Page 22 of Midnight Kingdom

“You must not bend to your impulsiveness,” I council. “When first I came to you and told you that Baron was your enemy and sought the power of the realms for himself, you acted swiftly and according to my council. You alleviated the threat of the King of Death,” I say and offer him another charming smile. “And look at you now. You have risen above both the King of Nature and the King of Shadow.”

“This is true,” he says with a firm nod.

“The angels are fading and the Fae live in fear of your name. The things we can accomplish together are beyond this life and the next... the possibilities are endless.”

“Yes, endless,” he says and takes on that faraway expression of his that irks me to no end. It usually means he isn’t paying attention to the words coming out of my mouth. And on this next point, he needs to pay attention.

“And we will continue to do great things, Variant, on one condition.”

He faces me immediately. “Which is?”

“You must keep your distance from Eilish for now.”

“I don’t understand why,” he responds and there’s a pouty expression in his eyes. Clearly, he’s already taken with the girl. Fool.

“Because she’s a danger and one you underestimate.”

“And danger is a threat,” he says, nodding.

“You will have her when the time is right, my liege,” I insist, knowing the way to ensure Variant’s acquiescence is to promise him whatever he wants. He’s quite like an impatient and demanding child in that regard.

He faces me and smiles. “The future is ours, Morrigan.”

I lean close to Variant, brushing a phantom kiss on his lips before I ease back into the ethers. As long as I keep him obedient and loyal, nothing can stand in my way. His little slip up with the angel will cost him in the end, but I will personally see to it that Variant cleans up his messes. And while this next chapter will see me in the company of my enemies, I will sway them in the same manner I’ve swayed all the others.

The battles we fought throughout history still rage on outside our doors. And this ancient battle between myself and my enemies will tear the realms asunder. Not even the Veil can hide from the powers that will be at my disposal once the process is complete. And when the dust settles, I will be there to rise from the ashes as a pinnacle of hope for those who survive.

The worlds will tremble beneath the might of my glory and they will call me god.

CHAPTER FIVE

EILISH

The Veil

Darkness creeps across the ground like fog in the early hours of dawn. I wade through that darkness until I find a small hovel surrounded by large stones that obscure the light of the rising sun. The scent of crisp apples and dewy grass fills my lungs as steam coils from my mouth with each breath. Snow gently flutters to the ground, and I hear my boots crunch on the frozen stone beneath my feet.

“Ellie!” someone calls in a small voice. It’s familiar and yet not, but I follow the sound as though I’m drawn to it. I step inside and bask in the warm candlelight spilling through the room, breaking up the shadows. A woman with cascading silver hair sits at the table with a young child.

“Ellie! Did you go to the city again?” the woman asks, concern lacing her voice. She stands up and approaches me. Suddenly, warm hands frame my face as she stares deeply into my eyes. I feel loved here. This woman... I don’t know her name or what she means to me, but I know she loves me and I know… I know she’s dead. And so is the child by her side.

“Solya, go fetch a blanket for your sister. She’s freezing.”

Sister? I have a sister? Why can’t I remember her? And this woman with the silver hair must then be my mother?

The woman who holds me tenderly, my mother, begins to fade. Her skin cracks like fragile porcelain and she turns to dust before my eyes. Solya screams and I run to her, but I’m too late. She clings to my blouse, weeping as she cries out for me to save her, but I can’t.

I don’t know how to. I don’t know what’s happening. All I do know is… I’m scared.

I shoot up from my bed, sweat glistening on my heated flesh as the nightmare slowly recedes to the corners of my mind. I feel like I can’t breathe, so I stand up to open the window. Flumph squints at me, worry clear in his beady little eyes.

“You been dreamin’ again? Or it somethin’ else?” the sprite asks.

“A memory, I think,” I respond as I remember my mother’s eyes. “A memory of my mother and sister.”

“I didn’t knows you had a family,” he says.

“Neither did I.” I lift a hand to brush the sweat-tangled hair from my eyes and breathe in the fresh air that filters through The Veil.

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