Page 2 of Hell Fae Warden

Only, something was happening to those beneath my invisible wings. Something nefarious.A breach in the Hell Fae Realm.

My eyes flew open to find a worried Melek staring down at me, his multicolored eyes holding a white streak that only appeared when he was emotionally distraught.

“Melek?” My voice came out in a rasp, making me wonder how long I’d been asleep. It almost felt as though I’d been yanked out of a watery grave, my lungs having lost the will to draw in air.

“You wouldn’t wake up,” he whispered, his palm on my cheek. “And I felt… something. Something strange.”

“The source,” I told him, swallowing. “A breach.”

His full lips curled down, turning his beautiful features into a frown that was so very unlike my little prince. “A breach?”

“In our realm.” I cleared my throat and grabbed the back of his nape, mostly because I needed his support, but also because I needed to sit up. To think. Tofocus. He allowed me to move him, his palm going to my chest, right over my heart, as I searched my mind for my links to the source.

It responded immediately, granting me access to the heart of my power—a power I’d created—and showing me everything I needed to see.

Including that rotten strand.

Growling, I shoved my essence at the intruding energy and narrowed my eyes when it remained.What are you?I wondered.You don’t belong here.

I gathered more strength to blast it again, when an alarm split through the air, a sound that could only be initiated by one of my Nightmare Kings.

My eyes flew open as Melek slid out of our bed to meander toward the source of the alarm. He didn’t bother with clothes, my prince too concerned—or perhaps too confident—to care about his nude state.

I followed him to the screen, grabbing both my robe and his along the way. He took it from me without his usual side commentary, his jaw set tight as he selected a barely visible button in the air.

A hologram appeared with Onyx, the Corpse Fae King. “My liege,” he greeted, his dark head bowing slightly. “We have a problem.”

“Yes, I assumed that from the alarm. What’s wrong?” I demanded.

He hesitated, then cleared his throat. “I… I’m not sure how to say this, but a portal has been created. One that traverses realms.”

“What?” Melek asked, his gaze meeting mine.Is this the breach you felt?His mental voice was uncharacteristically soft, his concern hidden beneath a mask of stoicism for the Corpse Fae King.

It could be,I replied.Or it’s a result of the breach I sense in the source.

Which meant someone was toying with Hell Fae magic, which shouldn’t have been possible. Because only I could manipulate and control the Hell Fae Source.

“A portal.” Melek returned his focus to Onyx. “To which realm, exactly?”

It was a wise question—not that I was surprised; my prince was a strategic genius when he wanted to be. The answer might confirm the motive behind the intrusion.

And that would lead us to the culprit.

Onyx cleared his throat. “It appears several Corpse Fae from the Netherworld, as well as a dozen or so Baku and Ghouls from the Morpheus Kingdom, have run off to some sort of human world. But it doesn’t appear to beourhuman world.”

“An alternate reality?” Melek translated, his brow furrowing. “That’s not possible.”

“I agree,” I said. Except that dark little strand taunted my mind, suggesting that someone—or something—had fucked with my source. “Is the portal still open, Onyx?”

“Yes, my liege.”

“Where is it located?” I demanded.

He provided the location, causing me to nod. “We’ll be there in a moment to review and close it.” I turned off the call before he could reply, my focus going to Melek. “There’s a black strand in the source.”

His eyes widened. “As in dark magic?”

I shook my head. “No. Like a light that’s burned out.” Just thinking about it had my jaw clenching. “Someone is fucking with the Hell Fae Source, Melek.” And I had no idea how that could even happen. It wasmysource. I’d created it. Groomed it. Guarded it.Livedfor it. “We—”