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  “As ready as I can be,” Adam said to my left as he rubbed his palms on his suit pants.

  “Aidan?” I asked, as he looked over at me.

  “Ready,” he said confidently.

  The carriage soon slowed down, and I peeked out the small open window and saw scores of people waiting outside, all dressed in white. It was magical. Lights floated gently in the air as string music was played, a stark contrast from the brass and bravado during the feast.

  The guys exited first before helping me, my dress flowing back and forth every time I took a step. I looked to the end of the road, seeing King Janius and Queen Helena waiting for me, their arms open as if they were embracing us into their kingdom. I smiled as young flower girls walked out of the crowd, little baskets in their hands, and tossed flower petals along the path.

  We didn’t say anything to one another, instead soaking up the moment and the grandeur. Each step we took brought us one step closer to officially being together.

  “Are you ready?” King Janius asked, as I walked up to him.

  “I am,” I said, nodding.

  “Have the requirements for mastery been fulfilled?” he asked.

  “They have,” I replied.

  “The ceremony takes place over two parts, both of which are equally important and signify the coming together and bonding of your union. The first step is the Gordian Knot, which will be placed upon your hands. The Gordian Knot is unbreakable, signifying that your bond is eternal and will follow you to the grave. The second part is the ascension of elemental mastery over water, where we bless the gem and ask it to bestow its powers upon the worthy. If it finds you worthy, it will bless you, imbuing you with its gift and giving you the elemental powers you so desire,” King Janius said.

  “Please, come forward,” Aris said, as two men carried a large golden chest behind him. The guys and I stood in a square, extending our hands, and Aris arranged them in another square. I gripped Tyvin’s wrist, he gripped Aidan’s, Aidan gripped Adam’s, and Adam gripped mine. Holding onto each other, we made a square, all of us interconnected as one.

  “Aris will now place the Gordian Knot,” King Janius said, presiding over the proceedings.

  Aris placed the golden knot on our intertwined hands, its weight draping over us, our combined strength holding it up. He tied it around us, binding our four hands together.

  “This knot signifies the bonding of your four spirits, never to be broken. It signifies your interconnection throughout this lifetime. The grave is the only thing that can separate you from your spiritual bond. Do you four accept and take one another?” Aris asked.

  “We do,” we all said in unison.

  “Do you three men commit yourself to this woman, entering her harem, and heeding her rule one day over the Kingdom of Terrandale?” Aris asked.

  “We do,” the guys said, all together, as if we really had been connected.

  Aris removed the knot, placing it back into the chest, before we detached from one another and smiled. I looked at the three of them, their eyes softened. The ceremony was almost complete.

  “Princess Kira, please face me,” King Janius said.

  I faced him and he handed his trident to Aris, who exchanged it with him for a box. He opened the box to reveal a blue velvet pillow cushioning the gem, before he took it out, holding it in the air over his head, the fleeting sunlight just barely shimmering against it.

  “The mastery of water is something Atlanteans have held dear for millennia. While we have never shared it with an outsider before, we do tonight, as a measure of good will and the tiding of a new era,” King Janius declared, his thunderous roar echoing.

  “We begin by—” Aris said, when a loud bang filled the area.

  Alarms began to sound, conch horns being blown, as King Janius’s attention was drawn away from me and towards the barrier. We were under siege.

  “My King, we must continue the ceremony or it will be lost,” Aris said.

  “We are under attack, we must not let them in!” King Janius said.

  “My King!” Aris said defiantly. King Janius looked at him, his eyebrows furled. “We only have one chance to help her. If we are going to be invaded, we need the help of the fae. You must finish the ceremony.”

  “Neptune’s Gem has blessed our people for millennia,” King Janius said, as guards assembled and chaos ensued around us. “Today we ask the great spirits to bless this girl, Princess Kira of Terrandale, with the power of water mastery.”

  I tried to keep focus, looking at the gem and King Janius, but everything was overwhelming. I felt nervous. Who would be trying to invade Atlantis, and why did they pick now to do it? It made no sense.

  “They’ve breached!” a guard yelled.

  “Oh wondrous spirits, I come to you as your servant, asking that you bestow your powers once more, this time on the girl who stands in front of me,” King Janius said, kneeling down, as the gem began to glow.

  As if it were thinking, the gem sparkled inside, and I felt an echoing warmth inside me. I saw everything around me moving—people, vehicles, and bursts of fire, but I couldn’t look at them. I was entranced, staring at the gem as it stared back at me.

  I didn’t know how long I stood there like that, maybe seconds, maybe minutes, but all I knew was that I felt something. I gasped for air, my head and back springing backwards as I felt the energy hit me. The gem was granting me my powers, and it felt wonderful.

  I was brought back to reality, gasping for air, as the sounds of destruction began to ring in my ears. The guys were standing around me, ready for battle, as King Janius put the gem back in the case. “It is finished. Get the gem to safety and into the vault,” he said to Aris, grabbing his trident.

  “My weapon,” I said, patting myself over.

  “Here,” Aira said, tossing it to me. “All of you.” She and Lena tossed us our weapons as she stood there out of breath, as if she’d run back to our villa and retrieved everything we had.

  “You dare enter the Kingdom of Atlantis?” King Janius roared at the invaders, his abs becoming tense. “You are not worthy!” He flung his trident forwards, sending bolts of energy shooting out, as the intruders began to fall from the skies. They wore masks and their bodies were lanky and crooked. One of them that King Janius had just slain fell feet from us.

  “Who are you?” Aidan demanded, removing the mask.

  “Nokas,” King Janius spat.

  Nokas were humanoid sea creatures with three rows of teeth and tiny black eyes from which they could barely see. I’d heard about them when learning about other magical creatures during my schooling, but never thought I would have the displeasure of running into one, let alone being attacked by them.

  They were vicious creatures, their claws as sharp as cut coral. Their webbed bodies helped them move like missiles through the sea. What would be their reason for attacking Atlantis, though?

  They came in droves, bombarding the shield around the kingdom from all angles. King Janius looked at us with conviction. “You must leave and get back to your home. It isn’t safe here for you.”

  “We can help,” Aidan said.

  “I cannot risk your lives over our matters. Get your things, use your amulet, and leave,” King Janius said. “I won’t ask again.”

  “Come,” Aira said, grabbing my wrist.

  We ran through the streets as the Atlanteans tried their best to fight off the Nokas. Struggling to see our hosts attacked, I ran up, my sword slicing through the invaders’ chests. They squealed and fell to the ground, oozing green blood on the street.

  “He ordered you! You must come!” Aira said, before grabbing me once more and running towards our villa. “Gather your things, quickly!”

  We all ran upstairs, stuffing everything into our sacks, before reconvening just minutes later in the living area. I looked out the window, seeing the billowing smoke of an explosion in the distance, and my gut clenched. All I wanted to do was help.

  “We will send word onc
e they are dispatched,” Aira said.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  I pressed the amulet, opening a portal, and Telerius walked out smiling, but his happiness quickly turned into fear. “What is happening?” he asked, seeing the chaos in the distance.

  “There isn’t time, we must retreat,” I said, looking him in the eyes.

  “I will let Queen Esmerelda know of this right away,” Telerius said, looking at Aira. She nodded.

  We grabbed onto one another, jumping into Telerius’s portal, and the fresh air of Terrandale gripped me by the nostrils. The portal closed, a bit of relief washing over me, though I felt helpless for leaving the Atlanteans behind, especially after what they’d done for me.

  20

  “We must get word to your mother straight away. When it’s time for your decision and this mess is taken care of, we will send for you,” Telerius said, briefly putting his hand on my shoulder before he ran off.

  “What do you think the Nokas want with attacking Atlantis, and especially now?” Aidan asked.

  “What if this has something to do with the mountain trolls?” Tyvin asked.

  “No, it couldn’t be. What relation do they have to the Nokas?” Adam asked.

  “The trolls said something about us falling. What if they were trying to get us there, before we left? Or what if they knew about our alliance with Atlantis and used them as collateral damage?” I asked.

  “Wouldn’t that mean Terrandale is next?” Tyvin asked.

  “Maybe they wanted to start with Atlantis because it’s smaller and the technology there is superior,” Aidan said.

  “Which would make it easier to attack us,” I said.

  “Telerius will get word to my mother. We will speak to her then, and make sure our walls are fortified. Terrandale won’t succumb to this terror,” I said.

  “Spoken like a future Queen,” Tyvin said.

  “What about the decision? Telerius just spoke of it,” Adam said.

  “I’ll speak for us. They won’t split us apart, and if they won’t accept it then too bad. You’re my harem, now, and I’m with you,” I said.

  •••

  My mother must have had a lot to talk about with Telerius and her advisors, because I didn’t hear from her that night. Instead I retreated to my room, the guys going back to their own homes to speak with their families about what was transpiring.

  I lay back, my head hitting the pillow as I exhaled, sinking into my bed and feeling my back enveloped in its luxury.

  I whispered to myself, thinking about what to say tomorrow during the decision, and how I was going to break the news not only to my mother, but to the entire kingdom as well.

  I knew she wasn’t going to be happy, but my happiness trumped her traditions, even if it meant facing the fury I would soon have unleashed on me.

  I quickly sat up, realizing I’d gotten so caught up in the moment that I hadn’t even tried to manipulate water after getting my powers. There was a glass on my dresser filled with water, completely still. I took in a deep breath and twirled my hand.

  The water moved, my concentration growing as a stream slowly left the glass and circled around my hand. I smiled, feeling adrenaline surge around me, before I set it back into the glass.

  I felt tired, like my mind wasn’t completely there, as I walked back to my bed. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, though—I’d gotten not only the guys, but the powers as well.

  As I lay in my bed, my mind racing, I felt something on my pajama sleeves, and looked to see a small water mark from just moments prior. I moved my hand and drew it out, and a small bead rolled around my hand like a top spinning on the ground.

  I’d gone through the absolute wringer to get here, but it was all worth it.

  I was finally a water elemental.

  21

  “My daughter, you’ve returned,” my mother said, waiting with open arms as I walked in to see her the next morning.

  “It’s good to see you. I’ve missed you,” I said, hugging her.

  “I trust your feats were all completed,” she said.

  “Yes, but the final one was cut a bit short. I was getting to love my time in Atlantis,” I said.

  “Telerius told me everything that happened. We are going to be sending any kind of support King Janius and Queen Helena might need,” she said.

  “Everything in the kingdom has been going well?” I asked.

  I was a little nervous after what the mountain trolls had told us, and wondered if an invasion or attack on our kingdom was next on their agenda. It could’ve easily been a one-off attack, the Nokas aggravated with something Atlantis did, but it all seemed too close together.

  “Everything is fine, my dear. So, tell me what happened with the guys. Did you choose somebody?” she asked, gossiping, as she smiled and leaned forward.

  It was strange, seeing my mother like this. We had a good relationship, and we weren’t totally formal with one another, but she was acting like one of my girlfriends right now—not like a ruling queen.

  “I definitely came to a decision,” I said, nodding.

  “Come on, tell me before the decision ceremony. I would like to be informed,” she said, motioning for me to hurry up.

  “Well, I didn’t make the choice you’d think I’d make,” I said.

  “Well, honey, I thought the fire elemental was cute, but all three of them were great choices. I helped picked them, after all,” she said.

  “Yeah, and you’re going to wish you hadn’t,” I mumbled under my breath. “I bonded with all of them.”

  I blurted it out, not holding back, as I saw my mother begin to try to process what I’d just said. At first she looked like I’d told a joke, but her expression quickly turned serious when I didn’t jump in and tell her I’d gotten her just to see if she’d freak out.

  “Kira,” she said slowly.

  “There’s something else I need you to know,” I said.

  “What?” she asked.

  I stuck out my hand and the liquid from her chalice rose up and circled around my hand.

  “Kira Frost!” she yelled, breaking my concentration. I dropped the liquid onto the rug below. “You have gone too far this time!”

  “I set out on those feats with the intention of picking a mate, but it didn’t happen that way! I began to like all three of the guys, and in different ways! Who are you to tell me I’m not allowed to be with who I choose?” I asked, yelling back.

  “You broke our traditions, and you cannot carry on like this!” she said, infuriated.

  “It’s too late, mother. I partook in a bonding ceremony in Atlantis. I bonded to the guys, and I got my elemental powers in the process. Sometimes traditions are made to be broken. I followed my heart, just like you wanted me to!” I said.

  She glared at me, her eyebrows furled, her upper lip pursed. She was furious, and I’d known she would be, but I didn’t care. This was my life, and I wanted to live it with Tyvin, Adam, and Aidan. Choosing just one of them wouldn’t be keeping true to myself and my heart.

  “We will talk about your punishment later. Leave my chambers,” she said.

  “Maybe life inside this kingdom isn’t for me, then. If I cannot be welcomed and loved by you for following my heart, then maybe the line needs to end with you,” I said, before turning away.

  “Don’t you talk like that! Our ancestors, the women before you, sat proudly on this throne, and you will too!” she yelled.

  “Not unless things change. I will follow my heart, and I will encourage every fae woman out there to do the same, no matter what her choice is,” I said, before running out of her chambers.

  I continued running, not looking back, as my mother yelled for me to return. Tears streamed down my cheeks, dripping on the ground, and the guards looked at me as if I’d grown three heads.

  I ran to the guys. All three of them were waiting for me in my room. I burst inside and jumped into them.

  “What happened?” Tyvin asked. />
  “She wasn’t happy,” I said, sniffling.

  “Yeah,” Aidan said.

  “None of our families were thrilled,” Adam said.

  “Maybe we need to leave,” I said, looking up at them, my eyes puffy.

  “Where would we go?” Aidan asked.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t want to stay here if we’re going to be made an example of,” I said.

  “I’ll follow you,” Tyvin said.

  “I will as well,” Adam said.

  I looked up at Aidan, seeing trepidation in his eyes, before he nodded too. “Same.”

  •••

  With my bag packed, I stood in the doorway to my room, looking it over as I sighed, feeling grief within me. It was hard, leaving the only place I’d ever known as home, but I knew that home wasn’t a physical space anymore—it was anywhere I was with them.

  “Ready?” Tyvin asked, picking up my bag.

  “Yeah,” I said, looking around the room once more, before closing the door and walking away.

  I would be back, I knew that much for certain, but now wasn’t the time. I needed to clear my head, I needed to master my abilities, and I needed space.

  I just hoped this was all worth it.

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  Other Books by Logan Byrne

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