Glamoured (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 6)

“Mama!”

The voice, small but so clear, had me sprinting across the Silver Lands’ courtyard.

As predicted, Tabitha looked older, sitting in Queen Glendriel’s arms, waving as she called my name. Her skin was darker, bronze and glowing, with light curls falling around her face to rest above her shoulders. She looked happy and full of life, her eyes so purple they were piercing.

“Baby,” I cried, wrapping my hands around her to gently lift her from the queen. “You got bigger.”

She looked almost a year old now, and when she snuggled into me she felt solid and healthy, nothing like the frail child we’d grabbed in Clarity mere days ago.

“Mama,” she said again, seemingly proud of herself. “Papa.”

His power hit a moment before he wrapped arms around us both. “I’m here, little one,” he said, voice rumblier. Tabitha let out a happy chuckle, before she settled into the family hug.

Shadow and the others had already left Faerie for the library. They’d offered to return and help us deal with Fredrick and any others involved, but Len assured them that we would be more than fine. None of them argued, having felt our power, and instead we were told that we’d be at dinner in the next day or so. Non-negotiable.

“Family dinners are a must,” Mera said as she pressed a kiss to my cheek. She then dragged her mate away in a rush to get back to Aurora. She was an amazing friend and mom, and I was blessed to have this pack. The others had hugged us and left too, and it was nice to know we’d see them all again soon. The new connection had added another level to our bond.

Len and I spent the next few hours existing with Tabitha, letting the rest of the world and our worries fade from mind. With the glamour removed, we learned that her energy was felt by all, and it held strong princess-of-the-Silver Lands essence, just as we’d always felt.

After giving us privacy and time to connect, Queen Glendriel reappeared with food and drinks, preparing for us to eat family style. She used her own energy to arrange the plates on a small table, and then gestured for us to join her.

A silver fae dropped off a white chair that looked like a huge marshmallow, and Len showed me how to sit Tabitha in it, safe and protected as all that padding rose around her sides and held her in place. Not that it would be too long before she was sitting in a regular chair.

“Tell me everything,” Glendriel said when we were all seated.

It was just the four of us, cozy and comforting. A first for me. Even with the glamour broken and my fuzzy memories returned, there were none that included a family moment like this. The closest were the meetings with the Origin gods, and that had been more about business, not love.

Len changed everything.

“Samantha is my true mate,” he said, pride in his voice. That tone stirred up my energy, and I barely managed to not wiggle against the ache low in my body. “She’s also the Great Que—”

Glendriel gasped so loudly she cut him off. “Yes, I remember her now,” she choked out, before turning to me. “You look a little different, but… why couldn’t we remember you before?”

Len and I both took turns explaining the somewhat complicated series of events that led to me being here today and the multiple glamours I’d used to leave Faerie. First when the spell was set by Dalmia, and the second time with Len. As we talked, we ate and drank, my energy growing with each bite of Faerie food. I might not need food now my connection to the Origin was restored, but the shifter side of me would be lost without it.

Tabitha appeared to feel the same, sampling everything put in front of her as she happily babbled and spoke, each of us acknowledging her throughout the conversation.

When our bellies were full, the story told in its entirety, right up until we destroyed the darkness, Queen Glendriel sank back in her chair, a contemplative look on her face.

“I’m ancient,” she finally said. “I’ve lived through wars, the death of my mate, all the while watching my son struggle to find his place in this world…”

Reaching out, I grasped Len’s hand, our fingers linking together so seamlessly it was as if we’d been doing this for years, rather than days.

“It all makes sense now,” she said with a smile. “The struggles and the darkness existed so you’d know how to recognize the light when it showed up.”

The light she spoke of was all but spilling from Len and me, our bond so new and bursting with energy that it occasionally escaped our hold. Tabitha kept running her hands along Len’s arm, giggling at the play of the gem-infused light in his body.

“I’m stronger and surer than I’ve ever been,” Len said, his eyes briefly devouring me before he returned his gaze to his mother. “And I’m ready to use this energy to clean up the last of the mess in Faerie. New royals will emerge before I am done. Two lands need their dead wood pruned.”

That was my mate, always a gardener.

“Wait for me to call everyone together,” Glendriel said, pushing herself to stand. “We need to make this official, with witnesses so that their line doesn’t suffer for the actions of their leader.”

The innocents had to be spared, but the rest… they would know our wrath.

“Tell them they have twelve hours,” Len said shortly, his eyes darker grey. “They tried to destroy my mate, broke the rules of Faerie, and almost released an ancient spell on the world. There’s no escaping this punishment.”

Queen Glendriel didn’t argue with him, merely crossing around the table, her silver robes trailing behind her as she moved gracefully. When she reached Len, she touched him gently on the cheek. “You shall avenge your mate,” she promised, and I recognized the fae ritual of what they were doing here. A mother sending her warrior off to battle.

To my surprise, when she was finished she did the exact same to me. “I’m honored to have such a strong, capable, and powerful female as my new daughter,” she told me, brushing her energy across my face, leaving a trail of burning power that faded after a few seconds. “We will build from this, and the Silver Lands and Faerie will be stronger than ever. A superpower once more.”

It was inevitable now that the dark spell of Dalmia was destroyed. Only time would tell if the other worlds would need the same protection. As scary as it was to have a child in an unstable set of worlds, it was reassuring to know that she’d been born into the strongest family possible. The next generation, judging on what I’d seen so far, would surpass us ten to one.

The queen left us then, and for a quiet moment the three of us existed in a bubble of contentment. It was hard to believe I’d died, been reborn, discovered all the truths, and saved the worlds since I saw Tabitha last, but being here with Len and her made all the rest worthwhile.

When our daughter yawned, so big it took over half her face, we finally got to our feet and left the cozy tranquility of the courtyard. Shifters had restless animalistic energy and rarely sat without trying to do ten other things at the same time. Fae were not like that. Their longevity had them stopping to smell the roses, or whatever exotic plants Len created, and I enjoyed that just as much as the bustle of a shifter world.

“Let’s get this little one to bed,” Len said, lifting Tabitha from her marshmallow chair. “We all need to rest, and when we wake, Mother will have the meeting called.”

“Rest sounds amazing,” I said softly, falling in beside him, my heart fluttering happily as his free arm wrapped around me. He held us both close, and we moved together as if we’d been doing this for years.

“Yes, it does,” he replied. My heart fluttered again, harder this time, and Len’s chest rumbled as he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine as if he couldn’t help himself.

“Here’s hoping our baby girl sleeps through the night,” he growled as he pulled away, very shifter like.

“Or at least for a few hours,” I replied breathlessly.

Len’s smile was feral. “A few hours… ah, little Storm. That’s a decent start, but I’m going to need much longer than that.”

Did my pussy flutter? Yep, that greedy bitch was about to take flight she was so excited. As Sammia, I never had sexual desire, but this new version of me wanted everything. Every part of Len, and our new matebond.

My pace picked up, and a laugh burst from him as I dragged them across the bridge toward home. “Come on, buddy,” I joked, “you’re only a few thousand years old. Can’t you move a little faster.”

I let out a low shriek when his chest rumbled and hauled me over his shoulder, Tabitha secure in his other arm. He moved at super speed then, and I spent the time running my hands down his back, digging my nails into hard muscles as I traced the contours of his shoulders.

“Sam,” he said warningly. The heat pouring off him told me he was more than affected by this little prelude to our night tonight.

First though, we had to get Tabitha, who was yawning again, off to bed for a decent few hours’ sleep. The truth was, even if she didn’t sleep tonight, we would be happy to spend the time with her. Len and I had an eternity together for nights like this, and that meant, that when she needed it, Tabby had all our attention.

One day she would leave the nest and find her own destiny.

A bittersweet truth, but at least there was a future to plan for now.

A proper second chance.

Home and happiness.