Most of the Red Queen’s possessions were still in her private wing, I hadn’t had time to move all of them, and thankfully neither had Selene. The moment I crossed over the threshold I sensed the Red Queen’s energy. It was like everything in here was laced with it — or maybe she was actually here, whatever part of her could be here from her prison in the mecca world. It would be great if her spirit could guide me toward something of interest.
“Ari…” The rumble of my name had me spinning from the open doorway and running straight into Kade’s arms. He lifted me with ease; my legs wrapped around him as I pressed myself as close to him as I could get.
“I missed you,” he murmured close to my ear, before his lips pressed gently to the sensitive spot high on my neck.
Tilting my head back to give him slightly better access, I said, in a breathy voice, “I missed you too, and it’s only been a couple of hours.” This bonded mates thing was a serious connection. I was getting better at ignoring the ache his absence caused in my soul, but when we were back together it became so clear how much I’d been struggling without him.
He captured my mouth, a moan slipping out between my lips as he crushed me closer. I lost myself for a minute; everything around me disappeared. Still here, Finn said, sounding amused and a little disturbed.
With a chuckle we pulled apart, and I was set gently on my feet. Kade laced his fingers with mine, and we turned back to the open doorway, and beyond it the pile of boxes. “Violet said you were tackling the Red Queen’s room. I’m glad I got here before you had to do that alone.”
I stilled, tilting my head back to meet his gaze. “You think I’m going to find something bad?”
He shook his head. “Not bad, but maybe … upsetting. More secrets. She was clearly the queen of those as well as the wolves.”
Truth.
Kade gently pulled me in the direction of the queen’s private quarters. “Nix spotted a harpy above Brooklyn,” he said casually. Far too casually for that sort of information. I froze and jerked him to a stop.
“What?”
With a heavy exhalation, some of his casual ease was replaced with worry. “I’m not all that surprised. It makes sense that they would have some spies. Be preparing for their attack. We need to be extra careful is all. Nix took that particular one down, but instinct tells me there will probably be more over the coming weeks.”
My mind was racing. “Do you think the harpy knew about us sending the kids to California?” If there was even the slightest chance Winnie, or any of the little ones, were in danger, I would pull them right back.
Kade shook his head. “I doubt it. Nix has been patrolling the skies for days. She’s still out there right now with Jota and Kian. At this stage, that was the only one.”
Kade’s brother was working with Gerald, both of them leading our armies.
“They’ll send something else next time, won’t they? Something in the water? Or maybe under the ground? They have so many different beings at their disposal. We’re going to have to be extra vigilant.” I tried to keep my voice calm, but it was a near impossible task.
We were sitting ducks, waiting for the fae to decide when to attack. It didn’t feel right to me. Just waiting.
Kade’s warrior bear face was in place, his voice a low growl. “Kian is taking care of it. We both spoke to the patrols and royal guards. They’re aware of these spies, and that an attack could come from any angle.”
A shiver caressed my body, forcing me closer to the heat of my mate. “And with that happy reminder of our impending war, let’s see if we can find something to tip the scales in our direction.”
As we crossed the sitting room and reached the door to the queen’s private bedroom, a heavy tension settled in my neck, which I tried to loosen by tipping my head to either side. A harpy … here in New York City. Not only was that scary, it was also bold and careless. These winter fae cared nothing about humans learning of our world, or the chaos it would cause if our secrets were revealed.
My hand stilled over the ornate golden knob, which I was just turning to open the door to the next room. “Kade, you don’t think they would … hurt the humans as a way to get to us?”
Usually humans were off limits; we did not involve them in supernatural affairs. But the Tuatha played by their own rules.
A low thrum of energy caressed my skin, lifting the fine hairs on my arms. Kade’s power was whipping around as a dark energy descended across him. “If the winter queen exposed our kind to the humans, it would change everything. We would be hunted by the humans as well, and the humans would be caught up in a battle they had no chance of winning. We cannot let that happen.”
Our bond meant he could read my panicked thoughts, but before I could freak out too much, Finn nudged my leg. He had grown tired of waiting for us. Worry not on what has yet to pass. Humans are not on the faes’ radar at this time. They will focus on the threat of the shifters first.
Kade and I both heard him; I was starting to get very good at separating and mingling their presences in my mind. My familiar’s wise words didn’t completely put me at ease, but they definitely helped bring my focus back to the task at hand.
I nodded once, decisively. “Yes, we won’t worry about that today. Let’s get this search done.”
I opened the door, letting it swing silently inwards. As everything came into sight, an unexpected wave of grief washed over me. The queen’s bed was neatly made, covers tucked tight under the mattress. Her favorite pen and writing pad were sprawled carelessly on the nightstand. There weren’t many other personal effects in here, no photos or keepsakes that screamed sentimental.
Who was this woman? Here in her private room, when she didn’t have to be the cold Red Queen … who was she really? The only thing I truly knew about her was that she was my mother. My blood. My throat tightened as a whirlwind of emotions slammed into me. Would my life have been different if she hadn’t smuggled me away, if she hadn’t kept our relationship secret? Would my father have killed her and me all those years ago, changing the course of history forever?
Kade and Finn waited patiently as I processed it all. My life had been a lie. My mother, the one I believed I shared with Winnie, had been a lie. But at least I had some answers now — I understood better why she had been so … distant with me — extra hard on me. I loved her, but some part of me, deep down, knew she had never acted like my real mother.
“You okay?” Kade’s voice was low, husky. He would be feeling every one of my emotions through our bond, all the broken pieces inside of me that I was trying to rearrange into some sort of a whole. I sensed he was even siphoning some of the pain away, taking some of the burden.
I nodded and stepped farther into the room. I was okay. I had to be. There was no other choice. “Let’s start with the bedside tables.”