Nyx POV
500 Years Ago
The air in front of us shimmers like water. With every gust of wind, the world around us disappears, and a new one replaces it. I am filled with fear and uncertainty, but not Cassian. I have never seen Cassian so excited. His silver eyes are glimmering with hope, and I have to shove my feelings to the side. This isn't about me- not anymore.
He holds his hand up to the sky and it disappears. He looks back at me with a blinding smile on his face. "Are you coming?"
I force a fake smile on my lips. "Do I have a choice?"
Cassian pulls his hand from the portal and cups my cheek. I try not to lean into the warmth of his touch. That would only give me false hope that he would return my affection.
"They could be over there," he whispers. "Our mates could be in the Human Realm!"
"It is forbidden," I manage to mumble. I don't want my mate. I want Cassian.
"I am the Prince," he smiles. "They can't tell me no."
He glances back at the portal. The veil is becoming thinner, and I can see the massive trees on the other side. He takes a deep breath before slipping through the portal.
"Cassian!" I scream into the night, but he doesn't come back.
He is my Prince, and I am his warrior. He is mine to protect. I have no choice but to go after him. I push through the portal hands first. It sucks me inside, and I am unable to escape it. I let myself be pulled through the portal and fall on my knees on the other side.
The Human Realm is cold and relentless. It sucks the magic from my body until there is only a sliver is left. The wings on my back turn to ash and crumble behind me. I don't have time to mourn my loss. Cassian is at the forefront of my mind.
"Cassian," I scream, but there is no response. He has disappeared.
My eyes strain against the darkness of the Human Realm. I search for Cassian's dark hair and purple robe, but he is nowhere to be found.
"Cassian," I whisper into the night. "This isn't funny. I am supposed to protect you."
Weaving in and out of the massive trees, I try not to panic. The Fae King will kill me if I return to the Immortal Realm without his son. I knew this was a bad idea. I should have stopped him.
I walk until my feet are bruised and bleeding. Eventually, the trees become less dense, and I find myself exposed. A light shines in the distance, and I march toward it. Perhaps the person inside has seen where Cassian went.
I find myself standing outside of a small cabin. Pulling the green hood of my green cloak over my head, I carefully tuck my silver hair out of sight. I don't know if the humans know about the Fae, so I must keep my identity hidden.
Raising my hand, I knock gently on the door. I prepare myself for the worst when the door swings open.
A tiny woman answers the door with a screaming child in her arms. Her dark hair Is tangled on top of her head, and dark circles line her blue eyes. She looks me up and down and opens the door for me to step inside.
I try to step over the entrance, but I am unable to enter the house. Gritting my teeth together, I call out to the woman. "May I come in?"
"He said you would come eventually," she says, still not inviting me inside.
I stand awkwardly outside of the cabin and peer inside. "Who said I was coming?"
"Cassian," she replies. "I didn't expect it to be five years, though. I almost gave up on you."
"Five years?" I whisper. "That is impossible."
"Time passes differently here," she tells me.
"I passed through the portal mere moments after him," I explain.
"A moment for the immortal can be a lifetime for a mortal," she sighs. "It is the unfair burden of having death looming over your dead."
She is obviously confused. There is nothing in the books that says anything about a time difference. But no one that has been human realm has returned in many years.
"I am not confused," she snaps at me. "You don't belong here, and neither do your kind. Did you really think we would let you come and go through our realm as you pleased?"
I step back from the cabin. An energy is flowing through it that I recognize. Magic. She is not a human or a werewolf. "If you will tell me where he has gone. I will find him and take him back."
"You are his warrior," she states. "But you love him."
Blush rushes to my cheeks, and the woman cocks her head to the side. I wish I could lie to her, but I am unable to form the words to do so. A frown spreads across her face, and she settles the baby into the cot.
"He will find his mate here," she tells me. "But he will spend hundreds of years searching for her. He will only have her for moments. A child will take her life, but that child will not be Fae."
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask.
"Because I know you will not leave this realm without him," she sighs. "And you have to know that I must keep my children safe."
"I don't understand," I reply timidly.
The woman transforms before my eyes. Her beauty is blinding, and I can barely stand to look at her.
"Do you know who I am?" She commands.
"Yes," I grind out.
"Then you understand why I cannot let you go," she smiles.
"I do not wish to repeat the actions of those that have come before me," I plead. "I just want to find Cassian and go home."
"I will let you find him," she smiles. "But you will not be allowed to do so in your body. We can't let you run around enchanting our men."
I try to move but her magic is holding me to the spot. "What do you mean?"
"You will become one of us," she laughs. "Well, half of one of us."
"Selene," I bow my head. "I am not your enemy."
"And that is why I am letting you live," she says.
With a flick of her fingers, she plucks my soul from my earthly body and places it into the sleeping child.
I press at the prison of the baby's mind, desperate to break free. The more I fight against my plight, the louder the baby screams.
"You are hurting her," Selene whispers, trying to comfort the baby.
I immediately stop. The child is innocent. Closing my eyes, I imagine myself outside of the child's mind. When I reopen them, I find myself sitting on the floor next to the cot. Only I am not myself. I am a silver wolf. I problem I can remedy on the other side of the portal. I try to run, but I am tied to the child with Selene's magic.
A whimper exits my mouth, and then a mournful howl.
"You are stronger than those that came before," Selene smiles.
"Did you do this to Cassian?" I cry.
"Of course not," she groans. "He is not worth the war."
Selene taps her finger on her chin while deep in thought. My new wolf eyes study her carefully. She is coming up with a plan. It is almost like I can see inside her mind as it is formulating a plan.
"He may not be worth the war, but eventually, his Fae genes will surface in a child. She will be dark and glorious. A fitting repayment for what your kind did to the Original Pack," Selene smiles. "I think we will keep her."
"You can't do that," I growl. "She will be royalty. She will have never known what happened to the Original Pack. Why would you punish her?"
"It will send the perfect message to King Roland," she tells me. "This is what happens when you mess with my children."
"You can't blame us for wanting our mates to be immortal," I plead with her. "Don't do this."
"I have an idea. Whoever finds her first gets to keep her," she laughs.
"Werewolves are mortal," I hiss. "I will not live to find her."
Selene gestures to the sleeping baby. "This body won't be immortal, but you will be."
"I don't understand," I groan.
"You aren't meant to," she says before disappearing.
The child begins to fuss, and I look around for anyone to help me, but the cabin is empty. Leaping back into the baby's mind, I try to soothe her. Eventually, the baby drifts off to sleep, but I stay alert in case she might need me. I am a warrior, after all. It is my duty to protect.