Page 209 of Hell Fae King
He didn’t fault any of his fae for Vivaxia’s trickery, knowing firsthand how manipulative and powerful she used to be. If anything, he blamed himself the most. Because he felt he should have known and stopped her sooner.
It was an unfair burden.
But I understood it.
Just as I understood what he was currently doing on that stage as he socialized with his lieutenants.
Well, I supposed they wereourlieutenants now, as I’d been officially named the Hell Fae Queen earlier this evening.
The reception of the news had been one of great enthusiasm, the Hell Fae and Nightmare Fae cheering in approval.
Now, the energy had cooled a little, the fae all chatting amongst themselves about next steps for the realm.
Little did they realize that Typhos had another announcement coming. A big one.
But first, he was gathering all of his lieutenants in a show of solidarity. Because they already knew our intentions and had approved the plans a week ago. All that was left was sharing those plans with the Hell Fae Realm.
And the Hell Fae Bridal Candidates.
They were all in attendance. The unmated ones, anyway. Those who had been claimed during the initial trials were still in their respective Nightmare Fae Kingdoms.
Typhos had taken the time to talk me through everything he’d organized and had accounted for each of the six hundred sixty-six candidates.
Ajax had listened in, curious about the women who had joined willingly. He’d been under the same impression as I was—that most of the candidates weren’t there voluntarily.
“I heard their screams and felt their fear,” he’d said at one point in the conversation.
“Some didn’t realize what exactly they’d agreed to” had been Typhos’s response. “Others joined for the wrong reasons.”
Which I later learned was why certain brides had been removed. If the Source discovered they were in the realm for the wrong reasons, they were sent home.
Or killed, I thought, shivering. Because the Source protected its own, something I very much understood now.
It wasn’t the kind of power that gave second chances.
But it only hurt those who were a true threat.
And, unfortunately, some of those females had been sent to the trials for nefarious means.
“There will always be fae who wish to enter our kingdoms and cause problems,” Typhos had said when addressing his lieutenants the other day. “I’ve tried to ensure they never cross my gates. But in doing so, I’ve neglected those with sincere desires to be here. Which is why we’ll be changing to a new process in the Hell Fae Realm, a process that promotes free will.”
The entire dynamic of our world was about to change. For better or for worse, we would move forward into a new era. One where the gates no longer existed and the Source accepted anyone who entered.
“The kingdoms will rule themselves,” Typhos had declared. “With you as their true kings.”
We’d support them with our power, bolster their territories as needed, but we wouldn’t govern them. Unless, of course, fate required it.
Only the Hell Fae Kingdom would be ours to command. But even then, Typhos wanted to make it more open and welcoming to non–Hell Fae visitors.
It was a complete shift from his previous leadership, where he’d involved himself heavily in the affairs of his fae and barred many fae from entering.
But that had been the old Typhos, the one being manipulated by Vivaxia.
Now he was free.
And he wanted to share that gift with all of his fae.
Clearing his throat from the podium, he instantly captured the audience’s attention. Though, a few glanced my way like they were surprised that I wasn’t up there beside him.
