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Chapter 15

Meera

“Where are we going?” I side-eyed Vareck as we stepped onto the first floor of the palace. If he tried to take me to a set of stairs that led down to the dungeons, I would take my chances and run. I didn’t care that I hadn’t fully recovered from burnout or from my tumble out of the window.

“You’ll see,” he answered evasively.

I cocked an eyebrow. “You know that’s not very encouraging given I’m a wanted woman, right?”

Vareck snorted. “If I wanted you locked up, you would be.”

“And they say romance is dead.”

He chuckled, the lines of his face softening. I wondered if he noticed the strange looks his court were throwing at us when they caught sight of me.

“Is that what’s going on here?” he murmured, a twinkle lighting up his ice-blue eyes. “Am I romancing you?”

“You—I—shut up.” I swatted his bicep when I saw a smirk crawling up his stupidly handsome face. My chest flushed with heat, creeping up my neck and onto my cheeks. “I’m a captive,” I said, reminding us both of our reality.

His smirk dimmed, and part of me wanted to kick myself for saying something, but it was true. This wasn’t a vacation. I wasn’t here to get to know him or for him to court me. I was here because I kidnapped his nephew and then had the audacity to get caught.

We walked in silence for a few minutes, and not the comfortable kind. It was awkward, filled with unspoken truths and feelings that didn’t belong. I barely noticed when we stopped outside a pair of double doors.

“This”—he opened the doors—”Is the royal library.”

My lips parted.

The cylindrical room rose to a good four floors, every inch covered in white stone bookshelves. As cool as that was, it wasn’t what stole my attention.

In the center of the library was a huge tree with white bark. The trunk had to be ten feet in diameter and the thick, heavy branches were easily wider than a person. They contorted with large, gnarled arms that swooped and stretched, reaching every side of the room with ease.

I stepped inside, my head tipping backward to take it all in.

“Is this . . .” I hesitated.

“The tree of life,” Vareck answered. “When I was a boy it used to bloom with these long, hanging strings. The leaves on them each formed the infinity knot. Every strand was a different shade of yellow, orange, and red.” There was no mistaking the sadness in his voice. “At night they would light up. Fae from all over the realm would travel to see it.”

“What happened?” I was almost afraid to voice the question .

Vareck gave a bitter laugh. “My father. The curse. Eternal winter. Take your pick.”

I pressed my lips together in understanding. With soft, shuffling steps I approached the great tree. The stone floors stopped a foot or so from it, giving way to a rich, dark soil.

I lifted my hand. “Can I…?”

Vareck nodded. “Go ahead.”

My fingers brushed the white bark, half expecting it to crumble. Obviously that didn’t happen, but given its fragile state, I exercised great care in how I touched it.

“Thank you for bringing me,” I murmured as he stepped up to my side.

“This actually wasn’t why.”

I turned to face him, letting my hand drop. “What was then?”

Vareck swallowed, a nervous tell if I ever saw one. “You mentioned you liked reading. We have the most extensive collection in the realm right here.”

I stared for too long. Vareck misread my silence and started to backtrack until I dissolved into an embarrassed chuckle.

“You—you thought—” Gods. I couldn’t find the right words. It took a minute to gather my thoughts, and Vareck appeared wary. Definitely confused. I took pity on him and explained. “I read romance novels. Not . . . well, this.” I motioned to the great library. There was no way my type of escapism existed in these walls. Not with how ancient this place was. Books written for women were decidedly modern—which Faerie was not.

“Oh.”

I cracked a smile. “It was a kind gesture. Truly. There are books for everyone’s taste. Mine just happen to be less . . . classic. Still. Thank you.” I couldn’t help the feeling that warmed my chest. Before either of us could say another word, a voice I recognized traveled through the open door, turning that feeling in my chest to ice-cold anger.

“So what’s a pretty lass like you doing working for the fae king, eh?”

Immediately, my hackles rose. Kaia rolled her eyes, not deigning to answer him.

I knew I liked her.

“What is he doing here?” I nearly growled, crossing my arms over my chest.

Lou and Kaia drew to a stop just on the other side of the double doors. The leprechaun raised his hands in mock surrender that I didn’t believe for a second.

“Mighty Meera,” Lou said in greeting, ignoring my ire for him, as usual. “How is it that even in Faerie you still look like you stole clothes from a homeless person?”

I dropped my arms, looking down at myself. My mid-rise tapered jeans were cuffed at the ankles. I wore a plain black crop top with an unbuttoned black and red plaid flannel layered over it.

“It’s called thrift store chic, you prick,” I defended, recrossing my arms over my chest.

Lou snorted. “Sure it is.”

“And who are you to crap on someone’s life situation, hm? You don’t know their stories, you judgmental asshole.” There was a time when my family had nothing but the clothes on our backs. When we first came to earth’s realm, we’d had to rely on the generosity of others. I was a baby when we arrived, so I don’t remember it, but my parents never forgot. We all volunteered at soup kitchens to give back to the community that once helped us, and I refused to let him belittle anyone with his narrow-minded bullshit.

“I’ve only visited a few times recently, but crop tops are coming back in style from what I can tell,” Kaia said casually, as though she were reporting on the weather.

“Only visited the Arcane District to see me, is it?” he asked. “You should come for a longer visit. I could show you?—”

Kaia scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“You know each other?”

I hadn’t realized how quietly Vareck had been watching our interactions until he decided to speak. The gentleness and casual feeling we’d had before was long gone. In its place was something unreadable that I didn’t recognize.

“You could say that,” I grumbled. Lou merely grinned, neither confirming nor denying.

“Lucian has?—”

“Lucian?” I questioned when Kaia said the name. “Since when do you go by Lucian?” I jutted my chin toward him, and Lou shrugged.

“I go by many names, lass.”

“Spoken like a true criminal.”

“Now, now,” he tsked. “Haven’t you heard? I’m turning over a new leaf.”

I cackled like a witch on Halloween. “Since when?”

Lou waved a hand, twisting his fingers. A silver necklace appeared in it. “Since I have something His Majesty is keen on acquiring.”

My heart dropped into my stomach.

No . . .

I whirled on Vareck. “Are you kidding me? You hired him?”

Vareck sighed, running a hand over his stubbled jaw. “Technically I didn’t hire anyone. I sent Kaia to find a fae who might be able to help us.”

I sniffed in indignation. “And that fae just happens to be this asshole?”

“Whatever history is between you, I promise I didn’t know—” Vareck said.

I scoffed. “What’s the necklace do?”

Vareck snapped his jaw shut.

Kaia didn’t answer.

Silence settled in the air, filling me with apprehension. I knew the answer. They’d said it in front of me already.

“Right,” I continued bitterly. “So much for ‘I’m just keeping Kaia busy.’ What a joke.”

“Meera,” Vareck started. “It’s not like that.”

“You’re trying to render me powerless. Excuse me if I don’t believe you.”

He groaned in that rumbly voice of his and my lower abdomen tightened. Nope. Not going there right now.

“It’s just a precaution. We can’t have you persuading everyone the second you get your magic back.”

My jaw tightened, teeth threatening to crack with the pressure. “So you’re going to cut me off from my magic, making me basically human?”

“It’s just until we find Prince Damon,” Kaia interjected, trying to come to Vareck’s aide.

I turned on her. “Oh really?” Then I pointed at Lou. “Why don’t you ask him where Damon is?”

Both Vareck and Kaia whirled on Lou.

“I already agreed to help Lady Kaia once this business with the necklace is sorted,” the leprechaun replied without missing a beat. I glowered.

“That is not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?” Kaia asked.

“Yes, lass. What did you mean?” Lou asked mockingly. Not that they knew it. He sounded serious, but the glimmer in his eye told me he was laughing on the inside.

Him and his damned contracts.

I couldn’t out him as my employer, much as I’d have liked to.

“I’m going to kill you,” I seethed.

“Promises, promises.” He winked.

“All right.” Kaia clapped her hands. “That’s enough. Lucian, Lou, whatever your name is, give Vareck the necklace. Once we can verify it works, your banishment will be lifted.”

I stepped back, my shoe sinking into the soil by the tree.

“I’m not letting you put that on me.”

“Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” Vareck said quietly, taking the necklace from Lou.

I couldn’t help it. I panicked. Reaching for my power, I nearly flinched as I called to it, feeling it struggle to fully surface. My eyes flashed green, glowing.

“ Break the necklace .”

Vareck’s hand closed in a fist. He lifted it over his head and?—

“ Release him ,” Kaia commanded, and at this moment, she was far stronger than me.

My persuasion died quickly, leaving me light-headed and weak. My body shook. I tried to move away, but Vareck was faster.

“Forgive me,” he said softly, words only meant for the two of us. “This is temporary. I promise.”

I couldn’t bring myself to speak as he slipped the chain over my head. All at once, a barrier slammed down, sucking the magic from my pores. My legs gave out, knees hitting the floor as I succumbed to the loss.

Vareck knelt beside me. I suspected he was speaking, but I didn’t hear it. My mind existed in a bubble, one that was void of sound, my soul crushing as reality settled in.

I was magicless.

Defenseless.

And at the mercy of the fucking fae king.