Page 14

Ivy

T here was only tense, thick silence on the top deck of the ship when we finally boarded.

The few crew that survived Dante’s attack stood in a group by the main mast, their faces set in stony masks of apprehension and sadness.

I couldn’t blame them. This whole situation was probably infuriating.

Their Queen was dead, half their crew slaughtered, and they’d been made to choose a side.

And they probably wondered if they, too, would be dead by the end of this voyage.

The last thing I wanted was to drag anyone else into this. But Dante had called for war. He would kill regardless.

I swallowed thickly as I took in the gathered group.

My magic reacted to them; for the first time since I arrived in Avalon, I could finally read what each of the six creatures gathered were.

The one standing in front of the group, a female no older than me, if I had to guess, was a witch.

She wore a brimmed hat, similar to ones I’d seen in pirate films, and the clothes she wore were bloodied.

As my magic hesitantly reached out for her, I realised she could summon weather: storms and hurricanes, if powerful enough.

The witch stepped forward and pulled her hat off her head. She had silky dark hair and hooded eyes that were dark like an oncoming storm. Based on the way her clothes pulled taut over her body, she was muscular. “I’m Captain Meira, my Queen.”

My heart stuttered a beat as she lifted her fist to her heart and knelt. It was like a domino effect; soon, the other five crew members—three shifters and two mages—all followed. They murmured similar words to their captain and fell to their knees, each one bowing their heads as they did.

I couldn’t take my eyes off them. The level of trust they gave me made me want to puke. Goddess above, I wasn’t ready for this. I wasn’t ready to be Queen.

But you are , I reminded myself. You are the only Queen that is left.

That still didn’t take away the urge to puke, though.

The crew rose after a moment, with the captain moving at a slower pace. Her eyes dragged over me with uncertainty. “We are your loyal servants, Queen Ivy. We will take you anywhere you need to go.”

My mates gathered around me at that, forming almost a shields around me. But it was on me to speak. To direct Captain Meira where we needed to go.

“We need to go to the Underworld,” I said, swallowing hard.

“I understand that might not sound logical, given what is happening here in Avalon. But I need you all to trust that we have a plan to stop Dante from destroying our home and all the realms.” I tried to meet each eye of the crew; they were tired, maybe even a little resentful.

They might see me as their Queen, but they were—rightfully—apprehensive.

I blew out a shaky breath and stepped out of the safe little circle of mates to address the creatures better.

“I know you probably don’t have a lot of faith in me.

I probably wouldn’t either. What do I know about ruling?

Queen Greer never—” I stopped, throat tightening, and glanced warily at Adrian, who dropped his head.

“The late Queen Greer didn’t have the chance to teach me everything she knew.

But she did impart the knowledge that if Dante tries to become King, if he succeeds in taking the power given to me by Nyx, there will be no more Avalon.

No Faery. And no Underworld. The human world will be destroyed, too.

There will be total destruction. So, I need your help.

I just need you to get us to the Underworld.

From there, I will barter safety for you, if that’s what you choose.

But I will protect you. I will do anything to save these worlds. ”

My heart raced as I waited for their answer. From Maeve, I’d gathered she hadn’t told them anything about our plans. Only that I would need their assistance. But I wouldn’t force them into anything. If they wanted to go to shore now, then I would let them.

This was my fight, after all. A war that started because Dante couldn’t handle another woman being Queen.

Captain Meira sighed, looked at her crew, and said, “We will take you anywhere you wish. Like I said, we are loyal. Me and my crew. We won’t follow a false king. So, I will take you to Hell and we will wait for you at the gates if that is what you command. We will not see our world end. ”

Thank the Goddess , I thought, bowing my head. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank us yet, my Queen,” the captain replied darkly. “Not until we make it there. The waters are terrible, especially this time of year. And we are going to be followed.”

Before I could respond, Elias grunted. “If we don’t move now, we’re fucked.”

I looked at him sharply, but his eyes weren’t on me. Despite all the protections Orion claimed he’d put on the vessel before instructing the captain to take it from the dock, we’d been found.

A dozen dark tinted SUVs pulled up at the edge of the water, and even more agents—no, soldiers of Dante’s—poured out of the vehicles. My magic rose, prickling my skin, but the sensation was no longer calming or gentle.

No, it burned like a fire that leapt at the chance to escape.

I gritted my teeth, turned away from the soldiers, and looked sharply at the captain. “Can you get us out of here?” I asked, gathering the magic swelling within me while she assessed the situation.

“Yes,” she replied after a moment, meeting my eye. “I can get us out of here. But you may need to prepare for a harsh journey, my Queen. I’m going to have to take us a dangerous route.”

I frowned, but I held back from questioning her. Instead, I shared a glance with Maeve, who inched closer to me while Captain Meira’s crew rushed around the deck to prepare us for departure.

“Are you okay?” Maeve asked, sliding in beside me and taking my hand.

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, but turned away just as quickly. The ship lurched, but not because we were moving; the soldiers on the shore were filling small motorboats, while others had guns raised, aimed at us.

The ship rocked again, but I wouldn’t take any more chances.

Magic expelled from me like a breath to encapsulate the body of the ship.

The violet magic became a barrier around us, a soft, translucent bubble that settled along the masts and sails, sinking into the wood and fabric.

Shouts from the shore had the crew moving faster, but a wave of calm settled over me as I watched bullets and magical attacks ricochet off my barrier.

“I’m better now,” I replied finally, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze as the ship finally moved. Captain Meira shouted orders from the top deck, while her crew moved seamlessly. “Are you?”

Maeve pressed her lips into a firm line, and although the bond gave nothing away, I knew my mate was likely hiding something.

“What?” I asked.

Her jaw ticked as she shook her head. “I have a prisoner,” she murmured. “One of Dante’s team leaders. She’s below deck.”

My stomach bottomed out. “What do you want to do with her?”

Part of me didn’t want to know. But the other part trusted that my mate had a plan; that she didn’t intend on being needlessly cruel to the soldier.

There was still a chance that many of the creatures under Dante’s rule weren’t there willingly.

I’d felt his attempt at entering my mind at the ball, and I believed that might be the case for much of his army. Not all, but definitely some.

“I want to question her,” Maeve explained, tugging me into the shadows of the deck while my other mates moved to help with our departure.

“I want— need to read her memories. See if there is a way to break through whatever barriers Dante has on his soldiers. He has taken great precautions to make sure vampires like me cannot see into the memories of his people. I want to know why.”

A shiver rolled over my skin, disgust churning in my gut.

“He intended on recruiting you,” Orion said, cocking his head as he joined us. “And when he realised he could not, he found a way to stop you.”

My stomach bottomed out as I glanced back at Maeve. She eyed the Fae critically, though she didn’t appear all too surprised by that revelation. It made me wonder just how many Dante tried to sway to his side.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Adrian and Rowan. Two who definitely would have been on Dante’s radar. All the parties, the temptations and influence Dante used to have over my mate, and somehow, Adrian broke free of his older brother, never even realising it.

Orion folded his arms over his chest, leaning back against a wall. “ He— the false king, Dante—had a list. Certain creatures he wanted on his side. Specific abilities he believed would help him.”

“How knowledgeable are you about this?” Maeve asked questioningly, though it wasn’t an accusation. She didn’t appear to distrust him in the same ways as before.

The Fae male glanced at her warily before sighing. “I know enough. Like some of the names on that list.” His eyes found mine briefly, but flickered away. I turned to find him staring at someone else. “Your half-Fae mate, Hawk Nash, was on it.”

I didn’t think it was possible to get any more anxious about Dante’s plans. But learning that Hawk was someone he wanted to recruit and had somehow used one of Hawk’s own team members in the attack on the palace, definitely didn’t help.

The ship rocked gently as we approached the Titan’s Channel, a stretch of ocean known for its dangerous water and demons of the deep.

Fuck, I wish they hadn’t told me about them.

Demons of the deep . Even the name made me shudder.

My knowledge about the Underworld and those who resided there was minimal for several reasons, and part of me regretted not spending more time paying attention in those lessons.

“The chances of us being followed is high, my Queen,” Captain Meira said, stepping up to the railing beside me. “You should rest in the cabin. You’ll be much safer there.”

I pressed my lips together and looked up at the dark sky stretching out above us. My protection bubble remained strong around the ship, and with a few added charms, we were as hidden as possible.

“I think I’m too riled up for rest,” I replied honestly, offering the captain a tentative smile. “But thanks.”

The witch eyed me for a long moment before sighing, resting her hands on the railing and pressing her body weight into it. “Is it terrible that I think all of this is…insane?” she asked quietly. “It is so hard to believe that a prince , the son of Queen Greer, could do something like this.”

I ran a hand through my hair as I tried to come up with a Queenly response. But how the hell was I supposed to reply to a comment like that? She was right—it was worse than insane. I couldn’t even imagine what was going through Dante’s head for him to even plan all of it.

“I really don’t know,” I said after a long moment, exhaling softly as I leaned into the railing. “But I know that he not only betrayed her, but his entire family. All of us. I can’t imagine what’s happening to them all right now.”

And there was that guilt again over leaving again.

Was I abandoning everyone and going on a fool’s quest?

Was there even a chance the crown of Nyx would help in the upcoming war?

When we’d escaped the palace, I’d been so certain the crown was where we needed to go.

But as I watched the darkened ocean and the stars reflected upon its calm surface, I couldn’t help but question it.

This would be my first true act as Queen, and if I chose wrong, then it could all be for nothing.

Should I have stayed? Fought him with everything I had in Avalon?

Leaving is the only thing we could have done , Adrian said through the bond, his response sending a shiver down my spine. We don’t know what resources he has. And that is what makes him dangerous.

I released a shuddering breath, his presence brushing over me as he appeared on the deck. “Do you mind if my mate and I have a moment?” he asked the captain, joining us at the railing.

Captain Meira bowed her head. Without a word, she pushed away from us and moved towards another section of the ship. As soon as she was gone, her magical signature nothing but a whisper in the wind, I turned to my prince.

He wasn’t looking at me; instead, he gazed out over the water with his jaw clenched, hands gripping the railing with so much force I thought the wood might splinter. A soft breeze swept over us, ruffling his golden hair.

“I’m sorry,” I said, voice low. “I am so sorry. ”

Adrian’s throat bobbed. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Ivy.”

“I do, though. I could have done more.” I shook my head and forced myself to turn from him. “I could have stopped him.”

“Not even my mother could stop him. Not my father or any of her mates. If they couldn’t do anything, why do you think you could have?

” There was anger in his tone, though I wasn’t sure if it was directed at me or the situation.

“My mother could have lived, you know. A knife to the abdomen wouldn’t have killed her under normal circumstances. ”

The magic would have saved her , was what he didn’t say.I glanced down at the water crashing against the side of the ship and sighed. “You think she knew?”

“She’s probably known since your powers awoke that she would be dying soon.

Maybe even Sable knew. That’s why my mother didn’t fight back.

Why she let you take what remained of her magic.

If she lived, you wouldn’t have had the power to stand against Dante.

She knew you would need to be at full strength for this war. ”

A lump formed in my throat, tears of frustration burning the back of my eyes. “I’m not prepared for this, Adrian. He’s had years to plan all of this. I’ve had months . I’m not strong enough.”

“You’re the Daughter of Nyx, Ivy. You were born for this,” he replied.

I snorted. “It doesn’t matter. Strength isn’t just of magic and body.

” I turned away from him, the lessons from my Foundations of the Council class echoing in my mind.

“Dante isn’t just strong because he’s a powerful mind mage.

He’s strong because he’s smart. He had everyone fooled, thinking he was a lazy party boy, spoiled and living off his status.

But he’s been working to overthrow the current power structure for decades.

He knew he needed more than just a position on the council—he decided he needed to be King.

And he might be able to prove he has a claim. ”