Queen Alpha (NYC Mecca #2)(52)

He grumbled, and I could see that he just wanted Selene’s head on a stick, but acting on our base emotions would get us nowhere.

Calista raised her hand as if she was in school. “I have an idea…”

We stared at her, waiting for her to speak, but despite her hand-in-the-air-enthusiasm, she now seemed to be wrestling with some internal emotions.

“King Kade, do you swear to never harm Baladar based on the knowledge I am about to share?”

Kade’s eyebrows furrowed as he assessed Calista. “Why?”

Calista set her best poker face. “Do you swear it?”

Just what the hell was my advisor up to?

Kade cleared his throat before saying, “I do. Now why?”

Calista exhaled slowly. “Because Baladar set up a vortex somewhere in Staten Island that leads right to his Manhattan loft.”

“What?” Kade and I both cursed as we leapt to our feet. My wolf was rising inside, fighting my control. A hidden vortex, that was … impossible … illegal … dangerous.

Calista spoke over our ire: “If we can find the vortex, we can travel to Baladar’s, and then sneak into the castle undetected.” Her words were all rushed together, trying to defuse us.

Lucky for her it was a good plan. Selene would have the regular vortex discs crawling with guards now that I was banished. Sabina hadn’t magically banished me, and I don’t think it was possible really. I was still somewhat a queen, with mecca flowing through my veins, so if Kade and I could get into that crystal room we could open a portal and jump through … then find Violet.

“Where is the hidden vortex?” Kade looked livid that this had been going on under his nose.

Calista shrugged. “I don’t know. I only heard of its existence. It’s how your people get into his club.”

Kade stood and reached out a hand to me. I grasped on without hesitation. “Where are we going?” I asked as he led me through the mansion and out onto the front steps.

“To speak to someone who I think will know where it is,” he replied as Calista and Finn followed after us.

Once we reached the porch, Kade called to one of his guards. “Is Trixie on shift?”

The guard nodded. “She’s on post at the water’s edge.”

Kade nodded and walked over to a golf cart. We all got in and Kade took off driving the cart out the front gate and down a steep side hill toward the shoreline, until the lapping waves came into sight.

“I’ve beefed up security all over after the attack,” he said as he maneuvered around the natural terrain.

I wasn’t surprised. If I had still been queen today, like I should have been, my first order would have been investigating the attack and making sure our lands were secure. Well, as secure as they could be. After seeing those two magic born just open a portal into our world like it was nothing, I knew without any doubt that nowhere was safe.

As we made our way through the dense bushes and out onto the sand, I took a moment to breathe in the salty air. Yes, my life sucked right now, and my best friend was missing, but I had always been soothed by the ocean. Violet had loved the ocean too; it calmed her energy.

Goddamn the fae.

“Why do you think they took Violet?”

The question burst from me in a short, angry eruption. I’d been so focused on the fact that my best friend was in enemy hands that I hadn’t actually stopped long enough to question why. Calista and Kade were both quiet for a brief moment, neither of them answering until the cart came to a halt.

My advisor worried at her lip. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. The attack was odd. The Summer Court was supposed to be keeping the dark fae at bay, and yet they managed to attack in the hundreds.”

Kade interrupted her: “I’m not sure it was dark fae. They definitely weren’t from the golden court, but the energy was different from the one who ambushed us on Staten Island. I’m not sure they are all from the same court.”

Great! What was going on? How many of the courts were we fighting against now?

“So why do you think they took Violet?” Calista turned to Kade, nailing him with her famous glare. Her computer mind wanted to know everything.

Kade flicked his gaze across to me briefly, before throwing my advisor a mix of grin and grimace. “I think they want Ari. She has an unnatural affinity for the mecca. She can do what no queen has before, and she’s closely related to the Red Queen. We know this all started with the Red Queen, and somehow it’s not over yet.”

“You think it has something to do with me now?” I said, my nails digging into my palms. “That my people died because some of the fae are trying to get to me.” I forced myself to breathe a few deep breaths to calm myself.

The ercho, Finn reminded me. I let out a sigh. Dammit.

“Finn just reminded me that the ercho had been trying to drag me into the shiny water slick it came from. It was acting like it wanted me.” I was starting to believe that Kade might be right. I needed to get into the Otherworld right away. Who knew what they would do to Violet. I was desperately hoping that if it was me they were after, they’d keep her alive until I got there. Give me a chance to save her.

“I’ll never let them take you, Ari,” Kade said as he switched off the cart. Silence descended across the stretch of beach we were on. “You’re under my protection. Do you know what I do to anyone who touches those under my protection?”