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“ S he escaped under your watch!” Deidamia screamed as she paced the floor. “Three of my silver serpents were murdered and our soldiers defeated!”

Andras bowed and kept his voice smooth. “My queen, the fae of Monterre have already become quite protective of her. We still have the book.”

Deidamia whirled toward him. “The book is useless without her to wield it, you fool. You’ve failed me yet again. First, you let Pellas slip out of your fingers and now Ava has escaped. How could you let yourself be bested by a human?”

Andras remained calm, hiding his anger at the way she spoke to him. “I won’t let it happen again.”

“No.” She approached him and grasped his face, nails digging into his cheeks. Warm blood trickled down his neck as she leaned close. “You won’t. You will develop a new plan to recapture her.”

“I will,” he assured her and she let him go.

Mosshaven had been difficult to infiltrate, the silver serpents barely able to sneak into the capital with their small force.

Andras had the power to speak through them and even see through their eyes.

What he had witnessed at the pub had concerned him.

Not only had the fae there welcomed her, The Bear seemed especially protective and had immediately stood at her side the moment Andras began speaking.

He wondered if they had figured out who she was.

That she was King Thorne’s sister and the only one with enough power to stop them.

Deidamia and Andras had known the whole time.

Had known who it was they followed into the human world one hundred years ago with the initial intent to kill Pellas and Aurelia, who was carrying the child prophesied to stop them.

Their plan had gone wrong and the portal into the human lands had dropped them somewhere far away. It had taken thirty years to find them and when they had gotten close to using Pellas’ blood to make their way back to Eorhan, he took his own life.

Finding Ava had been easy and seducing her even easier. He barely had to use any of his magic to get her to trust him and everything had gone to plan until she escaped.

“Andras,” his Queen said as she paced. “Find the girl and bring her back. If you are unable to capture her, kill her.”

“We still need her to bring in the remainder of our forces, My Queen,” he implored as he waltzed closer to her.

“Everything is going wrong ,” she seethed as her temper rose. “You promised me.”

Andras stepped in front of her and caressed her face, attempting to soothe her. Her volatile temper would ruin everything if she couldn’t control it. “I keep my promises, My Queen. You will have all the power you desire. You’ll have your own world to rule, without the burden of your sisters.”

She looked into his icy blue eyes and softened slightly.

He leaned forward, his lips barely brushing hers.

“We will rule together, you and I.” He leaned in and kissed her deeply and she pressed into him, a small moan leaving her lips.

He pulled back, brushed her hair from her face and said, “I will handle it.”

She nodded, then turned on her heel and exited the tent.

They could possibly still win the war without bringing more of the army from Tarterius, the realm where Deidamia had to share power with her horrid sisters.

Sisters who had beaten her and scoffed when she tried to rule alongside them.

She wanted her own realm, far away from her corrupt family.

She wanted Eorhan and he would ensure she had it.

Now that he and Deidamia had returned, they could continue their experiments on the creatures of Eorhan.

Using their magic, they had been able to combine the blood of existing monsters and make them more powerful, more dangerous.

They had even found a way to create beings with venom that nullified the fae’s magic which would be vital in their success.

This should be enough to conquer the three remaining kingdoms, though it wouldn’t be easy. Having Ava would ensure their success.

And so, Andras turned on his heel and exited the tent, preparing himself to plan the next step in their quest to rule. He would do whatever it took to get Ava back and kill anyone in his way.