Ella
We’ve spent several days in the castle… doing nothing, and it’s been the best three days of my life. Every morning I wake to Ryatt laying Kenna down between us and crawling back into bed for a few moments of peace as a family. Tender kisses and soft laughs fill those blissful minutes before we drag ourselves out of bed to dress for the day.
Amanda and Granger haven’t been seen since we came home, but that was expected. Today is different, however. Today, we all gather in Ryatt’s office as heavy rain glides down the windows, and a storm brews outside, cloaking Veiled Valley in sheets of heavy gray mist.
While the rest of us recovered from months of travel and torment, Isaac has been… well, my brother is the most annoying kind of tourist. He’s been out with Westfall every hour of the day for three days buying gifts to try to butter Maddy up when he returns home. He’s seen every inch of Veiled Valley, talked to just about everyone, and has been trying to figure out how he can mimic the magic that brings our home to life.
Right now, however, he’s sitting stone faced in an armchair facing Ryatt’s desk.
I lean my hip against the desk, crossing my arms under my chest as I scan the paperwork on his desk. Moves have been made recently, big ones. I’m not even going to try to understand the politics of this country, not yet. I have a lot of studying to do, but Ryatt is making good on putting me on the throne of this kingdom as queen.
“Do you think Maddy is planning on having you bound and tortured the second you waltz back through the veil?” Ryatt asks, giving Isaac a wry smile.
Isaac taps his fingers on his knee and shrugs, giving him a sly grin in return. “The jewels in Veiled Valley are exquisite. I’m sure once she sees her gifts, she’ll change her mind.”
Ryatt chuckles, but I’m not laughing. There’s a reason Isaac is still here. Sure, Ryatt taught him how to use our magic mirror so he can check in with Maddy and my nephews, but he could have broken through the veil easily on his own.
He’s still here because I agree with him…. I agree that the veil must come down.
And there’s only one person who can do it.
Me.
Westfall and Granger arrive together for this meeting. Amanda is with Kenna, like usual. Cressendra, too, has been spending most of her time bouncing between Kenna’s nursery and the archives in the city. What she’s looking for there, I don’t know, but I hope for Westfall’s sake it’s a way to unlock her memories.
“My wife is spoiling the princess rotten, I’m afraid,” Granger says as he comes to a stop at one of the windows.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ryatt says to his Beta.
Goddess, they both look so well rested and peaceful right now.
I hate that I’m about to wreck their day.
At least Westfall is being his usual gruff self.
“So…” I kick off the desk and stride to the center of the room, my deep red silken gown shimmering in the gray daylight filtering through the storm clouds. It feels good to be back in Veiled Valley fashions instead of wearing leather and coarse homespun.
“What is this about, Princess?” Ryatt says smoothly, leaning back in his chair. “You called such a formal meeting for a Sunday morning.”
“This is a formal meeting. A business meeting. Consider this–” I wave a hand around the office with its onyx walls and dark furnishings, “the war room.”
Granger, Ryatt, and Westfall stiffen, but Isaac looks mildly amused as I walk in a slow circle around the men, my hands tucked behind my back. I’ve started wearing that ring I threw at Ryatt’s head months ago, when he barely asked me to marry him. He deserves it now, I guess.
I catch him watching my hands as I come to a stop to face them again.
“I’m bringing down the veil.”
Everything I expected to happen, happens. Ryatt stands up abruptly, posed to shout. Granger and Westfall look like they’re about to pull their blades.
And Isaac clears his throat and rises, picking invisible pieces of lint from his shirt.
“Have you hit your head this morning, darling?” Ryatt croons in a mocking tone.
I bat my eyelashes at him before narrowing my gaze into a glare that I let sweep over every face in the room. “I’ve conferred with my brother, the Alpha King of Crescent Falls, and we are in agreement that this needs to happen.”
Ryatt sighs heavily, glancing between Isaac and me, then sits back down. He waves a hand, motioning for me to continue.
Westfall and Granger are looking at me like I’ve indeed hit my head and lost my marbles.
“Isaac, take it away.” I lean against the windowsill.
Isaac clears his throat, fixing his gaze on Ryatt. “I believe the veil does something to my people. It dampens their powers, including those who only have the ability to shift. I’ve always wondered why Maatua and KiloKilo have the highest concentration of people with gifts. I used to believe it was simply because of the falls, but we know better now.”
“We know the water in Maatua is directly connected to Eastonia. It’s the only thing that is able to breach the veil, and is thus concentrated with Eastonia’s natural magic,” I add.
“My people aren’t like yours, Ryatt. My commanders don’t have hereditary gifts. My kingdom doesn’t have that electric pulse that hangs in the air like in Eastonia.”
“And you want it?” Ryatt asks with lethal calm.
“Speaking plainly, I believe Eastonia is a ticking time bomb, Ryatt. There’s too much power here. You’ve seen it yourself.” He turns to Westfall and Granger. “Every conflict you have in this kingdom turns into an all-out war. There has never been peace, even now.”
I look down at the toes of my red silken slippers. “He’s right, Ryatt.”
My husband chews his lower lip as he holds Isaac’s gaze.
Isaac continues, “Based on what we know about the war of the gods, Eastonia was, for whatever reason, closed off and buried under the veil. For a long time, I believed it was to keep something here contained, but now I’m not so sure.” Isaac looks at me then, his eyes darkening. “Ella came here because she believed the balance between our kingdoms was off. She thought she belonged here, and she’s right. She does, because her powers are at their strongest here. She was never able to live peacefully in Crescent Falls. And now that I’m here and feel what my powers are like under this veil I… Ella and I were never meant to carry such a burden. These powers shouldn’t be consuming us, eating away at us. You and your father’s gifts are enormous. That power is…'' he trails off. “How many times have you almost died by simply using them?”
Ryatt’s throat works as he swallows, eyeing Westfall, who is listening to Isaac intently.
“Something is off, Ryatt. Brother. I believe the legends about the war are untrue. A false narrative. I don’t believe the Moon Goddess crafted the veil and wove it in place. She was cut off from this magic, which means our kind has suffered the consequences. The veil has to come down.”
Ryatt licks his lip and looks down at the papers strewn across his desk. “Do you realize what kind of political upheaval this would cause? There are hundreds of packs in Eastonia. Our population is more concentrated than yours, Isaac. Your kingdom would be at the mercy of the packs that border the mountains between us. It would only be a matter of time before my people see the opportunity to spread out–and take it.”
“We are allies,” Isaac says firmly. “We will handle it.”
“We’re family,” I tell them both. “We have the opportunity to connect our lands.” I turn to my mate with pleading eyes. “Eastonia is lost to time, Ryatt. You’ve seen Maatua. We have the chance to usher in a new era for our people by connecting our kingdoms.”
“The benefits go both ways,” Isaac says. “Our kingdoms are unbalanced. My people have been losing touch with their magical abilities for decades–centuries. Your people grow stronger to the point that some powers can’t be controlled. The balance is off, and eventually this will lead to war that we can’t avoid, even being allies.”
I watch Ryatt go through several different emotions while his face remains a mask of steel. His eyes show me everything–the unease, the distrust, and eventually the understanding.
“I can bring down the veil with the mask,” I tell him.
“You’re never using the mask again,” Ryatt says firmly, his tone so sharp it could cut through stone.
“I figured it out, Ryatt. It’s not dark magic. It’s just stolen magic. It’s my duty to use it as intended–for good. Not for the kinds of evil Kane was known for.” I edge toward him. “You want to make me Queen of Eastonia because you think it’s my rightful throne as a Firestone witch. If that’s true, then this is it, Ryatt. This is what I’ve been meant to do all along. This is what Isaac and I were meant to do with our gifts.”
We explain everything to him then, everything Isaac and I have discussed over the past three days. Isaac came through the veil and found himself in an old temple dedicated to the beasts of the Goddess. It was a clear sign that Isaac was supposed to come here. We were supposed to reunite in Eastonia for one purpose, and one purpose only.
“We have to take down the veil so the Goddess can once again shine her light on Eastonia. Otherwise, there will never be peace here.” I know it in my heart. I feel deep in my soul that this is what I’m meant to do.
So, I’m doing it, whether Ryatt likes it or not.
“She’s right, Ryatt,” Westfall says. I turn to my father-in-law and give him a grateful smile, but his eyes are heavy and dark with emotion I can’t describe. “They’re right about the unbalanced power between the two kingdoms. We’ve already received word about another coven rising deep in Tarsian, in Jaxon’s territory. Their leader is… enormously powerful.”
Ryatt nods, but this is news to me.
“Who is it this time?”
“Someone we thought was dead a long time ago,” Westfall says.
“Atticus, right?” I ask the room. “Petra’s brother?”
Ryatt nods. “Jaxon has it under control–for now.”
“If you brought down the veil,” Isaac cuts in, “it would be easier for me to send you the backup you needed in war times.”
“And vice versa,” Granger says with a nod.
I feel the tension in the room begin to lift as everyone starts to agree.
“We’re doing this then?” I ask the men. I meet my mate’s gaze and hold it for what feels like an entirety.
Before he can nod, the doors to the office open, and Cressendra walks in holding Kenna. “Sorry to interrupt, but–”
“You,” Isaac rasps.
Oh, shit.I hadn’t realized Isaac hadn’t met the witch yet. He was three or four when she burst into our parents’ throne room and seemed to die on the marble tiles. I have no recollection of it happening, but Isaac remembers.
And he recognizes her.
“Isaac, wait,” I snap, but he’s turning to face her fully, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“You’re alive?”
Cressendra looks confused. She glances around the room, her gaze lingering on Westfall the longest. “Who are you?”
Isaac takes several steps in her direction. I watch Westfall closely. He makes no moves to stop my brother from advancing on her until he’s within touching range, and then Westfall grabs Isaac’s arm. “Don’t,” Westfall growls, much to Isaac’s confusion.
Isaac looks over his shoulder at Ryatt, his eyes narrowed. “What’s going on here?”
Ryatt silently shakes his head. “Isaac–”
Isaac shoves Westfall hard enough the commander is forced to let go of his arm, and then he reaches for Cressendra. He brushes a lock of hair from her face, his fingertips coasting over her cheekbone. He’s looking into her milky eyes, his jaw tight and brow furrowed.
“Isaac, whatever you’re about to do–” I say hurriedly.
My brother can unlock anything with his powers. Anything.
“How long have you been stuck like this?” he asks her, and then a pale shimmer of light erupts on her cheek where he touched her, and her eyes go wide.