a different path on my journey to this place I might have had rings of my own linking me to Roxy, branding me as hers in starlight. Yet I didn't. Despite it all, I couldn't picture that reality ever having played out. And as impossible as my sitting here should have been, I couldn't imagine I would have made it to this point by taking any other path either.

"I'm so fucking glad for you," I told my best friend, offering him a grin which was real despite all the concerns waging for my attention.

"You too," he replied in kind, his eyes moving to the Vegas where they danced like the fate of the world didn't even balance on their shoulders.

Neither of us mentioned the obvious; that our happiness was more than likely to be short-lived. What would the point have been in all this if we failed?

"Geraldine has made plans for the queens to announce the fall of the Nebula Inquisition Centres live across Solaria soon," Orion said. "Tyler is working on hacking the servers so the broadcast will be impossible to switch off and the hope is we can rally more rebels to come join us. She wants to spotlight you, too. The man who returned from death to fight. I think it has a bit of a ring to it."

I nodded. That made sense and I was more than used to being paraded in front of the cameras. Tyler had already done an interview and photoshoot with me which he'd released to the press earlier today and according to him, Solaria was reeling from the news, rumours flying that it was a sign from the stars themselves that fate was on the side of the True Queens.

I supposed I should know what had been said about me in the article in case it was brought up during the broadcast, so I took my Atlas from my pocket and quickly opened it.

It didn't take long to find it – the entirety of the internet and social media seemed to be alight with the story.

Darius Acrux Returned from the Grave! By Tyler Corbin

Darius Acrux, son to the False King and infamous rebel leader has indeed returned from beyond The Veil to fight against the tyranny of his father.

In a shocking turn of events, Queen Roxanya Vega defied the will of fate which had stolen her beloved husband who was her would-be Elysian mate, once Star Crossed then released to love again thanks to his own extraordinary power (full story of their epic romance here).

Roxanya vowed to change their fate and did! She stormed the halls of the dead and through magic more powerful than any of us can really comprehend, stole him back from the clutches of fate and returned him to her arms.

Now, upon the king consort's defiance of death, he has bowed to the True Queens and pledged his undying allegiance to them.

I skimmed the rest of the article, ignoring the over-the-top praise and compliments, knowing it was all designed with the purpose of drawing more Fae to our side of this war. At the bottom of the page, past the photographs detailing my return and the interview I'd done with him, was what I was searching for. I needed to see if this had had the effect we were hoping for and the easiest way to get a read on public opinion was to check the comments.

Melissa Lieberman:

Oh my stars, even fate agrees that Lionel Acrux is in the wrong. I hope he gets dick rot and it falls off! #rottydongle #dirtydick

Lucy Burfoot:

Long live the True Queens! Their power is beyond compare! No other can claim such holy strength! #Vegasforever

Kass Bruinier:

I smell a rat and as we all know, they're the lowest creatures of them all. If any of this is even close to the truth then I'll eat my hat, and it's one large hat! #bullshit #hatsouptonight

Cheria Coram:

Even The Ferryman wants us to win! #freedomforallFae #deathcantstopthequeens

Cindy-Lou Galaxa:

Oh my heavens, I knew my love couldn't be gone. I have been in mourning ever since that fateful day, but now I have thrown off my widow's cape and I am coming, I am coming hard and fast to join you, my love. I will be there soon! #iknewourlovewouldendure #fatehasbroughtyoubacktome

I frowned at that last comment, the name making my skin prickle with recognition though I wasn't entirely sure why. But hadn't there been a Cindy who had been sending me things and trying to get close to me? There was some memory of a car which tickled at the edges of my mind but then…no, that was Cynthia wasn't it?

I shrugged off the thought, handing my Atlas to Orion who was blatantly reading it over my shoulder anyway.

"The reaction is mostly in our favour," he observed, scrolling through more comments. "Oh, Telisha Mortensen thinks you're the hottest Fae she's ever seen and says that even your corpse was hot. That's sweet."

"Pretty sure my corpse was stone cold," I muttered, my eyes once again on the dancing Fae. One Fae in particular if I was being honest.

Max had stripped down to his boxers, his skin coated in scales as he prepared to leap over the bonfire. I smiled a little as he did it with a whoop of triumph, embers swirling all around him, but my smile fell as Washer stripped off to take his turn next.

"Ugh," I cringed as our old water Elemental professor began lunging in his tighty-whities to ‘limber up.'

"He was my neighbour for years," Orion reminded me. "You've seen nothing compared to the scars in my memories."

I shuddered, my eyes tracing Washer despite my desire to look away and I watched as he took a running leap over the fire. He didn't quite make it, several logs exploding from the flames as he stumbled through the far side of it and howled in pain, rolling across the dirt as though trying to put out flames. No one seemed inclined to point out that he wasn't actually on fire, and I waved a hand at the logs that had been knocked aside, putting them out before the flames could spread.

Roxy slipped from the crowd while people moved to help Washer, Geraldine hurling a tsunami on top of him to assist him with the imaginary flames.

I watched my girl as she weaved towards me, a crown on her head and mischief in her green eyes.

"What will everyone think if they notice the consort I brought back from death sitting so sullenly over here?" Roxy teased as she came to a halt just out of reach, her body still moving to the music.

"I was sullen before I died. It stands to reason that I would still be so now," I told her, watching as she continued to dance, toying with me like a mouse to a cat.

"That is nothing to boast about, you know," she said.

"You seem to like it well enough," I countered. "Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to lure me into your arms."

"Oh please," she scoffed. "As if any luring is required. If I wanted you in my arms, all I'd have to do is beckon."

Roxy turned away from me, returning to the fire, the music and her friends while I watched her go, resisting the urge to grab her and reel her back to me.

Orion snorted at my expense and I flicked a hand at him, casually setting his bourbon alight.

"Asshole," he cursed, dropping the glass as it was engulfed in a mini fireball and I smirked to myself, keeping my eyes on my girl while she danced.

"She'd be the one who came running if I beckoned," I grumbled.

"Oh yeah?" Orion taunted. "Prove it then."

I gritted my teeth, fairly certain that I knew how this was going to go based on the teasing looks Roxy kept tossing my way, but I leaned forward all the same, resting my forearms on my thighs and giving her an intense look which promised all kinds of devious pleasure.

She bit her lip as she watched me, her hands skimming down her body while she danced.

I raised a hand and beckoned, a smirk hooking the corner of my mouth as she hesitated then took a step closer to me.

"See?" I said to Orion, but he just snorted.

"Yeah, I see."

Roxy had raised the bottle of tequila to her lips and as her throat bobbed with a swallow, her other hand raised, flipping me off.

I huffed irritably, flopping back into my chair and Orion promptly stole the drink which I had all but abandoned to replace his own.

"Darcy said Tory lost it again in that place," Orion said after a few minutes where we just let the music wash over us.

"I heard."

"She's worried. We're both worried. About both of you."

I nodded. In some ways, I was worried too. In others…well, the thrill of the fight had always been tempting to me, the call of the bloodlust something I'd been born with. I could see how it could become a problem. I could also see how it might not be a bad thing given our current predicament.

"There was always going to be a cost to this," I said indicating myself, here, alive. "I can think of far worse."

Orion shook his head, irritated by my dismissal of the issue, but honestly, my desire for death and carnage seemed like the least of our problems right now. It wasn't as though I was sitting here lost in daydreams about gutting every person around me. Hell, it wasn't even as if I was insisting on marching off into battle at the earliest opportunity. The curse, if that was what this was, only seemed to come into effect when we were already in a position which required violence. And if I was eager to fight harder and kill more brutally during battle, then I could accept that. I hadn't once thought to turn that aggression towards my friends or allies after all.

"Tory mentioned speaking with The Ferryman," Orion pushed, and I nodded.

"Yes. My wife seems far keener than expected to make his acquaintance again," I agreed.

"You should do it soon. See if you can get some answers while we still have time…" he trailed off.

Time to what? I looked to my friend and gave him a knowing smile. "Roxy has a plan," I began but just then the woman in question beckoned to me from beyond the fire, the movement subtle and yet somehow unmissable all at once.

I pushed myself to my feet, knowing I was doing exactly what she'd predicted, knowing I'd just lost that little power play, and knowing I didn't give a fuck.

"What plan?" Orion urged from behind me, but I shrugged.

"That woman only tells me what she wants and she's admitting to nothing. But I know her. She has some scheme in mind which she won't give voice to. And it has to do with our planned meeting with The Ferryman. Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll be enlightened then."

"I'm uncertain whether to be hopeful or terrified by that," he muttered.

"Welcome to my marriage," I agreed before stalking away, a dog falling at the command of his master. But I'd be her dog if that was what she wanted of me. One whose chain could only ever be pulled by her and whose bite was far worse than his bark.

Roxy smiled at me across the fire then slipped away into the crowd. I weaved between bodies, noticing Xavier and his Subs because all three of them were sparkling brightly while they danced. Other Pegasuses were closing in around them, eyeing them hopefully, clearly wanting to earn a place in their herd.

I wondered if he would indulge them, but somehow I doubted it. My brother had already suffered too much loss in this war. He wouldn't want to risk spreading his love any further than it already went until after. Assuming there was an after. He would wait until everything was settled and at peace before he would consider expanding his circle. I just hoped he would get the chance to do so.

Roxy had disappeared beyond the fire and I fell still as I reached the edge of the clearing, looking out into the trees. She was toying with me.

"Come out," I called, and her laughter came in reply before a tiny bird built of flames fluttered through the trees, coming to land on my hand as I raised it.

The bird preened, blue and red flames tangling together to form its wings which it spread wide before taking off into the dark.

It ruined my night vision but I didn't care, simply following the little thing into the night in hunt of my prey.

My boots caught on brambles and fallen trees, Roxy's distant laughter and the dancing of the flaming bird all that drew me onwards. But after several minutes it became clear that I wasn't drawing any closer to my goal.

I paused, moving my right hand behind my back and casting an illusion to take my place, letting the false version of myself continue on after the bird.

Once it was gone, I moved into the shadow of a towering maple then cast water beneath my feet, sending myself skyward.

It took far more power to travel this way than it would have to fly, but Roxy would likely notice a Dragon trying to creep up on her.

I launched myself over the treetops on a spurt of water then let it drop me beyond my best guess of where she'd retreated to.

I let the shadows have me as I leaned against the rough bark of an oak tree and waited.

Before long, I spotted her, laughing to herself as she danced between the trees, the little flaming bird swooping back and forth at her command, her attention focused on where she thought I was advancing from and not behind.

I counted her steps as she backed up, moving closer to me with each one.

…six, seven, eight-

I lunged, whirling her around and closing a hand around her throat, my eyes flashing with triumph as I pulled her body flush to mine.

"You'd be dead you know, if I had malicious intentions," I told her, my eyes finding her mouth and staying there.

"Are you sure?" her smile was cunning and wicked, all the things I liked best about her.

I looked down to find a dagger of ice pressed to my gut. She bobbed her chin over my shoulder and one look revealed the six wooden spears poised at my back.

"By the stars, I love you," I growled, claiming that smug smile and kissing it off of her lips.

The sound of her weapons hitting the ground in the darkness were met by the fire of the bird going out and I swung her around, pressing her back to the tree and pinning her there by my hold on her throat.

I didn't waste any time with her, dropping my fly and shoving my pants down with my free hand before hitching her thigh around my waist. It was nothing to shove her panties aside, a swipe of my fingers finding her achingly wet for me and I smiled darkly as I thrust into her with a single jerk of my hips.

Roxy gasped, her head tilting back as her dress rode up far higher than it had while she danced. I tightened my hold on her throat, driving her back against the tree and slamming into her harder this time.

She moaned, deep and low, an exclamation of utter bliss, and I gave in to what we both knew we were at the core of us. Simple animals addicted to the feeling of us.

Roxy took hold of my shoulders, her nails cutting into me through my shirt as I fucked her harder, rougher, the friction of our movements making her clit grind against me with every thrust, and she panted my name into my ear to urge me on.

She grew louder in her pleasure and I kissed her to steal the sound of it, kissed her to claim her and remind us both that we would never again be parted.

She was so tight, so fucking perfect and she took the punishment I wreaked on her flesh in her stride, never backing down, always wanting more. Her teeth bit down on my ear and I crushed her between my body and the tree, driving her to her release, demanding it with every thrust.

Roxy came with a wild cry, her nails tearing into my skin as I slammed into her, over and over again, chasing my own pleasure while prolonging hers. When I came, it was with a roar which betrayed the beast in me and when I felt the ferocious pounding of my heart it was with a thrill that I acknowledged her own racing pulse had contributed to it.

"Well, I suppose sullen isn't so bad when it results in that," Roxy teased, kissing my throat while I remained there, pinning her in place and revelling in the riot which had just taken place between our flesh.

"And neither is being beckoned like a dog," I agreed, making her laugh.

And that sound, that fucking sound so full of life and joy was why I wasn't going to bow to the odds which stood before us. That sound was why I would fight to death and beyond for this war. Her. My queen. Who deserved so many more days of laughter to come.