Kohl

It had been a long day. All I wanted to do was find Icelyn, hold her body close to mine, and love her all night long.

My trip to the Day Realm was frustrating, to say the least. The King of the Day Realm was completely psychotic. Leon was a good leader and a good friend until that witch Isadora put a curse on him. He had been living in agony for decades, and it had finally made his mind snap.

There was an evil in the Day Realm, something I could feel but couldn't quite put my finger on. It almost reminded me of Isadora. Isadora...just the thought of her made my skin crawl. Her evilness knew no bounds. Thankfully Leon and I had managed to destroy her before she caused too much irreversible damage to Gregorian. I shook my head, trying to put aside the acidic memories that plagued my mind. I had to find a way to stop Leon.

He was hell-bent on punishing everyone for his pain. What would he prove by waging war on the smaller, weaker realms? They didn't stand a chance against his iron weapons, and I had yet to figure out how he and his people could even touch the things. He had to have a witch on his side, and she had to be powerful to cast a spell like that. Maybe it was an Obsidian witch; if so, we were all screwed. But how was he even capable of controlling one of those vile creatures?

I gripped my head; all this speculation was giving me a headache. I needed solid answers, not theories; unfortunately, Leon was unwilling to give away any of his secrets.

"Kohl?" I looked up as Athen walked into my room.

"You have to do something about all of these fae that Icelyn has brought into the castle. The castle will not be standing by sunup if they remain here."

Athen, the normally trim and composed one, stood before me with her uniform in a shamble and her hair sticking up in odd angles. The sight sent me over the edge, and I laughed so hard I had tears welling up in my eyes.

She walked over and punched me on the arm.

"This is serious," she growled.

"I am told Icelyn wants them here until they have recovered. What do you want me to do?" I walked towards my balcony, breathing in the rich night air.

Athen huffed in frustration and tried to tame her unruly hair. "Fine, but I'm not watching over them anymore. I have more prominent obligations, and they don't include babysitting."

"How did Icelyn do today?" I changed the subject.

I was done with it. If Icelyn wanted to watch over them, I wouldn't tell her she couldn't. I had heard rumors all day of what had happened between her and the slavers, but I wanted to hear it from my second in command.

"It pains me to say this, but as your friend, I owe you an apology..." She paused, and I know she did not offer an apology easily.

"She is a good queen, Kohl. You should have seen her sticking up for the lesser fae. I didn't tell anyone this, but I'm sure she will tell you eventually." She turned away from me, the act making me nervous.

"She risked her life today to save that little siren princess. She went into the water and put that infant back into its mother's arms."

My pulse increased in tempo. Sirens were evil fae and should never be trusted, and to hear that my mate went into the water, into their realm, had me shaking with furry.

"How could you let her do that?" I gripped the railing in fury, and the stone cracked under my viselike grip.

"Have you met her? I couldn't have stopped her, nor could you, and you know it."

She was right, of course; apparently, Icelyn needed a firm talking to about doing stupid things, especially without me there to ensure her safety. I turned to find Icelyn.

"The Queen of the Merpeople thanked her and offered Icelyn their loyalty."

I stopped and turned back towards Athen. No one in all the realms had ever managed to gain the trust of the Merpeople. Icelyn had done something in a day that all the Gregorian leaders couldn't do for centuries.

"My little Snowflake." I smiled.

My heart suddenly lurched. I gripped my chest as the pain intensified. It felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped my heart out. I was a strong fae, but the pain brought me to my knees.

"Kohl! What is it?" Athen shouted and pulled on me to help me stand.

I felt it the instant Icelyn is taken from me. I felt our mate bond snap. The pain from losing her was unbearable.

"No!" I yelled so loud that the glass in the room shattered.

I thundered in my anger and pain as I whisked my broken body to her. I appeared in her room and stopped dead in my tracks. There, sprawled out in the middle of the floor, was my love, my life. I hurried to her and pulled her lifeless body into my arms.

"Icelyn!" Tears fell down my cheeks as I searched her body.

On the floor next to her was the apple, the same apple I saw Jen with just a few moments ago. It oozed a potent green poison. Why hadn't I smelled it before? There was another scent in the room that should not be in my realm. I breathed deeply...Grimhilde. How did she get into my realm without me noticing? This was all my fault.

I brushed my hand along Icelyn's cheek. Praying, hoping, willing her to open her eyes. I felt her pulse flutter under my fingertips and, with it, a glimmer of hope.

"Icelyn?" I shook her gently, and her eyes fluttered open.

Relief washed over me, but something was still not right. Her light has gone out, her features dimmer, her body more diminutive, and her smell different. Most importantly, why was our mate bond severed if she was alive?

Her now muted blue eyes looked up at me in confusion. I brought her closer and inhaled her scent. My world tilted on its axis, my mind barely registering what my senses told me. Icelyn was no longer a fae but a human...