Warrior Queen: The RH Series Finale

(Our Fae Queen Book 6) Traci Lovelot

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 Contents
Title Page
Book Description
Dedication
Warrior Queen
Chapter 1 Gloriana
Chapter 2 Gloriana
Chapter 3 Gloriana
Chapter 4 Gloriana
Chapter 5 Rorik
Chapter 6 Gloriana
Chapter 7 Gloriana
Chapter 8 Lyall
Chapter 9 Gloriana
Chapter 10 Gloriana
Chapter 11 Gloriana
Chapter 12 Gloriana
Chapter 13 Nolan
Chapter 14 Kenji
Chapter 15 Gloriana
Chapter 16 Gloriana
Chapter 17 Gloriana
Chapter 18 Angelo
Chapter 19 Gloriana
Chapter 20 Gloriana
Chapter 21 Gloriana
Chapter 22 Gloriana
Chapter 23 Gloriana
Chapter 24 Gloriana
Chapter 25 Gloriana
Chapter 26 Gloriana
Chapter 27 Rorik
Chapter 28 Gloriana
Chapter 29 Gloriana
Chapter 30 Lyall
Chapter 31 Gloriana
Chapter 32 Gloriana
Chapter 33 Gloriana
Thanks for reading!
Afterword
What's Next? A Standalone RH!
Preview Demon Hunter Academy
Acknowledgments
About Traci Lovelot
Copyright & Attributions
 I may not be an experienced warrior, but I won’t let my lovers
fight my battles for me.

In search of any advantage against the Unseelie, my guards sneak me

back through enemy territory to commune with the Tree of Life in the
hopes of uncovering long-forgotten secrets.

Our only chance at survival will require all of us to master new

magic and overcome old wounds. My capable guardleader will need a
confidence boost. My proud warrior will need to forgive an oathbreaker.
And I’ll need to learn how to love like a true Fae.

But it may already be too late to save my father and my best friend.
The Unseelie hold them both captive, giving me an impossible choice —
save one and let the other die.

————

Warrior Queen is the sixth and final book in Our Fae Queen, a
reverse harem series with polyamorous themes. 18+ only. Steamy group
interactions always involve Glori. Get ready for epic fantasy battles and
the hottest book yet!
This book is dedicated to my partner Scott, who helped me learn to love again.
 Warrior Queen

Author’s Note:
Due to regional variations in Gaelic and Irish, there is no standard pronunciation of ‘geas,’ but
the most common are: guess, gesh, gas, or gash. Pick the one that sounds right to you, dear reader!

Read more about Fae culture and the magic, myths, and monsters of Our Fae Queen in the
Bestiary!

Get the bonus epilogue and other exclusive Our Fae Queen bonus content:
< Sign up here >

You’ll also get access to giveaways, new release & SECRET price drop reminders, and the
opportunity to read future books before anyone else. So, be sure to join!

Visit Traci Lovelot’s website to learn more about the author and Our Fae Queen.

Thanks for reading this reverse harem series… I hope you enjoy the ending!
 Chapter 1
Gloriana
I sat in silence in the Guard’s common room next to Kenji. He’d leaned his forearms against the
milkwood table, his hands grasped loosely together with his head bowed over them, deep in thought.
His long, silver-white hair fell in front of his shoulders, shrouding his face from me.
While Jovanka stood guard out in the corridor, Rorik paced beside the closed door, guarding the
room from the inside. His tattooed shoulders bulged as he clenched his fists, a hand on the pommel of
his blade. Erynn also paced back and forth off to the side, her expression a mixture of sadness and
anger. I hoped she would be okay in time. Watching a former lover die couldn't be easy, even though
we all knew that Thressa had betrayed us.
Nolan probably studied the scrolls in the library, desperate to uncover any wisdom to help
renew magic for all Fae at last. Lyall, Lauren, and Fen had been with me when I questioned Thressa,
but I didn’t know where they were now. Nor could I spare much thought to care.
Instead, all my thoughts centered on Merc and whether she was still alive. As her final act of
betrayal, Thressa had captured my best friend and brought her into the Encante. What might happen to
her human body here in the realm of magic? No one could — or would — tell me. Worse yet, Thressa
claimed to have delivered Merc to Iona, whose cruelty knew no bounds.
“Do you really think Iona has Merc?” The words slipped from my lips before I thought them
through.
After all, Iona had also claimed to be holding my father captive, and I’d seen no evidence of
that, either.
“We can’t know for sure,” Kenji answered without looking up.
Still, part of me believed Thressa. My heart raced as I contemplated what Iona might do to her
prisoners. I wanted to gather all the Seelie troops and lead them straight to Iona's stronghold. Except
we didn't exactly know where that was anymore.
My mother was dead — she’d passed her queen magic on to me — and everyone had assumed
my father had died defending her. But if Iona really had taken him captive, then he’d spent my entire
life as an Unseelie prisoner. Some part of me doubted he could have survived decades of Iona’s
torture. But if there was a chance…
The door to the corridor cracked open, and Rorik pivoted to face it.
His Veela counterpart pushed open the door, her back straight and her expression stoic. Like all
Veela, Jovanka kept her blond hair close-cropped, and black tattoos decorated her deep earthy brown
skin. Rorik’s hand remained on the pommel of his blade just in case, even though it was only Lyall
and Jovanka at the door. These days, we all waited to hear the password. We couldn't be too careful
now that we knew the Unseelie had infiltrated the palace guard, especially when my Duwende
consort, who could see through Elven glamor, was elsewhere in the palace tree.
As soon as Lyall uttered the password, Rorik’s muscles relaxed slightly, though he didn’t move
his hand away from his weapon. The guardleader’s eyes took in the sight of us as he stepped through
the doorway beneath the carved relief. Jovanka closed the door to give us our privacy, resuming her
position out in the hallway.
Lyall nodded to Rorik and Erynn both and then came to stand before me. I got to my feet, fearing
the worried look in his eyes. Beside me, Kenji took my hand to lend his support via the bond between
us.
“Fen and a few others are on their way to the human realm,” Lyall said. “We should know more
soon.”
My heart sank. “I should have just healed Thressa. Then we would already know where Iona
is.”
“Thressa didn't deserve to live.” Rorik’s voice rumbled throughout the enclosed room.
“You could have killed her after I healed her,” I said, keeping my anger in check. “I could have
asked her where Merc was. Found out for sure whether my father’s really alive. I could have found
out where Iona's stronghold is. The extra few minutes could have saved Merc’s life. If she dies…”
My voice caught, but I went on, “it’s because I didn't get the information we needed from Thressa.”
I had plenty of reasons to fear the worst. After all, I had seen firsthand what it was like to be
captured by Iona. What if Merc was being tortured right now? It would be because of my failure to
act.
“No, my queen.” Erynn paused in her movements to face me. “It's all my fault for not realizing
earlier what Thressa truly was: a traitor to the Seelie cause.”
The guardleader laid a hand on Erynn’s shoulder. His cobalt blue complexion strongly
contrasted with Erynn’s much younger color, a robin’s egg blue. “Thressa was adept at hiding things
from all of us.” His words were gentle.
“We should all remember that, Lyall,” I said. “It wasn't your fault or Erynn’s fault. Thressa
chose her own destiny. Her own actions led her to this fate.”
And I feared my lack of decisive action would be what led Merc to hers.
Erynn sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I know that, in the end, only Thressa was responsible
for her own actions… and her own demise.” Her face crumpled, but she met my eyes without shame.
“This was just another of Thressa's tricks,” Rorik said. “She wanted to weasel her way into
spying for Iona again. It was her final gambit to convince Glori she no longer serves Iona.
Fortunately, her ploy failed.” His lavender gaze locked onto me. “We can't change what is past. But
it's time to strike at the source of our problems: Iona. We need to end this once and for all.”
The Day of Darkness loomed — the date Iona had given as a deadline to surrender my
queenhood to her. She would surely strike soon thereafter. Most of us agreed that we would need the
united strength of the Fae to repel Iona’s attack and hopefully put an end to the Unseelie threat once
and for all. It didn’t surprise me that Rorik wanted to strike sooner. Now that I knew Iona might be
holding my father and Merc captive, I felt the same.
Lyall shook his head. “We are still considerably outnumbered. While some Elves have defected
from Iona’s radical faction now that their magic has been restored, her ranks continue to grow, not
decrease. The only hope for the Seelie is to ensure all Fae magic is renewed before we face the
Unseelie in battle.”
Rorik looked to me as he made his case. “We can't keep waiting for that. I trust Angel’s vision,
but who knows when it will come to pass?”
The Tree of Life ceremony we’d performed together had only restored Elven magic. With their
heirs dead, and thus their shares of the Last Queen’s power possibly lost forever, the Veela and
Kitsune were rightfully concerned.
Soon after, Una had also performed the ceremony with her own consorts. After regaining the
Nixie powers of prophecy, Angel had seen a vision of a future in which Rorik regained his Veela
ability to fly. Then all the Nixies had gone off on their own to practice their long-lost magic away
from the other Fae, who had yet to recover their own.
The Nixies had yet to return. I appreciated their discretion, though I missed Angel sorely right
now.
Lyall glanced back to me. I could tell by his expression that what he was about to say next
wasn’t happy news.
“We do need to act. We need a new guardleader to help Glori decide the next best course of
action. My cousin has returned from the Tree.”
“No,” I said. “Changing guardleaders now is a distraction I can’t afford.”
Lyall shook his head. “I have failed you, my queen. I refuse to fail you again at a crucial
moment.”
“Who do you think helped me in all the crucial moments of the past?” I stared Lyall down,
willing him to change his mind. “You are the one who showed me how to become a good leader. You
convinced me a good leader doesn't have to be perfect. You are a good leader, Lyall.”
He wouldn't meet my eyes. Through the bond, I sensed his roiling emotions. A sense of pride
surged in response to my words, but it had little impact on his battle against the feelings of
inadequacy and failure he was struggling with. I had to hope he would win out in the end — the
sooner the better. None of us could afford for him to keep questioning himself. Not now.
I straightened my shoulders and gazed at the small gathering of my Guard and consorts. Raising
my chin, I addressed them as their queen.
“We still have fifteen days before Iona attacks on the Day of Darkness, and surely she’ll want to
keep any prisoners alive until then as leverage against me. Your duty is to continue protecting me as
my Guard, as I have always trusted you to do.”
“Yes, my queen,” Erynn, Rorik, and Kenji murmured.
Lyall gave me a slight bow. When he lifted his gaze to meet mine, I saw a flicker of relief there,
although I didn't know why. The branching emotions I felt through his bond didn’t clarify things,
either.
But what I did know was that Rorik was right. I couldn’t mope around, obsessively worrying
about whether Merc was suffering here in the Encante or whether my father still lived. Fen would
bring back news from the human realm, and until then I had other responsibilities. Maeve would
return soon to revive the long-lost Duwende magic, and that was the next step I needed to focus on for
now.
After what I’d just told Lyall, I had to show him I could be a good leader. I had to show
everyone that I could be the queen they needed me to be.
 Chapter 2
Gloriana
The next day, Kenji brought me a wonderful breakfast, which he and I shared in the sitting room
near my bedroom. Lyall was away somewhere, probably with this cousin he wanted to foist off on
me. I had yet to meet the other Elf, but I hoped that my words had finally sunk in for Lyall. I had
enough to deal with as it was.
Breakfast was a welcome distraction from my worries about Lyall and Merc and Rorik, who
still didn’t seem completely on board with being my consort, even after bonding with me. I had just
plopped another tasty morsel in my mouth when Nolan showed up. His eyes were alight with
excitement, and our bond practically quivered with it. I swallowed a mouthful, the delicious taste
going unnoticed as I turned toward my beloved Duwende consort.
“What is it? Have the Nixies returned?”
“No,” Nolan said. “But Maeve has. She’s coming up through the palace tree now.”
His excitement was infectious. If Maeve was here, we were that much closer to renewing magic
for more Fae.
Kenji got to his feet. “Do you want to meet her in the throne room or one of the queen’s audience
chambers?”
I instantly shook my head. “No.”
Doing so would feel like I was lording my queenhood over Maeve, when I knew that we were
all meant to be equals. I considered Una my equal as Nixie queen, and Maeve would soon become the
Duwende queen.
I continued, “Let’s wait for her to join me here, informally.”
Nolan bowed his head. “She accepts that you must give her the geas before she can perform the
ceremony this time.”
“I’m glad she understands.” I didn’t want it to be a surprise. I would give her the same
assurances I had given Una not to use the geas on her. No doubt Maeve was willing to do anything to
help her people live longer and regain the use of their deeper magic, but I wanted them both to know I
wouldn’t abuse the trust they placed in me.
A few minutes later, Erynn called to me from the Guard’s common room. “The Duwende heir is
here, my queen.”
My two consorts followed me from my sitting room out into the common room where Maeve
and her Duwende guard awaited me. At the door, Rorik watched over the gathering. No doubt my
brooding warrior was glad for their return. The Duwende could help spot any Unseelie hiding in the
palace guard’s ranks.
Erynn and I towered over all the other occupants of the room, making me want to hunch down.
But instead I squared my shoulders, reminding myself that I wasn’t that outcast girl who didn’t fit in
anymore. I was among my own kind in the Encante, where neither Elven nor Duwende height was
anything to be ashamed of.
A bandage no longer covered the Duwende heir’s ear, though I could still see that a large chunk
of it was missing due to Iona’s torture.
Maeve faced me with a rare smile on her serious face. “I have heard the good news.”
“Yes,” I returned her smile. “The Nixies have regained their magic. They’re in the forest
practicing now. I hope your people can join them soon.”
“Today, if everything goes according to plan.” Maeve nodded, giving a reassuring smile to her
people. “We will use the time before the Day of Darkness to learn how to wield our forgotten magic.”
She glanced to me. “Will you join us for the ceremony?”
“I would prefer not to,” I admitted. “I have received news that Iona may have captured my best
friend, and I am in no mood for celebrating.”
“All the more reason for us to get going,” muttered one of the Duwende in Maeve’s guard.
“Agreed,” I said to her before turning back to Maeve. “Are you ready?”
Maeve came to stand before me, tilting her chin to look up at me. I would never get used to the
idea of a kiss bestowing magic, but as queen, this was my duty. If a little kiss could renew the magic
of an entire group of people, it was well worth it.
I approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. Leaning forward, I brought my lips to hers for
a brief kiss. But when I pulled back, I didn’t feel the usual tendrils of magic connecting me to her. Just
to be sure, I leaned forward again, and she did the same, our lips meeting in the middle for a slightly
longer kiss.
When she pulled back, her expression revealed her uncertainty as well. “Command me, and
let’s ensure the geas took hold.”
Like this was a game of Simon says, I blurted the first thing that came to mind. “Clap your hands
three times.”
Maeve shook her head at me. If the geas had taken hold, she wouldn’t have been able to resist
following my order.
“Why didn’t it work?” All the hope drained from my body, leaving me cold.
It wasn’t just me. When I faced Nolan, the tension in his broad shoulders and the furrow in his
brow revealed his dismay. I didn’t need the bond to tell me that he was already beating himself up for
this latest failure.
“Could this be due to something Iona did when she had the scrolls?” Nolan wondered.
Anger lashed through the bond at me just as winds whipped around us. Rorik let out a low
grumble. “The oathbreaker is as clueless as the rest of us. If the Duwende can’t regain their magic
with an heir, what hope do the Veela have?”
Maeve glanced around her group of Duwende, as though someone among them might have the
answers. I recognized a few of them from our past interactions, and I suddenly felt bad for not
learning many of their names. One of them took her hand, and no doubt the bond between them spoke
even more strongly with reassurances. I remembered his name as Ciro, though I hadn’t realized he
was Maeve’s consort the last time I’d seen him.
“The queens are the conduits now, not the consorts.” I mused, trying to piece together the clues.
“Una performed the ceremony without needing five consorts,” Nolan added.
“I have to wonder...” Maeve trailed off.
“What?”
“Perhaps you can only create a link with your heir. It’s unheard of for a queen to be under
anyone’s geas. Since it worked with Una and not with me…” Her bright, citrine orange eyes met
mine. “Well, it makes me believe that she is your heir now.”
My heart dropped, but Kenji pulled me close, kissing my shoulder and surprising me with the
display of affection. Warmth filled me, but it did nothing to reassure me, despite the fiery certainty in
his bond.
“Angel foresaw the return of Veela magic,” Kenji reminded us. “If the Veela can regain their
magic without a living heir, then surely the Duwende will regain their magic as well.”
I leaned into him, trying to collect my thoughts. His certainty in the bond counteracted Nolan’s
doubt and Rorik’s anger. Kenji was right. We couldn’t have come so far only to fail now.
“Do you still have your heir magic?” I asked Maeve.
“My lady,” one of the Duwende said, making me turn to see what his plan was.
He held a short blade to his wrist. At Maeve’s nod, he cut himself enough for red blood to well
up. Maeve leaned in and kissed him. When he wiped away the blood, his wound was sealed.
“Then you are still an heir,” I said.
Una had renewed Nixie magic, but nothing more. That was the clue that made us realize none of
this was according to Iona’s plan. Nolan had spent many hours poring over the scrolls, but their
secrets remain locked away from us as much as from Iona.
If Iona had succeeded in severing the Elves from the rest of the Fae, then Una should have been
able to renew magic for the other races, not just her own Nixies. There had to be an explanation for
why Una couldn’t renew the other races’ magic. And why now I couldn’t put Maeve under my geas.
“Only queens can put a geas over someone else, is that right?” I faced Nolan and the rest of the
Duwende.
“Queens and heirs, yes.” Nolan tilted his head, trying to follow my logic and no doubt sensing
the faint hope in the bond between us.
“Did other queens put their heirs under their geas?” Kenji asked. Everyone turned the puzzle
over and over in their minds, trying to understand the intricacies of the magic passed down to us by
the Last Queen.
Nolan shrugged. “I don’t recall every detail of every past queen. It’s possible. I would need to
check the histories.”
My determination surged. “There’s another queen who might be able to make this work.” We
would find a way.
“Yes!” Duwende eyes lit with excitement.
“Maybe it’s more like a single link,” I said. “I am tied to the Tree of Life. Through my geas, so
is Una. Perhaps she must create a new link to unite Maeve with the Tree of Life.”
“Shall I summon Una, my queen?” Erynn asked.
“Yes.”
In an instant, Erynn blurred across the room, and Rorik opened the door for her. I sensed his
approval in the bond at my decisive action.
Nolan looked between me and Maeve with renewed hope, but the bond revealed his uncertainty.
He still thought this was all somehow his fault, even though we had proven time and time again that
Iona had failed to learn anything meaningful from the scrolls or Nolan’s translations. Perhaps his
feelings had more to do with his inability to find the answers in the scrolls either.
“The Nixies could be an hour or so away,” I told Maeve. “They wanted to practice their magic
away from others, but I imagine they are still well within the perimeter. Do you and your people wish
to relax in your old chambers? Or perhaps you could use some refreshments. I’m sure there is another
Fae nearby who would be happy to send word down to the kitchens.”
Several of the Duwende seemed to relax at my words. I imagined they rushed here with little
chance to rest along the way.
 “You’re right,” Maeve said. “We came as quickly as we could. A bath and a moment to relax
and prepare for the ceremony would be most welcome.”
Maeve’s consort Ciro smiled up at me, his hair still closely cropped even though Maeve’s had
begun to grow back some length. With that, the Duwende took their leave and headed out into the
corridor. Lauren came to relieve Rorik, letting him get some rest himself.
“I’m going to go down to the training rooms and burn off some of this energy.” Kenji gave me a
peck on the lips, but I pulled him closer for a longer kiss.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my lips still lingering on his.
When I pulled back, his eyes smoldered with desire for me, the bond confirming it.
I grinned at him. “Have fun.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Don’t worry… I’ll have plenty of energy for later.” Then he
winked and disappeared down the corridor as well.
Nolan remained with me, and the two of us returned to my sitting room. For the next hour or so,
he entertained me by teaching me more about the various types of magic I might expect to see from
other Fae once their magic was renewed. Angel’s vision had made me realize I’d only learned the
basics of the Fae’s abilities — so much more had been lost than I’d realized.
My own new magics were relatively uninteresting. If I hadn’t had so many other things weighing
on my mind, I might have been disappointed. Elves had mostly regained passive magic that I didn’t
need to learn much about. Presumably our blood had regained some of its magical properties, as well.
I wasn’t interested, now or ever, in learning how to make the sleeping potion that my adoptive moms
had used to hide me from the Seelie, stealing literal years of my life. The biggest issue was that all
Elves were now more resistant to other Fae magic and could heal themselves to some extent, which
might give the Unseelie an advantage in battle against us.
That was another reason why we wanted to renew magic for all Fae before we went up against
the Unseelie again. No longer was I the only one with magic healing capabilities. At long last, my
own wounds might heal themselves if I were injured in battle. From what I understood, however, the
Elves’ inborn ability to heal occurred much more slowly than an heir or queen’s ability to heal
someone else. The breath of life, bestowed via a kiss, as Maeve had done moments ago, seemed more
like a miracle than magic at times.
When I heard Lauren speak to someone at the doorway, I got to my feet. As soon as I crossed
into the common room, I saw Angel. He rushed forward to embrace me, and I covered him in kisses,
reveling in the feeling of my lips against his once more.
When I let him come up for air, he laughed. “I wasn’t gone that long.”
“Long enough,” I said. “Did you have fun with your new powers?”
“Yes, and Una has returned to try to give Maeve her geas. Did you want to go see?”
“All that matters is whether they can pull it off,” I said. “Me being there won’t change anything.
So let’s just wait here.”
Angel sat down next to me in the chairs at the center of the common room. Nolan paced nearby,
his bond heavy with worry and self-recrimination.
“So, what cool new things can you do?” I asked.
“Most of them aren’t fun to demonstrate indoors.” Angel gave me his usual lopsided grin. “I
doubt you want me to open up a storm cloud in here.”
“Only if you can also magically clean up the mess afterward.”
“We didn’t practice anything so boring as cleaning.”
“So you can create storms and predict the future, what else? It’s gotta be more interesting than
the magic Santa brought to me. Nolan mentioned some Nixies were able to cause illness through
touch.”
“Don’t tell me you’re jealous of my awesome Nixie magic.” Angel beamed over at me.
“Apparently that illness thing works better on humans than the Fae, but it could have some use on the
battlefield, perhaps. We didn’t practice that either.”
Nolan and I weren’t the only ones thinking about how this new magic might give us the
advantage over the Unseelie.
“Oh, and of course there’s finally a use for this.” He tilted his chin down and pointed at the
blow hole in the top of his skull. “It turns out Brazil’s legends of the pink dolphins are true. I can’t
wait to show you.”
It was hard to imagine Angel transforming into a pink dolphin, but then again it had taken me a
while to adjust to the notion of my ability to become a squirrel, cat, or other woodland creature.
“So what about Valente? Is he a dolphin like you, or is he like one of those water horses from
legend who enchant humans and drown them in the river?”
At Valente’s name, Angel’s sapphire eyes darted over to me. A flicker of emotions traveled
down the bond so fast, I couldn’t identify them all. I narrowed my eyes as a wave of jealousy flared
in my chest. Valente had been there to see Angel transform for the first time, and I hadn’t. I’d seen the
flirtatious way Angel and Valente practiced during training, and it made me wonder once again
whether Angel and Valente would have been lovers if Angel weren’t pledged to me as my consort.
“No, he’s not of the kelpie variety.” Angel’s words snapped me out of my thoughts. “We are the
same, both dolphins. I enjoyed watching my fellow Nixies try out their new forms, and I think I saw
every possible variation. Some are kelpies, as you described, though I promise we’ll use our magic
for good.”
“Whew.” I forced a grin and tried to shove down my jealousy, though Angel no doubt felt it
through the bond.
“We can also change into water snakes or fish.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure those forms will be
of much use to us against the Unseelie.”
It was strange to hear Angel talking so much about our future battles. With his martial arts and
fighting experience, Kenji’s protective instincts and calm strategic mind had made him a natural
among my guard. But Angel was a musician, and had always been more of a lover than a fighter. Still,
I knew that he wanted to protect me just as much as Kenji or any of the others did.
Angel and I continued talking for a few more minutes, when Nolan suddenly stopped pacing. He
froze in his tracks, facing me with a look of surprise on his face.
“They did it!” The joy and relief in his bond nearly crushed me.
Nolan nearly crushed me into the chair with his embrace. I scooted forward to embrace him
properly.
“It works,” he whispered. “Duwende magic has returned.”
I gazed into Nolan’s fiery orange eyes, sharing in his excitement. “Does this mean I’m going to
lose you for a while, too?”
“Perhaps, but only for a short time, my queen,” he promised. “No doubt the other Duwende will
find it best to practice away from the other Fae.”
I agreed, though I didn’t like my consorts being away from me right now. I already felt worried
about Merc, and I didn’t want to lose track of anyone else’s whereabouts until this was all over.
Angel chuckled. “That was much faster than when we did the ceremony.”
“Maeve has fewer consorts than Glori.” Nolan pointed out, his fiery gaze now leveled on
Angel.
“Before you go, is there anything you can show off first?” Angel’s mouth quirked up
mischievously.
“Like this?” Nolan pulled away from me.
And then he was gone.
My heart practically stopped beating. I glanced around the room, looking for any sign of him.
After several long moments, Nolan reappeared on the other side of the common room, toward the
bathing chamber.
“Teleportation?” Angel gasped.
“Sadly, no.” Nolan admitted. “Invisibility.”
“That’s so cool!” Angel said, getting to his feet. “Do it again.” He circled around Nolan.
My Duwende consort obliged and disappeared once again. Angel waved his arms around and
laughed when he came in contact with Nolan.
“I said invisible, not incorporeal.” Nolan’s disembodied laugh made me chuckle.
Their antics brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart. It was good to hear Nolan laugh.
Three of the Fae races had regained what had been lost for almost two millennia. Thanks to
Angel’s vision, we knew that Veela magic would eventually return as well, which meant it was very
likely for the Kitsune, too. Neither race had a living heir, so if one could regain their magic, I had
hope that the other could as well.
Now we just needed to figure out how.
 Chapter 3
Gloriana
Lost in my thoughts, I paced around my sitting room. The palace tree was in an uproar of good
cheer, tinged with melancholy, as the Seelie celebrated the return of magic for the majority of the Fae
races. While I was thrilled, as I told Maeve earlier, I was not in a very celebratory frame of mind
right now.
No matter what logic told me, I longed to charge in and rescue Merc now. I wanted to see for
myself that she was all right. That she hadn’t suffered the loss of an ear — or worse — at Iona’s hand.
Until Fen returned, we couldn’t even be sure that Merc was even actually in danger. I had to hope that
it was all a big lie. That somehow, the geas forced Thressa to answer, but didn’t make her tell the
truth.
But Thressa knew that I could force her to tell the truth using the geas. So lying wouldn’t have
gotten her very far, had I saved her life.
Even if we discovered that Merc was Iona’s prisoner, and where she was being held, the wisest
thing to do would be to ensure all five races could use their magic before attacking. I knew that would
give us a better chance against the Unseelie’s superior numbers. And yet we still had no idea how to
renew Veela or Kitsune magic without a living heir. Still, my thoughts circled through the intertwined
problems, as if obsessing over them would eventually reveal a clear path forward.
It had never worked for me before, but maybe this time would be different. Or maybe I was just
driving myself crazy.
A rustling sound at the doorway caught my attention. I turned, meeting Nolan’s fiery gaze.
“I wanted to take my leave before I join my people in practicing with our new magic, my
queen.”
His words struck me. I couldn’t let him go. “Not yet.”
Nolan’s dark brows drew together as I rose to my feet, making me taller than him. In the back of
my mind, my connection with the Tree of Life was stronger than ever, and yet lately… it seemed to
call to me.
A plan hatched in my mind as I approached him. I might not know what had become of my best
friend, but I knew what she would want me to do. She would remind me that I needed to control the
things I had power over, instead of worrying about the things I didn’t. We had no time to waste. Thus
far, Nolan was the only one who had managed to extract any arcane knowledge from the scrolls, but
maybe he could find more with some help from someone with a different perspective.
“I’m sorry, Nolan, but I need you here.”
I swept past him into the common room, unwilling to see the hurt in his eyes, though I felt it
clearly enough in the bond.
Nolan followed me into the common room, where I found Jovanka and Lyall. Though his forest-
green eyes steadily met mine, Lyall’s bond still dripped with self-doubt, frustrating me. But perhaps it
would work to my advantage with the mad idea I was about to propose.
“Where is Rory?” I asked.
 At the sound of his nickname, the warrior appeared from his own sitting room. As usual, Rorik
was covered in blades of every type. Even here, safe in our quarters, he was ready for battle.
“How may I serve my queen?” he asked.
It seemed everyone was in a more formal mood today. Maybe they sensed I was about to throw
my weight around. The bond betrayed me once again.
Facing Lyall, I opened by saying, “We need to figure out how to renew magic for the Veela and
Kitsune.”
“I agree, but what did you have in mind?” Lyall asked. His impassive expression belied the
bond, which revealed his growing sense of dismay.
Steeling myself against Lyall’s inevitable objections, I forged ahead. “I wish the Guard to
accompany me to the Tree of Life. The fate of the Veela and Kitsune may depend on it.”
Lyall opened his mouth to object, but I held up a hand to forestall argument.
“I know the Unseelie hold the lands near the Tree, but the last time we were there, I… felt
something. My bond to the Tree felt so much stronger there. I believe that I might learn something by
being—” I sought out the words, “in closer communication with the Tree. Maybe I can gain some
insight into how to bring back the other two heirs’ magic.”
Nolan was shaking his head as I spoke. “You shouldn’t risk going into Unseelie-held lands. You
wanted me to stay here to learn more from the scrolls? You should stay, too.”
I squeezed his four-fingered hand. “Yes, I believe you have more to learn from the scrolls. But I
can’t wait for you to find the answers. Not when I might be able to find them myself.”
“Glori…” His bond filled with a surprising amount of fear.
“What is it, Nolan?” I dipped down to embrace him. Not that his fear was necessarily
overblown, but he’d always trusted the Guard to protect me before.
“I… That is… Braga died far from me, and I can’t stand the thought of losing you, too.”
I squeezed him even tighter. “I will return to you. The Guard will see to it.”
Something was telling me this plan would help us move forward in our quest to restore magic to
all Fae. But that wasn’t my only motivation. The truth was, I also hoped to find some clues as to
Merc’s whereabouts when we inevitably encountered the Unseelie. It was a small and distant hope,
but hope was something I needed right now. That part was going to stay unspoken until we’d already
set off to the Tree of Life.
Lyall came to stand closer to the Duwende. “We would lay down our lives for you, but I agree
with Nolan — we risk much by entering Unseelie-held lands.”
“We’re doing this, Lyall,” I said, holding his steady, forest-green gaze.
Lyall glared at me. “Why do you want me as your guardleader if you never listen to my
recommendations on your safety?”
“Does it help if I tell you I know you can keep me safe?” I asked sweetly.
“This is serious, my queen,” Rorik said. “To use human terminology, you are a high-value target.
We can’t keep you safe against such overwhelming odds.”
A stiff breeze began whipping at my hair and clothing, a sure sign of the frustration he felt. With
Rorik, I never needed to check the bond to guess at his emotions.
“I agree. That’s why we should avoid revealing who I am.” I met Rorik’s lavender eyes and
dropped the biggest bombshell yet. “Besides, you won’t be going with us.”
“Go ahead,” Lyall said. “Tell us your crazy plan, so we can tell you all the ways the Unseelie
could ruin everything.”
Sensing my distress in the bond, Kenji and Angel appeared from the bathing chamber. Kenji’s
long, silver-blond hair was still damp, while Angel’s was frizzy.
“What’s going on?” Kenji glanced around with a suspicious look.
“Our beloved queen wants to run into the arms of the Unseelie.” Rorik’s booming voice made
my heart flutter. He was the only one of my consorts who had not professed his love to me yet, and I
was surprised to hear him use the word ‘beloved’. Especially considering his bond held mostly anger
and frustration at me.
After we had discovered I wasn’t able to restore magic to all Fae races, he’d wanted me to
release him from the bond. We still hadn’t addressed that.
Angel reached my side and took my hand, but said nothing. His bond was full of trust and love
for me. I appreciated it. I could definitely use some of that right now with all of Lyall’s, Nolan’s, and
Rorik’s frustrations aimed directly at me through their bonds.
“Rorik, you want to strike back at Iona, don’t you?” I asked.
“Of course, my queen. But not at the expense of losing you.”
Again, his words touched me, but I wouldn’t be swayed. “The Day of Darkness approaches. We
can’t defeat Iona if we send our Seelie forces up against her unprepared. The only way to win is to
ensure our people are at their peak strength. We need to get your magic back.”
Lyall and Rorik both opened their mouths to retort, but Kenji cut them off. “She’s right, and
she’s the queen. Would you have argued with the Last Queen?” Kenji’s glare rested on Rorik.
Rorik’s mouth snapped closed, but the winds around us only gained in strength. Jovanka’s cloud
gray eyes were hard, and I wondered if some of it was coming from her.
“My bond with the Tree of Life is deeper than anything I’ve ever felt, and it’s calling to me. But
it still seemed stronger when I was able to put my paws on its bark. My plan is to commune with the
Tree of Life and learn its secrets,” I said, glancing around the room and making eye contact with
everyone, including Jovanka.
She nodded to me, the only one who hadn’t spoken up. Even if she was frustrated, she wouldn’t
argue with me like my consorts did. I appreciated her loyalty. She knew that if we went to the Tree
together, all our lives might be at risk. But she was a member of the Queen’s Guard, and putting her
life on the line was her sworn duty. Her expression betrayed none of the doubt I felt in my consorts’
bonds.
“I want us to go there under an illusion,” I said, looking to Kenji. He nodded, and I continued,
“At the same time, I want Nolan to remain here to see if the scrolls can tell us anything. We need to
cover all bases.”
Nolan’s shoulders slumped, but he, too, gave me a nod. I knew he wanted to be with his people
to practice with their new magic, but this was more urgent. The bond revealed his determination not
to disappoint me this time. I longed to reassure him and put his mind at ease, but this wasn’t the time
or place. I still had more orders to dish out.
Now, for the part I knew would get the most argument. “Rorik, you know the most about the Last
Queen. She intentionally divided her magic among five heirs. I want you to work with Nolan to figure
out why and what, exactly, she intended by doing this. Perhaps there’s some clue we’re missing.”
The winds whipped up in a frenzy. “You can’t expect me to work with the oathbreaker.”
“He’ll only get in my way and distract me,” Nolan said.
The two of them shared a mutual glare, and the bond made their disdain for one another crystal
clear.
“You both want to renew Veela magic, don’t you?”
Nolan stepped closer to me, his hands clenched at his sides. “I won’t let you down, my queen.
Leave it to me.”
“Yes, of course I want my magic back.” Rorik scoffed. “But your Nixie had a vision, which
means we’ll find a way.”
“What if this is the way?” Angel said in his melodious voice.
Building on Angel’s argument, I added, “What if it’s through your efforts that your people’s
magic returns?”
Rorik still glared at Nolan, but I could sense him turning it over in his mind. But of course it
couldn’t be that easy.
Rorik crossed his muscular arms over his chest, making his shoulder tattoos bulge. “Working
with an oathbreaker undermines all we value as Veela. It would invalidate everything. The queen of
the Fae should know that.”
“She is not only the Elven queen, but your queen as well,” Lyall ground out. “Do not disrespect
her orders.”
He was right; I was their queen, and though they would advise me of their misgivings, they
wouldn’t directly disobey me. I knew they just needed another push. Nolan kept quiet, his face
impassive, but I sensed his own self-loathing and reproach within the bond. Rorik’s words struck
deep.
My reluctant Veela consort was strong-willed, but I couldn’t accept no for an answer. This was
too important. He wasn’t the type to respect a logical argument, nor an emotional plea, especially
when he was being too stubborn to even listen to them. He valued strength above all else, from his
leaders and his lovers. Even through his frustration, I sensed in the bond that he wouldn’t respect my
authority unless I forced him to.
No matter his strong, contrary personality, sometimes what Rorik really wanted — what he
needed — was someone strong enough, stubborn enough, and invested enough to wrest control out of
his hands, leaving no room for doubt or dissent.
So I let my determination build and fuel my command. “Rorik, you will work with Nolan to find
information about how the queen’s magic works. You will also uncover any secrets you can about
what the Last Queen intended, and inform Nolan of that information, so that he can better decipher
whatever he can from the ancient scrolls.”
The geas took hold, and the winds around us died down. Though Rorik’s face remained
impassive, I was surprised to find his bond also suddenly mute. He had more mastery over what the
bond revealed to me than any of my other consorts, and I hated it.
He’d always been excited by my ordering him around before, but in the face of his emotional
lockdown, I was quickly realizing that this command was different than forcing him to do sexy things
in the bedroom. Would this just stoke his resentment toward me? He’d already expressed the desire to
step down as my consort. Would this be his breaking point?
My eyes darted toward Jovanka, Rorik’s last dominant lover, searching for hints as to whether
I’d crossed a line I shouldn’t have. Her attention was on Rorik, and her face was nearly as impassive
as his… but I thought there might be a tinge of amusement in her eyes. Maybe I hadn’t screwed things
up even more.
Rorik bowed to me, his lavender eyes downcast, not meeting my own. “As you command, my
queen.”
A sense of relief swept through me. At the same time, my body heated upon hearing the exact
phrasing he’d used when he’d submitted to me before, but I shut that down. Again, this wasn’t the time
or the place. Merc was in danger, and we had little time left before the Day of Darkness when Iona
was sure to strike.
Next, I turned to Nolan. “You don’t have to solve this all on your own.”
Nolan bowed to me, but said nothing. Instead, he turned and headed for the exterior door. His
bond was a maelstrom of emotions, grounded by worry, and I hoped I hadn’t wounded his pride. At a
nod from me, Jovanka opened the door for him. He didn’t look back as he headed out into the
corridor.
“I am but your humble servant, my queen.” Rorik’s voice rumbled around the room like thunder
in a valley. “I will carry out your orders.”
He, too, headed for the door. His normally graceful gait seemed a little forced, no doubt due to
the geas urging him onward.
Jovanka closed the door after him, and Angel shook his head.
“What?” I asked.
“I would never describe Rorik as humble.”
As usual, Angel’s lighthearted humor took some of the weight off my shoulders. Still, I needed
to make sure the rest of my commands were carried out.
Unlike Rorik, Lyall always appreciated my attempts not to use the geas on him or anyone else.
Free will gave him the opportunity to prove his loyalty to me, though I had no doubts of it. I knew
Lyall wanted to keep me safe, not only because he was sworn to, but because he loved me. No matter
what he thought of my crazy plans.
“Lyall, I would like you and Kenji to work together on a plan to sneak us over to the Tree of
Life. The fate of many Fae may depend upon it.”
Lyall bowed to me. “I will see to it, my queen.”
My plan might endanger us all, but I considered it necessary. The Fae had put their trust in me,
and I couldn’t let them down. The Tree of Life called to me. I intended to answer.
Turning away from my consorts and guards, I said under my breath, “Hang in there, Merc.”
 Chapter 4
Gloriana
The next day, I didn’t see Rorik or Nolan before we left. It opened a hollow feeling in my chest,
but I could feel Nolan’s studious concentration in the bond as well as an inkling of determination from
Rorik. That was encouraging, but when I stepped outside the palace tree surrounded by my Guard, I
came face to face with the Veela commander and five of her soldiers fanning out around her as though
preparing for a fight.
Jelka crossed her arms, putting her shoulder tattoos on display, and even though she had to look
up at me, I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by the leader of the Seelie forces. “You’re taking
an enormous risk by doing this.”
Lyall had insisted that we notify the Council and the commanders of our plans, and so I raised
an eyebrow at him. This was his doing. He could undo it.
Taking a deep breath, Lyall stepped forward to address the commander. “The best defense is
often a good offense, commander. Queen Gloriana feels this is important, and we will carry out her
commands.”
It was a subtle rebuke that she should as well. Perhaps too subtle, since I knew some believed
that I was merely the Queen of Elves, not the Fae Queen at all.
Jelka’s glare turned on Lyall. “Queens are not meant to be on the offensive. They have healing
magic for a reason.”
“Yet I am no longer the only queen,” I said before Lyall could reply. “We’re a team… The
Seelie won’t fall apart without me here.”
“We don’t yet know what role you may play in reviving magic for the rest of the Fae, my
queen,” Jelka ground out as the winds picked up around her and her soldiers. “But I can’t risk sending
any Seelie forces to protect you.”
The Veela standing closest to Jelka smirked. I seemed to recall her being introduced as Jelka’s
second-in-command, Katarina.
“I understand,” I said, honestly happy not to have them along.
“We’re spread thin enough as it is.” Jelka glared at Lyall again. Had he asked her to send
reinforcements?
“Then put your trust in the capability of my Guard to see to my safe return,” I said, raising my
chin. “I have full faith in their abilities.”
Katarina snorted, staring at the small assortment of Fae surrounding me. I now had no Duwende
guard and only one Veela. Both my Nixies — Angel and Valente — had returned, but without Fen,
Kenji was my only Kitsune guard, and he was as young and inexperienced as me. In the Veela
soldier’s eyes, Lauren and Erynn were both youngsters as well, only in their 300s. Without Rorik,
Lyall was my oldest and most experienced guard, so it was a good thing he remained my guardleader.
But the fewer people Kenji had to cover with his illusion, the better. He and Lyall had worked
out the intricacies of his illusion, and I had every confidence in Kenji’s ability. But he was still new
to this. A couple more Kitsune would’ve been beneficial, but it seemed Jelka commanded more Veela
than other types of Fae.
“May the Tree of Life embrace you,” Jelka said in a solemn tone that gave me the shivers.
In the back of my mind, my bond to the Tree pulsed, as though it heard her invocation. “It
already does,” I told her, feeling more certain than ever that I was making the right decision. “We will
return in as few days as we can manage.”
Jelka, Katarina, and the other Veela soldiers stepped aside, and we headed into the forest.
Eventually, we approached the Seelie’s perimeter guards, and then a second perimeter beyond that.
Each warrior we passed bowed to me, keeping their eyes downcast.
“Rise!” I said each time. “Thank you for keeping the palace tree and the Seelie who live there
safe,” I told some of them, knowing word would spread to the ones on the far side of the perimeter
soon enough. I wanted them to know that I recognized their dedication. After all, jobs in the Encante
were unheard of, so it was only their sense of duty and their oaths that kept them here, risking their
lives against the Unseelie.
In the quiet trek away from the palace tree, my mind strayed to my missing consorts. The further
we got from Nolan, the more I wished I’d sought him out before we left. I’d promised not to die on
him like Braga, but although I trusted my Guard, his words still lingered with me, leaving me chilled.
And Rorik… I sighed. I hoped he would find something useful — something important that might
overcome his resentment toward me for making him work with an oathbreaker. They needed to find
answers in case I failed.
Angel came over to me with his lopsided smile. “I’m here for you, princess.”
I reached out and linked hands with him as we walked.
Lyall flanked me on the other side. “It won’t be long to reach the Tree of Life by taking the
straightest path, Glori. We should be there tomorrow.”
Last time, I’d traveled alongside Una’s Guard as we sought the last Duwende to become Una’s
consort. Back then, Nolan had led us in an indirect path to keep his people’s whereabouts a secret. It
was only after we’d failed to find the rest of his kind and he’d revealed his plans to separate the
Duwende from the rest of the Seelie that we’d taken a more direct route to the Tree of Life.
As though sensing another negative turn in my thoughts through the bond, Lyall turned to me and
said, “Now that we have our magic back, there is one thing we haven’t practiced yet.”
It was an obvious ploy to distract me, and I was happy to take it. I considered what I knew of
our newly revived magic. “I thought the healing and stuff was innate… not something I needed to
practice.”
“Indeed, our bodies will heal on their own, even if struck unconscious.” Lyall nodded. “But
now we can transition directly from one animal to another without needing to return to our Elven
forms first.”
I could see how that might come in handy, but I had the feeling Lyall just wanted to distract me
from my dark thoughts. Still… “Shouldn’t we stay under Kenji’s illusion?”
“We’re still well within Seelie territory here, and besides, no one will know who you are while
you’re in animal form. It’s our safest chance to practice along the way.”
Kenji gave me a nod, and Angel released my hand, patting my butt and gesturing me toward
Lyall. I gave Angel a quick peck on the lips, and even with the briefest of kisses, Angel’s reassuring
love washed over me. Reinvigorated, I turned to Lyall, who said, “Let’s start small and work our way
up.”
With those words and a poof of magic, he fell to the ground before me as a tiny little chipmunk
surrounded by clothing.
 “I guess I’ll pick up after the two of you, as usual,” Angel said, but this time I didn’t sense any
resentment from him. “Too bad there’s no river for me to show off my animal forms.”
“Soon,” I told my Nixie, before shrugging out of the top of my outfit.
With a poof of smoky magic, I fell to the forest floor alongside Lyall. I leapt out of my pile of
clothes, and Angel scooped them up. I took a moment to get my bearings in this new form. The world
felt infinitely larger.
Catch me if you can! Lyall’s resonant voice echoed inside my mind as the little chipmunk
dashed up a tree. It reminded me of other times we’d chased each other through the woods… Chasing
Lyall before, we’d ended up at the hot springs for our first sexy union. And the time he chased me had
ended in the best 69 of my life.
While those thoughts were definitely distracting, they weren’t the point of this exercise. I
imagined having a longer, poofy tail and a larger body. Soon I followed behind him as a squirrel.
Well done, he said as he, too, shifted into a squirrel. He ran along a thin limb that bent under our
weight, and then he shifted in mid-air to his house cat form. I imagined my black fur, my lengthy tail,
and sensitive ears while falling from the too-small limb. I flew through the air, landing on my paws on
the forest floor, not far from Kenji, Angel, and the Guard.
Now for something a little… bigger, Lyall said, and with a poof, he turned into a buck that felt
enormously tall next to my cat. Remembering the fun we’d had before, when he’d taken the form of a
stag while I’d practiced my lynx form, I switched from cat to lynx and gave chase.
Like almost all Seelie, Lyall possessed no predator spirits within him, and sometimes I still
worried about what it said about me that mostly only Unseelie could shift into creatures like this one.
All my other thoughts fell away as I chased Lyall around the forest. All my focus and senses
honed in on the prey before me. My dark cobalt paws flashed as I lengthened my gait to catch up.
Giving in to the lynx’s instincts, I lunged at him from the side, latching one paw over his
shoulder and fitting my jaws to his throat, careful not to actually bite him. I held on for dear life as my
weight and momentum threw off his balance, knocking the larger buck down.
The animal beneath me kicked, trying to escape my potentially lethal hold, but I pricked his tan
coat with my claws and held on. In a cloud of smoky magic, the buck beneath me disappeared,
momentarily blinding me. I soon found my jaws latched around an Elven throat as cobalt-colored as
my own coat.
Lyall laid passively beneath me, my weight pinning down his chest.
“You win this round,” Lyall said in a low voice. “You’re my queen, the only one I’ll ever bare
my throat to.”
I let out a growl and licked his neck. I sat back on his chest and found nothing but trust in his
forest green eyes. Looking down, I noticed blood welling up from the points where my claws came in
contact with his naked flesh, and quickly retracted them. Within moments, the small wounds closed.
“I’ll serve you forever if you’ll have me, my warrior queen,” Lyall said, still making no move to
dislodge me from sitting on his chest.
Though the small wounds had healed, his blood still remained, and I leaned down to inhale the
scent, so tantalizing to the lynx. Without conscious thought, my long tongue lapped at his flesh, the
taste of blood deliciously filling my awareness. The woman in me startled, vaguely grossed out at the
lynx’s predatory behavior.
Lyall let out a moan beneath me. I glanced up, finding nothing but arousal in Lyall’s eyes.
“Take what you want from me. I give you my all,” Lyall whispered.
Suddenly, I wanted very much to feel my naked skin pressed against his. With a poof of magic, I
returned to my Elven form and ran my hand down Lyall’s smooth face before it settled on his throat.
I’d caught my prey, but the thrill of the hunt still surged in my blood.
“Do you surrender to me?” I asked, running my thumb over his lips.
“You are the victor, my queen,” Lyall said, pushing me farther down his body until my legs
straddled his hips, my shins against the forest floor. The proof of his arousal pressed against my
naked behind.
“Who do you serve?” I growled, remembering the softness of his throat under my lynx tongue.
I rose over him, enjoying this newly submissive Lyall, and waited for his answer.
“Only you, my warrior queen.”
His forest green eyes pierced me as I slowly impaled myself on his hard shaft. He let out a long
groan, and I had to hope we truly were as safe as he promised. I couldn’t see the rest of the Guard, but
that wasn’t surprising — Kenji’s illusion would prevent that, from the outside. Just as I thought it,
Kenji and Angel’s reassurances washed over me, and a wall of brambles rose up around Lyall and
me, proving that Kenji had us under an illusion as well.
With that, I could surrender fully to this moment, taking Lyall in a way I never had before. I sank
down on him, grinding my hips against his before rising up to do it all over again. Before, Lyall had
always been the one in control, but now I wanted to see just how long his control would last.
I grabbed his wrists and positioned them to either side of his head, holding them against the
leaves of the forest floor as I tenderly kissed his lips, then began nipping at them.
“Take me, my queen,” he whispered to me. “I’m yours.”
With a growl, I pushed my hips against his, grinding against him. Then I leaned back, sitting
upright again. “Use your fingers and make me come,” I commanded.
Surprise lit his eyes as the geas took hold. One of his hands cupped my hip as his other nimble
fingers stroked along my clit. I continued moving up and down his shaft. It wasn’t long before the
insistent rubbing along my clit had me rising on a wave of bliss.
I moved faster and faster, and Lyall kept pace, his fingers dancing across my clit, his eyes alight
with lust. He bit his lip in concentration, and I lost it, leaning forward as I came. My fingers found his
hard pectoral muscles, my nails pricking his skin in the places where my lynx’s claws had been.
Only now did Lyall move his hips, driving up into me and lengthening my orgasm. His fingers
continued to move against my clit, guiding me to another climax before the first had even fully
crested. I cried out, my hands reflexively clenching, my fingernails breaking skin.
“Come for me, Lyall,” I demanded with the geas, as I had on our very first encounter. Only this
time, I was fully in charge.
He let out a long groan as his hips bucked up against mine. I drove myself harder against him,
determined to make his release every bit as good as both of mine had been. His hands wrapped
around my hips as he filled me. Only then did he sink back to the ground.
My nail marks on his chest soon healed just as quickly as the marks from the lynx had done.
“Was that enough practice, my guardleader?” I grinned down at him as his awareness slowly
returned.
He gave me a blissed-out grin, so uncharacteristic of my ever-serious guardleader. “That is for
you to decide, my queen.”
While I had him at his most submissive ever, I intended to make the most of it. I remained seated
on his hips and said, “You’ve helped me set aside my own insecurities. You’ve taught me that my past
does not define my future. Will you do the same, Lyall? A strong queen needs a strong guardleader
behind her.”
 Lyall’s jaw worked, and his head fell to the side. He didn’t look at me as he said, “You don’t
need me for that. I’m not the guardleader I thought I was.”
With a low growl of frustration, I stood up and backed away from him. I shook my head, feeling
naked for the first time. Had the rest of the Guard seen the way Lyall had just rejected me?
Angel and Kenji’s bonds surged with reassurances, but that did nothing to make me feel better.
The illusion of the brambles fell, and Kenji brought me a cloth to wash myself off. Angel
carried my clothes, and under their care, I turned away from Lyall.
With my jaw clenched, I wordlessly accepted Angel’s help as he dressed me, tying the ribbons
to hold my fabrics in place. I wore ordinary Fae fabrics on this trip to avoid giving away my queenly
status, but thanks to Kenji’s illusion, I didn’t need to use glamor to hide my identity. We hoped to stay
invisible to and undiscovered by the Unseelie for the duration of our journey. Even as I sought to
learn anything we could use to find Iona or rescue Merc.
“Let’s go,” I said.
With the persistent pull from the Tree of Life’s bond, I knew exactly which way to turn.
The rest of the Guard fell in wordlessly around me, and Lyall followed behind, out of my sight.
 Chapter 5
Rorik
When Glori and the rest of the Guard left for the Tree of Life, the oathbreaker and I headed for
the library. Neither of us spoke to the other, but Glori had compelled us to work together. I would
have disobeyed were it not for the geas. I longed to follow Glori to the Tree and into battle against the
Unseelie there.
Instead, I was stuck here at the palace tree, not only with the oathbreaker, but also with all of the
sycophants and cronies of the Council. Though many other Seelie warriors wanted their vengeance
upon Iona, I would have led the charge single-handedly against her if left to my own devices. Yet
Glori’s geas compelled me to do otherwise, as did my oaths to what was once the Elven Heir’s
Guard, now the Elven Queen’s Guard.
Feeling out of place, I approached the two guards stationed inside. They gave me suspicious
looks, no doubt worried that a warrior like me had no business here and might wish to destroy rather
than to learn. I couldn’t blame them. Just being in the silent, stuffy space at the center of the palace
tree made me want to lash out, but I harnessed my winds, vowing to pour my frustrations into my
search.
“We are here at Queen Gloriana’s behest,” Nolan told them, and they made no move against us
as we passed.
“I will speak to the librarian,” I told Nolan. “Where is she?”
The Duwende wordlessly pointed me toward a spiral staircase at the back of the chamber. I
made my way up, marveling that there could be so many books and scrolls in existence, let alone all
in one place. With each twist of the staircase, I found even more shelves. Hopefully I would not have
to explore them all.
At the top, I wasn’t surprised to find an Elf staring at me. Her deep midnight blue complexion
suggested she was at least a century older than Lyall — old enough that she’d been in danger of an
early death before Glori’s ceremony had reconnected the Elves to the Tree of Life, restoring the
Elves’ long lifespans.
The librarian gave me a hesitant smile, and the creases around her mouth brought me to mind of
the Last Queen herself. The librarian’s short, shoulder-length hair was nothing like the Last Queen’s,
but then again, with glamor, who knew what the color or length truly might be? Today the librarian’s
short, shoulder-length hair was a deep purple, but tomorrow it might be any other shade and style.
“What assistance can I offer?”
“I wish to learn more about the Last Queen,” I said, giving my voice a tinge of Veela seduction.
We Fae didn’t succumb like humans to each other’s charms, but we weren’t totally immune,
either.
Her eyelids lowered over her jade green eyes. “Wait downstairs, and I will bring you the
histories.”
I hesitated, then asked, “Is there anything here that she herself left behind?” After all, the palace
library didn’t just house books and scrolls.
 The Elf dipped her head. “Apologies, but are you in search of her journals?”
“Journals would be helpful, yes.”
The Elf pursed her lips and shook her head, making me feel chastised for even thinking of prying
into the Last Queen’s secrets. But the librarian’s words spoke of a different regret. “Though many
have tried to find them, they remain lost to us. We know that she kept her own records, but none have
seen them since her disappearance.”
What exactly did I hope to find here that Nolan hadn’t?
“Bring me what you can,” I said, turning back toward the spiral staircase.
“It will be a few minutes,” the librarian called after me.
As soon as I reached the bottom, the two guards’ eyes followed me once more. I found a cleared
off table to one side of the room, which was crowded with bookshelves and lacking in other
occupants to watch. Guard duty here must be mind-numbingly dull.
While I waited, I tried to imagine what the rest of the Elven Queen’s Guard might be doing.
Lyall had no doubt come up with a plan to keep Glori safe, but he hadn’t run it by me. He was
guardleader, and perhaps this was a sign his confidence had returned.
I hadn’t expected to feel this bereft with Glori gone. My instincts screamed at me to protect her
every time I felt the slightest shift in the bond. I hadn’t felt this impotent since I’d gone back to the
human realm with Glori and she’d gone off with her human friend to chop off her beautiful Elven hair.
Then, she rewarded me by returning with an almost Veela-inspired style. I could only hope this time
she would return with the secret to restoring magic to my people.
Minutes passed, and I decided to check in with Nolan. No doubt he labored once more over the
scrolls he had spent so many decades translating. I’d never paid much attention to them before,
trusting in my fellow guard’s abilities in translation and scholarship to see us through. That was
before we’d discovered he was an oathbreaker.
I headed up the steps toward where I knew Nolan had been working. Yet when I reached his
small podium, I found the scrolls missing and no sign of Nolan. When I questioned the guards, they
hadn’t seen Nolan since he’d entered with me, and they had no idea which scrolls I meant. Their duty
was to protect the contents of the library, not to know the differences between them.
“No one has taken anything from the library.” The Kitsune guard assured me. “The Council has
forbidden it.”
“And guards are on duty night and day.”
Both guards nodded. “We must protect the library’s knowledge,” the Nixie intoned.
“Of course,” I said, backing away. Then it occurred to me. “Did you know the Duwende have
their magic back?”
“Yes. The news traveled faster than Nixie rain,” the Nixie guard said.
I nodded and went back to my table. Yet it hadn’t occurred to either of them that the Duwende
once more possessed the ability to become invisible. I would need to remind the Council of this
danger and the need for better training of the palace guards. I felt certain that the little oathbreaker had
gone invisible, gathered up the scrolls beneath his clothing, and walked right past the guards.
Nolan had previously shown his loyalty to the Duwende was greater than his loyalty to the
Seelie cause. Yet now that he was Glori’s consort, I had no doubt that wherever he’d gone with the
scrolls, he had no nefarious intent. His love for her was without question.
Truthfully, their easy-going relationship irked me. Nolan had become her lover before me, and I
shouldn’t be jealous that his relationship with her had deepened faster than my own with her.
Especially when I’d been so stupid as to ask her to release me from the bond. Doing so had made me
little better than an oathbreaker myself.
I sighed and sat down at the table, resigning myself to Glori’s geas. She’d told me to work with
Nolan, which meant the geas would have allowed me to go in search of him. But she’s also told me to
uncover any of the Last Queen’s secrets, and the geas knew that’s what I intended to do here. I could
deal with the oathbreaker and his invisibility later.
At last, the librarian glided down the spiral staircase, her bare feet levitating a few inches
above each step. A pile of books filled her arms, and a crease between her brows revealed the level
of concentration required to balance such a stack. As she came toward me, I rose to help her, taking
the top five books from her pile. She let out a sigh of relief as she set the rest on the table.
She faced me. “I wouldn’t have let them fall, but I thank you for your kind assistance.”
I inclined my head. “Of course, librarian. Are these all books about the Last Queen?”
She nodded. “After her untimely death, historians everywhere took to writing about her amazing
life and her tragic death. Each with a different perspective. Some even interviewed Unseelie.” She
tapped the cover of one of the books before removing two scrolls from her billowy sleeves. “I also
brought these. They are Veela and Nixie prophesies about events similar to the Last Queen’s end.”
My eyes widened as I took the scrolls from her. “Thank you. These will be very helpful.”
She smiled in satisfaction and also pointed out one of the books midway down the stack. “This
one also catalogs and analyzes the wording from several of those same prophesies. If you need
anything else, please let me know how I can be of assistance.”
“And I cannot take any of these with me, is that correct?”
“No, the Council forbids it.” Her narrowed eyes told me that she either agreed with their
decision and suspected me for asking, or that she didn’t agree but wouldn’t speak against the Council.
As soon as she left me to it, I spent the rest of the day poring over prophesy after prophesy.
Indeed, it did seem that several Nixies and at least one Veela had predicted the Last Queen’s demise.
Of course, prophesies were much easier to recognize after the fact.
Still, I wished I’d known some of these details. I might have been more vigilant as one of her
queen’s guard. Familiar shame and self-recrimination weighed down my thoughts until I shook them
from me as though shaking off slumber. I got to my feet, stretching, reminding myself that these
thoughts were unproductive. They had burdened me for too long; Glori had forced me to realize that.
I returned to the library the next day, compelled to keep searching despite my misgivings. What
could the histories really teach me that Nolan hadn’t already considered?
What I really needed to know was why the Last Queen had done what she had. Tanaquill had
been a strong queen, and I knew she hadn’t split her magic across five heirs because she’d cracked
under Unseelie torture. If she had cracked, she would have taken the easy way out and done what they
demanded — passing on her queenhood to Iona. No, the Last Queen had done something no one had
expected, and none of the histories I’d skimmed yesterday could tell me why.
As I pushed open the library doors, I heard a ringing sound. Light illuminated the corridor
behind me, and I whirled, blades out and at the ready. I heard the two guards at my back.
But it was nothing more than a wisp bobbing up the corridor toward me. No intruder. No
Unseelie. No enemy. My heart pounding, I shook my head.
The wisp came to hover directly in front of me. These creatures had existed as long as the
Encante had, and no one truly understood them. Sometimes they traveled together, sometimes alone.
Sometimes they led wayward humans into the Encante and ultimately to their demise. Other times,
they helped Fae find their way. But the only person I knew who’d ever successfully communicated to
one was none other than the oathbreaker.
 “Did Nolan send you?” I asked it, unsure of how I would even understand its answer.
The wisp bobbed down to waist height before hovering directly in front of my face. Its light was
blinding, making it impossible to see if anyone else came down the corridor. Not great from a combat
perspective. The wisp whizzed past my shoulder and between the startled guards.
It looped around and around in the library, drifting up toward the librarian’s distant perch,
before slowly meandering back down. Then it shot off to the far side of the library.
The librarian leaned over the railing far above. When she saw me, she asked, “Was that a shito
dama?”
“Yes,” I called.
“Well, don’t just stand there!” She moved toward the spiral staircase. “Follow it.”
Shaking my head, I kept an eye on both her descent and the wisp as it bobbed around the library.
“I can see it.”
“It’s here to tell us something.” She came to my side, and together we gazed at the wisp as it
seemed to drift from one side of the room to another. I had my doubts.
Suddenly, the wisp whipped over to me, faster than the winds could fly. It paused directly in
front of my face, blinding me yet again, before whizzing across the library toward an alcove I hadn’t
bothered to explore.
“There!” The librarian charged past crowded bookshelves at the center of the room toward that
back alcove, and I followed. The geas did not impede me, which might indicate that the wisp did
indeed intend to help in my search.
After passing a few shelves, I noticed the wisp hovered just beneath a small, four-legged table.
It was only wide enough to accommodate the small, faintly glowing chest that sat upon it. The chest’s
width was shorter than my forearm, and its depth was half that.
“Ah, you see? It knew you wanted to learn about the Last Queen, so it brought you here,” she
said, though there was a note of sadness in her voice.
“What is this chest?”
“It belonged to the Last Queen, but no one has been able to open it since her death. No one
knows its contents.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” I started to reach forward, but the librarian got
there first, her hands trying to lift its lid. It didn’t appear to have a lock, yet her attempts failed.
“It’s irrelevant, because we can’t even open it.” She sighed. “It’s made of the simplest
milkwood, but it seems the Last Queen used some sort of lost blood potion to bespell it. Its recipe is
lost now. Yet still its magic holds. Attempts to open it might damage what it contains.”
The wisp came out from under the table, bobbing between the two of us before circling around
my still outstretched arm. The ball of light appeared to contract for a moment before hovering directly
over the chest. The light expanded, growing larger and enveloping the chest in its illumination.
I felt drawn to touch this chest, this forgotten relic of Tanaquill’s rule. She had bespelled it,
which meant it was something she herself had touched. The wisp didn’t move as my hand went
through the outer edges of its radiant light. I could feel no change in temperature as I reached forward.
But when my fingertips found the milkwood chest, an image came to mind. It was of the day I
was sworn in as a member of the Queen’s Guard. But it wasn’t the mental image that assailed me so
much as the impressions of that day. My pride at joining the Guard at last. My anticipation of guarding
the queen during the future ceremony at the Tree of Life. My excitement at fulfilling my goals and
dreams at last.
This wondrous feeling of pride bolstered me without any of the shame that had crushed me in
the years since her death. I still remembered how I had failed her, yet all of that seemed irrelevant
now. With my eyes closed, I reached up with my other hand to touch the chest. An audible clink
sounded from inside of it, and I tried to lift its lid.
To my surprise, there was no resistance. The lid lifted between my hands, and the wisp rose up,
its light illuminating the contents of the chest. Inside were several tiny booklets, tightly bound in none
other than the blue and green leaves of the Tree of Life. Curiously, they had not faded over the years,
despite the Tree’s slow decline.
The librarian gasped. “You did it.” I’d almost forgotten she was nearby. “This is amazing.”
“I think… it’s because I was a member of her Guard.”
The librarian’s eyes met mine with a look of awe. “You were?”
“I was,” I said gruffly, warning her not to ask any more of me. I didn’t deserve the look of awe
she gave me.
“And now you are one of the Queen of Queen’s consorts,” the librarian whispered, the awe in
her eyes no less dim.
I shook my head at her words. That didn’t make me special in any way. Glori was special, not
me. An Elven queen unlike any who had come before her, Glori shared her power with Una and
Maeve, knowing that was what it took to renew their people’s magic.
“I’ll leave you to your privacy while you review the contents of the chest.” The librarian
backed away, her eyes locked on the chest. “It’s not my place to see them.”
Her humble words made me feel out of place. By diminishing herself, she elevated me, and I
didn’t like it. I didn’t deserve it. But there was no denying that the chest hadn’t opened for her, while
it had for me.
I was an idiot for not trying to seek out her long-lost journals sooner. Instead of helping guide
my people, I’d spent centuries wallowing in my own self-recrimination and shame. The knowledge in
the Last Queen’s journals could have helped us preserve all Fae magic. After all, she was the one
who split our magic to begin with.
The wisp bobbed a few more times before heading back toward the entrance of the library. The
guards had closed the doors after my entrance, but now the librarian called for them to kindly let the
wisp pass. Since the library had no windows, it had no other escape but a door it couldn’t open.
I focused my attention on the tiny booklets inside the chest. Leafing through them, I skimmed
over each one to get a feel for their contents. Holding my breath, I finally found the one I needed most.
‘My plans for Seelie succession’ titled the cover in the queen’s own beautiful script. This was
exactly what I needed, what Glori had asked me to uncover.
My eyes devoured the words on the first page. ‘If you are reading this, then you must be
someone who has proven loyal to me when others were not.’
The chest had only opened for me because I had been among the Last Queen’s Guard. I cursed
myself for a fool once more — if I’d had my way, I would’ve already died fighting the Unseelie. Then
who could have opened this chest?
As I paged through, I could hardly contain my excitement. The geas eased as I uncovered exactly
what Glori had left me behind to do. I read for hours before recognizing my own hunger. The guard
had changed, and the room dimmed as night fell. Even without windows, the library still darkened,
but for the illumination globes stationed throughout.
I put the booklets back into the chest and closed it reverently. This hadn’t been a desperate ploy
by a tortured queen, like the Fae had believed all this time. It had been the Last Queen’s plan all
along. She had divided her magic intentionally, making it impossible for the Unseelie to ever win and
pushing the Fae toward equality. Even centuries after her death, she still served the Seelie people.
With my head full of the Last Queen’s words, I headed down the corridor to the kitchens. The
corridor had seemed empty, though occasionally a squirrel or chipmunk passed overhead. So when I
heard a footstep behind me, I whirled into a fighting stance. Yet I saw no one.
“I know you’re there, Duwende,” I growled.
Nolan appeared a moment later, though he was still difficult to see in the dim corridor. We stood
some distance from any illumination globe.
“I can sense your elation through my bond with Glori,” Nolan said. “You found something.”
“Yes,” I said. And because of the geas, I was powerless to resist telling him. “The Last Queen
split her magic intentionally. She planned it this way all along. She wanted five queens to succeed
her, one from each race, to give the Seelie people true equality.”
Nolan’s serious expression cracked into a smile. “Let’s talk over dinner. Is that where you were
going?”
I nodded, and together we continued down to the kitchens. Despite my reservations about him,
the geas compelled me to relate to him anything I had learned. “She wrote that even if the heirs died
without choosing successors, the magic would remain split. There is still hope for my people and the
Kitsune.”
Nolan nodded. “I was so excited for another of the heirs to perform the ceremony that I ignored
what I had learned from the histories myself. Glori is, of course, the link to the Tree of Life. She
became the conduit to the Elves. And with her geas, she connected Una to the Tree of Life, and Maeve
in turn.”
None of this was news to me. I hoped he would get to the point soon, or else Glori’s geas would
force me to start blurting everything I could remember from the Last Queen’s journals.
“But I had also learned that the line of ancient Elven queens of old had broken not long after the
other races were born. The first Seelie queen did not rise to power because she was the previous
queen’s heir, but because the people willed it so.”
“What are you saying?” I demanded impatiently.
“No one passed on their queen’s magic to her. What mattered was that the people put their faith
in her. She met the people’s demands for representation by taking consorts of every race so that they
could act as conduits. Now, though, I don’t think that would be necessary, based on what you’ve
learned.”
I shook my head as we reached the kitchens. “No. Tanaquill tired of the pressure to choose
consorts for her ceremony, and to choose an Elven heir. She found it reprehensible that even among
the Seelie, their queens had always been Elves. Not that she had anything against Nuala, Glori’s
mother. After all, Tanaquill did choose Nuala as her Elven heir. She just refused to make her the only
heir.”
Nolan headed toward the kitchen’s cache of food, while I allowed a countertop to separate us,
though I made just as much haste as he did.
“And Glori felt much the same,” Nolan said. “She is the Last Queen’s true heir in spirit and in
name.”
As Nolan passed me some vegetables to start cutting up, I answered, “Yes. Like the Last Queen,
Glori wants equality between the Seelie races. And she knows we’ll never be truly equal if Elves
remain our sole rulers.”
I began chopping vegetables as Nolan climbed up on a stool and smiled at me. “Do you know
what this means? The Veela and the Kitsune can choose their own queens. Maeve can use her geas to
connect one to the Tree of Life, then that queen will connect the last. It should work.”
I seated myself across from the Duwende. My knife separated the unusable root of a tuber from
its delicious meat as my stomach rumbled. “We should probably ask Glori, Maeve, and Una to bless
the two new queens somehow before they perform their ceremonies.”
“Just in case,” Nolan agreed.
For a few minutes, Nolan and I chopped in silence. He wasn’t vegetarian like me, but he didn’t
seem interested in cutting up any meat for himself. Our shared discovery made me feel better about
Glori’s requirement that we work together, and it only added to my admiration for our young queen,
following in Tanaquill’s footsteps.
“With any other Elven queen, I might have been reluctant to share what we’ve learned,” I
pointed out. “But Glori truly wants what’s best for her people.”
Nolan smiled. “She’s incredible.”
Steeped as I’d been in the Last Queen’s words all afternoon, I couldn’t help but feel an
overwhelming sense that Tanaquill would be proud of the new Elven queen for her selflessness. My
love for Glori deepened, and in that moment I knew I would never willingly give up the consort bond.
I hadn’t felt a new love like this in centuries, and it felt… good. No — it felt amazing.
Perhaps the true depth of my love for Glori was easier to recognize now that some of my shame
around the Last Queen had faded. I felt a sense of peace that had been missing since the Last Queen
had died. While I still wished we could have saved her from death at Unseelie hands, ensuring
Tanaquill’s plan would succeed was a path to redemption I never expected to have. Glori had tried
convincing me of this before, but it was only now that I could recognize the truth in her words.
“Has the geas eased on you?” Nolan asked, and I nodded.
For the moment, I forgave Nolan of his wrongdoings. It was as Jovanka said — if my queen no
longer considered him an oathbreaker, perhaps I should revise my opinions of the Duwende as well.
Nolan may have once broken his oath to the Elven Guard, but he would never willingly break the
consort bond to Glori. And, with her journals in hand, it was clear that he’d unknowingly been
pursuing Tanaquill’s plan with the limited information he’d been able to glean from the ancient texts.
Perhaps he was more deserving of her love than me, for he had never questioned her as I had.
I shook off that thought. It would take time to break the habit of self-recrimination, but I was
more determined than ever to free myself from the unproductive habits I’d fallen into for so long. I
had to focus on the future.
After my discussion with Jovanka, I still hadn’t found the opportunity to talk with Glori, beg her
forgiveness once more, and take back all my hurtful words. We’d been interrupted by the arrival of
the traitor, Thressa. But once Glori returned from the Tree of Life, I would make things right between
us. I would never again give her reason to question my love or loyalty.
I gave Nolan a long look, recognizing him as someone who was truly devoted to Glori with
every fiber of his being. As her consorts and two men who deeply loved this awe-inspiring queen, we
would do everything in our power to serve her faithfully for as long as we lived.
Then the bottom dropped out.
Nolan and I both surged to our feet. Sheer horror and fear cleaved the depths of my soul through
the bond to Glori. And from the terrified look on Nolan’s face, he felt the same.
Nolan’s knife clattered to the table. “Something happened to Glori.”
 Chapter 6
Gloriana
On the second day of our travels, I found myself flanked by Lauren and Erynn. This was my
opportunity.
“The only people who can see through our Elven glamor are Duwende, right?” I asked them.
“For now, my queen,” Erynn answered. “Older Kitsune, too, once they regain their magic.”
Then she narrowed her eyes at me. “Why?”
I lowered my voice. “When we reach the enclaves now controlled by the Unseelie, I need both
of you to do me a favor.”
“We are an extension of your will, my queen,” Lauren answered.
“I need you to act as my spies. The Unseelie need to believe you’re with them. That way you
can find out if anyone knows the whereabouts of… Iona’s human captive.”
“Glori…” Lyall’s warning was preempted by his disappointment through the bond. He’d been
walking behind us and had evidently snuck up closer than I’d realized thanks to our Elven ability to
hover along without footfalls. “You didn’t mention this as part of your plan.”
“I need to know, Lyall,” I said shortly. He’d pissed me off yesterday, and I didn’t want to
discuss anything with him.
“I understand that, but a good leader seeks counsel before charging off into danger.”
“A good leader?” I pivoted to face him, floating backwards above the tree roots and stones
along the path. “At least I’m no longer trying to shirk my responsibilities, unlike a certain guardleader
I know.”
Lyall’s mouth nearly disappeared into a straight line. He didn’t frown so much as thin his lips.
Still, the frustration in the bond left me with no doubt as to his feelings.
“If Merc is nearby, I need to know. I’ll never forgive myself if we pass right by where Iona’s
keeping her.”
“We don’t even know if she’s in the Encante,” Lyall argued. “We should wait for Fen’s report.”
I crossed my arms and glanced over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t about to make a fool of
myself and run into a tree while hovering backward. “While we’re here, we may as well gather what
intel we can.”
Lyall sighed, but I knew I had him there. “Glori, a good leader depends on a team, not just—”
“I am! That’s why I asked Lauren and Erynn to assist me. Do you agree, guardleader?”
“It’s not like I can stop you.”
Lyall had practically begged me to follow my destiny and become queen, pushing me to take
more responsibility and make decisions. Those weren’t things that came to me easily after being
micromanaged by Janneth and Caci my entire life. Now that I was finally stepping up as a leader, he
wasn’t going to be the ally I needed him to be?
“Look at that!” Angel pointed, and I followed his finger out into the forest.
“What is it?” I asked.
Kenji paused, making me worry for the state of our illusion. As though sensing my concern,
Kenji gave me a small smile and a nod.
“It’s some kind of monster.” Angel whispered. “Can it see and hear us, Kenji?”
“No, unless its magic is—” Kenji started.
“It is indeed magic,” Valente answered. “It’s a chimera. We feared they’d all died out as the
Tree of Life faded.”
A sudden movement caught my eye, and I stared at the creature Angel had named a monster.
Truly, it did look like it. The monster stood on four legs with an udder between the hind two. Though
the rest of its body was covered in fur, its scaled tail curved forward over its back, undulating with a
life of its own. The scrawny legs ended in two-toed hooves like a goat, but the head was more like
that of a cougar. Not dissimilar from the drawings of chimera I’d seen in mythology books as a kid.
“A chimera,” I whispered in awe.
Lyall came forward to take my hand. “You did this, Glori. Your magic has helped heal the lands,
its peoples, and its creatures. When you renewed our magic, so did the Tree of Life and the Encante
itself also heal.”
“So can it see us?” I echoed Angel’s question.
“Probably not,” Lyall said, just as Jovanka said, “Maybe.”
Still holding my hand, Lyall pulled me away, and the rest of the Guard kept themselves between
it and me. My mind drifted to how ironic it would be if I were mauled by a chimera I’d helped save
instead of being killed off by the Unseelie.
We continued on without further mishap by the other denizens of the forest. I imagined some of
that was most likely in part to Kenji’s illusions. If animals could see them, he might be creating
illusions of their predators to chase them off. I doubted chimera had many natural predators, though.
They were probably near the top of the food chain, at least in the woodlands.
Which reminded me. “I’ve mostly turned into normal woodland creatures, nothing different from
the animals in the human realm, except the blue coat of my lynx. But we can turn into magical
creatures like the chimera, right?”
Lyall’s smile made my heart flutter against my will. I was still upset at him. “Some of us can
turn into creatures humans know only in legends, yes. To us, they are all woodland creatures. But, as
I’ve said before, predators are difficult for most of us.”
The closer we came to the Tree of Life, the more tension I sensed in the Guard. They kept their
heads on a swivel and most had at least one weapon drawn, Kenji being a notable exception. Every
few minutes, Valente or Angel would hum a few bars.
“What is that, Angel?” I hadn’t heard his song sound quite like that before.
“It’s a new song we learned while we were gone, a song of seeking.” He left it at that as his
eyes scanned the forest ahead. We traveled on and on with everyone on high alert, keeping me and
Kenji in the center of the group.
At one point after humming his new song, Angel held up a hand, and everyone stopped in their
tracks. “Something’s up ahead. I don’t recognize it, but it’s coming this way.”
It turned out to be a four-legged beast the size of a small bear with leathery, scaly greenish-gray
skin covered in spikes from the base of its neck down its back to the base of its stubby tail. It was
about four feet tall with nasty claws and three-inch fangs protruding from its top jaw. Its powerful
hind legs looked like it could leap quite a distance.
Lyall put out an arm, urging me behind him. “Get her back,” he said, and I felt Kenji and Angel
each take a hand and pull me away.
Lyall might not want to be my guardleader, but he still assumed command for my safety as easily
as he breathed. The rest of the Guard backed up as well, keeping themselves between me and it. Their
stances remained wary as they all drew extra weapons.
“What is that thing?” I whispered.
“I… think it’s a chupacabra.” Angel’s voice held a note of awe. “I thought that they were fake.”
“No,” Lyall said, still slowly back away, forcing me back as well. “They briefly escaped out
into the human realm, despite our efforts.”
“It took almost a full year for us to eradicate them from the island currently called Puerto Rico,”
Valente added. “This one’s probably been in hibernation since then.”
The chupacabra fixed its red eyes on us before lumbering off into the undergrowth. As it left, I
sensed a strange familiarity, as though something within me recognized something in it. With a small
intake of air, I realized the chupacabra spirit was within me, just as the chipmunk, squirrel, house cat,
and lynx all were.
Lyall shook his head at me, no doubt sensing my excitement, though he probably didn’t
understand why. His bond, along with Kenji’s and Angel’s, all radiated concern.
Then a different thought occurred to me. Was the chupacabra also considered a predator? What
would everyone think if they knew their Seelie queen had not one but two predator forms within her?
I pushed that thought aside and focused instead on my bond to the Tree of Life, pulsing ever
stronger within me. Heading toward the Tree felt like heading home to a place I’d never known but
had longed for. The very thought brought tears to my eyes. I’d always wanted nothing more than to
belong, and the Tree beckoned me, showing me the way.
Compared to the lightning fast feedback I got through the bonds with my consorts, the Tree’s
bond to me felt sluggish. Yet it was there, undeniably strong and ancient. Maybe it was because I had
performed the ceremony, but my bond to the Tree felt so much stronger now than it had been in the
past.
As we drew closer, the Tree of Life’s bond to me became all-encompassing, enveloping me
with a sense of familiarity and rightness. If magic had been visible in the air, it would have looked
like we were drowning in it. The Tree of Life’s gravity drew me onward, making it difficult for me to
stop to take breaks. I wanted to be with it, just as it wanted me near.
I lost myself in the enveloping glory of the ancient Tree of Life, sensing it everywhere now.
Truly, all trees in the forest were connected, but that sense of belonging drew even stronger as we
approached the Tree of Life’s bole. We were still so far away from its trunk that the forest mostly
obscured it. However, if I looked between their boles I could see what looked like an off-white,
slightly green wall in the distance.
It wasn’t until Angel and Kenji tugged me to a stop beside a shallow creek that my thoughts
settled back into my body. Taking in our surroundings, I realized Erynn and Lauren were preparing to
head off for their reconnaissance.
“How’s this?” Lauren asked Erynn, and they both took on glamor. They both still looked like
Elves, but not ones I’d ever met.
“Please be careful,” I told them.
Lyall nodded to them both, and they disappeared through the forest, heading closer to the Tree.
Feeling for my bond with my consorts took some effort, as though I’d wrapped myself in a weighted
blanket of the Tree’s bond and now went feeling around for a few specific strands of yarn underneath
it. Lyall’s determination to protect me and his people struck me first, along with Angel’s uncertainty
and Kenji’s curiosity.
“We’re close enough to the Tree of Life now,” Lyall said to me. “We need to be even more
cautious. Are you ready?”
I might still be frustrated at him, but what we were about to do was important enough for me to
set aside those feelings for now. This was the part where he and I would shapeshift and travel through
the treetops to avoid detection on our way to the ancient Tree. Kenji would keep the rest of the group
— himself, Angel, Valente, and Jovanka — concealed under an illusion.
I nodded. “I don’t think we need to reach its trunk. I will try to commune with the Tree by
standing on one of its limbs. If that doesn’t work, we can keep going.”
Angel glanced longingly at the creek nearby, but from the gurgling of its waters across rocks, I
could tell it was much too shallow for him or Valente to travel in using their dolphin forms. Besides,
it didn’t lead toward the Tree.
“Someday you’ll be able to show me your dolphin side.” I squeezed Angel’s hand.
“Maybe after we get done kicking Unseelie ass.” His lopsided grin made me smile in return.
I nodded to Lyall. With as much confidence as I could muster, I said, “Let’s do this.”
Though I longed to try shapeshifting into the chupacabra for the first time, I doubted it could
travel among the treetops very well, and it would be super conspicuous. Besides, I wasn’t sure I
wanted anyone to know about it yet, especially if it would make the Seelie doubt me even more.
I shed my clothes and handed them to Angel. He gave me a kiss on the lips before pulling back
and winking at me, letting his gaze wander down my naked form. The others directed their attention
outward, giving me not a single glance as I shrank to the forest floor as a chipmunk.
Lyall followed my lead, and I tried not to think about how much fun it had been to chase him
through the forest yesterday. Those thoughts would only lead to frustration.
As chipmunk, even a few leaves could hide us, making this the perfect form to travel along the
treetops. Squirrels probably would have been faster, but this time we would be wary of getting ahead
of our escorts on the forest floor below.
Lyall shot up the bole of a nearby tree. Reaching its lower branches, he climbed out until he
could latch on to another tree’s limb. I hurried to follow, but behind everything was the distracting
pulse of the Tree of Life.
When Lyall started to head toward a tree that wasn’t straight along the path to the Tree of Life, I
called out to him within our minds. This way, Lyall.
You can sense it now?
I could sense it from the palace tree.
Then lead the way! His awe filtered through the bond to me, tiny beneath the vast weight of my
bond to the Tree of Life.
My near-sighted chipmunk eyes couldn’t make out the rest of the Guard below us, but I could
sense Kenji and Angel’s bonds. Since they held no new worry, I knew we must not be getting away
from them.
Every now and then I would hear or see other woodland animals within the trees or on the
forest floor below. My heartbeat sped up each time, but Lyall reassured me.
As far as they know, we’re Elves who live here like they do. We have every right to be here.
And Kenji will keep them from seeing him and the rest.
The trunk of the Tree of Life still looked like a distant wall behind all the other Trees, but its
background noise within my mind grew louder and louder, proof that I must be near its lengthy
branches.
At long last, my feet leapt from the branch of a regular tree onto the sacred, ancient wood of the
Tree of Life. I recognized it instantly, as the magic resonated through my body like a gong in my ears. I
could see nothing, hear nothing, as the sensations of the Tree filled me.
Through its ancient wood, I sensed its symbiotic relationship with us, the Fae. While it fed on
our energy, it in turn prolonged our lives, helping us gain deeper magic. But its connection to the Fae
relied on a periodic renewal, like the changing of the seasons. I recognized myself in this. A queen
strengthened the link between the Tree of Life and the Fae.
In a flash of understanding, it all made sense. Anyone could be the conduit, the one who could
link the Tree’s magic to other Fae on a large scale… but only if that person carried the support of the
majority of Fae.
My link to the Tree was solid, like a living thing between me and it. In contrast, I realized how
temporary and superficial the bonds to my consorts were. I could sense their masculine energy and
their emotions, but little more. The Tree of Life gave me unfettered access to its very being.
The Tree was not a masculine energy, but an all-encompassing one. Male, female, neither, both,
and everything in between and beyond. The Tree recognized neither in me, nor in any Fae. The
concepts of gender and even Fae races were irrelevant to it, and as I communed with the Tree, it
made these concepts feel burdensome to me. Artificial barriers between people meant to divide us,
when we were all one beneath the branches of the Tree of Life.
With a start, I realized the implications of this, of anyone being the conduit. The Fae had always
chosen female Elves as their ambassadors to the Tree, but it was clear that was only a Fae tradition.
The Tree of Life did not care whether its bond formed with a woman or an Elf, only that the conduits
represented the Fae as a whole. The Tree did not discriminate — it didn’t know how. We were all the
same to it, because we were all alive.
The Tree embodied Life itself. It felt its missing tie to the Veela and the Kitsune like missing
branches, fallen from its trunk. It strove to find them, like a sapling strove for sunlight while its roots
sought water beneath the forest floor. It was only due to the Last Queen that the five Fae races had
been split apart, unable to tie themselves to the Tree through a single person any longer.
The Tree’s energy pushed and pulled through me, looking for its lost link to the rest of the Fae. It
knew its link was incomplete, though it couldn’t comprehend how. I had reunited the Elves with the
Tree, as Una and Maeve had done for the Nixies and Duwende, but still the Tree sought out the others
as though it were thirsty and they were water. It wouldn’t be sated until all Fae were fully linked.
As I let the energy of the Tree flow through me, I realized I already knew how to help the Veela
and the Kitsune. My deep connection to the Tree and my geas over Una linked the two of them,
reestablishing the Tree’s tie with the Nixies. Una in turn had linked in Maeve, so now Maeve would
need to make the next connection.
The very first Fae queen had not had anyone to bestow queenhood upon her. The Fae people had
believed so strongly in her that the Tree of Life had accepted her as its renewer, linked to all Fae.
In truth, the Veela and Kitsune could choose anyone to represent themselves. I pulled out of the
bond a little to think. By tradition, only queens performed the ceremony. There was already so much
change in the magic, it would probably be best to keep it simple this round, to find female Fae already
leading the Veela and Kitsune, whom they already looked up to, whom they could believe in.
Lyall’s voice drifted to me, and I realized he’d been calling to me for some time. Glori, are you
—
I’m fine. I faced my fellow chipmunk, realizing he waited on another tree’s branch for me. He
hadn’t ventured on to the sacred Tree of Life’s great limb. Perhaps it was for the best. He might have
gotten lost in its voice as well, even if his bond to it through me wasn’t as strong.
With my senses returning, I noticed how different the Tree of Life’s bark looked compared to the
last time I’d seen it. Then, it had been gray and nearly lifeless. Now it was a light green color, the
color of life. Its bark seemed strong, full of nutrients and water, not dried out and cracking as it had
been. Its lush green and cobalt leaves no longer fell to the forest floor below. Despite all my
missteps, this was proof I had done the right thing by renewing the Tree of Life at last.
Leaping back across from its life-giving branches to a regular tree felt like losing one of my
own limbs. As I landed, my grip faltered. My senses fully returned, feeling alien after being blind to
everything but the existence of the Tree.
Glori! Lyall shouted in my mind as I lost my grip and fell from the branch.
I shifted with a simple thought, my body morphing into my squirrel form as I fell. With the
longer tail as a counterbalance, I managed to push off one tree to land on a branch of a different one.
What happened? Kenji’s voice now echoed in my mind, and with the squirrel’s superior
eyesight, I could make him out on the forest floor below, a silver fox standing between three bipedal
figures. He must have sensed something amiss in the bond.
I’m okay, I reassured him. I fell from the branches but caught myself below.
Lyall shifted into a flying squirrel and glided down to land on the branch beside me. Well done
on transitioning from one animal to another instinctively.
That’s great, but we’re surrounded on all sides, Kenji warned. Keeping up an illusion around
people who are intimately familiar with the lands around here is a challenge.
I’m ready to go, I said.
This time, Lyall led us away from the Tree of Life and its cobalt blue and deep green leaves. I
took one last look at its giant bole, its width so wide I couldn’t see the end of it through its branches
and the other trees. I wanted to make this a peaceful place again, a place where all Fae — not just
Elves — could visit. The Tree of Life belonged to us all, and we to it.
I followed Lyall along, being more careful of my footing as I lost myself in thought. At one
point, Lyall paused on a branch, and I waited beside him, looking for the source of his concern.
I startled when three dark brown squirrels chased each other up the tree right next to us. They
chattered at each other so much I thought they might be real squirrels. Until one said, Hello there! in
my mind.
It was a masculine voice, and although it was impossible to tell age through mental words
alone, I had the impression of youth.
Hello, Lyall answered in a neutral tone.
They seemed friendly, and I doubted they were sentinels of any kind, not with all the noise
they’d been making.
Looks like you’re having fun, I said casually, trying to think of what someone who lived here
might say.
A young, feminine voice filled my mind. Want to join us? First one to the bottom wins.
I’m much too old for such games, Lyall said with a smile in his mental voice.
I begged off as well, and the three of them raced down the bole, chattering the whole way. Lyall
and I continued on our way, and I could practically sense him sigh in relief, or whatever the animal
equivalent might be.
Then a voice screamed in both our minds. I whirled to see one of the squirrels falling from a
very skinny, springy twig of a branch. The girl must have been crazy to think it could support her
weight. She shifted in midair, transforming back to her Elven form as she fell. Something cracked, and
she let out another, much more audible scream.
I dove from my branch, racing down the side of the tree as fast as my tiny legs would carry me.
 Glori— Lyall’s stern mental voice cut off as I transformed back into myself. Lyall’s doubts
about me and my leadership style could wait.
She was a Fae and regardless of her loyalties, I was still her queen. My magic could heal her.
I kneeled beside the injured young Elf. “You’ll be okay,” I promised.
 Chapter 7
Gloriana
The young Elf clutched her bleeding limb. Bone protruded from the wound. She’d fallen all
wrong on that leg, and I could only imagine the pain as her face contorted with it. Since the Fae
gained most of their magic around the age of twenty-five, she must not have had much practice
shapeshifting.
“Lie still. I can help you,” I told her.
“It will heal on its own, right?” she asked. Her voice was pained but full of hope. “Now that we
have all our magic back?”
Two more Elves appeared beside me, both of them with skin as light as my own.
“It’s a bad break. It might heal wrong.” The young man’s voice was familiar, the same one who
had said hello to me and Lyall.
He kneeled down beside me, his long black hair touching the forest floor and keeping his
nakedness hidden from view. From his appearance, I guessed him to be in his late twenties, but I
probably wasn’t the best judge of Elven ages. They must all be older than twenty-five, having gained
the ability to shapeshift.
I met the injured young woman’s eyes. Tears streaked down either side of her face to strike her
ears, the tips of which ended above the top of her head. They were some of the longest I’d ever seen
on an Elf, though maybe it was glamor. Then again, I doubted she had the wherewithal to worry about
her appearance at the moment.
“I can heal you,” I told the girl. “If you’ll let me.”
I wouldn’t do it if she didn’t want me to. I’d learned my lesson with Rorik. Kissing her would
heal her, but also bind her to me in geas.
“Don’t,” came Lyall’s voice from behind me. I turned to see Lyall wearing long hair of his own,
a deep red in color, his eyes a deep blue, which was not a true Elf color. Doing so made it obvious he
was using glamor, but most Elves did. It was in our nature.
Seeing him in glamor made me realize how foolish I’d been not to use glamor myself. I’d
transformed without regard to my surroundings, intent only on helping the young woman. When I
glanced around now, I couldn’t see the rest of my Guard, but the wariness in Kenji and Angel’s bonds
told me they must be nearby, albeit hidden even from my view.
We outnumbered these kids, and they were just kids. They had probably been raised here, not
far from the Tree of Life, never knowing how lucky they were to be in its presence every day. They
might not be true Unseelie. They might never have been faced with the choice between Seelie or
Unseelie.
“What do you mean, you can heal her?” the third asked, kneeling on the other side of the young
woman from me. He wasn’t as young as the other two, probably a few years to a decade older than
me.
Straightening my shoulders, I regretted letting Merc convince me to cut off all my hair, but then I
reminded myself that nudity was nothing among Fae.
 “I am Gloriana, Elven heir of the Last Queen, and I have her healing magic.”
All three of them scrunched up their faces in confusion.
“Iona is queen of the Elves,” the black-haired young man told me. “She gave back our magic.
Skena will heal in time thanks to her.”
It made sense. Iona must have taken credit for the Elves’ renewed magic, but I hadn’t realized
how pervasive her lies had become. These Elves didn’t even know who I was.
“That’s not true. I performed the ceremony that gave the Elves back their magic,” I countered.
“And I can prove it. But only if your friend here is willing to accept my healing magic.”
“Glori, more are coming. We need to go,” Lyall’s voice was desperate.
We were naked and without weapons in enemy territory, but I wouldn’t abandon my duties so
easily. I’d promised her, and I would follow through.
And in so doing, perhaps I could turn things around for the better. Perhaps I could counteract
some of Iona’s lies with the truth. Perhaps I could begin turning the tides against her.
“What happened?” someone called as the Elves made their way toward us.
I steeled myself for their sudden recognition of my identity, but no one seemed to notice me.
More than ten Elves stepped out from between the trees, no doubt summoned by the girl’s scream. I’d
gotten so used to being treated as a celebrity near the palace tree that the moment of near anonymity
was almost refreshing.
What would it be like to live in the forest, playing tag with people my age? To have friends like
these three?
I shook myself from that daydream. This was no time to wish my life had turned out differently. I
had the opportunity to show these people the truth, to bring them back to the flock, to reunite them
with the Seelie against Iona and her hate.
The young woman looked up at me, fresh tears running down her face. She nodded at me, and I
leaned over her.
In a low voice, low enough only her two friends might hear, I warned her, “If I heal you, you’ll
be bound to me in geas. But I won’t use it against you.”
I hoped I could keep that promise, but in my secret heart, I remembered the terrible things I had
done not far from here. Darik and all of his friends had died under my geas, a bond that connected us
when they’d forced their lips to mine at the behest of my adoptive mothers.
“Please,” the girl cried. “Do it.”
“Then kiss me,” I said.
My lips met hers, and she didn’t resist. I felt the moment the geas bound us together, a tendril
linking her to me. She would never again be truly free. My skin crawled imagining what Iona would
do with such power. All the more reason to take a stand here and now, to spread the word that Iona
was not their queen.
The young woman’s friends gasped, and I kept kissing her until I was certain her wound was
fully healed. I could leave no doubts as to what had happened.
“She healed her!” the older of the two shouted, getting to his feet.
I pulled away from the young woman and then reached out my hands to her. Dazed, she stared at
me for a moment from her back before taking my hand and getting to her feet. I stood beside her,
facing the rest of the Elves, some of whom, I now noticed, did carry weapons.
“Did you see that?” The dark-haired guy rose to his feet beside us. We all stood naked together
before the newcomers. “Skena fell and broke her leg. I could see the bone!”
A murmur rose up from the newcomers, and I glanced at Lyall from the corner of my eye. I could
practically feel the tension radiating off of him, though he remained standing in a neutral, non-
threatening stance. His bond was filled with fierce protectiveness that made me love him all the more,
despite our recent battle of wills.
“How did you do that?” one of the newcomers asked. Glamor made her hair an electric blue
streaked with pink.
“I am Gloriana, the Elven heir to the Last Queen, the one who renewed the Tree of Life.”
“She is the rightful and true queen of the Elves,” Lyall told them.
I didn’t like that he said I was queen of the Elves, but I wouldn’t argue in front of everyone. In
my mind, I saw Maeve, Una, and I as equals — co-leaders over all Fae, united as one, not
independent queens over our own races. It was something we still needed to work out. But in this
case, it probably resonated with these people who might be more or less indoctrinated in the Unseelie
ways.
“She healed her,” a woman called from the back of the group. “She must have the queen’s
magic.”
Her words heartened me, and I caught sight of who had spoken. Her hair was short and spiky, a
dirty blond with long earrings dangling from both ears. She seemed familiar somehow.
“I ask you here today to stand with us against Iona and her lies,” I said before they could
question anymore. “I renewed our Elven magic, but we should not begrudge the rest of the Fae from
regaining theirs as well. Doing so will take nothing from us, and we have everything to gain. We Fae
must stand as one. Together, we can have peace.”
I took a step toward the group of Elves, and Lyall pushed past the dark-haired young man to
stand beside me.
A sturdy, very tall Elf, furrowed his brows. “Iona’s people told us that our magic may fade if the
other races’ magic returns.”
“It’s not true.” I needed them to believe me. “I came here today to commune with the Tree of
Life. It seeks its link with the rest of the Fae like long-lost limbs. The Tree of Life missed us, and it
wants all of us united as one. It seeks ties with all living Fae, not just Elves.”
Murmurs swept across the small gathering again, and I glanced over to see the young woman I’d
healed gazing at me with pure adoration on her face. I looked away from Skena to gauge the others’
reactions.
A sudden movement from the corner of my eye made me turn, but too late. Lyall lunged forward,
shouting, “No!”
Looking up, I froze in fear as I caught sight of a knife, moving Elven fast, blurring toward my
midsection. The moment before it sank into me, Lyall’s body collided with my attacker, knocking his
arm aside. The very tip of the knife grazed my ribs and pain lanced through my body.
A Veela roar had me falling to my knees, along with everyone else. Jovanka charged the group,
and the Elves with weapons drew them now. With our deeper magic renewed, we Elves were much
more resistant to the Veela’s powerful battle cry. But while the rest of the Elves got to their feet, I
found myself unable to do the same. I’d landed on my knees, and now I fell to all fours.
Angel’s melodious voice cut through the noise of people shouting and weapons clanging
together, as he held my attacker spellbound. The man shook free, resistant to Nixie song as well, but
that didn’t stop Angel from laying his hands on him. He grabbed the man’s arm in a grip so tight he
dropped the knife to the forest floor not far away. A gray hue spread up the man’s arm, and he let out a
cry as Angel used his Nixie magic to sicken and weaken him.
“Angel,” I whispered, just as I fell forward. “I need…”
 The Tree of Life could help me. I felt its certainty within our deep bond. Though I could renew
magic from any point in its forest, the Tree needed to touch me to heal me, just as I needed to kiss
those I healed.
Someone caught me before my head hit the leafy forest floor.
“Glori.” The fear in Angel’s voice broke through to me, making me realize something was
terribly wrong. “I’ve got you, Glori.”
“The Tree…” I gasped, but the words came out quiet — too quiet against all the noise of battle
around us. I struggled to make myself heard, but Angel’s wide sapphire eyes stared down at me
without understanding what I needed.
Distantly, I watched as Jovanka tossed Lyall a sword just in time to strike down the blue-haired
Elven woman charging in to attack him. Her blade fell from lifeless fingers. Beyond, I saw Valente
raise his arms, and water gushed from the skies, reducing the visible distance through the trees. Angel
cradled me close to him, and the rain around the two of us stopped, though the storm grew worse for
everyone else.
Thunder boomed, and Kenji yelled, “Let’s go!”
Angel gathered me up in his arms, and pain lanced down my side. Yet my arms… I couldn’t feel
them. My pulse raced as I noticed how boneless I felt.
“Angel…” I tried to ask what happened, why I felt so out of touch with my body.
My thoughts grew clouded, but behind it all was the presence of the Tree. There was
something… something that I needed to do, something involving the Tree, but my thoughts were too
hazy to remember.
“Take her and go!” Lyall yelled from behind us.
“Keep it up,” Jovanka urged Kenji, and I stared at his beautiful, delicate features, tightened in
concentration as wind whipped his hair around his shoulders. It must not be easy to adapt an illusion
to us as we ran.
My head lolled, and I gazed up at the limbs of the trees overhead. What had I gotten us into this
time?
“She needs an anti-venom.” Valente’s words startled me, bringing me back to my body
momentarily.
“Why is the poison hitting her so hard?” Angel asked, his voice thick. “Una was—”
“The Unseelie had already run Una’s consort through before they struck her,” Valente said. “But
Glori took the only strike from this poisoned blade.”
I could hear them clear as day, but I couldn’t force any words across my own tongue. I needed
the Tree, and it needed me, but why — I couldn’t remember.
“We need an Elf’s speed,” Jovanka’s voice sounded frustrated, angry.
“They’ll catch up soon enough,” Valente answered.
Angel’s worried face filled my vision. I wanted to reach up a hand and smooth away the creases
of concern etched in his forehead, but my arm wouldn’t cooperate. In fact, I couldn’t feel it at all. I
tried to wiggle my toes, but they were gone too.
I opened my mouth to tell Angel about my strangely floating body, but the words wouldn’t come.
As sensation faded, and the world turned black, I reached for the only thing I could still feel: the
bonds connecting me to my loves.
All five radiated with fear.
 Chapter 8
Lyall
I raced naked through the darkened forest, rushing in the direction I’d seen the rest of the Guard
take Glori. If Kenji’s illusions hid them, though, I would never find them. My heart thundered in my
chest, fearing the worst. Unseelie often coated their blades with poison like the cowards they were.
Even with our Elven healing returned, Glori might not survive.
I blurred through the forest and caught sight of what appeared to be an arrow made of suspended
water droplets floating in the middle of the woods. I followed it, knowing this must be Kenji’s doing.
The small group surrounded Angel, who held Glori. Her body seemed small and weak in his arms.
“She’s still breathing,” Angel said, his eyes wide as he stared down at her. “She’s still
breathing.”
He said it like a mantra, as though saying it made it true. Perhaps it did. Perhaps her consort
bonds were all that held her in the land of the living.
“How is her wound?” I asked.
“I’ve bound it, but…” Jovanka looked frustrated. I understood all too well. If the Veela had
regained their deeper magic, she could have at least started healing Glori.
“Erynn and Lauren will be along in a moment,” I said. “But I must take Glori now.”
Jovanka tossed me my clothing, then held out my armor and weapons. I strapped them on hastily,
my eyes locked on Glori’s lifeless body. My speed would put too much distance between me and the
rest of them, and the darkness would only slow their speed as they stumbled over roots and rocks.
Jovanka was right to ensure I was armed before I set out. I would be nearly defenseless.
“You shouldn’t go without an escort.” Valente stepped between me and Angel.
“I’ll go with him,” Kenji said, facing away, his body rigid with concentration as he maintained
the illusion protecting us all — protecting Glori. “I can keep up in my kitsune form.”
“No, Kenji,” I said. “You’ll get everyone safely back to the perimeter. Too many Unseelie stalk
these woods.”
“Lyall—”
I cut Valente off. “I will appear as yet another Elf rushing through Unseelie controlled forests.
Put a blanket over Glori and I could be carrying anything in the darkness. They won’t know I’m
Seelie.”
I shifted my glamor, giving myself long, silver-white hair like Kenji’s. The Unseelie wouldn’t
recognize me now.
“Her breathing is slowing down…” Angel pushed her cold, naked body into my arms. His eyes
met mine with a terrified look I never wanted to see on the young Nixie’s face. “Get her help.
Whatever it takes. Don’t let her…” He couldn’t say it.
“She’ll live.” I swore as I gathered Glori to me.
Her breath rasped in her chest as Jovanka covered her with a piece of fabric. I hoped it
wouldn’t hinder her breathing.
Without a second to spare, I ran away from the rest of the Guard as fast as my Elven legs could
Another random document with
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Leonia, 414
Lepeta, 405
Lepetella, 405
Lepetidae, radula, 227
Lepidomenia, 404;
radula, 229
Leptachatina, 327
Leptaena, 500, 501, 502, 503, 505;
stratigraphical distribution, 507, 508
Leptaxis, 441
Leptinaria, 357, 358, 442
Leptochiton, 403
Leptoconchus, 75, 423
Leptoloma, 348, 351
Lepton, 453;
parasitic, 77;
commensal, 80;
mantle-edge, 175, 178
Leptoplax, 403
Leptopoma, 316, 319, 338, 414
Leptoteuthis, 390
Leptothyra, 409
Leroya, 331
Leucochila, 442
Leucochloridium, 61
Leucochroa, 292, 295, 441
Leuconia, 439
Leucotaenia, 335, 359, 441
Leucozonia, 64, 424, 424
Levantina, 295
Libania, 295
Libera, 327, 441;
egg-laying, 128
Libitina, 451
Licina, 414
Life, duration of, in snails, 39
Ligament, 271
Liguus, 349, 351, 442
Lima, 178, 179, 450;
habits, 63
Limacidae, radula, 232
Limacina, 59, 249, 436, 436
Limapontia, 429, 432;
breathing, 152
Limax, 245, 440;
food, 31, 179;
variation, 86;
pulmonary orifice, 160;
shell, 175;
jaw, 211;
radula, 217;
distribution, 285, 324;
L. agrestis, eats May flies, 31;
arborum, slime, 30;
food, 31;
flavus, food, 33, 36;
habits, 35, 36;
gagates, 279, 358;
maximus, 32, 161;
eats raw beef, 32;
cannibalism, 32;
sexual union, 128;
smell, 193 f.
Limea, 450
Limicolaria, 329–332, 443
Limnaea, 439;
self-impregnation, 44;
development and variation, 84, 92, 93;
size affected by volume of water, 94;
eggs, 124;
sexual union, 134;
jaw, 211;
radula, 217, 235;
L. auricularia, 24;
 glutinosa, sudden appearance, 46;
Hookeri, 25;
involuta, 82, 278, 287;
peregra, 10, 180;
burial, 27;
food, 34, 37;
variation, 85;
distribution, 282;
palustris, distribution, 282;
stagnalis, food, 34, 37;
variation, 85, 95;
circum-oral lobes, 131;
generative organs, 414;
breathing, 161;
nervous system, 204;
distribution, 282;
truncatula, parasite, 61;
distribution, 282
Limnocardium, 455
Limnotrochus, 332, 415
Limopsis, 448
Limpet-shaped shells, 244
Limpets as food for birds, 56;
rats, 57;
birds and rats caught by, 57;
as bait, 118
Lingula, 464, 467, 468, 471, 472, 473, 475, 477, 478, 487;
habits, 483, 484;
distribution, 485;
fossil, 493, 494, 503;
stratigraphical distribution, 506, 508, 510, 511
Lingulella, 493, 503;
stratigraphical distribution, 506, 508, 511
Lingulepis, 503, 511
Lingulidae, 485, 487, 496, 503, 508
Linnarssonia, 504;
stratigraphical distribution, 506, 508
Lintricula, 426
Liobaikalia, 290
Liomesus, 424
Lioplax, 340, 416
Liostoma, 424
Liostracus, 442
Liotia, 408
Liparus, 324, 359, 441
Lissoceras, 399
Lithasia, 340, 417
Lithidion, 414
Lithocardium, 455
Lithodomus, 449
Lithoglyphus, 294, 296, 297, 415
Lithopoma, 409
Lithotis, 302, 443
Litiopa, 30, 361, 415
Littorina, 413;
living out of water, 20;
radula, 20, 215;
habits, 50;
protective coloration, 69;
egg-laying, 126;
hybrid union, 130;
monstrosity, 251, 252;
operculum, 269;
erosion, 276;
L. littorea, in America, 374;
obtusata, generative organs, 135;
rudis, 150;
Prof. Herdman’s experiments on, 151 n.
Littorinida, 415
Lituites, 247, 395
Liver, 239;
liver-fluke, 61
Livinhacea, 333, 359, 441
Livona, 408;
 radula, 226;
operculum, 268
Lloyd, W. A., on Nassa, 193
Lobiger, 432
Lobites, 397
Loligo, 378–389;
glands, 136;
modified arm, 139;
eye, 183;
radula, 236;
club, 381;
L. punctata, egg-laying, 127;
vulgaris, larva, 133
Loligopsis, 391
Loliguncula, 390
Loliolus, 390
Lomanotus, 433
Lophocercus, 432
Lorica, 403
Lowe, E. J., on growth of shell, 40
Loxonema, 417
Lucapina, 406
Lucapinella, 406
Lucerna, 441
Lucidella, 348–351, 410
Lucina, 270, 452
Lucinopsis, 454
Lung, 151, 160
Lunulicardium, 455
Lutetia, 452
Lutraria, 446, 456
Lychnus, 442
Lyonsia, 458
Lyonsiella, 458;
branchiae, 168
Lyra, stratigraphical distribution, 507
Lyria, 425
Lyrodesma, 447
Lysinoe, 441
Lytoceras, 398

Maackia, 290
Macgillivrayia, 133
Machomya, 458
Maclurea, 410
Macroceramus, 343–353, 442
Macroceras, 440
Macrochilus, 417
Macrochlamys, 296, 299, 301 f., 310, 316–322, 440
Macrocyclis, 358, 359, 442
Macron, 424
Macroön, 441
Macroscaphites, 247, 399, 399
Macroschisma, 265, 406
Mactra, 271, 446, 454
Macularia, 285, 291, 292 f., 441
Magas, 506;
stratigraphical distribution, 507, 508
Magellania, 500
Magilus, 75, 423
Mainwaringia, 302
Malaptera, 418
Malea, 419
Malletia, 447
Malleus, 449
Mangilia, 426
Mantle, 172 f., 173;
lobes of, 177
Margarita, 408;
radula, 225
Marginella, 425;
radula, 221
Mariaella, 314, 338, 440
Marionia, 433
Marmorostoma, 409
Marrat, F. P., views on variation, 82
Marsenia, 133
Marsenina, 411
Martesia, 305, 457
Mastigoteuthis, 390
Mastus, 296, 442
Matheronia, 455
Mathilda, 250, 417
Maugeria, 403
Mazzalina, 424
Megalatractus, 424
Megalodontidae, 451
Megalomastoma, 344, 414
Megalomphalus, 416
Megaspira, 358, 442
Megatebennus, 406
Megerlia, distribution, 486, 487
Meladomus, 249, 328, 331, 416
Melampus, 18, 199, 250, 439, 439
Melanatria, 336
Melania, 276, 417, 417;
distribution, 285, 292 f., 316 f., 324, 336
Melaniella, 442
Melaniidae, origin, 17
Melanism in Mollusca, 85
Melanopsis, 417;
distribution, 285, 291, 292 f., 323, 326
Melantho, 340, 416
Melapium, 424
Meleagrina, 449
Melia, 348
Melibe, 432
Melongena, 424;
radula, 220;
stomach, 238
Merica, 426
Merista, 505, 508
Meroe, 454
Merope, 327
Mesalia, 417
Mesembrinus, 356, 442
Mesodesma, 454
Mesodon, 340, 441
Mesomphix, 340, 440
Mesorhytis, 377
Meta, 423
Metula, 424
Meyeria, 424
Miamira, 434
Microcystis, 323, 324, 327, 338, 440
Microgaza, 408
Micromelania, 12, 297
Microphysa, protective habits, 70
Microplax, 403
Micropyrgus, 415
Microvoluta, 425
Middendorffia, 403
Milneria, 451
Mimicry, 66
Minolia, 408
Mitra, 425;
radula, 221
Mitrella, 423
Mitreola, 425
Mitrularia, 248, 412
Modiola, 446, 449;
habits, 64;
genital orifice, 242
Modiolarca, 449
Modiolaria, 449;
habits, 78
Modiolopsis, 452
Modulus, 417
Monilia, 408
Monkey devouring oysters, 59
Monoceros, 423
Monocondylaea, 452
Monodacna, 12, 297, 455
Monodonta, 408, 408;
tentaculae, 178
Monogonopora, 134, 140
Monomerella, 496, 504
Monopleura, 456
Monotis, 449
Monotocardia, 9, 170, 411
Monstrosities, 250
Montacuta, 452;
M. ferruginosa, commensal, 80;
substriata, parasitic, 77
Mopalia, 403
Moquin-Tandon, on breathing of Limnaeidae, 162;
on smell, 193 f.
Moreletia, 440
Morio, 420
Mormus, 356, 442
Moseley, H. N., on eyes of Chiton, 187 f.
Moussonia, 327
Mouth, 209
Mucronalia, 422
Mucus, use of, 63
Mulinia, 272
Mülleria, 344, 452
Mumiola, 422
Murchisonia, 265, 407
Murchisoniella, 422
Murex, 423;
attacks Arca, 60;
use of spines, 64;
egg-capsules, 124;
eye, 182;
 radula, 220;
shell, 256
Musical sounds, 50
Mussels, cultivation of, 115;
as bait, 116;
poisonous, 117;
on Great Eastern, 116
Mutela, 294, 328, 331, 336, 452
Mutyca, 425
Mya, 271, 275, 446, 456;
stylet, 240;
M. arenaria, variation, 84
Myacea, 456
Myalina, 449
Mycetopus, 307, 316, 344, 452
Myochama, 458
Myodora, 458
Myophoria, 448
Myopsidae, 389
Myrina, 449
Myristica, 424
Mytilacea, 448
Mytilimeria, 458
Mytilops, 452
Mytilopsis, 14
Mytilus, 258, 449;
gill filaments, 166, 285;
M. edulis, 14, 165;
attached to crabs, 48, 78;
pierced by Purpura, 60;
Bideford Bridge and, 117;
rate of growth, 258;
stylet, 240
Myxostoma, 414

Nacella, 405
Naiadina, 449
Nanina, 278, 300 f., 335, 440;
radula, 217, 232
Napaeus, 296–299, 316, 442
Naranio, 454
Narica, 412
Nassa, 423;
egg-capsules, 126;
sense of smell, 193
Nassodonta, 423
Nassopsis, 332
Natica, 246, 263, 411;
spawn, 126;
operculum, 268
Naticopsis, 409
‘Native’ oysters, 106
Nausitora, 15
Nautiloidea, 393
Nautilus, 254, 392, 395;
modified arms, 140;
eye, 183;
nervous system, 206;
radula, 236;
kidneys, 242
Navicella, 267, 268, 324, 327, 410;
origin, 17
Navicula, 358, 442
Navicula (Diatom), cause of greening in oysters, 108
Nectoteuthis, 389
Neda, 431
Nematurella, 12, 297
Nembrotha, 434
Neobolus, 504
Neobuccinum, 424
Neocyclotus, 357, 358
Neomenia, 8, 133, 216, 228, 404, 404;
breathing organs, 154;
nervous system, 203
Neothauma, 332
Neotremata, 511
Neptunea, 252, 262, 423;
egg-capsules, 126;
capture, 193;
monstrosity, 251
Nerinea, 417
Nerita, 17, 410;
N. polita used as money, 97
Neritidae, 260, 410;
radula, 226
Neritina, 256, 410;
origin, 16, 17, 21;
egg-laying, 128;
eye, 181;
distribution, 285, 291 f., 324, 327;
N. fluviatilis, habitat, 12, 25
Neritoma, 410
Neritopsis, 409;
radula, 226;
operculum, 269
Nervous system, 201 f.
Nesiotis, 357, 442
New Zealanders, use of shells, 99
Nicida, 413
Ninella, 409
Niphonia, 408
Niso, 422
Nitidella, 423
Nodulus, 415
Notarchus, 431
Nothus, 358, 442
Notobranchaea, 438
Notodoris, 434
Notoplax, 403
Novaculina, 305
Nucula, 254, 269, 273, 447
Nuculidae, otocyst, 197;
foot, 201
Nuculina, 448
Nudibranchiata, 432;
defined, 10;
protective and warning colours, 71 f.;
breathing organs, 159
Nummulina, 295
Nuttallina, 403

Obba, 311, 315, 441

Obbina, 306, 311, 312, 314, 319
Obeliscus, 442
Obolella, 496, 504;
stratigraphical distribution, 506, 508
Obolidae, 496, 504, 508
Obolus, 504, 508;
embryonic shell, 509
Ocinebra, 423
Octopodidae, hectocotylised arm, 137, 139, 140
Octopus, 379–386;
egg-capsules, 127;
vision, 184;
radula, 236;
crop, 238
Ocythoe, 384;
hectocotylus, 138
Odontomaria, 407
Odontostomus, 358, 442
Odostomia, 250, 422;
parasitic, 78
Oesophagus, 237
Ohola, 434
Oigopsidae, 390
Oldhamina, 506, 508
Oleacina, habits, 55
Oliva, 199, 255, 275, 425, 426
Olivancillaria, 426
Olivella, 260, 267, 426;
O. biplicata as money, 97
Olivia, 408
Omalaxis, 413
Omalonyx, habitat, 23
Ommastrephes, 6, 378, 390
Ommatophores, 180, 187
Omphalotropis, 306, 309, 316, 324, 327, 338, 414
Onchidiella, 443
Onchidiidae, 245;
radula, 234;
anus, 241
Onchidiopsis, 411
Onchidium, 443;
breathing, 163;
eyes, 187
Onchidoris, radula, 230
Oniscia, 420
Onoba, 415
Onychia, 390
Onychoteuthis, 390;
club, 386
Oocorys, 420
Oopelta, 329, 440
Opeas, 442
Operculum, 267 f.
Ophidioceras, 247, 395
Ophileta, 413
Opis, 451
Opisthobranchiata, 427;
defined, 9;
warning, etc., colours, 71 f.;
generative organs, 144;
breathing organs, 158;
organs of touch, 178;
parapodia, 199;
 nervous system, 203;
radula, 229
Opisthoporus, 266, 300, 314–316, 414
Opisthostoma, 248, 309, 413
Oppelia, 399
Orbicula, 464
Orbiculoidea, 504, 510
Orders of Mollusca, 5–7
Organs of sense, 177
Origin of land Mollusca, 11 f.
Ornithochiton, 403
Orphnus, 356, 441
Orpiella, 440
Orthalicus, 342–358, 355, 442;
habits, 27;
variation, 87;
jaw, 211;
radula, 233, 234
Orthis, 505;
stratigraphical distribution, 506, 507, 511
Orthoceras, 394, 394
Orthonota, 457
Orthothetes, 505;
stratigraphical distribution, 507, 508
Orygoceras, 247
Osphradium, 194 f.
Ostodes, 327
Ostracotheres, 62
Ostrea, 252, 258, 446, 449;
intestine, 241
Otina, 18, 439
Otoconcha, 326, 440
Otocysts, 196 f., 197
Otopleura, 422
Otopoma, 331, 338, 414
Otostomus, 353, 442
Ovary, 135
Ovoviviparous genera, 123
Ovula, 419;
protective coloration, 70, 75;
radula, 80, 224;
used as money, 97
Ovum, development of fertilised, 130
Oxychona, 358
Oxygyrus, 422;
foot, 200
Oxynoe, 432;
radula, 230
Oyster-catchers, shells used by, 102
Oyster, cultivation, 104–109;
living out of water, 110;
enemies, 110 f.;
reproduction, 112 f.;
growth, 114;
cookery, 114;
poisonous oysters, 114;
vision, 190

Pachnodus, 329–335, 441, 442

Pachybathron, 425
Pachychilus, 354
Pachydesma crassatelloides, money made from, 97
Pachydomidae, 451
Pachydrobia, 307, 415
Pachylabra, 416
Pachyotus, 334, 336, 355, 358, 441
Pachypoma, 409
Pachystyla, 337, 440
Pachytypus, 451
Padollus, 407
Palaearctic region, 284 f.
Palaeoneilo, 447
Palaeosolen, 457
Palaina, 327, 413
Palio, 434
Pallial line and sinus, 270
Pallifera, 340, 440
Palliobranchiata, 464
Paludina, 416;
penis, 136;
eye, 181;
vision, 184;
P. vivipara, 24—see also Vivipara
Paludomus, 332, 336, 338, 417
Panama, Mollusca of, 3
Panda, 322, 325, 335
Pandora, 458
Papuans, use of shells, 99
Papuina, 309, 319–324, 441
Paramelania, 332
Paramenia, 404
Parasitic worms, 60 f.;
Mollusca, 74 f.
Parastarte, 451
Parkinsonia, 398
Parmacella, 245, 291, 294 f., 438 n., 440;
radula, 232;
shell, 175
Parmacochlea, 322, 326, 440
Parmarion, 309, 440
Parmella, 326, 440
Parmophorus, 406
Parthena, 349–352, 350, 441
Parts of univalve shell, 262;
bivalve, 269
Partula, 319–327, 326, 442;
radula, 233
Paryphanta, 321, 325, 440
Paryphostoma, 415
Passamaiella, 332
Patella, 405, 464;
 as food, 56 f.;
eye, 182;
radula, 214, 215, 227;
crop, 238;
anus, 241;
kidneys, 242;
shell, 262;
P. vulgata, veliger, 132;
breathing organs, etc., 156, 157
Patelliform shell in various genera, 19
Paterina, 509, 510, 511
Patinella, radula, 227
Patula, 297, 298, 318–338, 340, 441
Paxillus, 413
Pearl oysters, 100
Pecten, 446, 450, 450;
organs of touch, 178;
ocelli, 191;
flight, 192;
nervous system, 206;
genital orifice, 242;
ligament, 271
Pectinodonta, 405;
radula, 227
Pectunculus, 448
Pedicularia, 75, 419;
radula, 224
Pedinogyra, 319, 322, 442
Pedipes, 18, 199, 439, 439
Pedum, 450
Pelagic Mollusca, 360
Pelecypoda, 7, 445;
development, 145;
generative organs, 145;
branchiae, 166–169;
organs of touch, 178;
eyes, 189 f.;
 foot, 201;
nervous system, 205
Pella, 333
Pellicula, 352, 442
Peltoceras, 399
Pentadactylus, 423
Peraclis, 436
Pereiraea, 418
Perideris, 328–330, 443
Periodicity in breeding, 129
Periophthalmus, 187
Periostracum, 275
Periploma, 459
Perisphinctes, 399
Perissodonta, 418
Perissolax, 424
Peristernia, 424
Perna, 449;
ligament, 271
Pernostrea, 449
Peronaeus, 358, 442
Peronia, 443
Perrieria, 319, 442
Perrinia, 408
Persicula, 425
Persona (= Distortio), 420
Petenia, 353, 440
Petersia, 420
Petraeus, 295, 331, 442
Petricola, 454
Phacellopleura, 403
Phanerophthalmus, 430
Phaneta, 408
Phania, 312, 441
Pharella, 457
Pharus, 457
Pharynx, 210
Phasianella, 409
Phasis, 333
Phenomena of distribution, 362
Philine, 245, 428, 430;
protective coloration, 73;
radula, 229, 230
Philomycus, 245, 318, 440
Philonexis, 138
Philopotamis, 304, 417
Phoenicobius, 315, 441
Pholadacea, 457
Pholadidea, 457
Pholadomya, 459
Pholas, 245, 274, 447, 457;
in fresh water, 15
Phos, 424
Photinula, 408
Phragmophora, 386
Phyllidia, 434;
breathing organs, 159
Phyllirrhoe, 360, 428, 433
Phyllobranchus, 432
Phylloceras, 398, 398;
suture, 396
Phylloteuthis, 390
Physa, 439;
aestivating out of water, 27;
spinning threads, 29;
sudden appearance, 46;
osphradium, 195;
nervous system, 205;
radula, 235;
P. hypnorum, 23, 27
Pileolus, 410
Pileopsis, 76
Piloceras, 394
Pinaxia, 423