Heir of Broken Fate (HOBF Book 1)

I gasp awake in Knox’s arms, breathing shallow. My hands shake as I run my fingers through my sweat-covered hair.

“What is it?” Knox murmurs, rubbing his hand up and down my back.

“Send a messenger for Emory,” I croak.

Knox doesn’t question me. Throwing the sheets off, he strolls into the dressing room, emerging fully clothed. “What do you want it to say?”

“That she needs to get here as soon as possible,” I say, getting out of bed. The sunrise streaks through my windows as I walk down the hall to my room, Knox close on my heels. “I think there might be a way to break the spell.”

Knox’s eyes widen before he rushes out of the room in search of a messenger.

My hands shake as I rifle through my clothes, finally dragging tailored pants up my legs and throwing a white blouse over my head. I pray that Emory can get here fast.

Descending into the foyer, I pause as the front door opens. Nolan strides through, his sheepish expression making my stomach churn. He rubs the back of his neck, looking at the floor as he reaches me. “Can we go for a walk in the gardens?”

I tamp down on my urge to frown. “Why?” I ask hesitantly.

Nolan huffs out a breath. “I owe you an apology and an explanation.”

I dart my gaze to the top of the stairs, wishing anyone would come down and interrupt us. But as I pull my eyes back, searching his face, I only find sincerity and, perhaps, embarrassment for the situation he’s created.

I take a steadying breath, waving my hand to the back door. “Sure.”

As we walk through the garden, passing the flowerbed trail, it seems like he’s more nervous than I am, his cheeks tinted pink.

“I’m sorry for my recent outbursts. They were uncalled for and undeserved. I’m truly sorry for taking my anger and frustration out on you,” he rushes out.

I feel the sincerity in every word he speaks. I turn to face him fully, stopping amongst the roses surrounding us, Knox’s house looming in the distance. “Can I ask why my presence upsets you so much?”

He shakes his head, long blond hair swishing. “Your presence isn’t unsettling.” I look at him flatly, until a small smile twitches on his lips. “Your presence at the beginning was unsettling,” he amends.

I jut out my chin. “Thank you for the honesty.”

“I owe you an explanation.” Nolan runs his hand through his hair as he begins to pace. “My mother and sister were amongst the Fae who were taken. I haven’t seen them in over fifty years.” His face twists in pain as he stops several feet from me. “It’s no excuse, yet when you showed up—the only person who’s been able to cross the border—I was skeptical, especially with the Fae being held as slaves in the human lands.”

I close my eyes. Of course. The past few weeks of immense distrust and hostility makes sense. If it was Easton who had been taken and the roles were reversed, I would be just as skeptical.

“I know it wasn’t logical to take all my frustration out on you. Grief works in odd ways sometimes, and each time I looked at you, I saw my missing family,” he croaks out.

“I’m sorry about your sister and mother,” I say hoarsely.

His face contorts in pain, silver lining his eyes. “Thank you.”

“How did they disappear?” I ask hesitantly.

His Adam’s apple bobs on a swallow. “We lived in the lower coastal region of Azalea. I had left earlier that day for the legion. There had been petty fights breaking out that Knox needed me to break up.” His chest caves on a deep exhale. “I came home two days later to find the house empty. Dirty dishes from the morning I left were still in the sink, and when I searched their rooms, I found it trashed, windows shattered, furniture thrown around…They fought hard.”

My heart breaks for the pain that coats his voice as he retells his nightmare. I place my hand on his forearm. “Perhaps our plan will work and you’ll see them again.”

He takes a step back, his head shaking. “What plan?”

“I need to speak with Emory first to make sure it will work, but I have an idea.”

I expect to see a small glimmer of hope in Nolan’s eyes, yet all I see is fear.

Emory walks through the sitting room door several hours later, waving her hand around the room. “You summoned me?” she teases, her brow quirking.

Knox closes the door behind them, taking a seat beside me. Everyone is sitting around the room once more, each more impatient than the next.

“What if there’s a spell that can destroy and recreate the Tree of Life?” I ask. Everyone visibly deflates at my idea, except for Knox—he’s the only encouraging face letting me speak.

“We already went over this,” Emory says gently.

“Yes, but what if while I destroy it, I hold onto the lifeline in the tree that’s pure? The core—its essence.”

“I don’t know any spells—”

“Phoenix rising,” I say, cutting her off.

Knox stiffens beside me. The others look at me disbelievingly.

“You want to perform a phoenix rising spell?” Emory asks.

I lift my chin. “I saw the spell in my dream, the tree being burnt to ash, destroying the lifeline of the dark magic, while I hold onto the core of the tree’s essence and rebuild it.”

“That’s an incredibly strong spell, Delilah,” Ace murmurs anxiously.

“I have access to my full power.”

Emory shakes her head. “The tree itself is powerful. You’d have to use up almost every last drop of your magic. If you don’t complete the spell before you burn yourself out the tree will die and—”

“If you overuse your power…you can permanently burn out,” Lenox whispers, eyes wide as he cuts Emory off.

I look around at everyone’s shocked and anxious expressions, yet there’s a small slice of hope, I can feel it. Noticeably, Knox has been silent the entire time. When I turn to him, his face is pale. I bite my lip, anxiety coursing through me at seeing his own worry.

“Knox?” I whisper.

“What if I do the spell with her?” he asks, lifting his stricken gaze to Emory.

Emory grimaces. “None of us have enough power for a spell of this magnitude. You’d burn out before you even started.”

Knox’s swallow is audible.

I square my shoulders. “What are the chances of it killing me?” I ask Emory.

Lenox’s mouth opens and closes at my words, Axel leaning forward in his chair as if the threat of my death is sitting in this very room and he must stop it. Hazel has withdrawn into herself, Ace’s worried expression mirroring her own, while Harlow openly assesses me, sizing me up. Emory bites her lip, her brows furrowing in concentration. A light flowing energy surrounds me, probing. Emory’s magic.

The calm energy snaps away. “You have more than enough magic for the spell. If you don’t use your power before the spell, you’ll be fine.”

“Will it take long for you to teach me the spell?” I ask.

“The spell itself is simple. It’s the magnitude of the life force in the tree that’s tricky,” Emory explains.

“Let’s do it then,” I decide.

Lenox sputters, “Just like that? This is your life on the line!”

My eyes soften. “I’m the only one that can do the spell and we have no other options. Emory said so herself, I have more than enough magic.”

Lenox’s bewildered eyes snap to Knox. “And you’re fine with this?”

I turn to Knox, his eyes searching my own. “It’s Delilah’s decision. If we don’t help her she’ll do it on her own, which is more dangerous.”

I pat his thigh. “Smart man.”

The room is silent before Axel snaps into his role of second-in-command. “We’ll need a plan on how to get you in and out without using a drop of your magic.”

After hours of detailed discussion and consideration for any pitfalls that could happen, we finally have a substantial plan. Harlow left hours ago to spy on Emmalyn and the queen, to get as much information about her as we possibly can. Sitting in front of a map of the Fae lands, I point to the center of the lands as everyone runs through their task for tomorrow once more.

“I’ve sent out a messenger demanding a mandatory meeting of the courts.” Knox lifts his head, his gaze piercing Axel. “You need to delay the queen and Emmalyn for as long as possible. I don’t care what bullshit you spew in that room so long as everyone stays occupied.”

Axel smirks. “Spew bullshit to the queen. Understood.”

I lean back in my seat. “While I fly Aurora to the tree, Knox will fly beside me, guarding,”

“Nolan will take the legions out on a mission for a ‘threat’ the queen received so the queen’s second can’t send any troops in,” Knox adds.

Lenox’s grin widens as he says, “While Ace and I light fires in the area surrounding the tree.”

I nod. “The guards posted around the tree are running strictly on orders—protect it at all costs. Knox saw as such when he dipped into their minds. If they see fires burning near, they’ll have to leave their post to put it out.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but…keep the fires going for as long as possible,” Knox cuts in.

“Just don’t burn the entire forest down,” Axel mutters as Lenox smirks.

“Harlow will keep the beasts contained to the compound, transforming into whatever creature she sees suitable to keep the demons in their hole,” I mutter.

“Any remaining guards that stay on their post around the tree will be met with Hazel’s vines and my telepathy,” Knox says, jutting his chin to Hazel.

“If there’s more than we expect who stay on their posts, I can use my own earth magic to tangle them while helping Lenox set the fires,” Ace chimes in.

“If either plan fails, Delilah has enough magic to make herself invisible, but that’s the worst-case scenario. I don’t want her using any magic before the spell if it can be avoided,” Emory chimes in from her seat at the head of the coffee table.

“That takes care of Emmalyn, the kings and queens, warrior legions, the guards posted and the beasts…Are we missing anything?” I ask, looking around the room.

Knox shakes his head. “You just need to learn the spell.”

Harlow bursts into the room, the doors slamming behind her as she struts to a chair. “I now know more about this bitch than she does.”

Lenox rolls his eyes. “Always with the dramatic flare.”

Axel snickers, snapping his mouth shut as Harlow’s hard brown eyes slide to him. “Emmalyn has been the queen’s second for over three hundred years, and she was born and raised in the Air Court, her father being the royal family’s personal guard.”

Ace leans forward in his seat. “How did a daughter’s guard become second-in-command?”

“My thoughts exactly. The queen had a different second-in-command. One day she woke up and fired her, establishing Emmalyn as her second.”

“I’m sure she received training for the position,” Nolan offers.

Harlow’s glare at Nolan is flat and emotionless.

Axel’s brows furrow. “You think Emmalyn orchestrated it?”

“I think you can’t create an entrapment spell without heavily planning it for years.”

A chill runs down my spine.

How long has Emmalyn been planning all of this? How many people did she harm along the way to make her plans come to fruition, and why would she do any of this in the first place?

I leave Knox’s court to their bickering, following Emory into Knox’s study to learn the spell.

Emory clicks her tongue as she takes her seat in a wooden chair, wasting no time. “The phoenix rising is a simple purification spell. It’s the recreation that we need to work—”

“I want to learn the spell in case I have to step in,” Knox interrupts as he enters the study, taking a seat beside me on the sofa.

Emory doesn’t voice it, but we both know it will be pointless. Even with the immense amount of power Knox has, he isn’t at his strongest. The poison has been slowly blinding his magic for decades. But Emory simply nods, knowing there’s no point in fighting Knox. He needs to feel useful and wants to know he can help me in any way he can.

“I was just explaining that the purification aspect of the spell is simple. It’s the recreation of the life force we need to focus on, since that’s what will use up most of her magic,” Emory tells Knox.

His voice is laced with worry as he says, “I haven’t taught Delilah any purification spells.”

“She has fire magic. That’s the purification element. All Delilah has to do is burn the dark magic while holding onto the core magic of the tree’s life force. We’ll practice on one of your trees in the garden.”

“How do I rebuild the tree?” I ask.

“That’s where your earth magic comes in. Has anyone taught you how to grow plants?” Emory asks.

“Yes, Hazel taught me weeks ago. I know how to make all sorts of plant life grow and flourish.”

Emory leans forward. “You make plant life flourish because you connect with its life force, speeding up the growth. It’s the exact same thing, the only difference being the sheer size of the tree.”

I bite my lip. “Will I know when it’s complete?”

“Yes, you’ll feel it in your bones. You’ll no longer feel like you have to physically hold it up. Once the spell is complete it’s as if the weight of it has been lifted off you.”

“It sounds too easy,” Knox mutters.

“The spell is easy, rebuilding the life force of the tree isn’t,” Emory answers flatly.

Emory shows me the original phoenix rising spell, pulling an old leather-bound book out of her bag. We pour over the book until every word is memorized, until my eyes begin to blur and the words on the page swirl. Emory pushes me to continue reading, saying there’s more power in knowledge. I recite the ins and outs of the spell in detail, recalling information about how it works and what to do. Once Emory is satisfied that I know every detail we head outside to the garden, Knox a silent stand of support behind me as Emory coaches me through the spell.

My bones begin to feel heavy by the twenty-seventh time, a burnout looming as I burn, hold the tether of life, and revive the tree, over and over. I can no longer smell the flowers around me; an ashy scent coats everything. My body protests, pushed past the point of exhaustion, as I make the tree grow once more, my knees buckling beneath me. I can’t help but close my heavy eyes, my eyelids feeling like grains of sand.

Knox’s arms wrap around me as he cradles me to his chest. I listen to his strong heartbeat as it thumps wildly against my ears.

“She’ll be fine, Knox. She mastered the spell by the third time. I just needed to know how long it took her to burn out,” I hear Emory say.

Knox’s strangled voice floats through my ears. “Does she have enough?”

“She has more than enough; she’ll be fine. She just needs to rest.”

I don’t hear the rest of the conversation as sleep drags me under, so deep that I forget my own name as I fall into blissful darkness.

I awake later that evening to an empty bed, my bones tired and heavy. Looking at the darkened night sky through the window, I figure it must be close to midnight.

Sudden panic rushes through my chest, and my power sears through the house as I search for him. I breathe a sigh of relief when I feel him in his study.

Throwing the covers off I take one of Knox’s white shirts, covering my naked body. I find Knox sitting shirtless at his desk, wearing nothing but gray sleep pants. Knox leans back in his chair, his brows furrowing. “What are you doing up? You should be resting.”

I round the desk, sitting on the edge of the dark mahogany. “I’m no longer tired.”

Knox places a hand on my calf, massaging the tense muscles.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” I ask tentatively.

Knox shrugs sheepishly. “I wanted to run over the plans again.”

I lean forward, placing a kiss on his cheek. “Do you feel better?”

He frowns. “I’m just worried.”

“About?”

“You.”

“You heard Emory, I have plenty of magic. It’s not a risk.”

Knox stares at me so intensely I have to force myself to sit still and not squirm.

“Why can’t you sleep?” he asks again, changing the topic as he runs his hand up and down my calf.

Lowering my eyes, I play with the hem of his shirt I’m wearing. “I woke up and you weren’t there.”

“Ahhh,” he murmurs. His hands grab my hips, dragging me across the desk to sit in front of him. He runs his hands up my inner thigh, parting them. “I think we both need to take our minds off tomorrow,” he whispers, trailing kisses up the inside of my thigh.

My nipples tighten, poking through his shirt as my core begins to pulse. “I think that can be arranged,” I say, running my fingers through his hair.

Knox licks a path from my knee to my hip, sending a shiver down my body. He lifts my legs up, placing my feet on the desk, making me spread bare for him.

His eyes spark with burning heat as they lock on mine. My breath quickens as he lifts his white shirt that I’m wearing, his tongue darting out to lick his lips as his pupils flare. My chest heaves as he lowers his head, his eyes never leaving mine as he licks the entire length of my core.

My head drops back on a low moan as I tug his hair, trying to pull him closer to me. He slips two fingers inside me, pumping as his tongue swirls over my clit.

Air brushes against my back, the sounds of paper flying throughout the room and clutter hitting the floor as Knox uses his power of air to clear the desk entirely.

Black shadows swirl around me, and then my t-shirt buttons fly in the air, popping as my shirt is ripped open. A shadowed palm runs down my chest, pushing me to lay flat on my back. My hands are held together above my head, the shadows clutching my wrists, until I’m completely pinned down not only by Knox’s body but his magic too. More hands appear, the featherlight touch of his shadows cupping my breasts, rubbing small circles around the sensitive, hard nipples.

“Oh gods,” I breathe, squirming beneath his overwhelming touch.

I look over my stomach to see the top of his head between my thighs. The sight makes wetness pool from me, my core clenching around his fingers as my hips roll, grinding against his face.

“You taste so fucking good, Angel,” he growls.

Shadows twirl around me as he feels every inch of my body with his magic. His bicep starts flexing, moving rapidly, and my body shivers as I realize he’s touching himself to the sight of him pleasuring me. “Knox,” I whimper.

My core clenches around his fingers. I’m on the verge of exploding when he curls his fingers, rubbing that spot inside of me as he commands, “Come on my face.”

My orgasm rips through me, and I shamelessly ride it out as my hips buck wildly on Knox’s face while he continues to lick my clit and pump his fingers. I need more, I need him inside of me. I have never felt so good yet empty at the same time.

Knox groans as he pushes out of his chair, his glorious length standing to attention. He wraps his hand around it, stroking himself. “Do you want me inside of you, Angel?” he drawls, his voice so low it sends shivers through me.

“Yes,” I whimper.

He disappears, his dark chuckle coming from behind me.

I jump off the desk, turning to find Knox sitting naked on the couch, his arms spread across the back of it. He crooks his finger at me. “Come here.”

A shiver races through my body at his demanding tone. I slowly stride around the desk, stopping in front of him.

“What do you want, Angel?”

“I want to taste you,” I rasp.

His eyes flare, pupils dilating as magic erupts around the room.

I want to make this man come completely undone. The thought propels me forward. I peel off his shirt, letting it fall from my hands as I stand bare before him. I place my hands on his knees as I kneel, satisfaction filling my veins as his eyes heat at the sight of me.

Leaning forward, I capture his mouth, nipping his bottom lip, then scraping my canines down the length of his neck. My palms flatten against his chest, feeling the hard planes of his muscles ripple as his chest heaves. I lick across his collarbone, trailing kisses down his body. Knox wraps his hand around my head as I flatten my tongue against his nipple, wetness pooling between my thighs as he moans. My hard nipples brush against his warm skin, sending electricity through my body, as I lower myself further.

I wrap one hand around his length. Stroking it, I bring my mouth to the tip. I dart my tongue out, swirling around the mushroom-shaped head, licking off the pool of liquid that drips out. His jaw clenches, his hands fisting at his side. I open my mouth further, taking in his length. Knox’s eyes turn heavy-lidded on a low groan, his hands sliding into my hair. He’s so big I can’t fit more than half of him inside my mouth. While the tip nudges the back of my throat, I stroke his lower half with my hand, working in tandem with my mouth, swirling the tip of his cock on each stroke upward and sucking.

“Fuck, Angel, nothing looks as good as your mouth wrapped around my cock.”

His filthy words make wetness drip down my thigh. His nostrils flare as he scents the change in me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. “I knew you liked it when I talked.”

I can’t help the moan that escapes me, the vibrations running down Knox’s cock as I squirm on the floor, my core pulsing and begging to be touched again.

He puts his hands under my arms, lifting me to straddle him and entering me in one deep stroke. I throw my head back on a scream at the sudden intrusion, clamping around him. Knox sucks my nipple into his mouth while his hand teases and pinches the other one. My hips buck, matching him thrust for thrust.

“Faster, Angel, let me feel you squeeze me,” he growls.

I whimper, his words sending waves of pleasure through my body. I grab a fistful of his hair, pulling his head back I lower my lips to his, gasping when his tongue strokes my own as wildly as his cock drives into me.

“Do you like my filthy words?”

“Yes,” I pant into his mouth.

He slaps my ass, making me jolt forward, a surprised yelp falling from my lips. His palm rubs circles around the skin, soothing the sting as pleasure fills my core. He kneads my ass, using it to move my hips back and forth on his cock.

“Faster. Ride me faster,” he grunts, his shallow breaths mingling with my own as we kiss. He slaps my ass again, the sting of pain making my core clench and the pleasure heighten. “That’s it, Angel, let go. Make that pretty pussy explode around my cock.”

On the next slap, my wings snap out as I throw my head back on a scream, wetness dripping down my thighs. Knox’s growl of pleasure makes my legs shake. He latches onto my nipple, biting it at the same time he slaps my ass, rubbing soothing circles around the sting as he sucks my nipple.

The feeling that builds inside of me is so wild I can’t control my hips as I rock faster into him, matching his thrusts, chasing the orgasm that’s on the brink of exploding.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Knox groans, pulling my head down to his and kissing me with such ferocity stars spark in my vision.

Knox trails a finger down the center of my wings at the same time he sinks his canines in me. Holding on is the only thing I can do as I combust.

I scream Knox’s name so loud I make his own feral growl leave his lips as my orgasm tips him over the edge. Both our hips jerk relentlessly as we milk each other’s orgasm until the last second.

I collapse forward onto his chest, panting as Knox still shallowly thrusts, his orgasm unending. I smile as my canines puncture the crook of his neck, satisfaction coursing through me as he throws his head back on a deep groan, his whole body shuddering with the impact of the heightened orgasm.

Knox wraps his arms around my back, holding me to his chest as it rises and falls rapidly, both of us struggling to catch our breaths. “It gets better every time,” he whispers, his words coated in awe.

I chuckle into his neck, burying my face further. My heart feels so full it could burst. We lie in each other’s arms, neither one of us moving.

Knox’s deep drawl brings me back. “In case something goes wrong, Delilah, I—”

I cut him off with my lips, pouring everything my heart feels into the kiss.

He can tell me tomorrow after our plan works. Tomorrow could have a multitude of problems—it won’t work, we could be caught, we could be killed, or…we could be free. I have wanted to help free the Fae for months, and a small part of my heart hopes that in doing so I can free my own people. Yet with freedom comes cost. What if we free magic and all of this goes away? What if he sees his mate when his power returns? What if I have to leave it all behind tomorrow?

I kiss him with such passion that I feel him begin to swell inside me again. We stay joined, not daring to break the kiss as we slowly make love, both of us finding our orgasms once more as we pour everything we feel into that kiss.

I cherish Knox like it’s the last time I’ll ever have him.