The Queen’s Curse

Chapter 13

Ada POV

I rode in the carriage alone as Cyrus walked behind in his wolf form. He was beautiful and very large which is expected with him being a large man. He was an orange brown with just a few black spots in various places.

As I rode alone I began thinking about our conversation about mates. Cyrus had to be my mate. The way his brother spoke, the way he treats me, and my indescribable feelings for him. I may not have my wolf to tell me he’s my mate, but I am falling in love with Cyrus Catori.

We didn’t stop again until we came to the entrance of the Forest of Enchantment.

Ren informed us that he would be camping outside the entrance and not joining us the rest of the way.

“They will come back. Pick a hidden place for your camp and be on the lookout always.” Ordered Cyrus. He sounded like a general giving orders to civilians and I suppose he is.

“Mr. Catori I will stay hidden but I will be right here when you return. I have food enough for days and I will put up a shield.”

“How can you put up a shield, Ren?” I asked curiously.

“I can do it because I have magic. I am a witch.” He says winking at me. “There are no mere humans working in your mothers house dear girl. Be on your way and make haste, I shall be here for questioning when you return.”

I gave him a hug. “Thanks Ren.”

“Looks like this is the sign for water.” I say a little confused. “It says take a swim. So I suppose we find water and swim?”

“There’s two bodies of water on the map, which one do we go to?”

I look closely at the map, eyeing the bodies of water. I point “This one! See, it has a small X right in the middle.”

CYRUS POV

We came upon a small clear spring that sparkled in the sunlight.

“Let’s take a swim!” Ada says playfully running into the water. She let her hair loose and her beautiful black curls bounced to her hips.

She turns back and gives me a grin. “Aren’t you coming?”

I took off my boots and made my way to the water. Ada was in the water to her chest making her n*****s stand at attention. Then something in the water caught my eye. It was green and if the sun didn’t hit it just at that moment, I never would have noticed it.

“Ada, look.” I say, motioning to the gem.

I swam down to the bottom of the spring to grab the gem and suddenly I felt hot. Too hot to be in a spring. I grabbed for the gem but it burned my hand. I swam back up to tell Ada, if it’s her family stone then maybe she’s the only one who could retrieve it.

“But I can’t swim Cyrus! I can’t go down there.”

“Can you hold your breath?” I ask.

“Well of course I can but—“

“I’ll swim down with you on my back. All you have to do is hold on to me and grab the gem.”

She looked hesitant. I grinned. “Don’t you trust me princess?”

She smiled back and agreed.

I had her on my back as I swam deeper and deeper into the water until it became boiling hot again. Ada reached for the gem and just as her fingers grazed it, it lit up and sucked us into it.

It was painful as if my lungs were being squeezed. I felt Ada still on my back so I attempted to swim to what felt like the surface.

It worked, I gasped in air and my lungs burned.

I pulled Ada close as I swam to shore. I threw myself on the ground and looked around.

“Ah, Ada. Are you seeing this?” I asked hoping the beings that stared back were friendly.

ADA POV

I have never seen anyone so beautiful as the people sitting before me. The beings had blue hair that sparkled in the sun as did their grey almost translucent skin and each one had emerald green eyes. They had sharp features, sculpted jaw line, high cheek bones and something sharp along their cheeks. They were tall. Taller than anyone I had ever seen.

One of the beings stood and began to speak. I couldn’t understand what it was saying so I started with the first thing that popped into my head. “Hello, I am Ada. And this my companion Cyrus.” I say.

The being spoke for a moment longer until it finally began speaking English.

“Hello. You are human?”

“We are shifters.” Cyrus said quickly.

“I see.” The being nodded emotionless. “How have you come to be here?”

“I am looking for something that belongs to my family. I believed I had found it but when I touched it, it brought us here.”

“Things are often hidden here for safe keeping. Only those with fae blood may enter here. Which of you are fae?”

“Fae as in fairy?” I say flabbergasted.

“We are known by humans as fairies. However there are many different species of fairy. We are woodland fairies. We tend to the forests and grow food for the mortal realm. We control the change of the seasons. I again ask you, which of you are fae?”

“I could not touch the gem.” Said Cyrus. “The heat was too much for me but when Adalene touched it, it brought us here.”

“I see. We will have you two brought to the palace and you will have an audience with the queen.”

Cyrus and I looked to each other and nodded in agreement. Cyrus grabbed my hand and held tightly as the fairy made it’s way closer to us. It laid a hand on my shoulder and in a poof of light we were transported to a beautiful courtyard with flowers growing along a stone wall. The sun shone perfectly on the pool of water directly in the middle of the courtyard. It glistened so brightly in many different colors. I looked closer to see there were many gemstones covering the bottom of the pool giving it the beautiful glow.

“The queen will see you now.”