Defy The Alpha(s) - Chapter 724

Capítulo 724: The Ancestors

Violet did not walk back to the palace naked. Her men provided her with clothes she changed into, otherwise, there would have been a trail of murdered Fae — all because they looked the wrong way.

After the intense encounter with Lucen, they headed to their quarters, an awkward silence falling upon them.

“I’m so sor—” She opened her mouth to say the moment the door closed behind them, but Alaric simply enveloped her in a hug, her words trailing off.

“Shh, it’s alright.” He hugged her more, nearly stealing the breath out of her lungs.

The lightning prince kissed her on the forehead, saying, “There’s no need to apologize, except maybe next time, give us a heads-up when you want to improvise. That way, we can do so within safety limits.”

Violet lifted her head to give him a look, saying, “I still won though, didn’t I?”

Alaric stared at her with a tender look in his eyes even as he argued, “We said running, not flying.”

But Violet grinned. “Not my fault I have an extra limb.” She subtly referred to her wings.

Alaric chuckled, then leaned down and pressed a brief kiss to her lips. When they pulled back, both of them were grinning like idiots.

Alaric told her, “You need to go wash up, princess. There’s dirt all over you…” He emphasized this by running his hand through her hair, and just as expected, his fingers came up with dirt.

Violet pulled back and then glanced at her other men, who stood in the corner watching them, amused.

At once, a naughty idea hit her and she purred, “Any chance any of you gentlemen can help me out in the bathroom?”

At that question, Asher, Roman, Griffin, and Alaric looked at each other and then, as if it was rehearsed, all of them broke apart and went their own different ways, busying themselves with one thing or another.

“Are you kidding me?” Violet couldn’t help but burst into laughter. So she was now a brand of temptation everyone wanted to avoid.

Truth is, she had intentionally teased them, and their reaction was to die for.

“Go have your bath, baby girl. There’s no time to waste. Your training has only begun,” Asher said to her.

And yes, the day was not over. On their way back, a Fae was sent to bring Violet to the library. Unfortunately, Violet could not go looking like something a cat dragged in — that was not princess-like.

So Violet took a quick bath and dressed in pants and one of Roman’s fine long-sleeved shirts she stole. When she stepped out, Roman lifted a brow at her appearance, yet said nothing.

Violet grinned knowingly, then skidded in between Griffin and Asher, taking both of their arms in hers. “Let’s go.” She steered them away.

As usual, all eyes were on them as they walked through the hallway, not that Violet cared. She walked with her head high, and her men surrounded her protectively, the five of them easily drawing attention without even trying.

Asher had his arm around her waist, while Griffin’s hand barely skimmed hers, but he was close enough that she could feel the heat of his body pressed against hers.

The crowd from the morning had reduced drastically, and Violet guessed whatever meeting her mother had with the provoked Fae was going alright.

They made it to the library, and there, Lila was already waiting for them.

“Princess…” Lila bowed her head, greeting her.

Being referred to like this, especially when they were good friends, was honestly strange, but it was time Violet started getting used to her status now.

So she gave her a subtle bow and then looked around. There was an unfamiliar Fae standing beside Lila and no sign of her mother, again.

Violet frowned. “Where’s my mother, the Queen?”

Lila smacked her lips and said to Violet, “I’m sorry, but your mother has some important matters at hand, which is why your special training with her has been moved to tomorrow, and the other ones moved up to now.”

Before Violet could have the chance to ask what special matter her mother had at hand that was more important than their training together, Lila was already introducing the Fae at her side.

“This is Nirmal, your current history teacher and the one who will help you make the right decision in the Ascension of Death trial.”

The Fae named Nirmal was tall and willowy, like most Fae Violet had encountered so far. Her skin had an opalescent sheen that was neither pale nor dark, but nonetheless stunning and beautiful. The female’s long pale hair fell down her back and was bound with gold ornaments. She wore simple robes of deep forest green that were cinched at the waist with a thin cord.

“I’ve been informed that this is an emergency,” Nirmal said, facing Violet and studying her without pretense.

“Our priority,” she continued, “at the moment is not to gain the most approval, but to keep you alive during the Trial of Death.”

Those words alone caused a thick tension in the air, reminding everyone just how dangerous this trial was.

Nirmal gestured toward a long table near the center of the room. “We will begin immediately, Princess. Sit.”

Violet did as she was told, her mates giving her distance. They didn’t want to distract her, but at the same time, they wouldn’t leave her alone either.

The royal archive was vast and circular. Floor-to-ceiling shelves curved along the walls, stacked with ancient tomes bound in leather, bark, bone, and materials Violet couldn’t name. Floating sigils hovered between shelves, marking sections written in different languages.

And they were alone. There were no guards or anyone else around to bother them.

Nirmal moved around the table with grace, pulling a thick volume free from the shelves without looking. When she placed it down, the impact echoed far louder than it should have.

“The Ascension of Death is a test of recognition. Before you face the ancestors, you must understand who they are, and which of them might want you to fail. Because trust me, our kind has never been welcoming to outsiders.”

She opened the book.

“Let us begin.”

The records Nirmal opened did not list kings at all. No, it was only queens. The Wild Fae had always been matriarchal.

Nirmal began, “Queen Aelthryra the First shaped the Wild Fae realm, but she did not do it blindly. She ruled in close counsel with the Fifth Primordial god, the Untamed One herself—the sister who refused the Seasonal Courts. Together, they ensured the Free Fae would never kneel to the rigid structures of the other realms. It was Aelthryra who helped stabilize the magical barrier the Fifth god created and enforced the laws.

“Within that barrier, the Free Fae were protected, isolated, and taught to distrust what lay beyond. Outsiders were a threat to balance, and Aelthryra made sure that belief became doctrine.

“And of course, the Queens who followed after her were raised in that same way.”

Nirmal flipped to the next page. “Queen Thryssia, the second, ruled with paranoia sharpened into cruelty. She believed contact with outsiders weakened the bloodline, and her laws criminalized fraternization beyond the barrier.”

She turned to the next page. “Queen Myrrh continued the same isolation. So did Queen Vaeloria, who codified separation into unbreakable law. Under her reign, even curiosity was treason. The barrier was sacred, and the outside was corruption.”

Nirmal sighed. “Pretty much all the Queens were the same except one. Queen Iskava. She was different, and though open-minded is too generous a word, she was curious. Iskava never crossed the barrier. Never spoke openly with outsiders. But she listened. She collected information and allowed stories to be recorded instead of burned. She believed knowledge was good, but even she dared not challenge the doctrine publicly.”

Violet said, “So Queen Iskava is my only chance of coming out of this thing alive?”

“Possibly, yes,” Nirmal replied, though even she did not sound sure.

Asher and the others, who were watching from their table, murmured under their breath, yet none of them interrupted.

“What about my grandmother?” Violet asked. “Since she’s dead, doesn’t that make her an ancestor?”

At the mention of that name, even Lila’s expression changed.

“What? What is it?” Violet sensed something was not right.

Nirmal said, flipping to a page, “Queen Elowen, your grandmother, was admittedly the strictest of them all. Even when the veil shattered and the world beyond became unavoidable, she forbade your mother from any association with outsiders.”

“Wow,” Violet muttered under her breath. “Perhaps I should be glad I didn’t meet her while she was alive. What happened to her anyway? Don’t Fae live long lives?”

The room went still at that question.

“That information is confidential,” Nirmal replied.

Violet’s gaze flicked to Lila, confusion etched across her face.

Lila hesitated, then said reluctantly. “She didn’t die from illness. Your grandmother was heartbroken.”

Violet’s brow furrowed. “Heartbroken, how?”

“She could not accept that Queen Seraphira loved a shifter and even carried his child. Queen Elowen believed your mother ruined her bloodline.”

“And in her grief,” Nirmal said this time, “Queen Elowen petitioned the gods to take her.”

Violet stared at them both, stunned.

“So,” she said slowly, disbelief threading her voice, “she committed suicide?”

Hi guys, so sorry, I messed up my chapters and had to rewrite it real quick. It’s good now. Apologies once more