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Draya turned her back on me. “Yeah, tell that to all the fae your ancestors banished over the centuries. I know plenty of them who would love to come back here. But, unfortunately, they’re suffering for loving the wrong person.” She blew out an angry breath. “Why do you think I joined the Shadow fae? My mom died giving birth to me, and my father died when I was twelve, leaving me with no one. It felt like I belonged somewhere for the first time in my life. I used to think I wanted to be a part of your world. But you just made me realize how wrong I was.”
It was unexpected, but her words sliced right through my heart.
Footsteps echoed in the stone hallway, and it wasn’t long before someone appeared around the corner; it was my mother. Draya’s mouth gaped as she took her in. My mother looked from me to Draya and then back to me.
“I’m assuming you’re going back to the mortal realm looking like her?” she asked, nodding toward Draya.
I transformed back to my usual self. “She’s close to the Shadow fae leader.”
My mother walked up to the ice cage. “What do you want to do with her?” A tear fell down Draya’s cheek, but she angrily wiped it away, averting her gaze. “For now, I want her taken upstairs and guarded. I don’t want her in the dungeons.”
Draya’s eyes shot to mine and my mother stared at me curiously. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
Taking her arm, I led her away from the cell. “I know it makes no sense to you, but I need you to trust me. When I’m done dealing with the Shadow fae, I know what my first duty as queen of my court will be.”
My mother’s head cocked to the side. “And what will that be?”
I hugged her quickly. “I don’t have time to explain right now, but I will as soon as I can.”
I took one last look at Draya before stepping through another portal back to the mortal realm.
Chapter9
Ella
Disguised as Draya, I appeared by her red car and looked around. I could hear voices inside the cabin, but then the screen door flung open, and Ridge stormed out. I could sense the evil all around him like a plague. He looked like the leader but with sharper angles to his face and dark green eyes. I knew from the practice session I witnessed earlier that he was stronger than Aric and Bane.
“Where have you been?” he snapped.
“I went for a walk,” I stated blandly.Asshole.
He waved for me to hurry. “Come on. Kai wants you in here.”
Reaching behind my back, I could feel my dagger even though it was invisible. It was one of the perks of my ability to shapeshift; anything on my body could be glamoured.
Marching up the stairs, I had no clue what to expect when I entered the cabin. Aric and Bane were standing by the kitchen bar talking to Kai, who I couldn’t see yet because of the wall. Nevertheless, I could feel his power throughout the room.
The closer I got to the bar, the more my heart started to pound. All three men looked like brothers, but none had Kai’s gray eyes.
Aric beckoned me over with a wave of his hand. “Draya, come. Take a shot with us before we get down to business.”
Five shot glasses were on the counter, filled to the brim with amber-colored liquid. When I joined him and Bane at the bar, I got a good look at Kai. He was leaning against the wall with his muscular arms crossed over his chest. The last time I saw him, he was in a black tux with perfectly coifed dark brown hair. Tonight, he was in a snug T-shirt and jeans, with his hair in disarray from sparring with his dark fae army. His stormy gray eyes met mine, and I stared at them head-on.
Grabbing one of the shot glasses, I held it up. Kai stepped forward and reached for a glass while Aric, Bane, and Ridge did the same. Ridge tapped his glass to all of ours and smiled.
“Here’s to killing the Winter bitch and getting our revenge.”
A fire burned through my veins, but I smiled and tossed back the shot. “To revenge,” I said, disgusted that I was even in their presence.
The guys slammed back their liquor and laughed. Ridge clapped his hands on the counter before walking into the living room and sitting on the couch's armrest. “All right, let’s get this shit figured out. I still don’t understand why we don’t just go after the princess in the Land of the Fae.”
Kai strolled out of the kitchen and stood next to me. His winter scent threw me off; he wasn’t supposed to smell like my home. All I had to do was grab my dagger and plunge it into his heart. Kai was quick, though, I’d seen that firsthand. Sadly, now wasn’t the right time to attack. Ridge held out his arms, waiting for Kai to speak.
“I told you,” Kai replied, his voice dark and smooth, “that’s not how we need to play this.”
Ridge scoffed. “You made it into her home undetected once before. It seems like the easy option.”
My stomach dropped and I held my breath. Did I seriously just hear that right? How could he have gotten into my home? The electric energy around Kai sizzled all around us. Aric and Bane lowered their heads, but Ridge stood firm. I could sense the tension between the brothers.
