He was the reason abominations were shunned, the reason Lucifer had had to reopen the gates to the Hell Fae realm a thousand years ago, and why Zen had had to craft the paradigm to protect the exiled Midnight Fae.
That wasn’t the mark of a worthy king, but of a dictator who led the people by his own instincts alone. Never listening to his fellow fae for guidance or requesting their opinions. He merely told them what to do and expected them to bow.
He’d tricked the Quandary Bloods into his ascension, rewriting the power away from the Morte line to bolster his own, because he had a vision for his people.
A vision that cast out women.
Cast out those he believed were stronger.
Cast out those with the ability to stop him.
Then he’d forced the ascension onto me as some sort of trick of fate, to paint me as a monster to his people. When, in fact, he was the evildoer in this scenario, the villain who craved a worthy opponent.
And he’d chosenme.
The dark source had acceptedme.
My mates had claimedme.
“I won’t choose,” I said again, my voice stronger now. “They’re mymates. My heart. My soul. Without them, I’m not worthy enough to be queen. They’re my rocks, my foundation, my roots. I won’t destroy them. I won’t release them. I won’tsacrifice those who make me who I am, because otherwise I’ll lose myself.”
“Then they’ll all die,” Constantine whispered, his words cruel. He kissed me with his power once more, the pulsing walls yanking on me with a vengeance, the dark source bellowing in agony at being forced to abuse the one it had chosen to ascend.
I screamed with it, my soul in tatters, my mates yelling inside my mind and heart to stop this madness, to embrace the choice.
They all told me to pick them, to sever them, to live, to survive.
But this world wouldn’t work without all four of them together.
My mates represented four branches of Midnight Fae kind, their bloodlines invaluable, their power insurmountable.
Yet I felt them all dwindling, their energy waning, their lights blinking in and out as the trial raged around me, Constantine demanding my sacrifice.
I couldn’t just forfeit or walk away.
He’d ensured that I either picked one mate… or I lost them all.
Either way, I’d lose my heart in the process.
Aflora!Kols called to me again.Please, sweetheart. Listen to me. I can’t let you do this. Pick me. Sacrifice me. I can’t live in a world where Shade and Zeph are gone. They’re dying, love. They’re… we’re all… I’m ready… I swear to you that I’m ready, that I can do this. Just let me go, sweetheart. I’ll be with you always. You know that. I’ll be part of the source for?—
Don’t you dare listen to him,Zeph interrupted.I can feel his energy waning, Aflora. Don’t listen to him. Don’t let Kols do this!
Aflora,Shade whispered.Just take me… I’ve already lived seven lives with you. Eight including this one. It’s enough… it’senough for me to know… that you’ve chosen this path, that you’re?—
Zakkai’s growl infiltrated my mind as I released a pained gasp, the darkness roaring around me.I’m trying, but I can’t… I can’t hold on much longer… Aflora… Aflora, you have to…
No!I shouted to them all.I won’t choose!
This wicked game had to end.
I wouldn’t sacrifice them.
I couldn’t.
And I told them that with a blast of power that left me breathless… yet bolstered their strands. Similar to what I’d done to Kols, my vines thriving around him, solidifying my grip.
I did it again.
