Masked Fate (Fated Love #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Soren

Wherever Pandora goes is where I’m going. She can try to get rid of me all she wants, but she’s mine , and the sooner she accepts that fact, the better. My tracking magic already has her engraved in my mind, and like a live tracker, I’m always aware of her. There’s nowhere she can go that I wouldn’t be able to find her unless she decided to take Rave’s son, Vale, with her to use his void magic to block her location, but she would never do that.

Holding her hand, we zip into the Incubus Kingdom, which was like a second home to Astrid.

But now we don’t know what to expect, considering we still aren’t sure if her father betrayed her. Not to mention, her brothers haven’t even come to visit her since then. If Axe and Kai do anything to hurt her, I will kill them myself.

We stand in front of their iron gates, waiting to be let inside. I don’t let go of Pandora, holding her close to my side. I can’t promise I won’t attack August on sight—just the thought of him being her first makes me want to bury him six feet under.

My little witch sighs and tucks her hair back behind her ear. She’s acting like I didn’t spend all night long with my mouth on her sweet cunt, and I know she’s still hurt by how I’ve acted in the past.

But that was before.

Everything has changed now.

And she needs to realize that.

She was perfect last night. So responsive and everything I’ve ever wanted in a mate. She’s naturally submissive in bed and loved it when I took control and gave her exactly what she needed.

I’m the luckiest fae alive.

If only I had seen that sooner.

Bane steps to the gate to let us inside. Dressed in head-to-toe black with tattoos and runes covering every inch of him except his face, the Demon Prince is an enemy I wouldn’t want to have. He is known for his weather magic and being able to scent bloodlines. Both are exceptionally rare forms of magic.

His dark hair has grown a lot since we last saw him when he cut it as a sacrifice for a protective spell for Astrid. He’s always had a soft spot for our queen and would have happily stolen her from Rave if he had the chance.

I’m glad he hasn’t touched Pandora because I don’t want to add anyone else to my hit list.

Having August and Salem on there is more than enough.

Bane’s dark eyes flicker over where my hands are on my mate, and his eyebrows raise, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Astrid,” he welcomes with a smile. “Nice to see you back here.”

“Where is my father?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

Bane tilts his head to the castle. “Come inside. We’ve prepared a dinner for you all.”

We follow him to their dining hall, where her two half-brothers and father sit. They all stand as we enter, and Zython looks at his daughter with nothing but love in his green eyes. Love and… regret.

Just what are we walking into right now?

I move, standing slightly in front of my little witch to protect her if need be. I notice Rave doing the same with Astrid.

Kai eyes me, lips curving up at the corners. “Has hell frozen over and Soren tamed? Never thought I’d see the day.”

I make sure my mental blocks are up because I know that fucker can mind read. Lowering my head, I whisper to Pandora, “Put your shields up, or he will know just how well I devoured your sweet cunt last night.”

Her cheeks flush, and she elbows me in the stomach.

“We want an explanation, now ,” Rave demands, his dark shadows coiling around him.

Zython nods and swallows hard, his throat working. “I never betrayed you, Astrid. I love you. You are my only daughter and the best surprise of my life.”

“So you weren’t working with the old Vampire King? Didn’t tell him that I was a seer?” Astrid asks, lifting her proud chin. “And if so, why haven’t you come to see me? You’ve all just cut me off. I don’t understand…” she trails off, looking lost.

Rave bristles, squaring his shoulders. “I will kill everyone in this fucking kingdom if you’ve betrayed her. She stopped me from coming here and tearing you all apart, but I’m here now. So tread very carefully.”

Astrid places her hand on his arm, trying to contain him.

“Let us explain,” Axe says, stepping toward Astrid. When he goes to touch her, shadows dart out and push him back. “Remember before the vampires kidnapped you?”

She tilts her head to the side and nods. “Yes, you figured out I was a seer with your mirror magic.”

Axe is a mirror, which means he can copy the magic of someone he is near.

“Yes, I did that because I had a vision,” he says, running his thumb across the stubble on his jaw. “Astrid, I saw you in our kingdom being killed. I saw you die. And until we took care of it, we didn’t want you here. We couldn’t risk it.”

“And I never betrayed you… not on purpose. I wouldn’t—” Zython adds, rubbing the back of his neck. “When I met with Declan, he used his magic against me. He got the information he wanted out of me and messed with my mind. I’m sorry, Astrid. I never would have given up anything on you voluntarily.”

“So, is it taken care of?” Rave asks, his eyes flickering black. “Who tried to fucking kill my mate?”

Axe looks down at the floor, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “In the vision, Declan killed you, Astrid. He managed to take you, and when he couldn’t keep you in line, he killed you. And he took you from here. From our fucking kingdom!”

“Which is why you couldn’t be here,” Zython adds, pain etched over his face. “I spoke to Laurel, and she told me any changes we made could have changed either the timeline or the outcome. So we needed the situation to be as controlled as we could.”

“Is he dead?” Rave asks, struggling to contain his shadows, which start to fill the room, almost suffocating in their pulsing anger. Anger and fear.

In one future pathway, he loses Astrid.

And he’s scared.

I am too.

“No, but we have him,” Bane adds, his dark eyes pinned on Astrid. “He’s in the dungeons.”

“How?” I ask, wanting to know how they got their hands on the infamous warlord.

The males all share a look, and Axe sighs, raking a hand through his long hair. “August told us that Milana was his fated mate. And we used that to get them both here.”

My eyes widen at that bit of information that no one has shared with me.

Milana, Declan’s daughter, the one I got the information from, is August’s fated mate?

Milana, who was friends with Vera, Vale’s mother?

No wonder Astrid forbade me from touching her.

“Where is she now?” Astrid asks, frowning. She leans into Rave, who instantly wraps his arms around her and kisses her temple.

Bane nods his head toward the dungeons.

“And August is okay with you having his mate down here?” she probes, her tone increasing in pitch. “And where the hell is he?”

Bane turns those dark, cold eyes to me. “We thought it would be less distracting if he weren’t here.”

“And yeah, August is the one who came up with the plan,” Zython adds, a hint of pride entering his eyes.

Has he adopted August too?

“That’s fucked up,” Astrid mutters while Pandora reaches out and takes her hand.

And it is.

I hope Milana will forgive August.

“So what’s the plan?” my little witch asks, speaking up for the first time. “I’m guessing we don’t have long until his army is at the gates.”

Zython dips his head. “We kill Declan.”

“And then we go to war,” Bane finishes. Thunder crackles outside, the loud booming sound making a declaration.

Declan wants our queen.

And now we will have his head.