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KADE WAS STILL REELING slightly from the kiss he’d shared with Sorcha. He’d never felt this much desire for anyone before. He wished he could take things further with her. Unfortunately, he’d sensed her power was strong, but nowhere near the level he needed from a partner. It wouldn’t be fair to try to have a relationship with Sorcha as well as binding himself to another woman for life. Somehow, he didn’t think any female would be happy with that type of arrangement.
He watched Sorcha leave the elven woods, then sent out his senses to probe the other beings who were strolling through the forest. None of them suited his needs, so he teleported back to the dense jungle near the mountains to the north of the Fae District.
The rain increased in strength, but the canopy and his hood sheltered him. Mud clung to his boots and leaves and twigs coated his trousers as he slogged through the trees. He came to a small pool of crystal-clear water and halted. Droplets dotted the surface of the pool, shattering his reflection when he looked down at himself. Pretty flowers encircled the pond. Lily pads floated in the center of the water. Bright green frogs were croaking loudly, trying to outdo each other with their volume.
The warlock’s stress and anxiety eased a little as he watched the wildlife go about their business. He wished Nox could be as tranquil as this and that everyone’s troubles could be erased. In order for that to happen, the Immortal Triumvirate had to go. He’d desperately been trying to think of a way to save the City of Night if he and his allies managed to overthrow their leaders. Nox had the potential to be the haven it was promised when it was first created. He didn’t want to see it come to an end and for the magical beings and creatures to be displaced.
His thoughts were interrupted by a flash of white in the pool. He looked up and his breath caught in his throat when the unicorn stepped through the trees. The beast came to a stop across the pond from him. He regarded the intruder through depthless brown eyes. He was even more magnificent than the warlock had expected. His coat and mane were pure white and were without a speck of mud. His horn was about twelve inches long and was sharp on the end. Magic seeped out of the unicorn constantly and was absorbed into the air. Just as Kade had suspected, the magical creatures helped support the city to keep it functioning.
“I need your help,” Kade said. He kept his tone low and gentle so he didn’t startle the unicorn. The creature dipped his head in acknowledgement. Clearly, he knew why the warlock was there. He’d chosen to reveal himself to hear his plea. “The Immortal Triumvirate created Nox, but their selfish actions have threatened the entire city and everyone in it,” he said. “My allies and I have formed a new triumvirate. We intend to overthrow our enemies. There’s a chance that Nox will cease to exist once Lord Dallinar, Lord Kreaton and Lord Graham are dead, but I’m hoping we can harness the magic they stole from the Night Cursed beings and funnel it back into the city somehow.” How he was going to pull that off was still a mystery.
“We’ve obtained an artifact that will weaken Lord Kreaton, but a spell is needed before we can use it,” he went on. “The spell requires a hair from a unicorn. I ask that you allow me to take one of your hairs, so my allies and I can attempt to change the fate of Nox and all who dwell within its boundaries.”
The unicorn stared at him and he dimly sensed it delving into his mind. He didn’t try to hide his thoughts as the beast rifled through his memories. It delved all the way back to when he’d been a small child. The magical creature witnessed the highest and lowest points of his entire life. The process only took a few seconds, then the unicorn withdrew his presence from his mind.
Kade’s shoulders slumped when the unicorn broke eye contact with him. He’d failed to convince the animal to help him, which meant their chances of defeating the Immortal Triumvirate had just been greatly reduced. He wasn’t about to tell Sebastian or Raum about the ingredients he needed to use on the silver tablet. He would never allow any harm to come to the unicorn. He was too pure to let anyone to ruin him.
The unicorn bent his head to drink from the pond. Kade was bemused when a tiny sprite zoomed out from where she’d been hiding. She approached the beast and conjured up a glove to cover her hand. She gently plucked a single hair from his mane, then flew across the pond to the wizard. “Here, take it,” she said and offered the white strand of hair to him.
“Did you just steal that from the unicorn?” he asked in shock.
She snorted out a laugh. “Of course not, you moron! He told me to give it to you. Take it before he changes his mind.”
Kade reached out and took the strand. The moment he touched it, visions flashed through his mind. He saw glimpses of Nox from its creation to the present, then beyond. Staggering back a few steps, he bumped into a tree and put his hand against the trunk for support. The barrage was too confusing for him to make out much, but he saw himself and his allies embroiled in a war with the Immortal Triumvirate. Armies had formed on both sides. They clashed in an epic battle in the Vampire, Fae and Shifter Districts.
The warlock blindly tucked the unicorn hair into his pocket. The visions cut off as soon as he was no longer touching it. Now he knew why the sprite had worn a glove to take the hair from the unicorn. A vicious headache pounded inside his skull and his vision swam in and out. He looked up to thank the unicorn only to find it was gone. The frogs croaked their unlovely songs, ignoring him completely. He was an outsider and he didn’t belong here, so he teleported home.
Shaken by the deluge of images, Kade sank down onto the couch. His sodden cloak and muddy boots were cleaned by magic. A hot mug of coffee appeared on the coffee table. His hands were trembling when he picked it up and sipped the brew. Half human, his mind wasn’t designed to assimilate the visions he’d just witnessed. If he hadn’t been half fairy as well, they might have driven him insane.
He tried to sort through the visions, but they were difficult to hold onto. They seemed to come to him randomly. They rose through the depths of his mind to surface briefly, only to sink back down into the murk again. He gave up trying to force some sense into them and his thumping headache finally began to abate.
The warlock felt steadier after he finished his second mug of coffee, so he ventured upstairs to his conjuring den. Kade used a handkerchief to reach into his pocket, then transferred the unicorn hair into a small container. He placed it in the cupboard where he kept the other components he needed to use to cast the spell. He locked the door again and warded it so no one else could open it.
Kade returned downstairs to the living room to think. “I only have one ingredient left to find now,” he murmured. He needed to obtain the heart of an alpha werewolf before he would be able to unlock the secrets of the silver tablet. The warlock hoped he would be able to come up with a solution that wouldn’t involve murdering a shifter. That was still a line he wasn’t willing to cross.
