Undying Hate~ Book Three
Chapter 24

“Before you demand her answer any more of your questions, I suggest we go. Unless you want to walk to Evergreen.”

Kerensa gestured in the direction of the carriage, and the burning flames of Stone Court and the group agreed, making their way quickly to the carriage and heading off. It was a reasonable amount of time for the information to sink in, as the energy from Elias’ mate mark was weird.

Really weird.

Kian seemed to be working overtime, smoothing the building anxiety between the pair until Stone Court was only a blazing inferno in the distance. “Okay, enough. What is wrong with you?” Kian demanded, staring past Sylvie at Elias’ brooding face.

He looked up and rubbed his jaw before switching seats to face Kian and Sylvie.

“Are you sure that’s his name?”

“Yes. I saw him meet my mother, and she gave me up. There was something about her protecting me from his world.”

“Yes. Around the time you were born, those who ran from Hayes’ reign were captured and killed, including anyone they encountered on Earth. It just, it can’t be him. Magnus can’t be your Father.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s dead, Sylvie. Hayes killed him to punish me. He killed all of them.”

She shuffled in her seat and looked from Kian to Elias. “He isn’t dead, Elias. I talked to him when I got kidnapped.”

Dozens of emotions crossed his face before he settled on what looked like disbelief.

Shaking her head, Sylvie rubbed the ache from his mate mark, and he visibly relaxed. She’d never seen its effects in person, and she smiled at his connection to her.

It was so strong.

“I have one question, though,” she asked, dropping her hand. “Why would he punish you like that? Did Magnus mean something to you?”

Elias’ mouth worked, and he looked slightly wide-eyed at Kian as if asking for a lifeline. Sylvie leaned over, blocking his sight, making sure he wouldn’t get one.

“Tell me.”

The air between them grew stifling as Elias stared at her, thinking.

“He was my mentor.” He shook his head as if that wasn’t the right word. “A father figure, sometimes like a brother. He was there for me when Hayes wasn’t, and Hayes hated him. He hated his guts. He was my Father’s top General and trained us in combat. If I became King, he would have traded blood with me and been my right hand. But I didn’t. I ran.” Elias swallowed. “He must have left after I did.”

After finishing his explanation, he shut his mouth and stared out the window pensively. If Sylvie didn’t know him, she might’ve thought he was angry, but beneath that emotion was a strange discomfort. Guilt?

“Are you okay?”

“Fine.” His tone was clipped and left no room for conversation, but Sylvie was stubborn. She was poised to speak, but Kian squeezed her hand, stalling her words in her throat.

When she peered at him, he shook his head. Ugh, fine. Sometimes Kian did know best. A lot of the time, actually. With a sigh, she leaned back and stared out the window. It was going to be a long trip.

“As you are all still here, it is custom we announce our next Fae in possession of the crown. As in the past, we follow the royal line, which flows strongly through both me and my sister. Therefore, we have decided it would be in the best interests of Evergreen and the three remaining courts: Ice, and Moon, that she takes the crown.”

As murmurs and gasps filled the throne room, Kian raised his hand.

“As some of you are aware, Stone Court has been infiltrated, and many, if not all, of the Stone Fae, are dead. We have yet to determine what or who did this, but they will be punished when we do. While I do this from the Earth realm and Argyncia with my Wife and her other Bondeds, Kerensa will continue looking here. As Queen.”

The faces of the court appeared tight. Their shifty gazes looked around as if their tongues were bound to blab as soon as Kian stepped down from the throne. Kerensa took his place, her indigo eyes hard, teeth just about bared as she accepted the crown from Kian’s hands.

The rest of the ceremony mirrored Kol’s crowning the week before, but instead of staying and enjoying the festivities, Kerensa disappeared, and Syvlie followed behind her to the gardens. Most of the Fae waiting for Katarina’s death bloom had gone inside to eat, and the rest disappeared when they spotted the two women.

“I don’t want to do this.” Kerensa slumped into an old wooden chair and pulled off the crown, looking ready to throw it before settling on putting it on her lap.

Sylvie gnawed on the inside of her cheek before pulling up a chair and sitting beside her. A few responses flitted in her mind, from apologising empathising to ego-boosting, until she came up with one she thought Kerensa might appreciate.

“Well... I guess,” she paused, unsure if she had the guts to follow through.

“You guess what?”

Fuck it.

“I guess you know how I feel then. And you were trying to make me lead three realms when you only have to keep this one together.” She spouted the words in such a rush she wasn’t sure Kerensa even understood her, but one glance in her direction proved she had.

They stared at each other stoically until Kerensa cracked, the corner of her mouth quirking as she shook her head. “You really are insufferable.”

Sylvie mirrored her smirk and burst into laughter, flushing as Kerensa did the same, and her mates appeared, staring at them like they had grown two heads.

“Have you both lost your minds?” Elias asked, offering a hand to Sylvie. She only laughed harder, folding over herself and snorting.

“It wasn’t even funny.”

Kerensa made a shocked chortle before breaking out into pealing laughter.

Back and forth, they set each other off in fits until Sylvie noticed tears streaking down Kerensa’s cheeks and her face twisted into one of despair. This was goodbye. She didn’t know for how long, but she knew for at least one of them, it would be a long, long time.

Kerensa knew it too.

Sylvie reached out and embraced her without thinking, and Kerensa returned it tightly. Far tighter and with more emotion than she had shown over the last year. The hug only drew more tears as they shook, holding each other without words.

As time passed and their sobs quelled, Kian gently stroked her back. “Princess, it’s time.”

She pulled back, sure her face was splotchy and snotty, but Kerensa didn’t seem to mind. She wiped the tears with her thumb and kissed her cheek.

“Promise you’ll visit,” Sylvie hiccuped.

“I promise I’ll try,” Kerensa replied with a smile, letting her go as Kian pulled her into his arms.

“We’ll keep in touch. Reach out if you need me,” Kian said before turning and walking away with Sylvie watching back over his shoulder. She wiped her eyes and offered one last smile, a real one full of meaning, but it wasn’t enough. Kerensa needed to know she saved Sylvie’s life so many times. More than she could count, more than she could ever repay. She was her sister. Her best friend. She loved her.

“I love you, Kerensa,” she cried suddenly as the world tipped, and they blinked out of Evergreen forever.

“No! Kian! Goddammit, I wasn’t ready. You didn’t warn me. You didn’t warn me!” Her body twisted and dropped from his grip, the urge to shift and tear everyone’s heart out growing by the second.

“Kian move!” Elias grabbed Sylvie’s lycan form and dragged her from the forest, pinning her arms down and avoiding her every attempt to bite until he could drop her at the feet of someone she didn’t blame and didn’t want to hurt.

Sylvie?

Rowan?

What happened?

Rowan made no move to pull her close, crouching and meeting her eyes as she worked through her feelings. She was triggered, but it wasn’t death that did it. Kerensa was alive-

I didn’t get to say goodbye to Kerensa properly. She didn’t get to hear my goodbye.

I’m sorry, baby. Rowan searched her eyes and held his hand out, waiting for her to choose. Slowly her anger subsided and gave way to grief. She crawled over and curled up in his arms as he wrapped her into his arms.

Can I talk to Elias?

Yeah.

“What happened?” he asked aloud, making her realise they probably looked so weird staring at each other and not making a sound while Elias watched.

“It’s love,” Elias said lowly, his voice quiet as if not to spook her. “Her trigger isn’t death; it’s love. She thought Kerensa didn’t hear her say she loved her.”

Even the retelling was working her up again.

Rowan held her tighter and kissed her head. She knows, baby. Trust me. Anyone who is loved by you knows.

Sylvie lifted her head and sniffled with a furrowed brow. How do you know?

He smiled and poked her nose as if pressing a button. Like I told you, you wear every thought on your face. She knows.

“Do you still want Kian dead?” Elias interrupted their silent conversation again, startling her.

“Uh, no. no, of course not. Is he mad?”

“What do you think?”

She blew out her cheeks and snuggled tighter into Rowan’s arms. “No. Are you mad?”

“We’ll talk about that later.”

“Don’t be too hard on her,” Kian said, appearing in the doorway. It was only then she realised they were home in their bedroom.

Her body relaxed further. Finally home. Not for long, but it would have to do.

Elias nodded, swaying slightly on his feet, and Sylvie straightened. “Elias?”

Kian noticed his demeanour at the same time and grabbed his forearm as his eyes rolled back and he crumpled.

With a yelp, Sylvie jumped up and dashed over, catching his head before it hit anything and pulled it into her lap. “Is it portal sickness?”

“I think so,” Kian answered before turning to Rowan. “Will you get Amira, please?” He smiled tightly as Rowan nodded and squeezed his shoulder on his way from the room.

“Why is it this bad? He’s never fainted before.”

“We’ve overdone it. Vampires aren’t supposed to travel as much as he has, and he hasn’t been eating properly. He shouldn’t do anymore either for a few months.”

Sylvie pushed dark curly hair from Elias’ pale brow as she looked at Kian. “So we go alone to get Magnus then. Can you do that?”

“Yes. Especially if it’s just the two of us.”

She nodded and returned her attention to Elias.

“Don’t tell him.”

Kian shuffled and kneeled beside them, checking Elias’ breathing. It was laboured.

“I won’t,” he whispered.

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