Chapter 398

“We have no confirmation of that,” Dominic snaps, his eyes likewise on Jacks. Jackson starts to breathe hard, panicking at the idea of it. Was this – was this the Goddess reassigning someone after Luca rejected her? Or –

“Really,” Roger says, breaking in with a nod, “they would say that, just to establish Ariel as a member of their court, to have a true claim on her, we can’t know –“

But Jackson is done listening. He turns hard on his heel, heading back into the bedroom, straight for the closet. Before he’s halfway across the room, he hears the patter of the Queen’s footsteps behind him.

She reaches him, her hands outstretched, as he hauls the bag up on his shoulder. “Jackson,” Ella says, looking up at him with worried eyes. “Don’t –“

“It doesn’t change anything,” Jackson intones, his voice low and gravelly, looking with perfect seriousness into Ella’s eyes. “Mate or not, I’m going to get her. They’re still the enemy. It’s still a world that seeks to…destroy its women.” He drops his eyes on the words, shaking his head, hating again that she’s there. That some other man even has made a claim on her, when she’s so clearly his.

“Jackson,” Ella says, cool and strict, making him raise his eyes to hers again. “I don’t want you going out there unless you have your head on straight. No heroics. No…suicide missions. All right?”

“I promise,” Jackson says, meaning it. “None of this changes anything for me, Ella. It was…good to see her well.” He swallows hard, thinking of how beautiful she looked, even with her waist pinched so tight. “But all of the other stuff? It…Ella, I just want to go. Please, let me get started.”

“All right,” Ella whispers, looking over her shoulder at the closet door. “Let’s go, darling.” She nods to him once more and the two quickly leave the closet by the third door, which leads down a set of stairs and then into a servant’s hall that Jackson hasn’t seen before.

He follows the Queen through a long set of hallways that lead, to his surprise, out to a set of garages.

“There,” Ella says, gesturing towards a black car that has a man Jackson recognizes driving – one of their trusted bodyguards. “You go with Conner, he’ll take you to the outskirts and then to the badlands, where you can cross to Atalaxia.”

Jackson nods, knowing that it’s a good plan. Fast, secret. They had decided to keep it small, knowing that Dominic would object, that he’d want to keep Jackson there to help the military. But…both Ella and Jackson know, in their hearts, that that’s the wrong choice. That Jackson’s abilities are best used in stealth now, going on an individual mission.

Ella reaches her arms up for Jackson and he bends down, wrapping the Queen in a big hug. “You go get our girl,” she whispers, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“I will,” he murmurs, closing his eyes and willing himself to the goal. “I promise, I will.”

Ella gives him one more squeeze and then Jackson strides off to get into the car, starting on a long mission that will take days before he even gets anywhere. Before he can even try to make contact with Ariel.

But Ella exhales slowly, watching the car drive away, knowing she’s done the best thing that she can. For Ariel, for Jackson, for herself.

And she has faith – utter faith – that it will work out. She trusts that boy – trusts him with her daughter’s life. And there’s only one other man in this world she can truly say that about.

Ella sighs and turns away, walking quietly back into the palace and winding through long sets of stairs, taking her time getting back to the family rooms. Mostly because she is…not looking forward to telling Dominic that she has deprived him of yet another of his most powerful warriors.

She smirks a little, thinking about how pissed off Dominic is going to be. Because he’s very cute when he’s all pissed off. But Ella’s happiness at that thought doesn’t last long, wiped away by worry for her daughters, for her nephew, all of whom are missing. God, what is she going to do –

Ella’s head snaps to the right when she hears a clatter and a commotion. She blinking back to awareness and suddenly realizes that she was sort of walking on autopilot and is now at the front of the palace, heading up the formal set of stairs that leads to the family room. There’s a flutter of activity at the front entrance – shouting, too.

She frowns, peering towards it, wondering what the hell…

But then Ella goes still, instantly recognizing the voice pleading desperately for entrance.

“Let him in,” Ella calls, walking slowly back down the stairs, her arms crossed over her chest.

A series of no less than eight guards turn to her in shock. “Highness,” one says, shaking his head at her. “Are you sure? He’s – he’s very upset – he could do anything –“

“I’m sure,” Ella says, giving the guard a steady nod.

The guards hesitate for only a second before they step back, letting the soaking wet boxer stumble into the palace, panting, looking exhausted, his eyes filled with tears.

“Well, Luca,” Ella says, looking over the young man who rejected her daughter with a raised eyebrow. “I admit that I’m surprised to see you here.”

“Please,” Luca begs, shaking his head, desperation all over his face. “I – I know you all must hate me – but please – let me do anything I can to help – I can’t believe –“

“Oh, come on,” Ella says with a sigh, holding a hand out for Luca. “No need for the hysterics, boy.”

He stares at Ella for a second and then down at her hand as if he can’t believe she’s offering it.

“You’re lucky,” Ella says, a little smirk in her voice. “Jackson just left. So the chances of you getting murdered in the next few minutes just dropped significantly.”

Luca clenches his jaw but steps forward, taking her hand, clearly accepting whatever fate awaits him.

“Come on,” Ella sighs, squeezing his hand and giving him a little tug towards the stairs. “Let’s go see the big guy. See if he has a job for you.”

“Thank you,” Luca whispers. And Ella just nods, pressing herself to Luca’s wet side and letting him feel her warmth. Because even if she hates this boy a little bit right now…

Well. She also loves him too.

That’s family, after all.

I gasp awake at the sound of feet hitting packed dirt, my head flying up as I try to make heads and tails of the sudden noise, the shape storming towards me.

“What the hell are you doing here!?”

I reel away in horror when I realize that it’s Gabriel – that Gabriel has found me –

“You scared the hell out of Pippa!” he shouts, casting out a hand. “No one had any idea where you were or how you got out –“

I shout in fear and immediately throw myself backwards out of this realm, instantly transitioning and appearing back in my bed – a much softer landing, I might add, than the one I had in the Land of Darkness.

“Ariel!” Pippa gasps, and I look around in the room in stunned silence as she dashes towards me, because there are like…a lot of people here. Her eyes go wide and she grabs a throw blanket as she dashes to me, quickly throwing it over my body.

I stare at her for a second as she cries and wraps her arms around me next – and then I get it. She covered me up because I’m just sitting here in my bed in my nightgown, and there are strange men in the room.

“Ariel,” Elias says, his face lax with relief as he crosses to the edge of the bed next, reaching for me but then hesitating and pulling his hand back. “Thank goodness – we thought something terrible had happened –“

“I’m sorry,” I say, holding the crying Pippa to me. “I just…” I shrug. “I didn’t want to be here. So I went…there.”

Elias nods to me, clearly understanding my meaning, and then goes to dismiss all of the people in the room who peer at me curiously, probably wondering how the hell I appeared out of thin air.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Pippa, truly meaning the apology to her. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay,” she says, sitting up and wiping at her face. “I’m just glad you’re all right. God, Ariel, I’m certainly giving you a picture of myself as a cry baby, aren’t I?”

I laugh a little, my hands on my friend’s shoulders in what I hope is a steadying way as Elias closes the door behind the last of the people and turns back to us with a smile.

“Um,” I say, looking around anxiously. “Where is Gabriel? Why didn’t he…come back?”

“He needs to wait,” Elias says, smirking a little as he crosses to me again. “For the talisman to recharge. Why, how long does it take for yours to regenerate?”

“What?” I ask, peering at him like he’s crazy. “What are you talking about?”

Pippa and Elias both go a bit still and then lock eyes with each other, some communication going between them. I frown because…are they just best friends who have known each other since childhood? Or is there some kind of mate-speak passing between them?

“Ariel,” Elias says, focusing on me and crossing his arms over his chest. “When you go to the Land of Darkness…you can just…go?”

“Yes?” I say, staring between the two of them, curious. “Why, what’s a talisman?”

“She’s been gifted since she was an infant,” Pippa says, nodding eagerly to Elias like she’s figured it out. “Just like the girl. Darkness’s girl.”

“Yes,” Elias murmurs, curling a finger around his chin. “Yes, that does make sense, doesn’t it?”

“What,” I ask, seriously confused, staring between them. “What makes sense?”