The others followed as I led the way, Aflora’s hand in mine once more. A week ago, this would have felt surreal—like a dream. Seven timelines had ended in destruction and near death.
And number eight had led to this.
To a union between five Midnight Fae.
I knew better than to rejoice in the victory. We were nowhere near done. Focusing on unity became all the more imperative with Constantine engaging us in this new dangerous game.
Zakkai and Zeph were the two who posed the biggest threat.
Two alpha males vying for dominance.
Aflora was the key to keeping them in line, and I wasn’t entirely convinced she had Zakkai under control.
He moved behind me with silent steps, his presence a threat and a comfort. Power radiated off him, his connection to the source rivaling Aflora’s ascension.
I moved up the stone steps to the double doors of the dorm where two gargoyles waited, their eyes cast down in a sign of respect.
A third stood just inside with Kols’s crow perched on his stone head. “Sir Kristoff,” I greeted with false cheer. The little creature loathed me for all my dates with time. He didn’t know all the details, but possessed certain memories of Kyros and I twisting fate on numerous occasions.
“Death Blood,” he muttered. Then he inclined his head. “Mistress Aflora.”
She paused midstep, her blue eyes falling to the short stone being. His head didn’t even reach her knees. “Mistress Aflora?” she repeated.
Kols moved to her other side. “You’re the ascending royal, sweetheart,” he explained against her ear. “And you passed your second trial. The creatures all respond to you now.”
“I transferred your box to your new quarters, Master Kolstov,” the gargoyle informed him after standing up straight. “Nothing is remiss.”
“Good to know your loyalty is unwavering,” Kols replied, grinning.
“I’ve never liked Constantine,” Sir Kristoff muttered. His tone displayed a hint of emotion—a rare trait for a gargoyle. “Power hungry and cruel.”
He stomped off toward the stairs, taking over the job of host. My grandmother had only told me we would be staying somewhere in this building, mentioning something about the gardens behind it. Fortunately, it seemed Sir Kristoff knew where to take us.
“Do all Midnight Fae creatures know how to find this paradigm?” Aflora asked as we trailed after the gargoyle.
“They know how to locate Midnight Fae,” I replied, my hand releasing hers and going to her lower back as I moved upward beside her.
“Does that mean they’re all allowed here?” Her mind added a follow-up inquiry soon after, telling me why she’d voiced the first question. If Kristoff can enter, is it possible for Constantine to send in a less loyal gargoyle or something worse? she asked herself.
“No,” I answered, addressing both of her queries. “There are numerous protective spells and layers that will prevent anyone and anything with ill-intentions from crossing the boundary into the paradigm.”
“Can’t they just use a stonepecker? Like that day on campus?” she pressed.
“Hell Fae wards are not something stonepeckers can absorb and regurgitate,” I assured her. “Which means it wouldn’t even be able to reach the paradigm boundary to try to learn the spells.”
“Because the ill-intentioned creature would be destroyed upon entering Lucifer’s gates,” Zakkai added from right behind us. “Extremely useful setup, and also why your grandmother afforded us that meeting the other week. She knew I had good intentions.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Caution is what keeps her alive.”
“It’s more than caution, Shadow. Zen’s brilliant.” The conviction in his tone told me he meant the praise in his words.
I nodded in agreement and continued up until the stairs stopped, indicating our floor. It was nearly impossible to know what level we were on because the steps had just continued up and up and up until they ended on a floor with a single door.
“Concealment charms,” Zakkai mused. “As I said, brilliant.” He stepped up behind Aflora, his hands finding her hips and trapping my palm between his abdomen and her lower back. “Can you sense the magic, little star? All the secret wires pulsing through the floors and hiding all the rooms except the one intended to be ours?”
She leaned into my side and back into him, allowing us to hold her as she considered the enchantments of the building. “It’s… intense.”
“It’s beautiful,” Zakkai whispered. “Like you.” He kissed her neck then relaxed his chin on her shoulder. “But can you see through it? To the electrical energy beneath?”