Masked Fate (Fated Love #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Pandora

“Fuck,” Soren grits out as I step outside, where they are all gathering, dressed in battle leathers and fully armed. “Where do you think you’re going looking like that?”

“I might not be able to kill her, but I can still help. I know the castle better than anyone, and no one else will fight against me,” I say, pressing my red lips together. I also want to make sure neither my staff nor Kainan gets hurt in the crossfire.

I considered staying back and pretending my sister wasn’t about to be murdered, but I need to face this. She’s evil, blood or not, and I’m not safe until she’s dealt with.

“Are you sure you can handle that?” Soren asks, tucking my hair back behind my ear. He lowers his voice. “Rave is a stone-cold killer, and even he didn’t kill the mother of his child.”

“I’m not going to make the final kill,” I reply, resting my hands on his chest. My fingers flex over his solid pecs. I have no idea what I’m doing with Soren. I know I want him, but I also know I haven’t forgiven him. “But I’m not going to hide. Let’s do this.”

He brings his lips to my ear. I wonder if he cares that they aren’t pointed like his. “You look so fucking sexy right now.”

“Really? Even though I’m not blonde or a fae?” I ask, smirking. He hurt me. And although all I ever wanted was him, I still feel that pain. It’s not going to go away because he suddenly wants me and wants to treat me well.

I spin on my heel to go and talk to Rave, but his fingers encircle my wrist, stopping me.

“I don’t want anyone other than you. And I never will,” he says, his eyes working over my face. “My past is just that, little witch. I’m only looking forward.”

“How convenient for you,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.

“You ready?” Rave asks, walking over.

“I make the kill,” Soren states, and Rave nods.

Sinda steps up next to me, his kind green eyes searching. He’s always been nothing but a sweetheart. “You ready for this, Queen Pandora?”

Licking my suddenly dry lips, I offer him a small smile, which he returns. “I’m ready.”

***

The cold is what hits me first. Second, Ebony is sitting out in the garden, hosting a dinner party for her friends, a bunch of mean witches I’m sure she’s poisoned against me.

“What’s this?” she asks when she notices us and stands. It’s not every day I bring people to Allyria.

We move as a unit, and her three friends stand with her. There’s no way they could win against us.

Just one of us could defeat all of them.

“Guards!” she yells, but I shake my head, telling them to stand down.

They listen.

Soren approaches her. Rave and Astrid follow. Three dangerous warriors all angry and ready to fight to protect me and kill on my behalf.

Sinda stands by my side, guarding me.

Astrid walks right up to Ebony, sizing her up. Ebony is taller than her and tries to use that to intimidate her. “What do you want? Whatever Pandora has told you, it’s not the truth.”

Astrid smirks and starts to circle her prey. Ebony steps away from the table, her friends following.

“You tried to kill my best friend,” Astrid says, tilting her head. “A queen. That’s a crime punishable by death. I know that Pandora can’t kill you.” She grins, flashing straight white teeth. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Ebony looks up, and her eyes land on Soren. I quickly move in front of him, feeling protective, even though I only come up to his chest. “Never thought I’d see you around here again,” she purrs, laughing to herself. “You look better than the last time I saw you.”

His big hands land on my shoulders. I don’t know who is grounding who, but it’s working. Ebony glances between us, her dark brows raising. “You finally found a man who will have you, sister? Didn’t think it would be someone who was attracted to me first. You know it was me who lured him here to hand over to Mom, right?” She smirks, her cruel eyes dancing with amusement. “You always did like playing with my leftover toys.”

“I never touched you,” Soren barks from behind me.

She laughs, a cackling sound. “No, but I touched you.”

What the fuck?

Is she saying…

“You spent a lot of your time unconscious, Soren. You sure you remember everything that happened down there?” she coos, sending me into a fit of white-hot rage.

What did she do to him?

I wish I could kill her myself.

“You can talk all you want,” I say, shrugging, feigning calm. “Either way, you’re going to die here tonight, you sick bitch.”

And then I attack her.

Punching her in the face, I start pummeling her with my fists. When her friends try to intervene, Astrid jumps in. Ebony is bigger than me, but the anger I feel right now is like no other, and I use it to get the upper hand.

No one hurts my mate.

No one.

I get pushed to the ground when suddenly all three of her friends are lifted in the air by shadows, Rave’s signature move. “Enough playing around,” he demands, snapping all of their necks at one time.

Holy fates, he’s a savage.

They all fall with a loud thud while I stand back up and push Ebony to her knees.

Soren steps forward, reaching behind him to pull out a sword. “I didn’t get to kill your mother, but at least I get to kill you. You will never hurt my mate again?”

“Your mate?” she asks, eyes widening just before Soren slices across her neck.

Just like my mother did to him.

She falls to the ground, her blood dripping into the grass, my magic starting to sizzle all around me.

Soren wraps me in his arms from behind, kissing the side of my neck. “She will never try and hurt you again.”

Swallowing hard, I nod, turning around to face him. “About what she said…”

“I don’t remember anything, but I don’t want to go back there,” he says, running his teeth along his lower lip. The thought of her taking advantage of him makes me feel sick to my stomach. What kind of a monster was she? Why did I wait this long to do something about her? I should have told Rave to kill her a long time ago.

The tension between us builds until it becomes unbearable.

“We should go,” I whisper.

He scrutinizes me with narrowed eyes. “Let me take care of you tonight. You can hate me again tomorrow.”

I don’t hate him.

I never have.

I don’t think I ever could.

“I should be taking care of you after what she said,” I say, tears pooling in my eyes.

“Come on, we’re staying in my room tonight,” he decides, holding my hand and threading our fingers together.

Feeling vulnerable, I let him.

And when he zips us to his bedroom, I don’t fight him.