Rhodack stared at Solana from the other side of Rina’s bedroom. Hours before, when Rina had collapsed, he’d flown across the room and kept her from falling to the floor. He’d scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to her suite.

She laid in the bed beneath the covers, still unconscious. He didn’t like how still she was. She’d lost what little color she’d had in her face and was extremely pale. Her blonde hair, spread out on the pillow, surrounded her head, giving her an angelic look.

Solana remained by her side, unmoving as she sat on the edge of the bed.

“How has she lived here on Earth for so long and no one found out?” His voice broke the silence.

He was livid that the Fae King hadn’t informed him he was stashing his only child in Rhodack’s territory. This was something he should’ve known. There were many enemies of the Fae King, and that put the Terra realm in danger. There had even been an agreement in place that no Fae could come to this realm until the war was over.

“I’m a strong witch. My powers were able to contain hers for years. But as she grew older, her powers became stronger. Her headaches were a result of her energy demanding to get out,” Solana whispered. She delicately shifted a lock of hair from Rina’s face.

“Why did you not tell her?”

“It was forbidden.”

“But why?” he demanded. His gargoyle pushed to come forward. His beast was a fierce fighter and wanted to protect Rina. Rhodack took the safety of this realm seriously. If something was coming for Rina, then he wanted to be ready.

Solana turned to him with a small smile on her lips. Sadness clouded her eyes as she glanced back at Rina’s still form.

“I had been living in Faery when she was born. I was employed by the royal family. The queen came to me and asked a favor. One that I could not turn away. Take her child and bring her to the Terra realm to raise her as my own.” Solana turned to Rhodack with tear-filled eyes. She sniffled and pushed her midnight hair over her shoulder. “I had never been blessed to have children of my own, but here was the queen asking me to take her only child back to my home realm and raise her as mine and to protect her. She was desperate, and Rina was nothing but a babe of eight years old. How could I tell the queen that I wouldn’t help her save her only child? Save the future queen of Faery? So at the bidding of Queen Roshi, I placed a spell over Rina and brought her here. It was forbidden for me to ever tell anyone that Larina was here on Earth to keep her safe.”

“Who would go after a child? Why would they want her?” he demanded to know.

He moved toward the bed so he could ensure he’d hear every bit of the story. He flicked his eyes to the still body of his mate. He’d fight to the death if he had to, in order to ensure that Rina would survive. He’d crush whoever tried to bring harm to her.

“The necromancers. They want the power of Faery,” she murmured, lovingly staring at Rina. “In their realm, they grow restless and more powerful. They’ve caused such destruction in their own realm that they grow hungry to move on and take other realms. They cannot leave that realm. If they get out, there’s no telling what type of destruction they’d bring to Faery. If they were to get their hands on —”

“There’s no way the necromancers made it from the Forged realm,” Rhodack cut her off. He shook his head, knowing that was what was written in the history books. “All portals from that realm were sealed by Khantar’s father. It’s not possible for the necromancers to be able to escape from the Forged realm.” Rhodack shook his head.

Five hundred years ago, a war that had gone down in the history books had taken place between the Fae and the necromancers. Khantar and his father gathered their forces and invaded the Forged realm. It was a realm that harbored the most sinister of evil.

The mighty Fae army invaded the hostel realm to defend not only their realms, but all of humanity. The Fae warriors defeated the necromancers in their own realm. The Fae had escaped from the Forged realm and sealed all exits from the dark realm.

“They found a way. That’s why we had to move Larina. The necromancers had grown in power and numbers. They escaped their realm, invading Faery. They just didn’t expect Khantar to be as strong as he was without his father. By this time, Khantar was king. When we escaped to the Terra realm, they were able to hold off the necromancers to allow us to leave without being detected.”

Rhodack knew the Forged realm was a violent place with no laws, no honor, and harbored the blackest of magic. Necromancers were powerful beings that had no business on Earth.

If it was the necromancers who’d made their way into the Terra realm, this would be a code red emergency amongst gargoyles across the world. There was no way they could allow the necromancers to cross over.

“And how does Rina play into their quest to take over Faery? If she didn’t know she was from Faery, why would they track her here?” he asked and swiveled his gaze to Rina.

Her chest slowly rose and fell as she breathed deeply, still in a slumber.

“She’s the future of Faery. She’s the most powerful Elf, more powerful than her mother. And even more powerful than her father. If the necromancers get their hands on Larina Omaris, they’ll drain her powers, and Faery will fall.”

A growl escaped his chest as he moved to the side of the bed. Solana scrambled to block him from approaching Rina. Her eyes were wide, and she used her body to shield Rina from him.

“Something crossed over. A mist was sighted going after her. Vikuth said it morphed into a dark figure. What was that?”

Solana’s eyes widened farther. “Demonic spirits. They’re controlled by the necromancers. They were probably sent here on a tracking mission. If they saw her, then the necromancers will know she’s here and will come for her.”

“I wouldn’t hurt her,” he said, growing pissed that she would think he would. She should know that as the protector of the realm, he wouldn’t hurt a helpless female. “No one will touch her as long as I draw breath.”

“Why would you make such a promise? We will leave Earth at once. I will contact her parents and inform them that she may have been discovered. They will come for her—”

“She’s my mate,” he snapped. His gargoyle rose. His skin crawled as the small tendrils of his beast tried to break through.

Her eyes widened even more at the announcement.

“She will not be going anywhere,” he said. “I will keep the necromancers from her.”

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head fiercely. “That can’t be!”

“Why not?” He scowled at her answer. He wasn’t used to people denying him anything. Why couldn’t Rina be his mate? Why would the witch deny what fate had in mind?

“Because you’re the protector of this realm. She is Elf and will need to return to Faery soon. She will lead the Fae realm. There’s nothing against you personally, gargoyle, but Faery’s future depends on her.”

His eyes burned as he thought of Rina being taken from him. The witch carefully watched him take a step back from the bed.

“We will see about that. Fate made the decision to bring us together, and no one, and I mean no one, will get in my way of claiming my mate.”

“We’ll see what King Khantar has to say about that, gargoyle.” Solana turned her back to him to straighten the already perfect covers.

He glared at her back.

She had dismissed him.

No one turned their back on Rhodack Gahnoth.

“She’s my mate. End of story,” he said, moving to her side.

Her body stiffened, and she hovered near Rina. She wouldn’t keep him from Rina. He’d break through whatever barriers Rina tried to put up against him for him to make her see she belonged to him. Finding out she was a powerful Elf made it all the more obvious why fate had brought them together.

They watched Rina slumber. A tear slipped from her closed eyelid. His heart pounded as the single droplet disappeared into her thick blonde locks.

“When will she awaken?” he asked, not liking that she may be in pain of some kind.

“I’m going to bring her out of her slumber now. I put her under when her powers exploded.”

“Will she have any memory of Faery? Will she be the same person she was before she passed out?”

“The spell I had over her is now gone. She’ll remember everything and she’ll know who she truly is. I’m sure while she’s sleeping, her brain is reminding her of everything before we left Faery. It was her mind that figured out I was suppressing her memories. She grew too powerful for me.” Solana glanced at him. She sniffed as she gazed at the beautiful woman she’d raised from a child.

“Wake her.”

Rina’s eyes slowly opened. She blinked a few times to clear her vision. Her skin literally crawled with the power that was harnessed in her body. It had been a long time since it had flowed freely throughout her.

She breathed a deep sigh as she tried to get a grip on everything her mind had shown her. She focused on breathing to slow down her heart and the racing memories that flooded her mind.

She bit back a sob because she remembered everything.

Even that fateful night when her mother had begged her to go with the dark-haired witch to safety.

“Please go, Larina. Mommy and Daddy love you so much,” the queen cried, tears pouring down her face. She stepped back from Larina, putting her hand in front of her mouth.

They were behind the castle in the middle of the night. The dark sky crackled with the energy that was flooding Faery. Lightning lit up the sky with bursts of energy.

Evil was coming.

“But, Mommy, I’m strong. I can help fight,” little Larina cried, struggling against the witch’s arms. She was desperate to run to her mother. “I don’t want to go. Mommy! I want to stay here with you! I promise I’ll be a good girl.”

Her mother’s tear-filled eyes flew to the witch’s as she nodded.

“Please, Solana. Keep my baby safe. I cannot thank you enough.”

“It is an honor, my queen. I promise Larina will be safe. I shall raise her as my own child,” the witch said, pulling Larina closer to her body.

Larina cried, struggling as the witch tugged her away from her mother, who closed her eyes at Larina’s cries for her.

Larina reached out for her mother, not understanding why she was being taken from her family, her home, and the people she loved. She was to be the future queen. She was powerful. She could help her father like he had helped his father. She loved sitting at his feet as he told her about riding into battle with his father.

“Mommy!”

“Larina?” a soft voice broke through her memories.

She recognized the voice. It was her protector. Her foster mother.

Solana.

Rina turned her head and met the dark eyes of the woman who’d taken her in and raised her. Apprehension clouded Solana’s eyes as she clearly waited to see what Rina’s reaction would be.

Rina wasn’t sure if she should call her Mother, Mom, or by her given name. She knew Solana had loved her as a mother would.

“I have to admit, I’m not sure what to call you.” Rina smiled softly. She didn’t want to break the woman’s heart for she knew they’d been close as she’d grown up.

Solana smiled, tears falling down her face. She grabbed Rina’s hand in hers. “Let’s just start off with Solana and we’ll go from there.”

Rina returned her smile, but a strong presence in the room gained her attention.

She turned her head, and her gaze landed on the tall brooding figure who stood next to Solana.

Rhodack. Clan leader of the gargoyles.

The room seemed smaller with his presence alone. His broad shoulders displayed his strength.

She remembered from childhood her father telling her stories of the strong gargoyles. They were a powerful race that were the protectors of the Terra realm.

Her breath caught in her throat at the pure hunger in his eyes. They were intent on her as he waited for her reaction. Her breasts tingled at the intensity of his gaze. She remembered being angry at him for having a harem and the kiss they’d shared.

But that was the human Rina reacting.

She was Larina Omaris, powerful Elven woman. Future queen of Faery.

“Rhodack.” She returned his gaze.

Power radiated from his body. He was a strong gargoyle, if not one of the strongest. His body called to hers. She held in a snort. She’d been conscious for two minutes, and already her body was awakening in other ways.

“Rina. How are you feeling?”

She shifted in the bed, needing to sit up. Solana helped her, adjusting the pillows behind her so she could sit back against the headboard.

“My brain is in overload right now.” She turned back to Solana and grabbed her hand. “Thank you. For everything. I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done.”

The waterworks broke free as Solana leaned forward, grabbing Rina in a tight hug. She returned the hug and squeezed Solana to her. She owed this woman so much. She’d kept her safe and had allowed her to have a full childhood and life. Rina’s eyes met Rhodack’s, and she knew they needed to have a conversation.

One for just them alone.

She pulled back and turned to Rhodack. “I need to speak to my parents.”