Page 35 of Awakened Destiny (The Dark Ascendant #3)

Brigid

The door to my room creaks as I push it open, fatigue settling into my bones after the day's events. I stayed with Callen and Lochan while they filled Rory and Tiernan in on what happened, then turned down Callen ’ s offer of a portal ride back to my room. I needed the walk.

I roll my shoulders, feeling the tension there, a physical reminder of everything that's happened since I discovered my lineage. My eyes adjust to the waning light from the lead-paned window where the last rays of sunset filter through.

A shadow moves in the corner. My heart jumps, magic tingling at my fingertips before recognition hits.

Marius sits in the wingback chair by my desk, one leg crossed over the other, his dark eyes following my every movement. The faded ink tattoos covering his arms seem to shift in the shadows, though I know they no longer have the power they once had. He's still a contradiction, offering me danger and safety wrapped in one intimidating package.

Truth is, seeing him creates a complex mixture of relief and anxiety. He ’ s my mate, just like the others, but it ’ s so much more complicated with Marius. The other men seem to have tentatively accepted him, but there ’ s still tension. And then there ’ s the whole Raven King and the Morrigan issue. Describing our relationship as complex is a huge understatement.

"How was your excursion with the High Fae?" Marius uncrosses his legs and leans forward, elbows on his knees. The evening catches the sharp planes of his face.

"Eventful." I sit on the edge of my bed, running my fingers along the coverlet. "I have a lot to tell you."

"As do I." He stands and crosses to the window, peering out at the grounds. The academy's gothic spires stretch toward the darkening sky, mist already gathering around their bases. "While you were away, I've been talking with others."

My interest piques. "Who?"

Marius turns back to me, his dark eyes intent. "The rebels."

I freeze.

"Is that safe?" I ask, rising to my feet. Considering the rebels ’ entire plan revolved around Marius and I becoming vessels for the Raven King and the Morrigan, it ’ s doubtful they ’ re very happy with him right now.

Marius crosses the room until he stands directly before me. "I contacted someone I trust. Someone who might help bridge the gap between us and them."

"Are you sure that ’ s wise?" The skepticism in my voice is unmistakable.

A smile touches his lips. "I trust very few people. You should know that by now."

I consider his words. "Why now?" I ask.

“ The balance of power has shifted, now that you know you can control the Morrigan ’ s power. Now that you know who you are.”

I think about Callen, about my declaration as High Fae Queen, about the destiny that courses through my veins. So much power, and yet I feel more vulnerable than ever.

"Do they know who I am? What I am?" I ask.

"They know enough to be cautious." Marius reaches out, his fingers hovering near my face before he drops his hand. "But they're willing to listen."

The weight of responsibility presses down on me. Another alliance to forge when I barely understand my own power.

"When?" I ask, resignation and determination mingling in my voice.

"Soon." Marius steps back, giving me space. "We'll need to tread carefully. The rebels have their own agenda, their own grievances against the established order."

I nod. "Tell me what you know."

As Marius begins to speak, I glance toward the window. Night has fallen completely now, and somewhere in the darkness beyond the academy's walls, a new group of potential allies, or perhaps enemies, awaits. It's becoming harder to tell the difference.

Marius paces across the floor. "These rebels aren't just random dissidents," he says. "Many are descendants of those who fought alongside the Raven King. His descendants, my family, kept him alive for generations, and these rebels kept that secret."

I sink onto the edge of my bed, trying to process everything. "And they're angry that he ’ s not here. That the power went to me instead of you."

"Some are." Marius stops pacing and kneels before me. His fingers trail up my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "But what matters is what we can offer them now. Protection. Purpose. A chance to step out of the shadows."

His touch is distracting, comforting, and unsettling all at once. His hands move to my face, thumbs brushing my cheekbones with surprising gentleness.

"They need you, Brigid." His dark eyes hold mine. "They need someone who understands both shadow and light. Someone who can unite, not divide."

"I don't know if I can be that person," I admit.

His hands slide down to my shoulders, then back up to touch my face. "I do. I've seen your strength."

I've spent so long trying to be invisible, to keep my head down and survive. All my life, that has been how I ’ ve gotten by. Now Marius wants me to step out into the spotlight. To be a beacon for the shattered factions to come towards, and come together.

"The Council has already weakened," he continues, one hand moving to my hair, fingers threading through the dark strands. "With the rebels brought in, we could reshape the entire thing. Unite the realm."

His proximity makes it hard to think. His smoky, dark and spicy scent fills my senses. His thumb traces my bottom lip, and for a moment, I forget about rebels and elites and destiny.

"I have news too," I say, forcing my mind to focus. His touch moves to the nape of my neck, gentle but possessive. "About Callen."

Marius's fingers still briefly before resuming their caress. "What happened?"

I take a deep breath. "Callen ascended. He's the High Fae King now."

Marius's expression darkens slightly, but his hands remain gentle as they trace patterns on my skin. "And?"

"And he declared me Queen."

Marius goes still. His fingers press more firmly against my skin, not painful but definitely present. "Did he?"

I nod. “ The Council was planning to bind Callen, strip him of his free will. And they wanted me dead. They were planning an execution.”

Marius's jaw tightens. "Of course they were."

"But we stopped them. Callen, Lochan, and I. The Council is in disarray now. Many of the elites fled."

Marius's hands move to my waist, pulling me closer until I'm nearly in his lap. "And Callen made you his queen." His voice is neutral, but his grip tightens. "What exactly does that mean for us, Brigid?"

The question hangs between us, heavy with implications. What does it mean? I'm not sure I know myself.

"I don't know," I answer honestly. "Everything's happening so fast. One minute I'm trying to control my shadow magic, the next I'm declared a queen."

His fingers trace my collarbone. "And how do you feel about wearing a crown?"

Something shifts in Marius's expression. He slides off the bed in one fluid motion and kneels before me, taking both my hands in his. The sight of him, this dangerous, tattooed man who has known darkness like no other, on his knees before me sends an electric jolt through my body.

"Whatever title Callen has bestowed upon you," Marius says, his voice low and intense, "know this—you were already my queen."

I try to swallow past the sudden tightness in my throat. "Marius—"

"No." He squeezes my hands. "Listen to me, Brigid. You will always be my queen. I will serve no other."

The fierce conviction in his voice makes my chest ache. This man who trusts no one, who has spent his life in shadows, is pledging himself to me without reservation.

"The power you carry, both the Raven King's and the Morrigan's, it's not what makes you worthy of following." His black eyes hold mine, unwavering. "It's who you are. It's what you do with that power."

I touch his face, tracing the sharp line of his jaw. "I don't know if I'm ready for any of this."

"You are." His certainty is unshakable. "And you won't face it alone."

The words settle into me, a warmth spreading through my chest. I lean forward until our foreheads touch.

"We need to move forward with the Shadow Rebels," I say after a moment. "If they're skeptical now, they'll be even more suspicious when they hear I've been named Queen of the High Fae."

Marius nods against my forehead. "You're right. It's time you met them in person."

"Now?"

"No time like the present." He rises to his feet in one smooth motion, pulling me up with him. "They're gathered not far from here."

"I should change, then." I glance down at my rumpled clothes.

"You look perfect." Marius's gaze sweeps over me. "Let them see you as you are. No pretense."

I nod, understanding his strategy. The Shadow Rebels value authenticity above all else.

"Lead the way," I say.