Page 63

CHAPTER 62

Three weeks later . . .

I t’s taken us a while to prepare, but today is the day. The invitations have been sent, the documents are ready, and my team is with me as I pace at the head of the table.

I chose this place because it turns out it’s real, not just in my mind, and my ancestors guided me here. Shamus found out it used to be a meeting place of sorts between worlds, which makes sense, and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to do this.

The walls are covered in flowers and a tree, and the moon is bright above us. Candles are placed everywhere to welcome them and guide them to us, and the huge wooden table is empty bar the cream parchment, waiting for its use.

“Stop worrying. It will be fine,” Shamus promises as he joins me. “Look at me, angel.” I glance at him, and he gives me the look he first gave me when we met in his office, full of awe and respect. “You’re changing the world, angel. The hard bit is done. Trust in yourself and in us.”

“I do,” I whisper just as there’s a noise, and we turn.

Althea and her men step into the table area, Simon and his mate at her side. “Hello, Tate. I told you we would be seeing each other again.” She smiles at me and glances at my men then nods. “I read your invitation. I am very excited to see you and it.”

“As am I. Thank you for coming. Please sit,” I offer as kindly as I can despite my nerves. She takes a seat.

Moments after, Quinn appears with her wolves. She takes her seat quickly, and then Freya appears, looking hesitantly at me. “Please sit. We are all friends here.” She takes a seat, her men behind her. I wait nervously as I glance at Jarek, but moments later, Avea steps inside, joining us, and holding her hand is the god of death.

“We meet again,” he says.

“I’ll admit I was surprised to be invited to this . . . gathering,” Avea begins. “But we are here. Now play nice, Mors,” she admonishes, making him sigh.

“Yes, my love,” he replies as he leads her to a seat. He sits and then tugs her down onto his lap as if he cannot bear to be parted from her. He ignores us, playing with her hair, which is fine by me. It’s not him I want. It’s her.

Everyone is here, so it’s time to begin.

I walk to the head of the table where no seat waits, and I lean into the wood. “I have gathered you all here for a reason. You are visionaries and fighters who are trying to make this world a better place. You are like me. You’ve been hurt.” I look at Althea. “Betrayed.” My eyes land on Avea. “Forgotten.” My gaze settles on Quinn. “Ripped apart.”

Lastly, I meet Freya’s eyes. “Died for this belief in good and evil. I am one of you. We come from all walks of life, and we are different races, but we all have one common goal—to keep our family, our people, and this world safe. I offer peace between us all through shared knowledge, a place to come when in need, and a shoulder to lean on—a treaty”—I glance around, my heart beating nervously, which I’m sure they can sense—“between the courts and its queens.” I grin. “You may not know much about me, but I am Tate Havelock, a hunter and a descendant of a fae who was the protector of this place. I have cleansed my own people and will continue to do so. The hunters were once a proud guild focused on protecting people, but we cannot let this happen again, so I propose a treaty between our courts and a helping hand for when it’s needed.”

“How?” Avea asks.

“We sign this document and seal it with our blood. It will link us. If anyone breaks it, we face death.” I glance at Mors. “Er, or him, I guess. We’ll come when called, but most of all, we’ll become a united force for change in the fight between good and evil. With all the power we have in this room, we stand a chance. Who would dare challenge a vampyrs queen blessed by gods, an ancient magical being mated to death, a prophesied alpha wolf, and the first necromancer to survive the gods?”

“You forget yourself,” Shamus offers as he comes to my side. “The hunter of the ages.”

“And me,” I add, smiling at him and my loves. “I am willing to fight and die for what I believe in. Are you?”

Quinn frowns. “If we sign this, we become yours?”

“No. Not at all. You lead your people, and I will lead mine. This is simply a treaty between us, a contract of friendship, if you will. It’s how we’ll keep our world safe for the next generation. It’s how we’ll assure what happened to us doesn’t happen again. We’ll become . . . united.”

“I’m in.” Freya nods. “Our people have faced enough prosecution for a lifetime. I think it would be good to have friends.”

“I’m in too,” Althea agrees. “We have always needed this. I knew it would happen eventually.”

“I am also with you,” Avea says. “Our people need protection at night.”

“Quinn?” I ask as she thinks, looking around.

“Wolves are pack creatures, so what’s one more pack?” She smiles.

My smile is wide as I tug the document to me, relief filling me. “Then allow me to be the first to spill my blood. It would be my honour to prove my dedication to this alliance.”

Picking up the spelled chalice and dagger, I close my eyes for a moment, offering my thanks, and then I run the blade across my palm and fist my hand over the chalice. Then, I pass it on.

One by one, they cut their hands and add their blood before it’s passed back to me. Jarek nods, and I dip my fingers into it then touch the agreement. Our blood mingles, binding us together.

The moment it touches the paper, I feel it wash over me and I jerk. I hear the others gasp as they feel it too, and when I lean away, I can’t help but smile. Something deep within me relaxes now that this is dealt with, something I have been dreaming about for weeks. “It’s done. The treaty of the courts and queens is complete. We are sisters in arms now. We are the protectors of the world. When called, we will come.”

Their smiles reflect my own as Quinn leans over, eyeing the document. “There’s space at the bottom. Why?” she asks curiously.

“To allow any new courts to sign,” I answer, my eyes going far away. “I have a feeling we will need it.”

“Freaky,” she whispers as she leans back.

“No, that is her gift.” Althea stands. “I look forward to fighting alongside you, my fellow queens.” She winks, and then she is gone.

One by one, the others offer their gratitude, and they leave until only I and my team remain.

Jarek carefully rolls up the agreement and seals it away, and it disappears.

I look over my monsters and sigh happily. “It’s done. Let’s go home. We have a long future ahead of us. This fight is far from over. We have the whole world to protect now, monsters and humans alike.”

“Fine, but I call shotgun,” Ronan yells.

“Nah, that’s mine,” Fang responds.

“I would like shot of the gun,” Tem responds.

I look back at this place once more, sensing the generations of my people here. I offer them my thanks before I turn away.

“We fight to the death for shotgun?” Addeus asks.

“Fucking hell,” Shamus grumbles.

“I can make a shotgun,” Jarek adds helpfully.

Rolling my eyes, I step through the portal Zeev creates, and they follow.

We are not alone now.

I am not alone.