Page 5 of Dark Fae's Destiny

“It’s insane how it rises between us at the drop of a hat now.” Lucca kisses my neck, then steps around me. He takes my hand, leading us all over to my bed.

Though something about our trio is quiet now.

“I wish we could sustain it longer,” I say as we reach the bed and crawl onto it. Though we’re still mostly clothed, we lounge upon each other now, close to sleep. My head rests upon Lucca’s stomach as he lays his head on Ariana’s belly while she puts her head on my abdomen.

A trio joined forever, in the darkness and the light.

“We’ll never be able to battle the Gold Eyes unless we learn how to master the Music,” Ariana says, as we all share a thought through our bond.

The Wanderer’s last words simmer through all of us now, making us stew, despite the blood flowing through me and satiating my various hungers. Not only did she say her father couldn’t be killed, she expressed doubt that we could break free of his power, still invested in us from when we were all Made Dark Fae by him. Though I had hoped for more, her cryptic last words have provided no help at all.

We still have no idea how to move forward, despite speaking with her.

“Master Ilyov said we ought to go see the Dark Fae at their hidden city in Venice,” Ariana continues now, as we share one mind. “He said that if anyone might help us mature our Music and our ability to produce Ascendant Sigils to break free of the Gold Eyes, it would be them.”

“Your parents said they know the way.” Lucca glances at Ariana from where he rests on her belly. “Perhaps it’s time we called them.”

“Curio knows how to get there, as well.” I glance at Lucca. “His father, Master Ilyov, sent him with us from Novakitsk because Ilyov knows Curio can help us with the Venice Dark Fae. Either getting to them, or perhaps by convincing them to help us.”

“So when do we make our move?” Lucca frowns. “Your United Haven has been liberated from Florian and the Vampire Council, Quinn. This Red Letter Hotel is a home for all who would join us now, not just Vampires but Fae and Dark Fae. We’ve had over three hundred Summer Fae join us recently—families of Dark Fae who want to escape my father’s pogroms. All the Dark Fae who were still hiding in the Darkwatch and the military have joined us now, even a few Magistros—friends in very high places. As the Summer Fae talk openly, finally, about overthrowing my father, Lady Eiseth Pendragon and Master Vasily Ilyov rally their Dark Fae in the north. I’ve technically lost my rebellion, thanks to the fact I’m no longer Summer Fae, but something else is brewing, Quinn. Because of what we’ve done, for the first time, Fae, Dark Fae, and Vampires are talking—even sharing knowledge with other Forbidden Lineages. It’s creating a massive wave of revolution, not confined to one Lineage alone. We need to figure out what to do with that. Before it drowns us, when all our higher-ups find out.”

It’s a tirade from Lucca, when I’m normally the one to spew all the details of our situation as I mull over every possible angle inside my mind.

But Lucca, Ariana, and I are sharing far more than just our power these days. We’re sharing our minds and hearts so closely now that we have taken to blocking our trio’s connection out each day, or most of it, so we’re not overwhelmed by each other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions with everything that’s been going on.

“Do we have to figure it out?” Ariana asks now from where her head rests on my stomach. “In my mind, we’ve sparked a massive intra-Lineage revolution that will not be stopped by one Council or King alone. We’ve begun a revolution of the people, Lucca—many peoples, who are banding together now, talking with each other at last. And that’s not ours to control.”

“Still, it involves us. Deeply.” I simmer as I think about what we’re going to do with all this revolutionary energy spinning up all around us. “We harbor refugees from many Lineages here now. Although our might protecting this United Haven is great, and the Vampire Council still hesitates to challenge us because of it, it’s only a matter of time before they do. If they’re wise, they’ll band together to come after us. We need to be ready, to protect what we love here, and keep all peoples free who wish to escape tyranny.”

“Which means we need to break free of the Gold Eyes, and truly learn how to use our Music.” Ariana sighs now as she ponders our situation. “We’ll never have the convincing power, or the firepower in our magic to get so many enemies to leave us alone, if we never rise to the full power of the Music and the Ascendant Sigils it creates. It’s not like we can march into the Summer Fae King’s throne hall and undo him with our Music. He’s immune to it… unless something in our power changes. Which it never will, unless we head to Venice to find out how to break free of the Gold Eyes.”

“A conundrum, all around. Because to go to Venice to mature our magic, we face the same problem that happened when we journeyed to Master Ilyov.” I think now, drumming my fingers on my chest. “The moment we leave this United Haven, we leave it unprotected by our power. The strongest center of our support—the three of us—will be elsewhere. Not focusing on our people, but on our magic. Which can become tumultuous indeed.”

As I drum my fingers on my chest, lost in thought, Ariana reaches up, stopping it. I compromise my nervous tell by running my fingers through her glorious hair as I ruminate.

Knowing we have to take a chance on Venice, if we ever want the Music to fully cooperate with us.

“We have to break free of the Gold Eyes,” Lucca says, as I feel him frown. “Right now, he still controls our magic and everything we do with it. Even if we orchestrate some kind of massive, multi-Lineage revolution, I would never be satisfied with it. Waiting for it all to crumble to some diabolical, grand plan of the Gold Eyes.”

“I could never sleep easy, either.” Ariana stares up at the crystal ceiling of my cathedral-like apartments as she lays with Lucca and me, taking in the night. “For I would forever wonder when the other shoe was going to drop. When the Gold Eyes would come for us, using our power and the vast influence we had built to make something heinous out of us.”

“The Music of the Spheres can rip worlds apart and devour minds.” I recall that most infamous power and all the heavenly or hellish things it can do. “When the Music tunes sour, as it tends to whenever the Gold Eyes pushes it, it does terrible things. I don’t want to be a bringer of doom to our world. Yet… I cannot, in good faith, leave my people behind. And the budding place of hope and solace we are building here.”

As silence envelops us, I feel us all churn through the endless possibilities of what the Gold Eyes might have planned for us and our magic. As we all realize that none of us wants to make even one more move, bound to him as we are via the magic of our Night, I feel a decision reach us.

Ariana heaves a sweet sigh and Lucca draws a deep breath, huffing it out hard. I make no sound, though my deepest inner self churns with emotion.

My living heart betraying me, as it gives a series of rapid, anxious beats.

Lifting up, Ariana comes to me. She slides up beside me in her lovely pearl-white couture for our evening of saying goodbye to Arturos and cuddles close to my side.

Lucca moves my head off his abdomen and comes to us, too, propping his head in his hand as he stretches out next to me. My trio is with me, and it calms me as Ariana puts her head on my shoulder and Lucca reaches out, setting his hand to my chest.

I clasp his hand as I turn my head, kissing Ariana’s brow. Lucca leans in and kisses me sweet and slow before moving to Ariana’s lips and giving her his most beautiful Light next.

It bolsters us. I feel our trio’s conflict ease with every breath of Lucca’s intense Light flowing through us. Each press of his lips is like a balm as it soothes my heart; he takes turns now, kissing Ariana and then me again.

Rolling to my Light Fae, I meet his lips, kissing him harder. Ariana moves close to my back as she kisses my shoulders, then my neck.

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