“I forbid you from going with them,” Khantar roared, pacing back and forth before her.

She’d called a meeting with her parents in the small study of the lair. Fae and gargoyle guards remained outside the door as her and her parents met. Vikuth refused to let her walk through the lair without one of his men attached to her hip.

There’s too much at stake, he’d claimed.

Rina glared at her father, refusing to back down from her plans to go after Rhodack. Her mother remained quiet on her perch on the couch as Rina stood and faced her father.

This surely wasn’t the way she’d imagined spending her initial days getting to know her parents.

“I’ll go with them. If I’m to lead Faery, I should at least be able to save my own mate,” she exclaimed.

“I know that you have feelings for Rhodack, but his men are built for war. This is why they were sent to guard this realm. Your place is in Faery. We shall leave at once,” he snapped. He turned to her. The resemblance between the two of them was striking.

Everything about her appearance reflected her mother, but gazing into her father’s eyes brimming with anger and a hint of fear, she saw herself in him.

Like father, like daughter.

“I’m not leaving Rhodack.” She shook her head. There was no way she would leave Rhodack behind. He’d flown off after her with no regard to his own life to save her. It was because of her he’d been captured.

Her father sputtered in place as she stood firm in her decision.

“Now, listen here, Larina. I am your father—”

“I know that but I’m grown and make my own decisions,” she cut him off, holding a hand in the air.

This was a delicate subject matter for them to discuss, but it needed to be said. Because of the war and the danger against the Faery throne, their lives had been separated. She’d grown up as a human, not as a Faery princess with her royal parents.

No, Solana had raised her to be an independent woman who could make her own decisions. Little did she know that those skills that were ingrained into her head would stay once her memories returned. She’d have to remind her father she was no longer that little eight-year-old innocent Fae princess who had sat by his feet, lost in his war stories.

Now, she was a grown elf and would fight for what she believed in.

She had her memories.

She had her powers.

Now it was time for her to utilize them.

“Rhodack Gahnoth is mine, Father.” She paused, glancing over at her mother, who had remained quiet this entire time. Rina switched her train of thought and faced her mother. “Mom, if Father was taken by our enemy to a place unknown and tortured, would you just sit still? Would you sit back and wait for the armies to go after him and bring him back?”

The room grew silent. Her father turned to the queen. Defiance radiated from Roshi’s eyes, and she glanced over at her husband. Her mother stood from her seat and ambled over to the king. She stopped directly in front of him and cocked her head back.

“I would fight with every breath left in my body to bring my king back to me.”

Relief filled Rina as she watched her parents. Her mother reached up and laid a hand on her husband’s chest.

“Roshi,” he breathed, but the queen placed a finger over his lips, silencing him.

“If you were taken from me, I would lead the armies. There is no way in the seven hells I’d sit back and wait for you to return to me,” Roshi said.

Rina’s eyes met her mother’s, and she knew she had an ally in her.

“Support our daughter in going after her mate. We’ll worry about the details of her being the future ruler of Faery and the guardian protector later. For now, the Fae will stand with the gargoyles as we have done since the beginning of time.”

Rina could have wept with relief at the sight of her father’s walls breaking. Just a few words from her mother, and the king was putty in her hands. His gaze flew to her, and she waited, her heart racing, but he remained silent.

Then, “We will support Clan Gahnoth,” he began. He glanced back down at her mother, bringing her close to him, before his attention moved back to Rina.

She was touched by such love that simmered around her parents. How she wished she’d been able to grow up with them as her parents. She didn’t regret anything from her childhood and Solana, but a small piece of her knew she’d missed something being raised away from them.

It took an unmeasurable amount of love to send their only child away to a different realm.

“And we will support you, my child,” he murmured.

He opened his arms to her, and she flew into them. Her father collapsed his arms around her and her mother.

She bit back tears that threatened to fall.

She felt as if she were already home.

“I’ve waited for the day to be able to hold my baby girl in my arms again with my queen,” Khantar whispered.

The dam of tears broke.

His grip tightened around her and her mother as her tears flowed. Her body shook while she cried for all the years they were deprived.

These weren’t tears of sadness.

No, they were tears of joy.

Fate had seen for her small family to be reunited.

Now she had her father’s support, it was time she went after the gargoyle who had stolen her heart.

She pulled back from her parents, a small smile on her lips, and wiped the evidence of her slight breakdown from her cheeks. Whether or not she’d had her parents’ blessing, she planned to go after Rhodack.

“We leave as soon as the sun goes down.”

The lair was in an uproar as Fae and gargoyles prepared to go after Rhodack. Taking the clan leader as hostage was a direct act of war against the gargoyle nation.

Rina rode the elevator, heading toward the roof where gargoyles would be gathering before leaving. Nielsen stood in front of her as if to block any attacks once the doors opened. His massive size took up much of the elevator and would prevent anything from striking her. She let him do what he wanted, knowing it would just lead to an argument as he was carrying out orders to protect her.

She breathed in deeply, pushing down her nervousness, and glanced down at her attire. She was ready for battle. Her pants and tunic resembled that of a Fae warrior, but unlike them, she wouldn’t need weapons. Combat boots covered her small feet, laced up to her calf muscles.

She would rely on her powers.

She hadn’t wielded any form of a sword since she was younger, and those had been little and made of plastic.

This situation would call for her to use her fate-given powers.

And use them she would.

“Promise me, Rina. Do not come!” Rhodack’s voice echoed in her head. Of course he wouldn’t want her to come fight for him. Like her father, he’d prefer for her to sit back in the lair and wait for Vikuth and his men to rescue him.

But she refused to sit back when she knew she’d be better served helping in the fight between gargoyles and necromancers.

Fae had fought necromancers, and the gargoyles would need them.

The doors to the elevator opened. A slight breeze filled the car, and she followed behind Nielsen after he exited. She moved from behind him and walked toward Vikuth who was in his gargoyle from. All of the gargoyle warriors were in their beast form. She turned to find Nielsen had joined his clansmen and had shifted.

“Vikuth,” she murmured and came to stand before him.

The gargoyles around him all nodded toward her.

They respected her.

“My lady, I still think this is a bad idea. Rhodack will have my balls if something happens to you,” he stated.

“Well, consider your balls safe, Vikuth, because I can protect myself.” She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Snickers filled the air. His sharps eyes whipped around to his men, who quickly fell silent.

“Be that as it may, once we land there, you will not go anywhere without a gargoyle guard. Promise me,” he said.

“I promise.” She held her hand over her heart. She just hoped the assigned gargoyle would be able to keep up with her.

“I hear we owe you thanks for the support of the Fae warriors.” Vikuth stood tall.

She knew it was a touchy subject, gargoyles needing help.

“Yes. This is a fight that spans more than just invading Earth’s realm. It has always been the job of the royal family of Faery to protect the realms that cannot fight for themselves. Hence why gargoyles, our guardian protectors, were sent to Earth. Together, we will defeat the necromancers.” Her words carried through the air and captivated all of the gargoyles around the roof.

“I couldn’t have said it better,” Kantar said behind her.

She turned to find her father and his warriors approaching. The sea of gargoyle warriors parted as her father stepped forward.

“We would never turn our backs on the gargoyles. Clan Gahnoth doesn’t need to ask for help. We give it freely,” Khantar’s voice boomed. He, too, was dressed for war, his sword strapped to his hip. The glint in the king’s eyes gave away that he’d be one hell of an opponent in battle. He came to stand beside her. “But before we go, there’s one thing we must do.”

Curiosity primed in her chest, and she turned towards her father. “What is it?” she asked, unsure of what the hell was going on.

A Fae warrior stepped up with a large velvet pillow in his hands. Her mother walked behind the warrior with slight smile on her lips.

Rina was officially confused.

“As much as I’ve tried to prevent this day, it has come,” he father murmured, motioning for the warrior to come to him.

She finally saw what was on the pillow, and a gasp escaped her lips.

“Today is the day that my daughter will ride off into battle with me as I once did with my father. Larina, this is your birthright, and it is time we present it to you.”

He lifted a small, thin gold chain headdress from the pillow. It was a warrior’s crown, one fit for a princess. Her heart slammed against her chest at the significance of this moment.

“Father,” she gasped, unsure of what to say.

A grin lingered on his mouth, and he held up the gold chain for all to see. The Fae warriors all bent down on one knee. Gargoyles followed suit, and her father turned back to her.

“Larina Omaris, as the official heir to the throne, I bequeath you the warrior crown. Your mother had this made when you were a child. This chain was made of the purest of gold harvested from the mountains of Faery.” He stepped close to her.

She tilted her head to him as he lay the chain on her head. She lifted her tear-filled eyes to her father. He tucked the chain behind her ears, the front resting along her forehead.

“Do you vow to protect Faery and all of the realms as a member of the royal family?”

“I do,” her voice rang out strong.

He turned back to the warrior and gripped a small silver dagger. He held it out to her, and she didn’t hesitate to take it from him. The hilt was decorated with gold threading through it, with her initials engraved in it.

“Now you’re officially ready to go off to battle,” her father murmured.

She smiled brightly, and he opened his arms. She dashed forward into his strong embrace. She’d waited for this moment her entire life.

“Let’s go get your mate,” he said.

“Vikuth,” she called and pulled back from her father. She turned and met Rhodack’s best friend’s eyes.

Everyone stood from their kneeling position.

“Clan Gahnoth!” she cried out, thrusting the dagger high.

“Clan Gahnoth!” The war cry filled the air.

Yes, it was time for them to retrieve their clan leader and her mate.