Brynn's POV
Ever since we learned Lorenzo was not only my great-uncle but the mole feeding the Lombardos' information, everyone has been on edge. What is worrying me the most is what he told Luca about any moves and use of my abilities I learned in training. Though I never saw Lorenzo watching me, I'm sure he was watching without us knowing.
Jason and Emma decided, with battle imminently approaching, it was best to send Emma away. She had a bleeding scare last week and while everything was fine with her and the baby, they didn't want to take any chances. He talked with the Starr brothers and Emma was sent wherever Anthony and Aiden's mates were hiding.
Arlen and I have been butting heads ever since we discovered the truth about Lorenzo. Anything I've been saying or suggesting, Arlen goes on a litany of how it won't work, and I need to focus on training to get Luca out of the way once and for all. This isn't the Arlen I've spent the last several months with, and it's scaring the hell out of me. To give us some space, I am spending time with Ezra today.
"Granddaughter, you look like something is troubling you." Of course, Grandpa can see right through my attempts to distract myself.
"It's nothing, Bunicol." I stared off into the forest, avoiding his eyes.
"It's you and Arlen, isn't it?"
"Nothing gets past you!" Ezra smirked slightly at me.
"I've been around a long time. Brynn you can trust me, I won't say anything."
"It's so important you don't. This is a Kingdom, and we have enough troubles on our plate. I don't want it to get out there that Arlen and I are having issues." I told Ezra who silently agreed.
"Bunicol, ever since that day he found out the truth about Lorenzo Rossi, Arlen has been so hateful to me! Before all this, I ruled alongside him, you know? We make decisions together, and he always tells me how much he values my input. But for the last couple of days, anytime I make a suggestion, Arlen dismisses me or just ignores me altogether!" I vented.
"It's been a stressful couple of days for everyone, Brynn. Have you tried to talk to him and tell him how this is making you feel?"
"That's what I thought at first too, so I haven't brought it up. I figured maybe once the dust settled, Arlen would be able to clear his head and we'd be alright. But this morning has me on edge." I looked down, trying not to cry.
"What happened?"
"Usually every morning, he wakes me up with a kiss and tells me where he will be at if I need him. This morning, he didn't even talk to me at all, and he knew I was awake because he looked right at me. He just got up and stormed right out the door. So I've been leaving him alone." I admitted, kicking a stick out of the path back into the forest.
"You need to talk to your mate, Brynn. Something is clearly troubling him." Ezra agreed. The problem was that I was nervous to talk to Arlen about this.
"I will later. But for right now, can you help me with the gold shield?" Thankfully, this was the one trick that s**t stain Lorenzo couldn't catch because this is the first day Ezra is showing it to me.
"Remember to focus, like I told you." I practiced the focus technique and in my mind said the blessing of protection. Within seconds, I was covered in the shield.
"It doesn't take long at all. It's usually impermeable, but Luca got through it! I'm not sure how." Ezra told me.
"The last time I noticed it, it was when Arlen and I joined hands with George as he did a spell to help me with my past traumas, so I could physically bond with Arlen. Could it be stronger if the bond with your mate is strong?" I wondered.
"You know, that moment I was with Luca was when I realized my marriage was officially over. My bond was in tatters, so that could be how Luca got through!" Ezra agreed.
We spent the next hour practicing the shield. Ezra has another power of invisibility, but due to how draining it is, I can only use it in times of great stress. He wrote down the spell for me to remember, and we walked back to the Kingdom, where Eli Holt, my aunt Stefanie's new mate, was practicing his own magic.
"Eli! How are things going?" I asked him. I have an immense amount of respect for this man. Eli has done wonders for Stefanie. In just a short time, my aunt had become a completely different person.
"They're good, Queen Brynn. Your aunt has been doing great. She makes me very happy." He smiled softly, thinking of his mate.
"How is her therapy going?" Ezra asked him.
"The last couple of sessions she unloaded quite a lot about her mother and what she endured growing up. The guilt about how she treated her brother, and you, has been really hitting her lately." Eli told Ezra.
"I'll talk with her. I always knew Sheri was the instigator and the demon in our home and Stefanie was just another one of her manipulated victims. Thank you, Eli, for taking care of my daughter." Ezra said, his eyes filling with tears.
"Your daughter is safe with me, Ezra. I love her very much, and I'll be there to help her every step of the way. Even when she acts foolish. Thankfully, those moments are getting fewer and far between now." Eli assured us.
"I have to ask Eli for my own peace of mind. Stefanie is too old now to probably have children now. With you being so much younger than her, will this be a problem?" Eli laughed.
"I have never wanted kids, so no. And believe it or not, Stefanie isn't the oldest woman I've had in my life. I've always been attracted to older women!" We all laughed a bit at that.
I left them to talk some more, trying to find the words to talk to Arlen about our issues. I went to his office to try and find him, but heard him on the phone. As much as I tried to stop myself, I heard my name and couldn't help but listen in.
"Amos, you have no idea how much I envy you and your family. I don't think I'll ever have what you have. My mate doesn't want children!" Arlen said with such venom I actually recoiled. Rage built inside of me.
"Arlen, I'm sorry to hear that. Give her some time, she could change her mind." Amos placated him.
"I question why in the world Aine gave me such a pathetic person for a mate. I curse this bond, Amos and what's worse, I'm stuck with her!" Tears of rage fell down my cheeks.
"You need to stop this! You have sung Brynn's praises nonstop for months and have shown nothing but love and respect for her. All because she says she doesn't want kids...you're talking about her like this!? This isn't you, Arlen!" I heard a bump against the door and realized Arlen had thrown his phone across the room.
I threw the office door open, marched right up to my mate and slapped him right across the face.
"HOW F*****G DARE YOU!!!" I sobbed.
"Cut the tears, you pathetic woman!" Arlen snarled at me. My blood ran cold.
"Goddess I am SO tired of f*****g running this Kingdom and having to deal with your emotional frailties, Brynn! You have been nothing but a stone on my back the last seven months!!"
Grandpa, if you can hear me please come to Arlen's office NOW!! Something is really wrong! I didn't even know if that mind-link was going to work, but it didn't matter. Arlen grabbed my chin and pinned me to the floor!
"And just who were you chatting with?" Arlen snarled at me.
"Arlen please, stop this!!" I shouted.
"This is getting rather interesting!" Arlen hissed at me, inhaling my scent. And all of a sudden, I saw a glimmer in Arlen's eyes. An all too familiar glimmer. I kneed Arlen right in the crotch and punched him in his eye, freeing myself from his grasp.
"F**K!" He grabbed himself and hurled magic at me. I threw up my gold shield just as Ezra, Eli and Stefanie walked into the office.
"What the hell is going on in here!!!" Ezra snarled at Arlen.
"I was just about to make your granddaughter give me my heir!! Mind your old business you old coot!" Ezra lost it and hurled some green dust at him that Arlen dodged. I froze Arlen to keep him from attacking further.
"Something is horribly wrong here! He has lost his damn mind, and I'm about to reject him!" I sobbed. Stefanie c****d her head at him and ran out of the room, returning a minute later with Miranda James, the Red Witch we offered sanctuary to a couple of weeks ago.
"Miranda, look at Arlen's eyes!" Stefanie said. Miranda looked deep into them.
"He's under a spell!" Miranda told us.
"HOW!" I shouted in amazement as Arlen grunted.
"Queen Brynn, whoever is doing this is very powerful." Miranda told me.
"It has to be Sophia Lombardo! Brynn, remember just an hour or so ago we talked about the strength of bonds? I think they're trying to weaken yours and Arlen's before they attack!! If your bond isn't strong..."
"It will weaken my shield." I finished in shock.
"What better point to attack than a split bond between a King and his Queen?" Ezra said.
"How can a witch cast that kind of spell without having anything personal of Arlen's?" Eli wondered.
"They don't always need it. Sophia Lombardo is related to the previous Witch Ruler, Desdemona. Her bloodline is high-level." Miranda explained.
"Can you reverse it?" Ezra asked her.
"I'll give it a shot, but I don't know if I can. Please find me a dark, quiet room without windows and some brand-new candles. I'll need to bless them. Once the spell breaks, Sophia may retaliate. Please ensure I'm fine after it is over." We scrambled to get the items Miranda requested. I led her to the only dark room without windows in the entire house: my walk-in closet.
"Miranda, that is my mate and the Fairy King. Please help him." I begged her. Miranda put her hand on my arm and smiled thinly.
"I will do my best, Queen." She assured me as she laid a purple cloth down and kneeled down on it. I returned to the office and started at my mate, his beautiful blue eyes completely blank.
"Arlen, we're trying to help you. I love you. Please hang on!" I touched his face and tried to ignore the wince I sensed in his jawline.
We waited for what seemed like an eternity. I prayed for this to work, for Arlen to come back to me as he was. Suddenly, Arlen collapsed to the ground and looked around, fear in his eyes.
"What happened to me? Brynn, why are you crying?" I broke down, and he took me in his arms. I knew immediately the spell was no more.
"We think Sophia Lombardo cast a spell on you, King Arlen. It made you act horribly to your Queen. It's over now." Eli left to go check on Miranda.
"I love you! I'm so sorry!!" Arlen kissed me all over my face and hugged me, sobbing heavily. I grabbed his face.
"It wasn't your fault, but if you ever scare me like that again I'm freezing you and kicking your a**!" Everyone laughed until Eli came running back in, carrying a lifeless Miranda in his arms.