Chapter 42: forty-two

Olivia

~Several weeks later~

The grandeur of the castle felt alien to me, especially after spending so much of my life confined to a small space. After the attempted attack on the coronation day, Cole had insisted that guards shadow me at all times.

That day was a nightmare I wished to erase from my memory, to lock away in the deepest recesses of my mind. But the evening that followed was a different story altogether.

Discovering that the guards were referred to as the ‘damned’ was a bitter pill to swallow. How could such loyal and formidable beings be labeled with such a derogatory term? So, I decided to give each of them a name.

Leon and Jack became my personal guards. They were both there on the day Cole saved me from Annabelle. Leon was also the one who decapitated the female vampire who had attacked me.

Cole, meanwhile, spent most of his time with Atticus. There was a lot that needed to change, and the resistance from the other vampires didn’t make things any easier.

It was rare to see a day when a guard didn’t return with thick black tar smeared across their face or their clothing soaked in blood—vampire blood.

Rayna did her best to explain the different fae powers I now possessed, but her knowledge was limited. During those times, I found myself wishing Raven was still here.

She explained that the blue ball of light, despite its color, was pure sunshine. Vampires could walk in daylight like humans, but raw sunshine was potent enough to kill any creature.

All fae were connected to nature, and even though I was only half-fae, this held true for me. I could easily revive dead trees or plant life with a mere touch of my finger.

The blue markings that glowed on my skin and the invincibility my body exhibited during the attack on coronation day remained a mystery. Since then, Rayna and I have been practicing our gifts in the gardens.

“Let’s practice agility today. It’s a beautiful sunny day, and running will help build muscles in your thighs. I’m sure the king would ~adore~ that,” Rayna giggled.

“Rayna!” I squealed, playfully tapping her shoulder.

Before I could ask Jack and Leon to scout the area for safety, Rayna darted off. “Wait!” I shouted, sprinting after her into the woods, with Jack and Leon close on my heels.

They both hissed sharply, their black fangs extending past their lips.

“The king has been looking for you, ~Samuel,~” Leon growled. A small, child-like whimper echoed from the shadows of the trees before Rayna emerged, Samuel’s pale arm wrapped tightly around her throat.

I tilted my head, studying his face. Leon’s hand gripped my shoulder when I tried to step towards Rayna.

“Call off your dogs, and we can talk, fairy queen,” Samuel snarled, his grip around her neck tightening.

Rayna’s cheek flushed red. Her nails dug into his arm, but he seemed unfazed. Her breaths became ragged as she struggled for air.

“Release her first!” I demanded, but he merely smiled, applying more pressure.

“You better hurry before she suffocates,” he taunted.

I glanced at Jack and then Leon, nodding to signal that it was okay. Cole could read my thoughts and sense my emotions, so I knew it was only a matter of time before he arrived.

Jack and Leon slowly retreated until they were finally out of sight.

“What do you want? Let her go!” I snapped. The blue markings appeared on my hands and arms.

“I want you and that bastard to leave things as they are. I refuse to go into hiding just because he mated with a halfling. Tell him to stop, or I’ll bring war to his doorstep,” he hissed, his fangs extending.

He spun Rayna around, his hand tangled in her hair at the scalp. I took a few steps towards them, but he held out his other hand.

“Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast. To show you how serious I am, here’s a little taste of what could happen,” he said. His hand moved in the air, and my eyes followed his every movement.

He stopped just above her already damaged wings before gripping one of them tightly. A blood-curdling scream escaped her throat as he yanked his hand down, tearing her wing completely off.

He tossed her body to the ground as a gust of wind swept by.