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Chapter One
DREYDEN
Four months and three days have passed since the Tartarus monarchy crumbled to Adeena’s uncontrolled wrath, and in that quick blink of time, I’ve watched Adeena exhaust herself with endless hours of endurance and strength conditioning on top of full-time training with Geras. Her newly found powers have strengthened beyond recognition, beyond what I ever imagined possible, and are becoming increasingly difficult to control. Even though she spends nearly every day aiming to contain the growing energy, I see her slowly slipping into a downward spiral.
The loss of her friends and family has finally caught up to her now that the weight of the prophecy has been lifted from her shoulders, freeing up her mind and allowing her to fall victim to the darkest corners of her imagination. Far too often, I find her sobbing in our bathing chambers when she believes herself to be alone, with no one to hear the sorrowful release of pain she keeps hidden inside. Nightmares wake her nightly, pulling her into a frenzied panic as she finds her way back to the harsh reality she now faces. Silent tears stream down her sweet face as she buries herself into my chest, soaking my skin in the aftermath of each nightmare. She refuses to acknowledge the nightmares when the sun rises following dark nights, but I know denial will only work for so long before it catches up with her. A tidal wave of emotion is coming, and it’s only a matter of time until it crashes.
I want to be enough for her, and I want to be the one to save her from herself. Ineedto be the one to save her from herself after everything she lost, but I’m not enough. Her heartache is too great, and can only be cured through her grieving process, which is going to take time… a lot of time, but I can be patient. Four hundred years of life have instilled patience within me, and for my mate, I can wait forever.
As I wait for Adeena to find herself again, I fill my days portaling to and from Tartarus with as many supplies as my magic will carry. Dark times have fallen over Tartarus, darker than I ever thought possible, and I’m doing everything I can to help those who have fallen victim to the corrupt kingdom. Six days a week, I travel with ingredients to bake fresh bread and overstuffed baskets of fiber to weave new fabrics, hoping to replace some of what has been lost, but I can’t keep up. My magic is depleted to near empty by the sixth day of each week, forcing me to remain in Fire Court on the seventh day, replenishing my tank and formulating a plan for the week to come. Between attending as many of Adeena’s training sessions as I can and trips between Fire Court and Tartarus, I am wearing thin.
Feral wildfires broke out shortly after the war ended, burning down entire villages and leaving most without food, shelter, or even clean drinking water most days. The people of Tartarus are penniless, stuck fending for themselves in a fallen kingdom where they have nothing, and no one is stepping up to end the famine. The blame can’t necessarily be placed on anyone considering the animalistic state Tartarus has taken. Obtaining peace and order will take a force greater than I’ve ever witnessed.
Fleeing isn’t a sane option. Tartarus is surrounded by endless seas on all sides but one which, as luck would have it, is the Wychwood Forest. Few dare venture into the somber woods, and we haven’t caught word of anyone emerging from the other side into Archai.
Creatures once banished to the forest now seep out, creeping their way into Tartarus as they realize an abandoned border equates to freedom. Wind Court and Land Court continue to hold their ground on the eastern side of the forest, but nothing is being done on the western perimeter.
Tartarus is falling apart, deteriorating daily as its people find themselves increasingly victim to a decaying kingdom, lost and broken without a leader. Erebus may have been one of the most crooked kings Tartarus had ever seen, but at least the kingdom had a sense of order under his rule. The consequences of his death expand far beyond what anyone could have predicted.
My gold-winged spies report back to me in the evenings with news of the chaos and unrest that spreads across the land just as a virus would. Most people are tucked away in hiding, too terrified to emerge out of fear of being caught, stranded in the open, should a band of looters pass through the area.
Crimes go unpunished, bringing out the worst in everyone. A sick purge is sweeping across the land, spinning out of control as criminals take over.
The four courts of Archai once met weekly to discuss regaining control of the land, but the meetings quickly faded to nothing as the other courts realized the monstrosity of the task ahead. No one was up to the job, and frankly, only I cared enough to put the time and resources into it. What surprised me most was Lady Hali’s unwillingness to lend resources to the cause. We grew up together, trained together, fought wars together. I thought I knew her character well enough to believe she would assist me in aiding the people of Tartarus, but I was wrong. She turned her head as quickly as Lord Soren and Lord Weylin did, sending me back home to Fire Court filled with disgust and rage. We haven’t spoken since, and I don’t intend on reaching out any time soon.
My priorities are larger than the desire to mend my friendship with Lady Hali. In addition to my mate’s unstable emotional state, I still have my duty as high lord to see that my court runs smoothly, without chaos or trouble, and that the people remain happy.
Izan has stepped up to ensure their basic needs are tended to and that our self-sustainable way of life continues while I’m away, but he cannot handle the entire court by himself.
However, today is a day to put all that aside and focus on my mate.
Adeena’s stars shimmer, casting an aura around her naked body as rays of sunshine dance across her soft skin. Her hair is wet, slicked back by the sparkling waters of Caelum Lake, and silver wings gently flutter behind her back, drying in the warm sunlight as she sits atop a flat rock overlooking the jeweled waters. She hums a soft, sweet tune while keeping her eyes closed, lazily resting her head on my lap.
She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, and she’s mine. How I got so lucky, I’ll never know. I thank the gods every day for gifting her to me and for sending her back to me when I thought she had slipped through my fingers, gone forever, and lost to uncontrolled rage.
My world stopped spinning and my heart ceased to beat when I held her lifeless body in my arms. Sometimes I still find myself broken, lost in an empty space as I replay the memory.
I shake my head, pushing away my thoughts before they become too dark, ruining my good mood and what is supposed to be a quiet day off with Adeena. A day to reconnect, to slow down for a moment.
Adeena’s muscles flex in her forearm as she pushes off her stomach, sitting up before turning to look at me through sterling silver eyes. “I’m hungry,” she groans as she summons her wings back into her body, slipping a loose tunic over her head as they fold.
I laugh, softly grinning as I tease my mate, “You’re always hungry.”
Over-exertion is the source of her extreme hunger, but I didn’t dare confront her about it when she was already so unstable. That conversation was for another day, and I know neither of us are ready for it right now.
Twisting to reach the basket hidden behind me, I watch Adeena’s face light up as I pull the surprise into view.
“You brought lunch?” she squeals with excitement.
“Do you think I don’t know you well enough to assume you’d be starving after a long hike and a full morning of swimming?” I raise my brow, challenging her judgment.
She eyes me up and down, and I can tell she’s trying to come up with a witty response, but the sight of food clouds her mind. She sighs before flashing me a mischievous smile. “What’d you bring me?”
Reaching into the basket, I pull out a cluster of plump green grapes and a loaf of sticky, honey-brushed bread. Sugary sweets are one of the many ways I edge my way deeper into Adeena’s tender heart.
Adeena clasps her hands together, scooting closer before she swipes the bread from my grasp. “Did Thea make these? I thought I smelled something sweet baking this morning before we left, and I was worried it would be gone by the time we arrived back.” Her eyes flutter closed as her teeth sink into the tip of the loaf, hungrily tearing at the flaky crust. “Mmm,” she moans as the honey-brushed bread coats her tongue.
My heart rate picks up at the sight of her happiness. It’s such a small gesture, yet a wide smile spreads across her soft lips, warming me as I behold the first genuinely real smile I’ve seen from her in weeks. It’s a sight I tirelessly crave, and I’ve been starved of it too much lately.
