Red and Her Wolf (Kingdom, #3)

“Hush now, Dani,” Miriam whispered, patting her hand in a soothing gesture. “She meant no harm. But you know as well as I do, Ese, that she must be here. It’s been foretold. It will only succeed if we follow the plan.”


Esmeralda glanced over her shoulder. “Galeta will be here any moment. Are you sure of this?”

“Wait. What?” Danika turned toward Miriam, tugging on the tattered sleeve of her blue dress. “You want to be caught? Miriam, have you lost your mind? We have time. We must go. What about the kids? We need to--”

Wide blue eyes pleaded with Danika to stop. “It is the only way, Dani. Galeta will find me now or later, I cannot escape her forever. I’m a fugitive.”

“Of what?!” Danika finally did shriek.

“Of my law,” Galeta’s deep throated voice boomed like cannon fire. “You were never to return, how dare you?” The Blue crackled with bursts of flames as she flitted toward their branch, a tail of blue glow trailing like a shooting star behind her.

Sharp fangs gleamed bright white in her face. Her eyes were narrowed to dangerous slits. “I will deal with you later,” Galeta said as she passed a contrite Esmeralda.

Miriam lifted her chin, her demeanor proud and almost arrogant. “Ye ken the prophecy; I’ve shared it with ye--”

Galeta’s sneer was a mile long and dripped with malice. “Your prophecy. As if that’s proof enough for me.”

What prophecy? Why the bloody hell was Danika always in the dark about everything. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into the palms of her hand so hard she felt the skin break beneath. Her blood buzzed with fairy energy, like prodding an electric gate. Angry didn’t even begin to describe how she felt at the moment.

“Lock them up,” Galeta ordered Esmeralda.

As the fairy of Justice and Truth, Esmeralda had no choice but to do as Galeta ordered. Though she was one of the Ten, none had greater power than the Head Mistress. Galeta’s word was law in fairy.

Miriam thrust her wrists behind her back. “We seek asylum and safe harbor through Kingdom.”

“Ha!” Galeta threw her head back, blue hair swishing back and forth like a pendulum. “You’ll rot in fairy flame. I’ll never release you.”

“But Galeta, surely,” Danika stepped in front of Miriam, dragging the cold glacial stare to herself, attempting to remain calm and rational and not wail and shriek as she desperately wanted to do, “you must understand, we’re going to kill Malvena now. In two nights we’re to meet up with the Heartsong and her wolf.”

A sharp blue brow rose so high, it nearly vanished beneath her hairline. Slowly, she turned toward Ese. “You knew about this?”

“Yes,” Esmeralda said with a sharp clip of her head. “I knew.”

“The Black grows stronger every day. The land sang when the Heartsong stepped back through, she will find the girl,” Galeta mused softly, as if she’d forgotten her audience and spoke to herself.

“Ye ken the prophecy to be true, Galeta,” Miriam spoke up. “I ken that ye hate me, and that’s okay, but for the sake of Kingdom, ye must let our journey continue to the keep. Without me, the child canna win.”

“Crows fly all about Kingdom, rats scuttle down my halls. The Black is desperate to find the girl.” Galeta’s nostrils flared, her words echoed with the faintest trace of capitulation.

“Have you been following Violet?” Miriam asked softly.

Galeta’s jaw clenched. “We follow her traces. The dark magic in her veins is potent, it leaves its marker. We traced her as far as Hansel and Gretel’s woods, but I lost her scent amongst the gore.”

“Please leave her be. I’ve charted a course for them to Malvena’s. They are headed there now. Do not arrest them, Galeta, please.” Miriam closed her eyes. “We will kill the Black.”

Scoffing, Galeta rolled her eyes. “And then what? Hmm? We all know the power of the fairy leaves the body when one of the Ten die. The Black power is too dark to contain, too deadly. It will be released and infect another unfortunate soul, and we’ll be right back where we started. We cannot kill the Black, we must kill the Heartsong. It is the only way.”

“No!” Miriam cried, her wings flapped so hard it stirred the leaves in the tree. “I ken how to stop that. That is why I must be there. That is why the girl must be allowed to continue the journey.”

“She speaks truth, Galeta,” Ese said, turning black eyes toward the Blue. “I’ve seen it. The Shunned will stop it.”

Miriam’s hands were clasped to her breast, her chest barely moving. Danika subconsciously mimicked that very stance, breathless to know Galeta’s decision.

It took only a second. “Stop the Black. Then you’re mine.”

Miriam swallowed hard. “Aye, Galeta. Then I’m yers. But only me; Danika must not be harmed. Nor can Violet or Ewan.”

“No.” Danika shook her head. “She’s done nothing wrong, Head Mistress. Don’t imprison her.”

Blue flames once more coated Galeta’s body as she rose high into the air. “So mote it be,” she said and the air charged with a swift current of spine tingling power. “Esmeralda, to me.”

Esmeralda gave Miriam a grim smile. “Good luck, my friend.”