“And very useful,” I countered. “Tell her.”
He sighed, his fingers combing through his thick reddish-brown hair as he shook his head. “My grandfather forced your ascension in an effort to kill you. But you passed your first trial. Not only that, the source embraced you. I was just thinking through what that means and wondering if fate might have a point. If perhaps you should be the Midnight Fae Queen.”
I righted my spine, my palm still around the back of Aflora’s nape. Zakkai stood nearby with Shade on his other side. But my pixie flower’s eyes were on Kols, who still rested beside her in the petal adorned bed. “How could I be the queen? I’m an Earth Fae.”
“An Earth Fae who is mated to four Midnight Fae,” he said softly. “An Earth Fae who found a way for the two sources to talk to each other. An Earth Fae who should be thrumming with an overabundance of power right now, seeking to destroy—at least according to all the rumors on abominations—and yet I can hear you still putting your people first. You’re not thinking about yourself or what it’ll mean for you, but for everyone else. And that is the mark of true royalty, Aflora. That is the mindset of a queen.”
I released Aflora, aware of Kols’s intention.
His palm found her cheek as he rolled into her. “You were always destined for this,” he whispered, his mouth brushing hers. “I think Shade’s known that all along, too.”
The Death Blood merely smiled, but the look certainly confirmed Kols’s statement.
“As touching as this is, we need to move,” Zakkai interjected, his tone lined with authority, but I caught the flicker of regret in his silvery gaze. He didn’t want to interrupt. However, the brush of energy to the exterior of the paradigm told me exactly why he’d felt the need to.
“He’s right,” I agreed, my defensive energy already flaring to life. “Constantine is still here.” Or nearby, anyway.
“Midnight Fae Academy?” Zakkai asked, arching a brow at Shade.
“Yes,” the Death Blood agreed. “My grandmother gained the appropriate permissions, but he’s demanded a meeting with you.”
Zakkai snorted in response. “Of course he has. He’s been trying to meet me for years.”
Shade just lifted a shoulder. “You know how he feels about making deals.”
I frowned at them. “Who are you talking about? And why would we go to the Academy? That’s the first place they’ll look for us.”
“Your Academy, yes. This Academy, no.” Zakkai redirected his attention to Shade. “And I accept the deal.”
“That’s not the only one they made,” Shade replied. “He also wants a boon at his point of choosing.”
“From me or Zenaida?”
“You know my grandmother prefers to be called Zen.” Shade gave him an indecipherable look. “And he didn’t clarify.”
“I see,” Zakkai murmured. “Well, I’m prepared to pay whatever price so long as we’re hidden. I’ll be sure to thank Zenaida later for arranging it.”
The Death Blood snorted. “It’s already done because I agreed to it on your behalf.”
“Presumptuous of you.”
“I knew you would do anything for Aflora,” Shade returned.
“True,” Zakkai agreed without missing a beat, looking down at her now. “We need to go, little star.”
She nodded. “I can feel him.”
“We all can,” Kols said. “But what Academy are you talking about? There’s only one in existence.”
“Is there?” Zakkai countered. “Where do you think all the outlawed Midnight Fae go to study? In the Human Realm?” He conjured a flaming dragon in the next breath, sending it up into the sky to attack those beyond the paradigm walls. “Because I doubt they teach this at local universities there.”
Shade just shook his head and disappeared again after.
I glared after him. “Another damn secret.”
Zakkai smirked. “He’s full of them.”
“As are you,” I replied, stepping toward him. His arrogance was starting to grate on my nerves. “If this is going to work, we all need to start communicating.”