Page 72 of The Crownless King
Levi already knew what she was talking about. Every day since he’d mated with Amaya, the power of his coven had been increasing. He’d assumed it would eventually level out the way it had when Sebastian had mated with Raven. But if what she was saying was correct, the power would keep building, spreading out among all of the supernaturals.
“I can already feel hints of it in my magic. Soon, all of us will feel it,” Raven echoed his thoughts.
“What does this mean?” Amaya asked.
“It means that we will all get more powerful, but the reason it’s most important is it means any child born of the two of you could gain the same power as Levi’s ancestor. It increases the chances tenfold. Bria was told that in order to keep that from happening, the Chawi and Bayi had to be kept separate. She speculated what that would mean for the chaos Chawi in particular, because your power is complimentary to the Bayi. Almost the yin to their yang. Bria feared what would happen without balance of each other. But what we knew about your great grandfather was nothing compared to the atrocities he actually carried out,” Sophia told them. “Your grandmother had a difficult decision and not much time to make it. I think she did what she thought would save everyone.”
“Wait?” Amaya raised her hand. “You’re saying that the premature deaths in my family, in the families of every chaos witch, could’ve been prevented if we were allowed to mate with a Bayi?”
Sophia gave her a sympathetic look. “It was a price they were willing to pay at the time.”
“The Collective already thinks you’re going to take over their shit. What do you think they’ll do knowing that your mating with Amaya will magnify your power?” Bas gave him a worried glance.
Levi cursed. “They’ll do what they can to stop it.”
“I think that’s the reason for the curse rumor. And I suspect that the reason we haven’t had an Obayifo in centuries is because the Collective have been assuring it.” Sophia told them grimly.
Raven gasped. “You think they were killing couples.”
Sophia gave them a solemn look. “I don’t want to tell you what to do, your Highness, but if I were in your place, I would double up on security. You’ve not only mated but you’ve announced it. They’ll be backed into a corner.”
Levi nodded, taking in her warning. He would be meeting with his enforcers the moment he got home. He would increase Amaya’s protection and prepare his coven for a possible war.
Chapter twenty-seven
The ride back to the compound was quiet as they all sat with their own thoughts. Amaya was both furious and hopeful for her family. There were women in her family who were worried that they would go crazy and die alone in the attic at their Chawi compound. Not many women made it past sixty, and every day Amaya had been praying for a miracle for her mother. To know the Collective was sitting on that miracle pissed her off like nothing she’d ever experienced.
They pulled up to the compound and the headlights illuminated a male standing at the gate. He wore a dark t-shirt and jeans, with a skull cap pulled down on his head. His beard was trimmed short, outlining a strong jaw. The male was brown-skinned, tall, and muscular, the only indication of his age the small sprinkles of gray in his beard illuminated by the headlights of the SUV. His confidence was evident in his casual stance as he awaited them. The guard at the gate was watching the male, but it didn’t seem to faze him.
She recognized him immediately.
Amaya gasped. “I know him,” she muttered.
“How?” Levi asked, an immediate spike of jealousy traveling across their bond.
“He…we rode the bus together,” she answered.
Telling Levi that she and her cousin had assumed he was stalking her would probably get the man killed immediately. The truck stopped and Sebastian got out. He approached the manand Amaya was mad she couldn’t understand what was being said. Bas came back to the truck and Levi lowered the window.
“What’s going on?”
“His name is Richard Fontaine. He wants an audience with you, says you’re holding his mate.”
Amaya gasped. “I know you fucking lying,” she whispered.
Maybe Tracy had been right all this time.
Levi studied her. “You’re worried.”
“I’m interested to see what he says,” she hedged.
Levi communicated something to Bas telepathically and the gates opened. Bas and the security at the gate walked Richard in, and they followed behind them in the truck. When they arrived in the driveway to the house, her mother was standing on the porch.
“Mom!” Amaya slid to the door and grabbed the handle.
Levi held her back. “I wish you would get out of this car before me,” he gently chided.
Her surprise tripled when the male vampire roared, being held back by Sebastian and the gate guard. What was going on?
