Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I cried into his chest.
Jet’s arms closed tightly around me.
“I got everything I wanted,” he said, squeezing me tighter, silently including me in that, “I wanted you to have everything you wanted too.”
“I already did,” I assured him. “I had you.”
Jet pulled back, his face soft as he pressed his hand to my cheek. “And now you have me… and your lake.” He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. “What are you waiting for? I know it’s calling to you,” he said, taking a step back and waving to the water.
I glanced behind him, but Nira and Cora had disappeared, likely sensing how private a moment this was.
I reached to pull off my gown, leaving me in nothing but my slip that turned semi-sheer in the sunlight, making Jet’s jaw clench before I dove into the water.
There were no words to describe the way the water surrounded me, sank into me, welcomed me home.
I couldn’t say how long I stayed under the water, letting myself remember the sensations, before surfacing and holding out an arm to Jet.
Eyes on me, he kicked off his shoes, removed his tunic and his pants, then stepped right in, then into my arms.
Perfect.
It was absolutely perfect.
Jet - 6 months
“It seems we overestimated our security needs,” Nira said as they walked away from the fifteenth fae we’d passed who’d paused to drop at Jet’s feet and thank him.
Some were thanking him for the return of their loved ones from the camps or the dungeons. Others, for no longer stealing their crops. Still others wanted to show their gratitude for stripping their previous employers of their wealth and titles, which freed them from a life of servitude to cruel bosses.
“If you’re not careful, it’s gonna turn into the Light over here,” Nira teased.
Jet glanced up as a flock of sluagh—the nightmare birds—swarmed overhead with a series of spine-tingling screams and shot Nira a smirk.
“We should be nearly—” Vishen said. But then, just through the trees, we saw them.
No draca army this time, just Cece, her husband, and a small band of guards.
“Well, look at that,” Celestine said, glancing up at the crown on my head. “You got your crown after all.”
“With a little help,” I agreed, pulling Serin closer. “May I introduce my wife? Queen Serin.”
Serin beamed up at me as she always did when I used her title.
“So, you’re the one who created such an uproar in my realm when you got kidnapped. It’s nice to finally meet you. This is my husband, Jasper.”
“Jasper, I’ve heard a lot about you. And your sisters,” Serin said. “I hope they’re well.”
“They are. Thank you.”
“So, I hear our father is off the throne.”
“He is.”
“Where is he?”
“Somewhere where he will never get free.”
“Well, just in case,” Cece said, reaching into her pocket and producing a necklace that she passed to me.
“What’s this?”
“What’s what?” Nira asked, leaning over to look at my hands. “There’s nothing there.”
My gaze flicked up to Celestine. “Magic, obviously. It was how my mom stayed ‘mad’ for so long, so our father couldn’t use her. Only this won’t make him crazy. He will just be very subdued and submissive as long as he is wearing it. The magic is… no one can see it but you. Not even him. So he will never know. Neither will anyone else. But it will contain him without cruelty. A mercy he wouldn’t show anyone else, of course, but one that protects our souls from going that dark.”
“This will come in handy. Thank you.”
We had magic in the Dark realm, of course. But it tended to be more volatile and unpredictable. And, well, Dark.
It was handy to have an ally in the light for this sort of thing.
“I also hear your power has manifested.”
“It manifested a long time ago.”
“You just didn’t want Cass to use it against you.”
“Precisely.”
“Well, I think it was inspired to use it—in moderation—instead of torturing people endlessly.”
“I agree. And so you know, the camps have been disbanded,” I said, looking at Jasper. I knew his sister had been pulled into one and horribly abused. It was the whole reason Cece ever learned about the Green and her lineage—she went looking for her friend.
“Good. They never should’ve existed.”
“I agree.”
“If what I’m hearing is right, there are a lot of changes going on,” Cece said.
“And who are you hearing from?” I asked.
“I have my people.”
“As do I.”
“Which should be totally fine,” my sister said, “since both our kingdoms are behaving exactly how they should. Well, aside from us finding a boggart on our side of the woods this week.”
“They’re not the brightest creatures,” I said of the chaos fae who infested homes and did annoying shit like souring milk or spoiling food. “Just have them tossed back over the border. Creatures that have working gray matter know not to cross into the Seelie realm.”