She stiffens and he could curse himself for his stupidity. “I am incapable of bearing a daughter,” she says shortly.
“Regardless,” Vito says softly. “You must see that this, all of this, is wrong.”
“It’s done,” Maurelle says.
“I need to speak to her,” Vito says. He cannot let her go another minute under Kalen’s spell. It is abhorrent what he is doing to her.
“You cannot. Kalen won’t allow you within a hundred miles of her,” Maurelle states.
Vito realizes that his sister is right. He will not get near enough to her on Light Fae lands but there is another option. “He cannot refuse an invitation from her father,” he says. “Get Drake to invite them here for a feast and I will manage the rest.”
“I cannot ‘get’ Drake to do anything,” she says witheringly.
“Maurelle,” Vito snaps at her. “This is wrong, and you know it. I would stand back if this is really what she wants but it isn’t. You know it and so do I. And I dread to think about what this is doing to her mind.”
That gets to Maurelle. He sees her pale slightly and it makes his stomach twist even more into a knot. He has only heard tales of how destructive the spelling of a Light Fae can be. Maurelle clearly knows more than he does.
“I will speak to him. Suggest a celebratory feast,” she says eventually. “That is all I will do,” she adds vehemently as he is about to hug her in thanks.
Vito just nods his gratitude instead. “Where are the others?” he asks, only now wondering how they could have let this happen to her.
“Drake sent them back to the Underworld,” Maurelle says.
“Oh,” Vito says. He cannot get back to the Underworld without assistance. He isn’t royalty so he doesn’t possess the power to transport himself between places. He is only a lowly Lesser Immortal and will never possess the power to Teleport no matter how old he gets. He needs to discuss options with the rest of Aefre’s men, but if he leaves here, he will not be able to return. He must stay where he is until he has spoken to Aefre and then, somehow, he will have to convince her to use her powers to get them out of here and away from Kalen for good.
“Drake and Kalen forged a new circle when they sent the others home,” Maurelle suddenly whispers directly into his ear. “It goes straight from the borders to Aeval’s garden in the Underworld.”
She backs off as quickly as she advanced on him and
he knows she has just gone against everything she believes in to tell him that.
“Thank you,” he whispers, but she just gives him a curt nod and turns her back on him. He is dismissed.
He has much to plan, but, first things first, he needs to reach the others and fill them in. Vito heads out to the forest, trying desperately to think of a way to get Aefre away from her Faerie husband.
The Underworld, October 2014 - Devon
“Look,” he says to Xane’s back, needing the Demon to focus.
Xane holds his hand up and continues to stare at the stacks he landed in front of when he went after Sebastian. “Don’t,” he says.
“This isn’t about Sebastian,” Devon presses. “It’s about Lincoln.”
That causes Xane to turn to face him. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you see?” he cries. “This is good news.” He walks over to Xane and grips his shoulders and shakes him. “She needed him. Their Wolf-y bond is tugging on her. Sebastian hasn’t been able to spell it out of her! It’s too strong. He wouldn’t risk coming for Lincoln if she didn’t need him. You must use your bond to get to her! Right now!”
Xane opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by the French doors opening. Vito strolls in and stops when he sees them. “Oh good, you’re here. Where is everyone else?”
Devon blinks at him and then spins on his heel as he feels a sense of magick so strong behind him it can only be Remiel.
“Cole!” he bursts out in relief as he sees the two men, only to stop short and frown at Remiel, his heart sinking.
“Relax, he’s fine,” Remiel says, giving Cole a little shake. He currently has him dangling by the scruff of his neck and his legs are swaying from side to side.
“What did you do to him?” Devon roars at Remiel and in a flash, is in front of him, ready to strike.
“Why, nothing,” Remiel says, glaring down at him. “This isn’t my handy work; this is merely a side effect of the wards I had to break through to bring him here.”