Page 84 of Taming the Kraken

“Mikah, it’s the only way. We need to weaken her so we can handle her. She’s my baby. I don’t want to hurt her.” Levi’s eyes watered as he watched his daughter stagger to her feet.

“You won’t hurt her,” Mikah said calmly. “Because I won’t allow it.” He took a protective stance in front of Alexa, then turned his head to look at his princess. “It’s still you and me, right?” He gave her a half-smile, which she returned. “I’ll be your dark knight.” He winked at her and was happy to hear her soft laugh. She was still his Lex. And he would protect her and stay by her side, no matter what.

“Wait. I can help you,” Bella said quietly, stepping forward.

“I don’t want your help, nor do I need it,” Alexa said firmly, snapping her cold gaze toward Bella. Brian wrapped his arm around Bella protectively, an action that didn’t go unnoticed by Alexa. “Don’t you trust me anymore, Brian? I change my energy and suddenly I’m your enemy?”

“It isn’t like that, Lex.” Brian watched her arch her brow at him and he coughed out her new name. “Xi … But this isn’t you. You would never attack your mother.”

“She attacked me first!” Alexa shouted in a wounded tone. “Oh, so it was okay for her to send her light magic to me? But the moment I defend myself, I’m the evil one?” She scoffed and scanned over everyone with the hatred that was consuming her. “I see. So, in all of your eyes, this version of me is unwanted.” She paused for a moment, listening to their silence. She bit her bottom lip angrily as she clicked her tongue. “Fine. Then I guess this is how it is. Some great family I have.”

“Don’t give in to the poison. Please, Lex, this isn’t who you are,” Reiya pleaded as she prepared to reach her daughter again. She would try to smother the dark with her light. The problem was that there was still no guarantee. And Alexa no longer trusted her.

“Xi, I don’t care who you are. I’m with you no matter what.” Mikah turned to face Alexa and watched her nod her head.

Alexa walked up to Mikah and wrapped her arms around him. He did the same, holding her protectively in his embrace.

“Always us.” Alexa smiled up at him genuinely. Then she scoffed, looking out at everyone else. “If this is how you want it, then we’ll be enemies from here on out. I’m not a light fairy anymore. I’m a dark fairy. Remember that.” Black smoke surrounded her and Mikah, and a moment later, they were both gone.

“Damn it!” Levi roared. He squeezed his eyes shut, his whole body trembling angrily. “Ken warned me that there was more to the nembrant glass before he left. He said we needed to remove it immediately. What the hell did Erebus do to her?!”

“We can get her back, right? We can fix this,” Reiya cried and watched as Levi’s jaw clenched. “No. We can’t lose her. I’m going to Elysia. Everything is a mess right now. I need to speak with my parents.”

“Your parents?” Levi asked, looking at her in confusion. “I guess I wasn’t paying attention. I just assumed that the lights–”

Reiya shook her head. “It wasn’t my parents’ lights that went out. It was my grandparents, Alice and Nathon, and Alice’s guardian Dylan that were killed.” She clenched her fingers. “It’s so much …” she whispered, and Levi wrapped his arms around her. She would miss them, but she needed to pull herself together and focus on Alexa right now.

“Let’s go to Elysia.” Levi shot his gaze at the Great Sage. “See if you can find any information. Brian, let your father know what’s going on, but keep everything quiet. We need to keep this news between us.”

“Do you suspect a spy is here?” Brody suddenly asked, feeling alarmed.

“Yes, the walls have ears. We need to keep all of this as quiet as possible. Most likely that fool thinks he killed Asher. He’ll think Ken is gone, and we need Ken now more than ever. As her soulmate, he can reach a part of Alexa that we cannot reach.” Levi sighed as he clenched his jaw angrily. That damn Erebus would pay for all of this.

“But Ken hasn’t marked Alexa yet,” Chelsie whispered. “Will it be enough?”

“It has to be.” Reiya shook her head. “We’ll reach Alexa no matter what. I won’t lose her.”

“Maybe I can try to take the glass out now?” Bella felt Brian’s arm tighten on her protectively.

“No. It’s too dangerous to attempt now. We need to have her with us so Brian can keep her warm.” Levi looked at Reiya, who was trying to put on a brave face.

“Let’s go. We need to get to my parents!” Reiya nodded her head. One step at a time. Right now, they needed to head to Elysia.

“Brian, after you talk to your father, could you please wait upstairs in case Ken shows up before we get back? Tell him what happened and for him to meet us in Elysia.” Brian nodded his head. Levi could see the worry in Brian’s eyes. “Don’t worry, son. We’re going to get her back. No matter what the cost. Fairy magic is strong.” He nodded to Brian as Reiya opened a portal.

Brody and Chelsie stepped through first, then Levi and Reiya walked through together. They had just suffered a traumatic loss, and their grief continued to compound. But it wasn’t over. Now was the time to fight.

Reiya stepped out of the portal that led them to the inner lower citadel of the castle. She knew this was where her parents would be. She wasn’t entirely shocked to see her brother Hunter with his mate Freja there, as well as Chasen and his mate Jin. Lita’s eyes were red and swollen, her father Asher holding her tightly. In her hand was a glowing letter that she held onto tightly.

Lita turned, caught the look in Reiya’s eyes, and came to her side instantly.

“What’s wrong?” Lita asked, her arms open for her daughter.

In that moment, Reiya was a child again. She stepped into her mother’s arms, buried her head in her shoulder, and quietly sobbed. “It’s Alexa. She’s gone dark on us. That glass did something to her. She left us.”

Lita hugged her daughter tightly while Asher patted Reiya’s head. Chasen and Brody found their way to each other near their Uncle Grayson.

“What happened here?” Brody asked quietly.