Glamoured (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 6)

Leaving Samantha and Tabitha in the care of my mother, when they were existing between life and death, was what I would test all difficult moments in my life against. I’d have rather carved out a vital organ to leave behind, but I also knew that they were safer in Faerie, and I could move faster without trying to keep them with me.

In truth, I needed to move faster than I ever had before and return to my second home, the Library of Knowledge. Then find my pack and hope that once I explained the dangers of the Deep Origin of Faerie, they’d still agree to help me.

They might be the only hope we had. Their unique blend of powers should allow them to survive the fires of the Deep. Not just fire, but there were rumors of frost, water, and creatures. There was a reason that no one went down there, despite the many riches and gems that existed in the depths.

“Give me her energy, son,” Mother said in a gentle voice. Of the fae here, she was the only one who knew how close I was to losing my shit completely.

“Keep them safe. Please.” The words were strangled, but I got them out.

“I will guard them with my life,” she promised me. “They’re my family too, and you know I’d go to the depths of the underworld for my family.”

I had no doubt that she would. I’d seen it in my youth when any threatened the Silver Lands, especially the royal family. “Thank you,” I told her, tapping my hand against my chest.

When I removed my hand, I sent with it the connection I had to Samantha and Tabitha, passing them across to the queen. My chest ached as I caressed their shimmery cages one last time, before I spun and took off. I couldn’t look back or I’d never be able to leave, and I had to ensure that their lives were saved.

Fredrick, the stupid fuck that he was, got in my way as I was racing from the courtroom. Before he even opened his fucking mouth, I swung my fist and slammed it as hard as I could into his face. He dropped to his knees, a garbled cry squeaking out from his shattered jaw. The look in his eyes indicated I’d taken him completely by surprise. He was used to being the largest fae around, but I was a close second, and my power destroyed his.

“Keep him fucking detained until I return,” I roared over my shoulder as I continued from the room. I had no time to deal with Fredrick this day, but I would soon.

For now, my only focus was on saving Samantha and Tabitha.

When I exited the building, I reached the edge of the land and called the gems down, needing their boost of energy for extra speed. It was also on my mind to conserve my own power, as I’d need every iota of it in The Deep of Faerie.

It was really too much of me to ask my family to help with this, but they were the only ones who might survive it. There was also the small issue of that line being cut in Faerie, possibly destroying our world, and in a ricocheting effect, the rest of the worlds. For that reason alone, I had to tell them.

Once I reached my garden, I was able to call up a doorway to the library. Racing through, I burst into the familiar room, the scent of power and books surrounding me. No fae lingered in our section, which wasn’t a surprise, since they’d have responded to the trumpets initiated by my mother.

Pushing out into the main thoroughfare, I found Shadow’s energy immediately. He was in the dining hall with Mera and Aurora.

Aurora.

I ground to a halt, my heart slamming against my fucking chest as I wrestled with my next actions. In my blind panic over Sam and Tabby, I’d forgotten that my family also had young to care for—to raise into a powerful new generation of supernaturals.

This was too much to ask of them.

To either leave their babies behind, or take them and risk the dangers down there.

I would have to figure out another way. Maybe there was still a fae alive with knowledge of the Great Queen, one not impacted by the lack of memory we all had of her.

If I asked the right questions, there might be answers out there.

As I was turning to return to Faerie, a burst of fire surrounded me. My energy didn’t react defensively since I knew exactly who it was from.

The flames were no true threat me.

I stepped forward, through the wall of fire, and it vanished before I felt any burn.

“Brother,” Shadow said gruffly, crossing his arms as he stared me down. He was alone. “Leaving so soon?”

Bastard always knew what was happening in his library. He’d have felt my barely contained rage the second I entered his dominion. “I can’t ask this of you, Shadow,” I said with a shake of my head. “In my fury, I forgot that you have young to protect. Just as I do now.”

As Shadow moved closer, more of his energy rose to surround us both. “Len, need I remind you that your problems are my problems. Samantha is pack too. A part of my Sunshine’s family.” He looked behind me, as if double checking I was alone. “And since she’s not with you, and I have felt a similar rage to yours before, I can only assume she’s the reason you need help.”

Some days his intelligence was a huge advantage, and other days… fucking annoying.

He wouldn’t let me leave though. I knew that as well as I knew myself.

“Len…” One final warning, from a beast about to lose his shit.

“They severed the Great Line,” I rumbled, my fury pushing up once more. “Samantha is somehow connected to the Great Queen, and when we attempted to lift the Faerie glamour on us both, Fredrick felt her energy.” Rumbles spilled from my chest. “He was monitoring the energy, pushing to get the line severed, and when he felt her, he decided to just go right the fuck ahead without any permission.”

“Samantha is born of the Great Queen’s line?” Shadow said, brow furrowing as he attempted to piece it all together.

“Yes.” I knew this for sure, even with all the information I was still missing. “When the line was severed, both Sam and Tabby collapsed with a death blow. My mother and I managed to put them into stasis, to halt the pull of the next life, but we’ve only delayed the inevitable.”

Mera, who’d reached us now, popped out from behind Shadow, her face ashen as she swallowed hard. “Are you kidding me, Len? A death blow? Where the fuck are Sam and Tabby now?”

Looking away from Shadow, I somehow managed to soften my tone: “They’re in Faerie with my mother. The Silver Queen. She’s keeping them safe while I try and figure out a plan to save them.”

“You need our help?” Mera said again, anger spiking her tone. “Whatever you need, you fucking have it. You, Sam, and Tabby are pack, and we will destroy whatever and whomever we need to get them back.”

Shadow nodded as he finally uncrossed his arms. “Always, brother. What’s the plan?”

Before he even finished speaking, I shook my head and backed away. “It’s too much risk for you and your family. Too much risk for Aurora. I won’t ask it of you.”

Shadow attempted to wrap his energy around me, to keep me from moving, but I was too strong for him to hold. “Tell us the risk,” he said when I extricated myself easily. “We’re not children. Allow us the right to choose.”

A long breath escaped me. My family always chose to fight together. The moment I told them, they’d be in. “The only chance we have is to venture into the deepest parts of Faerie, where the original power exists. The origin of our world. This is where we’ll attempt to repair the line that was severed.”

“Fuck,” Shadow growled.

I nodded once. Fuck was accurate.

“What is in the Origin?” Mera asked.

Shadow was the one to reply. “Pure power,” he said, “and a series of obstacles that are said to be unpassable for any not from the Great Queen’s line.” He paused and looked at me. “I never knew she had children.”

I shrugged. “No one knows shit about her, but it was likely to have happened once she disappeared from Faerie. Sam could be the last of a long line of her descendants, or maybe there’s more out there.”

All of whom were now dead if they hadn’t had someone powerful enough to hold them to their world.

“I have original power,” Mera said suddenly. “Shadow does as well. Along with Angel and Reece. Fuck, most of us have an origin power of some description. We’re the perfect ones to attempt to go down there.”

She had just expressed the exact reason I’d been racing here in the first place.

“It’s not Faerie origin power, though,” I reminded her. “There’s a more than fair chance we will all be destroyed the second we descend into the Deep. It’s too much to ask when you have your own children to protect.”

That gave Mera a moment’s pause. “I wouldn’t take Aurora down there, not when she’s so young, but if we find someone we trust to watch her, we could go with you.”

“No,” Shadow snapped. “I will go with him, and you will stay with our daughter. She needs her mother.”

Mera’s return growl rocked some of the shelves nearby. “We’re stronger together, Shadow. You know we are. But I accept that one of us must stay with Aurora.”

Shadowshine. They were stronger together, but the risk was still there, and Mera knew it.

“Excuse me,” a low raspy voice interrupted. “I couldn’t help but overhear. If you need someone to protect our young Aurora with their life and multitude of power, I am happy to take that role.”

Shadow and Mera turned to face Gaster, who stood in his usual calmness. This was the demi-fae who guarded the Library of Knowledge. Shadow’s right-hand man. He was powerful and ancient; I knew that from even the small information he’d released to me over the years.

“Mera needs to stay,” Shadow rumbled again.

Gaster stepped closer. “I’m from an ancient line of goblins,” he started slowly. “I’ve lived through many wars and stood in the presence of the great line. The fae who severed that line has no idea what he’s done. It’s not just the Silver Prince who stands to lose, but all of us. You must go and fix what has been broken, for if you don’t, the worlds will be thrown out of balance. To the point that I fear everything might be destroyed.”

My worry of the rippling effect this might have in the great multiverse had just been confirmed.

“You remember the Great Queen?” I asked him.

He nodded once. “Aye. When she disappeared, it was almost as if a glamour washed across Faerie. None could remember her. But I was already working in the library, and it protected me from the effects. I have no idea where she ran to, but if your Samantha was on Earth, it stands to reason the queen set up her new life there, hidden in a near magicless world.”

“And the rest forgot her,” I mused.

Another nod. “Aye. At least the finer details.”

Mera turned to Shadow. “I’m not going to say I told you so, but this might actually be your damn fault, Beast.” He snorted, crossing his arms as she continued. “But if there’s a chance the worlds will end, we both need to go. Our strength together is the only way to ensure that there’s a future for our daughter. We both knew that one day we’d be facing an end-of-worlds event. It’s written in the stars. One by one, these worlds need to be saved to save all the Solaris System. It’s Faerie’s time today, and we will go with Len.”

Shadow wanted to argue. I knew my brother well enough to see the storm brewing behind his flame-filled eyes, but he couldn’t argue with Mera’s logic. “Gaster,” he rumbled, turning to the demi-fae. “I’m going to recall Midnight and Inky from the Shadow Realm, and together you three will utilize every part of the library’s energy to keep Aurora and Damon safe.” He turned to me now. “I’ve already sent this message to Angel and Reece, Lucien and Simone, and Galleli. They should be here momentarily.”

Gaster held his hands out, and I watched closely to see if Shadow would finally allow another to hold his beloved child. Mera lifted Aurora a little higher, before kissing her on both cheeks. “I love you, my precious miracle,” she whispered, a few tears brushing her cheeks. “Mommy and Daddy have to go and fight for your safety, but I promise, we’ll do everything in our power to return to you. Stay strong, sweet baby.”

She buried her face against the little girl, and Shadow enclosed them both in his arms, blocking from view his last words and moment with them. When they finally untangled, the others were streaming into the library, just in time to see Shadow hand Aurora to Gaster.

The demi-fae took her with calm and steady hands, amidst the gasps and shock as the others circled around us. “This can’t be fucking good,” Reece rumbled, as the scent of desert whipped up around us. “The worlds are ending, aren’t they?”

“Only explanation for that possessive bastard to share his child,” Lucien added, reaching out to draw Simone into his arms.

This wasn’t our first Faerie storm, and they knew exactly what to expect when Shadow called.

Wasting no time, I explained everything again, including Gaster’s new information about the worlds and the balance.

“You will have one chance to repair the line, and it’ll only be possible because you hold members of the Great Queen’s line in your grasp,” Gaster added when I finished.

“Sam and Tabby have to go to the Deep?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes, but only one of them is needed. They’re the only ones who can touch the final strand and repair the damage. We just have to hope they have enough of the power in their diluted bloodline.”

“If they don’t have enough power?” I asked, wishing we had the time to pry all information from Gaster before we left.

His rugged features fell, thin lips even thinner. “It will be all over for everyone. Including those from the Great Line.”

Darkness danced across us, and for once, not all the shadows came from the beast of this library. Again, we found ourselves in a fight to save the worlds, and I had so much to lose.

I had everything to lose.