Page 23 of The Dark War

Her movements were graceful to me. She studied the glass and let out a sigh. “What’s your name?” I whispered. She smiled. “Skye.” She bit her lip and handed the vial back.

“I was late to the emergency gathering…” Another fae let out a laugh. “She’s always late.”

I growled, baring my fangs. “You dare disrespect me and my time?” The fae cowered back in fear. The aura I shared with Kane oozed from my voice. Skye flinched, but my hand caressed her arm.

“Continue, Skye, it’s all right.” Skye wouldn’t look me in the eye, too afraid from my lash of anger. That was something I could thank Kane for. I’d become a little hellion if I didn’t have my cuddles in the morning.

To smile at her, I lifted her chin. “I’m serious. It’s all right.” I needed answers, and I needed them now. If there was anything she could give me, we could use this to prevent anything like this rising in our kingdom. Brushing her purple lock behind her ear, her uneasiness lifted.

Skye bit her lip, handing back the vial. “Someone in a cloak was there. It was pulled over their head, and they chanted as the vial had this smoke come from it.”

“Male or female?” I pushed, but she only shook her head. Gripping the vial in my hand, I heard it crack. “I’m sorry, your highness.” Shaking my head, I urged her to continue.

“A male vampire stood beside them once I came into the room. He whispered in the hooded figure’s ear and nodded his head in my direction. Cosmo then told the first platoon to take the palace, and they were to protect it with their lives until they returned. Then the chanting from the magical entity intensified, and it was like I fell asleep.” Skye gulped. “Then I woke up on the battlefield with a bleeding leg.” Skye sighed, and I patted her shoulder.

Stepping away from her, the fae in the room watched Skye sit back down on the floor. I stood speechless before them all as I pondered Skye’s words. This was not a war of just the Fae Kingdom fighting over a throne. It was much deeper than I realized. We had two races helping a dirty fae, and for what reason?

Witches and vampires were working with Cosmo. Were they all working together to take control of just the Golden Light Kingdom? Was that vampire part of the rogue vampires we had heard of going from tribes, packs, and prides around my kingdom? Feeling the heat of my face, I gripped my fists together. This was going to be much larger, much deeper than I realized. Once the battle was over today, if it was truly to be over, it was just a battle. Something much larger was coming, and this was only the beginning.

Turning to see the albino lion standing in the doorway, his tail swayed while my other two bodyguards waited for orders. I hadn’t even had to chance to know their names with all the thoughts running through my head.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “What are your names?” The blonde put his hand on his chest, eyebrows raising in confusion as I stepped forward. “I am Naheim. This is Tyndall, and our friend here”—Naheim patted the albino lion—“is Snowflake.” I snorted, trying to hold in a laugh.

‘Snowflake’ roared out a growl, snapping his massive jaws toward Naheim, who only shoved him back. “Kidding, this is KaRon. He would be the equivalent of a beta to your alpha.” I smiled, greeting them all by name before stepping out of the tent.

Spouting orders to the cheetah shifters outside to get food and warm blankets, I stopped speaking mid-sentence. My heart pounded in my chest with worry. “The first platoon,” I whispered. Tyndall grabbed my arm in question. “The first platoon is in the palace,” I muttered. The lion shifters looked at one another. “Meaning they will be on the inside waiting for King Osirus and Kane after they capture Cosmo!” My voice squeaked. Surely they would know that there would be some other army inside. Cupping my hand to my mouth, I opened the mind-link. It was going to be iffy if I could reach his connection this far, but I had to try.

Trying for several minutes, hordes of shifters stood in a circle, waiting for an answer. Letting my hand leave my face, hundreds of shifters looked at me as I circled around to see every single soul that waited. I had hoped we didn’t have to use shifters other than the wolves we brought. They were not trained to fight as an army. Instead, they lived their lives quietly just with one-on-one combat training.

Skye pushed through the crowd, her dark purple hair slinging in her face as she reached me. “I would like to travel back with you.” She panted. “I know the palace. I can take you or any of your army through a secret door inside.” Growling, I nodded, confirming what we should do. As much as I hated battling the first day, it caused me so much anguish to nip at the heels of those who were tainted with magic.

The light sources towered over the sky, leaving us with just a half day left. “Gather all willing to fight. We are headed to the palace,” I ordered. Shifters ripped through clothes, not even sparing a minute to take them off. The fae soldiers that stood so strongly for Osirus left the water holes and gathered their confiscated swords from the warrior tents. I had hundreds, maybe a thousand, warriors at my beckoning call.

I was out of my element. I was for sure going to screw this up. “You’ve got this, Your Highness.” Skye laced her fingers between mine.

“Are you sure? Because I don’t think I do.” I choked, trying to hold back a tear. I had grown up at a diner, served hot plates of food, I had only known this world a little less than six months, and here I was about to lead an army onto the Golden Light Kingdom palace. This is never where I saw myself, not in my wildest dreams. I barely could grasp what it was like to be a mother and be thrown into a whole other world of trouble.

Where was Kane? Where were my parents?

“You got this.” Skye shook my hand again. “Tell us what to do.” What was left of the Crimson Shadows pack growled, bowing their heads to me for orders. The other shifters, whom I could not even mind-link, did the same. Rows and rows of animals turned into small waves of bows and growls.

Biting my lip until it bled, I stood up straight. Kane would want me to be strong, but most of all, I had to be strong for my daughter. “Skye will lead the way!” I shouted. “Half will go through the hidden entrance.” I pointed to one section of the crowd. “The other half will follow me, straight through the front doors.”

Chapter Thirteen

Clara

Mybrightredfurwas a dazzling contrast among the grays, browns, and blacks that covered the sea of fur. I jumped in front of my lion protectors, unable to keep up with my speed. I had become exceedingly fast since being mated, and this was putting the rest of the army to the test.

Deafening roars and growls grew rowdy in protest as my white padded feet hit the long grasses. The Golden Light palace stood tall and bright through the mid-afternoon light sources. I wish I had time to admire its beauty, the beautiful colorful windows, and the way the light shone at the top of its bright pointed towers, but it would be for another time.

Pouncing through a small puddle, I slowed, knowing going in headfirst alone would not be wise. KaRon somehow caught up, his big bulky form not used to the long run. His tongue lagged to the side to cool his heavily furred body. I yipped at him for encouragement, which did the trick, his enormous paws now nipping at my own.

This could all have just been a misunderstanding, there could be no troves of soldiers, but without a mind-link to be sure, I was going to protect my mate and the fellow wolves and shifters that could be on the other side. Giana was still trying to push through the invisible barrier that halted our communication. That minor detail was now shoved to the side when growls and howls filtered through the opened double doors of the Golden Light palace.

As if inviting us in, we leaped up the stairs, my lion companions not heeding the howls for me to stop. These lions knew I would not stop. They went in stride with me. Pushing through the doors, my mate stood on his hind legs, his teeth gnashing at the ankle of another wolf.

The wolf was not of our own; the smell wasn’t right, and the stench filtered through the tip of my nose of nothing but rogue. Could he not smell the stench? “Kane!” I yelled again through the link, but nothing could be heard. Getting a look into his enemy's eyes, his eyes were not clouded like that of the fae. They were in control of their own bodies.

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