Castle of Illusions (Wicked Kingdoms Book 4) Read online

  “Well, the offer stands. I can’t think of any other person who would be more suited to bringing the Light Elven Kingdom further into the present than you. If anything, I’d love to have you on my advisory council.”

  I nod. “I’ll consider it. I just really haven’t had the time.”

  “Understandable.” He grips my mother’s elbow, and she rises with his prompt. “We’ll leave you to rest with your children, but hopefully we can come back at a later time, and really get to know them.”

  “Yes, that would be lovely.” My mother adds. “Which by the way, what did you name them?”

  Instead of telling her I’d named them thing one and thing two, Dare answers for me. “Our daughter’s name is Raley, and our son’s name is Ronan.”

  “Fine names.” Caddox, dips his head, and leads my mother to the door, essentially kicking and screaming from not getting her way.

  “You couldn’t have used family names, Ever? Did I teach you nothing?” She curls up her lip and I stand, ready to push her out the door hard enough that she lands on that pampered ass of hers.

  “No, mother. You didn’t teach me shit. Other than what not to do as a mother. So if you’d kindly leave of your own free will, I’d appreciate it. But at this point, I’m a hairsbreadth away from forcibly shoving you out of the room, and I can’t say that I wouldn’t enjoy it.”

  Without another word, they both leave, and I shut and lock the door behind them, leaning back against it.

  “Are you alright, Ever?” Dare asks from his seat on the couch.

  I don’t even try to fake a smile for him, beyond mentally exhausted at the moment. “I could really use something to smile about right now.” I say honestly.

  Dare smirks, his full mouth pulled into a devilish twist of his lips. He stands and grabs my hand in his. “Follow me.”

  “Where are we going?” I ask, pretty sure when he walks me backwards into our rooms, closing the door behind us and locking it.

  “We’re going to put a smile on that perfect face of yours.” Dare grabs my shirt, pulling it over my head, and tossing it to the floor.

  “We are?” I tease, unbuckling his belt, not bothering with his shirt, too impatient with a sudden need for the one and only man who makes my blood turn to lava with desire in my veins.

  “Yes, because, I need some alone time with my mate, no one is going to stop me from having her.”

  “Hmm, alone time. Well, what did you have in mind?” I ask as I nip at the hollow of his neck. “Perhaps we can watch a movie? One of the one’s Arela likes? Or we could spar?”

  “The only sparing we’re going to do is with our tongues, little tine.” He grabs my hips, and spins me around, pulling down my pants, underwear with them, until they’re tangled around my feet.

  “Is that so?” I breath the words, reaching my arm back to grab his neck and pull him down for a quick kiss.

  “Yes, now, bend over this bed for me so I can see that pretty pussy of mine ready and waiting for me.” Wetness dampens my thighs, and I spread my legs for him as much as I can with my jeans restricting my movements.

  “That’s as far as I can go without you taking my boots off.” I moan the words as his hands caress my lower back before moving to my ass, his rough hands scraping against the sensitive flesh.

  “This is perfect, I want you at my mercy, taking every ounce of pleasure I can give you until you beg me to stop.” He nips at the back of my neck hard enough that I know I’ll have an impression of his teeth later to show for it.

  “Well don’t let me stop you, goblin.” I whisper the words as his fingers trail through my wet center.

  “You couldn’t if you tried.” He whispers the words in my ear, licking at the tip of it, and I shiver under him as he presses the hard tip of his cock at my entrance.

  I wiggle my hips for him, trying to force him inside of my needy cunt.

  “Do you want me inside of you, mo grá?” He slaps at my ass, and I still my movements, loving that edge of pain along with the pleasure I know he’s going to give me.

  “Yes.” I hiss out the word as he gives me what I want, pushing his thick cock inside me, inch by slow inch, making me bite my lip and grip the sheets under my hands.

  “Fuuuck.” He moans as he seats himself inside me, my walls rippling around him as he pulls back slowly, teasing both of us with the sweet bliss of his movements.

  “Dare, please. Don’t tease me. I want you wicked and wild.” I wrap my fingers around his forearm, planted next to my head, digging my nails in. “Fuck me, Dare.”

  He doesn’t wait another second to grant my wish as he slams into me, his hips pushing me further up the bed. With one hand, he grips my hip hard, the other he slides under me, palming my breast. The position keeps me at his mercy, just as he’d said, and there is no way I’m going to complain about it as he moves in and out of me in quick strokes, each thrust sending pleasure through every nerve ending in my body.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck, Dare.” I moan, already close to climax.

  “Tell me, Ever. Tell me.” His words are panted between breaths as he drives us higher up the precipice.

  “Feels so good, Dare.” I bite my lip and clench around him. “So. Fucking. Good.”

  “Do that again.” He demands, and I do as he asks, clenching my walls around him, enjoying the added pleasure of feeling him add more strength behind each movement of his hips.

  He moves his hand from my hip to the mound of my pussy and frames my swollen clit with two fingers, the added friction on the bundle of nerves sending shock waves of ecstasy through me.

  “Dare, I’m gonna come.” I say the words frantically, wanting him with me when I reach the peak.

  “I’m right there with you, little tine. Come for me.” He slaps at my ass again, once and then twice. And I tumble off the cliff, straight into nirvana. Dare moans, pumping his hips a few more times before stilling and the warm feel of his seed filling me adds another wave of pleasure to the mix, making me squirm beneath my mate.

  “I love you, Dare.” I turn my head searching for a kiss.

  He pushes his tongue past my lips, tangling our tongues, pressing his hips into mine, teasing us both with the aftershocks of our release. “I love you more.” He whispers the words against my lips as he pulls back.

  I chuckle. “How do you know how much I love you?” I ask, knowing he can feel it through our mate bond, but wanting him to say it nonetheless.

  “I can feel it, Ever. Through every fiber of my being, I can feel your love for me. Body and soul.”

  “Good. Because if you didn’t know, I’d have to prove it to you.” I snuggle up to him as he pulls out of me and pushes me up on the bed, under the covers, and into his arms.

  He tightens his arms around me, and that feeling of home comforts me to the depths of my being. “Don’t you start with that. Or I’ll have to show you just how much more I love you.”

  I don’t reply, because I’m sure he knows that I will happily spend the rest of my existence letting him do just that, as I do the same. I never thought I’d know what a love like this feels like. What it would feel like for my breath to be stolen from my chest with a glance, a touch, a kiss. But if there’s one thing Darrow Fitzpatrick has taught me, it’s to expect nothing less.

  Chapter 14

  Later that night, after a nap that both of us needed, Dare and I walk hand in hand into the library, meeting up with the rest of our team to plan a strike on the Order’s information stronghold.

  We walk in to Kiara, arguing with Kirin, about something, both of them gesturing wildly, red tinging both of their cheeks in either anger or for Kirin, probably the thrill of sparing with a worthy opponent.

  “Alright, alright.” I clap my hands together after Dagan and Dax walk in and settle next to Dare. “Let’s all come together and work as a team to figure out the best way to approach this.” They all stare at me like good little students waiting to be told what to do and I snap my fingers. “Ideas, guys, throw
‘em at me.”

  “I say we strike hard and fast, and with force.” Dagan speaks up.

  “I disagree. We need to be smart. Stealthy.” Eryn argues. “We don’t want them to be able to see us coming. We have the advantage at the moment.” She presses her palms flat to the table, leaning forward on them. “I say we use it.”

  “They have to be prepared for an attack. If we don’t go in with brutal accuracy, someone could sound an alarm, and any and all edge we had will go up in smoke.” Dagan narrows his eyes at Eryn from across the table, and I grin at Dare. These two are like fire and ice, you put them together and they sizzle.

  “And what if there are traps laid? Do we want to chance being caught in one of their strongholds, defenseless?”

  “We won’t be defenseless.” Dagan rolls his eyes. “We just wipe em all out. I’m sure Amren and Brodie can help us here. They’ve helped us breach unknown territories before.”

  “What about those that are being held hostage? Would you risk their lives?” Eryn asks.

  Dagan opens his mouth and then shuts it, clearly thinking over his answer. “It would not be my first choice, no.”

  “Exactly.” Eryn snaps. “So let’s take a beat, think this through, and come up with a foolproof plan to get in, get as much intel as we can, take out who we can, and get those that are caught up in the cross fire to safety.”

  Dagan nods in agreement, and I almost fall over in shock. I don’t think they’ve agreed on anything in a long time. Eryn blinks quickly, and then hums before sitting down.

  “Do we have any idea on their numbers, Kiara? Were you able to reach your mother?”

  “She should be here shortly, actually.” Kiara replies. “She did say that we need to wait until she arrives before we go anywhere though.”

  “Fine by me. Any extra information she may have can only help us at this point.” Forewarned is forearmed as far as I’m concerned, and if it keeps anyone from injury or death, I’m all for it.

  Almost as though we’d summoned her, Nicnivin appears, looking as deadly and fabulous as always. Today, she’s in a deep blue dress, her usual feather crown one of jewels and interwoven ivy.

  “I didn’t realize this would be such a large group, I would have dressed for the occasion.” She drawls with what I think is her own personal brand of sarcasm.

  Kiara rolls her eyes but doesn’t say anything about her mother’s outfit. “Hello, Mother.”

  “Kiara, I hope you’re making the most of your time here.” Nicnivin raises a brow expectantly.

  “As always.” Kiara gives her a tight-lipped smile.

  “Well, let’s get down to it. I’d like to strike either before dawn breaks or tomorrow night if possible. I think that before dawn would be better, but I’ll defer to you on that, Nicnivin.” I steer the conversation in a direction that’s more aligned with our current goals of squashing these assholes at the Order of Íonachta.

  “My guards went in during the dead of night so I could provide cover for them.” Nicnivin answers. “So I would suggest that as a good time. They seem to be scarce when it’s dark.”

  “I’m surprised. You’d think an order full of psychos would get a kick out of skulking around in dark alleyways for secret meetings plotting the destruction of Faerie.” I mean, if I was a villain, I’d live that shit up. I’d wear more black than I already do, I’d insist people only meet me in some shady location, and I’d perfect my evil laugh.

  “They were taken aback as well. But it would appear that they don’t visit the compound often. Or if they do, it’s not in great numbers.” Nicnivin chuckles.

  “So we should be fine with just our group here? Or would you suggest we go in with larger numbers?” Doyle asks the question I’d been thinking.

  “To be on the safe side, I’d bring more with you if you can. You just never know if we caught them on an off night. Or if any of their spies have heard that we found one of their locations.” Nicnivin says.

  “Kirin, Axel, can one of you get word to Gwyn and Liam, I’d like to see if they’re willing to back us they said, or if it’s only on their terms etc. And then I’d like to get Amren and Brodie up to speed so they can join us.”

  “On it, Ev.” Axel taps the table three times in quick succession before they both leave the room.

  “You’ll be bringing the Druid?” Nicnivin tilts her head. “You’re willing to risk them?”

  “Oh, trust me. They’re not defenseless. I’d just like to have a healer and someone who can wield some serious magic with us, just in case.” For all I know they’ve booby trapped the fuck out of the compound. “That reminds me. Did your guards see any obvious traps or things that could trip us up?”

  Nicnivin shakes her head. “They did not. However, that doesn’t mean they weren’t just very lucky. They are well trained after all.”

  “Okay, great. Did they bring back any intel about the layout of the rooms? The entrance and exit points, or any other tactical information that we could use and study?” My team and I aren’t strangers to hairy situations, and we’ve done our fair share of missions at night, but that’s always been with a full-scale prep and research session prior to that.

  Nicnivin holds out her hand, a large piece of paper rolled up in it. “I thought you might want something, so I had them draw it up.”

  “Excellent, let’s see it.” I smile up at Nicnivin as I spread the map out, placing a book on each corner to keep it from rolling up on me. “Anything else you can think of? I’m sure you’re busy, and I don’t want to keep you.”

  “I heard you spoke with the man who gave me the information. Did you get anything out of him?” She asks, and Eryn jumps in.

  “He said that they took his family and have them hostage. Did your men encounter anyone in the compound?” Eryn’s voice is accusatory but I don’t stop her from asking her question. I’d been wondering the same thing.

  “Yes, they came across a few different groups of people in there. They left them alone so as not to tip our hand.” Nicnivin turns from Eryn to me, her lips pursed in displeasure at being questioned, I’m sure. “Not that I need to explain my actions to you, but from what I understood, I was simply collecting information so you could use it later.”

  “That’s true. And we appreciate the fact that you sent your men in ahead of us so we could be sure that we weren’t walking towards our deaths.” I clear my throat when Eryn opens her mouth to interrupt me, and she snaps it shut with an audible click of her teeth. “I think we’re all a bit touchy about families at the moment. The twins, Arela previously being kidnapped and tortured, and I’m not sure if Kiara brought you up to speed or not, but Puck was taken from outside of the Pixie Kingdom and tortured by Mab for information on us. It’s been an eventful year all around.”

  “I understand.” Nicnivin states and leaves it at that. “And yes, Kiara did let me know what was going on. Was she correct that you have Queen Rhyannon in the dungeons?”

  I smile grimly. “Yes, she was correct. It’s not my first choice, but the coincidence of the Order suddenly getting into the castle after her appearance is something I can’t ignore.”

  Nicnivin giggles and rubs her hands together in glee. “I’d like to see her in a dungeon. Haughty bitch could use some humbling.”

  I bark out a laugh and shake my head at her candor. “Be my guest, I’m sure she could. She refused to speak to us once I had Puck keep her in place.”

  “Oh dear. I’m sure they’ll fight about this for a century at least, then.” Nicnivin says.

  “They seem to be very close.” I wonder if she can shed any light on that situation past what Puck was willing to share with us. “Know anything about that?” I ask.

  “I know a little about a lot of things, Ever, my dear.” She heads toward the door, for what I’m sure will be a bit of comeuppance for the Pixie Queen. “We’ll chat later.” She leaves and I look at Doyle. “Just another day at the office eh, D?”

  “Of course, wouldn’t have it any ot
her way. You know we live for this shit.”

  “I know, but still. This isn’t something that I thought we’d ever be facing. I’m not doubting that we can handle it. I know we can get through it. I’m just doubting myself.”

  “Why? We all choose to follow you, Ev. You’re that thread that winds us all together. You might break sometimes but we just tie you back together and you continue to keep us here.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t want you all to live your lives according to my rules or the shit that’s happening because of me. I want you to live your own lives. Have your own families, find your mates, hell, go teach at the Academy for all I care. So long as you’re happy and healthy, that’s all I want for any of you.”

  Doyle rounds the table, holding his arms out wide and I walk right into them, accepting his offered hug. “You know that we’d all tell you if we thought it was time for a break.”

  I chuckle. “No you wouldn’t. You’re all stubborn assholes.”

  “That might be true, Ev, but you know you’d know. We’d all know if something shifted in our group dynamic. And we’d all work to adjust and balance it out. We’re each other’s family, blood or not.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know, D. I’m just having a moment. But if you make me cry, I’ll beat you up.” My voice is watery, and I’m close to tears as it is. It’s not like I’m unsure of our bonds or my team’s loyalty to each other. What it boils down to is that I’m terrified of losing any of them.

  One scare with Doyle was enough for my lifetime.

  “Okay, are you two done with your moment? Can we get to tearing this place up and getting the advantage on these fuckers, or should I pass you the tissues?” Kirin asks from behind us.

  “Shut it, Kirin.” I laugh, knowing that I’d never tire of his incorrigible antics, but he’s going to have to get used to the new Ever. The one with a dirty and delicate heart. And I wasn’t giving him a choice in the matter.

  Chapter 15