The Alpha's Mother-In-Law's Forbidden Love (The Cresta Chronicles)

Daxius POV

He could barely concentrate on helping Marieke check all the tower's defenses, magical and non-magical. Although why anyone would approach such a godforsaken place if they didn't have to, he couldn't imagine.

"You haven't said one word to me in hours," Marieke said softly.

Daxius checked the bars on the windows–they were solid. He could burn through them, but they were too small for anyone in their party to climb through. He'd seen some larger windows, but Melisande had placed magic shielding on those. Impenetrable shielding. She'd gone to a lot of trouble, and it had paid off.

There had to be an escape route. 

"Daxius." Marieke laid her small hand on his shoulder. "Please talk to me."

"This window is secure." He moved to the next window and checked it. "So is this one."

"I mean, talk to me about what's on your mind," she said, sounding crestfallen.

"There's nothing to say. I'm obeying my master."

"You have to understand, Daxius!"

He spun around, glowering at her, despite how woebegone she looked. "Please, don't try and tell me you did this for me."

"But I did. You've seen how terrible she is. She threatened far worse than your imprisonment if I didn't help capture you." Marieke stepped closer, her eyes big and bright with passion. "She said that the curse you endured would be pleasant compared to what she'd do to you."

"She's already done it! Don't you see? Now, she's hurting the people I love the most in the world–and she's turned you against me." His turquoise eyes flashed. "But here's something you don't understand, Marieke. Being cursed wasn't just bad because I was imprisoned. It was wretched because I could feel that dark magic inside me for twenty years. And after I escaped. I couldn't be honest with Ravyn or Lilia, and they deserved honesty. And you don't know what it was like to be apart from them, knowing it was my fault."

"Your fault? I don't understand. You said you were lured away."

He pulled her into one of the rooms in the tower, and ignored the torture rack as well as other wicked-looking tools. "I can tell you now. I can tell you what happened to me, and maybe you'll understand why I can't just let Melisande control us all."

* * * * *

Twenty-Three Years Ago

The inn looked seedy and dodgy, more so than he'd thought. Pipe smoke and the smell of ale filled the room. Magic crackled in the air–this was a den of questionable wizardry and all kinds of underworld goings-on.

Ravyn would throw a fit if she knew where he was, but that wasn't anything new. They fought a lot these days, usually when Lilia was asleep or over at the Chalices' house. 

A goblin waiter tugged at his robe. "Are ya going to stand there all night or order something?"

Daxius glared down at the goblin, who sported a gold tooth and a sneer, and reeked of dark magic. "I'm here to meet the one they call 'Golden Trader.'"

The goblin jerked a fat thumb at a corner table where a solitary hooded figure sat. "Been' waitin' for ya. You'd be Ravyn Rolfe's lackey then?"

"Husband," Daxius corrected, forcing a smile.

The gold-toothed goblin grunted. "Same difference. What'll ya have?"

"Dwarf ale, and keep it coming."

He strode over to the corner table and sat down in a wooden chair that had seen better days. He stared into the face of the woman he'd come to meet, the legendary "Golden Trader." He couldn't make out her features, because the hood hid them, except for her mouth, which looked faintly familiar. 

"You're late," she said in a voice that sounded faintly familiar. Almost like Melisande Bracknell–except it couldn't be. She'd never be caught dead in a place like this.

"Sorry."

"I don't just take meetings with anyone, you know." She finished her ale. "I'd almost think you didn't want what I'm selling."

"No, no, I do." He signaled the goblin waiter, who shuffled over with the dwarf ale. "Another ale for my associate and anything else she'd like."

The goblin grunted, and handed Daxius the ale. "Big spender." 

He shouldn't be here. He should be home with Ravyn and Lilia. But lately, he'd felt useless to Ravyn. Oh, he was a powerful wizard in his own right, but he didn't share her gift for crystal magic, or understand what all the fuss was about. Yet, after some disappointing sales results, he'd been able to comfort her.

The business was in trouble, and Ravyn didn't want to lose her family legacy.

 "I just wish we had something special," she sighed. "Something unique and rare to sell."

Focusing on the Golden Trader, Daxius said, "Do you have the goods?"

She opened her hands and showed him a handful of rainbow-colored crystals. He gasped. "These are rare. How much do you want for them?"

"Oh, I don't want money. Drink your ale, and we'll discuss payment."

The room started to spin after he took the first few sips, and when he woke up, he stared at the ceiling of a cavern. Glowing moss covered the rock. His muscles sluggish, Daxius got up, and wondered where in the world he was. 

What had happened? Had he really drunk that much? There were caves outside town. How had he gotten there?

"What happened?" he wondered aloud.

An eerie, distorted voice answered, "You're my prisoner. Don't try to escape."

"Who do you think you are?" He charged toward the cave entrance and screamed in agony even before he hit the invisible barrier. 

"I am your master. You live for my amusement and pleasure. I lured you here with the help of my servant. How does it feel, knowing you lost your family? And I've cursed you. You'll never leave this place."

He screamed and pounded on the barrier until he collapsed from the pain.

* * * * *

THE PRESENT

Marieke stared at him with her mouth open. 

"You were lured away just because you wanted to help your wife?"

He nodded, grim. "I felt insecure about my place in her life, in the business–but that was ego. That dark magic was looking for a victim and it found one. Melisande may even have been behind it–she's always had twisted ambitions."

Marieke pressed a hand to her forehead. "Then … then I played right into her hands."

He softened, seeing her miserable expression. "She's good at manipulating people. Far, far better than I realized."

Marieke looked as miserable as if she were strapped to one of the torture devices. "What have I done?"

"You did it for me. You did it to protect me." He gripped her shoulders. "But now, I'm asking you to save my family. Ravyn, my daughter, my son-in-law, and Jude–a man I'm coming to think of as a friend. The man Ravyn loves. And it's not just them. You know this. Melisande serves the Dark Goddess."

"That sounds horrible," she gasped.

"It's very bad for the world. She tried to take control of the shifters. She wants death and destruction. She wants a world of chaos."

Marieke trembled. "I never believed in dark magic. At least, I convinced myself I had nothing to fear from it. I was just an ordinary human, after all. And then I was stranded here … the master came to me …"

"And the strange, distorted voice?" Daxius asked.

Marieke nodded. "I thought I was going mad, being marooned here all alone." She laughed darkly. "That would have been preferable. Instead, I think I've endangered the world."

"Not yet. If we can just free my family–your family, too–from Melisande, we can make her pay for what she's done."

Marieke trembled. "It's that simple, is it?"

"I didn't say it was. Nothing worthwhile is easy. But it's the only way we'll ever be truly free and live the life we planned together."

Her eyes were so beautiful at that moment. "After everything I've done, you still want that?"

"Yes–because I understand what happened to you." He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "Are you with me?"

"ALWAYS." She added hesitantly, "I like Ravyn. But she won't forgive me, and neither will any of the others."

"She's a kind and loving woman. And the Crestas are an unusual bunch. Let's worry about their reactions later. We need a plan to free them. Can you get the key to their chains?"

"I know where Melisande keeps it. I doubt she'll be there. Unless there are any magical traps or curses guarding it …"

He grinned with determination. "They're no match for me."

Jude's growl made them both freeze. "What's this? Plotting against the mistress?"

Daxius whirled to see Jude shut the door behind him, his eyes without pity and his scowl frightening. He stalked towards them. "I know what to do with the two of you!"

Daxius straight up blasted him with an energy bolt and Jude flew backwards. He turned a somersault and dropped to the floor, panting. Daxius raced over. "Are you alright? Have you come to your senses?"

Jude looked up at him with defiant Alpha eyes and a warrior's smile. "I've been clear-headed all along. And we have a lot of work to do."