A Fey New World: A Reverse Harem Magical Romance (The Godhunter Series Book 32) Read online

  There was nothing chilling about the image in and of itself. It was just a photograph of the English countryside. There were trees around a grassy field spotted with wildflowers and a blue sky above. But upon closer inspection, I realized that the flowers were too large and too vividly colored. They had an exotic, tropical look to them and stood out sharply against the soft backdrop of neutral browns and greens.

  “Fuck,” I whispered.

  “There are more.” Jake handed me another photograph.

  It was a close-up of one of the flowers. At that proximity there was no doubt that Hamish had been right—it didn't belong in England. Hell, those flowers didn't belong on Earth. Or in Hell, for that matter. They were fey flowers and I instantly knew why they were blooming in England: we had failed.

  Remember that meeting I mentioned—the one Arach had been in when I left? It had been to coordinate a search of all of the places in the Fire Kingdom where there used to be paths connecting Faerie to Earth. Lugh, the High Prince of Faerie, had been on vacation in Ireland with his mother a few months back. Just like Jake, Lugh had seen a flower that didn't belong to the local flora. Unlike Jake, he'd watched the flower grow and bloom in front of him—in a matter of seconds.

  Lugh's father, the High King of Faerie, didn't seem all that worried about a fey flower blooming on Earth and neither did Faerie herself. She blamed it on the flourishing of the realm but she had seemed distracted and strange to me. I would have insisted that something be done but I didn't have to. Despite his cavalier attitude, King Cian knew that Faerie seeping into the Human Realm was not a good thing. He sent out his wayfarers—faeries who specialize in the opening and closing of paths to the Faerie Realm—to search the Forgetful Forest for any open paths and close them. In addition to that, he sent a wayfarer to each elemental kingdom to close any paths found in them. Arach and I had personally gone with our assigned wayfarer and watched as he sealed several paths in our kingdom. That was months ago and we'd been assured that the paths were closed forever. And yet, here was proof that they weren't. Or that we'd missed some.

  “What are they, Tima?” Jake asked.

  Tima means “heart” in Rwandan. I was the Heart of the Intare, their goddess and source of their magic. I gave them life, sanity, and sanctuary and in return, they gave me their loyalty and obedience. I didn't like commanding people but my lions needed leadership. Without it, they'd devolve into beasts. At that moment, they needed reassurance too, but I wasn't going to be able to give it to them.

  “Those are fey flowers,” I said grimly. “A few months ago, one of them was spotted in Ireland and we determined that the magic of Faerie was seeping into the Human Realm.”

  “What did you just say?” Aidan asked as he sauntered in, his dark hair in I-just-woke-up disarray.

  “Just shut up and listen,” Elian hissed.

  Aidan grimaced but slumped over to us silently and stood with his butt a few inches in front of the fireplace, rubbing it as he pouted.

  “All of Faerie was searched for the old paths that used to connect the realms,” I went on. “Any open path was closed. They were supposed to be closed permanently.”

  “It doesn't look as if they were,” Jake noted.

  “No, it doesn't,” I murmured as I stepped closer to the table. I chose a few photographs that looked as if they were taken in different locations. “You saw these flowers in more than one place?”

  “Yeah.” Jake looked over the photos I'd collected. “You've got a shot of each.”

  “Good.” I passed them to him. “I need you to write down where you took these photos on the back of each one.”

  “Yes, Tima.” Jake pulled a pen out of his pocket and started writing.

  “I need someone to go to Earth and warn my mother and my human friends.” I looked around.

  “I'll go,” Ben offered. “I've been to all of their homes before.”

  “Thank you.”

  “What do the rest of us do?” Elian asked.

  “Nothing for now. I'm going to Faerie to speak with King Cian. I won't know anything concrete until then. But let the rest of the Pride know that Earth is off-limits for now.”

  “We've got a few lions out,” Aidan said in a worried tone.

  “Call them home,” I said urgently. “And tell everyone what's going on.”

  “What about the God Squad?” Aidan asked.

  I chewed on my lip. If I called the Squad, they'd want to help but there wasn't anything they could do. Still, I didn't want any of them wandering down to Earth when fey magic was seeping into the realm.

  “Call them and tell them what's happening,” I decided. “Tell them to stay out of the Human Realm for now and that I'll get back to them as soon as I know more.”

  “That's not going to go over well,” Hamish said.

  “No, but there's nothing any of us can do until we know exactly what's happening,” I said. “Make that clear to them.”

  “Yes, Tima,” Elian said.

  “I wrote down the name of each area and described how to get to them since they don't have addresses,” Jake said as he passed the photos back to me.

  “Thank you. I'll be back soon.” I took the photos and headed for the door. “Spread the word and get our lions home.”

  “Yes, Tima!” They all said.

  Chapter Three

  “Tell them to be on high alert and let them know that if things get dangerous, someone will bring them to Pride Palace,” I instructed Ben on his way to the tracing room.

  “Yes, Tima.”

  “And tell them to pack some things and be ready,” I added urgently. “And to stay home until I tell them it's safe.”

  “Yes, Tima.”

  I didn't like warning them without any idea of what might happen but with Faerie creeping into the Human Realm, the possibilities were endless and most of them were dangerous.

  “Thanks, Ben.” I gave his broad shoulder a pat and hurried into the elevator.

  The other lions were still in the dining hall, texting all of their absent brothers and the God Squad. Now, that I'd seen to my family and friends, I could head over to Faerie. I took the elevator back to the sixth floor.

  I walked into the bedroom just as Trevor was heading out. He didn't have our son with him. Instead, Vero sat at the kitchen table next to Lesya. My other husbands—Odin, Kirill, Azrael, Re, and Viper—were gathered around the table with the kids. They all looked up from their breakfast beverages and smiled at me. Then they saw my expression.

  “What is it?” Odin shot to his feet.

  I looked from Odin to the children, whose eyes had gone round with worry. “Nothing.” I grinned at the kids. “What's for breakfast?”

  “Uncle Re is making muffins,” Lesya declared as if this were an amazing feat of culinary skill.

  Lesya's long, ebony curls were pulled back into a braid that matched her father's. Both of them wore their hair braided for bed and I loved it when they forgot to unbraid it in the morning; it made them look even more alike. And she wasn't the only child who looked a lot like her father. Vero was practically a miniature version of Trevor, right down to his honey eyes.

  I inspected the table which displayed a significant lack of muffins and lifted a brow. “Where are these magical muffins?”

  “I don't Harry-Potter them into existence.” Re rolled his golden eyes. “They've only just gone into the oven.”

  “Since when do you cook?” I asked.

  “It's baking, not cooking, and I was getting tired of pancakes,” Re said with a pointed look at Trevor. “So I looked up a video on YouTube.”

  Yep, the Egyptian Sun God just admitted to learning to make muffins from a YouTube video. This was generally how my days went.

  “The kids love pancakes.” Trevor shrugged.

  “Gods cannot live on pancakes alone,” Re announced. “We must have muffins and waffles and scones and more!”

  The children laughed and cheered.

  “Well, thank you for the
effort,” I said. “Odin, could I speak to you for a minute?” I waved a hand toward the dressing room.

  “Of course.” Odin gave the other men a look, then followed me into the dressing room, shutting the door behind us. “What's happened?”

  The murmur of men and children filtered through the door—the former trying to keep the latter from leaving the table before breakfast arrived.

  “Remember that fey flower Lugh saw in Ireland?” I asked.

  “Ye-e-s,” Odin drew out the word warily.

  “Jake just saw a bunch of them in England.” I showed him the photographs. “I'm going to jump over to Faerie and talk to Arach and the High King.”

  “Fey flowers in England?” Odin asked as he looked over the pictures. “But you said the paths were sealed.”

  “I thought they were. There could be some that we missed.”

  “Vervain, if Faerie has been seeping into the Human Realm for months, there could be—”

  “Don't finish that sentence,” I cut him off and took back the pictures. “I don't want to panic prematurely. We don't know what's happening yet. Perhaps one of the paths reopened. Perhaps this is something else. Until we find out, we need to keep calm.”

  “Yes, you're right,” Odin agreed. “Go to Faerie. I'll wait in here so they won't know you've left.”

  Since Odin knew I was leaving, it wasn't breaking our rule. If anything went wrong, he would tell the others where I was. Mainly, I didn't want to alarm the children.

  “Thank you.” I kissed him quickly. “And good morning.”

  Odin chuckled. “Good morning to you too, sweetheart.”

  I looked down at my Ring of Remembrance—a wide gold band with a clear oval, cabochon gemstone set in it lengthwise—and asked it to take me back to Faerie, a minute after I'd last left. My body tingled as magic rushed over me—a shimmering wave of power that swept me up and transported me through time and the realms. I became pure energy, my body vanishing and then reappearing at the foot of my bed in Castle Aithinne.

  The mattress sat in a sturdy metal frame with elaborate posts hung with thick curtains—deep blue with golden stars. The last curtains hadn't burned (it happens often enough to note), merely been changed out. The bed linens matched the new curtains, in shades of blue and gold, and fluffy pillows leaned against the filigree headboard. But the bed was missing something. Or someone, rather.

  Strong arms wrapped around me from behind and I was pulled against a solid chest. A bare, masculine chest.

  “There you are,” a low voice rumbled in my ear. “I've been getting anxious.”

  Did I forget to mention that the horny situation hadn't changed?

  I pulled free of my husband's embrace—a bit like getting bread dough off my fingers—and turned to face him. Arach was naked and glorious. I couldn't help a quick glance down the sleekly muscled expanse of his body. All predator grace and power with the alien beauty of his race, Arach was a stunning man who was usually difficult to deny. But lately, difficult had turned into near-impossible. Arach oozed raw sexuality more than even Re did—and that was saying something. It was getting harder and harder to turn down his constant seductions.

  Especially when he was so hard.

  I groaned and returned my gaze to his face. “Stop!” I held up a hand when he started to reach for me. “I have to mirror King Cian.”

  “Right now?” Arach growled with a pointed look at his erection. “You've just returned.”

  “You were without me for precisely sixty seconds,” I chided and headed to the mirror. “Put something on, Dragon. I don't think the High King is going to be happy to see all your mama gave you.”

  “All my... Vervain, I demand that you do your duty as my wife and see to my sexual needs this instant!”

  I stopped and turned to face him with my oh-no-you-didn't expression.

  His angry face faltered. “I mean—”

  “Did you just demand that I have sex with you?” I cut him off. “As if I were property?”

  “I... well...” he stammered. “Damn it, Vervain, I'm in pain!”

  I let out a startled laugh. “I'll get to you in a minute, okay? This is important.”

  “What could possibly be more important than this?” Arach waved a hand at his shaft—rock-hard and weeping.

  “Will you just put on a robe or something?” I snapped.

  “Fine,” he snarled, smoke trailing out of his nose, and snatched a pair of pants off the floor. He pulled them on as I went to stand before my vanity's mirror.

  I rubbed some eyebright over the glass and called out, “High King Cian.”

  By the time the mirror's reflection shifted into the image of the High King of Faerie, my husband had gotten fully dressed and stood at my side. Thankfully, the vanity's chair blocked his lower half. He may have been clothed but nothing could hide his aroused state. Arach may not have been hung like a horse but he was hung like a dragon. Or Dragon-Sidhe, rather.

  “Queen Vervain,” King Cian said warmly, “how are you?”

  King Cian's snowy hair hung loose around him, past the view of the mirror. He only wore a tunic—no royal robes or cape over it—and his pale skin didn't just shimmer gold but also had a rosy flush to it. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously and his golden eyes widened innocently.

  “I've had some disturbing news, King Cian,” I announced. “I... uh, are you all right?”

  Cian cleared his throat. “Yes, of course. What is your news?”

  “More fey flowers have been seen in the Human Realm. Specifically, in England.” I held a photograph up to the mirror.

  “What?” Arach growled.

  “What?!” a feminine shriek came from Cian's right and Queen Meara stepped into view, dressed only in a silk robe. Her crimson hair—a shade nearly identical to Arach's—hung wildly around her.

  “Ah, I see,” I murmured. “I'm so sorry to have interrupted.”

  “It's no matter; we've been having sex for days. I'm sure we'll survive a short intermission.” Meara waved her hand dismissively as she drew closer to the mirror. “What's this about fey flowers in England?”

  “We need to check the paths again,” I said as Arach snatched the pictures from me. “Either one of them reopened or...”

  “Or we have another leak,” Cian said pensively. “I will send my wayfarers out again, Queen Vervain, but I think we need to attack this problem from both sides or both realms, as it were.”

  “I agree,” Arach said as he looked up from the pictures. “We need to send faeries to the Human Realm to investigate.”

  “And to retrieve or destroy the fey flora,” Cian added. “If I send my son with some wayfarers will you accompany them, Queen Vervain?”

  “Yes, of course,” I said immediately.

  “And I will join my wife,” Arach declared.

  “Shouldn't you stay here to help the wayfarer when he returns?” I asked Arach.

  Arach frowned.

  “Look, we're a few days behind the God Realm. Or, rather, the time I came from in the God Realm,” I pointed out. “Which means that if I trace to the Human Realm with Lugh now, I'll probably be there before Jake arrives in England for his vacation.”

  Since I hadn't been to the Human Realm for weeks, I'd be fine to go back in time there. Keeping track of where I'd been and when had become second nature to me but I still kept a calendar to be sure.

  “Who's Jake?” Arach scowled.

  “Oh, he's the Intare who took these pictures,” I explained. “What I'm trying to say is that we'll have a head start. The flowers might not even be there yet. There won't likely be anything you can do.”

  “You forget that I have a Ring of Remembrance too, Vervain,” Arach said patiently. “I can travel to the Human Realm with you now and use my ring to return to Faerie when we're finished. I won't be gone for more than a minute.”

  “Right.” I made a self-conscious huff. “Of course. Sorry.”

  Arach's ring had, in a way, been the spoils of w
ar. It had belonged to the last Queen of the Earth Kingdom, who had conspired to kill me so many times that she was finally executed for it. King Cian gave Arach her ring afterward. I often forgot that he had it.

  “We'll meet Prince Lugh at the Great Tree, High King,” Arach said firmly. “Shall we say midday?” Arach glanced at me, then added, “Give or take an hour.”

  “Very well,” Cian agreed. “I'll let Lugh know.”

  As soon as the mirror cleared, becoming a reflective surface again, Arach's entire demeanor shifted. He growled, tossed the photographs on the vanity, snatched me up, and ran to the bed like a Viking on his first raid.