Page 93 of Finding Love with the Fae King

I crossed my arms across my chest as I fiddled with my lips with my fingertips. I was running out of options and fast. Peoni’s mate would only stay underneath the spell for so long. He was probably coming out of it as we spoke. I was going to lose the muscle that we needed to trap Osirus in a bonding marriage to me.

This she-wolf might be some help, after all.“What’s your name?”

“Tulip,” she mumbled.

“Hmm, then I think I will have something for you to do then.”

Alaneo

“Peoni, are you sure you want to do this?” The after-effects of the Faithful Tonic antidote were going to be brutal. She wouldn’t be able to shift into full size for at least a week or two, which would cause difficulty in her mate claiming her.

I had Braxton go out this morning after Osirus had left to find her mate. He was in a makeshift cell at Cosmo and Daphne’s home. Silver chains had scarred his wrists, and there were gashes along his torso. Black veins were across his body like a tangled web as he continued to breathe harshly. His heartbeat was erratic, and his eyes were black with red pupils. All of this pointed to one thing: Black magic and the overuse of it on his body. If he wasn’t a warrior and just an omega, he would have died days ago. He was in rough shape and reversing the spell would be difficult, but there were signs he was coming out of it. This Carson, the name I had come to know, was no longer present, just the empty shell.

“Mate, mate,” he moaned as we kept him in a portable ironed cage, we had in one of the private guest rooms. He had spent enough time in a dungeon, and it was obvious he wasn’t of sound mind when he tried to take Melina. Peoni had stayed in her large form for too long once she reached the guest room, ready to tell us everything we needed to know, but she did it for him.

I could see the desperate look in her eyes as she rounded the corner. A sickening sob from her lips came from her as she rushed toward him. Braxton grabbed her arm, a bit too harshly for my liking, holding her back. “He’s still under the spell, Peoni. You need to wait. The alchemist is in the other room working on it.” She nodded her head solemnly as we sat her down in the chair.

“Are ye ready?” Everett stood, holding the sickening green concoction.

“Yes, of course,” she nodded and downed it all in one go. That was something I loved about her; she was ballsy. Once the last drop touched her lips, she dropped the glass that shattered to pieces. Her hand immediately went to her throat as her body spasmed. Her wings shortened immediately as well as the rest of her body, resulting in her original height of just twelve inches. She sputtered a bit and sat up. Most of her magic was gone and would cause her inability to grow or fly.

“I’m all right.” She sat up in the cushioned chair. Carson stared at her with hurt in his eyes. “I’m all right.” She waved at him as the faint hint of a smile played on his face.

“Are you ready for this? I’m only saying it once. I need to help him,” she cried. “I’ve been without him too long already.” Everett nodded as he stepped away, and I stood forward, ready to listen to the explanation.

“Carson came to the palace gates a few days after Melina arrived. There was a bag in his hand and a note. I’m not sure what it was for or where it went. We immediately knew we were mates, and we embraced each other, and he wanted to take and mark me right then. I was trying to take him into the palace to complete the bond until Daphne saw me and stopped us and beckoned me to follow her back to her house. That it was urgent in matters of the King. I was still undercover to watch him, so I went willingly, along with Carson, because he wouldn’t leave my side.” She blushed.

“Carson didn’t know the threat that we were walking into, but there was no way to warn him. I swear, baby!” She looked to Carson, who only stared at her with love. “There was a witch there. I didn’t catch her name, but she cast a spell and he was immediately transported to the basement, and I was grabbed, forced to take the tonic. All he had to do was say, ‘In this to you, I entrust,’ and then I couldn’t repeat anything he told me to do. However, the idiot didn’t tell me I couldn’t say ‘I had a Faithful Tonic given to me,’ that’s the only reason you know.”

Finley snickered in the corner. “Dumb fuck.” His brothers laughed in agreement as Peoni continued.

“With the help of the witch, he could watch all my moves through a mirror, so I couldn’t tell you all anything. If I didn’t comply, they would hurt Carson. They had plans to kill her with Carson and blame it on him and the Cerulean Moon Kingdom.” Peoni laid down on the seat. Her eyes were heavy. “I’m so sorry, Alaneo. I didn’t want to hurt anyone, especially you.” Tears sprouted from her eyes.

“It’s all right, Peoni. I understand.” I went to pet her tiny head until I heard the bars of the cell shaking violently while the hinges broke.

“Mine!”

Chapter Forty-Four

Alaneo

Growlseruptedtheroomwhile Peoni laid unconscious on the cushioned seat once she heard her mate’s growls. I backed away slowly, holding my hands up in surrender as Carson continued to rattle the cage.

“What the hell is going on here?” the alchemist, Cullen, spoke as he continued to stir the concoction in one bowl. “I can’t concentrate on shit when you guys are in here teasing the crippled one.”

Carson growled at Cullen, who just stuck out his tongue. “Yeah, watch it pal, or my own werewolf will come haunt your ass. He’s a beta, a bit stronger than you are, too. While you are weak like this”—he swirled his finger around Carson in the air—“you ain’t worth shit.”

Carson sat back down in the cage to sulk. He knew he was weak and still technically under the mind-control power, so even if he wanted to attack, his strength wouldn’t come to him unless Cosmo was the one controlling him. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Cullen bounced his hip as he laid his hand on it. “He’s a damn fine warrior, too. You are lucky I came to help. He hasn’t marked me completely, and he wasnothappy I was coming here.”

Cullen had just found his mate just two days ago as a warlock doctor through the Golden Light Kingdom. Cullen found his mate when the werewolves came back from the battle with the nobles, seeking tonics to help their wounds heal faster for the party. When we called upon him, he was preparing to move into his mate's pack.

“What’s going on?” A large burly wolf walked in. He had platinum blond hair and bright red eyes, his skin was almost white, enough for one to think he was a white wolf, which only strengthens him to even out his inability to blend in with his surroundings.

“Nothing, dear. This wolf started acting all naughty, but I brought up your status and he straightened out.” Cullen went over and kissed his mate sweetly. “This is Jaison, Jaison, these people”—Cullen waved his hand around again with sass—“hired me to fix the fairy and the wolf.” Cullen put the bowl down and looked over Carson before he administered the tonic.

“You are coming out of the Dark magic on your own, but just to be sure, this tonic will flush your system quick, but you will be down for a few days. No shifting, no mating obviously until Peoni can shift back to a full form to complete the bond. Do you understand?” Cullen spoke in a no-nonsense tone. Carson nodded and was handed the tonic to drink. “Once you bond with Peoni, she will stay in a full form because you both feed off each other’s souls, in case you were wondering.” Cullen winked as he walked away.

The face said it all. It was vile tasting as he made gagging noises. “Give it an hour and he will start vomiting all that dark tar up. Then he should be good to go and let out of the cage.” Cullen flicked his long blond locks over his shoulders and grabbed Jaison’s hand.

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