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I t was probably a good thing Elle was paralyzed, or else she would have fallen off Tony’s lap. “Novus is a raven.”

“That’s not possible, Brent. Novus is a raven.”

“He’s a raven shifter. I’ve seen it for myself,” Brent said. “Hang on. Yari wants to talk to Elle.”

“Does she know Elle is currently paralyzed and can’t speak?”

“Hey, Tony. Yes, I do. Brent told me everything. Listen, I don’t know how he disappeared, but I too saw him shift.

What I don’t know is if he was telling the truth about being Novus, and if so, why he never showed himself before now.

I’m getting on the first plane out, but it’ll take me a few hours to get there unless I can get the Queen to open a portal for me. ”

Novus was a shifter? Then why hadn’t he told her that? All the years they spent together with him sitting on a nearby branch while she practiced with her bow, they could have carried on conversations. They could have been true friends.

“I can disappear, so it’s not a stretch that someone else has the same ability.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if you tried to find this male? If he can remove the sigil—”

“No. Before he poofed out of existence, he said he’d just go to Elle.”

“What? How is that possible?”

“I don’t know, but Tony—”

“He’s not getting anywhere near her. I promise you that.”

Gronk.

“Uh, Tony?”

“Fuck. I think he’s here. I’ll call you back.” Yari was yelling into the phone when Tony disconnected. “Sword, Tabby.” Tabitha called forth two long blades from the bracelets on her arms.

As Tony stood and turned toward the kitchen, a deep voice called out, “Elledan,” and Tony stopped.

There was a dark-haired man standing right outside the tree line.

The sun was setting, but there was still enough light to make out his appearance.

This was the male from Connor’s drawing.

He was dressed in a pale blue tunic over brown pants, which were tucked into tall leather boots.

“You called for me last night. I was in Evyndral, so I sent my brothers to aid you.” He took a few steps, but Tabitha stalked toward him with one blade pointed in his direction.

“Do not take one more step closer, or I’ll have your head,” she threatened.

The back door opened, and Tony’s parents, along with Lilly and Dominic, came outside. Tessa jumped off the deck, calling forth her own swords before she landed on her feet. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Nekoma of Autumnvale.”

“He claims to also be Elle’s raven, Novus,” Tony explained.

Gregor and Dominic stepped to either side of Tony and Elle, and Lilly glided down the steps but didn’t go farther into the yard. Dominic didn’t stop her, which Elle found interesting. Instead of a sword, she shook her wrist, and her bracelet became a wand. Fascinating.

Novus – no, Nekoma – held his hands up. “Elledan, you know me. Search your heart. It is I, the one you call Novus. Will you speak with me?”

“She can’t speak. Grevolus paralyzed her,” Tony said.

Nekoma’s face darkened. “I will gut him like the véscbén he is. As I should have done long ago.”

“Why didn’t you?” Tony asked.

Nekoma beseeched Elle with his eyes. “I wasn’t strong enough.

Grevolus is evil, and if my mother was truthful, more powerful than I.

During those ten years Elledan lived with the male and his family, I could not show myself for fear the three of them would combine their powers and overtake me.

I could not risk their retaliation on Elledan or my mother.

” Nekoma blew out a breath. “Ever since Elledan disappeared through the portal, I have spent that time honing my powers. Learning new ones. Studying with my mother to be stronger than Grevolus. I also hid outside the royal castle, waiting to see if she returned. I have witnessed Yaricelan and the princess moving between realms, yet they never mentioned Elledan until recently. I overheard Yaricelan and Queen Zarina talking about a sigil Grevolus put on Elledan, but I couldn’t reveal myself, so I waited until Yaricelan went through the portal once more, and I followed.

I believe I can counteract the mark. I should be able to remove the paralysis as well. ”

“How?” Tony asked. “The Queen couldn’t remove the sigil, so what makes you think you can? And how are you speaking our language?”

Nekoma pointed to a talisman around his neck. “Language translator. Grevolus is also my sire, and my mother is a dark fae. I have learned much at her side.”

“He’s my brother? Why didn’t he say something?”

“Elle wants to know why you didn’t tell her you were related.”

“I didn’t hear her speak. Are you a mind reader?” Nekoma angled his head to the side the same way he did in raven form, which would be cute if Elle wasn’t freaking out. She had another brother.

“Elle is my mate. We can communicate silently. Now answer the question.”

Nekoma’s face lit up. “Mates? That is wonderful news, and by the females standing between us, it seems Elledan has worthy warriors to protect her.”

“That she does. The sigil?” Tony prodded.

“Unlike Elledan’s mother, mine, Nykeela, had relations with Grevolus willingly.

He was handsome, and she was lonely. Then he met Asherah and forgot all about my mother.

When she learned she was pregnant with me, she hid us away so he wouldn’t know he had sired a son.

Nykeela is skilled in many arts, and she cast a spell on me, one in which I was able to change forms so that I could travel about undetected.

When she heard of Grevolus’s treachery with Elledan’s mother, she confided in me that I had a half-sister.

I was curious, so I kept to my raven while spending time with her.

With you, Elledan. Watching you grow from a small child into a formidable young woman was the highlight of my days.

When Grevolus took you away from Summerland to Winterhaven, I couldn’t spend as much time with you.

I couldn’t risk Grevolus finding out about me, and for that I am sorry.

As for the sigil, like I said, I learned much from my mother. May I approach to look at the mark?”

“What do you think, Sweetheart? Do you trust him?”

“Ask him to turn into his raven.”

“Elle requests that you shift to your raven first.”

“But of course.” From one second to the next, Nekoma went from a dark fae to a familiar feathered bird. Gronk.

“When he shifts back, ask him what I tasked him with on the road to Evyndral.”

“Please shift back,” Tony requested. When Nekoma was once more a person, Tony asked, “On the road to Evyndral, what did Elle task you with?”

“She fashioned a warning out of a piece of bread and scratched a sigil into it with her fingernail. She then said, ‘Trouble is coming for the dragons. Please find your way to Evyndral and give this to Yari.’ I pecked at it to ensure it wouldn’t crumble, and she closed her fingers around it and chided me, ‘Do not eat this. It’s a message.

Can you take it to Yari?’ I then clasped it in my talon and flew to do as she asked. ”

“Oh, my goddess. It really is him. Ask how he came to be here and not in Norway.”

“How did you manage to travel from Norway to here so quickly?”

“I opened a portal. You learn much when those around you aren’t aware of your presence.”

“You may approach,” Tony relinquished. “Slowly, but toss down your bow first.”

Nekoma angled his head, studying Tony. “You can see it?”

“Glamour doesn’t work on me.”

Nekoma removed his bow from around his chest, placing it on the ground, before walking toward them. Tabitha and Tessa made each step he did, their swords at the ready. He stopped a few feet away from Lilly. After a few seconds, Lilly stepped to the side, nodding her approval.

“I’m trusting you, Fae. Elle is my whole world, and if you do anything to harm her, there is nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you,” Tony warned.

Nekoma spread his hands. “I would expect nothing less. We may not have grown up together as siblings, but Elledan means much to me as well. You have my word that I will not harm her in anyway.”

“He cannot lie, Tony. Remove my parka so he can see the sigil.”

Tony placed Elle on the glider, pulled her left arm out of the coat, and pushed her sleeve up past the mark.

“May I?” Nekoma asked.

Tony nodded, but he wasn’t as sure of the male as Elle was. She could feel his reluctance through their bond. Right as Nekoma took the first step, a portal opened.

“Do not touch her,” Yari yelled. Queen Zarina walked through next, followed by Thran.

Nekoma dropped to one knee, bowing his head. “My Queen.”

“Who are you?” Zarina asked after creating several orbs of light, which floated in the air around them.

“Nekoma of Autumnvale, My Queen.”

“Rise, Nekoma, but keep your hands where I can see them.”

Nekoma did as commanded with his hands splayed at his sides.

“How did you disappear?” Yari asked.

“The same way Elledan can. I called upon the shadows,” he admitted, outing Elle’s gift at the same time.

Yari narrowed her eyes at Elle. “Is that true?”

“Tell her it is.”

“It is,” Tony responded on Elle’s behalf. “And Nekoma has proven to us that he is also Novus the raven.”

Queen Zarina glanced at Elle, then back to Nekoma. “Explain yourself.”

Nekoma told her the same thing he’d already explained to everyone else.

“Elledan, do you believe this to be true?”

“She does, Queen Zarina. Nekoma was just about to look at the sigil to see if he could remove it,” Tony said.

“Nekoma of Autumnvale, I need your word that you will not harm Elledan.”

Nekoma placed his hand on his chest. “I will not harm Elledan, my sister. I only want to help her, My Queen.”

“Then you may proceed.” Yari took a step toward Elle, but the Queen’s hand on her arm stopped her.