“I know their strict politics about interspecies marriages and their rejection of your legacy revolts you. I can’t blame you. Still, you need to live your life and see the silver lining. If you were accepted, you’d have to leave us and move to one of the sky cities. Noah wouldn’t be welcome there. The only outsiders are either servants or ambassadors. Your life as a princess would be suffocating.”
“I know. I’m grateful for the life I have with you. I’m grateful for you.”
“You don’t need them to be happy. Someone who turns their back on family isn’t worth your pain and disappointment.”
Grace nodded. “Noah is finishing his extra class. I’m going to spend some time with him.”
Vincent grinned. “We should have dinner as a family tonight. I want Noah to know that this is his home now.”
“He was apprehensive at first, but since you returned and didn’t remove his head from his neck, he’s been happy. Despite the attempt on my life.”
“We were lucky that Darren and Noah were able to stop the assassin.”
“About Darren, is it true that he’s planning to return to Mist Sanctum?”
“His family sent news about an important event in his world. He was summoned to the Night Bloom Academy by Prince Aaron. It seems they found the true Chosen One. His presence as one of the Four Dragons is required.”
“It’s been a while since Aaron came to visit us.”
Vincent pulled at his cuffs with a smirk. “I’m not sure Noah would like to see you crushing on some other male. Aaron was your first love if memory serves me right.”
Grace’s cheeks burned. “That was a long time ago. We are just friends.”
“He has found his bride.”
“His bride? Wasn’t his promised one the annoying elf princess of the Ivory Dynasty?”
Grandpa nodded. “Yes. Since the princess isn’t the Chosen One, Aaron has canceled the arranged marriage. He can tell you all about it when he visits us next Sunday. The Dragons are coming to escort Darren.”
Grace clapped her hands. “That’s great news.” Then, she added, “I mean. It’s sad that Darren has to leave, but I can’t wait to see Aaron and the other two dragon princes. Though, isn’t it too much to send the princes to escort Darren to the portal?”
Grandpa chuckled. “They might want some time away from their world. They are also concerned about the threats to the celestials’ lives. Plus, they were my students for one year. They miss life at the academy.”
“Their academy is beautiful. They have enchanted forests, dangerous swamps, exotic animals, and breathtaking gardens. I’ve only spent a month there, and I was blown away by how beautiful it was. I’m sure our academy seems rather bland compared to theirs.”
“Our world is less complicated than theirs. They have a lot more problems with the Fae and shifters than we do. When there are so many skilled magical beings in a world, life is complicated.”
Grace sighed and relaxed her shoulders. “I need to speak with the servants about the weekly grocery shopping list. Then, I’m going to check on Noah and tell him about our family dinner.”
“Okay, sweetie. Remember not to neglect your studies and your duties. I know how being in love can be distracting.”
His granddaughter arched an eyebrow. “We’re both adults and are aware of our duties.”
The headmaster rearranged some papers on his desk. “I’m just surprised that you didn’t rush to perform the bonding ritual with him. Yet.”
“We’re taking our time to get to know each other and date before linking our souls.”
“Is his family aware of your bond?”
“He told his aunt. They aren’t against it. She’s happy that he found somewhere to call home.”
“I’m welcoming him like a grandson, but I need to be sure he won’t disappear on us and go back to his old ways. I have the king’s permission to make him one of us. That includes making him a member of our academy staff and signing him up to perform the exam for the Elite Hunter Society. He needs to pass to have his identification card and the royal authorization to use weapons outside of the academy.”
“He’s aware of that. I’ll help him study. Don’t worry, Noah isn’t planning to leave. We’re family now.”
Vincent nodded sternly.
Chapter Nineteen
NOAH
No one felt safe with the constant bomb threats and the exile of the Celestials. Many lost their faith when the Celestials left for their cities. The populations of the several kingdoms on the Alorya Continent were scared and feared for their lives.
At the academy, even if the headmaster insisted that the classes had to continue, the students’ lack of focus was evident. Once the classes were over, everybody gathered in the living room to watch the news and the investigation reports led by journalists who wanted to get to the bottom of what was happening. The theories were many, the certainties were few.
Who was behind the attacks?
No one knew.
The Dark Conclave didn’t claim the deaths. Reports suggested that they had also been attacked. Other kingdoms had bombs exploding outside of the Celestials’ embassies. Everybody was scared. No race was safe.
“Why the hot, brooding face?” Grace asked, smiling at him.
Noah’s lips curled up, and he focused on her pretty face. He moved his hand and reached for the curly locks that framed her face. “Hello, beautiful. Did you have a good day?”
“Nothing exciting happened at college.” She inched closer and kissed his lips.
“What about your classes, were they any good?”
She shrugged and brushed her fingers against his cheek. “Nothing special happened.”
“Maybe the world will return to normal soon.”
“I hope so. But the people want to find the culprits.”
“We need to find them. They will attack again when we lower our guard. These fanatics need to be stopped.”
“No one has claimed the attacks, and we don’t know if this has religious or political implications,” Grace said, sitting next to Noah on the sofa. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. “This is nice.”
“I’m glad you like to use my shoulder as a pillow.”
She giggled. “Being alone with you is nice. I always feel safer when I’m with you.”
He moved his arm and laced it around her waist. “I worry about you when you aren’t here.”
“Are you exhausting the students like you normally do?”
“They have been too worried about the recent events to complain.” He brought her closer. “They are afraid that if a war breaks out, we’ll be recruited and end up dying before even living. The guys pretend that they aren’t scared while the girls just worry about not living long enough to find the love of their lives.”
“At the college, my classmates don’t know that I’m a part angel. They hurry that the angels leave this world and abandon us to our fate.”
“Do you think they will leave?”
“I don’t think so. They believe they are safe in their sky cities and will continue staying there until the terrorists are found. I do think they are cowards. Running isn’t the way to deal with this situation. They are letting themselves become intimated instead of fighting back. Who says that this wasn’t the plan all along? Attacking the angels was either revenge or strategy. With the celestials in their cities, it’s easier to plan an invasion. The peace between vampires and shifters has always been fragile. These attacks are frightening the people but also stirring their biased beliefs. The recent manifestations in our capital prove that people want someone to blame. Many vampires are leaving our kingdom. Commercial shops ran by vampires are being targeted and vandalized. Yesterday, a vampire woman was attacked by a mob. She didn’t do anything to deserve that.” Grace released a heavy breath. “The good news is that Grandpa said that the king is doing his best to keep the peace. The committee that was formed is following all the leads. They also sent us the results of the
contents inside the syringe.”
Noah’s fingers wrapped around her chin and tilted back her head. “What type of poison was it?”
“It had stardust mixed with wolfbane.”
“Would that be enough to kill you?”
“I’m not sure. Stardust is deadly to angels. All weapons made of that material have been banned and locked away in the sky cities. I didn’t know it was possible to keep it in its liquid form. I don’t know if I’m immune to it since I’m a hybrid.”
“I’m not completely immune to silver.”
“But you have a higher tolerance to sunlight than most vampires.”
Noah brushed her lips with his. “We should talk about happier things.”
Grace grinned. “Tonight, Prince Aaron is coming to visit us.”
Noah frowned. “I’m not sure if you should be so happy about that. You’ve been talking about the dragon princes for a week now. I’m already jealous, and I haven’t met them yet.”
Lacing her arms around Noah’s neck, she grinned. “You don’t need to be jealous. I’m excited to introduce you to Aaron.”
“Tell me the truth, is he one of your exes?”
Grace shook her head. “He had a fiancée.”
“Not anymore?”
She shrugged. “Grandpa explained things to me, but it’s a bit complicated. Apparently, he broke off the engagement, and they need Darren to join them for a quest. They found their savior.”
“Savior?”
“Their world has a strong fae enemy who is trying to enslave their people. Every few hundred years, the gods send a warrior to save the world and prevent the evil from destroying the peace.”
“So, they have true gods overseeing their world?”
“They believe in reincarnation and destiny.”
“We also believe in destiny since we have mate bonds. We were predestinated to be together,” Noah said.
“We don’t believe that our destiny is already written, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
He kissed her to make her stop talking. “I’ve missed you. Let’s stop talking about other people’s fates and problems.”
Grace rubbed the tip of her nose against his, resting her forehead on his. “I wish we could take some days off to be together.”
“Don’t a few days and nights together sound amazing? Do you know somewhere we could hide?”
“Grandpa has a lake house. It has a fireplace and a nice balcony with a view of the lake. We could cuddle next to the fire, drink tea while looking at the view, and go for long walks in the woods.”
“We could also warm each other up in bed.”
Grace giggled, blushing at the thought. “Grandpa is watching us like a hawk. He comes to my bedroom late at night to check if I’m in bed.”
“I guess I just need to ask him to marry you and end this painful waiting. What do you think?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Do you want to be mine forever, Grace Delacroix?”
“Are you proposing right now? Are you serious?”
He nodded.
“Don’t be silly. You need to be a lot more romantic than that.”
He raised a brow. “A candlelit dinner and a wedding ring? Do you want me down on my knee?”
“A wedding ring would be nice. My father gave my mom the most beautiful ring.”
“Do you still have it?”
Grace shook her head. “Only pictures of it. She…” Grace nibbled on her bottom lip. “Mom’s body was taken away with all of her belongings when Queen Mother found out that she was dead. The only thing they left behind was me.”
“Knowing that you’re the granddaughter of a Celestial Sovereign is seriously intimidating,” Noah confessed. “My father was an alpha, but he didn’t have royal blood.”
“It doesn’t matter. Here, I’m simply Vincent Delacroix’s granddaughter. He’s not a king or a noble. He’s a skilled hunter who proved his worth. Father was a commoner, and Mom loved him anyway.”
Someone rapped on the door.
Grace rose, crossed the soft rug, and pulled the door open.
“Grace, am I interrupting?” Lori asked apprehensively.
“What’s going on?” Grace asked.
Lori peeked inside. “I thought I should warn you about who just showed up at our front door.”
Grace beamed. “Has Aaron arrived?”
Lori stopped Grace from leaving the room. “No. Not Aaron. Your grandfather received an unexpected visit. That person arrived without notice, and they are currently in your grandfather’s office while that person’s entourage awaits in the hallway.”
“Whose?”
“Prince Sorath.”
Grace frowned. “Who?”
“Your uncle, the new crown prince,” Lori elaborated, knowing that Grace’s question was simply an expression of surprise.
Noah stood up and walked to the door. “Does he want to see Grace?”
Lori shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She glanced at the corridor. “Maybe it would be best if you remained here with Noah until he leaves.”
“I’m pretty sure that even if he saw me, he has no idea of who I am,” Grace said.
“I doubt that,” Lori assured her. “Celestials have many spies working for them. I’m sure that despite ignoring your existence, they have a detailed file on your life.”
Grace sighed. “And how do you know that?”
“Did you forget what my father does for a living?”
Grace pursed her lips and nodded. “You’re right. I’m sure they know all about me, so they could erase me from existence if I present myself as a problem.”
“They’re still your family. Killing you would be excessive.”
“Some believe they were the ones who sent the assassins to kill my parents,” Grace reminded her.
Noah placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them gently. “Lori, thank you for your warning. Grace and I will stay here. Let us know when they leave.” He looked at Grace. “Unless you’re curious to meet your uncle.”
She shrugged. “Not really. There’s plenty of pictures of him.”
“He’s a lot hotter in person,” Lori assured with a smile that spread to her eyes. “He’s dreamy. I didn’t know angels were so hot. They exhale charisma.”
Grace stabbed her finger against Lori’s forehead. “Stop daydreaming about my uncle. That’s nasty.”
“His angel warriors are hot, too. I wouldn’t mind having a harem with those fine specimens of males.”
Noah pushed Grace inside. “She’ll stay here with me. You can go now.” He stretched his lips into a fake smile and closed the door on Lori’s face.
Grace snickered at his action. “Were you afraid I might go downstairs only to look at the angels?”
“Lori finds all guys to be hot. I’m sure they are just average-looking,” Noah claimed.
“Have you been eavesdropping on her conversations with her friends? It seems you know a lot about Lori.”
“Are you jealous now?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course not. Since she knows we’re mates, she doesn’t say you’re hot anymore. Plus, she’s busy pretending to ignore Logan while flirting with Steve.”
“It’s a real-life soap opera in this academy,” Noah said.
Grace relaxed her shoulders and padded to the bed. Sitting down, she observed Noah coming her way and taking a seat next to her. “What do you think my uncle came here to talk about with my grandfather?”
“I have no idea.”
“The other week, I joked about them not sending me an invite to run away to one of their sky cities. Today, I’m scared they want to take me there.”
Noah’s stomach dropped. “Vincent would never allow it.”
“What if the king ordered him? Grandpa has no way to refuse our king’s orders.”
He grabbed her hands between his. “You aren’t going anywhere without me. We’re mates, and I’m your protector. We’ll run if you don’t want to go, and th
ey try to force you.”
Her eyes shone. “Would you run away with me?”
“Of course.” He leaned in close. “I promise you, they won’t find you. I’m good at hiding.”
Grace smiled. “I’ll think about your proposal if there are no more options left.”
Noah kissed her and deepened their kiss when she parted her lips to kiss him back.
Between kisses, Noah sighed. “I was being serious, Grace. I want you to marry me. Let’s be a couple, so your grandfather lets me follow you everywhere.”
“We’ll talk about that again when you pass your exam to join the Elite Hunter Society.”
He grinned. “I know you want me to be a model citizen of this kingdom. I’ll pass, don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried. I just want you to have a purpose in life other than mating me.”
He nibbled on her bottom lip softly. “I’m not going to steal your freedom. I promise, babe.”
Chapter Twenty
GRACE
The angel crown prince’s intentions were clarified once he left with his entourage, and Grace’s grandfather called her and Noah to his office.
Vincent Delacroix crossed his fingers and rested his elbows on his desk. “Prince Aaron’s visit to our academy wasn’t a simple social call with the intent to escort Darren home.”
Grace and Noah sat across his desk, awaiting more information.
His granddaughter was the first to question him. “Are they here to take someone else if they refuse to leave?”
Noah grabbed her hand and squeezed.
“No,” the headmaster replied.
Grace released a sigh of relief and relaxed. Noah’s hold weakened, and he leaned back in his chair.
The headmaster looked from Grace to Noah and back at Grace. He clenched his jaw. “No one would take you away from here without having to deal with me.”
“What do the celestials want?” Grace asked. The suspense was killing her.
“Our best warriors to help with a covert operation. They fear that they have spies among the king’s troops. Even among the angel ranks. They requested our help. They want our best warriors. You and Noah are included.”
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