by G. K. DeRosa
We all hovered just outside the room, anxiously waiting. Cinder squeezed my hand as a big smile lit up her face. “I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl.”
“Me too.” I couldn’t believe they’d wanted it to be a surprise. I’d definitely need to know ahead of time. How else would I pick out all the cute baby clothes and matching stuff for the nursery?
I fiddled with my fingers, remembering I hadn’t even brought a gift for my new niece or nephew. Luckily, I had magic. How hard could it be to conjure up an adorable little onesie and stuffed animal?
The healer appeared in the doorway, a clean white smock over his gray jumper. “Kimmie-Jayne and the baby are both doing fine. You may come in two at a time to meet the young dragon.”
I had to force my legs still to keep from racing into the room. This little baby was the newest member of our family—something I’d never had as a child. Something I’d always longed for. This baby was going to be spoiled rotten by his auntie.
“Go ahead, Luna,” said Blaze. “I don’t want you to explode if you’re not the first in there.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, you’re Kimmie-Jayne’s sister, and I’m sure she’s anxious to see you. Take Cinder with you, and we’ll go next.”
I barely registered Ashlin and Flare’s grunts over the rush of happiness. “Thank you!” I practically knocked down the healer as I zipped past him with Cinder on my heels.
Kimmie-Jayne sat up, a pink-swaddled baby in her arms. Fenix stood over them, the biggest grin I’d ever seen stretched across the handsome dragon’s face. K.J. smiled as we approached, her expression tired but happy. “Come meet your niece, ladies.”
Cinder motioned for me to go first. She must have sensed the excitement rolling off me. I stepped closer, and K.J. twisted toward me so I could have a better look. A pair of lively light blue eyes stared up at me, her cheeks almost the same rosy hue as the blanket tightly wrapped around her.
“She’s adorable,” I gushed.
“What’s her name?” Cinder asked, stepping around me to get a look.
“Rose Ashley.” Fenix’s golden eyes lit up as he whispered the name with such love my heart swelled.
Kimmie-Jayne glanced up at her mate, her eyes shining. “Rose for the beautiful deep purple flower Fenix gave me when he hopped off that unipeg on Hitched. From that first moment, somehow a part of me knew he was the one.”
“And Ashley for our fallen cousin, Ash. His sacrifice and memory will live on in our daughter.”
My throat tightened as a fiery ball of emotion clogged my airway. Ash. He’d given up his life for mine. I glanced down at the wriggly rosy-cheeked baby and smiled. She had quite a name to live up to, and I had no doubts she would.
“Come on girls, it’s our turn.” Ember’s excited voice trickled into the room.
“We’re coming, Mother,” Cinder responded.
“There will be plenty of time to catch up later.” Kimmie-Jayne gave me a smile. “I’m so glad you were here today, Luna.”
“Me too.” I gave my sister a big hug and with one parting glance at baby Rose, I compelled my legs forward.
I’d only just met my niece, but I already loved her fiercely.
Chapter 8
Glancing at the sleeping baby in my arms, I could almost forget about everything else. I could already feel her magic. It was faint, but it was there. I’d spent the last two days holding baby Rose every chance I got. Between Cinder, Ashlin, Ember and me fighting to spend time with her, Kimmie-Jayne barely had any alone time with her daughter. I think she was okay with it though. Whenever my sister wasn’t feeding Rose, she slept. Apparently, birthing a half-dragon took its toll on a half-blood.
A soft knock on the door drew me away from my musings. Kimmie-Jayne peered into the nursery, wisps of blonde hair framing her weary face. “Is she still sleeping?”
I nodded, not wanting to wake the baby. If Kimmie-Jayne was here, it meant Flare was ready to take us back to Darkhen. I held onto Rose a little tighter, giving her one last squeeze before gently placing her in the bassinet. “I’ll see you soon, Rose Ashley,” I whispered.
Following K.J. out of the nursery, I weaved my arm through hers as we walked through the long corridors of Skye Lair.
“Thanks for coming, Luna. Having you here meant the world to me.” She leaned on my shoulder as we walked. “My human sister, Becky Sue, we’re so different. She doesn’t understand any of this. She tries, as do my parents, but it’s always so weird having them here in Draeko.”
“Are they coming soon to see Rose?”
“Yes, they’ll all visit in the next few days. They’re excited to meet her, but it’s always an ordeal to get them here.” She rolled her eyes with a rueful smile. “How’s everything with you by the way? I’m sorry we haven’t even had a chance to talk.”
“Don’t worry about it. I know you’ve had plenty to deal with.”
“How’s Drake?” she asked.
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.”
Her light brows perked up. “What happened?”
“Elrian summoned him to the Winter Court, and he’s been MIA ever since. He won’t return my calls or texts, and one of the guys on the team talked to him and said he was at the Spring Court.”
Kimmie-Jayne gasped. She’d spent the night in the palace’s dungeon no thanks to the nasty King Seris. “You think it has something to do with the betrothal?”
I swallowed thickly. “What else could it be?”
She squeezed my hand and stopped, turning me to face her. “Luna, you know I cared a lot for Elrian, but the Fae royals, they’re a whole other supernatural beast. I don’t know Drake well, but I know his brother. I’m sure you don’t want to hear this right now, but their duty to the throne comes before everything else. Even if Drake loves you, he’ll never be able to put you first. That’s something you have to decide if you can live with.”
“I may not even have a choice,” I muttered. “He could be married to Miranda already for all I know.”
She pulled me into a hug, and my tense body relaxed into hers. “I’m sorry, sweetie.” Releasing me, she stepped back, her curious eyes meeting mine. “I hear Ryder’s doing much better.”
My heart fluttered like a traitorous mad butterfly at the sound of his name. “Yup.”
“He’s really trying to get his life back together.”
“Yup.” My brow arched. “Wait, you talked to him?”
She nodded. “Here and there. I’m really proud of the progress he’s made. He’s come such a long way from the man I met on Hitched.”
“I get it now. When I was watching you on the show, I didn’t understand how you could have feelings for more than one guy, but now I totally get it.” I sighed and began walking toward the main hall again.
“You’ll figure it out, Luna. At least you only have two.” She winked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
When I reached the academy, my chest felt lighter, the heavy mass weighing me down for the past week had lessened. Marching down the hallway to my dorm, I vowed to be more chill and not get sucked back into all the drama. Whatever happened with Drake would be, and I needed to focus on school and honing my magic. I’d been stupid to get so distracted by my love life. When Luxora came, I needed to be ready. Because I planned on sticking around and watching my little niece grow up for a long while.
I stuck the key in my dorm door, and it popped open. Surprised to find it unlocked, I peeked my head through the crack. “Scarlett?”
“No, it’s me.” Drake’s voice nearly made me jump out of my skin.
As my eyes focused in the darkness, I could just make out his shadow sitting on my bed. “What are you doing in the dark?” I dropped my duffel bag and marched toward him.
He shrugged. “I’ve been here a while. I guess I didn’t even notice it.”
I flicked on a light and he winced, his eyes snapping closed. I took a second to take a breath and quell the bubble of anger threatening to burst free. “So wh
ere the heck have you been, Drake?”
A whoosh of breath escaped his parted lips, and he raked his hands over his face. “I told you I was no good at this, Luna. I’m sorry for avoiding you, but what I need to tell you has to be said in person.”
My heart plummeted. He didn’t need to say anything, whatever he was about to say was bad. It was written all over his face, the blank mask vanished.
“Why don’t you sit?” He motioned at the spot on the bed beside him.
“Just say it.” I crossed my arms over my chest to keep my insides from ripping apart and spilling all over the hardwood floor.
“Luna…” His eyes met mine, and the tumult of emotions that flashed across his typically frosty irises stole my breath. “The date has been set for my nuptials to Miranda. Elrian and I were at Spring Court ironing out all the details. After the semester ends, I’ll no longer attend Darkhen Academy, and I’ll be the Prince of both the Winter and Spring Courts.”
I knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. I sucked in a breath, willing my lungs to continue functioning. It took all I had not to give into the tremor in my knees and sink to the floor. “What happened?” I finally muttered, when I could summon enough oxygen.
“Please, Luna, sit.” He held out his hand, but I whipped my head back and forth.
“What happened?” I repeated, a little less shakily this time.
“It’s that bastard, King Seris, and my power-grubbing cousins, the Darkhens. They’re threatening Elrian’s reign, trying to incite the Fae lords against him. Julias and his father are still angry about how everything played out with Cillian and Ryder. They’re simply out for revenge. There’s no love lost between Seris and Elrian so the Darkhens sought him out as an ally. Moving up the betrothal is the only way to get Seris off my brother’s back and unite the two courts.” He paused and finally took a breath. “I never thought it would happen so soon. I thought we’d have time…”
I shook my head, sucking in my lower lip. “It was stupid, Drake. We knew all along we were living on borrowed time.”
He stood, moving closer and I backed up and hit the couch. “I thought somehow I’d be able to get out of it—like Elrian had. I’d hoped things could’ve been different for us, but I’m bound by my duty—”
I raised my hand, cutting him off. “I know.” I felt like I was watching a repeat of the Elrian and Kimmie-Jayne episode of Hitched. My shoulders sagged, and I leaned against the back of the sofa.
“I didn’t give in easily, if that’s any consolation. I fought my brother and my mother for two whole days. But in the end, there was no other answer. Elrian is still in talks with the Queen of Summer, Bas is too young and my sisters are all wed.”
I shuddered at the thought of that adorable little boy being married off at the ripe old age of four. “You did what you had to do,” I mumbled.
His eyes lit up, and he closed the distance between us. His icy breath swirled just inches from mine. “We still have until the end of the semester, Luna. It doesn’t have to end like this.”
My head snapped back. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“No. I’d never joke about this. I want to be with you, Luna. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and I’m not ready to give that up.”
I glared up at him, barely containing the fury swirling within. “How about me, Drake? You expect me to pretend like everything’s fine and nothing’s changed? Then what? At the end of the year, you up and leave and marry your princess and leave me heartbroken?”
“It doesn’t have to be like that.”
I popped my hands on my hips, seething. “Then please, tell me how it could be.”
“You could be my royal courtesan.”
My jaw dropped, my chin nearly hitting the floor. “You want me to be your mistress?”
“That makes it sound so tawdry.”
“It is tawdry!”
“Luna, please.” He reached for me again, but I shoved him away, little bursts of magic seeping from my fingertips.
“Don’t touch me, Drake. If you know what’s good for you, keep your distance.”
“A courtesan is very common within the royals. All nuptials are of convenience, and therefore, extramarital relations don’t carry the stigma they do in the human world.”
“I don’t care, Drake. I’ll never be your other woman. The fact that you even suggest it—” I bit back the slew of curses on the tip of my tongue. “Please, Drake, just go. I need to be alone right now.”
My skin was itching, the tether on my essence about to snap. I needed to get out of here before I jumped into the prince’s body. And that was the last place I wanted to be right now.
“Luna, please, at least think about it.” His lilac irises shimmered, sparks of lavender and deep purple swirling across the luminescence.
“Just go, Drake.”
The moment the door slammed shut, I collapsed onto my bed and buried my face in my hands. What a freakin’ disaster. My chest heaved, but no tears came. Instead, a wild bout of laughter bubbled up to the surface. It had happened; I was actually losing my mind.
As I laughed so hard, tears filled my eyes, spilling down my cheeks. Was Drake insane? Did he really think I would ever agree to be his mistress? How did my love life get so ridiculously complicated?
But I knew the answer to that one. It was these supernaturals. They were making me crazy, and it needed to stop. I had to focus on what really mattered—like not getting captured by Luxora… or worse.
Chapter 9
“You have got to be kidding me!” Cinder’s eyes widened to the size of golden moons. “He really asked you to be his courtesan?”
“Shh!” I hissed. Even though we were alone in my dorm, I didn’t trust the range of most supernaturals living in the building.
“I can’t even believe it,” she muttered.
“Me neither.” I shoved another heaping spoonful of ice cream into my mouth.
“Have you talked to him since you kicked him out of your room?”
“No,” I said around a mouthful of sweet chocolate deliciousness. “No training today since it’s Sunday.”
“Oh, right.” She glanced at her watch and scrambled off the bed. “Oh sugar, I’m late. I was supposed to meet Raf a few minutes ago for lunch.” She glanced at me with those warm eyes and sat back down. “But I can totally cancel if you want to talk some more.”
“No, go ahead. Someone should have fun for the both of us. Besides, I don’t think I ever want to talk about it again. I’m done with guys, Cinder. Mark my words.”
A cynical smile crossed her face as her dark brow lifted into an arch. “Riiiight.” She spun toward the door and waved over her shoulder. “I’ll see you later, Luna.”
I uncrossed my legs and slid off the bed, eyeing the pile of textbooks on my desk. I should be catching up on the homework I missed while at Draeko. I sank into the chair and picked up a pen. Drumming my fingers on the desk, I flipped through a few pages of my Advanced Spellcraft book. The black text blurred, my eyes refusing to focus.
Maybe later. Shutting the book with a satisfying thunk, I decided a little fresh air might be just what I needed.
I’d almost made it to the door after lugging my boots and coat on, when my phone dinged. Digging it out of my inner jacket pocket, I scanned the message and groaned. Cillian on a Sunday? This couldn’t be anything good.
Shedding my coat and snow boots, I rushed over to the headmaster’s office. A jumble of possibilities clamored around in my mind for the reason of his call—all of them centered around Luxora. She’d been quiet for the past week, which was never a good sign. Maybe this would take my mind off my epic failure of a love life.
When I arrived at the foyer to Cillian’s office, Darby’s desk was empty. At least he got to enjoy his day off. I knocked on the door, but it was already ajar, and it opened all the way when my knuckles hit the timber.
Cillian sat at his desk, fury radiating off the beautiful angel. Glancing a
round the empty office, I was surprised I was the first of the team to arrive. “What’s going on?”
He huffed, dragging his fingers through his silky golden locks. “Let’s wait till Ryder gets here so I don’t have to go over this twice. He should be here in five minutes.” I’d forgotten that since he was no longer technically faculty, he didn’t live on campus anymore.
Not exactly, anyway. There was a small cabin next to the stables that he’d taken over. I wondered if that was another object of contention with the Darkhens.
“How about the others?” I asked.
Cillian rose and motioned to the couch. “This isn’t team business, Luna. This is about you.”
My eyes widened. “Oh.” Suddenly, five minutes seemed too long to wait. “Is it about Luxora?”
“Indirectly, yes.”
I opened my mouth to ask more, but Ryder zipped into the office, locks of dark hair tumbling over his forehead as the chilly air followed him in.
His eyes darted from me to Cillian and back to me. After a lengthy inspection of every inch of me, the tension in his jaw lessened. “What’s going on?”
“The Coven Council knows about Luna.”
My mouth felt like I’d been sucking on a cotton ball. This wasn’t Luxora bad, but from the look on Cillian’s face, it was still bad.
“How?” asked Ryder.
“Garrix isn’t sure yet.”
My eyes jumped up to the headmaster’s. “My father told you?”
He nodded. “It was the most expedient manner. Apparently, it was just brought up in their meeting.”
Crap. That guy from the council I’d met in Maginaria. He must have figured it out.
“What do they know exactly?” Ryder asked.
“The sorcerer, Malaki, brought up the inquest. He’s demanding that Garrix produce Luna so her blood can be tested. He claims he detected something unique about her when they met.”
“This is all my fault,” I groaned. “I got in a fight with Garrix last time I was in Maginaria, and I portalled into the town square. That Malaki guy saw me, and he must have ratted me out.”