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“Get to the Gilded Lands! Take shelter! Follow us for sanctuary!”
Cora is not only the queen of the monsters; she’s the queen of everything. I understand why she never wanted to live in the Gilded Castle. I don’t wish to ever return myself, but we must. The monsters from the Dead Lands won’t have anywhere to go, and the Shadow Lands still fear them, but the castle in the Gilded Lands will be plenty large enough to house the fleeing monsters.
As we scream, our power lighting the way while we run, monsters join our ranks. They sprint alongside my and my sister’s mates. We stay connected, our hands intertwined as we lead them to safety. Rook carries me without effort, his shadows dancing around us as Kaito, Dade, and Weyland follow. They make sure we remain safe against the human hunters who likely lie in wait. What easy targets they must think we make. We may be monsters, but we will never be the demons they are.
Merryl will pay for what he’s done. Gone is the man in my memories, and he’s been replaced by the hateful, terrible man I saw just before the fire. He never saved me then, and he dooms me now.
The fire rages around us, feeding on not only the dry brush but the magic in the air. The flames change colors as the magic begins to bleed. The blue, green, purple, and black flames grow hotter with the magic, singeing my hair as we run. Another burst of magic booms out of me, keeping the flames at bay without conscious effort. Cora does the same. Her gargoyle flies overhead, a beacon for the monsters capable of flight. They fill the air as we scramble through the trees.
The old wall, now crumbling and dead, appears, and we scramble over it with the flames on our heels. The moment we touch the Shadow Lands, Rook and Grim set Cora and me down.
With our hands still clasped, we face the wall and the flames that surge forward.
“We have to stop the fire,” Cora rasps, looking over at me. “Can you help me?”
I nod. There was never a question.
Cora begins to glow, her power brightening. I close my eyes and feel her draw on my own power as she uses it to feed her magic. We sway beneath the weight, but strong hands clasp my shoulders, and I can only assume they do the same to hers as well.
Our monsters. Our mates.
When I open my eyes again, a familiar wall has been built. The flames beat against the other side, making the vines red-hot, but they do not cross. It’s another wall, but this time, all the monsters are on this side with us.
I look over at Cora and see tears flowing down her cheeks from a pain I recognize.
“We will knock it down again,” I promise. “It won’t stand forever.”
Cora nods and wipes her face. “Yes, but at what cost?” She meets my eyes. “War is coming, Kai, and I can’t stop it.”
I squeeze her hand despite my exhaustion. “We may not stop it from coming, but we will end it.”
We turn and take in the humans gathering to stare at us. Some are afraid, and some are curious, but among them are those who are angry.
“We should go to the castle,” Cora murmurs, her worried eyes dancing to me. “Will you be okay?”
That castle was once my prison.
Strong hands still remain on my shoulders, and I straighten, tilting my chin up. “I will be,” I promise. “I will be.”
The castle has turnedinto a home for wayward monsters. Oh, how the old king would turn in his grave. Those who made it out of the flames and those who are still making their way through the fire and over the wall are all welcomed to the castle with open arms. Many of those who arrive have never had a bed, so we offer whatever they are comfortable with. Many of them have taken up residence in the now overgrown courtyard, hiding among the flowers struggling to grow among the weeds. A few times, I have been startled by one rushing out, only to realize they were children—a sight I had yet to see. Just like human children, they laugh and play despite the scary ordeal we all went through, and it gives me some semblance of peace.
I haven’t been able to step inside the castle yet, preferring to help those outside and resting in the courtyard. I offer what Ican, making sure everyone is comfortable before they go inside, but I will eventually have to face my past.
When the monsters stop trickling in, I stand before the large entrance with a heavy heart. The last time I was here, I was a prisoner. Now, it’s meant to be a safe haven. It’s a strange juxtaposition to hate a place so much and yet be thankful for it.
This is your home now. You will make me very happy here.
Get on the floor. I want you on your knees.
Your sister isn’t going to save you now.
The words echo in my mind like a distant memory. They are less harsh now, less brutal, but they are there all the same. I don’t think they’ll ever disappear, as they have become a part of me, but over time, as I continue to heal, perhaps they’ll fade more.
A strong hand slips into mine, and the touch of shadows dances across my lips, grounding me. I glance up at Rook with a smile despite the memories.
“Come, little oblivion,” he purrs. “The darkness will quiver in the face of my own.”
Holding onto his hand tightly, I step inside the castle for the first time since I threw myself off it.
