Through the Ether (Force of Nature Book 5) - Amber Lynn Natusch Page 0,86

asked, panic in his eyes at the thought of losing them as well. But before he could lunge for them, Grizz wrapped his arm around Jagger’s shoulders and hauled him back.

“Just wait,” Kat said, her eyes fixed on Foust, Liam, and Brunton.

As quickly as the transfer had started, it stopped. The magical tendril that had connected them slithered away and was absorbed again into the ground.

“What the fuck was that?” Brunton asked.

“I don’t know…” Judging by the confusion in Foust’s voice, he really didn’t.

But Liam did. He turned to them and smiled. “The magic—both his and the fey king’s—has shared itself with us,” he explained, even though it didn’t really make any sense. “All that made him Knox—made him the heir to the fey king, a cunning detector of lies, and the powerful alpha you knew him to be—has been given to us.”

“But how can you know that?” Foust asked, stepping toward Liam.

“Simple. I can feel it.”

Brunton’s eyes went wide. “Truth…”

Liam’s smile widened. “So, Brunton has received his truth-detecting gift. Can you not feel the call of the alpha coursing through you now, Foust? That strength and desire to lead and protect those in your pack?”

“I’ve always felt that,” he replied with an edge to his tone.

“And that is why the magic has chosen you to replace Knox in that role.” Liam turned to me. “As it has chosen me to be a ruler of Faerie,” he said with a small bow, “should its queen agree.”

“Wait,” I said as confusion settled in, “you want to rule Faerie?”

“If the queen wishes it.”

“You are Larken’s successor,” Merc reminded me.

“As I am the king’s,” Liam added. “But now that the fey world is no longer divided, my role may not be necessary.”

“But I…I don’t want to be the queen of Faerie,” I stammered. “I don’t want to live there. This is my home.”

“Then perhaps you should appoint Liam to rule in your stead,” Reinhardt suggested. “To be your right hand, as he once was for the king.”

Liam stepped closer to me, then took a knee. “I pledge my loyalty to you, Piper, Queen of Faerie. I do this to honor Knox. I do this to bring peace to our land.”

“Um...okay,” I said, the shock of everything making me too numb to process any of it. “Do it.”

“Then with your permission, I shall take my leave to begin the restoration of your kingdom.”

“Sure—”

“She will require a nightly report from you and you alone,” Merc said, stepping to my side. “You will give us the fey queen’s beloved mirror to enable such communications.”

Liam gave a respectful nod. “Consider it done.” Then he turned to the remaining Originals. “I shall see you soon.” His eyes drifted down to Knox’s corpse, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “And I will serve Piper as you would have.”

With that, he opened a portal and walked through, prepared to rule a world I couldn’t even wrap my head around. I was glad the magic had chosen him. I thought Knox would have been, too.

Foust bent down and picked up Knox’s body with the reverence due a fallen alpha. The pack parted, and he started off in the direction of the mansion. One by one, they filed in behind him with Kat, Jagger, and Grizz at the rear. The witches and warlocks who’d survived the battle paid their respects, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. The enforcers looked to Merc, who nodded once, allowing them to take their leave.

Jase and Dean walked over to me and crushed me in one of their patented double hugs. Had it not been for Merc eventually forcing them apart, I might have been the final casualty of the war that night. They waved before disappearing around the corner of the mansion, leaving Reinhardt and Merc behind with me.

“I could go to Faerie with Liam to ensure that your interests there are being honored,” my father offered, but I waved off his concern.

“You have your warlocks to deal with,” I said, “and I have to trust Liam until he gives me reason not to. His actions since he escaped the fey king’s grasp speak volumes. He was never really the enemy. His maker was.”

“And his maker is dead,” Merc added, “as is his kingdom. All that twisted Liam into the creature he’d become is gone. He could not betray Piper even if he tried. He does not have her strength—or her allies.”

“This is true.” Reinhardt smiled at the thought of his daughter being such