Chapter 140


    Igaze up to see two very handsome faces smiling at me as I wake.


    ‘Ready to board the ship?’ Magnus says.


    I sit up with a newfound excitement shooting through me.


    ‘Yes!’ I say with much enthusiasm. I stand up on the bed, pull Magnus and Alec in, and hug them.


    Then, I peck them both on the cheek, jump off the bed, and sit at the dresser tob my hair and


    neaten myself up before leaving.


    Maia, Damon and Sir Hugo are already there as we approach the dock. Mne load the ship with crates


    of freshly gathered fruits and vegetables and mesh bags filled with flour, salt and rice.


    ‘We have loaded different seeds and seedlings to help you live off the Ind. Oh, and I’ve had a few


    trunks of dresses, tunics and other bits and pieces ced on board for you,’ she beams.


    ‘Thank you, Queen Maia. Your kindness and hospitality had been more than we could ask for,’ I smile.


    May, Kadva and the witches are on board and wave to us from the upper deck, and Reaper flies


    through the air and perched on the beam of thergest sail. The rest of our pack board the ship along


    with the vampires, I’m relieved to see no one is afraid of the vampires and treats them the same as


    everyone else.


    Barrels of wine and rum are rolled onboard the ship as we hug people goodbye.


    ‘Stand by, make sail, the captain hollers. We quickly board the ship as the men release the dock lines


    and raise the anchor. We stand on the upper deck near the middle mast and wave goodbye to


    everyone waving us off. The seamen break into song, singing bads about rum and women or sailing


    the seas. Alec and Magnus take turns dancing with me along to the songs. My hair falls out from my


    braid as I dance. Iugh with joy and happiness as my hair blows strongly in the wind. Alec twirls me


    around and lifts me into the air. Kadva and Lc join us and dance as the others p along and tap


    their feet. Two hours of sailing goes by quickly.


    ‘Land Ho! Anchor Aweigh, The captain shouts.


    We all stop dancing and look out from the ship’s edge. The Ind is vast. Big enough for a few viges


    and fields. Alec and Magnus both hold a hand of mine each. They gently squeeze my hand and look


    down at me with endearing gazes.


    ‘We’re home,’ they both say in unison.


    I squeeze their hands back and smile between them as my eyes glisten from tears of joy.


    The crew load the small boats with the trunks and crates filled with goods and begin rowing them to


    shore. The captain escorts us to a small boat with no items on board. We step in, sit wherever we can,


    and make room for May, Kadva and others. The crew on board lower our boat down into the water with


    ropes, and two other men begin rowing us to More boats with our pack members are lowered onto the


    water and rowed to shore. Unable to help ourselves, all the witches and me give each other look and


    nod, ‘Skedaddle Dash, we all say and immediately blink, ending up on the sandy banks of the Ind.


    We turn and wave to Magnus, Alec and Kadva, who don’t look impressed with us as they are still being


    rowed to shore. We chase each other through the sandy beach, kicking sand with our feet and rolling


    around, making sand angels. We see Alec, Magnus and Kadva are now on shore and stand there in


    line with arms crossed and smirks on their faces, watching us. Reaper flies around inrge circles,


    scoping out the ind.


    Alec holds his hand out. I approach and take his hand.


    ‘Let’s find somewhere to summon our castle, he hums. We spend an hour walking through trees until


    we find an area of mostly tnd. On the outskirts to the North is a huge cliff with a waterfall. The


    water flows along a river in a curved line that leads to ake.


    ‘We could ce it in front of the river by the waterfall. This way we will always have fresh water


    avable and ake to


    swim in. Alec and Magnus nod in agreement.


    ‘This is going to take all my energy to summon. I will need to rest afterwards, Alec cautions. Magnus


    and I nod.


    Alec closes his eyes and holds his hands out as dark matter begins to sphere in the palm of his hands.


    The ground shakes and trembles with ferocity. Magnus grabs hold of me, breaking my fall. The ground


    breaks open, and a dark, gothic but beautiful castle slowly rises from the ground.


    Four corner towers appear a distance away from the castle. They link together withrge stone curtain


    walls, creating a wall of protection around the castle. The castle isplete with sleeping quarters, a


    great hall, kitchen, stables, storage cer, crypt, a library and more. Arge pebble stone courtyard


    appears outside the grand stairs of the castle. Workshops for cksmithing, candle making, baking,


    tailoring and more appear along the courtyard’s edges. A garden sorge appears with a pond and


    seats of stone. Statues adorn the garden full of roses, violets and tulips. Trees made from crystals of


    gemstones in shades of purple, pink and green appear. They are just like the trees from Silverfay


    Forest. Green hedges form together, making an intricate maze. The beautiful garden has dazzled me,


    and Alec knows it.


    Anotherrge curtained wall forms outside the first set,plete with nking towers and battlements.


    There is a drawbridge connected between two watch towers. The battlement between the two towers is


    covered. All archways are pointed. Gargoyles sit upon walls and the vaulted roofs. Therge windows


    are stained ss depicting stories of events. Whether the images are based on true events or fiction, I


    was unsure, but they are fascinating all the same. The detail on the flying buttresses adds to the


    grandness of the castle. Although the castle is and has an eeriness to it, at the same time, it’s


    hauntingly beautiful. The dark swirls upon Alec’s palm dissipate, and he falls backwards, weak from


    using all his power.


    Even though I hold his arm, I’m not physically strong enough to hold his weight. Suddenly he doesn’t


    seem so heavy. I look up to see Magnus has gripped his other arm. ‘Let me help bring him inside the


    castle. Relieved, I smile at Magnus and nod. Although Magnus and Alec have had a physical


    altercation over me. They have also bonded, treating each other as brothers and equals. I’m d they


    have be respectful and mutual toward each other. I’m proud they put their differences aside back


    in the human world and worked together to save me. They know how much I love them and how I


    would die for either of them if it ever came down to it. I shake my head at the thought. I’m about to


    drape Alec’s arm over my shoulder, but one of the vampireses forth and insists he help. I lead


    them into the castle and walk up many stairs. We find a dark chamber with an open coffin.


    ‘Inferno mo,’ I say, waving my wand at the candles. The room is now dimly lit up with small flickering


    mes. The coffin is ck with carvings and details in silver.


    ‘This is where King Alec would rest when needing to regain his power,’ The vampire says.


    ‘What’s your name?’ I ask him.


    ‘Darcy, my Queen,’ he says, bowing his head.


    ‘Nina’ Alec says. I gaze up at him and see the sweat across his forehead. I gently wipe it away and


    remember he will need my blood.


    ‘Darcy, is there a chamber with a bed rather than a coffin?’ | ask.


    ‘Of course, he bows. He helps Magnus to carry him down two doors.


    We enter arge chamber with a bed covered in silk and lush pillows.


    ‘Please, ce him on the bed, I tell them.


    We walk past the firece and mahogany furnishings to the other side of the chamber where the bed


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    is. Magnus and Darcy ce him on the bed. I climb up and sit beside him.


    ‘Thank you, Darcy. Perhaps you could give Magnus and our pack a tour to help settle in?’


    ‘Of course, my Queen,’ he says and bows his head again.


    Magnus follows him out, leaving me alone with Alec.