My jaw clenched as I thought about what the Summits could have planned for me in the meeting I’d have with them. I wanted to ask Fenrir what he knew, but that was a double-edged sword. I didn’t want to owe him anything. It was better if I found out on my own. What I needed was an inside man.
I hurried to catch up to Fenrir, who was waiting for me by the front door. We walked across the drawbridge in silence.
“We’ll stay in touch, little wolf.” Fenrir turned and winked at me just as Bobby opened a portal. The three of them disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving us there watching the empty space they had just occupied.
“Get some guards to escort Ophelia back to the temple,” I ordered before turning around and heading back inside the castle.
16
Throughout the next week, the castle was on high alert. The guards trained with renewed vigor and everyone seemed to move with a single-minded purpose. The day after our dinner with Fenrir, a host of Valkyries arrived at the front gate to work alongside my guards to patrol Caledonian Forest looking for Abaddon, the missing Highlanders, and our missing guards, which we now believed were either taken or killed by Abaddon.
As if this wasn’t enough to keep my attention fully gripped, I still had to prepare for my mating ceremony and my upcoming Summit meeting.
I struggled to make it through each day without alerting the others to my increasing bouts of exhaustion, sucking down cup after cup of strongly brewed coffee to give me a temporary boost. I finally reached a point where even I had to admit I needed to rest, so I told the others I was taking a one-hour break before my meeting with Helena.
Leaving William in the common room, I entered my bedroom and flopped face-first onto my bed, kicking off my shoes. Looking for my silk sleep mask, I fumbled on my nightstand and pulled out the drawer without looking, patting the inside trying to find it, when I touched something made of leather.
My head popped up as I leaned over my bed and peered inside the drawer, surprised to see Adaline’s journal that Lucian had given me at my coronation. I’d placed it in this drawer and never even opened it up.
I bit my lip and wondered whether I should take a peek now, or take that much needed nap before my full schedule today.
Curiosity killed the cat, but I’m a wolf.
I pulled out the journal and unwrapped it. Inside, the pages were yellowed from age. The writing that flowed over each page was in a beautiful, lilting cursive. I carefully turned the pages until I found one that was addressed to me.
My dearest Mackenzie,
If you’re reading this, that means I am most likely no longer with you. My visions of our future have been unclear lately, but I’m doing everything possible to keep you safe. I’ve made many mistakes, but having you isn’t one of them. You are my greatest accomplishment and my greatest joy. If one day we are to ever part, just know that I loved you with every fiber in my being. No one will ever love you as much as I do. The love of a mother is powerful and unlike anything else.
You may wonder about your father, and I’m sorry I took you away from him. He’s a good man, but he has responsibilities that do not include us. It is safer for us to be away. Just know you have his eyes. That is your most important attribute. If the day ever comes and you’re questioned, know you have his eyes.
Although my visions are unclear, I see a bright future for you. Of that, I am certain. It is for that reason that I am not worried. You will have the life you deserve. The life I want for you. A life of freedom. And if I’m not by your side, enjoy it for the both of us.
I love you, Mackenzie.
Love always,
Mom
I bit my lip to keep from crying aloud and let the tears roll down my face. I’d never felt close to Adaline, I never even knew her, but this letter … this journal … these were her thoughts. Her feelings—towards me.
I could tell from this journal entry that she still hadn’t seen her future, but she had an idea she wouldn’t be around long enough to be with me. It must have been her intuition. I really wished I had grown up with her. Maybe things would be different.
After spending my hour break going through Adaline’s journal instead of napping, I finally put it away, slipped my shoes back on, and headed out of the royal wing to meet Helena in the dressing room. This afternoon I was supposed to pick out my gown for the mating ceremony.
I left William and Liam outside the door before entering the dressing room, where I found Helena with her helper Ana and a rack with five garment bags against the far wall. I passed by the floor-length mirrors and stood in front of the rack.
“Are these my options, Granny?”
“Aye, chickie,” she answered excitedly. “I have a favorite, but of course it’s yer choice. They’re all black, as ye requested.”
I grinned. “All right, show me.”
Ana unzipped the first bag, revealing a sleeveless dress with a heart-shaped bodice and chiffon skirt.
“It’s pretty, but plain.” I rubbed the material between my fingers, unimpressed. “Show me the next one.”
The next dress was another mermaid dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline and a cascading ruffle in the front. It was nice, but it looked more like a
