Page 52 of Finding Closure

“Not if they like breathing,” Neldor chuckled. “Plus, once she’s queen, the threat isn’t just Tamsin, but the law of what—their whole family would be executed if they evenattemptedto kill the mate of a queen. I believe it was done once for an heir too.”

“I know you’re not joking, but I want to ask,” Connor whispered.

“He’s not,” I confirmed. “And that’s why I stepped everything up and made it clear across Faerie that the five of them are now to be treated as princes of Faerie and my mates.” I sighed when the Vogels couldn’t hide their shock.

Along with Hudson, Lucca, Julian, and Darby.

“The queens are the shield of Faerie. We are powerful for that reason, and there are a lot who believe as part of theirreligionthat if we die, Faerie does. What is the best way to take one of us out?” I explained.

“Kill your mate,” Sasha sighed. “Forgive me, but Neldor’s mother is the perfect example of the downward spiral.”

“It’s more complicated than that but yes, she might have been able to fight back better or hold onto herself if her mate hadn’t died. And it was a freak accident. I spoke personally to someone who was there—”

“You what?” Neldor gasped.

I sighed, hating he’d found out like this. “I wanted to know. Iknowmy mother didn’t order it, but I wouldn’t put it past the ancients—light or dark. I wanted to know for myself and what happened. It always bugged me that they weretravelingto come see my mom when we portal all over but—”

“It was to be seen by many that my parents wanted to discuss peace, be seen making the effort,” he whispered. “It’s common between the royals of each realm. Your grandmother made the same gesture. Only when it’s a royal birth or like you were too little to travel in that way.”

I nodded. “It bugged me, but I didn’t know the history of that. I wanted to hear it and listen to someone there.” I explained for everyone present. “It was a sinkhole. It wasn’t even a big one, and it was because a farm had been expanding. A freak thing and a stuck wheel that spooked the unicorns since it’d like never happened and they didn’t normally pull a damn carriage.”

“He died almost instantly,” Neldor rasped, turning away from all of us. “When the carriage flipped, a metal rod broke off, and—the gods are cruel that it went right through his body where it did. Two inches different in any direction and there would have been time to save him.”

I moved closer and rubbed his arm. I glanced at Xavier and Sasha. “Thank you for bringing up this concern. I’ll handle it, I promise. I cannot give them the power to open portals in Faerie. It’s not—even I can’t give them that power. It’s our DNA that allows it in our world. But I’ll figure out something.”

“I suggested a charm bracelet like Hudson gave you and you can teleport any of them to you,” the older of Hudson’s sisters said.

“Perfect, but that only works if I’m in Faerie, and I might not be,” I praised. “But yes, we will start there. Immediately. Thank you. I’ll figure out something else with my father, but for now I’ll give them the same charm Izzy has.”

Xavier did a double take and swore under his breath which shocked all of us. “I’m such a fool. I’m so sorry, Tamsin. Of course. I never thought—I had forgotten—”

“You love him,” I chuckled, waving off the apology. “My dad starts trouble all of the time too.”

“Do I know this charm?” Neldor hedged.

“It’s an ultra barrier and protection,” I told him. “She had to activate it once when her parents pulled a fast one to try and abduct her from Artemis so the old council could shred her mind and find out what species I was.”

“You were so annoyed we showed up to help,” Sasha chuckled. “Thank you, Tamsin.”

I nodded and was glad when they all relaxed and we could move things along. Cara and Jordan talked to Sasha about the separate room for my gowns and formal attire and she was glad to help.

It went fine and they didn’t stay long. Darby admitted that he was going to suggest the charm I’d given Izzy later but didn’t want to act like he was doubting the Guardians in front of other royals.

I kissed his cheek. He was seriously perfect sometimes.

Like right then as he came with me to my studio. He promised it was fine and he didn’t have anything going on and wanted to spend the time with me.

What we didn’t expect to find was a bunch of fucking fairies. I had a few who took care of the place and protected my countless paintings stored there but… Huh?

Immediately, I teleported outside when I sensed all the fairies there and couldn’t hide my shock.

“Your Highness!” someone gasped, and people all around me started jumping to their feet and bowing.

“I’m confused on so many levels,” I whispered as I glanced around. There were like fifty fairies just hanging out there.

“It’s my fault, Your Highness,” one of the fairies admitted as he stepped forwards and knelt in front of me.

And I recognized him but couldn’t place him.

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