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“What happened!” I shouted.
“I don’t know,” he called out from my living room. “All I know is that it’s bad.”
My first thought went to Kai and what I’d allowed to happen between us. But there was no way Lailah, or anyone else, could’ve infiltrated my dream or been in the mortal world and seen us in his bedroom. I didn’t want to think of my people abandoning me because of my actions; they’d see me as a traitor. Maybe I was. But even so, I would kill Kai in a heartbeat if it came down to choosing between him or the Land of the Fae.
Shaking those thoughts from my mind, I fetched a set of black Winter warrior leathers from my closet and dressed as fast as possible. My dagger was still under my pillow, so I strapped it on my belt and ran out of my room.
The second I joined Merrick in the living room, the air shimmered and Lailah stepped through from the Hereafter, her sorrow surrounding her.
“Lailah, what’s going on?” I asked, my stomach dropping at the sight of her.
Never once in my thirty years had I seen Lailah cry. She held out her hand and beckoned me closer.
“Something happened that I think you should know about. You need to come with me.”
I looked over at Merrick and his expression was unreadable. “I’ll see you over there,” he said.
Dread engulfed my very being, and I was almost hesitant to take Lailah’s hand. I didn’t know what I would find when I stepped into the Hereafter, but I knew it wouldn’t be good.
The second I touched her hand, I closed my eyes and her warmth spread all around me. But when I opened them in the Hereafter, someone was standing by the crystal blue lake, whose magic I couldn’t feel anymore.
It was Alette, a Keeper of the Hereafter for over a hundred and seventy-five years. Her long, platinum blonde hair was like mine, and she was also a Winter fae. There was a strong resemblance between us. But now, something was missing. That fiery energy that we Keepers possessed was no longer inside of her. Sadly, there was only one reason why that would be gone ... she was dead. The Hereafter was now her home.
Merrick appeared beside me and sighed. “You’re not going to like what you’re about to hear.”
Lailah let my hand go. “Come on, Ella. There’s no time to waste.”
We walked down toward Alette, and Merrick stayed back. When Alette turned around to face us, she was sad when she focused on me.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” she said, bowing her head.
“Alette, what happened?”
When she lifted her head, she glanced at Lailah, who nodded for her to proceed. Alette released a heavy sigh and turned her focus to the lake. “I was called to the mortal realm to help someone cross over. His name was Cole. When I arrived, he panicked and shouted for me to leave. I didn’t understand what was going on. At least, until . . .” She stopped and glanced at me over her shoulder. “Until I was attacked and stabbed with an iron blade.”
Lailah cleared her throat, grabbing my attention. “It was the Shadow fae, Ella.”
When I heard those words leave her lips, an overwhelming sense of rage ripped through my entire body. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to keep it in check, but the more Lailah explained, the more I was closer to losing control.
“Cole was killed to draw in a Keeper, Ella. To draw inyou. You were the intended target.”
So that had to be the original plan Kai and his brothers had discussed. To lure me into the mortal realm so they could kill me.Fucking bastards.
Kai knew I was a Keeper; he was there when I helped Linette cross over. How could I have been so stupid to get close to him? Killing Alette was unforgivable.
“Princess,” Alette called out.
My eyes flashed open and I focused on her. Her gaze dropped to my hands which shook as I gripped my dagger. I was way past ready to fight.
“I was able to bring Cole back here before I turned to ash,” Alette informed me, “and, of course, I came back just as quickly. But, if what Cole says is true about the Shadow fae targeting you, then you must be careful. Going to the mortal realm isn’t safe.”
Lailah huffed. “That’s why she’s not going back.”
I jerked my head toward her. “Like hell, I’m not. If anything, I need to be the one going and no one else. I refuse to let any other Keepers die because of me.”
Lailah smiled at Alette, completely ignoring me. “I’m really sorry, Alette. But if you’ll excuse us . . ..”
She grabbed my hand, and we ended up back in my home in the Land of the Fae. There was so much anger coursing through me that I couldn’t see straight.
