Page 98 of To Bleed A Kingdom

I can't deny that I’ve seen that loving version on occasion. When she smiles at Aurora and laughs with Theon. I even think I may have seen it once or twice directed at me when I was a child. Regardless, all these moments are fleeting, swept away with the wind in a blink of an eye before she burrows back into herself, returning to the cold Queen of Cascadonia. But as I watch the Seboians laugh, play, and live, feeling ignorantly secure in the knowledge their Queen will keep them safe, I realize that even though my mother’s trauma was no fault of her own, her refusal to acknowledge it is. That is what has made her unfit to rule. As a result, she is no longer a queen I can blindly follow.

The moment the thought enters my mind, my anger instantly cools within my veins. My muscles ease and the turbulence within my mind slows to a pinpoint focus, determined to protect Seboia regardless of the consequences. Adelphia may not be willing to face the truth, out of fear or indifference, I can only guess, but I can use her detachment to my advantage.

“Kace, activate your network.”

Kace rears back in surprise. “All of them?”

“All of them.” I nod. “Post them in the capitals of each Kingdom, focusing more so on Raetia, as well as the outlying villages.” I suspect these disappearances are coming from there. The people there either won't be missed or their families can’t cause too much of a stir when they are. Searching for them won't be a priority for Luthais, even if he is not directly at fault.

Kace’s lips spread into a wide smile. “I'll get on that.”

“Start recruiting a team,” I say to Griffin. “One that requires all its members to be loyal to Cascadonia, but not necessarily to the crown.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking it’s about time we see for ourselves what Brecca’s planning.”

“If you do this, you'll lose everything, Darius,” Griffin warns, eyeing my aura with a frown.

Shaking my head, I meet his grave gaze with one of my own. “It has to be done. We can't wait around for my mother to act. If we do, I won't be the only one to lose everything.”

“I know a few males we can ask,” Ajax interjects, watching me with an eager expression.“They’re well trained and know how to keep quiet.”

“Work with Griffin on it.” Folding my arms over my chest, I glance up at the golden gates to the palace, feeling lighter now that we have a plan in place.

“Fuck yeah!” Kace shouts, pumping his fist in the air. “I've always wanted to be part of a rebellion.”

I groan, rubbing my temples. “It's not a rebellion.”

Fuck! I hope it's not a rebellion.

“Try telling your mother that.” Kace laughs at my answering scowl, patting me on the back. “I can't wait to see her face when she finds out what you've been up to. She's going to lose her godsdamned –”

Something suddenly rams into my back, tossing me into the air and skidding me across the jeweled street. Pain shoots through me as I slam down on my shoulder but I ignore it, rolling with the movement before springing to a crouch.

Screams, shouts, and cries. A cacophony of panic-laced sounds blare into existence as the nobles race away from a lone guard standing across the courtyard with orange glittering hands, watching me from eyes gleaming with hatred.

“Fuck!” Kace groans, rising to his feet along with Ajax and Griffin.

I don’t even glance in their direction, refusing to remove my gaze from the attacking fae as I assess the situation. If it was just me and him in an unpopulated area, I wouldn't hesitate to blast him, but I can't without harming a bystander.

I’m debating the best way to subdue the fae when I see him whip his palms up with a snarl. Unable to find a way to strike at him without risking someone else being injured, I toss up a wall of water, shielding us in the same moment the fae flings an orb of fire. But as the orb streaks towards me, a flash of power suddenly wrenches through the air, blasting into our realm with a thunderous crack as a ward made of glittering diamonds appears. The fiery orb slams into the ward with a boom, bursting outward in an explosion of flames.

But then the ward captures the blast. Encapsulates it. Appearing as if it’s liquid diamonds flowing around the billowing flames, the ward ripples and expands with the flares before devouring the flames and collapsing in on itself with a blinding flash, winking out as quickly as it appeared.

Frozen from head to toe, all I can do is stare in shock at the space where that unimaginable white power blinked out of existence.

That power was… baffling. Inconceivable. Immense. An infinite, raw magic that can only be described as divine. I can barely comprehend the magnitude of it. Could never imagine such power existed if I hadn't experienced it for myself. It swept through me as nothing has before, electrifying the air and singeing my cheeks, pebbling the skin along my arms. I can still hear the crackling sound sizzling in my ears as it fizzled out. It was breathtaking, glorious, terrifying, and it was fucking white.

“Holy shit,” I breathe.

“Was that white?” Griffin asks, his mouth gaping in shock. “Which god’s power manifests white?”

Ajax shakes his head, his eyes rounded. “No one’s. No power manifests white.”

A groan breaks through my thoughts and my gaze flits to the Fire fae, who was launched onto his back by the initial blast. As I watch him struggle to his knees, my shock recedes and fury takes over.

Charging towards the fae, I flick a glittering palm and four chains made of fire spear towards him, coiling around his wrists and ankles before drilling into the ground, rooting themselves there. Snapping out my hand, I clutch his throat and drag him towards me. He cries out, his limbs overextending as he arches against his restraints. Rumbles vibrate from my chest and my lips contort into a snarl.

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