Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 37

Icelyn

Even with Kohl tucked securely by my side all night, my sleep is restless. I still cannot believe that Kohl has a cursed half-brother and that brother is the king of the Day Realm. At least when I asked, Kohl had said that Leon did not have any of the Night Realm powers, so at least that brought me a small measure of comfort.

I was also very nervous about the trip to the mortal realm. Both Kings were putting their lives on the line to get a book to help me. I wondered if it wouldn't be better for me to stay this way than to mess with an all-powerful book that had no business in Gregorian.

Finally, when I could stand no more, I carefully removed Kohl's arm from around my waist and tiptoed toward the door.

"You better return soon. If not, I will come looking for you."

I froze in my spot as Kohl's deep voice broke through the silence of the night. I huffed in frustration. What was the point? I should have known better than to sneak out with watchdog Kohl on duty.

"I'll be right back." I stomped from the room and towards Jen's room.

Surprisingly, she was not asleep. When I entered her room, she was rushing around, throwing some of her belongings into a brown shoulder bag.

"Are you eloping with some mysterious male you forgot to tell me about?" I smiled at her and leaned against the door frame to her room.

"I wish," she answered with a snort. "I'm going with you and Kohl."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she quickly cut me off.

"Don't try to talk me out of it. It's my fault, or at least my doubles fault, that you are in this mess, and besides, who better to join you in the mortal realm than a mortal."

"Have you forgotten I am a mortal now?" I pushed off the door frame and pulled the bag from her hands.

"No. I am very much aware of what you are, but I am a true mortal and spent half of my life in the mortal realm. Who better to help you maneuver the wilds of that place?"

Jen had a point. I slowly handed her bag back to her. "Very well, just hurry up. The Day Realm king will be here at dawn."

Jen rushed around faster as I returned to Kohl's room. He was up and standing outside on the balcony. I approached him from behind, wrapped my arms around his waist, and pressed my face to his muscled back.

"Before you even ask, I have already decided you will go with me to the mortal realm."

"Really?" I released him, and he turned around, gathering me in my safe, comfortable spot in his arms.

"After much consideration, I believe you will be safer going with me. I don't trust your care to anyone else, especially with a witch running around with an agenda that includes you."

I honestly didn't care why he decided to let me go, just as long as I was with him.

"Jen's going too." I blurted out and braced myself for his boisterous attitude.

"Oh no! I already have one human I have to watch over. I certainly do not need the added burden of another one."

"So, I am a burden now?" My temper rose, and I pulled away from him.

"If I were you, brother, I'd let that one go." I turned as Leon appeared in the room, just as intimidating looking as I remembered yesterday. I instantly bit off the reprimand I was getting ready to give Kohl.

"Ok, I'm ready!" Jen rushed into the room, and all eyes turned to her. Her head instantly snatched towards Leon.

"What in the sprites is that?"

I gripped the bridge of my nose in frustration as Jen once again put her foot in her mouth. Leon's eyes rounded at her audacity, and he growled at her.

"A beast with an attitude, how original," Jen scoffed.

I walked over to her and tugged on her hair to get her to be quiet. When she turned questioning eyes to me, I scowled at her.

"Tell me, brother, will this little mouse join us on our outing?" Leon stalked closer to Jen, and we both went as still as death. His movements were smooth and almost feline as he stopped mere inches from Jen. He was so tall she had to look up to stare into his beastly face.

"No," Kohl's voice was intense and held the threat of repercussion if Leon continued to prowl closer.

"I think she should go. Why should you have the only human to play with?"

Before either of us could move, Leon snatched Jen to his side, and the two of them disappeared before Kohl could stop them. Kohl inhaled deeply and rubbed his temples.

"Give me strength to not kill him," Kohl whispered to himself, pulled me tightly to his chest, and we followed after them.

When we appeared, I instantly noticed the change in the atmosphere. The air here is thicker, and it's harder to breathe. I gripped Kohl tightly, refusing to let him go as my eyes swallowed our surroundings. In truth, it doesn't look much different from Gregorian, but the fact that we were in the forbidden mortal realm, had me longing to get this task over with as soon as possible and return home.

I glanced over, happy to see that Leon hadn't mauled Jen before we could arrive. She was staring at him defiantly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"We must hurry and glamour ourselves before someone sees us." Kohl waved his hand in front of his body, and his fae form faded away, making him look more like a human.

"It will take a lot of glamour to cover all that up." Jen's smart mouth continued to taunt Leon as his magic simmered through the air. His beastly form faded away, and what was left behind was a very handsome human.

"You should have done that long ago."

I snatched Jen away from Leon's reach and silenced her. What is with these two? With Jen close to my side, I turned to Kohl.

"Well, where is the book?" I looked around, but the woods surrounded us, and I saw no signs of a book.

"This is as close as we can get to it with our magic. That is part of the spell cast on the book. It keeps fae from being able to transport to it. We have to continue on foot from here." Leon supplied the answer and started opposite to where we were facing, and Kohl motioned for us to follow him.

I took a deep breath, gathering my nerves as we followed a condemned, on-edge fae king to find a magical book in the forbidden human realm. It would be nothing short of a miracle if we left here alive.