Live Wire

Wanda Swan

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Live Wire: The Queen’s Court, Book 3

Copyright © 2023 by Wanda Swan and Black Swan Publishing

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author or
publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents, events, organizations and brands are
either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual
places, incidents, events, organizations, brands or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Editor: Maggie Morris, Indie Editor

Cover Design: Stephanie Saw, Seventhstar Art

Proofreaders: Aislin Lynx, Megan Breininger

To Kelleigh, Tracey and Tricia, and all the amazing women who left us way
too soon.
 Contents

Hear from Ash

Trigger Warning
Prologue

1. Chapter One

2. Chapter Two

3. Chapter Three

4. Chapter Four

5. Chapter Five

6. Chapter Six

7. Chapter Seven

8. Chapter Eight

9. Chapter Nine

10. Chapter Ten

11. Chapter Eleven

12. Chapter Twelve

13. Chapter Thirteen

14. Chapter Fourteen

15. Chapter Fifteen

16. Chapter Sixteen

17. Chapter Seventeen

18. Chapter Eighteen

19. Chapter Nineteen

20. Chapter Twenty

21. Chapter Twenty-one

22. Chapter Twenty-two

23. Chapter Twenty-three

24. Chapter Twenty-four

25. Chapter Twenty-five
 Hear from Ash

Want to know what goes on inside the mind of a dragon shifter before he
claims his fated mate? Find out in Before the Beginning – Ashton’s Story.
This FREE download is a prequel to Power Hungry, Book 1 of The
Queen’s Court series and is available exclusively to my newsletter
subscribers. Join today to get Ash’s point of view.
Spoiler alert: When your dragon forces you to claim a pain-in-the-ass
princess as your fated mate...you fight it every step of the way.
Get it here: (https://BookHip.com/ZCKGCPH)

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 Trigger Warning

This book contains themes of mental health issues, including disassociation

and anxiety.
Please be aware if these are triggers for you.
 Prologue

A BLURRY GLIMPSE INTO the not too distant future.

He’s going to kill me.

Then I remember the microchip in my shoulder. I have to keep him talking.
“What about me?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“You’re in my way, I’m afraid,” he responds.
“I thought you cared about me. You said you loved me.” I search his face
for even the slightest hint of guilt or shame. It’s not there. “What do you
plan to do? Kill me? You’ll never get away with it,” I shout above the
falling rain.
“I will. Everyone knows you’re overwhelmed. You’re drowning in self-
doubt. You’re distraught. I’ll make it look like a suicide.”
Looking down at the cobblestones a hundred feet below, I envision my
broken body lying there like a child’s discarded toy. I take a few steps back
from him and pull my power to me. Throwing up my hands, I shoot streams
of energy at him, but he deflects them with ease. I continue to blast him
with my magic but am not doing any real damage.
“There’s no point in fighting. You won’t defeat me. I can do this all day and
already feel your power starting to wane. Give up,” he sneers, his words
taunting and cruel.
“You don’t know me very well if you think I’ll ever give up. I’ll fight you
till the very end.” But he’s right. My power is starting to fade . . .right along
with my chances of getting out of this alive.
 Chapter One

W HAT THE FUCK WAS that?

I regain consciousness with a gasp in the same position I passed out
in—naked and wrapped up in Ash’s arms. We’re in the bedroom of our
Earthside penthouse condo in Perth and he’s just marked me as his fated
mate.
“Are you all right, Princess?” my dragon-shifter husband asks, his mouth
close to my ear, his breath warm on my neck. “I think you blacked out for a
second.”
Blinking, I try to refocus my eyes while my heart hammers in my chest.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask out loud this time, remembering the voice
that had rumbled inside my mind, Hello Seraphina. My name is Archer, and
I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time.
“What are you referring to? The marking ritual or my dragon introducing
himself?” Ash presses a kiss to my temple.
Disentangling myself from Ash’s arms, I turn to face him. “I knew the
magic of the marking ritual would be a rush. But I didn’t expect to be
hearing voices inside my head afterward. I’m not going to lie, that’s a
shock.”
Ash stares down at me with golden eyes, the color of his irises confirming
he’s recently used his dragon magic. “I didn’t expect that, either. I’m just as
surprised as you are. Archer shouldn’t have been able to open the mate
bond that quickly. My grandfather told me it could take years for that to
happen, decades even. The fact that our mate bond was established and
opened right away may have something to do with your power.”
In the ritual, Ash used ancient shifter magic to mark me as his fated mate
and unite our ethereal essences for all time. It was the most intensely
intimate experience of my life. My lady bits still quake with aftershocks,
and my skin tingles all over. “I didn’t do anything, Ash. My brain was in
orgasm town.” Moving a couple of inches away from him, I wrap the
bedsheet around me and push my hair back from my face. “I think you
better tell me more about this mate bond.”
“It’s a shared consciousness of sorts. The mate bond allows us to
communicate with each other using just our minds. I’ll be able to tell what
you’re feeling, and you’ll be able to do the same with me. It’ll help us get to
know each other better.”
The reality is Ash and I don’t know each other that well. We met as
children, and then fifteen years went by with no contact. About four months
ago, he showed up at my court with a marriage contract in hand claiming I
was his fated mate. At his insistence, our wedding, or binding, was arranged
and carried out within a week. I refused to consummate the marriage for a
month, but he eventually won me over, and I gave up the goods.
Looking back, I don’t know how I held out for so long. Sex with Ash is
otherworldly. The next few months saw us facing down death threats and
murder attempts from both of our exes. Ash and I haven’t exactly been
enjoying marital bliss. If the early months are any indication, this marriage
is going to be a wild ride. “Will you be able to use the mate bond to read my
thoughts?” I ask.
Ash settles back against the headboard and stretches his long legs out in
front of him. “If the bond is fully open, then yes, I’ll be able to tell exactly
what you’re thinking and feeling.”
I bite my lip and tilt my head to the side in contemplation, not enjoying the
idea of giving him free rein to my mind.
It’s often not a pretty place to be.
I have issues—anger, jealousy, mommy—just to name a few.
A part of me craves intimacy with Ash; another part fears it. I don’t need
him knowing every single thing I’m thinking or feeling, every minute of
every day—it’s too much. “I’m not sure I like this whole reading each
other’s minds thing. My thoughts are my own. They’re private.”
“You can control how open or closed the mate bond is. The amount of
information you want to share.” Ash interlaces his hands behind his head.
“If you keep it closed, we’ll continue on just as we are now with no mind
connection. Or you can open it a little and show me what you want me to
see. You can also open it all the way and show me everything.”
“I’d like to keep it closed for now.” I secure the sheet more firmly above my
breasts.
“We’ll do whatever you want to do. I’m sorry if Archer startled you. That
wasn’t his intention.” Ash looks away for a second, and it’s the only
indication he’s not happy with my decision.
“Why didn’t you tell me your dragon’s name before?” I ask, curious as to
why I’m only now learning he and Ash don’t share a name.
“I couldn’t tell you. I can’t tell anyone. I’m bound by magic. Only Archer
can reveal his name. Names have power. If someone knows his name, they
can potentially call him, control him, and we can’t have that. He only
reveals his name to those he trusts the most.”
“Does anyone else know his name?”
“Only the members of my family. I also share a link with the other dragons
in my clan. My grandfather, my father, my brothers, my cousins. We’re able
to communicate using clan magic. It’s different from the mate bond you and
I share. It’s more like a knowing or an awareness, than talking. Clan magic
is how I can call on my father’s power when I need it.”
“Your cousins?”
“Max and Luke. Didn’t I tell you we’re related? Dragons like to keep their
family close. Nothing is more important than family.”
“No. I didn’t know your doctor and lawyer were also your cousins.” I learn
something new about Ash everyday. As a race, dragons are known for being
very secretive. “When you first came to my court, you explained your
relationship with your dragon as being flip sides of the same coin. I know
your dragon is a part of you, that as a shifter, you have a dual nature. But
now I’m finding out Archer has his own name, his own voice. It’s like I’m
in a three-way relationship. That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“That’s okay. It took me some time to get used to being in a relationship
with all your personalities, best friends and pets,” he says with a wry smile.
“Am I more than you bargained for? More than you can handle?”
“Not even close. You’ll never be too much for me.” Ash places his hands
lightly on my bare shoulders. “I explained being a shifter to you as best I
could with the words my magic would allow me to use. I’ll ask Archer to
take it slow for the time being. We’ll respect your privacy and keep the
mate bond closed from this side. But I’d like you to identify it in case you
want to use it in the future. Can you look for it?”
“What exactly am I looking for?”
“It’s a communication channel, but it could be represented by anything to
you. Can you visualize a phone, or perhaps a computer or a door maybe?”
I go inside my mind. “Nothing like that. Wait a minute. I can see a rope
bridge. It starts on a cliff and crosses an abyss that I can’t see the bottom of.
The bridge disappears into the mist halfway across the chasm.”
“A suspension bridge. That must be it. Your mind works in mysterious
ways. I’m going to open my side to confirm it’s our bond, all right?” Ash
sounds like an excited little boy with a new bike.
“Go ahead.” I try to muster up a little enthusiasm over the mate bond. I’m
not sure I succeed. “The mist over the abyss is clearing, and I can see the
other side of the bridge now.” Although I can’t see Ash on the other side, I
feel his presence in my head.
I’m crazy about you, Princess. Ash’s voice resonates clearly in my mind.
I’m crazy about you, too, I say, trying out the mental connection.
Archer joins us in the mate bond. Seraphina, I’m sorry to have scared you.
Please forgive me.
There are three of us in my head, and I find it more than a little crowded. I
immediately banish the thought, not wanting to hurt their feelings. “It’s
okay, Archer. You just took me by surprise. It’s lovely to meet you.” Once I
greet Archer, I concentrate on closing my side of the bond so I don’t have to
censor my thoughts. “Can you close your side, please, Ash?” I ask aloud.
“It’s closed,” Ash says quietly.
“Please don’t open it without checking with me first, okay? Either of you.”
I didn’t want to think this in front of Archer, but it freaks me out that he has
access to my thoughts. He’s basically a stranger.
Ash holds his arms open, and I crawl into them. I lay my head on his chest,
listening to the strong, consistent beat of his heart. “This is nice. Just the
two of us. Each in our own headspace.”
He gives me a squeeze and kisses the top of my head. “Let’s not forget who
brought us together in the first place.”
Archer is the one who decided I was their fated mate, forcing Ash to come
to my court and claim me. Ash’s I’m crazy about you bounces around in my
head. Even though I’ve fallen hard for him, I’ve held back on saying those
three simple yet momentous words—I love you. We’re not there yet. I know
he cares about me, but I also know that for him our connection is based on
fated mate magic—a biological dragon directive that he didn’t choose and
has no control over.
Exhausted by the magic and sex of the marking ritual, I yawn and curl my
body around Ash’s more closely. Then I let the rhythm of his heart and the
sounds of our combined breathing lull me off to sleep.
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Opening my eyes, I reach for my phone on the nightstand to check the time.
I’ve slept for almost two hours. Time to rise and shine. I look at Ash’s side
of the bed and am not surprised to find it empty. Sexercise makes me
sleepy, but for Ash, it’s like an energy drink. He holds me until I drift off,
but when I wake up, he’s long gone. More often than not, I find him
working in his home office.
After a reviving stretch, I roll out of bed and wrap the sheet around me
before making my way to the bathroom. Halfway there, I stop and listen for
sounds of Ash moving around the condo. As I suspected, I hear him
plunking away on his laptop down the hall in his office.
Inside the bathroom, I close the door and lean back against it, collecting my
thoughts. I double-check my mind to make sure neither Ash nor Archer is
there. Confirming I’m alone, I drop the sheet and walk to the bathroom
vanity. I pull my hair to the side and check out my neck. There’s a mark
where Ash bit me. It looks like a hickey, red and purple in color, but it’ll
fade. I have some of the potion Ash’s witch-born mother, Mari, made for us
recently. I’ll use it to speed up the healing process. I can’t be walking
around with a hickey on my neck like a teenager.
I brush my teeth and then pull off my pink, emerald-cut diamond
engagement ring before hopping in the shower. I look more closely at my
left hand. What the?
There’s a fine black line encircling my ring finger. I turn my hand over. Yes,
it goes all the way around. I look at my right hand. Nothing on the top. I
turn it over and find a small, black oval on my ring finger. I quickly wash
my hands with soap and water to test the marks’ permanency. They don’t
come off. Tattoos. I always assumed Ash’s tattoos were ink. It looks like I
was wrong. This must be dragon magic. Another surprise side effect of the
marking ritual.
I wanted the marking, welcomed it wholeheartedly, as a way to fully
commit to Ash. But I didn’t agree to let him and Archer live rent free in my
head, and I certainly didn’t agree to being tattooed magically or otherwise.
Don’t freak out. They’re not that big. The tattoo on the ring finger of my left
hand will be covered by the band of my engagement ring. The one on my
right hand is on the palm side and will probably never be seen.
Before now, I never considered getting a tattoo. I’d grown up under a strict
no tattoo policy. The Queen isn’t a big fan of body modification as a form
of self-expression. She made me wait until I was thirteen years old before
getting my ears pierced. While I’m turning to go to the shower, something
catches my eye in the mirror, and I look back over my shoulder and freeze.
“Ashton Reginald Archibald Mountcastle!” I scream at the top of my lungs.
The bathroom door flies open, and Ash’s six-foot-five, basketball-shorts-
clad frame fills the doorway. “Are you all right? What’s wrong?”
I stare up at him wide eyed. “You never said anything about the tattoos.” I
spin around to show him my back.
“It’s beautiful.” Ash’s tone is reverent.
“It’s huge! And look at my hands.” Turning back around to face him, I
shake my hands at him. “Hand tattoos, Ash. Hand tattoos! Did you know
this was going to happen?”
“I suspected it might. But I couldn’t be certain. Fated mates are rare, and
it’s different for everybody. But it is common in dragon-shifter culture to
mark momentous occasions and milestones with a tattoo.” Ash rubs the
tattoos on the defined muscles of his chest and shoulders.
“I wish you had told me about the consequences of the marking ritual
beforehand. I don’t really appreciate learning about the mind connection
and the tattoos after the fact.”
Ash leans against the bathroom vanity and crosses his arms over his chest.
“I already explained that the mate bond should have taken much longer to
establish, and I didn’t want to say you’d get a tattoo for sure in case it didn’t
happen.” He exhales loudly and pinches the bridge of his nose. “This is
magic, Princess. It’s not an exact science.”
“I thought your tattoos were ink,” I reply, still unsettled by this latest turn of
events.
“Why would you think that?” He shakes his head at me and then gives me a
patient smile. “Here, show me your left hand.”
I hold out my left hand, and he holds out his. Where the black tattooed band
on my finger is thin and dainty, the one encircling his ring finger is much
wider and heavier. I like seeing it on him. It marks him permanently as
mine for all the universe to see.
“The wedding bands are nice, I guess. But what’s this?” I show him the
palm side of my right hand and the oval tattooed there.
Ash takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers as if we were going for a
walk. Then he turns our hands over so I can see our matching tattoos create
an infinity symbol when our hands are linked.
“That’s cute actually. But seriously, the back tattoo. I can’t keep that.” A
girl has to draw the line somewhere.
“Let me see it again.”
I turn, and Ash traces the tattoo with a fingertip. “I really love this. Let me
take a picture so I can explain it to you.” Ash turns to leave the bathroom,
and I see a new tattoo across the top of his back. “You have a massive new
piece, too. On you, it looks amazing.”
Ash comes back into the bathroom with his phone. “Yours is exquisite and
sexy as hell. Let me show you.”
I turn around and pull my hair to the side so he can get a clear shot. “Did
you see the tattoos when you were marking me?” I turn back around and
check out the picture on his phone.
“No, they must have come up afterward, when you were sleeping.”
The tattoo runs from the nape of my neck down the length of my spine and
ends low on my back, a few inches above the dimples at the top of my butt.
Ash points to the delicate design at the top of the tattoo. “This represents
dragon culture. Then he indicates the design at the bottom. “This represents
our clan. See how those areas match the outer design of my shoulder
tattoos?”
I nod silently.
Then Ash points to the widest part of the tattoo, which I’m guessing is two
or three inches. “The center is a type of ouroboros and represents eternal
connection and the circle of life. See how the two dragons form a circle and
they’re woven together so you can’t tell where one begins and the other
ends? That’s us.”
“That’s really sweet, and the design is stunning, but it’s really big.”
“I can ask my mother to create a potion that will hide it if you really don’t
like it. But I hope you’ll keep it. At least try it out.”
I make a noncommittal noise and spin my finger in the air. “Let me see
yours.”
Ash’s new tattoo is in the center of his broad, muscular back, and there are
serpentine designs anchoring it to the tattoos on his shoulders. It’s of an
ouroboros as well, but larger so you can see more detail of the entwined
dragons. In the middle of the ouroboros, there is a tree with a deep root
system. Ash hands me his phone, and I take a picture.
“What does the tree symbolize?” I ask as I hand him back his phone.
“Family, longevity.” Ash smiles at me. “Fertility.”
I smile back and then get serious. “This marking has changed me in ways I
didn’t anticipate, Ash. Are there any other side effects of the marking I
should be prepared for?”
“None that I know of.” He shrugs his shoulders.
“Okay, I’ll keep the tattoos. For now.” Glancing over my shoulder once
again, I look at my back in the mirror and the physical sign of him marking
me as his.
 Chapter Two

T HE NEXT MORNING, I find Ash dressed in jeans and a T-shirt,

sitting behind the desk of his home office. He looks up from his
laptop when I lean against the doorjamb and gifts me with one of his heart-
stopping smiles. “Good morning, Princess. I have a surprise for you.”
“Another surprise?” Still wearing my tank top and sleep shorts, I walk
further into his office, and place my hands on the back of the leather chair
opposite his desk. “I don’t know how many more surprises I can take.
Between the mind connection and the tattoos, it’s been one surprise after the
other lately.”
“I think you’re going to like this one.” He leans back in his chair and closes
his laptop. “We’re going on our honeymoon. And we’re leaving today.”
This is a pleasant surprise. “Can you take time off work right now? What
about the Huntsville project?” I ask.
“I’m just wrapping up a few things, and then we can go. With Jessica gone,
I’ve had to hire a new engineering manager. Luckily, we already had a
strong candidate on the team. I’ve offered him the role, and he’s accepted. I
have a call with him in a few minutes to go over the final details before we
leave. I’m probably still going to have to work a little. Just an hour or two a
day to check up on things and answer email.”
“That’s okay. I have my online courses to finish anyway.”
Jessica is Ash’s ex fuck buddy and business partner. She thought Ash
belonged with her and created a fantasy in her mind where they would ride
off into the dragon-shifter sunset together. There was only one problem with
that little fairy tale—me. So, in an effort to make her warped version of
reality come true, she threatened and harassed me for months, and went so
far as to hire a hitman to take me out. When we found out what Jessica was
doing, my mother entered into a blood pact with her that would see the
Gorm tear her limb from limb if she ever threatened Ash, me or our families
again. Then Ash’s father, Reg, banished Jessica from our territories for all
time.
I beam a smile at Ash. “Where are we going? I have to pack.” The fact that
I don’t travel light is a running joke between us. He thinks I’m high
maintenance. I think anything worth having requires maintenance, so I take
it as a compliment.
“I’ve taken the liberty of shopping and packing for you. The luggage has
already been sent ahead. All we have to do is show up.” He looks
inordinately pleased with himself.
“What now? You packed for me?” He’s one of those take-charge alpha-male
types, and I hate people making decisions for me. We’re not exactly a
match made in heaven. I cross my arms under my boobs and try to tamp
down my annoyance. I’m secretly in love with him. We’re fated mates. He’s
marked me. I don’t think we’re supposed to fight anymore.
“Don’t worry. You’ll have everything you need.” His eyes, mingled shades
of brown and green with flecks of gold, twinkle mischievously at me.
I don’t like the look on his handsome face. He’s gloating. Chill out, Nina.
You don’t have to control everything. “When did you have time to pack?” I
ask, trying to sound casual and not the least bit aggravated.
“Yesterday afternoon while you were in Westmoreland visiting Northstar.”
Northstar is my beloved unicorn who was kidnapped by my ex, Nicky.
Nicky used Northstar to lure me to him so he could kidnap me, rape me and
force me into a marriage that would align my family with his for political
gain. Our exes really put us through the wringer. Ash ended up killing
Nicky, so he’s out of the picture. Thank fuck.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” I trail a finger along the top
of the chair, feigning only mild interest in our honeymoon destination.
“No, I think I’m going to keep it a surprise.”
“Have I mentioned I don’t really like surprises?” It’s killing me not to
know. But if he thinks I’m going to beg him to tell me, he has another think
coming.
“I promised you an extended honeymoon someplace unforgettable. And
that’s what you’re going to get. We need some time alone, a quiet place, to
focus on each other.”
He’s trying to be romantic. Don’t ruin it! “All right, I’ll play along. When
do we leave?”
“The sooner I make my calls and clear off my desk, the sooner we can go.”
“Get back to work then. I’ll get a shower and do some homework.
My arranged marriage to Ash had forced me to leave university a month
before finals of my senior year. I failed a couple of classes and didn’t
graduate. Now I’m taking two finance classes online to finish my
economics degree from Brown. Heading out of his office, I stop and turn
back around. “Can I at least get a hint so I know what to wear?”
“It’ll be warm.” Ash picks up his phone. “Now get out of here so I can
concentrate.” His eyes drop to my nipples poking through my tank top.
“You’re distracting me.”
Walking back to our bedroom, I tap my finger to my bottom lip and think of
possible places we might be going. Are we staying on this plane? Kat and
Sofie just got back from Greece. Is that it? Or maybe Bora Bora or the
Maldives? Tahiti? It takes a lot of energy to teleport from point to point
when Earthside. Is he going to call on his clan’s power? Or will we be
traveling by plane? Private jet? I have so many questions.
Two hours later, I’m sitting cross-legged in the middle of our bed working
on my laptop when Ash strolls in carrying a brown leather messenger bag.
“Ready to go?”
I stand up from the bed and look down at my white jeans and pink chiffon
top. “Is this too casual?”
“You look great.” His grin tells me he loves knowing something I don’t.
“Give me your laptop and phone. I’ll pack them with mine.”
I slide my feet into a pair of tan, low heeled sandals, power down my
laptop, and hand it to Ash with my phone.
He puts them into his messenger bag and takes my hand. “We’re not staying
Earthside. Power up. We’re going to a higher plane.”
Pulling on my power, we ascend.
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When we land, my senses are instantly overwhelmed by the jaw-dropping

beauty of the tropical setting, the sweet perfume of the air, the trill of exotic
birds and the sultry caress of the sun on my skin. We’re standing on a sandy
shore; the glistening turquoise water is surrounded by lush greenery. It’s
paradise. I use my hand to shield my eyes from the sun and look off into the
distance at a mist-shrouded mountain that reaches up past the clouds. “Ash,
where are we?”
“Where do you think we are?”
“It’s too unbelievable. I can’t say the words out loud.”
“Go on.”
“Is that Mount Olympus?” I gaze in wonderment up into Ash’s face, still
shielding my eyes from the sun.
Ash smiles at me triumphantly. “Yes, we’re spending our honeymoon at the
base of Mount Olympus with Zeus and the rest of the Greek gods and
goddesses only a stone’s throw away.”
“How did you arrange this? It’s not easy to get an invitation to Mount
Olympus. It’s next to impossible actually.”
“I’ve been planning this honeymoon for a while. I petitioned Zeus right
after our binding ceremony to allow us to visit, and he just granted my
request.”
“I can’t believe we’re here.” I take off my sandals and snag them up in one
hand, then wiggle my toes in the white sand. It’s warm and soft on my feet.
“Zeus and dragons have a long history. Dragons are some of the oldest
magical creatures, almost as old as the gods. Ever since Zeus defeated
Typhon, he and the dragon community have entered a detente, a ceasefire.
A keep your friends close and your enemies closer kind of thing.”
“I remember the tale of Typhon. He was a fire-breathing dragon with a
hundred heads who attacked Mount Olympus, forcing most of the gods to
flee. After a long battle, Zeus was eventually able to defeat Typhon by
hitting him with a hundred bolts of lightning. Then Zeus buried Typhon
alive under a mountain.”
“That’s right. Now Zeus likes to remind all dragons that he was victorious.
It’s a power trip for him.”
I take another look around our private utopia. “It’s beautiful here. So
secluded and peaceful.” He’s dazzled me with this trip.
Ash points to the water. “The lagoon is separated from the Sea of Cronus by
a coral reef and is also fed by freshwater springs that come down from
Mount Olympus. Myth has it that the lagoon is bottomless and that a sea
monster, a kraken, inhabits its depths.” Ash takes my hand in his. “Come
on. Let’s go check out the bungalow.”
I’d been so awe-struck by the scenery, I overlooked the spectacular wood
and glass structure partially nestled in the junglescape. The bungalow has a
wide covered deck that extends out over the water as well as a private hot
tub, plunge pool, sunning area and outdoor showers.
“What do you think? Will this do?”, Ash asks as we enter the bungalow.
The interior features cool white walls, and the trim, beamed ceilings and
furniture are dark wood. “It’s amazing, but do we have enough power to
stay here?”
It burns a lot of energy to jump up to and then remain on a plane higher
than your home plane for any length of time, and eventually, you have to
descend to where you came from.
“We do, but we’re not using our power. Zeus is anchoring us to this plane.
He’s invited us to stay for a month.” Ash places his messenger bag on a
console table.
I wander through the living room, looking for the bedroom. The decor of
the bedroom is the same as the main living area and the oversized bed is
dressed in snowy white linens and piled high with colorful pillows. The
patio doors are wide open to the deck and the water beyond. A large ceiling
fan gently moves the air around, but it’s hardly necessary—the air
temperature is perfect.
Walking into the dressing area, I toss my shoes into a corner and open the
doors of a closet to peer inside. I flip through hangers and see some
sundresses in different colors. And nothing else. Not even shoes. I check the
remaining closets and find them empty or containing Ash’s clothes.
“Ashton, where’s the rest of my things?”
“Check the drawers.”
I open the top drawer of a built-in dresser and find a dozen pairs of
sunglasses. The lower drawers reveal lots of bikinis and a few cover-ups.
Many of the drawers are empty. There’s no underwear, no bras, nothing to
sleep in, and no shorts or T-shirts. The second built-in dresser contains
Ash’s stuff.
I stalk into the bathroom. Two toothbrushes, toothpaste, moisturizer and lip
balm. No makeup or anything to do my hair.
This will never do.
I like to dress up and wear fancy underthings—partly for Ash but mostly
because it gives me confidence. Feeling like I always have to present the
best version of myself is probably the result of growing up under the
scrutiny of the Queen and the public eye. Both can be unforgiving. My
clothes and makeup are my armor against the universe.
I open a vanity drawer and find a handful of covered elastics. Well at least I
can put my hair up. I return to the bedroom to find Ash waiting for me with
an expectant look on his face. He knows what’s coming.
I practice some deep breathing exercises, not liking the thought of being
without my armor. “So, let me get this straight. Your idea of packing for me
for a month is some sundresses and bikinis and nothing else?”
I watch his eyes light up in challenge, and he licks his lower lip. “You’re
right. I packed way too much for you. Should have stuck with just the
sunglasses. Especially since this is going to be a clothing-optional zone the
entire time we’re here.”
“Are you telling me the only shoes I have are the ones I wore?” I slowly tap
my bare foot on the hardwood floor.
“That’s right. And you won’t need them. We aren’t going anywhere. And no
one is coming here. We’re going to be stripped down—literally and
figuratively—it’s just you and me with nothing to come between us for the
next month.”
This is the most domineering stunt he’s ever pulled. And for Ash, that’s
saying something. “What about the staff?” I inquire hotly.
“They’ll be around. But I’ve been assured they’re very discreet. We won’t
even know they’re here. Are you upset about the clothes?” Ash’s tone is
somehow innocent and guilty at the same time.
Dick head. It’s a good thing the mate bond is closed. It’s not about the
clothes, it’s the prospect of being so exposed. “We’re probably not
supposed to argue anymore now that you’ve marked me and we share this
magical connection. But I have to say, I’m feeling a little perturbed with
you right now.”
“Hold on, Princess. The marking and the mate bond aren’t a guarantee that
we’ll never fight. Truth be told, there have been a couple of cases of
unhappily mated couples.”
“You’re telling me this now? I thought it would be smooth sailing from here
on out. That the marking would somehow make us more compatible.”
“We’re still the exact same people we always were. The marking didn’t
change who we are. We’re both very strong-willed, I would say equally so,
but we’re also quite different.”
I throw my hands up into the air. “So in addition to the mind reading and
tattoos, now I find out that even though we’re bound together for eternity,
none of your sharper edges will be smoothed out?”
“What sharp edges?” He has the nerve to look offended.
“You’re arrogant, overbearing and high-handed.” I tick my list of his
personality flaws off on my fingertips. “Case in point.” I fling my hand to
the almost empty dressing area.
He pulls his T-shirt over his head and kicks off his shoes. “I prefer the terms
confident, assertive and protective. And what about you?”
“What about me?” I place my hand in the center of my chest.
“You can be a little prickly,” Ash says over his shoulder as he walks into
the dressing area and out of sight.
“Prickly?” Me?
“Some might even say difficult.” He walks back into the bedroom wearing
a pair of blue swim trunks, the muscles of his chest and shoulders flexing.
“Difficult?” As if.
“That’s right. Not to mention you can be a bit of a brat with your quick
temper.” Ash walks to the console table and opens his messenger bag. He
pulls out a book and a pair of sunglasses, setting the sunglasses on the top
of his head. “Listen to me, Princess. There’s an old dragon’s tale that states
the most successful fated mate pairings are made up of two personalities—
one boring and one wild. Come find me when you figure out which one you
are.” Ash slides his glasses on then walks out the patio door into the
sunshine without a backward glance.
 Chapter Three

A S SOON AS ASH walks out of the bungalow, I regret letting my

mouth and fear of intimacy run away with me. But whether we’re
fighting, fucking or something in between, I bask in Ash’s attention and
miss it when he takes it away. It’s like the clouds covering the sun on a
bright spring day; my world becomes chilled and gray.
Hustling into the bathroom, I grab an elastic and tie my long hair up into a
messy bun. Then I sprint into the dressing area, strip out of my clothes and
put on one of the bikinis Ash packed for me. I grab a pair of aviators from
the stash of sunglasses and head outside to find my husband. He’s not
difficult to locate. He’s reading his book, his big body sprawled out on a
lounge chair. I pass by the lounger beside his, but I don’t sit down. Instead,
I walk to the end of the deck and stare out over the lagoon, listening to the
slap of the waves and the call of the birds.
Ash comes to stand beside me and looks out over the water as well, but he
doesn’t touch me or say anything. His eyes are covered by sunglasses, and a
muscle twitches in his jaw. I inhale the fresh scent of his sun-warmed skin.
His salted caramel and evergreen scent mingle beautifully with the
fragrance of the salt air.
I adjust my sunglasses. “Well, I guess I’m the wild one,” I say, owning it. “I
can be difficult.”
“That makes me the boring one then.” Ash looks down at me, his face
relaxing. “Those are just stereotypes. Neither one of us is all one way or all
the other. We’re both much more complicated than that.”
Almost choking, I swallow my pride. “I may have overreacted about the
side effects of the marking ritual and about the clothes. I just don’t like
being controlled or having my choices taken away. I’m afraid of losing
myself in all of this.” I move my hand back and forth between us. “My time
at university is the first taste of independence I’ve ever had, and I’ll never
go back.”
“I can understand that. I won’t suffocate you. I promise.” He pulls me in
front of him and places his thumbs in the two dimples at the top of my butt,
his hands spanning my waist. “And I knew what I was getting into when I
married you. All beautiful females are some level of difficult.”
I glance over my shoulder at him. “That’s another stereotype.”
“You’re not disproving it.” Ash chuckles and rests his chin on the top of my
head. “But, hey, what do I know? I’m boring.”
Ashton Mountcastle, you don’t have a single boring bone in your body.
“You do finance billion-dollar construction projects for a living. You’re
basically a glorified accountant.” I check out my manicure. “And everyone
knows that bean counters are terribly dull.”
“You’re studying economics,” Ash deadpans.
“Totally different. Economics is a social science. We’re interested in the
production and consumption of resources. Night and day to finance. And
we’re talking about you right now.”
“Sorry. Of course. Go ahead.” He gives my waist a squeeze, bemusement
rich in his voice.
“You’re the very definition of the fair-haired, firstborn son of a royal family.
You’re driven by duty and honor. You get along great with your parents,
your entire family actually. You wield your magic with ease. You’re the
perfect crown prince. A paragon.” I pretend to gag.
In contrast, I was raised by a single mother who was never around and who
I’m only now getting to know. And at twenty-two, I’m just learning how to
use my power. Not ideal for a preternatural princess. “Then there’s your
looks. You’re tall and handsome, then add in your chiseled muscles and big
dick. Now that I think about it, you have the face of an angel and the body
of a devil. Perfection, if you’re into that sort of thing.” With a wave of my
hand, I dismiss his charms.
“Are you into that sort of thing?” he asks.
Tapping my hand to my mouth, I give a fake yawn. “I find perfection to be
tedious and tiresome.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m also arrogant, overbearing and high-handed,
you know, to keep it interesting.” Ash kisses the side of my neck.
“Hate to break it to you, but the wild one is the interesting one.” I reach
back and run my fingers through his thick blond hair, holding him to me.
“So very true. You certainly keep me interested. You might be a difficult
brat, but you’re also passionate and strong. Not afraid to take chances.” Ash
turns me in his arms so we’re facing each other, our eyes shielded by
sunglasses. “Our strength lies in our differences.”
I take my sunglasses off and toss them on a nearby lounger. “Opposites
attract, right?”
Ash takes his sunglasses off and sets them next to mine. “That’s right.” He
lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his
neck before pressing my lips to his in a long, hard kiss.
“Oh, and Princess, the boring one can have some tricks up his sleeve, too.”
I barely have time to wonder what he’s talking about when he executes a
perfect backflip off the deck with me in his arms, and our feet hit the clear
blue water with a splash.
 Chapter Four

“D O ME A FAVOR?” Ash lies on the oversized bed in the

bungalow, a sheet draped across his hips. After a week here, his
tanned skin is a sharp contrast to the white pillows and bedsheets.
“For you? Anything,” I say truthfully.
“I want you to wear the pink bikini today.”
“A pink one? I don’t remember seeing it.” I open first one drawer and then
the other that holds the bikinis he’d packed for me. I hunt around for the
pink one but don’t see it. Oh wait, there it is, all the way at the bottom of
the second drawer. I pull the bikini out and dangle it in the air before cutting
my eyes to Ash. “Is this a joke? There isn’t enough material here to cover
me.”
“It’s perfect then.” He winks at me from the bed.
I hold the bikini bottoms up to my eye. “Seriously, this is an eye patch.”
Bikinis, as a rule, don’t cover much, but this one is tiny. I roll my eyes and
decide to humor him. I throw the scraps of material over my shoulder and
head to the bathroom to change.
When I come back into the bedroom, Ash is already outside on the deck,
getting something from behind the bar. I throw on a cover-up, grab a couple
of beach towels and my sunglasses before heading out to join him.
Spreading the towels out over two lounge chairs, I watch Ash walk toward
me, a couple of water bottles in his hand. My eyes devour the jacked
muscles of his tatted shoulders and chest, his rock-hard six-pack, and the V-
cut of his lower abdomen that disappears into his low-slung swim trunks.
How did I get so lucky?
I take off my cover-up and toss it over the back of my lounger. I’m just
about to sit down when Ash says, “Hold up. I didn’t get to see your new
bathing suit yet.”
“I’m not sure this qualifies as a bathing suit.” The hot-pink micro-bikini has
transparent straps so it looks like the itty-bitty slashes of material are
painted on. During our first week here, my skin has turned a sun-kissed
honey, making the hot-pink fabric appear even brighter. The triangles of
material in the top barely cover my nipples, giving me lots of side boob, no
small feat with tits this small. The thong bottoms barely cover my hoo-ha
and leave my butt cheeks completely exposed.
Ash runs his hands lightly over my arms, then down my back and over my
butt.
My body reacts to his touch, needy anticipation filling me. I check out what
he’s wearing. “And look at you with your trunks that come down to your
midthigh. Full coverage.”
“The female body is beautiful, like a work of art, particularly yours. Male
bodies are more functional.”
“I love your body. I think it’s beautiful, too.”
Ash sits down in his lounger and reclines the seat all the way down. Then
he lies flat on his back and looks up at me, his eyes hidden behind his
sunglasses. “I’ll make you a deal. You come sit on my face, and I’ll take my
shorts off.”
I blush from head to toe, my skin matching the barely-there bikini. “The
things you say to me. Out loud. With no warning.”
“Gods, I love it when you blush. It makes me want you even more when
you look scandalized. Come on, Princess. I know you want to. Sit on my
face. Do it.”
He knows dirty talk both flusters and excites me. I step toward him, fully
intending to mount his face.
“Good afternoon. My apologies for dropping in unannounced, but I wanted
to offer my felicitations on your mating.” An imperious voice booms across
the deck.
My head whips around to locate the owner of the voice. When my eyes find
our visitor, there is no doubt in my mind who this is. I can feel his power in
the marrow of my bones. King of the Olympians. Zeus. His flowing white
hair and beard, electric blue eyes, powerful physique and regal bearing
identify him as sure as any court herald would. He’s not wearing the long
white robes of the gods, but instead, looks as if he’s ready for battle in a
tunic covered by a metal breastplate with wide metal cuffs on his wrists and
guards on his shins.
Why is Zeus here? I lower my head and execute a shallow bow. Ash gets up
from the lounge chair and stands beside me, copying my actions.
“A marked pair of fated mates.” The tenor of Zeus’s voice has an
unfathomable quality, almost seeming to wrap around me. “A dragon shifter
and an enchantress. An incredible combination. Both from powerful
families. You don’t see this every day. I’m pleased to offer you hospitality
during this special time. There is nothing sweeter than the bud of passion
just starting to bloom.”
Ash grabs my cover-up and drops it over my shoulders. He doesn’t like
Zeus seeing my nearly naked body.
A female knows when she’s being sized up, and Zeus is definitely doing
that. But I’m not sure it’s sexual in nature. He’s looking at me like a seagull
looks at a French fry—a tasty morsel easily stolen.
Beside me, Ash bristles with protective male energy. He’s coiled up tight
and ready to strike.
But Zeus is a god, so challenging him on his home turf is not a good idea.
Could Ash be victorious against Zeus when Typhon wasn’t? I’m not sure,
but I am sure that I don’t want to become a widow on my honeymoon. I
give Ash a wide-eyed look that clearly says, What are you doing? Don’t
start a fight. This is Zeus!
Archer’s voice and weighted presence immediately fills my head and he
answers, We know exactly who it is. We’re not going to do anything unless
he does something first.
Having Archer in my head is not only distracting, but intimate on a level
that goes beyond even sex. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get used to it. I
need to maintain some boundaries and asked him and Ash not to open the
bond without asking me first. Shutting down the mate bond from my side, I
focus on what’s happening in front of me. Zeus is known for being a liar, a
cheat and an unfaithful husband. He’s fathered many illegitimate children—
some legends say over a hundred. Zeus does whatever he wants. Takes
whatever he wants. And when he makes his mind up about having
something, even a female, nothing will stop him.
Zeus holds out his hand, and in it, there’s a small golden box. “I have
brought the Princess of Avalon a gift. Come and take it, my dear.”
I hesitate, looking for any sign of trickery, but also knowing he severely
punishes those who disobey his orders. Not wanting to risk offending him, I
approach Zeus with caution and lift the box from his hand. It’s surprisingly
heavy and must be made of solid gold. I have to use two hands to hold it.
“It’s ambrosia. The food of the gods. It brings health and longevity to those
who consume it.” Zeus smiles benevolently down at me, but there’s
something ominous behind his eyes. “Accept it with my wishes for a long
and happy life.”
“Thank you.” I retreat to stand beside Ash, not turning my back on Zeus.
There’s something in his demeanor I don’t trust.
Ash takes the box from my hands and sets it on a nearby table in the shade.
He doesn’t take his eyes off Zeus either and his movements are tightly
controlled, as if he might spring to action any second.
“No need to worry, young dragon. I’m not here to hurt your beautiful new
mate.” Zeus’s blue eyes pierce me, his hair blowing in a nonexistent breeze
as power radiates off of him. “She’s family.”
A chill runs down my spine.
Zeus shifts his gaze to once again include Ash. “I’ll leave you to do
whatever it is young lovers do. You have nothing to fear while you are my
guests.” And as quickly as Zeus arrived, he’s gone. Unlike us, it’s rumored
that Zeus doesn’t use magic and energy to jump from place to place or
plane to plane, instead he dematerializes. The major difference being he can
travel much farther and his power signature is untraceable.
I turn to Ash. “What was that all about? What do you think he meant by
She’s family?”
“I don’t know. But we better find out. You should talk to your mother as
soon as we get back.”

image-
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The next day, Ash suggests a skinny-dip in the lagoon. Wearing a tropical-
print cover-up that’s doing double duty as a robe, I stroll into the dressing
area to change into a bikini and hear Ash call out, “Skinny-dip means
naked, Princess. You’re wasting your time putting a bikini on. I’m just
going to take it right back off you.”
Fine by me. I drop my robe on the floor and dash naked out the patio doors
onto the deck. “Catch me if you can,” I yell before diving into the
aquamarine water.
Although I get a head start, I hear a splash behind me, and Ash catches up
in a couple of long strokes. We swim together like merpeople out to the
coral reef—a kaleidoscope of green, orange, pink, yellow, red, purple and
blue. The colors of the coral and fish light up with vibrant fluorescence.
Ash is a stronger swimmer than I am, but with my water-based magic, I can
hold my breath longer. So, I stay underwater as he ascends to the surface for
air. A particularly magnificent section of orange coral catches my eye, and I
free dive deeper to take a closer look. As I swim deeper, the water alternates
in temperature, with some areas being much cooler than others due to the
streams from Mount Olympus that feed the lagoon. The changing
temperature sensitizes my skin and sharpens my focus.
I’m treading water and watching a school of brilliant yellow fish dart in and
out of the orange coral, when something wraps around my ankle.
Looking down, I see a giant octopus emerge from the coral, his color
morphing from shades of peach and orange to blue as he wraps a second
arm around my ankle. Although surprised, I’m not scared. He could be
dragging me toward his wickedly sharp beak, but he isn’t.
As he gets a better grip on me, moving his arms up my calf, I feel his
controlled strength and the independent pull of each of his suction cups.
This must be the sea monster, the kraken, Ash told me about when we first
got here.
When the kraken’s eyes lock on mine, they burn bright with knowledge and
urgency. I get the sense that he’s trying to tell me something, deliver a
warning of some kind. But no matter how hard I stare into his rectangular-
shaped pupils, I can’t understand what he’s trying to communicate.
Ash approaches us, cutting through the water like a mako shark. His speed
and focus telling me he thinks I’m in danger.
Although I give him a thumbs up to signal I’m fine, he dives down and
starts carefully unwrapping the octopus’ arms from my leg.
Searching the kraken’s intelligent eyes one last time, I try to understand his
message. His rectangular pupils flash gold for an instant, reminding me of
the box of ambrosia from Zeus and I’m filled with a sense of unease.
After a final firm grasp, the octopus releases me and disappears back into
the coral. Then Ash and I swim up through the water, toward the light.
When we break the surface, Ash raises an eyebrow at me. “I can’t leave you
alone for a second. I’m going to have to change your nickname to Trouble.
You attract it everywhere you go. Only you would meet a sea monster that’s
supposed to be a myth.”
“I know this is going to sound strange, but I think he wanted to tell me
something. Something important. Something about the ambrosia.”
“Did he say if it’s really a gift or a Trojan horse?”
“I don’t know. I couldn’t understand the message in his eyes.”
“Let’s get you back on dry land. He was a little too fascinated with you for
my liking.”
We climb the steps to the deck, and I walk over to the outdoor shower and
turn on the water. I’m running my hands through my hair, pushing it back
from my face when Ash comes up behind me, placing his hands on my
hips.
“Have I told you how much seeing your new tattoo right over your butt
dimples turns me on?” he asks.
“You haven’t mentioned it.” I put the meeting with the kraken on my
mental back burner.
“An oversight on my part.” Ash traces the outline of his mark on me.
My skin is still extra sensitive from the lagoon water’s disparate
temperatures, and I shiver at his light touch.
He glides his thumbs down to the indentations at the top of my butt.
“Dimples of Venus. Named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.”
Goosebumps rise on my skin. “Venus is on a whole other plane. You better
not let Aphrodite hear you mention her name. There’s a bitter rivalry
between the Greek and Roman gods. They each want top billing and more
press.”
The pitch of Ash’s voice drops an octave. “Females with Venus dimples are
supposed to have more powerful orgasms.”
“I’ve never heard that before, but maybe we should put that theory to the
test, you know, for science.” Turning to face him, I go up on my tiptoes and
give him an open-mouth kiss, my arms circling his neck, the tips of my
breasts rubbing against his chest.
When he puts his hands on my rib cage and lifts me into the air, my body
acts on pure instinct. My legs wrap around his waist, my nipples pucker,
and my core slicks in expectation of what’s to come. And because we were
skinny dipping, there’s nothing between us.
With an arm under my butt, Ash holds me aloft as he puts the broad head of
his cock to my soft, wet entrance and then slowly lowers me down onto
him. When I’m fully impaled, he lifts me up and down his length in a lazy
rhythm, letting me feel all of him. Shock waves of pleasure radiate out from
my core as he moves inside me.
Taking a few steps forward, Ash presses my back to the smooth wood-plank
wall of the outdoor shower. He repositions his arms so they’re under my
legs and braces his hands against the wall.
Splaying my thighs wide open so he can go deep, I let my legs dangle over
his arms as he fucks in and out at a leisurely pace.
Pulling all the way out of me, he dips his head to worship my nipples with
his lips and teeth, causing me to whimper and writhe against the shower
wall. He adjusts his hold to support my weight with the palms of his hands
before dropping down to his knees.
Ash’s display of shifter strength, his ability to physically dominate me,
makes my heart rate skyrocket. With his face between my legs, he eats me
like an exotic fruit he’s plucked from the jungle, alternating between
flicking my clit and tongue fucking me. Although I could easily come like
this, I want the sensation of fullness only his cock can give me. With a tug
on his hair, I whisper, “Please.” No other words are needed.
He stands up and grabs two handfuls of my ass. Reaching down between us,
I use both of my hands to guide him back inside me.
He plunges into me hard and fast, each forward push causing my pussy to
contract greedily around him. Licking and sucking the salty skin of his neck
while he thrusts, my orgasm shoots through me. I scream his name as I
come and feel as if I’m flying. Holding onto him to tether myself to this
plane, I rake my fingernails over his back and shoulders. After several balls
deep drives, he pulses inside me, and I wrap my legs tightly around his
waist and lock my ankles, never wanting to let him go.
 Chapter Five

E VEN THOUGH WE DON’T see Zeus or the kraken again, their visits
leave me with a sense of foreboding that’s difficult to shake. But this
is my honeymoon and I want to enjoy it, so I try to focus on what’s
important—Ash and our time alone together.
We spend our days having sex on every imaginable surface inside and
outside the bungalow. Sometimes it’s leisurely and sweet; other times quick
and dirty. It’s always different and seems to get better every time. Or at least
that’s how it feels to me. I haven’t opened up the mate bond to see how Ash
feels about our sex life, but he’s always up for it so I’m taking that as a
good sign.
Although I’ll never tell him, Ash was right about not needing much in the
way of clothing. It’s freeing, actually, not worrying about hair, makeup and
what to wear. I spend my days in bikinis, only slipping on a sundress or
cover-up to eat. It feels totally natural to be next to naked here every day, to
have sex whenever and wherever we want. Our passion is as natural as the
lagoon and the dense jungle foliage.
One afternoon, while Ash is tucked away in one of the spare bedrooms
catching up on some work, I head out to the circular daybed on the deck
with my laptop. After proofreading my last couple of assignments, I email
them off to their respective professors, completing my degree. When Ash
joins me on the deck later, we have a naked celebration in the daybed with a
couple bottles of champagne.
On the morning of our final day, we take our time making the cool, crisp
sheets of the bed warm and damp. When it’s time to shower and Ash
doesn’t follow me, I turn around and raise my eyebrows at him in question.
“If I shower with you, we’ll never get out of here.” Ash smiles at me as he
gets out of bed and does a naked full-body stretch.
I grin back at him. He’s probably right. “What should we do with the
ambrosia? I don’t think we can leave it behind.” I tilt my head in the
direction of the gold box.
“While I’m wary of gods bearing gifts, particularly Zeus, we have to bring
it home with us. Leaving it behind would be an insult, and I don’t want him
paying you another unexpected visit.”
Once we’re both showered and dressed, Ash suggests a quick trip to
Westmoreland to see his family before we go back to our Earthside condo. I
agree even though a part of me wants to go to Avalon and ask the Queen
about Zeus’ comment, She’s family.
Holding hands, we walk out onto the deck and take one last look around at
the paradise we shared for the past month. Then in a flash of light, we
release enough energy to jump down a plane. We land in the foyer of his
parent’s house, and I’m surprised to find it full of balloons, streamers and a
large Congratulations banner. “What’s going on?” I ask Ash.
He shrugs his shoulders and tries to look innocent but fails miserably.
Mari enters from the hallway, her curly blond hair flowing down her back,
her brown eyes warm, and her arms open wide. She’s followed by Reg, the
more reserved of the two, doing the tall, dark, handsome thing.
Ash is a beautiful combination of both of his parents. He has his mother’s
thick blond hair, full lips and easy smile. He has his dad’s intelligent hazel
eyes, muscular frame and commanding presence.
Looking at Reg, I think about my own father and the fact I know almost
nothing about him. Although I asked about him from time to time when I
was growing up, my mother didn’t like to talk about him. She would simply
say he died before I was born. All I have of him is one painting that hangs
in a small living room in the castle back on Avalon.
Mari and Reg each give us a welcoming hug. Then Mari takes me by the
shoulders and beams a smile at me. “Congratulations, Nina. Ash told us that
you finished your classes and are now a graduate.”
“It’s not official yet,” I say. “I don’t have my diploma or anything. But I’ve
done enough to earn my degree.”
“We’re all so proud of you.” Mari presses her hands to her chest. “I wanted
to throw a big party to celebrate, but Ash said you’re only staying the night
and might prefer something more casual. He thought you might like a
barbecue with your friends. I hope that’s okay? We can always do
something bigger, more formal, later.”
“A barbecue is great.” I really do prefer smaller, informal get-togethers.
“But I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
“You know me. Any excuse to throw a party.” Mari is a natural-born
extrovert. Ash gets that from her as well.
“Thank you, Mari. Did you happen to invite my mother?”
Mari’s expression clouds over a little. “I did, but unfortunately, she has a
previous engagement this evening. I know she wanted to be here. It was just
too short notice for her calendar.”
I paint on a sunny smile, trying very hard to keep the disappointment off my
face. “Backyard barbecues are not really her style anyway.” Although the
words trip easily from my tongue, I’m still hurt. I thought my mother and I
had forged ahead in our relationship, gained a little ground. My lack of
family is made more poignant by the love and devotion of Ash’s. It makes
me crave more connection with my one and only living blood relative—my
mother.
Ben walks into the foyer with Dahlia in his arms and my hellhounds, Steel
and Silver, at his heels. The dogs’ heads perk up when they see Ash and me,
and then they race back and forth between us, not seeming to know who to
say hello to first. We all laugh as they do zoomies around the foyer, eyes
bright, ears up, tongues out. Although the Black Shucks, a gift from the
Controller of the British Isles, have been my protectors since I was a baby,
they have come to love Ash in the few months we’d been together.
“Nina, we’re having a party for you.” Dahlia’s blond curls bounce as she
claps her hands excitedly.
Dahlia’s enthusiasm shakes me out of the gray mood at my mother being a
no-show. “I heard. Thank you so much.” I hold my arms out to her, and she
comes to me immediately, throwing her chubby arms around my neck.
“Hello Dahlia,” Ash greets his baby sister over my shoulder.
“Oh, hi, Ash. We’re having a party for Nina. It’s Nina’s special day.” She
barely spares Ash a glance, which makes me laugh. She’s normally his little
shadow.
“And since we’re having a barbecue, you know what that means.” Ben’s
devilish brown eyes offer a direct challenge to his older brother. “I’ve got to
make my world-famous hot sauce.”
“Everyone knows mine is better,” Ash replies, picking up the gauntlet.
“We’ll see. Welcome back, by the way.” Ben and Ash exchange a one-
armed bro hug, each delivering loud slaps to the other’s back.
“Ashton, could I have a quick word?” Reg inclines his head in the direction
of his study.
“Sure, Dad.” Ash leans in and kisses my temple. “I won’t be long.”
Dahlia wiggles out of my arms, and I set her down on the floor, watching as
Steel and Silver give her a couple of doggie kisses.
As Ash follows his father out of the foyer, Ben throws an arm loosely over
my shoulders. “Don’t worry, big brother. I’ll keep Nina company. It’s time
for you to get back to work anyway. The rest of us are tired of picking up
your slack.”
Ben had been my confidant when I was having trouble communicating with
Ash during the whole Jessica mess. Even though Ben is two years older
than me and several inches taller, I consider him to be the annoying little
brother I never knew I wanted.
Ben tightens his arm, pulling me a little closer. “You have a nice tan, Nina.
Got your fill of vitamin D, did you?”
I flush and say nothing.
Dahlia looks up at me with large brown innocent eyes. “What did you do on
your honeymoon, Nina?”
“I made friends with a sea monster,” I say brightly. My encounter with the
octopus is the first PG-rated thing that comes to mind.
Ben chuckles. “Is that what the kids are calling it now?”
Fucking Ben!

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In the apartment Ash and I stay in when we visit his parents, I text the girls
to let them know I’m back on Westmoreland. They’re staying in the
guesthouse they use when on the estate. Dying to see them, I invite them up
to the main house before the barbecue starts so we can catch up and hang
out by the pool. Then I text Ash to let him know I’ll be with the girls for the
afternoon. He responds that since I’ll be with my friends, he’ll go to the
kitchen with Ben to work on their respective hot sauces, after he’s done
talking to his dad.
I change into a bikini and am out in the pool area when my besties—a trio
of gorgeous sirens—walk out onto the patio from the glass doors of the
house.
“Nina!” Gia shrieks, and then we all huddle up in a group hug.
I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed them.
When the hugging subsides, Sofie pushes her sunglasses back over her
flaxen hair and tilts my head to the side so she can check out my neck
where Nicky bit me a month ago. “You’ve healed wonderfully. There’s no
scarring at all. I’m going to ask Mari to create a bottle of that healing potion
for me to keep on hand.” Sofie is the mother figure of our group and the
antithesis of all blond jokes.
“We want deets from the honeymoon, Nina. Spill.” Gia’s appetite for juicy
news is voracious, and her flaming red hair and giggling personality
brighten up every room she walks into.
“This is how it started.” I hold up my left hand and adjust my engagement
ring so they can see my new wedding band tattoo. Then I show them the
small tattoo on the palm side of my right hand and explain how it forms an
infinity symbol with Ash’s.
When I pull my hair to the side to reveal my back tattoo, Kat grumbles, “Is
it big enough? He well and truly marked you. Possessive bastard. Did he
piss on your leg, too?” With her voluptuous body, raven-black hair and
alabaster skin, Kat is sometimes mistaken for a girly girl, a Snow-White
type. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kat is a man-eater.
“I love your tattoos!” Gia exclaims. “Let me take a couple of pictures.
Share them on social.”
“Not until I tell my mother.” I shake my head. “She needs to know before
they’re made public. She’s not coming tonight, by the way. Previous
engagement.”
Three sets of indigo eyes regard me with something that looks like
sympathy. Sofie reaches out and places her hand over mine. “I’m sure
there’s some bigwig visiting Avalon, and she just couldn’t get away.”
I give Sofie a smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. “I know. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Totally fine.
We head to the pool and sit on the sun shelf—a flat, shallow area perfect for
sunning. The water is warm, and the late afternoon sun shines down on us.
“I wish you’d sent me more pictures of you and Ash from your trip.” Gia
draws a lazy hand through the water. “The ones you sent were beautiful, but
I really could have used more. The pics of the lagoon were popular, but
your followers get so hyped about the ones of you two together.”
“I sent you pics of us when we had clothes on. That didn’t happen very
often.” I pull my sunglasses down my nose and waggle my eyebrows.
“I thought you’d want to know,” Kat begins, her voice all business, “that
Jessica is in Costa Rica. She’s keeping a very low profile these days and is
working in sustainable construction for the country’s ecotourism trade. I’m
keeping an eye on her even though she’s already on the Queen’s shit list.”
I simply nod. Jessica has taken up way too much of my time and energy, but
it’s good to know where she is.
A member of the household staff appears poolside and we order some wine
and snacks. After the food and drinks arrive, I fill the girls in on my month
in paradise with Ash and don’t spare any details. A locker room full of
football players has nothing on a group of girls when they’re in the mood to
share.
After finishing my glass of wine, I need to pee, so I hop out of the pool,
towel off and head inside. After using the bathroom, I decide to go find
Ash. I check the family kitchen first, and when I find it empty, walk down
to the commercial-grade kitchen. Upon entering the stainless-steel-clad
room, my eyes start to sting, and my throat burns. Are we under attack? Is
this chemical warfare? With tear-filled eyes, I stagger forward, my hands
out in front of me so I don’t run into anything.
Reg shouts, “Get her out of here.”
Ash, who’s drinking a beer and stirring something at the stove, turns and
spots me. In a single fluid motion, he puts his beer down, vaults over the
breakfast bar and runs toward me. He picks me up in a fireman’s carry and
takes me out of the kitchen and down the hall to a butler’s pantry.
He sets me on my feet and slides the pocket door of the pantry closed. Then
he dampens a cotton napkin and presses it to my eyes. “I thought you were
outside by the pool with the girls.”
“I was, but I came in to use the bathroom and thought I would say a quick
hello. What’s happening in there?” I blink several times, the burning in my
eyes subsiding.
“Hot sauce. There’s a lot of chili fumes in the air. We like to see who can
make it the hottest—inedible for anyone but a dragon. I’m the reigning
champ. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m good.” I give my eyes a final dab, but they’re no longer burning.
The expression on Ash’s face changes from concern to sexual interest.
“Seeing you in this bikini takes me back to our honeymoon. Show me your
boobs?”
“No way,” I say with mock outrage. “Go back to the kitchen.”
“Show them to me for two seconds. Just a flash.”
Playing with Ash is such fun that I give him a sneak nanosecond peek.
In that time, he uses his shifter speed to move faster than I can track and
seals his lips around a nipple.
“The honeymoon is over, you know,” I say, giggling and trying to pull up
my bikini top.
He uses his teeth on me, and there is just an edge of pain. The message is
clear—you’re not taking my favorite toy away.
My insides tighten with desire. “People are waiting for us, Ash.” My hands
find their way into his hair.
He closes his eyes and smiles around the tip of my breast, obviously
deciding to wait me out.
I can’t very well go back to my friends with one erect nipple. “We might
have a few minutes.”
He switches to my other breast and sucks it into a stiff peak. Leaning his
butt against the counter of the pantry, he pulls me with him as he gently
bites me, shooting bolts of ecstasy south to my center. Then he slides his
thigh between my legs and grabs my hips, moving me back and forth on
him. I ride the ropey muscles of his leg until a sharp climax shatters me and
I’m trembling with spent pleasure.
When I still, Ash pulls my bikini top back into place before opening the
door to the pantry. “The honeymoon will never be over for us, Princess. It’s
not a specific time or place. It’s a state of mind.”
I go back out to the pool area with nipple stands and damp bikini bottoms.
“I ran into Ash,” I murmur casually to my friends. The girls take one look at
the goofy postorgasmic grin on my face and know exactly what I’ve been
up to.
In the early evening, Luke and Max arrive. The last time I saw Max, he’d
been healing Ash after I’d almost gotten him killed. Max’s gaze holds no
accusation as he greets us, but I still feel the weight of my decisions and
how it could have all gone terribly wrong. Ash likes to joke that I’ll be the
death of him. That time, I almost was. After a quick hello, they head inside
to see Ash and Ben in the kitchen.
Mari and Dahlia join us poolside, and party music fills the air from unseen
speakers. An hour later, all the guys come out of the house wearing swim
trunks and T-shirts in a parade of hotness carrying platters of chicken
wings. Ash is wearing an apron with “I cook as good as I look” emblazoned
on the front and Ben is sporting a “Caution hot stuff” apron. While the
brothers fire up the grills, Reg asks whether he can get anybody a drink. We
all call out our drink orders and gather around the gourmet outdoor kitchen.
The music pumping in the background, the friendly chatter and the smell of
the grills creates a festive atmosphere.
When we each have a drink, Ash raises his beer in a toast and smiles at me
from across the grill. “To my intelligent, hardworking, never-say-die mate.
Congratulations on finishing your degree under less-than-ideal
circumstances. To Nina.” Ash takes a big swallow from his beer.
“To Nina,” the group shouts and is lifting their drinks when we’re
surrounded by the two dozen Gorm guards I brought with me from Avalon.
Ben uses a remote to turn off the music, and in unison, the Gorm take a
knee and bow their heads as they cry out, “Long live the queen.”
My eyes meet Ash’s. This can only mean one thing. My mother is dead.
 Chapter Six

L ONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

My mother is dead.
Breaking eye contact with Ash, I scan the group, and everyone bows their
head, even Reg and Mari. The lighthearted atmosphere of only a few
moments ago is completely forgotten.
This can’t be happening. This isn’t real.
My mother is dead.
Ash comes around the grill and puts his arm around me. “I’m so sorry,
Nina. Come on. I’ll walk you upstairs so you can change for the trip to
Avalon.”
Time and reality seem to distort. My brain is having trouble processing
what I’m seeing and hearing. I pull away from Ash. “Can you talk to the
guard? Find out what they know.”
“If that’s what you want.” Ash furrows his brow at me.
“We’ll go upstairs with her,” Gia says.
“No, it’s okay,” I say, having to concentrate very hard to form the words.
“I’d like a moment alone. And you all have to get ready for the trip home,
too.”
“I don’t think you should be alone right now.” Sofie’s voice breaks into my
fog.
“I’m fine. Honestly. No need to fuss.” Am I fine? I feel detached from my
body, from myself. It’s as if my identity has slipped away.
“Let’s meet in the foyer in an hour.” Ash takes control of the situation
before saying to me in a low voice, “I’ll talk to the Gorm and then be right
up.”
Giving Ash a reassuring smile, I turn away from everyone’s sympathetic
looks and leave the pool area. I manage to make my way to our apartment,
not feeling my legs under me as I climb the stairs. Four of the Gorm follow
me but keep a respectful distance.
The Queen is gone.
My mother is dead.
In the apartment, I head to the bathroom and watch as my hand turns on the
shower. Standing under the spray, I focus on breathing in and out. The
water on my skin brings me partially back to myself, anchoring me once
again to reality.
Realizing I’m still wearing my bikini, I untie it and let it fall to the floor.
After showering and toweling off by rote, I arrange my damp hair in a neat
low-slung bun. Then I go to the dressing area and slip into a knee-length
black dress and black heels.
Catching a glimpse of movement in the mirror, I stop and turn to face it.
The girl in the mirror looks so young; her skin is pale, and her large gray
eyes are haunted. My identity slams back into me.
I’m my mother’s daughter.
The Queen’s successor.
The queen.
Is the girl in the mirror ready to be queen? Most definitely not. How am I
going to fill my mother’s shoes? I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m not
ready.
I’m an impostor.
An impostor queen.
If only we’d spent more time talking and less time arguing. That’s the worst
part. The missed opportunity. There’s so much that’s still unsaid between
us. Now she’s gone for good, and we’ll never have that mother-daughter
bond you see in movies and read about in books. We had been moving in
that direction but had only taken a few steps down the path. There’s so
much left to do to repair our fractured relationship. I thought we had more
time.
“How are you? What are you thinking? Feeling?” Ash comes up behind me
and gently runs his hands up and down my arms. He’s showered and
dressed in a black suit, shirt and tie.
Not wanting him to know how lost I am, I don’t answer his questions.
“What did the Gorm say?”
“That they’d received word from Avalon that the reigning queen had
perished and that they should bring you back immediately.”
To ascend the throne, a throne I’m not prepared to take. Now that the
numbness has passed, anxiety grips me in its icy fingers, making me
tremble. “Do you think it’s possible there’s been a mistake? Some kind of
misunderstanding?”
Ash steps closer to me and meets my eyes in the mirror. “No, I don’t
believe that kind of mistake could be made.”
“You’re right, of course,” I say on a mirthless chuckle. “She’s too
important, and there are too many people around her for this to be a
mistake.”
“I know how upset you must be. Talk to me.”
“There’s not a lot to talk about. My mother is gone. I hardly knew her. She
hardly knew me.” I can’t share my feelings with Ash. I can’t make sense of
them myself. She’d always been a larger-than-life figure to me, but in a lot
of ways, she was also a stranger. “We should probably get going.”
“We can leave whenever you’re ready. Everyone’s downstairs.”
Ash tries to pull me into an embrace, but on the pretense of putting on a
pillbox black hat with a tiny veil, I shrug away. I can’t allow myself to relax
into the sanctuary of his arms. The warm strength of his body will melt me
and right now the chill is preferable. I can’t lose control of my emotions.
I’m about to face the biggest test of my life and can’t be falling apart. “I’m
ready to go.”
Leaving the apartment, we’re followed by the Gorm as we walk downstairs
and into the foyer. Our friends are there, dressed in mourning wear with the
rest of the Gorm standing in formation.
Mari and Reg each give me a quick hug, and I go through the motions and
stiffly hug them back. I register Ash exchanging a concerned look with his
parents before lowering my eyes to the floor. I know they’re trying to show
their support for me, but I just can’t accept it right now.
Ash takes my hand and in a flash of light we leave Westmoreland for my
home court of Avalon.
Now, my court.
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We land inside the castle, right outside the closed doors of the Queen’s
court. The three medieval-style windows to the right of the doors reveal a
blue-black night sky. As I watch, a bolt of lightning splits the darkness, and
fat drops of rain pelt the windows and the rolling hills and meadows
beyond.
Being back on Avalon brings a flood of memories rushing to the surface—
memories of being lonely, having no control over my life and never being
able to measure up to the Queen’s exacting standards. The glacial hold of
my anxiety threatens to freeze me solid.
Without a word, most of the Gorm break off from our group, leaving four
captains behind. The Queen’s chief secretary, Stewart, is conspicuous by his
absence, and I miss his heartening smile.
But it’s time for me to get down to business. There’ll be several people
waiting to talk to me or my representative. “Sofie, would you and Max
mind going to see the Queen’s doctors? Find out when,”—I pause for a
moment to gather myself—“the autopsy will be performed.”
“Of course,” Sofie says without hesitation.
“Kat, could you take Luke and go talk to her lawyers?” I ask. “Get an
understanding of what legalities must be addressed for me to assume the
title.”
Kat nods. “Sure, no problem.”
“Gia and Ben, we’re going to have to make an announcement about the
Queen’s death. Can you check in with her press secretary and see if
anything has been written?”
“I’ll talk to the press secretary. If nothing is started, Ben and I will start
drafting it.” Gia gives me a small smile and looks relieved at having
something to do.
These tasks serve two purposes: they all need to be done, and I get a chance
to get my feet under me without an audience.
Max and Luke look to Ash. Whatever they see on his face must give them
permission to do my bidding. The guys aren’t technically my subjects so
their deference to Ash is to be expected, but it highlights my lack of ruling
credibility.
Watching them walk away, I say to Ash, “Before I do anything else, I want
to visit her court for a minute. To, I don’t know, center myself.”
“I’ll come with you.” Ash places his hand on my back.
Being on Avalon is triggering, and as much as I’m trying to stay strong, a
part of me wants Ash by my side. “Thank you.”
“Whatever you need, Nina. I’m here for you.”
Two of the captains open the doors to the Queen’s court and precede us in,
while the other two fall in behind us.
It’s quiet, and for a moment, I think deserted. Then my eyes alight on the
dais, and what I see there sets my jaw and lights a blaze in me that burns
through my cold fear with the speed and heat of a gasoline fire.
The consort is sitting on the Queen’s throne. He looks as if he’s trying it on
for size. And from the smug imperiousness shining in his eyes and the way
his hands flex on the armrests, he’s finding it a nice fit.
The sight infuriates me, and the flare of my anger envelops me like the arms
of an old friend. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? How dare you
sit on her throne?” I shout in disbelief at his audacity. Reaching down, I
harness the tingle of my magic and fling it like a lasso around the consort’s
chest, trapping his arms at his side. With a flick of my wrist, I yank him out
of my mother’s place and into a standing position. “How dare you?” I ask
again, my voice much more controlled this time. I slowly walk up the aisle
until I’m only a few feet from the dais with Ash and the Gorm right behind
me.
“Princess Seraphina, I see you have gained some control of your power in
the months since you left Avalon. I didn’t realize you had returned already.”
The consort’s tone teems with slippery superiority.
“Obviously not.” I give my power a tug, pulling the consort down from the
dais. Unfortunately, he lands on his feet with the grace of a cat. “What were
you doing sitting on the Queen’s throne?”
“I was just remembering her. No harm intended.” The consort’s smile is
patronizing. He and I have never been friends. We tolerated each other,
barely, because he was married to my mother. We were thrown together by
circumstance, but we were not family. He always treated me like excess
baggage he’d like nothing more than to toss out.
“If I ever catch you in her throne again, I’ll kill you. As a matter of fact,
maybe I’ll kill you anyway,” I say through gritted teeth, tightening the rope
of my power around him.
“Release him, Nina. We’re not killing anyone. Today.” Ash’s calm voice
surrounds me, but he doesn’t use his power to neutralize mine. Then he
whispers in my ear, “You’re the queen now. Your words and actions matter.
Be slow with your might and quick with your mind.”
Reluctantly, I pull my power back, and the consort rubs his arms. Even
though I’m a little put out at Ash contradicting me, I take a deep breath,
trying to remember my new position.
“Tell us what happened, Thane.” Ash directs. “What do you know?”
The consort looks past me to Ash. “The Queen is gone.”
“We know that. How did it happen?” I snap. The vision of him sitting on
my mother’s throne is still bouncing around my skull.
The consort cuts his haughty eyes back to me. “I found her slumped over
her desk late this afternoon. We were expecting the Controller of the British
Isles for a meeting. Stewart was standing over her. It looks like she was
poisoned. By Stewart.”
“That’s impossible,” I scoff. “Stewart is devoted to the Queen. He would
never do such a thing. He loved her.”
“Stewart did it. I saw what I saw.” The consort smooths a wrinkle on the
arm of his suit coat. “I’ve had him taken into custody.”
“He’s not the only one going into custody. You’re under house arrest,
confined to the castle, while we investigate the Queen’s death,” I announce
and wave the Gorm forward.
“What? You can’t detain me,” the consort sputters, his cheeks pinking with
anger. He looks at Ash. “Talk to your wife. Make her see reason.”
“Nina’s right,” Ash’s words are clipped and no nonsense. “The Queen has
been assassinated. Until we find out what really happened, everyone is a
suspect.”
The consort turns scornful eyes back to me. “That makes no sense, girl.
What would I have to gain by killing her?” Sweat beads on the consort’s
brow.
“I don’t know, but I am going to find out. Take him away.”

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After the consort is escorted away by the Gorm, Ash and I go to see
Stewart. Flanked by the two remaining guards, we take the stairs to the
lowest level of the castle, walking past the climate-controlled wine cellars,
bank vaults and power chambers into the dungeon where Stewart is being
held in a barred cell. We find him sitting on a cot with his head in his hands.
I rush up to the bars. “Stewart, what happened?”
Ash wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me back from the cell. “Not
so close.”
Stewart, appearing startled, leaps up from the cot. His normally dapper
clothes are rumpled, and his hair is standing out at odd angles from his
head, as if he’s been pulling at it. “I did it.” He stares back at us with
bloodshot eyes.
Pulling out of Ash’s arms, I approach the cell but stay a couple of feet back
from the bars. “You couldn’t have, Stewart. Don’t say that. You’re devoted
to her.”
“I didn’t want to do it.” Stewart’s thin shoulders shake. “But something
came over me. Forced me to.”
“Tell us what happened. And don’t leave anything out. Even the tiniest
detail could be useful.” Ash’s demeanor is cool and commanding, exacting
no judgment.
Stewart nods, looking as if he’s eager to unburden himself of a terrible
weight he’s carrying. “It was like I had no control over my body, and my
hands had a mind of their own. Doing things I didn’t want them to do. I
found myself in the apothecary, selecting a small glass vial that contained a
potion of some kind. I carried it to the Queen’s office where she was
working. Then I poured her pre-dinner glass of red wine and added the
potion. I gave the Queen the wine and stood by and watched her drink it as
if in a fugue state. I saw the recognition cross her face, the moment she
knew she’d been poisoned, and then she was gone. I betrayed my Queen. I
killed my Queen.”
Lines of grim concern form around Ash’s eyes and mouth. “What you’ve
admitted to is high treason and is punishable by death.”
Stewart bows his head and sobs quietly. “I welcome death.”
“He didn’t do this, Ash.” I get a white-knuckle grip on the bars of the cell.
“Someone or something compelled him to do it. What he described sounds
a lot like vampire mind control. Where’s Franco Rossi?” I ask, immediately
suspecting Nicky’s father—the one that got away.
“I’ll be leading the investigation into the Queen’s death.” Ash says to me
before turning to the Gorm captains. “We’ll need to look into Rossi. Find
out where he is.”
The captains dip their heads, acknowledging Ash.
“You can be in charge of the investigation, but I’ve already lost the Queen
—I don’t want to lose Stewart, too. He doesn’t deserve to be down here,
and I could really use his advice and support.” Stewart has always been like
a kindly uncle to me and knows everything about my mother’s empire.
Looking at the Gorm, I give them a direct command, “Release him.”
“No.” Ash holds up a hand that stills the captains.
“Excuse me?” My eyebrows raise at my husband overruling me a second
time.
“Stewart did not knowingly do this. On that, we agree.” Ash looks down at
me before scrutinizing Stewart once again. “You’ve always served the
Queen faithfully.” Ash’s sharp eyes return to mine. “But the fact of the
matter is, he’s confessed. We don’t know what compelled or possessed him
to do it. We don’t know if it’s still inside him and if it will overtake him
again. Stewart needs to remain imprisoned until we sort all of this out. Not
to mention, it’s safer for him to be locked up. He’s a loose end to whoever
compelled him. Stewart’s life is most likely in jeopardy. He’s the only
witness to the murder and the only lead so far.”
“I’ll ask Sofie to examine him. See if she can detect any magic on him,” I
say to Ash before looking back to Stewart. “We’ll figure this out. And until
we do, I’ll come visit you here. Everyday.”
“You’ll only visit him with at least four of your guards, and I’d prefer either
myself or Ben be with you, too. You’re not to be alone with Stewart. Not
even for a second” Ash says with finality.
“I don’t think I need four captains plus you or Ben. That’s over the top.”
This over-protective streak of his knows no bounds.
“Someone got the drop on your mother, Nina. Your mother. You’re the
queen now. You’re going to be under heavy security night and day, which I
know makes you unhappy, but has to be done. There’s an assassin among
us.”
 Chapter Seven

A S WE’RE LEAVING THE dungeon, I send a text to the group chat I

share with the girls to tell them about Stewart confessing and get an
update on what they’re working on.
Sofie: The autopsy is being performed now. No results yet.
Kat: There’ll be a lot of paperwork to sign. Mountains of it.
Gia: There’s a communication plan in place to announce the Queen’s death.
Waiting for autopsy.
It’s late, and there’s not a lot we can do tonight, so I tell the girls to get
some rest. This is a case of hurry up and wait.
Back in the bedroom of our apartment, I think Ash falls asleep for a while,
but I lean back against the uncomfortable wrought iron bed frame and stare
at the ceiling for the few hours I’m in bed. We’re both up and dressed early
the next morning. It’s going to be a long day, so I put on comfortable
clothes—jeans, sneakers and a white T-shirt.
I get a text from Sofie asking me to come to her office. When we arrive,
she’s talking to the Queen’s doctors, Dr. Forthwind and Dr. Wiscard.
“What’s going on?” I ask, looking around the room. “Do you have
information about the Queen’s death?”
“The autopsy is complete, but before any information can be divulged to
you, there is a small matter we must attend to first.” Dr. Forthwind, the tall,
thin, gray-haired doctor answers.
“It’s a formality but must be carried out before you can assume the throne,”
Dr. Wiscard, the shorter and chubbier of the two, provides.
“There are several medical tests that must be run.” Sofie leans forward on
her desk. “They need to make sure you’re you, Nina. They need to confirm
your identity and that you’re not a look-alike impostor here to steal the
crown. They’ll take all the medical data collected today and compare it
against the data collected when you were growing up.”
An impostor? Little do they know, that’s exactly what I am. I look at Ash.
“You don’t have to stay for this. Sofie will be here with me.”
“I don’t mind staying.” Ash slides his hands in his pockets and rocks back
on his heels as if he has all the time in the world.
“It might be a while. There’s no point in you waiting around.” I take a few
steps further into the room and wrap my arms around my middle, steeling
myself for the poking and prodding to come.
“Okay, then,” Ash says slowly. “I’ll go talk to the Gorm who were on duty
during the incident. Text me if you need anything. Anything at all.” He
hesitates for a moment, then gives me the lightest peck on the cheek before
turning to leave the office.
His small gesture causes an unwanted rush of emotion to well up in me, and
my lips part as I almost ask him to stay.
Don’t make a scene, Nina. My mother’s words come to mind unbidden.
Closing my mouth, I push down my emotions and let him walk away.
During the next couple of hours, I’m subjected to test after test by the
Queen’s doctors so they can verify beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am
the true heir to the throne of Avalon. They take several vials of my blood
and a hair sample for DNA testing. I undergo a retinal scan and am
fingerprinted. They take X-rays to measure my bone density and to ensure
evidence of the broken collarbone I suffered at thirteen from a fall off
Northstar is present. The testing is so thorough because black magic spells
can temporarily mess with the results of one or two of these tests. To
change all the results, I’d be under the influence of multiple doses of black
magic and lit up like a Christmas tree.
This is all in addition to the data from a microchip implanted in my
shoulder that checks, records and transmits my vital signs to Sofie once an
hour. The Queen’s doctors reason that the chip could have potentially been
removed from the real princess and implanted in someone else, so it can’t
be the sole means of identification. The Queen insisted we both get the
chips as a defensive measure after there’d been an assassination attempt on
her life. A fat lot of good it had done her.
When all of the testing is complete, I’m free to go.
Dr. Wiscard looks at me as if I’m a splotch on a microscope slide. “We’ll let
you know when your test results are back. Until then, we can’t share any
information we have on the Queen’s death.”
“And you shouldn’t perform any official royal duties,” Dr. Forthwind adds.
I guess I won’t be shouting, “Off with the consort’s head!” At least, not
today. With my hand on the doorknob, I turn back to Sofie. “Can you
examine Stewart? Look for any sign of magic that could have compelled
him?”
After I leave Sofie’s office, I text Gia to see how the death announcement is
coming along. She lets me know she and Ben are with the Queen’s press
secretary, Estelle. I wrinkle my nose. Estelle is an old harpy who loves the
sound of her own voice and never allows anyone else to speak. I trudge to
her office with my security in tow.
Ben stands up when I walk in, and I wave him back to his seat. I know he
wants to give me a brotherly hug—the Mountcastles are a family of huggers
—but I can’t allow the physical contact. It might break me.
Once I greet Estelle, she lays down the law about announcing the Queen’s
death. “The communication cascade must be handled with military
precision. We must inform the right people at the right time.”
I barely have time to nod back at her before she barks out her next order.
“First off, you must have a video call with each member of the Council of
Seven and tell them the Queen’s been murdered.” Knitting her gray
eyebrows together, she looks over the top of her glasses at me and taps
away on her laptop. “Next, there are certain allies that you must also
inform.”
I nod again at her rapid-fire instructions.
“Then you’ll have to reach out to the Queen’s Earthside leaders so they can
be extra vigilant. If anyone asks you a question you can’t answer, simply
tell them you need to take it away and will get back to them. These are
courtesy calls, not business calls. Don’t make any promises, and don’t agree
to anything.”
“Got it.” Don’t fuck this up, Nina hangs in the air. The Earthside leaders are
charged with enforcing the Queen’s rule and keeping others from moving in
on her territory. The Queen and other powerful preternatural rulers had
divided Earthside up into individual territories. Every financial transaction
that occurs in an Earthside territory translates into power, like paranormal
cryptocurrency. The more territory you control, the more power you wield.
“Finally, we’ll be creating a broader communication to announce her
passing to the planes. We’ll have to wait for the autopsy results to finalize
the content, but Ben and Gia have started writing it. I’ll review. You’ll
approve. Any questions?” Estelle’s beady eyes regard me.
“No, but I don’t think I can approve anything or make these calls until my
identity is verified,” I say.
“As soon as it is, we get started. Time is of the essence. If the news were to
leak prematurely, it could be disastrous.” Her thin lips pucker in a sour
circle. “We have to stay ahead of any rumor or conjecture. I’ve sent Gia the
names and contact information of everyone you need to call. That’s it for
now.”
Thankful to be excused from Estelle’s office, I text Kat and ask whether she
has anything for me to do. She responds that there is a ton of paperwork to
sign, but we can’t start until the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed on my
identity.
There’s only one thing left for me to do. Go see the Queen.
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“I’d like to see the Queen,” I say to the captains that surround me when I
step out of the press secretary’s office.
They look at each other and then back at me, seeming to decide whether
they can take me to see my mother’s body without the medical confirmation
and final paperwork in place. The head guard must have decided it was
okay, because we change direction and go toward the grandest ballroom in
the castle. Even if I am a fraud, how much damage could I do? The Queen
is already dead. The damage is done.
The Gorm open the doors to the ballroom.
“I would like some privacy,” I say, wanting to be alone with my mother
without security or prying eyes. They close the doors behind me as I walk
inside.
There she is.
She’s dressed in a blood-red ball gown, the color so dark and rich it looks
black from some angles. The gown is covered by thousands of tiny
diamonds that shimmer like stars in the night sky. Her hair is down, her
makeup perfect, and she’s wearing her most ornate crown. She’s in a large
sealed glass coffin on a raised glass stand surrounded by fields of thorny
black roses.
Even in death, I can’t get close to her.
She resembles a doll with her dark hair and creamy, smooth skin. She looks
alive, as if she might sit up and tell me to stop fidgeting or correct my
posture. As if at any moment, I might feel the warm-water sensation of her
power trickling over my skin.
I stand there looking at her for a long time. And the longer I stand there, the
more I realize those things are not going to happen. She is well and truly
gone.
My breath hitches. She’ll never know how much I wanted to win her
approval. I’ll never get the chance to make her really proud of me and show
her that I could be the daughter she always wanted. My mother will never
get to see me accomplish anything. She’ll never see me get my degree from
Brown. Never witness me fully embrace my place in her court. If Ash and I
have a baby girl one day, she’ll never meet her or know that her enchantress
line continues.
“You’ve left me behind again.” My voice cracks, and my eyes fill with
tears. Although I try not to let any fall, a couple escape. Quickly, I dash
them off my cheeks with the backs of my hands.
The Queen wouldn’t want me to cry. She wouldn’t want me to show
weakness. She would tell me there’s no reason for getting emotional. Stiff
upper lip and all that.
“I’ll make you proud, my Queen.” I press a kiss to my fingertips and stretch
out my arm as far as I can to touch her glass coffin. “Good-bye, Mother.”
Stepping back from her coffin, I know what I have to do.
I’ll devote myself entirely to taking up the reins of ruling her empire. It’s
what she would have wanted.
Then another thought hits me like a tidal wave.
Ashton.
In navigating this tumultuous sea of grief, half of me wants to hang onto
him like a lifeline; the other half knows I need to find the strength to swim
for shore on my own. We’re bound together by magic, but sometimes it
doesn’t work out, he said so himself.
I’m dangerously in love with Ash and that makes me vulnerable. I have to
find a way to protect my heart from experiencing this kind of pain ever
again.
 Chapter Eight

A S I’M LEAVING THE ballroom, my phone buzzes in my pocket.

It’s a text from Sophie to Ash and me: Test results are in. Meet me in
my office.
The results.
These words cause anxiety to bloom in my chest as “What if” scenarios
play through my mind. What if the results are inconclusive and the doctors
don’t believe I’m the rightful heir? What if the doctors see something in my
tests that prevents me from ascending the throne? What if my one
opportunity to prove my worthiness to my mother somehow gets snatched
away? Royal courts are rife with treachery at the best of times, and this is
not the best of times.
I march down to Sofie’s office and burst through the door. The Queen’s
doctors, Sofie, and Ash rise when I enter. Ash crosses the room to stand by
my side and rests his hand on the small of my back as we await the news.
“The results are conclusive. You’re the rightful heir of Avalon. Long live
the queen.” Dr. Forthwind makes the announcement as if he’s reading an
article on warts from a dusty medical journal before he and Dr. Wiscard
incline their heads at a deferential angle.
His bored tone lets me know I was probably the only one worried about the
results. Still, my knees almost buckle in relief. When I first learned of her
death, I became unstuck from my life—disassociated from my thoughts,
memories and identity—and have been a little off balance ever since. With
the external confirmation of my identity, I silently reaffirm my vow to my
mother, I’ll make you proud.
But how exactly am I going to do that? How can I possibly step into her
role? Pick up where she left off? Fill her shoes?
She was a force of nature.
It’s impossible.
I give my head a shake. This is not the time for an examination of my self-
worth. There’s too much to do. Locking my knees, I address her doctor’s,
“Now that the formalities are out of the way. Tell me what killed her.”
“It was a toxin that occurs naturally in puffer fish,” Dr. Wiscard says.
“Normally, if ingested, the toxin would just make you very sick. But the
Queen was allergic and died within minutes of anaphylaxis—asphyxiation
and cardiac arrest.”
“If she was allergic, why was the toxin on Avalon?” Ash asks.
“It’s used in small doses to make other medications and potions. Like
botulinum is used to make Botox. It’s kept under lock and key.”
“Who knew about the Queen’s allergy?” I ask. “I didn’t even know. And
who has the key?” I look around the room into all the doctor’s faces.
“It was not common knowledge. The Queen didn’t want to expose her
vulnerabilities. And we have the only key.” Dr. Forthwind indicates himself
and his colleague.
“I knew about her allergy as well,” Sofie says. “She told me so I could have
you tested, Nina. You’re not allergic.”
“You’re not to leave Avalon until the investigation is complete,” Ash says
to the doctors.
“We have nothing to hide.” Dr. Forthwind’s mouth compresses into a dour
line.
“It’s not just you. No one’s leaving Avalon until we find the murderer,” Ash
clarifies. “But you will be questioned by the Gorm.”
“Was she in pain?” I ask.
All of the doctors’ eyes shift to the floor. That’s all the answer I need.
Whoever poisoned my mother would meet a violent and painful end.
Sofie comes around her desk and gives me a gentle hug before saying, “Kat
is waiting for you in her office.”
Ash is quiet on the walk to Kat’s office, which I’m grateful for. It gives me
time to think. The list of suspects is mounting, and twenty-four hours
haven’t even passed yet. I didn’t think for a second Sofie had anything to do
with this. She wasn’t even here when it happened. But the Queen’s doctors
knew about the allergy and are now on the list.
My mother’s lawyers are also in Kat’s office when we arrive. They
acknowledge me with a shallow dip of their balding heads, but say nothing,
eying my casual outfit in their three-piece blue suits.
They don’t look like they approve of my jeans and sneakers. I’m not my
mother with her channel suits and ropes of pearls. I never will be.
Ash and I take the seats opposite Kat, who hands documents to me and
shows me where to sign.
The documents are not actual pieces of paper but tablets the thickness of
paper—if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference
between the digital paper and the real thing. Kat explains what I’m signing
in detail, but there is so much to get through, I tell her to just give me the
highlights or we’ll be here all week.
“We’ll only do the most important stuff today. The bare bones of what
needs to be signed and filed for you to ascend the throne and have your
mother’s will read,” Kat says, sliding another piece of paper across her
desk.
There’s always so much paperwork where royalty is concerned. The final
piece I have to sign in blood. It’s my commitment to Avalon.
As the Lady of the Lake and rightful queen, I vow to protect and defend the
sovereign realm of Avalon, its inhabitants and territories with my life.
I read the short document aloud before holding out my thumb for Kat to
prick. Then I press my thumb to the document, leaving a bloody print
behind.
“What about the coronation ceremony?” one of my mother’s lawyers asks
as we all watch my bloody thumbprint dry on the document.
“There will be no ceremony until my mother’s killer is caught,” I say with
certainty. I couldn’t possibly sit on her throne while her killer is running
free.
“When would you like the will to be read?” Kat asks.
“Later this afternoon. I have a number of video calls to make first and an
announcement to finalize with Estelle. But right after that, I’d like it to be
read.” Even though it’s going to be difficult, I know we can’t delay.
The will of a ruler is always read as soon as possible following death.
Because there’s not only a tremendous amount of wealth changing hands,
but also an incredible amount of power. You can’t leave power hanging
around. It could become unstable. It could also fall into the wrong hands.
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It’s early afternoon by the time Ash and I leave Kat’s office and go back to
our apartment. After showering and blowing out my hair, I choose a dark
burgundy dress in homage to the Queen’s red burial gown and sit down in
front of my computer in the main living area to make the video calls.
“I’ve ordered up some lunch. Would you like something to eat before you
get started on the calls?” Ash asks, coming from the kitchen dressed in a
dark suit and tie.
“Not much of an appetite right now. Maybe later.” Food is the last thing on
my mind even though I haven’t eaten anything since this time yesterday.
He crosses the room to stand beside my desk. “Would you like me to stay
with you? For moral support.”
“No, thank you. I have to get used to doing these things on my own.” This
is my first official duty as my mother’s successor, and I’m a mess of nerves.
I want to do everything right, be perfect.
Ash leans down and places a tender kiss on my lips. I return the kiss, my
lips clinging to his as I fight the urge to ask him to stay.
“I’ll be in the office if you need me.” He grabs his laptop and leaves our
apartment.
I call Reg first to tell him the Queen is gone, that she was murdered and
we’re still investigating. As my father-in-law and a Council of Seven
member, he’s a good person to start with. Then I work my way through the
list of other council members, followed by my mother’s closest allies. My
palms sweat as I wring my hands under my desk, but my voice is steady as I
begin each call with “I’m contacting you today with sad news.” The calls
are short, and everyone offers words of sympathy and extends their
condolences.
I move on to the Queen’s Earthside leaders. There are a dozen of them, and
they are all shifters. More than half are wolves, but there is also a coyote, a
bear, a tiger and even a lion. The Queen always liked having shifters as her
leaders. Territory is maintained by force, and shifters are loyal, durable and
naturally territorial, she would say. A shifter’s first priority is pack, pride
or clan. Sure, you run into a bad apple now and again, but the majority are
solid and predictable. Maybe that’s why she wanted Ash for me. Dragons
are the biggest and baddest shifters of all.
When talking with one of her wolf leaders, Tripp Fisher, he shares some
alarming news of his own.
“One of the Queen’s rural properties here in North Carolina was fire
bombed this morning,” Tripp says after I tell him of her death. “The house,
stables, barns, and acres of field and forest were destroyed. The damage is
in the millions.”
“Are you sure the fire was deliberately set?” I ask, my heart rate picking up.
“Yes. Incendiary devices were found at the site. It looks like someone may
already be trying to make a move into your territory.”
“No one knows the Queen is gone.”
“The killer does,” Trip says.
“Let me take this away and get back to you,” I say because I don’t know
what else to say. I hadn’t expected this so soon.
Once all the calls are made, I let Gia know they’re good to start the
communication cascade to the planes. We decide that the official message
for the general public will be that the Queen died of an allergic reaction—a
simple, but tragic accident. We don’t want the murderer to know we’re on
to him or her. We also don’t want the universe to know that she was killed
in her own castle by an unknown assassin—other rulers could get the idea
that Avalon is vulnerable to attack.
Although I’m exhausted from the calls explaining that my mother has been
killed and would like nothing more than to strip off this dress and climb into
bed, I have a will reading to attend and so make my way down to the offices
of the Queen’s lawyers.
Ash is already there, along with the girls and the consort. I stiffen
momentarily when I see Thane and then take the seat beside Ash at the
front, and wait for the lawyers to begin. After they show us the death
certificate and there is some legalese explaining this is her last will and
testament, they tell us her final wishes.
She bequeaths each of the girls a fortune in gold. Gold is traded on every
plane and can be used to buy other types of currency. She also leaves them
each a home in her Earthside territory and a home on Avalon. This makes
me very happy; the girls have always been my loyal, trusted friends.
She provides the same for Stewart. The lawyers say that his inheritance will
be held in trust until the investigation into her death is complete. If we can’t
find the real killer and clear Stewart’s name, his bequest will revert back to
her estate.
She leaves Ash the Central Park condo we’d stayed in when we visited New
York. Even though the penthouse is worth more than fifty million dollars,
this gift isn’t about the money. It’s a token of her trust and respect. She’s
given him a place in her territory. It’s symbolic. Checking out Ash’s profile,
I think the gesture pleases him.
She leaves a sizable sum to the consort, which doesn’t please me at all. It’s
not about the money. It’s about him. She doesn’t give him a home in her
Earthside territory or on Avalon though. No place in her territory tells me
she didn’t trust him. I glance over my shoulder at Thane, but can read
nothing in his neutral expression. If he’s shocked by this, he’s hiding it well.
The lawyers let us know my mother’s estate will donate hundreds of
millions of dollars to the Earthside charities she supported.
She endows the bulk of her estate to me. The lawyers list off properties
throughout her Earthside territory, in addition to the island of Avalon and its
castle, her Arabians and more physical and digital currency than I could
spend in a hundred lifetimes. I’m wealthy beyond compare, but I would
trade it all away to bring her back. Every red cent.
There’s only one item left—her power.
The lawyers inform us that she worked with a witch to create a spell that
would take effect in the event of her death and cause her magic to leave her
body and bespell an object on Avalon.
“Is this customary?” I blink at the lawyers.
“There are a couple of ways to settle generational power on a successor.
She could have uploaded it to a power chamber here in the castle where you
could have downloaded it. Or she could have transferred it to one of the
banks owned by the Council of Seven and you could’ve withdrawn it.
Bespelling an object is also traditional, though less common nowadays. The
end game in any of these scenarios is that if she was killed for her power, it
would prevent the murderer from attaining it.”
“What’s the bespelled object?” I ask.
“That’s the wrinkle in all of this and is quite out of the ordinary. No one
besides the Queen and the witch know the chosen object. The will directs
that you have to find the object and unlock the power to receive it.”
“What if someone else finds it? Could they unlock it and release the
power?” Ash asks.
“It’s possible. With magic, anything is,” the lawyer responds matter of
factly.
The consort draws in a sharp breath behind me.
“We have to track down that witch. She’s the only one who knows what the
object is. She’s also another suspect,” I say to Ash. “And I have to find the
object and unlock my mother’s power before anybody else does.”
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After the reading of the will, Ash and I go to the dining room for dinner.
We’re seated at either end of a very long table, and there are flowers,
candelabra and platters of food separating us.
Once the footmen serve us our meals, they stand against the wall of the
dining room waiting for further instruction.
“All this formality is foolish,” Ash mutters before he picks up his plate of
food and empty wineglass, and walks to my end of the table. Settling in the
chair to my right, he waves the footman back as he pours each of us a glass
of red wine, the deep ruby color reminding me of my mother’s burial gown.
“Once the penthouse in New York transfers to me, I’ve asked Luke to add
your name to the title.” Ash picks up a napkin and places it in his lap.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say, lifting my wineglass by the stem and
swirling the contents.
“I had you added to the title of all my properties right after our binding
ceremony, Princess. Why would this be any different?” Ash gives a
nonchalant shrug of his shoulders and takes a bite of his meal.
I take a deep drink of the wine. “I went to see my mother earlier today.”
He puts down his cutlery and reaches for his wineglass. “If I’d known, I
would have gone with you.”
“I wanted to say good-bye to her on my own.”
Ash silently watches me with an inscrutable expression on his face and
takes a drink of his wine.
“She looked beautiful. Powerful.” I stare into my wineglass before taking
another sip. “Who could have done this to her?” Although the quest to find
the object containing her power looms large, my first thoughts are for my
mother.
“We’ll find whoever did this and make them pay.” Ash sits back in his chair
and steeples his fingers.
I pick up my fork, but my stomach clenches painfully at the thought of
food, so I put it back down. “Let me know as soon as you have any word on
the whereabouts of the witch who created the spell for the object or Franco
Rossi. And I want the consort interrogated again. Don’t go easy on him just
because you’re friends.”
“We’re not friends and even if we were, it doesn’t mean I’d turn a blind eye
if he killed someone important to you, let alone your mother and a reigning
monarch of a court allied with mine.”
“Speaking of your friends, look into Jessica Winters.” I know this is catty
and I should retract my claws. But I’m stressed and just not able to. “Maybe
she hired another hit man, this time to take out my mother.”
Feeling my scratch, Ash’s eyes lock with mine. He doesn’t like me
categorizing Jessica as his friend. “It’s not Jessica.”
“Why are you defending her?”
“If Jessica made a move like this, the magic blood pact she entered into
with your mother would’ve enacted, alerting her to the threat. Your mother
would’ve dispatched the Gorm, and Jessica would be dead. No, this was
done with cunning and stealth. Whoever did this knew your mother well.
That she had this life-threatening allergy. That she trusted Stewart
completely, and would never question the safety of a glass of wine he
poured.”
“It’s generally held that poison is more of a female’s weapon than a male’s.
I still think we should look at Jessica.”
“I just don’t think she’s powerful or connected enough to carry it out. She
would have had to have found some way to break your mother’s blood pact,
and that’s unheard of.”
I pick up my fork to make another attempt at eating but only end up moving
the meal around my plate. “Don’t rule her out is all I’m saying.”
“I’m not ruling anyone out, Princess. But I think you’re letting your history
with her cloud your judgment.”
My temper flares and my claws come out even more. “I don’t like you
questioning my judgment or overruling me. You’ve done that twice
already.”
“You’re angry because I wouldn’t let you kill Thane for sitting on your
mother’s throne? Slow your roll, gangster. He’s fae royalty. He’s from a
minor court, but royalty nonetheless. If you’d killed Thane with no proof of
wrongdoing, you’d have put yourself and Avalon on the Faerie Lords’
radar, and you don’t want that. They’re dangerous and vengeful.” Ash
blows out a sigh. “And no, I wouldn’t let you free Stewart. He confessed to
regicide. Look, I’m not trying to get in your way, but I’m also not going to
sit by and watch you make decisions that could put you or your court in
danger.”
Although I’m still upset with him about second guessing me, I can admit
that his reasoning does have some merit and I should probably stop giving
in to my knee-jerk reactions. “There’s another problem,” I say, taking a
large sip of wine. “Tripp Fisher, the wolf shifter from the Carolinas,
reported that one of the Queen’s properties was fire bombed. He suspects
someone is making a move into the territory.”
“I’ll talk to Tripp. Find out what happened. See if he’s learned anything
more.” Ash glances down at my plate. “You should try and eat something.”
I take a bite of the meal but the food is tasteless and sits like sawdust on my
tongue. Swallowing several mouthfuls of wine to get it down, I try to
process the events of the last two days. Yesterday, we’d just returned from
our honeymoon and were celebrating my graduation. Today, we’re
discussing the list of suspects in my mother’s murder and a possible attack
on her territory.
For the rest of dinner, I can feel Ash’s eyes on my plate and wineglass, but
he doesn’t say anything about how little I eat and how much I drink.
 Chapter Nine

T HAT NIGHT, I TOSS and turn in bed, unable to sleep as questions

about the object spellbound with my mother’s magic race around my
mind like cars on a track. The heavy rain that started right after we arrived
continues to fall. Under normal circumstances, the white noise of the rain
pounding against the windows would be soothing, but it’s as if Avalon is
crying out for her rightful queen. Crying out for me to find my mother’s
murderer and return the favor.
While the castle is still dark, I slide out of bed. Ash’s deep, even breathing
lets me know he’s completely out. Tiptoeing to the dressing area, I pull on a
pair of sweats and one of Ash’s hoodies, and then creep out of our
apartment. If I hadn’t left the dogs on Westmoreland, I might not have been
able to slip away unnoticed. I’ll send for them and Northstar when things
settle down here and I can give them the attention they deserve and are
getting from the Mountcastles. The four guards outside the door
immediately fall silently into step with me as if I always sneak barefoot out
of my apartment at four in the morning.
I have to talk to Stewart. Ash preferred that he or Ben accompany me when
I visit Stewart in the dungeon. But I prefer to go by myself. I’m in no
danger from Stewart, and Ash doesn’t get to dictate what I do or don’t do.
He needs to remember that.
The stone steps are cool on my feet as I pad down the stairs. Stewart’s cell
is dimly lit, and he’s in the exact same position as the last time I saw him—
sitting on his cot with his head in his hands.
I take the chair opposite his cell and sit cross-legged, tucking my feet under
me to keep them warm. “Stew,” I whisper. “It’s me.”
“Hello, Princess.” Stewart lifts his thin face and then stands up as he
stammers, “Apologies, my queen.”
“It’s okay. It takes some getting used to. Please, sit down. I’m sorry to
disturb you in the middle of the night, but I have some questions.”
“How can I be of service?” Stewart crosses the cell floor to the bars.
“The will was read yesterday.” I decide not to bring up the inheritance the
Queen left him. I don’t want to make him feel worse about the situation. “It
appears that, on her death, the Queen transferred her power to a bespelled
object here on Avalon that I now have to find. Do you know anything about
that? What the object might be? The name of the witch who helped her
create the spell?”
“The name of the witch will be in the Queen’s diary. The Queen hired the
witch right after the first assassination attempt about a year and a half ago.
You can look back at her calendar around that time to find the witch’s name.
Sorry, that’s all I know.”
“That’s helpful. Thanks.” I fight back tears at the sag of Stewart’s shoulders
and the deep grooves lining his face. “We’re going to sort this out, Stew.
We’re going to find out who killed the Queen and framed you. They’re
going to be punished. I’m sorry I can’t release you, but is there anything I
can do for you while you’re here?”
“Prince Ashton is right to keep me locked up. I don’t want to hurt anyone
else.” Stewart’s eyes are glassy, and the corners of his mouth are turned
down in a sad frown. “There’s nothing I need, but may I ask you a
question?”
Adjusting my feet under me more comfortably, I nod. “Sure. Anything.”
“What have you decided about the coronation ceremony? Your mother’s
coronation was a sight to behold. I can still picture her now, her presence so
regal. Will you wear her gown?”
“I haven’t had time to give it a lot of thought. There won’t be a coronation
until after the Queen’s murderer is found and brought to justice.”
“And what of the prince’s role? How will you install him when the time
comes?”
“I don’t know.” I tap my chin as a question pops into my head. “Do you
know why my mother installed Thane as her consort?”
“The Queen made that decision because she had difficulty trusting others
and because she wanted the final say in all matters. If you install the prince
as your king, he’ll be your equal in ruling the empire. If you install him as
your consort, you’ll maintain veto power and have the last word.”
“Isn’t there some law that prescribes Ash’s role? We’re married, and he’s a
royal in his own right. Doesn’t that automatically make him my king?”
“No, Avalon is a matriarchy, and the queen gets to choose. This law was
established by the first enchantress in your line. It’s totally up to you.
Completely your choice.”
I shift in my chair and decide not to mention this to Ash until I’ve had time
to make a decision. A twinge of guilt tightens my stomach. He put my name
on everything he owns without question.
I may very well be in love with Ash, but our relationship is new. We’ve
only been together a few short months. We’re still learning about each
other, and we’re very different. More often than not, Ash does what he
thinks is best for me with no discussion. When he does this, I want to rebel
and do the exact opposite. I’m done being told what to do and being
expected to fall in line. Those days are over.
Ash and I are two powerful personalities that are diametrically opposed. Do
I want to butt heads with him for the rest of my life over every decision
about my court, or do I want to be the one who makes the decisions? I want
him as my husband, but do I need him as my king? Those are two
completely separate things.

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After spending an hour with Stewart, I head back upstairs toward the wing
that contains the Queen’s apartments with my guards at my back. The
bespelled object is probably there. Although it’s still early, the castle is
starting to wake up. The cooks’ voices call out over the clang of pots and
pans as I pass the kitchens, and maids ensure there’s not a speck of dust in
the living and dining rooms.
When I turn the corner to the Queen’s wing, I almost run right into the
consort and his guards. “What are you doing lurking around my mother’s
private quarters?” I ask, stopping abruptly. I can’t help but think he’s here
for the sole purpose of ferreting out the object. Hoping to locate it and find
a way to unlock the power before I do.
“I was simply walking by. As you have confined me to the castle, I have to
get my morning exercise somehow,” he replies in a dry tone.
Thane is wearing a light gray suit and looks as nondescript as he always
does. He’s using his fae glamor to distort the light around him and fade into
the background. I once thought this trick was to allow the Queen to shine
brighter, but now I think it’s so he can blend in and move around unnoticed,
be a chameleon.
“There’s no need for all of this, you know. The house arrest. The guard.”
His lips twisted into a slimy smile. “I didn’t kill the Queen. I would never
hurt her. I cared for her a great deal, just as I care for you.”
“You never cared about me. You always treated me like the unwanted
stepchild I was to you.” I stare directly into his eyes, daring him to lie to
me.
“That’s not true, I do care for you.” He shrugs his shoulders and holds out
his hands, palms showing. “Love you in my own way.”
Liar! Thane viewed me as a rival for my mother’s affections. He never
missed an opportunity to find fault with me and diminish me in her eyes. “If
this is an attempt to work your way into my good graces because the Queen
is gone, it’s too late. You can’t rewrite history.”
“Think about what your mother would want, Seraphina. Be sensible. You
have a large empire to run and will need help. She would want me to be a
part of your inner circle. She trusted my judgment. We were aligned on all
things. We were very close.” Although he schools his bland facial features
into a tightly controlled mask, there’s no disguising his conniving nature.
“It’s a sad statistic,” I say, my eyes and voice hard as spikes, “but females
are most likely to be killed by someone very close to them. A partner or an
ex. You were her consort and the most likely to have committed the crime.
If I find out you had any part in her death, nothing and no one will be able
to protect you from me.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m giving you fair warning. Something my mother didn’t get.”
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After my warning to Thane, I leave him standing in the hallway and

continue to the Queen’s private quarters. At the doors to her apartment, I
pause to collect myself before entering her inner sanctum. I hadn’t spent a
lot of time in her personal space growing up. More often than not, I met
with her in her court, office or one of the formal dining rooms.
When the guards open the doors and I enter, I find her apartment opulently
furnished and designed with a palette of muted grays, beiges and off-whites.
The dark hardwood floors are polished to a high shine, and the furniture is
expertly tailored, with every throw pillow, tassel and pleat perfectly placed.
It’s pristine, but it’s not cold or austere, in fact, it feels almost homey.
Walking past the sitting room, I head down the hall to her bedroom. It’s a
large room decorated in the same soothing tones as the main living space. A
padded headboard encompasses the entire wall and a matching blanket box
sits at the foot of her bed. I smile sadly imagining her drinking her morning
coffee in the small seating area on the other side of the room.
Chandeliers and cream-colored cabinetry set the feminine and orderly mood
of her walk-in closet, which is several rooms joined together. There’s a
closet devoted to shoes, purses and belts; another to dresses and gowns;
another to power suits, and still another to riding attire. Skimming my
hands over her clothes, I don’t find anything that radiates with magic.
I locate her makeup area and built-in jewelry cabinet containing some of
her favorite crowns, tiaras, rings and necklaces, including the string of
pearls given to her by Poseidon himself. Opening the door to the jewelry
cabinet, I run my fingers lightly over each sparkling piece. I don’t feel any
magic, at least not at the magnitude that would indicate it holds her power.
At her makeup table, I sit and pick up her perfume bottles and makeup
brushes. Again, no magic.
Sitting in her private dressing rooms, among her clothes and personal
possessions, an unexpected and unchecked sorrow knocks the wind out of
me. The grief is so overpowering, I’m glad I’m sitting down.
I’m also glad I’m alone.
In a lot of ways, I barely knew her, but her absence has left a cavernous
hole in my life that can’t ever be filled. You only have one mother. Her
death has ruptured something inside me and left a bloody tear in my psyche
that I’m not sure even time will heal.
No one can know that I’m ripped apart by grief; mourning a relationship
with her that I never had. I can’t expose the broken pieces inside me to
anyone—not my friends and most certainly not Ash.
My mother saw me as weak, and she resented me for it.
I have to be strong.
Cover up my pain, my fear, my anger.
Erect barricades to keep those I care about most and the rest of the universe
from discovering the deep, ragged edges of my emotional damage.
“There you are.” Ash enters the dressing room, making the space shrink
with his presence.
Startled, I spin in the chair to face him. “What are you doing here? How did
you find me?”
“I asked the guard where you were.” He lifts his chin in the direction of the
apartment’s entrance. “They also let me know you went to see Stewart this
morning. Alone.”
Pushing away my distress; I put a Band-Aid on my psychological wounds
so I don’t bleed out all over my husband. “Stewart told me the name of the
witch who created the spell is in the Queen’s calendar. Just have to go back
about eighteen months. And I was hardly alone. I had my security with
me.”
“That’s a good lead. I’ll look into it.” He narrows his eyes at me. “And you
know what I mean about Stewart.”
Anger bubbles to the surface from my unhealed trauma. Picking up a
makeup brush, I point it at him and hope he doesn’t notice the tremor of my
hand. “I don’t need you babysitting me.”
“I’m not babysitting you. I’m trying to take care of you. Protect you from
whoever killed your mother. I’m trying to let you have your head, but don’t
push it.”
Ash’s reference to loosening the reins and allowing a horse freedom to
gallop rubs salt into my fresh wound. “Let me have my head? I don’t need
you to let me do anything.”
“You heard me, Princess. I told you a long time ago that it’s my job to
protect you. And I will. Even from yourself.” Ash pauses, his stance
relaxing and his voice gentling. “I know this is hard on you. The loss of
your mother . . .”
“I’m fine, Ash,” I say firmly, trying to convince myself as much as him.
“It might help if you let it out. It’s okay to cry.”
“Like I said, I’m fine.” Turning back to the makeup table, I powder my
nose with my mother’s compact. He’s trying to dismantle my shields as fast
as I build them. I can’t let that happen. I have to keep the conversation on
the task at hand. “What I need to do is find the object containing her power
before it falls into the wrong hands. That’s the most important thing right
now.”
Ash puts his hands in his pockets and looks around the walk-in closet. “Is
that what you’re doing in here? Searching?”
“Yes, this is my first stop.” I meet his eyes in the mirror and voice the
questions that have been circling my mind since the reading of the will.
“Why didn’t she tell me what the object is? Why did she hide it like this? Is
she testing me?”
“I can’t say for sure, but if someone was willing and capable of killing her
for it, she probably didn’t want to put you in harm’s way. She may have
wanted to give you a chance to find the killer before assuming her power.”
“Maybe, but finding the object is going to be difficult. It could be anything
and it could be anywhere on Avalon—the castle, the grounds, the stables,
the forest, the village.”
“You’ll find it, Nina. You have to. There’s no other option.”
 Chapter Ten

A FTER SHOWERING AND DRESSING for the day, I set out to

Sofie’s office. Taking the long route through the castle, I touch
various pieces of art and furniture trying to locate the spelled object. I stop
in at the Queen’s court, go up on her dais and place a hand on her throne. I
don’t pick up any sign of her power.
When I finally enter Sofie’s office, I’m surprised to find Ash sitting there.
“What are you doing here?”
“Sofie asked me to stop by. Is that okay?” His tone is gentle, like a hunter
who doesn’t want to spook his prey back into the underbrush.
“Sure, it’s fine.” Bossy Ash I know what to do with. But this version
usually means something is coming that I’m not going to like. A sinking
feeling in my stomach causes my guard to go up—I’m about to be
outnumbered. “Sofie, did you have a chance to check out Stewart? Did you
find any trace of magic on him?”
“I examined Stewart. There was no known magic on him that I could detect.
Whatever possessed him remains a mystery,” Sofie says with clinical
efficiency before giving me a reassuring smile from across her desk. “Nina,
how are you doing?”
I’m confused by the depth of my grief for a mother who was more like an
absentee landlord than a parent and worried about finding her power so I
can follow in her footsteps. But I’m not spilling my guts. “I’m fine.”
Ash shifts in his chair and looks at Sofie. “She’s not fine. She hasn’t eaten
or slept since she heard the news.”
Is this what he meant when he said he’d protect me, even from myself?
Sofie’s blue eyes roam over my face. “Nina, is this true? It’s okay to talk
about it. Your mother’s death has to be very upsetting. You don’t ever get
over the death of a loved one, but you can get through it.”
“Are you a psychologist now, Sofie?” I ask, fortifying my emotional shields
to keep my pain under wraps.
“We’re all concerned about you, Nina,” Sofie replies softly.
“There’s no need to be. My mother and I weren’t close. Everyone knows
that.” I look between my mate and friend. “I have a lot on my mind. That’s
all.”
Sofie comes around her desk and leans against the edge, her head tilting to
the side. “I know you’re suffering, Nina. This isn’t your first experience
with death, but this is the first time you’ve experienced the emotions related
to grief. They can be difficult for anyone to manage. I’m here if you want to
talk.”
“Thank you. Duly noted. Is that all?” I’m trying to keep my emotions in
check, behind a barrier. I don’t need everyone trying to break down my
defenses.
Sofie pushes off her desk. “No, I’d like to talk to you about something
else.”
I lean forward in my chair. “Go on.”
“I’d like to replace the microchip in your shoulder with an updated version.
That technology is a year and a half old now, and there are better
alternatives available. The new chips are smaller, but can do more.”
“How much more?” I lean back in my seat, biting my bottom lip. The pit in
my stomach grows by the second.
“They can send data more frequently, collect more types of data and also
include tracking capabilities.”
“Are you kidding me?” I leap to my feet. “You want to embed a tracking
device in me? Collect even more data? I’ll have absolutely no privacy.”
“Granted, the tracking aspect is new,” Sofie continues in a placating tone.
“And in addition to your vital signs—temperature, heart rate, respiratory
rate and blood pressure—it’ll also monitor things like your oxygen
saturation, muscle response to pain and hormone levels. Monitoring
hormone levels will be very useful when you’re actively trying to get
pregnant or become pregnant.”
“Well, I’m not pregnant, so there’s no point in talking about that,” I retort,
hating the reminder of my fertility issues.
The walls of the castle start closing in. Avalon does that to me. I feel out of
control when I’m here, as if my obligations manage me instead of the other
way around. I try to breathe through the panic fluttering in my chest like the
fast-moving wings of a trapped bird. “Ash, did you know about this?”
“No, this is the first I’m hearing about it, and I know you don’t like the
thought of being tracked, but I think Sofie’s right and this is a good idea. If
there’s an assassination attempt or someone kidnaps you, the upgraded chip
will help us get to you faster.”
“How often will the data be sent? Where will the medical data and my
location go? Who will be monitoring my every fucking move?” I ask.
“The head of the Gorm will get your physical location, and I’ll get all the
medical data.” Sofie reaches out to take my hand. “We can set the timing on
these new chips. Instead of every hour, the data can be collected as often as
every minute.
I snatch my hand back and rub my forehead. The Gorm will know where I
am every waking moment, even when I’m in my apartment—they’ll know
when I go to the bathroom for the love of the gods. It’s only been a few
days and the extra security is already driving me up a wall. “Every minute
is too much. Set it to every fifteen at the most. I see why you asked Ash to
come, Sofie. So you would have backup. So much for doctor-client
privilege.”
Sofie’s face hardens in determination. “You said he could stay at the top of
the meeting. And Nina, I can waive privilege in circumstances where I
believe there is an imminent risk of serious bodily harm or death to
someone. I know you’re angry with me, but that is a small price to pay to
ensure your safety.”
“We both want to ensure what happened to your mother doesn’t happen to
you,” Ash says.
There’s no point in fighting this. They’ll just hound me until I cave. “Fine.
Let’s do it.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Switching out the chips is a minor day surgery. I can do it right now. I’ll go
make sure the operating room is ready.” Sofie walks out of the room and
closes the door behind her.
I pace around the office. Ash stands and takes my elbow, turning me around
to face him. “I know how unhappy this makes you. We’ll remove the
tracking aspect of the device once the killer is found.”
“Yeah, sure.” But I already know the security measures won’t be relaxed.
Something else will come up. I don’t feel hunted by the killer. I feel hunted
by the people that are supposed to be on my side.
“I’ll stay with you while Sofie changes out the chip.”
I pull my elbow out of his grip. “No, thanks. You can go. You’ve done
enough.”

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Two hours later, with my new chip in my shoulder, I walk down the hall to
Kat’s office. Her door is ajar, and I hear voices inside. She’s talking to Ash.
Since when have these two become best buds?
“How’s Nina doing?” Kat asks.
“She hasn’t eaten anything or slept since she learned of her mother’s death.
It’s been three days. And she hasn’t cried. Not once,” Ash replies.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen her cry. The only love Nina has ever
known has been the tough kind, and it’s given her a hard outer shell. When
she was a little girl, the Queen traveled. A lot. Nina would beg her not to go
or would ask to go along, too. Nina promised to be good, to not talk too
much or spill anything on her dress. The Queen would tell Nina that she had
to remain here and not to make a scene. Nina would stand at the window for
hours after her mother left. It was heartbreaking to watch, but no matter
how upset she was, she never cried. She just held it in.”
Hadn’t I learned my lesson about eavesdropping? Apparently not. I don’t
particularly like the portrait Kat is painting of me as a sad, weak little girl
desperate for her mother’s attention. Or that Ash and my so-called bestie
are talking about me behind my back.
“I want to know how to help her get through this. How to comfort her,” Ash
says.
“Give her a little more time. I think she’ll feel better once the memorial
service is over.”
I push through the partly open door. “Ash, you keep turning up like a bad
penny. Why are you talking to my lawyer?”
“We’re all friends here. We weren’t talking about anything legal.” Ash gets
up from his chair and comes to stand directly in front of me. “I’m just
trying to help.”
“You can help by not going behind my back and talking to my friends.” I
put my hands on my hips and stare up at him, letting my displeasure ring
loud and clear in my tone.
“I’ll leave you to talk to Kat in private.” Ash rakes a hand through his hair.
“I’ll see you later.”
I turn flinty eyes on Kat. “Don’t tell him things about my childhood. He
doesn’t understand. His childhood was storybook perfect. A Norman
Rockwell painting. He doesn’t get it. And I don’t want his sympathy.”
“He cares about you, Nina. Even I can see that. He’s trying to understand
you.” Kat indicates the chair Ash had just been sitting in. “Put your ego
away and take a seat.”
If only my problem was a surplus of self-confidence. I don’t correct Kat and
instead ask, “Why did you want this meeting?”
Kat shuffles some digital papers around on her desk. “We need to talk about
the Council of Seven. You’re a member.”
“What?” I straighten up in my chair.
“You get your mother’s seat at the table as her heir. It’s conditional, of
course. First, you have to find and unlock her power. Because without it,
Avalon will be prone to attack. The firewall surrounding us will eventually
start to break down. You also won’t be strong enough to hold her Earthside
territory, and that, too, will be ripe for a takeover.”
“No pressure,” I murmur.
“Once you have your mother’s power, you’ll have to prove you’re worthy
of keeping the council seat. Show sound and fair judgment. If you don’t,
you’ll be removed, and a new member will be voted in.”
“Again, no pressure.” It would be more than a little embarrassing to lose my
mother’s seat because I’m not powerful or smart enough to keep it. Fuck.
Something else to worry about. I think about Ash preventing me from
killing the consort and bringing the Faerie Lords down on my head. The
council would probably consider that a bad decision.
“How long do I have to find my mother’s power so I can join the council?”
I ask.
Kat picks up a piece of paper. “A month from the day she died.”
“And how long do I have to prove I’m worthy after that?”
“You have a year.”
“Okay, let’s put a pin in the council for the time being. Did you know that
on my coronation I can assign Ash’s role as either my consort or my king?
Stewart told me.”
“Yes, I know. I assumed you’d want him to be your king.”
“Why would you think that?” I ask.
“Because you’re falling in love with him, if you haven’t already. Don’t
bother to deny it, I know you too well.” Kat’s dark eyes flash at me from
behind her smart glasses. “Because he’s royalty and has been groomed for
this since birth. And because he’s proven his loyalty to you. I thought it was
a slam dunk.”
“What about the fact that he’s arrogant and overbearing?” I tuck my hair
behind my ear. “You’ve said it yourself on multiple occasions. That he tries
to make my decisions for me? What about that?”
“You’re both determined and stubborn,” Kat says like a judge rendering a
verdict. “While you tend to be fiery and quick to make decisions based on
your enchantress instincts alone, he’s more even keeled, knows what he
wants and plans how to get it. You challenge each other, but you also
balance each other out.”
“The constant push and pull between us is great in the bedroom, but I don’t
know that I want it in the boardroom. Someone has to be the lead singer,
and someone has to provide the backup vocals.” I sum up my case.
“I disagree. You don’t have to be a solo act. You and Ash can be a duet. It’s
good to have someone to share the burden with, Nina. Heavy is the head
that wears the crown.”
 Chapter Eleven

A FTER MY MEETING WITH Kat, I go to my mother’s office to see

whether anything sparks of her magic. Nothing sets off my power
meter, so I spend the rest of the afternoon sitting at her desk reading cards
and letters of sympathy from her colleagues and associates. Could the name
of the killer be among these cards and letters? They’re being kept as
evidence, but I’m allowed to go through them once they’ve been examined.
There are hundreds of them. Thousands.
I skip dinner and spend the entire night in her office, reading the things
people wrote about her. Trying to learn more about her, about who she was.
She comes across as a very capable leader. Someone whose advice was
solid and often sought out. She seemed fair but tough, with a dash of
compassion mixed in. This is a side of her I didn’t know.
Early the next morning, I wake up face down in the pile of letters. Needing
a hot shower to work the kinks out of my back from dozing off slumped
over a desk, I walk stiffly back to our apartment. When I enter, Ash is
dressed and gathering up his phone, laptop and messenger bag at the
console table in the living room.
I hesitate when I see him. The air is stilted and awkward between us. I’m
not happy with him for taking Sofie’s side about the new chip and for
talking to Kat about me.
“You could have sent me a text last night. Let me know you weren’t coming
home,” Ash says flatly, barely looking up from his phone.
Apparently, he’s not happy with me, either. “You knew where I was.
Everybody knows where I am every second of every day.”
“Did you sleep at all last night?” he asks on a resigned sigh, tossing his
phone into his messenger bag.
“Yes, a little.” Very little.
“You have to take better care of yourself, Princess. This is a marathon, not a
sprint. You’re going to burn out.”
“I stayed up all night reading what other people had to say about my
mother. I’m working through it, Ash. I just need some space.”
He takes several steps in my direction. “Why don’t you open the mate
bond? Just for a minute. Let me in so I can understand what you’re feeling.
See what’s going on in that head of yours.”
Open the mate bond? That’s the last thing I want to do. His definition of
space is much different than mine. I don’t want him to know I’m a fraud,
masquerading as a queen, that I have all these unresolved feelings about my
mother and that my biggest fear is that I’ll lose everything she built because
I can’t find her power.
The Queen’s motto was: Never Complain. Never Explain. I’m adopting it as
my own. She kept her own council and relied on no one. I can’t let anyone
see how overcome I am with all this messy emotion. Not even Ash. Shields
up. “I’m not ready to do that. Not right now,” I say, breaking eye contact
with him.
“I’ll accept that for the time being, but not forever. You need to talk to me,
to your friends. We’re all right here.” He takes another step forward. “Can I
at least order you some breakfast?”
“Sorry. No time. I have to confirm that everything is in order for the
memorial service tomorrow.” I walk around him and into the apartment.
“It’s so difficult not having Stew at my side. He knows everything. Going
back and forth to the dungeon to ask him questions isn’t very efficient.”
“You know why he’s locked up, Nina.” Ash goes back to the console table
and slides his laptop into his messenger bag.
“I know. I’m just saying.”
“Let me help you with organizing the memorial,” Ash offers, putting his
messenger bag on so it crosses his broad chest.
“I’ll handle it. I just need to make sure no detail is missed. Everything
needs to be perfect for her.”
“You should consider hiring a new assistant.” He strides to the front door,
opening it.
“I can’t do that to Stew. He’d be heartbroken.”
“You could use some help. You don’t have to do everything on your own,”
Ash finishes as walks out the door, closing it with more force than
necessary.
After Ash heads to his office, I shower and dress. Then I pay a visit to
Stewart in the dungeon, without any babysitters besides my guard, to find
out where I can find a copy of the Queen’s existing burial plans. Then I
close myself off in her office and find the plans filed exactly where Stewart
said they would be. Other copies have already been distributed to those
who’ll carry out her directions.
She would like her social media accounts memorialized for two weeks after
her death and then closed permanently.
She wants to lie in state for one day and have visitors come to Avalon to
pay their respects. The flowers are detailed, and the security measures are
stipulated. Temporarily, the magic firewall around Avalon will have to be
opened, but visitors will be searched by the Gorm for weapons, cameras,
phones and destructive magic in the form of potions or charms. Visitors will
be asked to sign an NDA, and there will be no pictures permitted under any
circumstances.
Following the memorial service, she wants to be cremated in the
crematorium on Avalon and her ashes entombed in the mausoleum that
houses the remains of all the enchantresses in our family.
I’m very glad all of this is written down. The thought of sorting all this out
on my own is anxiety producing. I wouldn’t have known where to begin.
I’ve never planned anything like this before.
How am I going to make all of the decisions about her empire? One step at
a time. Just get through the memorial service and worry about what comes
next later.
I touch base with the various people carrying out her final wishes.
I call the Queen’s press secretary, and we discuss her social media and the
guest list for the memorial.
I call the head of the Gorm, and we go over every detail of the security.
I call the florist and confirm the flower arrangements are as specified.
I call the funeral director.
I confirm everything.
There will be no surprises tomorrow.
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I slog back up to our apartment at the end of the day, wiped out after seeing
to all of the memorial service details. The lack of sleep and food is starting
to catch up with me. The laundry list of items that need to be taken care of
is a mile long and continually cycles through my mind—have a perfect
send-off befitting the Queen; find and unlock her power; run her empire;
maintain her seat on the Council of Seven; be a wise and thoughtful ruler.
When my guards let me into the apartment, Ash is there.
“I was just coming to find you. Ready to head down for dinner? You need
to eat.” Although his face is impassive, his posture is rigid. The atmosphere
in the apartment is strained and uncomfortable, just as it was this morning.
I’m dead on my feet and lean against one of the pillars in the entryway. My
shoulder with the newly implanted microchip protests the contact, and I
wince.
“Is your shoulder sore from the new chip?” Ash crosses the distance
between us and gently touches my tender shoulder.
“It’s fine,” I say automatically, shrugging away from his touch and walking
into the living room.
He follows hot on my heels and takes my elbow to spin me around and face
him. “Fine. Is that your new favorite fucking word? You must have said it a
dozen times in the last few days.” A muscle in his jaw ticks. “On our
honeymoon, I promised not to smother you and I’m trying very hard not to,
but this ice-queen attitude you’ve adopted isn’t going to work with me.
You’re trying to shut me out and I’m not going to let you.” He leans down
so we’re nose to nose. “I’m not going anywhere. You can’t freeze me out so
you might as well start fucking talking to me.”
His mention of our honeymoon reminds me of his wanting me stripped
down, without my armor—he has a way of chipping away at my defenses.
Suddenly, keeping Ash at arm’s length requires more strength than I have.
Maybe it’s my secret love for him or maybe the mate magic is too strong to
keep fighting. Although I’m not prepared to bare my soul to him, I do want
to bridge the distance between us. “I’m sorry about the last few days. I
know I’ve been . . . a lot.”
He cups my cheek with his hand, his eyes fixed pointedly on mine. “Your
mother died unexpectedly. Assassinated in her own castle. What you’re
going through is completely understandable. Just don’t shut me out. Tell me
what’s going on with you—good, bad or ugly.”
“My shoulder is kind of achy,” I say, giving him access to my physical
discomfort, while holding back on the much more painful emotional stuff.
“I don’t think I can face another dinner in a formal dining room—sitting in
a stiff-backed chair. Can we just have dinner here? I want to take a shower
and eat on the couch in my pajamas.” I look longingly at the couch.
Ash straightens up, his face and posture instantly relaxing. Like flipping a
switch, the air around us lightens, and the formerly troubled mood in the
room becomes uncomplicated. “That’s a great idea. What do you feel like?
I’ll call the kitchen.”
Until a few months ago, I’d been in school. I want student food. “Pizza.
With pineapple. Hawaiian.”
An exaggerated shudder runs up Ash’s spine, and he turns teasing eyes on
me. “Pineapple on pizza is just wrong. It goes against everything I believe
in about food, but for you I’ll make an exception. Anything else?”
I grin back at him. “Thank you for compromising your pizza principles for
me. Some wings would be nice. I didn’t get a chance to have any the other
night at the party. And carrots and celery with dip.” This conversation is so
normal—I’ve missed just talking to him.
Ash calls in our order and specifies clearly multiple times there should be
no pineapple on his large meat lover’s pizza. With the five pounds of wings,
he orders suicide hot sauce for him and a sweet barbecue sauce for me.
Perfect.
While we wait for the food to come up, I grab a shower and let the water
wash away the day and soothe my shoulder. Then I slip into a tank top and a
pair of sleep shorts. Feeling like myself for the first time in days, I go back
out to the living room and plunk down on the couch.
Ash comes out of the bedroom wearing black basketball shorts that always
seem to be on our bedroom floor and a white V-neck T-shirt. There is a
knock on our door, and he veers off to answer it.
He comes back into the living room pushing a trolley of food. It smells
delicious, and suddenly I’m voracious, not having eaten more than a few
bites over the last several days.
I pour us each a glass of sparkling water from the bottle on the trolley as
Ash places the food on the coffee table in front of the couch.
“Want to watch a movie?” he asks.
“That would be great. Something funny.” I curl up on the couch.
Ash finds a buddy comedy about two unlikely partners thrown together by
outlandish circumstances who go on a whirlwind adventure. It’s stupid and
hilarious, and I may or may not snort in laughter a couple of times.
I dive into my Hawaiian pizza and wings, declaring that Ash’s hot sauce is
probably much better, which earns me one of his gorgeous smiles. Ash tries
the suicide sauce and deems it not nearly hot enough, that probably even I
could eat it.
When I’m not wearing my resting bitch face and he’s not being an
alphahole, it’s so easy between us. Eating and watching the movie side by
side, my shoulders slowly drift down from my ears.
After we finish dinner, I cuddle up in Ash’s arms, and he kisses my
shoulder where the new chip is. He whispers how sorry he is that I’m going
through all of this and tells me again I don’t have to do it alone. I lose track
of the movie as my blinks become longer and longer.
I’m in a half-sleep haze when he carries me to bed and tucks me in. When
he gets into bed, I slide across the mattress and put my head on his shoulder.
Burying my nose in his neck, I breathe in his salty, outdoorsy scent and fall
into a deep sleep for the first time in almost a week.
 Chapter Twelve

I WAKE EARLY THE next morning with my nose still pressed into
Ash’s neck, but I’m no longer cuddled up to his side. I’m starfished out
on top of him. Feeling the slow, even rise and fall of his chest under me, I
savor our quiet closeness. Ash turns his head and sighs. I don’t really want
to move, but he can’t be comfortable with my weight right on his chest.
Lifting my head, I slide off him.
“Come back here,” he mumbles sleepily, throwing an arm over my side and
wrapping around my back as if protecting me from the outside world.
“How long was I sleeping on top of you?”
“The whole night.”
“Sorry about that.” Gods, needy much.
“Don’t be. I like you sleeping on me, except for maybe the drooling.” Ash
nuzzles my hair, and I can hear the chuckle in his voice.
“I do not drool in my sleep.” I hope.
“And the snoring,” he continues in a stage whisper.
“You lie.”
“And you got a little handsy midway through the night.”
Now that I could believe. “Sorry about that, too.” I’m sincere about this.
Consent should be respected on both sides.
“Just so we’re clear, you have blanket consent to touch me anytime,
anywhere and any way you want. The more handsy you are, the better.”
“Blanket consent is a dangerous thing, Mr. Mountcastle.”
“I’m willing to roll the dice on you, Mrs. Mountcastle.”
Loving our playful banter while snuggling under the covers, I don’t want
reality to intrude and ruin it. I stretch in contentment and decide that even
though I can’t share what’s in my mind with Ash, I’m more than willing to
share my body. Pressing my butt back, I find him hot and hard.
“We don’t have to do anything besides cuddle. I’m happy just to hold you.”
Ash kisses my neck. “Ignore it, and it’ll go away.”
“I’ll take a rain check on the cuddling.” I peer over my shoulder at him.
“But I don’t want to ignore it. And I most definitely don’t want it to go
away.”
“What do you want to do with it then?” His rough morning voice drops a
few octaves.
“Something that will keep me from thinking.” I wiggle my butt against his
length again.
Behind me, Ash props his head up with one hand while the other goes to the
waistband of my sleep shorts. “Lift up.”
When I lift my hips up, he pushes my shorts down my legs, and I kick them
off the rest of the way.
His hand roams under my tank top and over my breasts. He tweaks my
sensitive nipples between his index and middle fingers, making me squirm
with delight. Removing my tank top, he twists it around my wrists and
secures it around the wrought iron bed frame, anchoring my hands above
my head. “Close your eyes and keep them closed.”
“Or what?” I test the restraint. It’s secure.
“I’ll stop.” His hand meanders a circuitous route down my body to pet me
at the apex of my thighs.
My breathing becomes faster, and I flex my hips forward, wanting a firmer
touch. “That would end your fun, too.”
“But we both know how patient I can be.” His mouth is right over my ear.
“Close your eyes and spread your legs.”
Still lying on my side, I shiver at his command before closing my eyes and
bending my top leg to open for him.
His fingers take advantage of the newly created space and toy with my
tender pink flesh. “You’re soaked.” He growls his approval.
“I want you,” I whisper.
“You can have me, but not yet. First I want to play with you.” He slides a
finger inside me and uses his thumb to stroke the pearl of my sex.
When I’m writhing and panting his name, he traces his finger back between
my butt cheeks. My eyes fly open and I quickly close them again. I don’t
want him to stop.
“What are you thinking about right now?” Sin drips from his voice as he
circles and taps my virgin backdoor.
He definitely has my full attention. Does he want butt sex? “What you’re
going to do next.”
“Not what you think. Not yet anyway, you need training before we do that.
Today, I’m just playing.” He gently pushes his fingertip inside me and
leaves it there.
Untried nerves endings zing to life and everything in me tightens with
pleasure. After letting me feel him there for several decadent seconds, he
removes his finger and with a final skim over my ass, takes his hand away.
Then his hand is back between my legs and I feel the broad head of his cock
nudging my wet entrance from behind. Using the restraint around my wrists
as leverage, I arch my back to take him as he pushes forward, filling me.
Ooohhh, fffuuuccckkk! How do I let myself forget how good we are
together?
With his hand on my hip, he rocks deeply inside me, pulling out only the
smallest amount.
I could stay like this forever—cocooned with my husband between the
sheets, him occupying my body and the places in my mind I allow him to
access.
“Are you with me? I want all of you.” His hand moves to my pussy and he
makes delicious rings around my clit, propelling me closer to the edge.
“Yes,” I moan, giving him all the pieces of me I’m capable of giving.
Squeezing my eyes more tightly closed, I focus on this moment as he
continues to move inside me, touching all my internal erogenous alphabet
spots—G, A, O, and U. With the rhythmic undulation of his hips and his
fingers working me, I fall over the edge and am suspended in the
unthinking space of orgasm, my body and mind weightless.
“Princess,” Ash groans and thrusts into me harder.
My inner muscles clutch around him as he pulses forcefully inside me,
extending my quivering climax.
In the aftermath, Ash unties my hands and I lie in the shelter of his arms,
enjoying the solidness of his body. But too soon, real life comes crashing in
and forces us apart. My phone starts ringing and blowing up with texts.
With a last lingering kiss, I roll out of bed to start what I’m sure will be a
long and difficult day. The day the universe and I say goodbye to the Queen
for the last time.

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After I take a hot shower, a hairstylist and makeup artist come to help me
prepare. I ask the makeup artist to do a smoky eye with lots of black liner
and mascara, and a dark red lip—a mask to hide behind. I don a tea-length,
black dress with three-quarter sleeves and a full skirt. When I open my
jewelry cabinet to select a pair of earrings, light glints off the small, gold
box Zeus gave me on our honeymoon. It reminds me that I never got to ask
my mother about his comment, She’s family. Another thing left undone
between us.
When Ash is dressed in a dark suit and tie, we walk hand in hand to the
ballroom where we’ll receive the mourners and visitors. Upon entering the
ballroom, I see that the flowers are perfect. An equal mix of burgundy and
black roses. Their potent fragrance fills the air. Nervous that I may have
overlooked some detail, I pluck a single black rose from an arrangement to
have something to do with my hands. I prick my finger on a thorn and
flinch at the bite of pain. Glancing down at the drop of blood welling up
from the small wound, I hope it’s not a sign of things to come.
Standing beside Ash where we’ll receive condolences, the unfamiliar
mourning rituals and etiquette cause my anxiety to come roaring back. I’m
not sure how to act. There are hundreds of guests here already, and there’ll
probably be thousands over the course of the day. I quickly spot Council of
Seven members, her allies and some of her Earthside leaders. I also see
gods and demigods from every plane—Egyptian, Norse, Roman and Greek
—here to pay their respects. Most of the visitors I don’t know personally,
but I feel their eyes on me. I fidget under the spotlight, uncomfortable with
being on stage while everyone watches to see how I’m holding up under the
pressure.
As I shake hands and make small talk, I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing
and wish I had a script for handling these conversations. My back is ramrod
straight; my knees are locked; and my black dress is immaculate, but inside
I’m churning with uneasiness and itching for this to be over. I’ve never had
my mother’s love of the limelight and ability to command a crowd.
The consort is on the other side of the ballroom, also greeting guests and
wisely staying well away from me. Ash doesn’t leave my side during the
long day, and I draw strength from his composure and quiet confidence. My
girls and Ash’s guys are also here, mingling in the crowd, checking in with
us to see whether we need anything and bringing us water. Making pleasant
conversation with strangers is thirsty work, not to mention exhausting.
Toward the end of the day, I’m approached by a tall, striking male with
wavy brown hair that hangs past his shoulders, a full beard and electric blue
eyes. He’s wearing a dark purple velvet tuxedo jacket, a black shirt open at
the throat, tapered black pants and snakeskin shoes. He should look
ridiculous and out of place in this outfit, but he doesn’t. He carries it off
with an undefinable charisma. Although not traditionally handsome, he’s
eye-catching, like a peacock in a henhouse. “Seraphina, please accept my
condolences. I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother.”
Because I compare all males to Ash, I notice the stranger is as tall as Ash,
but more barrel chested and probably outweighs Ash by twenty-five
pounds. He looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t place him, and his use of my
first name surprises me. Today, everyone has called me Your Majesty.
“Thank you for your kind words. I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage.
You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
“My name is Dardanus.”
“Thank you for coming, Dardanus.” I extend my hand, and he takes it in
his, bending at the waist to kiss the back of it.
“How did you know my mother?” I ask.
Dardanus straightens but retains a hold of my hand. “I was married to her.
She was my wife. I’m your father, Seraphina.”
Ash’s head snaps around from the conversation he’s having, and he wraps a
protective arm around my waist and extracts my hand from Dardanus’s
grip. “What did you say?” Ash asks.
Dardanus and Ash lock eyes. “I’m Seraphina’s father.”
“I thought you were dead,” I gasp. That’s probably not the right thing to
say, but it’s the truth and the first thing that comes to mind.
“Is that what she told you?” Dardanus laughs bitterly as he shakes his head.
Ash waves two guards forward. “This isn’t the time or place for this
discussion. I invite you to wait for us in a room where we can talk privately.
The guards will escort you. We’ll join you as soon as the memorial is
concluded.”
I look at the Gorm. “Take him to the Coventina room.”
Dardanus dips his head and follows the guards away.
I don’t know how I make it through the rest of the memorial, but after the
last guest leaves, I look at Ash and hope he can read the stunned expression
on my face because I have no words.
My father is alive.
 Chapter Thirteen

W HEN THE LAST OF the visitors leave and it’s just Ash, our
friends and me in the ballroom, I let out the freak attack that’s been
brewing since a stranger announced he’s my father.
Grabbing the sleeve of Ash’s suit coat, I stare up at him wide eyed. “Do you
think this is some kind of sick joke? Do you think he’s telling the truth? Do
you think there’s any way he could be my father?”
“I don’t know, Princess, but we’re going to find out.” Ash pulls me closer
and kisses my temple.
“What’s this? What did you just say?” Kat asks, obviously overhearing our
conversation. She and Sofie are holding hands as they approach us.
“Did you see the dark-haired male in the purple velvet tuxedo jacket I was
talking to an hour ago? He said he was married to the Queen. He said he’s
my father.” I turn big eyes on Sofie and Kat as Gia, Ben, Max and Luke join
us.
“Holy fuck,” Gia and Ben say at the same time.
I look at each of my besties in turn. “When you first came to Avalon, did
you meet my father? Did you know him?”
“No,” Sofie responds, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “He was
already gone. It was just you and the Queen when we arrived. You were
almost a year old, and the Queen told us her husband had passed away
shortly after you were born.”
I shake my head in disbelief. But what if it’s true and I have a living
relative? A parent? “This is unbelievable.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Ash runs a hand through his hair, his voice
threaded with a note of cynicism.
“It’ll be easy enough to prove or disprove.” Sofie looks between Ash and
me. “If he was married to the Queen, all of his DNA and medical data will
be on file. He’ll have to undergo the same testing you just went through,
Nina, but we can validate or refute his claim.” Then Sofie looks at Max. “If
you want to sit in, I would appreciate the extra set of eyes.”
“Of course. Anything I can do,” Max says.
“I can go back through the paperwork and see if I can find his death
certificate,” Kat volunteers.
“Can you find their marriage contract, too? Actually, can you gather up
anything that has to do with my father?” I ask.
“I’d be happy to help in the search, Kat,” Luke offers, and Kat nods in
agreement.
“Let’s go talk to this guy. See what he has to say for himself.” Ash’s
expression is guarded, and he makes meaningful eye contact with Ben, who
says nothing but raises his chin in some kind of bro code gesture.
Ash keeps his hand on the small of my back on the trip to the Coventina
room with our friends and the Gorm captains in tow. At the door, the two
guards assigned to Dardanus acknowledge us before we enter the intimate
sitting room. It’s one of the least formal living rooms in the castle and my
favorite place to read a book or watch a movie. Bookshelves line an entire
wall, and two comfortable couches face each other on a vintage Persian rug
in front of a stone fireplace. A portrait of my father hangs above the
fireplace mantle.
Dardanus is standing in front of the hearth, gazing into the fire, holding a
rocks glass filled halfway with an amber liquid. “Seraphina,” he says, tilting
his head to the side and letting out a deep breath.
Ash raises an eyebrow at Dardanus. “Don’t address the queen by her first
name. You may call her Your Majesty.”
Dardanus gives Ash a knowing smile and then looks into his drink. “Ah,
yes, you must be the new husband. I heard Seraphina had recently married.
One of the older Mountcastle boys. Are you Ashton or Bennet? Regardless
of who you are, I’m her father and will call her by her first name. A name I
gave her.”
Ash’s tenses beside me, and I place a hand on his chest, then shift my eyes
to Dardanus. “My husband’s name is Ashton, and whether or not you’re my
father has yet to be determined.” I look up at the painting hanging above the
fireplace. “You look nothing like your portrait.”
Dardanus steps back from the fireplace, and his eyes follow my gaze to the
painting. “Is that supposed to be me?” he asks with a laugh. “Well, it isn’t. I
never sat for that portrait. It probably came with the frame, or your mother
hired a model to sit for it.”
I’d been looking at that portrait my entire life, thinking I was looking at my
father. Had everything my mother told me about him been a lie?
“You’ll undergo medical testing to prove you are who you say you are.”
Ash’s unflinching command leaves no room for argument.
Dardanus finishes his drink and places his glass on a nearby table. Then he
holds his hands up in the universal signal for surrender. “I know the drill.
I’ve been down this road before. When do you want to get started? The
sooner the tests are performed, the sooner I’ll be able to get to know my
child. I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, Seraphina. I haven’t seen
you since you were a baby.”
“Go with our doctors.” Ash indicates Sofie and Max. “They’ll perform the
tests and confirm the results. The Gorm will watch you the entire time.”
“Fine by me. I have nothing to hide.” Dardanus meets Ash’s gaze with a
nonplussed look.
“Come with us,” Sofie says, moving to the door with Max at her back.
Dardanus follows them from the room and gives me a warm smile. “I’ll see
you soon.”
When the doors close behind them, Ash looks at Luke and Kat. “We need to
find out everything there is to know about him. Everything.”
“We’re on it,” Kat says before she and Luke leave the room.
“What if he’s really my father, Ash?” My mind spins with the possibility.
“Don’t get your hopes up, Princess. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Let’s
get the results of the tests first. And if he is, in fact, your father, he has a lot
of explaining to do.”
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Ash and I are sitting in Sofie’s office the next morning. “It’s true. Dardanus
is your biological father.” Sofie folds her hands on her desk. “All of his
tests came back perfect matches for the information we have on file for
him, down to the nucleotide. And then we compared his DNA to yours,
Nina. I can say with a hundred percent certainty that he is your father. There
is no doubt.”
I don’t know how to feel about this news. One minute, I’m losing a mother,
and the next, I’m gaining a father. It’s as if I’m in a boat that’s capsized in
rough waters—I’m not sure which way is up. “I need to talk to him. I have
a thousand questions. Where is he?”
“I’ll have Dardanus brought to the Coventina room. We’ll meet with him
there,” Ash says.
“You don’t have him locked in the dungeon, do you?” I cut my eyes to Ash.
“It crossed my mind, but no, he’s under heavy guard in a house in the
village. I’ll have the Gorm bring him back to the castle.” Ash steps outside
to confer with the guard.
There’s a village outside the castle walls, and all those who live in it are
invited guests of, work directly for, or are aligned with my mother’s empire
in some way.
“This is an unexpected turn of events,” Sofie says, stating the obvious.
“What are you going to do, Nina?”
“I have no idea. I need to talk to Dardanus first.”
Ash comes back into the office. “Dardanus is on his way.”
We only wait a few minutes before Ash gets a text, and then he holds a
hand out to me. “He’s here. Let’s go.”
On the way to the small sitting room, Ash is silent, and his movements are
restrained, like a tiger stalking prey. “What are you thinking right now,
Princess?” he asks.
“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” I return.
“I’m trying to reserve judgment until I hear what he has to say.” Ash gives
me a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
When we enter the Coventina room, Dardanus is sitting on one of the sofas,
looking at the portrait that’s supposed to be of him. He stands when we
arrive and crosses the room to meet us. Gently placing his large hands on
my shoulders, he gazes into my eyes for a long moment. “Daughter,” he
finally says before kissing me on each cheek and then looking down at me
once more, maintaining his hold on me.
Ash makes a noise in his throat that sounds suspiciously like a growl, and
Dardanus drops his hands from my shoulders. Then Dardanus extends a
hand to Ash, and they shake in stony silence. I can tell by the flex of their
hands and the whitening of their skin, they’re both gripping with bone-
crushing force. They make eye contact and stand at full height as they hold
the handshake longer than is polite. I’m about to say there’s no need for the
male dominance display when they move apart.
“Why don’t we all sit down,” I suggest, wanting to break the climbing
tension in the room, “and get to know each other better.”
“Of course, Peaches. Let’s sit and get caught up.” Dardanus extends his
arm, indicating I should precede him.
I stop in my tracks. “What did you call me?”
“Peaches. That was the nickname I gave you when you were born. For your
peaches-and-cream complexion. You were a beautiful baby,” my father says
wistfully, appearing lost in thought.
“I would prefer you call me Nina.”
“As you wish.” Dardanus bows his head graciously.
Ash and I sit together on one of the sofas. Dardanus takes a seat on the
opposite sofa. The low coffee table between us plays the role of neutral
zone.
“So, you were around when I was a baby? What happened? Why did you
leave? Where have you been since?” Rapid-fire questions shoot out of my
mouth.
“And when you get done answering Nina’s questions, you can answer a
couple of mine. Who the fuck are you? And why are you coming forward
now?” Ash steeples his fingers and points them at Dardanus.
“Why don’t I start with your first question, Ashton.” Dardanus leans
comfortably back, his big body filling up most of the sofa. “I’m the son of
Zeus, and my mother’s name is Electra. I’m a god and the forefather of the
royal house of Troy.”
“Since your mother wasn’t a god, technically you’re a demigod, and Troy
fell to invaders on the plane of the Greek gods many years ago. Your entire
line was wiped out during the Trojan wars.” Ash does not look impressed
by Dardanus’s pedigree.
“Ash and I met Zeus recently, and he said I was a member of his family.” I
look at Dardanus before turning back to Ash. “We didn’t understand what
he was talking about at the time, but it makes sense now.”
“To answer you, Nina”—Dardanus’s piercing blue eyes regard me warmly
—“I was on Avalon when you were born and spent every moment I could
with you. I doted on you, adored you. A few months after your birth, your
mother banished me from her kingdom. I was devastated and always hoped
you and I would be reunited. I’ve been here and there, mostly Earthside,
ever since.”
“Why did she banish you?” I ask the million-dollar question.
“Our marriage was arranged for political alliance by her mother and Zeus. It
was never a love match.” Dardanus looks down at his hands. “Your mother
was a cold female, and it was a loveless marriage. I had a dalliance or two,
and she became upset. I thought it was understood we could both take
lovers, that it was a typical royal marriage.”
What could I say to this? Adultery is a deal breaker for me. If Ash ever
cheated on me, I would never be able to forgive him. But my mother wasn’t
a romantic, and if this was an open royal marriage, banishing him seems
like an overreaction. Nonetheless, I feel the need to defend her since she
isn’t here to defend herself.
“My mother valued loyalty above all things,” I say. “Why didn’t you ever
try to contact me? I thought you were dead.”
“Your mother wouldn’t allow me to. You know how she could be. Her word
was law here on Avalon, and she kept you here where I couldn’t reach you
for most of your life. She threatened to sign my death warrant if I ever tried
to contact you, and I believed her.”
Probably a smart move. My mother didn’t make idle death threats.
“So now that she’s gone, you thought you’d just stroll back into Nina’s life
as if the last twenty years didn’t happen? I think it’s a bit late to start
playing at being a father now,” Ash says.
Dardanus gives me a sad smile. “Your husband is right, of course. I missed
your formative years, your growing up, and we’ll never be able to get that
time back.” Then his expression brightens. “But there’s also a whole
lifetime in front of us. A chance for us to spend time together. Although my
marriage to your mother didn’t work out, I never wanted to be separated
from you. That was not my choice. It was hers. And once her mind was
made up, there was no changing it.”
Boy, did I know that well.
“She wasn’t interested in any type of co-parenting arrangement. She wanted
you all to herself. I’d love the opportunity to get to know you, Nina.”
Dardanus puts a hand over his heart. “But I’ll understand if you don’t feel
the same.”
This is my father and my only living relative in the universe. I’m not going
to let this opportunity go by without giving it a shot. “I would like to get to
know you, too. Can you stay on Avalon for a while?”
“Thank you for giving me a second chance.” Dardanus smiles broadly back
at me. “Yes, I’d be happy to stay.”
“You’ll remain in the village under guard, Dardanus,” Ash announces, not
taking his eyes off my father.
 Chapter Fourteen

“W HAT DO YOU THINK of him?” Kat asks the next day. Ash and
I are having lunch with Luke and Kat to discuss what they
turned up on Dardanus.
“He seems nice enough. It’s all a bit of a shock to be honest,” I reply,
meeting Kat’s inquisitive eyes across the beautifully set table.
Ash takes a drink of water and then sets his glass down. “I wasn’t overly
impressed. He has pat answers for everything, places all the blame on your
mother and takes no responsibility at all.” Ash’s normally full lips are
compressed into a thin line. “I don’t know that a father who abandons his
child for more than twenty years deserves a second chance.”
I pick up my napkin and unfold it into my lap. “My mother threatened his
life, Ash. He didn’t simply leave. It’s more complicated than that. She
forced him out of my life.”
“Dardanus is not some poor innocent victim in all of this, Nina. He was
unfaithful, and it ended in marital breakdown. And he’s not without power
and influence. He had recourse if he really wanted to see you.”
“Let’s not rush to judgment on the adultery. Many royal marriages are not
based on love. Maybe the Queen had a lover as well. Who knows?” I find
this hard to believe, but I’m trying to see both sides. “And you know how
powerful she was. What could Dardanus have done?”
“He could have petitioned the Council of Seven to intervene,” Ash replies.
As one of its members, your mother had to practice fair and sound
judgment. Or, if Zeus really is his father, why didn’t he go to Zeus for
assistance? Dardanus didn’t do either of those things. He just walked
away.”
“We don’t know that he didn’t try those options,” I counter.
“You’re right. We don’t know. We don’t know nearly enough,” Ash says
and then looks between Kat and Luke. “What were you able to find on him
in the archives?”
“We found the marriage contract between the Queen and Dardanus, but not
much else,” Luke answers.
“The marriage contract is pretty standard stuff,” Kat says. “We didn’t find a
death certificate for Dardanus, real or fake. In fact, there’s no mention of his
death at all. It’s like one day he was here and the next he wasn’t. We also
didn’t find any paperwork related to the dissolution of their marriage
contract.”
“Huh, that’s curious. My mother is not usually one to leave loose ends.” I
pick up my fork to dig into my mac and cheese. The chef has been
preparing all my favorites lately.
“Keep looking,” Ash says with authority. “And I think we need to hire some
investigators. A team to go Earthside and a team to go to the plane of the
Greek gods. We need to find out more about Dardanus.”
“I’ve hired some new Earthside investigators.” Kat smirks at Ash. “Better
ones.” When Kat’s less-than-stellar investigators had turned up inaccurate
information about Ash’s past, it had caused a major rift between the two.
Ash smirks back but says nothing.
“I have an experienced group of investigators I can send to the Greek gods
plane. I’ll mobilize them and see what we can discover about Dardanus and
his past,” Luke says.
“I want your word that you’ll keep an open mind where Dardanus is
concerned.” I look around the table at everyone. “All of you.”
“Of course we will,” Kat quickly reassures me, while Luke and Ash study
their plates.
“I know Greek gods and dragons have a history of not getting along, but I
don’t want that to cloud your judgment.” I refer to Ash’s words about my
judgment from the other night. “Because while you’re investigating him,
I’ll be spending time with him. Getting to know him.” I slide eyes filled
with defiance to Ash. “Or are you going to try and tell me not to?”
“I’m not foolish enough to tell you not to see him. That’d be like waving a
red flag in front of a bull. Just don’t trust him yet, Princess. Trust is
earned,“ Ash says.
“Haven’t you heard, Ash? The old saying has changed. It’s now trust is
given.”
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I start spending my days in my mother’s office. It makes me feel closer to

her and is quiet. Ash continues to work in the office we used to share. I
haven’t been back to her court since I searched it for the object enchanted
with her power. I don’t want to spend a lot of time there until her murderer
is found and the coronation ceremony can take place.
“Good-bye, Tripp. I’ll be in touch.” I’m hanging up from talking to Tripp
Fisher, the wolf-shifter leader in North Carolina, when Ash and Ben stroll
into the open door of my office.
“Anything more on the fire in North Carolina?” Ash asks.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. The fire has been officially ruled an arson
by the Earthside police and there was another fire in North Carolina this
morning. This time, a multi-million-dollar beach house on the Outer Banks.
It was a total loss. Tripp suspects it’s arson as well.” I sit back in my chair.
“I think we have a problem.” Two fire bombings in my territory right after I
take over can’t be ignored.
“I can go down and have a look around,” Ben offers.
“Thanks, Ben.” Ash slaps his brother on the back. “But it should be me that
goes.”
My heartbeat quickens, and my throat tightens at the thought of Ash going
Earthside. It triggers memories of my mother always leaving me behind. It’s
irrational to feel like this, but I never claimed to be rational. Putting a lid on
those memories, I breathe through the senseless panic. “Why do you have to
go?”
“Because at best, it looks like someone is taking advantage of your
mother’s death to cause trouble in your territory. At worst, this could be the
beginning of a take-over attempt.” Ash comes to stand in front of my desk,
his hands in his pockets. “It could be a neighboring ruler or even one of
your own leaders. My going will be a show of force. That you’re serious
about holding the territory.”
Lowering my eyes to my desk, I absently shuffle some digital papers
around. “I have to stay here and find that spelled object and unlock her
power. If I don’t, I’m not going to be able to hold onto Avalon, her territory
or her seat on the council.” I’m not going to be able to make her proud. I’ve
wanted her approval my whole life and I still do.
Coming around my desk, Ash sits on the edge and tips my chin up to meet
his gaze. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Ben drops into the chair opposite my desk. “No one knows you don’t have
her magic, Nina. At least for now. Where have you looked?”
“I’ve searched the castle, but turned up nothing,” I say. “The Gorm are
doing a preliminary search of the island but again, nothing.”
“Can you send me Tripp’s number?” Ash asks. “I want to give him a call.
Let him know I’m coming.”
“You don’t know what you’re walking into down there,” I say, picking up
my phone to send Tripp’s contact information to Ash. “Why don’t you bring
Ben for backup.”
“I have a much more important job for Ben.” Ash nods in his brother’s
direction. “Congratulations, Ben. You’re the new right-hand man of the
queen, her chief secretary.”
Ben and I turn startled looks on Ash and then on each other.
Ben quickly recovers, and his eyes twinkle with mischief. “As I’ve caught
you and Ash in flagrante delicto while in the office, I have to warn you,
Nina, I take sexual workplace harassment very seriously.”
Ash snorts out a laugh.
Fucking Ben! I serve him up some side-eye. “Your virtue couldn’t be safer,
Ben.”
Ash lowers his head and gives me a long kiss good-bye.
Ben pretends to gag. “Get a room.”
When we break apart, I watch Ash leave my office to pack a bag and jump
to North Carolina.
“Looks like it’s you and me, kid.” Ben shoots me a wink and hitches a foot
over a knee. “So, what exactly does a chief secretary do?”
“We both know you’re not here to be my assistant, Ben. Your brother asked
you to keep an eye on me.”
“Don’t be fooled by my good looks and big muscles. I’m not just a hunk of
man candy, I have a brain, too. And why would Ash want me to keep an eye
on you?” Ben asks.
“On our honeymoon, Ash told me the most successful mated pairs are made
up of one wild person and one boring person. We decided I’m the wild one
and he’s the boring one. He thinks I need babysitting.”
“Rest assured, he didn’t ask me to babysit you. Just to be here in case you
need anything while Stewart is indisposed.“ Ben rolls his eyes. “And it’s
obvious Ash would be the boring one, forcing you into the wild category.
He sees things in black and white. He’s single-minded and relentless in
getting what he wants.” Ben looks at the stacks of paper in front of me on
the desk. “Now, what should I be doing?”
“I’m going to start sorting through this paperwork. Why don’t you go talk
to Stewart? He can give you a crash course on being a chief secretary.”
“I’m on it, boss.” Ben gives me a mock salute.
“And Ben, take it from me, females don’t look at your brother and see
boring. We see something else entirely. He’s gorgeous, smart, sexy and
driven. He’s the total package.”
“Geez, stop lusting after your own mate, it’s so pedestrian.” Ben grins at me
for a moment before his brown eyes darken and his face takes on a solemn
cast. “All joking aside, Nina. One day, I want what you and Ash have. But I
doubt I’ll get to experience the magic of a fated mate. It’s so rare.”
“I don’t know, Ben. I think there’s someone special out there destined just
for you. You’re way too nice of a guy for it not to happen.”
Ben’s serious side dissipates like smoke in the wind. “Nice? Don’t call me
nice. Gods, now you’re making me sound like the boring one.”
 Chapter Fifteen

A SH SPENT YESTERDAY IN North Carolina, Caldwell County, to

be exact. Today, he’s headed across the state to the Outer Banks—the
site of the second fire.
Through the Gorm, I send a message to Dardanus asking him to meet me at
the stables. The French-style stables have always been a Zen Den for me
with the sounds of horses and the smell of clean straw in the air. After
applying my newly adopted dark eye makeup and dressing in an all-black
riding outfit, I head out to meet my father.
The rain that’s been falling since I got back to Avalon is a light drizzle
today and my boots are loud on the cobblestone walk outside the stables as
I duck inside the limestone structure.
I’ve arrived early to walk up and down the rows of gleaming hardwood
stalls on the hunt for my mother’s magic. The fear that I’m not going to be
able to find it, along with what that would mean gnaws at me. With effort, I
shove these intrusive thoughts to the back of my mind.
I just have to keep looking.
I’m going to go to the village this afternoon to retrace the Gorm’s steps.
Squads of the guard have been over the entire island and have turned up
nothing, but maybe I’ll see something they missed.
After an unsuccessful search of the stables, I spot Gus and wave a greeting,
and he tips his hat to me.
The Queen’s mount of choice was the spirited and beautiful Arabian.
Because Northstar is still on Westmoreland, I plan to exercise one of her
magnificent horses. I saddle up Black Opal, my mother’s favorite, and am
leading him out of the stables when Dardanus arrives. He’s wearing riding
clothes and is followed by four guards. Black Opal whinnies and side steps
on their approach.
After soothing the horse, I smile at Dardanus and wave the guards back.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, Peaches. Is all of this security really necessary?”
Dardanus asks pleasantly, glancing over his shoulder at the guards. “Is the
guard your idea or your husband’s?”
I’m not sure about this nickname he’s given me but decide to let it go. I’d
wasted a lot of time arguing with my mother; I’m not going to make the
same mistake with my father. “It’s Ash’s. He can be a little overprotective
sometimes.”
“Well, I guess I can’t blame him. I did just drop into your life out of the
clear blue sky.” Dardanus smiles down at me; radiating a magnetism only a
god or demi-god can.
“Would you like to join me for a ride?” I ask.
“I’d love to. Riding is one of my favorite pastimes. I’m a champion polo
player Earthside.” Dardanus calls out to Gus, “Good sir, saddle me a mount,
if you please.”
Gus’s head jerks up and he looks to me for confirmation. When I give him a
small nod, he turns on his heel to do as Dardanus asked.
“That’s Gus. He’s our head groom. I practically grew up in the stables and
he taught me everything I know about caring for horses,” I say.
“Caring for the vulnerable, like animals, is a noble pursuit. I’m glad you
had that experience. It’s shaped who you’ve grown into you. I can already
tell you have a big heart to go along with your intelligent mind and spirited
nature.”
Blushing under his praise, I quickly say, “Riding is my favorite hobby, too.
I thought I got my love of horses from my mother.”
“No,” Dardanus laughs. “You got it from me. Your mother was a
technically precise rider and knew horses. But she didn’t love them. I’m not
sure she loved anything besides power.” He reaches out and places a hand
on my upper arm. “Apologies, she was your mother, and I shouldn’t speak
ill of the dead.”
“She was complicated. There’s no denying that.” I give Black Opal’s nose a
rub.
After Gus saddles up another one of the Queen’s Arabians for Dardanus, a
chestnut named Moonstruck, we mount up and take a wide trail along the
edge of the forest. For being so heavily muscled, Dardanus sits the horse
with ease and is an expert rider. As we ride, I keep my senses attuned for
any sign of my mother’s power .
“Tell me more about your childhood. Were you happy here? Were you and
your mother close?” Dardanus asks.
“I can’t say we were close exactly. She had high standards. Standards I
never seemed to live up to.” Holding the reins loosely, I stare straight
ahead, not sure why I’m confiding in him—maybe it’s because he might be
the only person who knew her as well as I did. He might be able to
understand me in a way no one else can. “She did place a high value on
power, and at twenty-two, I only just got mine, if you can believe it.”
“She couldn’t have been happy about that. She probably made you feel like
you couldn’t do anything right.” Dardanus rubs a hand over his beard
thoughtfully. “It’s not your fault, you know. She was always overly critical
and difficult to please. She was like that with me, too.”
I’m quiet for several heartbeats, relieved to hear it wasn’t just me that
couldn’t measure up. Is this why I feel like an impostor? She was critical
and difficult to please, but she was also a respected ruler and I have to
believe she did the best she could. That she did what she thought was right
at the time. “She worked really hard and traveled a lot. She had a lot of
responsibility as Queen.”
“You must have been lonely. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, to encourage
and support you.”
“I had my three best friends. You met them the other night.” I’m all smiles
at the thought of my besties. “They’re sirens who came to Avalon seeking
protection when I was a baby. The Queen hired them to care for me.”
“You were raised by the help?” Dardanus flicks the reins impatiently.
“Honestly, your mother.”
“They’re not the help. They’re a lot more than that. They’ve always been
there for me.” I moderate my tone because I don’t want him to hear Which
is more than I can say for you, even though it’s true.
“In that case, I’m glad that you had them. I’ll never forgive your mother for
keeping us apart all these years. But I’m here now, and all I want is to get to
know you and be a part of your life.”
I steal glances at his profile as we ride, looking for signs of myself. I’d
always assumed I got my long brown hair from my mother, but he also has
long brown hair, and it’s more similar in color and texture to mine—slightly
wavy, with golden highlights. Not the Queen’s sleek brown-black hair that
always fell perfectly into place. When I see Ash with his family, I marvel at
what a beautiful combination he is of his mother and father. It’s really nice
to see that I’m a combination, too. “Tell me about you. About your family.”
I’m dying to know more about him and where I come from.
“Our family.” Dardanus corrects me with a smile. “Well, let’s see. As I said,
your grandfather is Zeus. The most powerful of all the gods on any plane.”
That might be overstating it a bit, but I chalk it up to being proud of your
heritage.
“My mother, your grandmother, Electra, is the daughter of the Titan named
Atlas, and a sea-nymph.”
“A sea-nymph. That might explain why even though my mother’s magic is
born from water, I seem to have different abilities than she did.”
“You’re not simply an enchantress—you’re so much more. My blood runs
through your veins. You’re descended from gods and Titans. Don’t think for
a second all your magic comes from your mother’s side.” Dardanus puffs
his chest out like a proud father.
As we ride, Dardanus captivates me with stories about the members of our
family.
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That night, alone in bed, my face scrubbed clean of makeup and in my tank
top and sleep shorts, I video call Ash, and he answers on the first ring.
“Princess.” He smiles at me from Earthside.
He’s only been gone two days, but my heart skips a beat when his
handsome face and bare chest fill the screen. “How’s it going down there?
What did you find out about the fires?” I ask, trying to keep my mind on
business.
“I spent the morning at the Caldwell property with Tripp. He seems like a
good leader. Then I jumped us both across the state to the Outer Banks
property. It’s been officially ruled an arson as well. Tripp said, up until now,
there’s been no trouble with the neighboring ruler, Terrance Hale. I’m going
to see Terrance tomorrow.”
North America is divided into three large territories—Western, Central and
Eastern. Terrance Hale is Controller of the Central territory and I’m the
Controller of the East, which is the largest and most profitable territory.
“I think Tripp is right. I don’t remember there being any bad blood between
the Queen and Terrance.” My hungry eyes eat Ash up across the miles.
“Jumping yourself around Earthside requires a lot of energy. But jumping
Tripp, too. You must be really depleted.”
“I try not to jump when Earthside, but these are extenuating circumstances.
I’m a little low on power, but I’ll be all right after a little rest. Don’t worry
about me, Princess. And I have other news. The witch that created the spell
to store your mother’s power is dead. The Gorm tracked her down to a rural
area of Florida. They found her body in her home. She’d been dead for a
while.”
“The witch was our only link to the bespelled object. My mother’s killer
seems to be tying up loose ends. I’m going to double the guard on Stewart,
just in case.”
“I take it you haven’t found the object yet.”
“Not yet. I’ve searched the stables and the village today. There’s no sign of
her magic.”
“You’ll find it. I know you will.”
His confidence in me is like a warm hug and I could do with a taste of the
real thing. “How about I jump down there? Tuck you into bed. Give you a
kiss good night.” I hook my finger in the neckline of my tank top and pull it
down to show him the swell of my boobs.
In a blink, Ash’s eyes are golden. “You have no idea how much I would
love for you to tuck me in. But until we sort out what’s going on down here,
it’s too dangerous.”
I pull my tank top down even farther and give him my best sultry pout.
His eyes burn with a golden glow, but he shakes his head and mouths the
word no.
“Killjoy.” I blow out a disappointed sigh and let my tank top spring back
into place.
Ash adjusts his position in bed and puts one arm behind his head, his bicep
bulging and flexing. “I could come to you, though. If you ask nicely.”
As much as I want to be in his arms, I can’t be that selfish. “No, you need to
rest up. I don’t want you down there running on empty. You need to be at
your best when you meet with Terrance Hale tomorrow.”
Ash’s eyes slowly return to their normal color, and he turns the
conversation in a new direction. “Have you been to the Outer Banks
before?”
I nestle down into my pillows. “No, tell me about it.”
“You’d love it, Princess. Miles and miles of sandy beaches. A real beach-
bum vibe with humans strolling on the shore, riding bikes everywhere and
walking on boardwalks overlooking the Atlantic. In Corolla, where the
second fire started, there are wild mustangs that just roam free.”
“Wild mustangs!” I sit up. “You’re looking at wild horses without me? Not
fair!”
Ash laughs. “They wander between the houses and on the beach. They’re
beautiful. Your house in Corolla is at the very end of the line right before
the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. The highway ends, and you’re
driving on sand roads. You need a four-by-four, or you won’t make it. It’s
very remote and isolated. It’s a spectacular spot but will be difficult to
rebuild. The logistics of getting supplies out there.”
“I wish I was there with you.”
“You just want to see the horses.”
I beam a smile at him and shrug my shoulders in a what-are-you-gonna-do
gesture.
Ash grins back at me. “What’s happening there?”
“I went for a ride with my father this morning. He says I get my love of
horses from him.” Then I fill Ash in on everything Dardanus told me about
my grandparents.
“It’s good that you’re getting an understanding of your power. Being related
to a sea nymph explains some of your abilities, like how you can sense
unseen objects under the surface of the water and hold your breath for so
long.”
Or how I used to be able to use water to communicate with my mother. I
shake off the melancholy thought. “I’m really happy to have this
opportunity to get to know him, Ash. I missed out on really knowing my
mother. I’ve always felt like something was missing in my life. I now
realize that thing is a real family. I thought my father was dead. My mother
was never around and when she was, we didn’t see eye to eye. I have no
siblings. I’m alone.”
“You’re not alone. You have me. My family is your family now, Nina.”
“They’ve welcomed me with open arms, and I adore them, but your family
doesn’t stop me from craving my own. You have two parents and three
siblings. Your grandfather is still alive, your cousins are your advisers, and
you’re all so tight knit. You’ve never had to wonder where you came from
and if you were loved. Being connected to your family is a gift. A gift I
want.”
“I want that for you, too. I just want you to go slow with Dardanus. Look
before you leap. We really don’t know anything about him.”
“Sure. Yeah. No problem,” I say, knowing I’ve already jumped in with both
feet.
 Chapter Sixteen

T HE NEXT DAY, DARDANUS joins me in my office for afternoon

tea. We’re seated at a small table near the windows with a three-tier
stand loaded with delicate finger sandwiches, scones, bite-sized lemon
squares and various teacakes. This moment reminds me of my mother and
unshed tears burn the backs of my eyes. Every once in a while, the Queen
used to invite me to join her for tea. When I managed to make her cup of
tea just the way she liked it, she’d give me a small smile of praise. It didn’t
happen very often, but when it did, it was everything. I file the memory
away and refocus on the moment.
My mother is gone, but my father is here, and I have a second chance to
build a relationship with him. I’m not about to miss this chance.
As I reach for a teacake, Dardanus intercepts my left hand and turns it from
side to side, admiring my emerald-cut pink diamond engagement ring. “So
how did you and Ashton meet?” he asks, releasing my hand.
I select a teacake from the tiered stand. “We met as children actually. His
court was one of the only ones I was allowed to visit when I was growing
up.”
“The Mountcastles. Yes, they were always allies of your mother’s. Was it
love at first sight?” Dardanus eats a finger sandwich in one bite.
“Gods, no!” I laugh at the thought. “Ash and I didn’t maintain a friendship
after our childhood meetings. I hadn’t spoken to him in more than fifteen
years. Then one day, about four months ago, he shows up in Avalon and
claims me as his fated mate. The Queen accepted his marriage contract, and
we were married a week later.”
Dardanus raises his eyebrows. “A week? That was fast. Isn’t there some
kind of marking ritual that goes along with being a shifter fated mate? As
you’ve only been married a short time, he probably hasn’t marked you yet.”
I lift my left hand and adjust my engagement ring so he can see the thin
black band tattoo encircling my finger. “He has marked me.”
“Your husband is quite the impatient fellow. He doesn’t waste any time.”
Dardanus takes a drink of his tea, his large hand dwarfing the tiny teacup
handle. “You know, this fated mate and marking business is weighted
heavily in the shifter’s favor. It’s a thing they need, but a female, whether it
be an enchantress or someone else, really doesn’t.”
I don’t want our afternoon together to get off on the wrong foot but feel the
need to set the record straight. “I wanted him to mark me.”
“I’m sure you did, Peaches. He probably made it sound splendid.”
Dardanus peruses the delicate treats on the stand.
I relax my tightening jaw and take a sip of tea, determined to defend Ash
while not causing a rift with my father. “He didn’t talk me into it. He didn’t
even tell me about it. I found out about the marking on my own and brought
it up to him. Ash was in no rush. He was prepared to give me all the time I
needed.”
“Did he tell you what would have happened to him if you said no?”
Dardanus asks.
“I’m sure he did.” I don’t think he did. He also didn’t tell me about the side
effects of the marking, like being able to read my mind or the tattoos.
“In case he didn’t, let your old dad fill you in. Shifters are secretive, and
dragons are the most closed mouthed of them all. Ashton’s dragon would
have become increasingly aggressive. He may have even resorted to force if
you didn’t agree to the ritual. If you ended the relationship or rejected his
suit altogether, he would have eventually descended into madness, become
so violent he would have to be put down. So, you see, he had a vested
interest in marking you as his, whether he admitted it or not. A shifter feels
entitled to their fated mate, even if that mate is much too good for them or
even married to someone else. Wars have been fought over fated mates.”
He’s single-minded and relentless in getting what he wants. Ben’s
description of Ash pops into my mind. I recross my legs under the table and
adjust my position in my seat, suddenly restless. “Ash certainly didn’t force
me into the marking, and he doesn’t feel entitled to me.” Although Ash told
me we were linked forever and that, if I died, it would be difficult for him to
go on without me, he didn’t tell me about a descent into madness. “You
don’t know him very well. He would never hurt me or force me to do
anything I didn’t want to do. And if you’re suggesting I’m too good for
him. Nothing could be further from the truth. When he married me, I had no
power whatsoever, and well . . . I have fertility issues.” My heart pounds a
little faster with this last revelation.
“That has to be difficult. Any fertility issues must be from your mother’s
side. But don’t despair, you’re the progeny of gods. Gods have no problems
in that department.” Dardanus gives me a heartening smile followed by a
resigned sigh. “Well, what’s done is done. He’s marked you. He probably
believes you belong to him now.”
“I don’t belong to anyone,” I say, not liking being characterized as little
more than a possession. Is this how others will perceive me? Other rulers?
My Earthside leaders? As Ash’s property?
“Of course you don’t. You’re a queen.” Dardanus looks at my office door
where we both know there are guards standing on the other side. “But he
does seem to keep you under lock and key.”
“The queen of Avalon is always guarded—you know that, and right now
we’re hunting a murderer. Ash is cautious. That’s all.”
“You’re right, of course. I just can’t help but wonder if his protectiveness
has more to do with securing his own interests and less to do with
safeguarding you.”
“What do you mean?” My hand trembles as I lift the teacup to my lips.
“What would happen to him if you died? His dragon would be in agony.
This would be true for any shifter. The fact is—he needs you. His magic
needs you. He has a self-serving interest in keeping you alive. Locked
away. Safe and sound.”
As the Queen’s only heir, this is how she treated me—as a commodity to be
protected. Not because of my own intrinsic value, but because she had plans
for me. I set my cup down on the table with more force than necessary, and
tea sloshes over the side, staining the pristine white tablecloth.
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After tea with Dardanus, I search the grounds surrounding the castle on
horseback under overcast skies. After riding through Avalon’s fields,
meadows and forests until well after dark, I have to admit defeat and return
to the stables, tired and frustrated. Nothing offers up so much as a flicker of
her magic. Now, Ash and I are sitting on our respective couches and
catching up on a video call.
Ash slouches down and yawns. “I jumped to Texas today and saw Terrance
Hale. We had a long conversation. He said he’s not interested in moving
into your territory. That he has no desire to start a war with us. A war he
could not possibly win against our families’ combined power. I’ll keep an
eye on him, but I believed him.”
“Another dead end.” I chew my bottom lip and tilt my head to the side.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, Ben has always been this annoying.” Ash laughs tiredly.
“That’s not it.” I grab a throw pillow and press it against my stomach.
“What if I had said no to being your mate or to the marking? What would
you have done?”
“If you remember, Princess, you weren’t too pleased about being my fated
mate in the beginning. You made me jump through hoop after hoop to win
you over. And if you had said no to the marking, I would have waited.” Ash
scrubs a hand over his face and then rubs his eyes.
I twirl a tassel on the pillow. “Would you have descended into madness if I
rejected your suit?”
“Descended into madness? Rejected my suit? Who talks like that?” Ash sits
forward on the couch, his face coming closer to the screen. “Oh, I get it.
This is coming from Dardanus. No, I wouldn’t have gone mad if you
rejected me. But I wouldn’t have been happy, and I’d never have gotten
over you. I would be unsettled and agitated because a part of me would
always want you. If I couldn’t have you, I would have remained unmated,
single for the rest of my life.”
“Would you have been celibate?” I can’t stop myself from asking.
Ash raises an eyebrow. “Why do you ask me questions you don’t want the
answer to? Besides, in this made-up scenario, you reject me.”
So that’s a no. He would have been with other females, probably lots of
them. The thought sets my teeth on edge, but I get back to the topic at hand.
“How long would you have waited to mark me? Would you have tried to
force it on me?”
“Trying to force you to do anything is counterproductive and only results in
you digging your heels in. In relationships, like in business, a smart
negotiator sees the big picture. I never try to win the deal. I always try to
win the relationship. I would have waited as long as it took.” Ash runs a
hand through his hair. “It’s ironic that Dardanus put these ideas in your
head, ideas about force, when it’s common knowledge that Zeus is a
womanizer and adulterer. He takes whatever he wants without a care for
who gets hurt. He seduced Electra while she was married to a human. The
result was Dardanus and his twin brother, Iasius.”
“So, you confirmed he’s telling the truth about being Zeus’s son. That’s a
good thing. And you can’t blame Dardanus for something Zeus did. How’s
the old saying go? You can’t visit the sins of the father on the son.”
“It’s something like that. And I don’t need to. Dardanus has enough sins of
his own,” Ash says, his tone holding a note of irritation.
“Let’s focus on the positive. Did you say I have an uncle?”
“You had an uncle. Dardanus and his brother ruled as kings of Arcadia on
the plane of the Greek gods until Dardanus killed his twin.”
“Maybe Iasius attacked him first. Do you have any more details?”
“No, that’s all I know right now. The investigators are still working on it.”
“I mean, it’s not like your father hasn’t killed or my mother, for that matter.
They’ve killed plenty. You’ve killed yourself, and I’ve ordered killing. We
live in a violent world, Ash.”
“We don’t kill family members, Nina. We kill enemies. There’s a
difference. Let me guess, when Dardanus was throwing shade at me, he
failed to mention any of this?” Ash’s jaw tightens, and his eyes harden.
“I don’t think Dardanus was trying to throw shade. Look, we’re just getting
to know each other.” I toss the pillow to the other end of the couch. This
conversation is creating more distance between us than the miles that
separate us. “When are you coming home?” I miss you.
“Hopefully tomorrow.” Ash leans back against the couch.
“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions about Dardanus killing his brother. See
what else you can find out. And please don’t confront him with this until we
know more. Remember how you felt when you were falsely accused based
on half truths and circumstantial evidence that was turned up by private
investigators.”
Ash grunts in what I think is agreement and ends the call.
 Chapter Seventeen

A SH’S HOPE OF COMING home today is not panning out. I’ve been
on calls all morning with him and the leaders from my Earthside
territory. The fires in North Carolina are not isolated incidents. There are
fires, break-ins and vandalism occurring at my properties and businesses
throughout the territory. My territory covers a lot of ground—starting in
Canada from Ontario to the Atlantic provinces, and then down through the
United States to Louisiana, basically everything east of the Mississippi
River. Ash is staying Earthside to investigate, and I hate that he’s down
there by himself.
While on the calls, I miss a text from each of the girls.
Kat: Let me know if you need anything.
Gia: Haven’t seen you in days.
Sofie: How are you? FYI: Your period is going to start in the next day or
two.
I leave my friends on read and stare at the piles of paperwork on my desk.
There’s so much to read and sign—contracts, offers to purchase,
employment agreements, business plans, and even death warrants. And
that’s without all the other problems.
Running the Queen’s empire is one thing. Facing a hostile takeover is
another. Then there’s the object containing my mother’s power that I can’t
fucking find.
I’m terrified of failing her.
But I can’t share my fears, not with Ash and not with my friends. That
would be a sign of vulnerability, and the Queen would never approve.
For the briefest of moments, I think about walking down to the mausoleum
to visit her. She’s been cremated and is now in her final resting place, along
with all the queens in our line that came before her. When a wave of
sadness threatens to swamp me, I dismiss the idea. I can’t visit her today.
That would mean facing the fact that she’s really gone. Handling strong
emotions has never been my strong suit. I like to pack them away into
manageable compartments and deal with them later.
My phone rings and seeing it’s Ash, I quickly pick it up. “Hey, you,” I say,
happy to hear from him in the middle of the day.
“Listen, I have some bad news.” Ash is all business.
What now? Anxiety seizes me. “Give it to me straight,” I say, trying to be
all business, too.
“It’s Tripp Fisher. He’s been injured. Severely injured,” Ash replies.
“What happened? Is he going to be okay?” Alarm bells go off in my head.
“He was ambushed last night. Beat to within an inch of his life and left for
dead. If Tripp wasn’t so strong, he wouldn’t have made it. I’ve already
asked Max to come down and take care of him. Max thinks he’ll pull
through.”
Fear of what this means for all those living in my territory flashes through
me, first hot and then cold. A deliberate attack on one of my leaders is a
direct message and an act of war. “Has anyone claimed responsibility?” I
ask.
“No, not yet,” Ash replies grimly.
“Do you think the consort could be behind this? Behind all the attacks? He
knows the territory better than anyone. He knows where all the Queen’s
properties are located and which are the most expensive. He also knows her
leaders. He could very well be making a move against me.”
“Thane is guarded by the Gorm and can’t leave Avalon. He wouldn’t be
able to get past the magic firewall surrounding the island.”
“He could have hired someone and sent them Earthside to do his dirty
work. Planted someone in my territory to stir up trouble.”
“It’s possible, and definitely worth looking into. I’ll see what I can find
out.”
“In the meantime, I’m going to tell the Gorm to confine him to his
apartment and keep him under twenty-four-hour watch. And Ash, I’m
coming down there. I have to speak to Tripp’s family. He has a sister.” My
tone is firm even though my mouth is dry with worry.
“I don’t want you down here right now. It’s a mess.” Ash’s tone is equally
unyielding. “We’ll talk about this more later. I have to go.”
“Be careful and let me know if anything changes on Tripp,” I say before
ending the call.
“My liege, may I prevail upon you momentarily?” Ben comes into my
office and genuflects, his hand over his heart.
The sight of my brother-in-law on bended knee distracts me from my worry,
and I give him a smile. “Ben, what are you doing?”
Ben rises from his kneeling position. “I thought sovereign rulers liked that
kind of stuff. I’m trying to help you ease into your new role.”
“Thanks. I can use all the help I can get. Being the boss isn’t as easy as it
looks. My territory is under attack, my leaders are getting hurt and I’m
stuck here pushing papers and looking for a needle in a haystack. Banging
my head against a wall. Ash is Earthside, jumping from location to location,
seeing if he can find a connection or clue to who is doing this. I should be
down there, too, helping him.”
“He’s your eyes and ears. Your boots on the ground. It’s the right thing. It’s
called delegation. Rulers can’t be everywhere and do everything.”
“What if something happens to him? He’s down there by himself.” Dread
fills my chest at the thought of him getting hurt or worse. Not that long ago
he was captured, tortured, and almost killed because of me.
“Nothing is going to happen to Ash.” Ben leans forward, resting his elbows
on his knees. “This is a role he knows well. He was Dad’s enforcer for a
while.”
“He never told me that.” Learning about my husband is like peeling back
the layers of an onion. And reminding me once again, how little I know
about him.
“It came about when Dad discovered one of his leaders was stealing from
him, skimming off the top. Dad sent Ash to kill him, and then Ash held onto
the role of enforcer for a year until Dad found a trusted replacement. Ash is
much more than a Prince Charming, he’s a beast, too.”
“How old was he?” I ask.
“Eighteen, nineteen, maybe. Ash has always been active in our court.
Filling whatever role was needed. Now, Ash is Dad’s most trusted adviser.”
“Your father obviously has a lot of faith in him. I was schooled in royal
etiquette but never participated in the day-to-day running of the Queen’s
court. My mother never asked my opinion on anything or shared the burden
of running her empire. She just handled everything. She would be Earthside
right now, cracking skulls and taking names. She was a strong ruler.”
“You’re going to be a good ruler, too. Give yourself some time. Come on.
Let’s take a walk around the castle and look for your mom’s power again.
We can also stop and visit Stewart.”
Time. It’s almost as big an enemy as whoever is attacking my territory and
my leaders.

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“You’ve been invited to a Council of Seven meeting at five o’clock. I’ll text
you the location,” Kat announces from behind her desk during our standing
Thursday afternoon meeting.
“So soon?” I ask, like a deer in the headlights.
“You won’t be there in an official capacity. You need your mother’s power
before you can become a member of the council. This is more like a meet
and greet. You’ll get to observe the proceedings and see how things work.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.” I can’t mess up just observing. “Are you
allowed to come with me?”
“No, sorry, only council members or invited guests are permitted inside.
Reg will be there, though, so you’ll know someone. Are you okay? You
look a little tired.”
“Gee, thanks, Kat. Why don’t you just tell me I look like crap?” I don’t
want to talk about the stress of not being able to find the enchanted object,
so I focus on the facts and forget the feelings. “The attacks on my territory
are escalating.” By the time I tell her about Tripp, the latest Earthside
developments, and that I’ve ordered Thane to be confined to his quarters
under twenty-four watch, it’s time to get dressed for the meeting.
Leaving Kat’s office, I go straight to my apartment. On the way, I text the
Queen’s makeup artist and hair stylist and ask them to help me get ready. I
need to put on a brave face. Literally. The makeup artist does a repeat of my
look for the memorial—a dark smoky eye with lots of black liner and
mascara. The hair stylist winds my hair back into a tight bun at the nape of
my neck, and I put on a dark pantsuit and black pumps, wanting to look the
part of a confident queen.
I wish Ash were here. Wanting to hear his voice, I give him a call, but he
doesn’t pick up. Should I try and contact him using the mate bond? I look
for the suspension bridge in my mind. It’s difficult to locate at first,
probably from lack of use, and then I find it. I hesitate—using the bond
would mean giving him access to my carefully guarded thoughts and
feelings. I can’t do it.
My phone buzzes and Kat texts me the coordinates of the island the Council
meets on. With my brave face painted on, I jump there ten minutes ahead of
the meeting start time. The island is an independent state and neutral
territory on this plane. I meet Reg outside the closed doors of a massive
light-gray stone building decorated with Gothic columns and gargoyle
sculptures.
“Nina, I’m glad you were able to make it. Sometimes these meetings come
up on very short notice.” Reg lightly enfolds me in a quick paternal hug.
He’s wearing a three-piece black suit, black shirt and tie.
“I’m excited to be here.” Intimidated is more like it, but positive self-talk is
a thing, right?
“Before we go in, I wanted to tell you that there’s been a last-minute
addition to the agenda. Franco Rossi will be speaking.”
“What?” I ask, shell-shocked. Franco Rossi is Nicky’s dad and was
instrumental in my kidnapping and Ash’s near death.
“Before her death, your mother filed a request to have him stripped of his
title and rule over Italy because of his plans to go to war for more European
territory, and just as importantly, for what he did to you and Ash. Franco is
going to be given a chance to speak, and then the council will deliver a
verdict.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. Wow. Okay. No big deal. Just facing Franco
Rossi in open court at my first council meeting.
As Reg ushers me inside, he glances down at me with a somber expression
and says in a low voice, “I’ll be sitting with the other council members at
the front of the room, and you’ll be seated in the gallery. Franco will be
representing himself and will speak to the council to tell his side of the
story. Then we’ll take a vote. I should warn you, Franco does have allies
among the council, and this could go either way.”
Once he escorts me into an inner chamber that resembles my mother’s
court, he shows me to a seat and then goes to join the other members of the
council behind a raised judges’ bench—five males and one female all
dressed in black. They are the most powerful of our kind, but this is neutral
territory, a power vacuum. The lack of power in the room creates an
unnatural stillness, as if there should be background noise but there isn’t.
The silence is deafening.
There is a member from Japan, from the Maharashtra state of India, western
Russia, southeast Brazil and the British Isles, a long-time ally of the Queen.
They sit down in unison, and then I notice an empty seat. My mother’s seat.
My seat if I can earn it and hold it.
The council member from western Russia sits in the center and bangs a
gavel, getting the proceedings underway. First, the minutes from the
previous meeting are read, followed by some general discussion. Then
Franco Rossi is escorted in and stands before the council.
“You understand the charges against you? How would you like to respond?”
the Russian council member asks.
“I understand the charges.” Franco executes a fawning bow. “But the late
Queen of Avalon was mistaken. It was my son, not I, who kidnapped the
Princess of Avalon and the Crown Prince of Westmoreland, son of the
Controller of the Australias.” Franco nods in Reg’s direction.
I flick my eyes to Reg and find his face passive. Franco’s account is a bald-
faced lie. When I was kidnapped, Franco made it very clear to me that he
was not only part of the plan, but the mastermind.
“My son, Nicola, was despondent at losing the princess.” Franco’s cold
eyes bore into me. “Nicola was not in his right mind. It was a case of
unrequited love. She led him on, agreed to marry him and then broke off the
engagement in the cruelest way. He was always her devoted servant. He
loved her deeply.”
My breath comes fast and shallow. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Franco
is completely twisting the truth. Nicky never loved me. He used me from
day one.
Franco points an accusing finger at me. “It’s all her fault. I shouldn’t lose
my territory because she’s a wanton, shameless enchantress, who broke my
son’s heart.”
The Russian member turns his austere face in my direction. “Princess
Seraphina of Avalon, would you like to respond to these accusations?”
“Yes,” I gulp. I hadn’t come here today mentally prepared to defend myself.
“Stand before us and present your rebuttal.” The Russian member waves
the gavel in front of the podium.
I leave the gallery and stand before the council, only a few feet from Franco
Rossi. My lower back is sweating, and even though I feel as if I might pass
out, I say with conviction, “None of what Franco Rossi said is true. It’s all
lies.” I tell the council everything, starting from when I met Nicky and his
attempts at using mind control on me and ending with Nicky luring me to
Italy where Franco confessed his plans to fuel an Earthside war using my
mother’s power. It’s bad enough that members of two royal families were
attacked, but a territory war would have certainly meant a loss of human
life, and the council takes that very seriously.
When I finish, I retake my seat in the gallery as the council confers quietly
and takes a vote with a show of hands. Reg recuses himself from the vote
because of a lack of impartiality.
One by one, each council member is asked to raise their hand to signal that
Franco should lose his status as the Controller of Italy. The vote is three to
two in favor of him losing his right to rule.
They find in my favor. I won.
But as Franco stares at me across the chamber with dead, black eyes, I
know I’ve made an enemy for life.
 Chapter Eighteen

B ACK IN MY APARTMENT, I text Ash the highlights of what

happened with the Council of Seven and Franco Rossi. Ash replies
he wants to hear all the details during our nightly call. I decide to take a
bubble bath before ordering dinner up to my room. Franco’s lies are like an
itchy, dirty film covering my skin. Placing my phone on the vanity, I wish
again that Ash were here so I could wrap my arms around him and breathe
in his scent.
After running the bath and pouring in a generous splash of vanilla-scented
bubble bath, I wash off my heavy makeup and strip down.
Then I get an idea.
Looking into the mirror, I strategically place my arms to cover most of my
boobs and stand close enough to the vanity so the counter hides everything
from my hip bones down. Then I grab my phone and take a couple of
pictures, angling my body to its best advantage.
When I finish with my impromptu photo shoot, I scroll through the photos
and send the best ones to Ash. Leaving my phone on the vanity, I get into
the bath. Sinking into the bubbles, I lean my head back against the tub, and
the water envelopes me in a warm embrace.
Trailing my hands through the bubbles, I scoop a bunch up and run them
over my arms and across my chest. I think about Ash washing my back, my
front, and everywhere in between and repeat the process with the bubbles,
this time cupping and massaging my breasts. I gently pinch my nipples and
then glide my hands down over my stomach and between my legs.
I circle the center of my pleasure and then slide two fingers into my warm,
wet core. This is just what the doctor ordered after a long day. Self-love is a
form of self-care and a great stress reducer. I bite my lower lip and close my
eyes, only a couple of strokes away from a solo trip to orgasm town.
“When the cat’s away, the mice will play . . . with themselves apparently.”
A male voice fills the quiet bathroom.
My eyes fly open in a mortified panic, and my hands still. It’s as if I’ve
been caught masturbating, because, well, that’s exactly what it is. I turn to
find Ash’s laughing eyes only a few feet away from my face as he leans on
the edge of the tub.
“You scared me half to death.” A perfectly good orgasm down the drain.
“Why don’t you finish? I’d love to watch.” He straightens, standing over
me in a blue suit and white shirt.
I break eye contact with him and try for haughty to cover my
embarrassment at being caught with my hand in the cookie jar. “What are
you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
“You didn’t tell me you were coming, either.” Ash’s voice is husky as he
delivers the double entendre. “I enjoyed your text so much, I couldn’t stay
away. I had to see you. I missed you.” He takes off his suit jacket and tosses
it on the vanity. “You could send me nudes using our mate bond. No need
for a phone at all.”
“You know I’m not ready to use the bond yet. Besides then Archer would
see them.” Awkward.
“Archer’s always behind my eyes, you know that, right?” Ash rolls up the
sleeves of his dress shirt. “It’s not like he’s dormant and only wakes when I
shift. He’s always here.”
“I wasn’t sure how that worked. Good to know.” My husband’s dual nature
is not lost on me, but for the time being, I want to focus on Ash. He’s the
one I’ve fallen hard for. “ And I missed you, too. Obviously.”
The bubbles are starting to disappear in the bathwater, and Ash’s eyes roam
over me. “I’m sorry for ruining your fun. I’ll make it up to you.”
“It does seem like the least you could do.” I heave a dramatic put-upon sigh
and cup my breasts in my hands again, fully recovered from the shock of
him walking in on me.
He kneels beside the tub and plunges his hand in the water. Two big fingers
fill me, and he unerringly finds my clit with his thumb. He plays my body
like he’s a virtuoso and it’s his instrument. My orgasm isn’t down the drain
after all. It’s right where I left it and within a very short time it sings
through me, hitting all the high notes.
“I want to fuck you silly,” I say, slowly opening my eyes to find Ash’s
scorching ones burning through me.
He puts his hands under my armpits and stands up, lifting me from the tub
as if I weigh nothing. He pulls me against his chest, and I instinctively wrap
my legs around his waist, soaking him and the floor. “For clarification, are
you going to fuck me silly? Or are you going to fuck me until you’re silly?”
he asks.
“Both,” I whisper and kiss him behind his ear.
Then we’re all hands, lips and tongues as he walks across the bathroom and
sets my butt on the vanity counter. My fingers fumble with his belt buckle
while he unbuttons his shirt.
My phone buzzes on the counter, and my eyes automatically go to the
screen. It’s a message from Dardanus. Seeing my father’s name pops the
balloon of my desire, letting all the air out, and I rest my forehead on Ash’s
chest.
“Everything okay?” he asks, pausing in his haste to undress.
“I’m going to have to press pause. My father is here to see me. He wants to
know if we can have dinner.”
“How did he get your number?”
“I gave it to him, of course.” Geez, I didn’t even fuck him silly yet.
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Once Ash and I are dressed, we meet Dardanus in one of the formal dining
rooms. When we enter, Dardanus gives me a kiss on each cheek, and Ash
stands with taciturn reserve beside me. Then Dardanus and Ash
acknowledge each other with tight-lipped dips of their chins. Walking away
from both of them, I take the head of the table, and Ash sits to my right with
Dardanus on my left.
After the starter is served and the wine is poured, I tell them about the
Council of Seven meeting and the verdict returned on Franco Rossi.
“This forces him out of power, but it also forces him underground,” Ash
says. “Hopefully, we’ll still be able to watch him.”
Dardanus picks up his spoon and glances down at the shallow bowl of wild
mushroom bisque in front of him. “When do you think you’ll start
traveling, Peaches?”
Ash’s soup spoon pauses midway between his bowl and his mouth.
Archer opens the mate bond without warning, and his rich dragon voice fills
my mind, I don’t like the way he love bombs you.
He’s my father, Archer. A nickname isn’t love bombing. Now get out of my
head, I say and slam the mate bond closed.
“Going to visit your allies is important. You’ll want to keep your network
strong.” Dardanus skims his spoon across the surface of the creamy soup.
“You’re going to have to re-cement those relationships now that you’re the
new ruler.”
“That’s probably something I should consider doing. The Queen always
traveled extensively. It’s part of the job,” I muse.
“The Controller of the British Isles would be a good place to start. He and
the Queen were always thick as thieves.” Dardanus sips the bisque from the
side of his spoon.
“She’s not going anywhere until her mother’s killer is caught and
punished.” Ash sets his spoon down on the plate under his bowl and then
looks at me. “No one expects you to make diplomatic visits yet. You’re still
in mourning.”
“I think you should at least be visiting your Earthside territory.” Dardanus
picks up his wineglass, lifting it in my direction. “Your leaders there need to
see you. Understand that you are the one in charge.”
“Her Earthside territory is under attack right now. It would be foolish for
her to go there. She talks to her leaders every day. They know who she is,”
Ash says to Dardanus before turning to me. “Princess, you know it’s safer
for you to remain here.”
“She’s your queen!” Dardanus stretches his arm out across the table and
points at Ash.
“She’s my everything.” Ash flashes yellow eyes and a feral smile at
Dardanus. “And I strongly suggest you get your finger out of my face
before you lose your whole fucking arm.” The smoky weight of Ash’s
power surrounds us.
I don’t feel any power coming from Dardanus in answer to Ash’s, and I’m
thankful he’s not escalating this pissing contest.
Dardanus quickly pulls his arm back and looks at me. “I apologize if you
think I’m overstepping. I just think you need to assert yourself. If you want
respect, you’re going to have to work for it.”
I set my spoon down with a clatter and feel a headache coming on. “I think
both of you have valid points. I should at least start to consider some travel
to see my allies. Not right now, but soon. And maybe a quick visit Earthside
wouldn’t hurt. Kind of an in-and-out thing. My leaders should see me in
person.” This is middle ground, now maybe they can both be happy.
“Your safety is the highest priority.” Ash rests a hand on my knee under the
table.
“Of course it is. Mine, too.” Dardanus places his hand over mine on top of
the table. “On that, we can agree. My daughter is a prize and must be
protected.”
My father and my husband give each other hard stares and my stomach
cramps painfully at the thought they’re not going to get along. I want them
both in my life.
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On the walk back to our apartment, I give Ash a reprimanding scowl. “It
would be nice if you could at least try to get along with my father.”
Ash frowns back. “Princess, if I wasn’t trying my absolute best, Dardanus
would be missing a limb right now.”
Our conversation is interrupted when I receive a text.
Sofie: Your period is about to start.
The new chip is doing its job in picking up my hormone levels. I head
straight to the bathroom when Ash and I enter our apartment to find that
Sofie’s right. My headache and stomach cramps at dinner were not solely
the result of feeling like the rope in a game of tug-of-war between Ash and
my father.
After cleaning up and taking a pain pill to head off the worst of the cramps,
I leave the bathroom with a hand on my bloated stomach. My period is
irregular, and I can go several months without getting it. But when it comes,
I’m miserable—nausea, fatigue and cramps. The arrival of my period also
explains my heightened level of horniness earlier.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Stomachache? Something you ate?” Ash’s brow
wrinkles. “Having dinner with Dardanus didn’t do much for my digestion.”
“No, but I’m going to have to put fucking till we’re silly on hold.” I’m not
opposed to period sex, but the headache and cramps have kind of killed the
mood. I’m also still a little self-conscious talking to Ash about this stuff.
Not everyone is comfortable with frank discussions of female reproductive
health.
“Oh, that time of the month? Aunt Flo visiting? Riding the crimson tide?”
Ash asks nonchalantly, as if he’s inquiring if I would like cream in my
coffee.
I needn’t have worried about Ash having delicate sensibilities. “No one can
accuse you of mincing words.”
“I’ve never understood the secrecy. Half the population gets their period,
and the other half pretends not to know. It makes no sense. It’s normal, a
part of life. Can I get you anything?”
“No, thanks. I’ve taken something for the pain already.”
“Heating pad? Cup of tea? If I remember correctly, you like apples and
cinnamon when it’s that time of the month.” The only other time I’ve gotten
my period since Ash and I have been together, he’d been incredibly sweet
toward me, and it was one of the things that made me think this arranged
marriage could work.
“Can I cash in my rain check for a cuddle session?” I ask.
“Cuddling is my middle name. Let’s go.” He takes my hand and leads me
into the bedroom. Then he strips us both down to our underwear and
dresses me in my favorite pj’s.
When we’re lying in bed, Ash lightly strokes up and down my arm. “Are
you okay? You’re quiet.”
I shrug my shoulders and make a noncommittal sound.
“Tell me. What’s on your mind?”
“My period coming means I’m not pregnant. As long as I don’t get it, I
have this small hope that maybe I am. I mean, we had sex every day for a
month on our honeymoon. Several times a day. I just thought maybe . . .”
“It’ll happen for us when the time is right. There’s no rush. We’re young.”
His voice reverberates with confidence.
Ash knew about my fertility issues going into our marriage, but I still feel
as if I’m letting him down. I’m keenly aware that if we’re unable to have a
baby, it’ll be my fault. Family means everything to him. I would be a total
failure if I couldn’t give him a baby.
“Go to sleep, Princess. We don’t need to worry about this right now.” Ash
kisses the top of my head.
I snuggle deeper into his embrace and close my eyes.
When I wake up the next morning, he’s already gone back Earthside.
 Chapter Nineteen

T WO DAYS LATER, I’M in my office on the phone with Ash, getting

an update on Tripp.
Ben pokes his head in. “Dardanus is here to see you.”
“Great. Send him in.” I smile, pleased that my father has popped in for a
visit. The Queen and I had existed in a perpetual standoff and time ran out
for us. It’s nice that Dardanus and I are both making an effort at having a
relationship.
I hang up the phone and look at Dardanus. “That was Ash. One of my
leaders was attacked a few days ago. He’s recovering, but it’s going to be a
long road. With this, along with all the fires and vandalism, it’s obvious
someone is trying to make a move on my territory.” I break out into a cold
sweat, thinking about everything we’re facing. “Someone thinks I’m weak.”
Dardanus clenches a hand into a meaty fist. “You have to go Earthside.
Show them that you’re not weak.”
“Ash thinks it’s too dangerous. He doesn’t want me down there.”
“You can’t act like a scared rabbit if you want to be a ruler.” Dardanus
reclines in his seat. “And I think Ashton could have other motivations for
keeping you on Avalon.”
“What do you mean, other motivations?” I perch my elbows on the desk,
channeling my sense of foreboding into bravado. “And he’s not keeping me
here. I can leave whenever I want. I’m not afraid to go down there.”
Dardanus lightly rubs his hands together before opening them like a book.
“I just wonder whether maybe, deep down, he wants to appear to be the
ruler of Avalon, and whether he wants to make the decisions, wield the
power and make you more of a queen in name only.”
“You don’t know Ash. That’s not him at all. He would never do that,” I
scoff.
“I only want what’s best for you, Peaches. I want to see you be successful in
your role as queen. I think perhaps your husband is envious of your title and
your position on the Council of Seven. It’s to be expected really. He’s
young. It would only be natural for him to be jealous.” Dardanus’s smile is
charitable and tolerant. “He’s still a prince and you’re a queen. You have a
queen’s power.”
“Ash isn’t the jealous type. He’s very secure in who he is. He’s the crown
prince of his court, where he’ll be king one day. And I don’t have the
Queen’s power yet.”
“What do you mean?” Dardanus shifts to the edge of his seat.
“When the Queen died, she bespelled an object here on Avalon. I have to
find it and unlock her power before I can claim it.”
Dardanus lifts his eyes skyward. “Your mother always did like to do things
the hard way. Make it difficult even when she is giving you something.” He
returns his gaze to mine. “But back to Ashton, I don’t want him to take
advantage of his role as your enforcer to usurp your position, diminish you
in the eyes of your leaders, that’s all.”
“Ash is much more than my enforcer. And he’s not taking advantage of
anything. We’re fated mates. Bound together. Husband and wife.” It may
take some time, but I’m sure Dardanus will see that Ash and I have much
more than a typical royal marriage.
“And so you are.” Dardanus looks unconvinced. “Speaking of being
husband and wife, have you two talked about having a family?”
“We’ve talked about it.”
“You’re both very young. There’s no reason to rush into it.”
Ash said the exact same thing a couple of nights ago. “True, but honestly, I
was kind of hoping to be pregnant by now.”
“It’s just my opinion, but I don’t think this is the right time. You’ve just
taken up the reins of a kingdom. I know you want to make your mother
proud. Her leadership of Avalon was always the most important thing to
her. You’re going to need to travel at some point if you want to maintain her
network of allies. Whether Ashton thinks it’s a good idea or not. It must be
done. If you fell pregnant now, it would just be another excuse for him to
keep you under wraps while he continues to be the face of your empire.”
I’ve vowed to make the Queen proud, and I want to be a good mother to
any child Ash and I have. Perhaps I can’t do both right now. The learning
curve of being a ruler is steep. Can I have it all? Maybe I was foolish to
think so. Today, I need to focus on becoming a queen. It’s what my mother
would expect. “He’s not keeping me under wraps. Like I said, I can leave
any time.”
Dardanus stands and places his palms flat on my desk, towering over me.
“So, prove it.”
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After Dardanus leaves my office, I revisit the Queen’s favorite places on

Avalon to do a more thorough search for the spelled object. I spend time in
her court, gliding my hands over her and the consort’s thrones, and
exploring the gallery. I go back to the stables and pat down each of her
Arabians and their tack. In her apartment, I touch all of her furniture and
personal effects—but find no magic. If she had other favorite places, I don’t
know where they are. I really didn’t know her as a person, only as the
Queen.
You need to find the object! You’re almost out of time! My inner voice
shouts, causing my heart to race. Not needing any more stress, I tell my
inner voice to shut up and decide to talk to Sofie.
I try calling Ash on my way to see Sofie, but he doesn’t answer. When I get
to her office, I peek inside the partially open door. She’s on a video call and
wearing a white lab coat, her voice authoritative. She waves me in, and I
lean my butt against the edge of the padded examination table as she
finishes the call. She removes her tiny earpieces and gives me a warm smile
before saying, “I haven’t heard from you in days.”
“I know. Sorry about that. It’s been hectic. Do you have a minute?” I have
two reasons for my visit today. The first is that I want to see if she can offer
up any solutions for the anxiety that has plagued me since my mother’s
death.
“I actually want to talk to you about something as well. I’ve been thinking
of doing some volunteer work. Donating some time to Doctors Without
Borders or a similar Earthside organization. What would you think about
that? I won’t leave until after everything settles down for you, of course.”
Sofie’s eyes light up at the prospect of being of service and healing people.
I put the discussion about my anxiety on the back burner. If she knew, she’d
never leave and follow her passion. I promise myself I’ll spend more time
with the horses, do some yoga or give meditation a try. Maybe I’ll even
start a gratitude journal. “I think that’s amazing. They’d be lucky to have
you. What would Kat think about you leaving? Doctors Without Borders
often works in areas of conflict. How would she feel about that?”
“Kat knows I can take care of myself. She’s never gotten in the way of my
career. And I’ve never gotten in the way of hers.”
It’s so true, and what I want for Ash and me—the deep-seated trust that
comes with a long, loving relationship.
“What brings you in?” Sofie tucks a lock of blond hair behind her ear.
I launch into the second reason for my visit. “I want to talk to you about
birth control.”
Sofie’s eyebrows lift momentarily before she schools her face into a
professional mask. “Okay. What would you like to know?”
“Do you find that surprising?” I ask.
“I thought you and Ash were letting nature take its course. You’ve been
sleeping with him for months now and have never once asked about birth
control.”
“Yes, well, with my low fertility, I didn’t make it a high priority. Avalon
needs an heir, after all. But with the Queen’s passing and me taking over, I
just don’t think this is the right time. I’d like to wait. I’m young. I have lots
of time.”
“You are young, and you do have lots of time. How are you coping with
everything that’s happened?”
I don’t like keeping things from Sofie, but I can’t have this discussion right
now. “I’m handling it. Really.” With my barriers firmly in place, I give her
a reassuring smile.
“I’m here if you want to talk.” Sofie stares meaningfully into my eyes as if
she knows I’m holding back, but when I say nothing, she gets back to the
topic at hand. “What does Ash think about the birth control?”
“He agrees that we’re young and have time. But what would it matter what
he thinks? My decision whether or not to go on birth control is mine to
make. It’s my right to choose when to have a baby and nobody else’s.”
“Of course it’s your choice. But I know how much you love him and
assumed you would have discussed it with him.”
Apparently, I have not done a very good job of hiding the depth of my
feelings for Ash from my friends. “I just decided. I plan to tell him in
person as soon as I see him.”
Sofie folds her hands on her desk. “Well, as your period just ended, it would
be the perfect day to start.”
“If it’s the best time, there’s no point in waiting.” I clasp my hands together
and rest them in my lap.
“Because your new microchip monitors your hormone levels, I’ll just do a
quick double-check for HCG, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. That’s the
hormone that’s picked up in pregnancy tests. Even though you just had your
period, I still have to make sure you’re not already pregnant.” Sofie taps
away at her laptop. “No HCG. Okay, you’re good to start birth control.”
Even though, in my heart, I knew I wasn’t pregnant, hearing Sofie’s
medical confirmation out loud is still disheartening. “What do you need me
to do?”
“Nothing at all. Birth control is already a part of your chip. I just have to
flip a switch from my laptop and turn it on. Easy peasy.”
“Will this impact my fertility long-term?” I ask.
“There is no evidence to suggest that it will. The microchip releases a
synthetic hormone that prevents your ovaries from releasing an egg. The
synthetic hormone is effective immediately, and when you no longer want
to be on it, I’ll simply turn it off. The chip will stop releasing the hormone,
and within twenty-four hours, the hormone will no longer exist in your
system. Our doctors are looking to release it Earthside shortly. Give human
women more options. Also, you will not get your period while you’re on
it.”
“Sounds great. Let’s do it.” This is the right decision for the time being.
Sofie closes her laptop. “It’s done.
 Chapter Twenty

“B EN, WE’RE HEADING OUT,” I announce as I walk past his

desk and into my office after seeing Sofie. Dardanus is right. I
have to go Earthside. It would be very easy for me to stay here, tucked
away in this castle while Ash does all the dirty work, but that’s just not me.
I’m my mother’s daughter and need to rule my own territory. I have to talk
to my leaders face to face, look them in the eye and let them know I plan to
fight this encroachment.
“Where are we going?” he asks tentatively, following me through the
double doors.
I spin around to face him and put my hands on my hips. “Earthside. To my
territory. To meet up with Ash.”
“Does he know you’re coming?” Ben’s normally teasing brown eyes are
serious.
“No, and I don’t want you to tell him. He’ll only try to talk me out of it.”
“Nina, he has good reason.”
“Please, I’m hardly helpless.” I splay my arms out wide. “Even if I don’t
have my mother’s power. I do have my own. I’m not defenseless. Plus, I’m
bringing you. I couldn’t be safer.”
Ben rubs the back of his neck. “You’re the boss.”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” I go to my desk and toss my phone into my purse. “You
know where Ash is staying, right?”
“I have the address of his hotel.” The pitch of Ben’s voice reinforces the
fact that he doesn’t think my plan is a particularly good one.
“Then what are we doing standing around talking? Let’s roll.” I throw my
purse over my shoulder.
Ben and I stand side by side and light up the room as we release enough
energy to jump Earthside.
We land in a luxurious oceanside hotel room. Ash isn’t here, but I spy his
running shoes in the corner. I go to the closet and open it to reveal his
clothes. We’re in the right place.
“I’m going to call him. Find out where he is.” After I dig my phone out of
my purse, I dial Ash and wait, checking out the spectacular view of the
Atlantic Ocean. He finally answers on the fifth ring.
“Guess where I am?” I ask before he can say a word.
“I’m afraid to,” he answers flatly.
“This is a very nice suite. Have you been enjoying early morning runs along
the beach?”
“You’re in North Carolina?”
“That’s right.” I grin, then quickly add, “I brought Ben. Where are you?
We’ll come meet you.”
“No, you stay there. I’ll come to you.”
“But—”
“I’ll be right there. Don’t leave that suite.”
“Geez, okay.” I hang up and shrug my shoulders at Ben. “He wants to meet
us here. Let’s go wait on the balcony and enjoy the view.”
Ben and I are leaning up against the railing, smelling the salty air and
listening to the seagulls, when Ash walks out onto the balcony. He shakes
Ben’s hand and then leans down to give my cheek a chaste kiss. “Well,
well, look who’s here?”
“You don’t look especially happy to see me.” I fold my arms under my
boobs.
“I’m always happy to see you, Princess. You know that. But I asked you to
remain on Avalon.” Ash crosses his arms over his muscled chest.
“Do you hear that?” Ben asks, holding a hand to his ear. “It sounds like a
seaside bar calling my name. There must be one close by. I have to go.”
Ben serves me an I-told-you-so look before walking back into the hotel
room. Ash and I watch Ben as he passes through the suite and out the front
door.
“Where were you when I arrived? What were you doing?” I ask, dropping
my arms to my sides.
Ash maintains his closed-off posture. “I was meeting with some of your
leaders.”
“You should have let me come to the meeting. It would have been good for
them to see me.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I wish you would’ve checked with me
before coming down.”
I click my tongue. “I know you think my being here is a security risk, but
appearing weak is a big risk, too. I can’t hide and expect my leaders to
follow me.”
“We don’t know who’s causing havoc in your territory. It could be one or
more of them. Thinking they can take the territory from you. It could also
be another ruler, even if it isn’t Terrance Hale. It could be an enemy we
don’t even know about yet. There are just too many unknowns for you to be
walking around down here.”
Is Dardanus right? Does Ash want to be the face of Avalon? “I don’t need
an invitation to visit my own territory. I’ll come here and meet with my
leaders if I believe it’s the right thing to do.”
“I’m trying to protect you. That’s my job. We need to take precautions to
keep you safe.”
“You can’t use the excuse of protection to tell me what to do. And speaking
of precautions, I want to tell you something. I decided to go on birth
control.” This is probably the exact wrong time to bring this up, but I want
him to know. I don’t want to hold onto this information any longer than
necessary.
“When did you decide this?” Ash lowers his hands to his hips.
“Today. And I’ve already started it.”
Ash rolls his shoulders back. “You didn’t think to discuss it with me?”
“It’s my body, Ash. It’s my choice.”
“It is your body, and it is your choice. I’m just surprised. We’ve been hitting
it raw for months now, since we consummated our binding, with no
discussion of taking precautions against getting pregnant.”
“If you’re worried about the marriage contract and being contractually
obligated to knock me up, don’t be. You know there’s a long lead time on
that.”
“Believe me when I say that’s the least of my worries. The other night when
you got your period, you seemed upset that you weren’t pregnant. Today
you’re on birth control. I’m trying to figure out what brought on the sudden
change of heart.”
“Dardanus suggested this might not be the right time to start a family. And I
tend to agree. What with my taking over control of Avalon. And then
there’s everything that’s been going on down here.”
“Dardanus suggested. You’re discussing the intimate details of our life with
someone you met a week ago?” Ash’s almond-shaped eyes narrow and
harden.
“He cares about me. And we didn’t discuss any intimate details. I don’t
know why you’re getting so wound up. You said yourself we have lots of
time. I don’t feel ready to have a baby right now. And for someone who’s so
close to his own parents, I don’t understand why you have such a problem
with my father. I want the same kind of close relationship with him that you
have with your family.”
“If you’re not ready for a baby, that’s fine. I just don’t like being the last to
know.”
“You’re not the last to know. This all happened today.”
“Sofie knows, so Kat knows and probably Gia, as well. Dardanus knows.
Did you discuss it with Ben, too? So yeah, I feel like I’m the last to know
when I should be the first. I’m your mate. The one you’re sleeping with.
The one who’s been working at getting you pregnant.”
Working? “I didn’t realize our sex life was such a burden on you. Feel free
to take me off your to-do list.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“It was the right time in my cycle to start birth control. You weren’t around,
and when I called you didn’t pick up. I made the decision, and now it’s
done. Reconvene that meeting with my leaders. I might as well make this
excursion worthwhile.”
After a tense minute-long stare down with my husband, I grab my purse and
head to the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, I hear Ash on the
phone reconvening the meeting with my leaders.
There’s so much more I should have said. I should have told him about my
anxiety being part of the reason I didn’t think I was ready for a baby. I
should have also told him I could be off the birth control in twenty-four
hours and would suffer no long-term ill effects. After recognizing these
regrets, I clear my head and focus on the task at hand—getting my game
face on.
Opening my purse, I pull out an assortment of makeup and lay it out. I start
with black eyeliner and give my upper lids a heavy winged line. Then I
swipe on several layers of mascara—top and bottom lids. Next, I pat my
face with a pale concealing powder to give my skin a perfect matte finish.
My final step is to apply a coat of red lipstick. Checking myself out, I’m
pleased with what I see. I look like the Queen.
When I exit the bathroom, Ash takes in my heavy makeup but doesn’t say
anything about it. “The meeting will take place in an hour.” He turns his
back on me, walks out to the balcony and leans his arms against the railing.
Normally, if we had an hour to kill, we’d do it in bed. That’s obviously not
going to happen today, so I trail Ash out onto the balcony. “While we wait,
can we go see Tripp?” I ask.
“We can, but I don’t advise it. He’s gravely injured. He wouldn’t want you
to see him like that. He’s a shifter. He’s proud,” Ash says, looking out over
the Atlantic.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell Ash if anyone would know about being a
prideful shifter, it would be him. But I bite my tongue and decide on a more
tactful approach. “I didn’t think about that. You’re probably right. Can we
go see his sister?”
“Tripp and Hannah are chef-owners of a popular local restaurant, the Black
Pelican. She’ll probably be there now. Come on. I’ll jump you there. I have
to warn you, though, she’s very upset about Tripp getting hurt.” Ash takes
my hand, and we go back inside so the humans enjoying the seaside don’t
see us vanish from the balcony. Then we jump to Hannah’s restaurant.
We arrive in the staff parking lot behind the Black Pelican, a white
clapboard beachside restaurant. It’s late in the afternoon, so it’s quiet. We
walk around to the front of the restaurant and go inside. There’s a pretty
blond behind the bar. “Hello, Ash,” she calls. The floor behind the bar must
be raised because when she comes around, she’s barely five feet tall.
“Hello, Hannah. Let me introduce you to the Queen of Avalon and ruler of
this territory, my wife Nina.”
I extend my hand to her. “Hello.”
Hannah dries her hands on a bar towel and leaves me hanging. “You’re the
new boss, huh? Good of you to come.” Her angry eyes and stiff shoulders
belie her pleasant words.
I lower my arm. While I hadn’t expected a warm welcome, I also hadn’t
expected open hostility. The Queen had sheltered me from this aspect of
being a ruler. If I’m going to be a queen, I’m going to have to win the
respect of those in my territory. I’m also going to have to develop a thick
skin. Fast. “I’m sorry for not coming sooner,” I say, meaning it.
“How’s Tripp doing today?” Ash asks.
“A little better.” Hannah’s face softens a little at the mention of her brother.
“He’s staying in wolf form while he heals. Max says that’s the best thing
while his bones knit back together. As soon as I set up for the dinner rush
and the rest of my staff arrives, I’m going to go back and spend the evening
with him. He’s pretty grouchy. I don’t want Max to have to deal with him
alone.”
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this happened to Tripp,” I say. “If
there’s anything you need, anything at all, please let me know. If you need
help with the restaurant . . .”
“Our backup chef is excellent, and my staff are loyal. This is our busy
season, so I don’t have the luxury of shutting down, if that’s what you were
going to suggest. And I don’t want your sorries. I only want two things
from you.”
Hannah is a little spitfire and I would be a total hypocrite if I couldn’t
appreciate another female who speaks their mind.
“One, I want Tripp to continue to have the best medical care until there is
not so much as a scratch on him. And two, I want you to kill the fuckwads
that did this to him.”
She’s protective of her family. And even though she doesn’t like me much, I
do like her, and extend my hand to her again. “You have my word.”
Hannah gives it a firm shake and goes back to work, our meeting
concluded.
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After our meeting with Hannah, Ash jumps us out to the location of my
burned-out property in the Outer Banks. The property is just as he described
—very private and remote, tucked away in the sand dunes of Corolla.
“I should have come as soon as I heard about Tripp. Hannah has every right
to be angry with me. She probably thinks I don’t care.” I stand shoulder to
shoulder with Ash in the sand twenty feet from the charred remains of what
once was a beautiful shore house.
“Hannah doesn’t have all the information. She doesn’t know the Queen was
assassinated. She thinks, like everyone else, your mother died of
anaphylactic shock. Being a ruler is not a popularity contest, Nina. You’re
going to have to make difficult decisions that not everyone will agree with
or understand. It doesn’t make the decisions wrong.”
He’s probably right, but I still don’t like the feeling of not living up to
someone’s expectations. “Who’s coming to this meeting?” I ask.
“All your leaders except Tripp. I’m jumping them all here.”
“You can do that? That has to use a lot of power.” It takes a lot of energy to
jump while Earthside—the density of this plane prevents it for all by the
most powerful. Ash has been doing it out of necessity-but jumping others to
him while not physically with them is next level. And goes to prove once
again that outside the dragon community, no one really knows how much
magic they have.
“Yes, I can. Let’s go up behind that dune on the off chance someone walks
this far down the beach.” Ash starts across the sand.
Once we’re behind a large sand dune, Ash goes quiet, his brow furrowed in
concentration. Then eleven aggressive-looking shifters appear out of thin
air before us. They stand with their feet spread apart and with their hands on
their hips or arms crossed over their chest, a challenging glint in their eyes.
I’ve studied the background information available for each and recognize
them instantly. One by one, I meet their eyes, looking for any signs of guilt
or betrayal, something to indicate they had a hand in my mother’s death or
the attacks on my territory. I don’t see it. I also don’t see allegiance to me,
or frankly, even friendliness. What I do see is a begrudging
acknowledgment that I’m the Queen’s successor and a complete lack of
confidence that I can do the job. Although I’ve come with the best of
intentions, like Hannah, they aren’t giving me a cheery reception.
I don’t have to turn around to know that Ash is at my back with Archer very
close to the surface in half shift, bulked up with gleaming yellow eyes. I can
sense the intensity of his energy strumming against our mate bond, even
though it’s closed. If one of my leaders so much as bends a blade of
sawgrass in my direction, Ash will kill them without a moment’s hesitation.
I’m not afraid of what’s in front of me because I know what’s behind me.
“I’ve come here today to let you know that I take the attack on Tripp very
seriously,” I say to the assembled crowd of shifters.
Xavier Stone, a coyote shifter of average height, speaks up, “Tripp’s a big
boy. This is a high-risk, high-reward occupation. He knew what he was
getting into. We all did.” Xavier must have been nominated the
spokesperson for the group because he continues, “But, just because you
look like your mother doesn’t mean you are your mother. She was a strong
ruler and had our respect. We chose to follow her as much as she chose us
to protect her territory. Did you come here to ask us to swear fealty to you?
Because that shit is earned.”
A snarl rumbles low in Ash’s throat behind me, and Xavier takes a step
back. Xavier is not submissive, but he’s also not stupid enough to provoke a
bigger, badder predator. And I’m not foolish enough to underestimate a
mid-sized shifter. Their size in human form does not represent the amount
of magic they possess. Xavier wouldn’t be one of my mother’s leaders if he
wasn’t extremely powerful and intelligent.
But I don’t want to challenge him or any of my leaders; I want to gain their
respect. “I will not ask you to swear your devotion to me until I’ve earned
it. Until I’ve found and killed whoever is behind the Queen’s murder,
Tripp’s attack and the attacks on my territory.” I scan the surly faces of the
shifters.
“Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing, darlin’?” The lion shifter, Gabriel
Haider, ambles up from the back of the pack, adjusting his baseball cap. He
has an unexpected drawl and an unsurprising mane of tawny hair. “Why
you look as delicate as the bluebonnets that grow wild in these parts and are
probably just as fragile.”
Ash growls loudly behind me.
I lift my chin at Gabriel’s sexist and condescending greeting. My power
sparks to life in my belly and I raise my arms and push it outward so all my
leaders can feel it against their skin. I don’t want to hurt them, but I do want
to get their attention. They understand and respect power—that’s their
currency.
Then with a flick of my wrist, I use my magic to knock Gabriel’s ball cap
off his head. Addressing me with his hat on is a subtle fuck you, which I
don’t miss.
Gabriel bends down to retrieve his cap. “Pardon me, ma’am. That’s just my
southern charm.”
I know from reading Gabriel’s file that he has four children with three
different human baby mamas, so some people may very well find him
charming. I’m not one of them. He’s attempting to find out how far he can
push me. I hope he learned it’s not far.
Gabriel pushes back his thick hair back, but keeps his cap in his hands. “We
all want business as usual. You’ll have our fealty when you can prove you
can hold this territory. Because if you can’t hold it, we’ll all be swearing
loyalty to someone else, or we’ll be dead. It’s pretty simple math. Easy as
eating boiled peanuts.”
“I’ll hold the territory. You have nothing to worry about there, and we’ll
find who’s behind these attacks.” I say, projecting my mother’s confidence.
“Then we’re not going to have any problems at all.” Gabriel slides his ball
cap back on his head and flicks the bill. After all the shifters nod in
agreement, then Ash jumps them all back to where they came from.
But there is a problem. I haven’t found my mother’s magic, and time is
running out.
 Chapter Twenty-one

I DON’T SPEND THE night in North Carolina with Ash. After he jumps
each of my leaders back to their homes across the Eastern Seaboard, he
looks tired and has dark circles under his eyes. All this Earthside jumping is
taking a toll on him. Because he didn’t want me down there in the first
place, he would guard me all night if I stayed and wouldn’t get any rest. So
I use my power to jump home and leave the sandy shores of Corolla behind.
The next day, I’m out on a ride with my father in the rolling green hills of
Avalon. The skies are full of storm clouds, but the rain is holding off, for
now. I can cover a lot of ground on horseback and have now ridden every
square inch of Avalon looking for the bespelled object.
I can’t help but think about what will happen if I can’t find it. Will I lose
Avalon and my territory to a foreign invader? It’s a real possibility. I don’t
have my mother’s allies. Besides the Mountcastles, I don’t have anyone to
call on for support. Using allied power to prop up my leadership would only
be a short-term solution anyway. Eventually, they would have to pull their
power back and protect their own interests. There’s only one answer—I
need my mother’s enchantress magic.
“How was Earthside?” Dardanus asks, breaking into my thoughts.
“I met with my leaders. I didn’t sense any treachery in the group. They were
loyal to the Queen.” I don’t mention they were less than thrilled with me.
“They’re all shifters, I’m sure. Your mother always had a soft spot for them.
How was Ashton?”
I turn curious eyes on my father. “Ash was fine. Why do you ask?”
“Was he okay with you coming down and taking over?” Dardanus raises a
brow at me, his hands crossed casually on the saddle pommel.
“Ash and I aren’t rivals.” There’s always an electric push and pull between
us, but it’s not from a place of envy. He thinks he knows what’s best for me
and I don’t always agree—that’s our only power struggle.
“I don’t think he likes me very much. I think he’s resentful of our new
relationship. How close you and I have become,“ Dardanus says.
My body rolls gently back and forth in the saddle as we walk the horses in
the long grass. “I wouldn’t say that. He just needs to get to know you a bit
better. He’s been away most of the time you’ve been here.” I’m expecting
Ash to come around where Dardanus is concerned.
“It’s pretty common knowledge that dragons can be . . . what are the words
I’m looking for? Possessive and controlling.” Dardanus shifts in his saddle
to face me. “Your mother kept us apart all of these years. I just don’t want
your husband to do the same.”
“That’s not going to happen. Ash wants me to be happy. He cares about me,
and I care about him. Deeply.”
“You’re both so young. How do you know your feelings for him are real?”
Dardanus inquires quietly. “What if it’s just infatuation? What happens once
the excitement of him sweeping you off your feet subsides? Perhaps the
thrill was all in the chase.” He shifts again in the saddle to face forward.
I know on my side it’s love, real love and not a short-term infatuation. And
I’m hopeful that one day Ash feels the same way about me. “Sometimes
you just know,” I say simply.
“You may very well have true feelings for him, but does he reciprocate
those feelings? Has he told you he loves you?”
I look down at the band tattooed on my left hand. No, Ash hasn’t said the
words, but neither have I. He’s told me he loves seeing his mark on me and
that he loves my body, but he hasn’t said he loves me.
“Oh, I see. He hasn’t. Peaches, I think you have to remember this is an
arranged royal marriage.”
“And?” I prompt.
“He’s a normal male and males like variety. They tend to stray after a while.
It wouldn’t mean he doesn’t care for you, necessarily. I just want you to be
prepared for that eventuality so you don’t get hurt.”
My heart pounds at an unhealthy rate at the thought of Ash cheating on me
—of him sharing what we share with someone else. “He would never do
that. And I want you to stop saying things like that about him.” Does our
relationship mean more to me than it does to Ash?
“I apologize. I can see I’ve upset you. That wasn’t my intention. I just know
how much you rely on him and think you should have someone else in your
corner. I’d like to be that person for you, provide guidance and advice. I
have experience. I was king to your mother’s queen.”
“You were her king, not her consort?” I ask.
“Yes, I was her king,” Dardanus says as if contemplating a happy memory.
“And we never divorced, you know. I hoped we’d reconcile at some point,
and so I wouldn’t agree to a dissolution of the marriage contract. Thane was
her consort because he couldn’t be anything else. She was still legally
married to me, and I was the named king.”
The Queen and Thane were never married? Had lived together all those
years? Thane had been a part of my life since I could remember. I never
questioned their relationship.
“So, what do you say? Would you like me to help you out? Become an
official part of your court?”
With the Queen gone, Steward imprisoned and Ash Earthside, I could use
an experienced adviser. “I’d like that. It takes a village, as they say.” I give
him a small smile.
“I’m your father. I’ve loved you since your mother first told me she carried
you in her womb. You can trust me.”

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When I return to the office after my ride with Dardanus, I find my diploma
from Brown sitting on my desk. Talk about anticlimactic. Not that long ago,
completing my economics degree seemed so important. Now, nothing is
more important than finding my mother’s power. If I only knew what the
object was, I’d have some direction on where to look for it. As it is, I don’t
have a clue what it is or the next place to search. I’ve scoured the castle,
walked the grounds and ridden every mile of the island, even the forest. I’m
at a standstill with the hunt and desperation is setting in.
I try calling Ash several times that night, but he doesn’t answer and I get
into bed missing him and worried that something is wrong. Has something
else happened in my territory? Has something happened to him? Although
I’m not comfortable with it, I’m about to open the mate bond to make sure
he’s okay when he finally calls me back.
“Hey,” I say casually as if I hadn’t been willing the phone to ring.
“Sorry for not calling back sooner. Were you asleep?” Ash asks.
“No, I’m up.” Thinking about you. “Where were you?”
“I was out with Gabriel having a few beers. I’m spending time with each of
your leaders, getting to know them better.”
He’s out drinking with Gabriel and I’m sitting here worried that something
happened to him. I blow a stray hair out of my face and purse my lips. Ash
and Gabriel. Two tall blond handsome shifters out on the town together.
They probably attracted a lot of attention—the female kind.
I’m hurting my own feelings about this. I know I am, but the stress and
frustration of failing to find the object containing my mother’s magic has
left me strung out, pulled tight and spoiling for a fight.
“Did you know Gabriel has a bunch of kids with several different women?”
I ask.
“Yes, I know. He says all of his relationships are open.” Ash gives me an it-
is-what-it-is shrug. “It doesn’t make any difference to me who he’s fucking
as long as he’s a good leader. And he is. I didn’t like the way he talked to
you yesterday and told him so. He said it won’t happen again.”
“So you know, I would never be open to that.”
“What? Him calling you a pretty little thing and darlin’? I don’t blame you.
He was way out of line,“ Ash says.
“Well, that too, but I was talking about being in an open relationship.”
“Open relationships work for some people, but I know it wouldn’t work for
you.”
“Would it work for you? Do you want to be with other people? Have a
harem of females.“ Could Dardanus be right and all males like variety?
Maybe he’ll never love me the way I love him.
“No, you’re definitely all I can handle.” Ash rubs the back of his neck and
sighs loudly.
I move on to a different topic. “I found out that Dardanus and my mother
never dissolved their marriage contract. That’s why Kat and Luke couldn’t
find any evidence of it. My parents were still married this whole time. She
was never legally married to the consort.”
“Your mother and Thane never wore rings. But I thought it was a choice.”
My brain warns I’m about to say something stupid, but my mouth keeps
moving. “My mother chose Dardanus as her king. But he was unfaithful,
and their marriage broke down. She ended up ruling on her own anyway.
She probably should have made him her consort instead.” I know Ash
understands the implications of each title. “It sounds like they wanted
different things out of the marriage. No one necessarily being right or
wrong, they just had different expectations, were very different people.”
Like us hangs in the air.
Ash doesn’t say anything.
“As the sovereign realm of Avalon is a matriarchy, it’s my choice what to
name you. What your role will be. I’m wondering if I shouldn’t learn from
my mother’s mistakes.”
“I don’t have the energy to do this with you tonight, Nina. Why don’t you
let me know when you decide where I fit into your life?” Ash frowns and
shakes his head. “Until then, I’ll be here, my queen.“ The disappointed tone
of his voice rings in my ears long after he hangs up on me.
He’s not angry with me. It’s so much worse. He’s disappointed.
What’s wrong with me? I’m lashing out at him, when I’m really pissed off at
myself.
I’m my own worst enemy.
I try calling Ash back to apologize for all my fucked-up insecurities, but it
goes right to voicemail.
How many times can I push him away before he stays away?
 Chapter Twenty-two

S EVERAL DAYS HAVE PASSED and Ash still isn’t talking to me. I
don’t blame him. While he texts me updates about Tripp and sends
emails about what’s going on in my territory, he refuses to take my calls.
All of his written messages resonate with cool professionalism. He’s giving
me the cold shoulder and it’s terrible, but I deserve it.
I fucked up. There is no doubt about that. I fell back into the old habit of
pushing him away when I really want to pull him close.
I’m in the studio of the Queen’s dressmaker, Jacqueline, and Gia is with me.
Jacqueline has gone into the back room to bring out my mother’s coronation
gown. Coming here was Gia’s idea. She reasoned that even though the
coronation wasn’t scheduled, I’ll eventually need a gown and might as well
begin the process now. I hope Gia is right. That I will avenge my mother’s
death, obtain her magic and be crowned queen. But with each passing day, I
fear this may not happen.
Jacqueline rolls a rack out with a beautiful white brocade gown on it. It’s
embellished with diamonds and other precious gems and looks very heavy.
I run my hand over the fabric and feel the sparks of magic that have
preserved the dress for two hundred years. The gown is beautiful and very
much my mother’s style, but it’s not mine. For a moment, I hope this is the
enchanted object, but there’s not nearly enough magic coming from it. I let
my hand drop.
“I was thinking I’d like to do something a little different,” I say to
Jacqueline.
“Très bien. What did you have in mind?“ Jacqueline adjusts a tape measure
around her neck, her French accent adding to her artistic but efficient aura.
“I’d like my coronation gown to be green, the same color green as the
forests and meadows of Avalon,” I reply. It doesn’t hurt that green is also
Ash’s favorite color.
“What about an embroidered design along the bottom, to represent the hills
and valleys?” Gia asks, immediately understanding my vision.
“That’s a great idea,” I say. “It can be a full ball gown, but I want a high slit
on the side, and it should be as lightweight as possible.”
“What about the neckline? The décolleté?“ Jacqueline asks as she takes
some stick pins from a sewing kit and pins them into her blouse.
“Off one shoulder with a deep V in the back to display my back tattoo,“ I
say.
“Remove your chemise, s’il vous plait. Show me this tattoo. I need to see
and measure.“ Jacqueline orders, and I obey without complaint. You don’t
argue with a French dressmaker.
After I whip off my T-shirt, I turn around so Jacqueline can see Ash’s mark
on me. Ash’s mark.
“C’est beau!“ Jacqueline exclaims before telling me to undress down to my
underwear and stand on a small circular stage. Then she drapes me in soft
white fabric. She gathers the fabric here and there, pinning it in place until
it resembles the shape of the gown I described. Then I carefully step out of
the mocked-up dress, and Jacqueline takes my measurements, calling them
out for Gia to write down.
While Jacqueline measures me, I stand very still with my arms stretched out
to the sides and think about Ash and all the cautions Dardanus has given me
about him.
That the marking ritual was for Ash’s benefit and wasn’t something I
necessarily needed. That may be true, but I wanted that marking and don’t
regret it.
That Ash was jealous of me being queen of my court before he became king
of his. This doesn’t ring true for me at all. In North Carolina, at the meeting
with my leaders, he’d had my back and let me do all the talking. It was a
show of solidarity and support.
That Ash and I were too young to know what real love is and that I should
be prepared for him to have affairs. I know that I’m endlessly in love with
him and he’s proven himself to be loyal and honorable. If anything, maybe
I’ll be the one to mess up. Not by being unfaithful, but by being
emotionally unavailable. Like my mother.
Fuck! The truth doesn’t just hurt—it’s excruciating.
When Jacqueline lets me know I’m free to get dressed, I hop down off the
little stage and race to my phone. I try calling Ash again, but he doesn’t
pick up.
Dardanus planted seeds of doubt about Ash in my mind, but I’m the one
that let them grow. Maybe Dardanus was trying to protect me from getting
hurt or maybe he was trying to drive a wedge between us for some reason.
But no matter what Dardanus’s motivations were, I only have myself to
blame for not trusting Ash, for losing faith in what we have.
In hopes of convincing him to talk to me so I can apologize properly, I send
Ash a text.
Me: Please talk to me. Give me a chance to apologize and make it right.
Please give me a chance to explain.
I momentarily consider jumping Earthside and getting in his face. But I
don’t. He’s made it clear he wants space. I’m going to have to respect that,
even if it kills me. Kind of like how Ash respected my need for time before
getting to know Archer.
Double fuck!
After I get dressed, Gia and I head down to the dungeon for a visit with
Stewart where we tell him all about the coronation gown. He thinks it
sounds “wonderful” and suggests that even if I’m not wearing my mother’s
gown, I may still want to wear her coronation crown. Stewart tells me it
was never a particular favorite of the Queen’s because of the delicate
design. She preferred crowns that had more heft to them. Stewart also lets
us know the coronation crown is in the second bank vault, in drawer fifty-
three.
Stew and I make eye contact, and it’s as if we have the exact same thought
at the exact same time. The coronation crown is the bespelled object.
“The crown,” Stewart shouts.
“Yes,” I shout back. “Gotta go, Stew.”
“Good luck, Your Majesty.” Stewart beams a smile at me.
“Thank you!” I yell over my shoulder as Gia and I hotfoot it to the bank
vaults. Once in front of the second vault, I dance from foot to foot, eagerly
waiting for the Gorm captain to swipe the key card and open the heavy
metal door separating me from my mother’s power.
The door swings slowly open and is only partially ajar when I squeeze
inside, followed closely by Gia. I scan the drawers, reading the numbers.
“Got it! Fifty-three,” Gia exclaims.
I pull on the drawer. It’s locked. I turn to call a guard and find one right
behind me, key card in hand. I step out of his way, and he inserts the card
into the drawer. When the light on the drawer changes from red to green, he
pulls out the key card and leaves the vault.
This is it. The search is over.
I slowly pull out the drawer and see a shimmering crown of diamonds and
perfect round pearls of different sizes. The crown is about five inches tall in
the center and is made of gold, exquisitely woven into an intricate pattern.
It’s stunning. I reach my hand out to touch it and . . . nothing.
There is no magic.
None at all.
I sink to my knees.
Gia puts her hand on my shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”
I quickly stand back up. Accepting Gia’s comfort would crack me open like
an egg, and all my ugly fears and failures would spill out. I can’t find my
mother’s power, which means I can’t hold her territory when I promised my
leaders I could. I can’t hold her seat on the Council of Seven, and I’ll never
be the strong ruler she was. I can’t even keep a marriage together when I’m
Ash’s marked, fated mate.
I have to find a way to make all of this right.
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After the disappointment of the coronation crown not being the spelled
object, I sit in my office trying to busy my mind with work. I review
financial reports from my businesses and consider the death warrants that
still need signing.
A shiver runs down my spine. The stable boys would say it’s the sensation
of someone walking on your grave. Then my back tattoo burns as if I’ve
spent too much time in the sun. It’s never done that before.
My phone rings and it’s a call from Ash. I want to speak with him so badly,
but I don’t answer the call. Instead, I stand up and put one foot in front of
the other to walk away from my desk. It’s as if an external force is in
control of my body. What’s happening?
I’d dissociated—forgot who I was—when I heard the Queen had died. But
this doesn’t feel like that. My mind knows what it wants to do, but my body
is doing something completely different. When I open my mouth to call out
for Ben and my guard, my lips clamp shut. I try to find my power but can’t
locate it. It’s been snuffed out by whatever is overtaking me.
I blink, and find myself outside on a flat-roofed section of the castle. Even
though it’s midday, it’s dark out. Heavy gray clouds roll across the gloomy
sky, and a light rain is falling. In front of me, there’s a stone staircase to the
top of the tallest turret. As I climb the slippery limestone steps, I wonder
what I’m doing here. When I reach the top, I look around at Avalon’s lush
hills, dales, meadows and forests.
I feel the shiver sensation once again, and watch as a swirl of a gold glitter-
like substance leaves my body and Dardanus materializes right before my
eyes.
His wavy brown hair is blowing in the breeze, and he’s wearing an old-
fashioned tunic and battle armor, similar to what Zeus wore the day we met
at the base of Mount Olympus.
As my body starts to respond as it should, all of the pieces fall into place.
“Is this what you did to Stewart? Took over his body and forced him to kill
the Queen?” I ask, almost too stunned to form a coherent thought.
“You finally figured it out.” Dardanus laughs heartily.
“You’re behind the attacks on my Earthside territory. And the attempted
murder of my leader, Tripp Fisher.”
“Yes, to all of it. And it all worked perfectly. The attacks drew your
husband away. He was suspicious of me from the start. I had to get rid of
him but couldn’t take him head on. Then I slowly poisoned your mind
against him. Suspicion and doubt can be just as lethal as any venom.”
Dardanus’s face grows deadly serious. “It’s time for me to take over as ruler
of Avalon.”
“Take over?” I ask, not wanting to believe what he’s saying.
“Avalon should be mine. I’m entitled to it. Your mother never should have
banished me. By rights, her power, her entire empire should fall to me. I’m
the king and rightful ruler.”
He’s going to kill me. Then I remember the microchip in my shoulder. I
have to keep him talking until the next data send. The Gorm will see my
location and come to investigate. “Why do you never say my mother’s
name?”
“Names have power. Saying her name might give her a beacon to find her
way back here from the great beyond. There’s no room for both of us here.”
“What about me?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“There isn’t room for you here, either. You’re in my way, I’m afraid.”
“I thought you cared about me. You said you loved me.” I search his face
for even the slightest hint of guilt or shame. It’s not there.
Dardanus rubs a hand over his beard. “The love of a god is fickle. It burns
bright but never lasts.”
“What do you plan to do? Kill me? You’ll never get away with it,” I shout
above the falling rain.
“I will. Everyone knows you’re overwhelmed trying to fill your mother’s
shoes. You’re drowning in self-doubt. And now your marriage is crumbling.
You’re distraught. I’ll make it look like a suicide.”
Looking down at the cobblestones a hundred feet below, I envision my
broken body lying there like a child’s discarded toy. “I made you an
important part of my life, my court.”
“I don’t want to be a part of your court. I want to rule it. My father is a
great ruler, and I deserve to have the same. My name will be as well known
as his throughout the planes. No, more so.”
The fantasy is like a lit flame in my father’s gleaming blue eyes. He’s
completely lost in his delusions. “Let me go, and keep Avalon for yourself,”
I say. If I can fool him into thinking I’ll give him what he wants, I’ll live to
fight another day.
“I can’t let you go,” Dardanus says. “The Council of Seven will never allow
me to rule if you’re still alive. No, you have to die.”
“Why didn’t you throw me off the castle while you were still controlling
my body?” I have to keep the conversation going as long as I can.
“Because I didn’t know what would happen to me.”
I take a few steps back from Dardanus and pull my power to me. Now that
he’s no longer controlling me, I can wield it. Throwing up my hands, I
shoot streams of energy at him to knock him off the roof or injure him, but
he uses his armor to deflect them with ease. I continue to blast him with my
magic but am not doing any real damage. As a demigod, he’s quicker and
stronger than I am and his armor must have been fashioned on the plane of
the Greek gods.
“There’s no point in fighting. You won’t defeat me. I can do this all day and
I can already feel your power starting to wane. Give up.” Dardanus’s words
are taunting and cruel.
“You don’t know me very well if you think I’ll ever give up. I’ll fight you
to the very end.” But he’s right. My power is starting to fade and right along
with my chances of getting out of this alive.
“Nina, what the fuck are you doing up there?” Ben yells from the flat roof
below. He’s accompanied by Sofie and my guards.
Dardanus grabs me by the throat and hauls me up against his chest. “Don’t
take another step, or I’ll snap her neck.”
I claw at the hand clamped tightly around my neck, trying to break his hold.
If Dardanus follows through on his threat, I’ll go to my grave without
apologizing to Ash. I need to make amends with him.
In my head, I look for the mate bond, the suspension bridge connecting me
to Ash and Archer. The entry to the bridge is covered with overgrown thorn
bushes that rip at the flesh of my legs and arms as I break through them.
Running across the bridge, I hear the boards break behind me and fall into
the gray mist rising out of the cavern yawning below. I may not get the
chance to say this in person, but need to tell you both something. Ash, I’m
so sorry for not trusting you, for pushing you away. And Archer, I’m so very
sorry for never giving you a chance. Please forgive me.
There’s no response from either of them.
In reality, Dardanus strengthens his grip on my neck, reducing my oxygen
intake to almost nothing. It reminds me of my recent anxiety attacks.
Closing my eyes, I fight through the panic.
Back in my mind, I stumble on the suspension bridge. Ash, Archer, please
say you forgive me. I made so many mistakes. The pain and fear of not
being able to breathe is almost too much.
Still no response.
Scrambling across the bridge, I’m barely staying ahead of the falling
boards. My lungs are burning from lack of oxygen, and dark spots fill my
vision. I reach the other side of the abyss and wrap my fingers over the edge
of the cold stone as the bridge falls from under me.
We’re coming, Seraphina. Hold on. Archer’s voice fills my head, renewing
my spirit.
I open my eyes. Dardanus is holding me up in the air above his head, the
pouring rain pounding down on us. My body is dangling from his hand like
a rag doll and his grip is a vise around my neck. Then I look down and see
it.
My mother’s dagger.
The bespelled object.
It’s hanging around his neck on a gold chain.
Since my mother died, I’ve been acting as her successor because I thought
that would make her proud of me.
But in this moment, I realize ruling is much more than simply my birthright
or destiny.
It’s my duty.
I swore to protect Avalon and its territories with my life and that’s what I’m
going to do. Protect my people from the tyranny of a mad king—a king who
would kill his own wife and child to steal the crown.
I fully embrace who I am now.
Avalon’s queen.
Pulling hard on my magic, it zings through me as if I’ve grabbed a live
wire. Using the rain as a conduit, I call the dagger to me as I have called my
mother’s power to me in the past.
The dagger leaps from Dardanus’s tunic, breaking the chain, and lands in
the palm of my outstretched hand.
“No,” Dardanus bellows, spittle flying from his lips.
Gripping the dagger tightly, I feel my mother’s power unlock, but it doesn’t
enter me. Instead, the energy surrounds me like a force field, forcing
Dardanus to release his hold on my throat. Falling with the dagger clenched
in both hands, I plunge it into Dardanus’s heart.
With the dagger buried to the hilt in his chest, Dardanus howls in rage. He
wraps both of his big hands around my neck and squeezes.
Something pops.
He flings me off him and I sail through the air, watching the light of life die
in his eyes. My toes scrape the ledge of the turret on my way over it and
then I’m weightless.
Time stops as I fall.
I register Ash running along a parapet wall on the roof of the castle and then
jump off the edge. He shifts to his dragon in midair and flies toward me.
His talons catch me just before my body smashes to the cobblestone
courtyard.
But it’s too late for me. My father’s final act in life was to kill me out of
spite.
I go inside my mind to the ruined suspension bridge and watch as my
fingertips slip off the stone, and I fall into the chasm where the gray mist
envelopes me.
 Chapter Twenty-three

F ROM MY VANTAGE POINT high in the air, I watch the scene below
me unfold. The rain has stopped, and my pain and fear of only a
moment ago are completely gone. Ash, in dragon form, gently lowers my
body to the ground. My head hangs at an odd angle. It looks as if I’ve just
been released from a noose and have suffered a hangman’s fracture. Ben
and Sofie rush over to me and kneel by my side, followed by more Gorm
than I can count.
Ash flies out of sight. Is my death too much for his dragon to bear?
Sofie gathers me into her arms while Ben carefully holds my head.
I look down to the turret where I killed my father and he killed me right
back. He’s lying on the roof with the dagger handle sticking out of his
chest. As I watch, he dematerializes into a pile of gold glitter with the
dagger lying in the center of it.
It could have all been so different. If only Dardanus hadn’t been a complete
narcissist willing to kill for power. If only I had not been so stubborn and
prideful, and had listened to Ash when he told me not to trust Dardanus.
Pride goeth before the fall. Literally, in this case.
Movement on the ground causes me to refocus on my broken body below.
Ash is running across the courtyard in human form, wearing his basketball
shorts and carrying something. Falling to his knees beside me, he places a
gold box on the ground. He opens the box and dips his hand inside. It
comes away with a thick golden substance dripping from it.
Sofie opens my mouth with a hand on my jaw, and Ash drips the honeylike
substance between my lips. Sofie massages my throat as Ash continues to
feed me the syrupy liquid.
Suddenly, I can feel Sofie’s gentle massage on the sides of my throat and
I’m moving through the air toward my body on the ground. Slowly at first
and then faster. My essence slams back inside my pain-racked and chaos-
filled body.
“It’s working, Ash!” Sofie exclaims. “Give her more.” Sofie’s hands work
diligently on my neck, while Ben supports my head. The viscous liquid Ash
drips into my mouth is luscious and exotic. And I can’t get it down fast
enough. In my haste, I cough and sputter, but the pain that racks my body is
quickly receding. The thick liquid coats the inside of my mouth and throat,
and it warms my chest and belly as if I’ve taken a sip of hot tea.
“More?” Ash barks.
“Let’s give it a second. The ambrosia is doing its job. She’s coming
around.” Sofie stops massaging my neck and lies me on the cobblestones.
Ben’s hands continue to brace my head even when I’m flat on my back. My
neck releases a series of small cracks as if a chiropractor were adjusting it.
“Just a bit more, Ash,” Sofie directs.
“Open up, Nina. A little more.” Ash puts his fingers against my lips. I open
my mouth to eagerly lick and suck the delicious ambrosia off his fingers. I
see why it’s the food of the gods.
When Ash pulls his hand away, I lie there for a few minutes, taking stock of
myself. I experimentally turn my head from side to side and wiggle my
fingers and toes. Then I roll over to my side. I catch my breath there for a
second before pushing myself up to a seated position to look at Ash.
We stare into each other’s eyes for several heartbeats.
“You came,” I whisper.
“You called,” he replies softly.
“You caught me.”
Ash rests his forehead on mine. “I’ll always be there to catch you,
Princess.”
“Let’s take her inside. I want to examine her properly.” Sofie’s in full-
blown doctor mode.
Ash lifts me from the ground, and I wrap my arms around his neck. He
stands up, and I tuck my nose under his chin and breathe in his scent as he
carries me toward the castle.
When Ash stops walking, I look to see why. Zeus is standing between us
and the castle, about fifty feet away, his electric blue eyes piercing me.
Today, he’s dressed in the traditional long white one-shouldered robe of the
Greek gods.
“You killed my son. You killed Dardanus.” Zeus’s voice is neutral, but his
eyes are as sharp as a hawk’s.
“I did. It was self-defense. He tried to kill me. If it wasn’t for the ambrosia
you gave me, he would have succeeded.” I have no trouble holding Zeus’s
gaze.
“That’s why I gave it to you. I know my son. I knew one day he would
make a move against your mother and you. And I was right. Dardanus once
had a kingdom to rule with his twin brother. Instead of living and ruling
together, Dardanus chose to kill his own brother so he could rule alone. He
was always terribly selfish. I banished him for the slaying. Dardanus took
my son away from me without permission. No one takes something of mine
away.”
“If you wanted to help me, why didn’t you warn me about Dardanus when
we met at the base of Mount Olympus?” I ask.
“You did get a warning. Don’t you remember the kraken? The sighting of a
kraken foretells death and regeneration. Your mother must have sent it. It’s
not my job to smooth the way for my grandchildren. I have far too many,
for starters.” Zeus has the audacity to chuckle.
The thought of my mother sending the kraken to help me warms my insides
with gratitude. “Then why did you bother to give me the ambrosia?” I ask,
tired of Zeus’s egomania.
“Because I felt like it.” Zeus looks taken aback that I would question him.
“I like to tip the scales just a little to one side or the other, and see what
happens.”
“Why are you here?” Ash demands, his muscles broadening and hardening
around me as he holds me in his arms.
“There’s no need for hostility. You dragons are always so quick to attack.
I’ve come to collect the power my son left behind. It belongs to me.” Zeus
lifts his hand and the gold glitter that was once Dardanus flies from the roof
of the castle into the palm of his hand. Once it’s all collected there, Zeus
squeezes his large fist, the muscles of his forearm bulging. When he
reopens his hand, there’s nothing there.
Then my mother’s dagger drifts down to land in Zeus’s hand. “Maybe I’ll
take this, too. As payment for Dardanus’s death.” His eyes dare me to defy
him.
I’ve had enough of the maneuvering and schemes of gods and demigods to
last a lifetime. But I also know I can’t beat Zeus alone.
Opening the damaged mate bond, I call out, I need a distraction.
Done, Archer answers with a growl.
Ash sets me on my feet.
“That dagger belongs to me.” I meet Zeus’s challenge with unwavering
determination.
Ash advances on Zeus and shifts into his dragon without missing a step.
The smoky power radiating off him ripples and clouds the air, filling my
lungs. Standing at his full dragon height, Archer’s ancient voice thunders
across the courtyard, “You may have defeated Typhon, but you will not
defeat me. Typhon shared the secret of where he failed with our dragon
elders. I will not make the same mistake.” Archer flaps his wings and
executes a perfect vertical liftoff. He circles Zeus overhead, and without
warning, blows a wide line of red and blue fire at him.
At the same time, I use my power to knock the dagger out of Zeus’s hand
just as he starts to dematerialize. Zeus disappears into haze just before
Archer’s flames reach him.
When Archer extinguishes his dragon fire, my dagger lies on the scorched
cobblestones, looking unharmed but hot to the touch.
“I like you two. We’ll play again someday.” Zeus’s voice echoes around us.
Everything is a game when you’re a god.
“Nina, I want you inside. Now.” Sofie walks up to me, carrying the heavy
gold box of ambrosia with two hands.
“Can you bring in my dagger when it cools down?” I ask the nearest Gorm
captain and then watch as my dragon husband touches down on the ground.
“Come on, Nina. I’ll carry you.” Ben puts a hand on my back.
“Ben, I can walk.”
“You had a broken neck three minutes ago. I had to hold your head up. Let
me be gallant for a little while longer,” Ben says.
When Ben lifts me up into his arms, Archer swings his head toward us and
fixes Ben with a golden stare. “Don’t worry, big brother, I won’t even try to
touch her side boob.” Ben gives Archer a shit-eating grin.
Fucking Ben!
 Chapter Twenty-four

I ’M LYING ON SOFIE’S examination table as she runs test after test on

me. Ash, Gia and Kat are also here but stay out of the way as Sofie
works. While I wait for her to confirm what I already know, that I’m fully
functional, I recount the entire story, starting with Dardanus controlling me
and the burning of my back tattoo.
“That’s when I knew something was wrong,” Ash says. My tattoo started to
burn, too. I think our mate bond was trying to alert us that something was
messing with your essence. That your body had been taken over by a
foreign magic. As soon as I felt it, I jumped to Avalon, but I didn’t check to
see how much gas I had in the tank first. I’ve been doing so much Earthside
jumping, I was low on power, almost on empty. I got stuck in the ether and
couldn’t call any clan magic to me. That’s why it took me so long to get
here. I could feel how much pain you were in, Princess, but I couldn’t reach
you. When I saw you falling . . .”
“You got here in time, Ash. You saved me.” I reach out my hand to him.
Ash comes to my bedside and takes my hand in his. “No, Nina. You saved
yourself. You found your mother’s magic and killed Dardanus.”
“I was dying, Ash. My essence was outside my body. If you hadn’t
remembered the ambrosia, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Sofie would never have allowed you to die.” Ash looks from me to Sofie.
“She would’ve pulled off a medical miracle.”
“Oh, for the love of Poseidon’s trident, enough of the lovefest. You’re both
heroes. You’re a team.” Kat shakes her head at us and throws her hands up
in the air.
“We need to release Stewart,” I say. “Having experienced it myself, I know
Stewart never stood a chance against Dardanus’s magic. When Dardanus
had control of my body, I was powerless to fight him, even though my mind
knew that what was happening wasn’t right.”
“He must have gotten that ability from Zeus,” Gia says. “Zeus is known for
using dematerialization to slip undetected in and out of places. That must be
how Dardanus passed through the magic firewall around Avalon and the
reason there was no trace of his magic on Stewart.”
“I’ll have Stewart released right away. We’ll have to release Thane as well.”
Ash steps out of the exam room to instruct the guard.
I sit up on the exam table and look at each of my friends. “I want to
apologize to you all for being such a bitch since the Queen died. I tried to
handle everything on my own when I should have asked for help.”
Kat’s eyes lock on mine. “You were sad, scared and stressed out. Anyone
could see that. But even so, you never gave up. It takes real strength to keep
going when things are difficult. You started ruling your mother’s kingdom
even without her power.”
Gia and Sofie nod in agreement.
“Thanks for not giving up on me. For always being there,” I say.
“That’s what friends do,” Sofie says.
“It’s too bad your father turned out to be a homicidal maniac, though.”
Gia’s never one to hold back.
“I thought he cared about me. I guess my heart wanted a relationship with
one of my parents so badly that it overrode my brain and any sense of self-
preservation. I didn’t want to see the truth,” I say.
“You got conned by a master con artist at a particularly vulnerable time.
Don’t forget, he hustled the Queen, too. If he could fool her, he could fool
anybody,” Kat says.
“I learned my lesson. Trust in the people who always have your back.” I
smile at my besties.
“And your neck,“ Gia says. “We’ll always be your warm place to fall.”
“Gia! Don’t be insensitive!” Sofie scolds.
“What? Too soon?” Gia giggles, and we all join in. It’s good to laugh.
Ash comes back into the room, and Sofie announces that everything checks
out. I’m in excellent health after my near-death experience, but she wants
me to rest.
Ash carries me back to our apartment, refusing to let me walk. After he
carries me across the threshold, he takes me to our bedroom and carefully
undresses me. He skims his fingertips over my entire body looking for any
outward signs of injury, even though Sofie has just finished examining me.
Then he gently pulls my hair away from my neck and inspects where it had
been bent at a very unattractive angle only a short time ago. He does all of
this with silent intensity, as if there are no words for what we’ve just been
through. When he’s satisfied, he kisses my neck, lowers my hair and helps
me put on a tank top and shorts.
When I’m dressed, he wraps his arms around me. “Princess, I should have
said this a long time ago. I—“
“Wait.” I use my fingertips to outline the tattoos on his chest and shoulders.
“I want to say something first.”
“I was trying not to smother you, but I almost lost you today. I—“
“I love you, Ash.” I should be the one to say it first. He’s already shown me
his love in actions, if not words. “I love you so much sometimes it scares
me. I didn’t know I could feel like this about anyone.”
“I love you, too, Princess. I’ll love you until the end of time.”
Taking my face in his hands, he slowly lowers his mouth to mine and our
lips meet in a searing kiss, each of us branding the other with their love.
The kiss is tender and fierce at the same time—born from a magic bond that
has grown into so much more.
He’s mine and I’m his.
When our lips finally part, we stand silently breathing each other in for
several long moments. No more words needed.
“Let’s get you tucked into bed,” Ash finally says.
I get into bed and settle among the pillows.
“Are you hungry?” he asks
“No, I’m good. I filled up on ambrosia.” Ash doesn’t seem particularly
amused by my attempt at humor.
“You should eat something. I’ll order you some chicken soup.” His take-
charge nature is never far away.
He reminds me of Mari, trying to feed me back to health when there’s no
need. It’s the way Mountcastles show love. What am I going to do with
him? Let him have his way. Today. “Soup sounds good. And an apple. An
apple a day keeps the doctor away. I don’t want to see Sofie in an official
capacity again anytime soon.”
“What’s this about not wanting to see me?” Sofie walks into our bedroom,
followed by Kat and Gia. They’re wearing comfy sweats and carrying
pillows under their arms.
“What’s going on?” Ash asks my friends.
“I think we’re being invaded,” I say. “Look on the bright side, Ash. You’re
going to get a behind-the-scenes look at what happens at a slumber party.”
When realization dawns, and Ash understands they intend to stay the night,
he gives them a less-than-pleased look.
“I need to be with her, Ash. Make sure she’s okay.” Sofie stares
unapologetically up into Ash’s face, her hands on her hips and her pillow in
the crook of her arm.
“We almost lost her, too,” Kat says, tossing her pillows into a nearby chair.
Gia hops into bed with me and snuggles under the blankets. “Don’t mind
me, Ash. I’m small. You’ll hardly even know I’m here.” She gives him a
wink and a grin.
I give Ash a what-are-you-gonna-do look. “They love me, too.”
Knowing he’s outnumbered and has no chance, Ash picks up his phone and
calls housekeeping to order two additional queen-sized beds for our room
and some soup for me.
How could I have thought for a second I didn’t have a family? These people
are my family, along with Max, Luke, Ben and the rest of the Mountcastles.
This is my clan, and I’m so lucky to have them.
Thinking about all the people I love and who love me, an ache begins deep
in my chest. Am I somehow being overtaken again? No. Am I more injured
than I thought? No, that’s not it, either. It’s a swell of gratitude for the
family I have mixed with grief for the family I’ve lost. My eyes fill with
tears, and for the first time in my life, I let the tears fall freely.
I cry. Out loud.
And once I start, I can’t stop.
I cry for my mother who was killed by my father in a senseless act of greed.
Both of them lost to me now.
I cry for the parent-child relationship that I’ve craved my entire life and will
never have.
As I’m racked by ugly sobs, Ash pulls me into his arms and holds me
tightly against his strong chest, his hand cradling the back of my head. The
girls crowd onto the bed with us and gently caress my arms and my back.
With their help I’m able to let the pain go.
I didn’t realize how much pain my conflicted relationship with my mother
and non-existent relationship with my father was causing me until it was
gone. And how the longer I carried the pain around, the heavier it had
become. That the weight of it had influenced my decisions and the mistakes
I’ve made.
I’m free to focus on the future.
 image-
placeholder

The next morning, I kick the girls out of our apartment. “I love you all. But
it’s time for you to go. We’ll talk later.”
When Ash and I are alone, I look at the dagger that contains my mother’s
magic. The Gorm delivered it last night after my crying jag. “Maybe I
should try to absorb her power again.” I pick up the dagger, and her magic
slides over me, but like yesterday, it sits on the surface of my skin. “Do you
think the magic needs a little of my blood?”
“It’s a good idea. Worth a try. She stored it in a dagger, after all,” Ash says.
I draw the blade across my palm. When the blood wells, I take the hilt of
the dagger in my bloody grip. “It’s not working.” I glance up at Ash.
We both know what’s at stake and that I have to unlock and absorb this
power. Besides not being able to hold my territory or join the Council of
Seven, there’s also the danger that the magic could fall into the wrong
hands again or even become unstable.
Then I remember something Ash and Dardanus have both said to me—
names have power. “My mother, my Queen, Lady of the Lake, Nimue,
please release your power to me.”
The force field of magic surrounding me dissipates into a fine mist and
passes through my skin like osmosis. The mist is absorbed by the cells of
my body, nourishing them and making them stronger. It isn’t painful, but
there’s pressure as my cells take in and find a place for all the new magic.
“Nina, are you all right?” Ash asks.
The magic takes up residence within me, and the difference in power is
astonishing. It’s like going from pedaling a ten-speed to driving a Bugatti
supercar. “It’s a lot. I’m not sure I can wield it.”
“Show me,” Ash says.
“I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours. With all the Earthside jumping
you’ve been doing, I think you have more magic than you’ve been letting
on this whole time.”
“As a dragon, I was raised never to show how much power I have or have
access to. We don’t like to flex. Too showy.” Ash smirks at me.
“Damn secretive shifters.” I smile back at him. Then I turn inward and open
the tap on my power and allow it to flow into the room. It moves around us,
and Ash takes a step back and smiles broadly at me. “Wow.”
“Show me yours now,” I say.
Without breaking eye contact with me, Ash releases his dragon power, and
it swirls into the room, mingling with mine.
I attempt to show off and subdue his power. Then I feel him pushing firmly
back on me. We’re engaged in a metaphysical arm-wrestling match to see
who’s the strongest. “You have been holding out on me. I didn’t know you
had this much magic.“ My muscles tense, and my brow beads with
perspiration in the exertion of trying to outdo him.
“I, like you, have access to generational power. I don’t walk around with it
all the time, but I can get it whenever I want it. Shall we call it a draw?”
A draw. We’re equal. “Yes, I think so. Now that I have absorbed my
mother’s magic, we should go visit my Earthside leaders. Tell them the
whole story in person. Explain that Dardanus was behind all the vandalism
and the attack on Tripp.”
“Good idea. Transparency is always valued in a ruler. But not today. You
need more rest.”
“You’re worse than Sofie,” I mutter under my breath and then see the
upside of staying put. Sparring with Ash is one of my favorite things to do
and never fails to get my blood pumping. But my absolute favorite thing is
getting naked with him. I take off my tank top and push my sleep shorts
down past my hips, letting them fall to the floor. Without a word, I step
right into his breathing space, knowing he can scent my arousal. “I’ll go
back to bed if you’ll come with me?”
Ash inhales deeply. “Ask me using the mate bond.” He taps a finger against
my temple. “You’ve been holding out on me, too. Not sharing your thoughts
and feelings. That has to change. Right now. I want all of you. Even the
stuff you don’t want to show me.”
It’s time for me to bare myself to him—not just my body, but my mind, too.
I go to the suspension bridge in my head that represents our bond. The
ropes are still there but the planks are gone. I have to rebuild it.
Standing there, naked, I stare into Ash’s eyes as I replace the planks in my
mind, step by step, making my way across the bridge.
Seraphina, what are you doing? Archer’s smoky voice breezes through my
mind.
Fixing what I broke, what I didn’t take care of, I reply.
Be brave. Trust him. He won’t let you down, Archer says.
Opening the mate bond fully, I allow Ash to see all of me, inside and out.
Even though I let go of the pain about my parents, it’s not all rainbows and
sunshine. Although I trust him, I’m still a jealous Scorpio with
abandonment issues. And I have a fear of failure, despite being the type to
leap before I look. But the biggest shadow in my mind is the worry that I’ll
never be able to have a baby. What can I say? I’m a work in progress, and
it’s scary to be so exposed. I want to be in Ash’s arms and think about
kissing him, but hesitate, my vulnerability holding me back.
“What are you waiting for?” Ash glides the back of his hand down the
length of my arm.
I go up on my tiptoes and press a kiss to his full, soft lips. His arms
instantly come around me as he angles his head to the side, deepening the
kiss. I put my hands up the back of his T-shirt and pull him closer. “I want
you to make love to me.”
“Use the mate bond to show me what you want.” Ash kisses me on the
sensitive skin behind my ear. “Do it, Princess.”
I leave his embrace and cross the room to the bed. Getting onto the bed, I
lie on my back with my knees bent and legs crossed so he can’t see what’s
between them, then I cover my breasts with my hands. As I lie there like a
sculpture, I show him in my mind exactly what I want him to do with me.
I look up into Ash’s face, and his eyes flash yellow for just an instant. If I
hadn’t known to look for it, I would have missed Archer pulling back. He’s
giving me the illusion of being alone with Ash, the illusion of privacy,
which I appreciate, for now. I close the mate bond and open my arms and
legs, and see Ash’s hazel eyes cloud with desire. “Show and tell is over,
Ash. We have another game to play.”
 Chapter Twenty-five

S UNLIGHT PEEKS THROUGH THE curtains of our bedroom,

heralding the arrival of my coronation day. A full month has passed
since my mother was murdered. Now that Dardanus is dead and justice is
served, it’s time to move forward and celebrate happier times. Life has to go
on.
I hop out of bed, dash to the bathroom to grab a shower, then go to the
dressing room and throw on some sweats. When I come back into the
bedroom, Ash is yawning and stretching sleepily in bed.
“Where’s the fire, Princess?” Ash props his head up on his hand.
“I’m going to get ready for the coronation in the ballroom’s antechamber. I
don’t want you to see me before the ceremony.” I wind my hair up into a
messy bun.
“Isn’t that a wedding tradition?” he asks.
“Yes, but this is an important day, too. I think it still holds.” I grab my
phone off my nightstand.
Ash pats my side of the bed. “Why don’t you come back here? Just for a
minute.”
“A minute? Yeah, right. I know exactly where that will lead, and I’ll be late
for my own coronation.”
“It’ll be a quickie.”
“It’s never a quickie with you,” I call over my shoulder as I skip out of our
bedroom.
Ash grumbles something unintelligible as I leave for the small room off the
ballroom, where the girls meet me. True friends stick with you through the
hard times and celebrate with you during the good times. And I have the
truest friends of all.
Three hours later, we’re all primped, pampered and ready to go. Gone is the
heavy, dark eye makeup and red lipstick that was never really me. I’ve
returned to my lighter, more natural look.
My gown is a masterpiece. Jacqueline outdid herself. She found a
lightweight silk that is the exact shade of Avalon’s abundant greenery, and
the embroidery along the bottom beautifully depicts its rolling landscape.
The one-shoulder bodice is fitted and makes my boobs look bigger than
they are. The back dips low, all the way to my Venus dimples, and shows
off my back tattoo.
The girls, in their own spectacular gowns, give me a hug before making
their way to the ballroom.
“We’ll see you out there,” Kat says as Sofie gives me a proud smile.
“In a few minutes, you’re going to officially be a queen,” Gia squeals as
they all depart.
I open the mate bond and call to Ash, “I need you.”
Thirty seconds later, Ash bursts through the door. His tuxedo jacket is open
and flapping out behind him. “What’s wrong?” His eyes scan the room as
he skids to a stop.
“Nothing’s wrong. I just missed you.”
Ash straightens his jacket. There’s a you’re-going-to-be-the-death-of-me
expression on his movie-star handsome face. Then his eyes widen as he
takes me in. “Turn around so I can see all of you.”
I do a slow spin so he can see how his mark is featured by the gown.
“You’re beyond beautiful,” he says in a low voice when I’m facing him
again.
“I love you, Ashton.”
“I love you more, Seraphina.”
This is one competition I’ll happily let him win. “Actually, I did want to ask
you something.” I saunter toward him until I’m within touching distance.
Then holding his eyes, I part my gown at the slit in the side and push the
skirt behind me as I drop to my knees in front of him.
“What’s this?” he asks.
“Ashton Reginald Archibald Mountcastle, will you be my king? Will you
rule Avalon beside me for all of my days?” I ask, infusing my voice with all
the love and trust in my heart. We’d talked about him being my king, but I
hadn’t officially asked him on bended knee.
“I would be honored to, my queen.” Ash extends a hand to help me to my
feet, but I have other plans.
Looking up at him through my lashes, I undo the closure of his tuxedo
pants. “Queen is a work title. I’ll always be your Princess.” I pull his tuxedo
pants and black microfiber boxers down his hips until his cock springs free.
Ash cups the side of my face with his hand. “You have ten thousand people
in the ballroom next door waiting for you.”
“Let them wait. They can’t start without me, and I’m anointing my king. He
gave me blanket consent a while back, and I intend to take advantage of it.”
I take Ash into my mouth and watch his eyes close and his head drop back.
“I know there are a million reasons we should not be doing this, but right
now, I can’t think of a single one.” Ash interlaces his fingers behind his
head.
I worship his dick until we’re both on edge, my excitement building
alongside his, my desire growing by feeding his. Then Ash takes me by the
shoulders and pulls me up. “Enough. I don’t want to finish in your mouth.”
“Where do you want to finish,” I ask coyly.
He opens the mate bond and shows me.
“Before we go any further, I should tell you, I’m off birth control.”
His mouth finds mine in a fevered kiss as he picks me up. I wrap my legs
around his waist, my gown flowing out behind me, and tug my thong out of
the way so the head of his cock can find my entrance. Then I sink down on
him, and it’s my turn to close my eyes and drop my head back.
Bracing my hands on his broad shoulders, I clutch his hips with my knees
and use the strength of my legs to rise and fall on him. Ash’s hands at my
waist guide and support me as I savor how long and thick he is inside me.
“Although I’m not usually a fan, this does need to be quick. People are
going to start looking for you any minute.” Ash breathes in my ear.
“I’m close.” He’s so big I swear I can feel him in the back of my throat.
And it’s perfect.
I continue to move on him, giving and receiving pleasure, and then he tilts
his hips forward another inch. The angle change is just what I need. In short
order, there are shooting stars behind my eyelids, and I’m shaking as I come
undone. Then Ash bites his lower lip and shudders in release, his hands
flexing on my waist.
When our heart rates settle, Ash gives me a silly post-sex smile and lowers
me to the ground. Then he takes his pocket square out of the breast pocket
of his jacket and offers it to me. I use the handkerchief to clean up and then
toss it in the garbage. I rearrange my dress and check my hair and makeup
in the mirror. No real damage done. In fact, my eyes have an extra twinkle,
and my complexion is dewy and pink.
Ash takes my right hand in his, and then I pull my hand away a tiny bit, and
we both look down at the infinity symbol created by our tattoos. I’ve come
to realize that I don’t need to choose between clinging to Ash so I don’t
drown or swimming for shore alone. He’ll always be my port in the storm,
the lighthouse leading me safely home from whatever adventures await us.
Holding hands, we walk out to the ballroom to become Avalon’s king and
queen, and face our next set of challenges. There are already a number of
things on my to-do list.
Find Franco Rossi. His death warrant is waiting for my signature. If Franco
thinks for one minute he’s going to slip into obscurity without paying for
his crimes, he’s very much mistaken. I haven’t forgotten he almost killed
Ash.
Travel to foreign courts to cement alliances and play politics with other
rulers—friend or foe. As a matter of fact, we recently received a very
interesting invitation I plan to accept.
Fully embrace Archer as part of this marriage.
Make a baby with my husband—my most pleasurable priority.
But all of this can wait until tomorrow. Today is for celebrating. And maybe
a little more baby making.
 Epilogue

A COUPLE OF DAYS later, Ben and Ash sit across from me at the tea
table in front of the windows of my office, scrolling through the
professional photos from the coronation on Ben’s laptop and reliving the
coronation day.
Ash and I walked up the red carpet in the center of the ballroom, passing
ten thousand well-wishers on our way to Stewart, who was standing beside
a pedestal that displayed my crown on a green velvet pillow. Our friends,
my ladies in waiting and the knights of Avalon, were also at the end of the
aisle. Kat had requested a knighthood instead of being a lady, and I’d
happily obliged.
Once Ash and I were at the front, Stewart said a few words about my
mother’s reign and how proud she would have been to see this day. Then
with two hands, I lifted the diamond and pearl crown from the pillow and
placed it on my head. Once I crowned myself, which is traditional in my
court, I turned to Ash and placed the new ring I had commissioned on the
fourth finger of his left hand. I’d never gotten him a wedding band for our
binding, and this seemed like the right time. It’s a new tradition—the king is
married to the queen and Avalon. The heavy ring is made of Olympian gold
melted from the box that held the ambrosia that saved my life. The gold
reminds us everyday how precious life and love are.
After I slipped the ring on his finger, we turned to face the cheering crowd.
My twelve Earthside leaders stepped forward. Tripp was the first to swear
fealty to me and Ash, followed by Gabriel and Xavier and then the rest
followed suit. I was humbled by their loyalty.
All of Ash’s family was there, but my grandfather, Zeus, didn’t attend, and I
wasn’t a bit surprised. He did send a gift, though, an eagle—a symbol of
courage, strength and longevity. I didn’t think for a second the eagle was
supposed to represent his wishes for our rein. I’d bet my bottom dollar the
eagle represented what Zeus thought about himself. In my experience, gods
are vain and self-obsessed.
As we look at the photos, Ben stops the slideshow, goes back to an earlier
picture of him standing beside Ash, and then scrolls forward to Ash and me
walking down the aisle together. “Ha ha!” Ben points at the screen. “I knew
it.”
“Knew what?” I ask, looking at Ash to see whether he knows what the heck
Ben is talking about.
“Ash’s pocket square is missing. It’s in the earlier pictures, then
mysteriously disappears after he goes to see you. I bet Gia that you two
were doing the nasty while we all stood around twiddling our thumbs.”
Fucking Ben! “A missing pocket square doesn’t prove anything. I could
have used it to wipe lipstick off my teeth.”
“She totally rocked my universe, Ben. Go collect your money.” Ash grins at
his brother.
Ben gets up from the table and gives me a gloating smile.
“By the way, Ben, you’re fired. Stewart is coming back as my chief
secretary.” I know Ben will be happy to be relieved of babysitting duty.
“Thank the gods. You’re a taskmaster,” Ben says.
I throw my napkin at Ben, and he whistles while walking out of my office.
Then I cut my eyes to my king, “Ashton Mountcastle, gentlemen do not kiss
and tell.”
Ash yanks my chair toward him and then pulls me into his lap. “You’re
right. But I needed to get rid of Ben so I could do this.” Ash takes my face
in his hands and kisses me, sliding his tongue against mine.
My body’s reaction to him is instinctual, and with one touch, I’m melting
for him, desire burning through me. Before Ash, I thought I was hard to
love. Then he comes along and makes it look easy. I guess there is someone
for everyone.
“Seraphina, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am that I wasn’t able to
make your graduation party. I wanted more than anything to celebrate your
success.” My mother’s voice comes from the chair Ben recently vacated.
“What in the actual fuck!” I shout, turning in Ash’s lap to find my mother
sitting across the table from us. Well, her spirit, more accurately. She’s not
wispy like a cartoon ghost, but more like a hologram. She appears very
much like herself in a vintage Chanel suit, but her image flickers every once
in a while.
“I reside in the great beyond now,” my mother announces as if she’s telling
me she purchased a condo in Boca Raton instead of ascended to a higher
plane of existence. “It took me a little time to find my footing and figure out
the energy patterns so I could come back to you. I am sorry I was not there
for your special day.”
“A lot has happened since then. A lot,” I say, dumbfounded to see my
mother.
“Nina, who are you talking to?” Ash asks, and I remember I’m still sitting
in his lap.
“My mother. She’s right there.” I point across the table. “Can’t you see her?
Hear her voice?”
“No.” Ash places his palm on my forehead. “Are you feeling okay? You’ve
had a rough month.”
I swat his hand away. Males! I swear. I turn back to my mother. “My
coronation was a couple of days ago. I’m the queen now and have your
power.” I hope this news pleases her.
“I knew you’d be able to find the dagger and unlock the magic. Even with
no clues.” My mother’s voice is crisp and efficient, like always. “And I can
feel the power on you. It is leaking from your pores. You will have to work
on that.” She gives me her patented measuring stare.
“I’m starting to settle in as a queen. Get the hang of it.” My eyes are fixed
on the ethereal version of my mother.
“You still have a lot to learn.” She removes the small white gloves she’s
wearing and tucks them inside the purse dangling from her arm.
I raise my eyebrows at her. “The great beyond has not changed you one
bit.”
She nods her head in a touché motion. “What I mean is, you will learn there
are drawbacks to being queen. The downside of immense power is that
there will always be someone trying to take it from you. But you have a
strong king at your side. You have your ladies, knights and Earthside
leaders. You are well positioned to take on your inevitable challengers. As
queens, we each have to find our own path.”
I smile back at her, acknowledging her support of me doing things my way.
Then I drop a truth bomb. “Speaking of challengers, Dardanus came back to
Avalon.”
My mother clasps the double strand of pearls around her neck. “The
bastard.”
It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her cool demeanor slip. “Yes, he’s a bastard
that used Stewart to poison you and then tried to kill me.”
“Dardanus knew about my allergy. It was in the marriage contract. But I
never thought he would come for me in my own castle.” Her gray eyes are
hard. “What happened to him?”
“I killed him,” I say without regret. “Because you two were still legally
married, he thought if he got rid of me, he’d have a legitimate claim to the
throne.”
“I should have killed him a long time ago.”
“Why didn’t you?” I ask. “And why did you let me believe he was dead my
whole life?”
“It is a long story.” She sighs.
“I have time,” I reply, wanting answers.
She touches her fingertips to the pearls once again. “I was desperately in
love with him when we married. He had a magnetic personality and could
be very charming. Tell you exactly what you wanted to hear.”
“He told me your marriage was arranged,” I say.
“We were a love match. Or at least I thought we were. He broke my heart.
A part of me never got over him.”
“He told me about the dalliances.”
“He did have affairs, but that was not the worst of it. He tried to steal my
empire and make me a figurehead in my own court. He was jealous of me
and obsessed with power. He was fixated on being just like Zeus. When I
saw him for what he was, you were born, and I knew I could not allow him
to be around you. I did not kill him because I hoped one day he would
change. Grow up from a greedy little boy. That did not happen.”
Dardanus turned out to be guilty of all the things he accused Ash of doing.
My mother allowing Dardanus to live is surprising because it’s not like her
to leave loose ends. The old saying is true—love makes you do strange
things. “When I was born, did he name me?” I don’t know why the answer
to this question is important to me, but it is.
“No, I gave you your name. He had almost nothing to do with you. He was
not interested in being a father.” She folds her hands in her lap. “I know I
was not a perfect mother, but I did what I thought I had to do.”
There is a lot to unpack in her last sentence, but now isn’t the time.
“Dardanus found the bespelled dagger before I did, but I don’t know
where.”
“He probably found it in the mausoleum. Because the dagger was only a
temporary home, the magic most likely sought out the queens it had
previously resided in. That is my best guess.”
The dagger had been in the mausoleum that I hadn’t visited.
My mother looks at her diamond-encrusted watch. “I have to get back. I am
part of a committee of ruling delegates in the great beyond. There is no rest
for the wicked.”
I smile at this. While she’s not the type of mother who cooks your favorite
dinner or instigates long heart-to-hearts, I have to accept her for who she is.
With Ash’s love and support, I’m able to do that now. “Before you go, I
wanted to say that I miss you and would really like to see you again. I hope
you’ll come back and visit me.”
“I would like that very much, Seraphina. Very much,” she says and then
blinks out of the room.
I turn back to Ash and kiss him soundly. “Now, where were we?”
Continued in High Voltage.
 Thanks for reading!

Thank you for taking a chance on this book. I hope you loved reading Live
Wire as much as I loved writing it. Let me know what you think by leaving
a review. I read and really appreciate every single review!
Please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads or both!
Thank you! :)
 High Voltage

Queen's Court, Book 4

I F YOU ENJOYED Live Wire, check out High Voltage, the thrilling
conclusion of the Queen’s Court series.
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 Hear from Ash

Want to know what goes on inside the mind of a dragon shifter before he
claims his fated mate? Find out in Before the Beginning – Ashton’s Story.
This FREE download is a prequel to Power Hungry, Book 1 of The
Queen’s Court series and is available exclusively to my newsletter
subscribers. Join today to get Ash’s point of view.
Spoiler alert: When your dragon forces you to claim a pain-in-the-ass
princess as your fated mate...you fight it every step of the way.
Get it here: (https://BookHip.com/ZCKGCPH)

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 Acknowledgments

No one does it alone. There are so many people who helped to make this
book a reality.
Thank you to my editor, Maggie Morris for your thoughtful editing and
insightful feedback.
Thank you to my cover artist, Stephanie Saw for perfectly capturing Nina’s
vibe in a kickass cover.
Thank you to my proofreaders, Aislin Lynx and Megan Breininger for all
your cheerleading and confidence building.
A huge thank you to all of whose who read this book early. Much love even
though I can’t name you all here.
Extra special thanks to my husband and children who encourage me to
follow my dreams.
Also by Wanda Swan

The Queen’s Court (in reading order)

Power Hungry

Charged Up

Live Wire

High Voltage
 About the Author

Wanda Swan is an Amazon #1 best-selling author of romantic fantasy

where love and passion meet murder and mayhem. She pits imperfect
heroines against the odds where they must combat internal demons and
external chaos to find themselves, their perfect match, and their happily
ever after.
When she isn’t wreaking havoc for her characters, Wanda is hiking to keep
her butt firm, watching cooking shows even though she doesn’t cook or
daydreaming about fantastical new worlds.
She lives in small-town Ontario, Canada, with her husband, children and a
Boston Terrier who thinks she’s the queen of the castle.
 Find Wanda

You can find Wanda in all the usual places:

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