Page 37 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)

“I left for you, not because of you.” Her voice held a gentle tone.

“ Adela,” she said, referring to the Elder Guardian Everly had been gifted, “believed the Elders would try to kill you when you reentered our realm. They didn’t want to give up the control and power they’d garnered through the years.

While you were busy after the battle, Adela spoke to all but the Elders.

Together, along with the thunderbirds, we were able to subdue the Elders and kill those who wouldn’t submit.

It should have shamed me to kill them, Elias, but once I looked into their minds and saw what Adela feared was true, killing them became far too easy.

We were able to drive them out of our realm.

They’ve been living in the mountains in the human realm, in parks the humans named Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

We have scouts that monitor them, but they haven’t once tried to leave the mountains.

Maybe one day they will, and we’ll have a new war with the Elders, but for now, the human realm is as safe as it can be, and you’ve brought your people peace with the allies you’ve made.

Real peace, Elias. Not the peace the Elders fooled us into believing you had because of us. ”

But had I really brought us any closer to real peace? I doubted the missing fae, and their loved ones for that matter, would agree with that sentiment.

“The allies we’ve made are because of Alastor and Teddy,” I said. “I’ve done nothing but make a mess of everything. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be surprised if the lirio and nyxx stormed through our cities just to spite me.”

“Foolish as you are, I doubt even you have that kind of power.” She paused when I barked out a begrudging laugh. “At the compound, your refusal to help the injured lirio was due to your loyalty to your people. Even Alastor knows that.”

“How did you know about that?” Had Teddy told her, or had she seen it in my mind?

“You are the prince of Niev, soon to be her king. You yield to no one.” Her voice took on that haughty tone she used when she lectured me on my role as a royal. “Apologize to Alastor again, if you must, but as one leader to another.”

“How do you know all this?” I asked again.

“I haven’t been around. I haven’t spoken to you. But know, I never left you,” she answered. “Not truly. I heard you every time you called for me. I heard Teddy and little Victoria too. I couldn’t go to you, not until now.”

She circled the lake where most of the fae spent our three winter-less months every year. While my parents had rarely gone to the lake, my friends and I had purchased a spot right on the shore, where we built a cottage almost as big as the one Teddy and I lived in.

Blowing fire from her gaping mouth, she melted the snow in the open field. After circling the spot a few times, she landed with far more grace than a creature as large as her should.

I jumped off her back and rolled my eyes when she snarled at me.

“I didn’t injure myself,” I told her, patting my body down to show her. “Not even a twisted ankle.”

Smoke blew from her nostrils in response. I walked toward the shore with Nalari keeping pace beside me, and when I sat a few inches from the frozen lake, she settled down as well.

“What changed?” I asked. “Why were you able to come now?”

“It’s a long story,” she said. “If you want me to tell it to you, your prisoner will have to wait.”

“He can wait.”

I’d already paid him a visit before the younglings stirred this morning. I’d let him stew a little longer while he awaited my next arrival.

The heat from Nalari’s breath melted a small spot of ice along the shoreline.

“What you and your people believe about the shifter fae is not true,” she said. “ The shifter line did not die out. They are alive, Elias.”

I turned to her slowly, my brows raised and breath held as I waited for her to explain.

“While some died when the Elders and your parents set out to eradicate the mage line, even more fled through the veil that was still open at the time,” she went on.

“It turns out, the shifters had a close relationship with the mages and tried to convince them to go to the human realm with them. The mages knew their fate and refused to go, even those who’d been mated to shifters.

They did, however, keep the truth from your parents and the Elders regarding where the shifters had gone, not only keeping the shifters alive, but the children they’d borne with them. ”

“They went to the human realm?” I asked when she remained quiet.

“They’ve been living there this whole time?

” With offspring holding mage blood. I wondered what Teddy and Alastor would think of that information.

Wondered how the rest of the kingdom would react to such news, especially after I told the truth I still withheld.

How many more lies had my parents told?

“They found us shortly after the mage battle,” she said.

“They’ve been living in the same parks the Elders now call home.

Until recently, the shifters remained there for thousands of years, generation after generation, without being noticed.

Their population has grown to the point where they have several tribes throughout the parks.

They’re far apart from one another so as not to attract attention from hikers but close enough to help one another.

” Another pause. “They’re more than a community, but a family, and they decided to trust us and offer their assistance.

While you were bringing your fae home from the various regions, the shifters were sneaking into compounds and using the dragons’ magic.

We’ve been able to free several fae prisoners.

We’ve only been able to take a few at a time so the humans wouldn’t notice.

We allow the fae to decide who we take, whether it’s the sickest among the group or the strongest who can aid our attempts. ”

“You’ve been freeing my people?” I asked, unable to hide the wonder and shame from my voice, but she’d aided in the rescue of my people when I hadn’t even known they’d been abducted. The weight of that sat heavily on my chest. “Why didn’t you tell me? Where are they?”

“They’re living with us wherever we make camp,” she answered.

“Many times, I wanted to send them through the tear in Colina, but it remains heavily guarded. I didn’t want to chance the soldiers seeing them.

You warded your new tear well. Too well.

I couldn’t find it and I didn’t want to create a new tear.

“You have allies and an army at your disposal now,” she continued.

“Before I reached out to you, I established a connection with the shifters. Through your actions in saving your people and the allies you’ve made with the mage, lirio, and nyxx, they see you for the compassionate leader that you are.

While I’ve often thought your compassion and friendship were a weakness, it is your greatest strength. ”

I picked up a chunk of snow and threw it at the frozen lake. “Did they not see what I did at the first compound? How I refused one of my allies treatment?”

“I did not tell them of that.”

“You should,” I said, glaring at the reflection the sun cast over the frozen water. “Before they decide they want to align themselves with me in any way, they should know what I’m capable of.”

“One mistake does not make you a villain.” Another puff of white smoke blew from her nostrils.

Maybe not, but surely the many decisions I’d made since my father’s death did.

“The fae we have rescued have spoken about you to them. You have the shifters’ loyalty now.

Hundreds of dragons, shifters, and thunderbirds are at your disposal.

We have just under one hundred of your fae living among us.

They’re all ready to join you on your raids.

All the shifters ask is that civilian lives be spared, which you’ve already done. ”

She shifted to face me head-on, and Guardians, I’d missed these conversations, although she’d never praised me anywhere near as much as she was doing now. She huffed out a sound I recognized as her laugh.

“Are you ever not listening?” I joked.

She blinked her reptilian eyes. “Never.”

“While I appreciate the effort you’ve made, what do I need an army for? ”

I couldn’t imagine going into another battle so soon after the one we’d barely won against Leanora.

“The shifters desire to remain in the human realm and offer any humans who wish to live in peace their aid. We already have fifty shifters at the compound you rescued your fae from. They’ve established order and made the compound livable for all.

They plan to spread out and live in regions, just as we did when we first arrived in the human realm.

They’ll aid you in future rescues if you’ll leave the compounds and the people for them to care for. ”

“If that is what they wish, of course they can have it.” The guilt I’d carried since the first compound eased. Because of the shifters, the humans would survive the winter I’d brought them.

“They also want an open trade with our realm,” she said, watching me with care.

“They want to be able to enter Niev freely and for those in Niev to go to their realm. There aren’t many animals left alive in the human realm aside from the ones our camp, as well as the imprisoned fae, have kept alive through our magic.

While the shifters can use their magic the same way you can to harvest food, they want the reassurance that comes with a friendly relationship with your kingdom. ”

I ran a hand over my face, pinching my chin as I thought about her words. While I didn’t have a problem with an open trade with the shifters, Teddy had asked me just the other night to send the humans away from Niev.

Was I really going to consider opening my kingdom and my people to the human realm?

“I have to speak to Teddy about it,” I said. “I’d like Alastor’s opinion too.” Because it wasn’t just shifters and humans who were involved, but the offspring of mated shifters and mages.

“That is wise. There is something else,” she said.

“While we’ve watched from afar, we didn’t realize their intentions until now.

We didn’t see the humans who passed through the veil.

We were busy watching the compounds and freeing the fae.

But the fae at the compound in Canada overheard soldiers speaking about abducting Teddy and using her as leverage.

More humans entered that were not at your home last night.

Teddy was right in thinking someone was housing them.

At this compound, they manufacture bullets and blades of iron.

These weapons are now in our realm with our enemies, and we don’t know who they are. ”