Page 35 of Balance

“I mean, this has been around for thousands of years—and that’s only what you all thought to record.” He responded, as if sensing my frustration. “But, if I could suggest something, to help narrow it down for you…” he added, tone slightly more hesitant.

“Please,” I replied, latching on to this reprise. Why was he afraid of giving me his opinion?

“Why not start with the prophecy that has the Council in such an uproar?” he suggested.

I bit my lip, my throat closing. “The dragon babies?”

Logically, it was a good idea to begin there. After all, that was the prophecy that had ruined my life.

But there were other implications along with that as well. Mainly… dragon babies. Talking about it made it more real, and such a thing could only happen as a result of a sexual encounter.

WithTitus.

I liked to admire him from afar, and the occasional snuggle. I still could appreciate beauty without partaking. There was something to be said of contemplating doingthatwithanyone.

“Bianca?” Brayden’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Y-yeah,” I said, thankful that no one was here to see my shaking hands. “Can you dig up that first?”

“Sure can. I’ll visit the archives this week. There are also some basic texts on the five of you—how you’ve come to be, your relationships, the creation of thecouncil. Do you want any of those?”

“Sure…” I rubbed my fingers over my forehead—I never would have guessed there would bethismuch. “Thank you.”

“No problem. And Bianca?” Brayden’s voice lowered slightly. “Thank you for asking me. That’s what I’m here for.”

My face heated, a warmth spreading through my neck and chest. No one had ever thanked me for bothering them before, and while I knew that technically I could boss him around, I never wanted to take advantage. “Y-you’re welcome…”

With a short goodbye, he disconnected the call and I was left staring at my phone, my heart pounding a mile a minute.

“That took longer than usual,” Finn dryly remarked as I stepped into the kitchen. “I was beginning to think you drowned up there.”

He thought I drowned and yet did not bother to inquire? “Thanks…”

“Why are you thanking me?” He turned from me, pulling the garlic bread from the oven. Clearly, sarcasm was still lost on him. “Whatever.”

Bryce and Damen were seated at the eat-in table, tucked into the far corner of the room, surrounded on both sides with grand, tall windows. Damen did, in fact, have space for a formal dining room. However, along with the greenhouse, the room was left untouched in his renovation attempts. It was a surprise, considering how restored and rich the rest of the interior was.

Damen had jumped to his feet and crossed the room in two giant steps. “Are you feeling better now, baby girl?” he asked, looping his arm around my waist. “Do you need me to carry you?”

What the heck?

“Don’t carry me…” I furrowed my brows, craning my neck to meet his eyes. What in the world had gotten into him lately? If he was going to act this way, I almost preferred his distance. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t be modest. You deserve to be pampered and spoiled,” Damen continued, raising my hand toward his mouth, brushing his lips against my knuckles.

“Oh please, you’re making me feel physically ill.” Bryce was slouching in his seat, not even looking at the two of us. “Your game is easy enough to see through. You’re either terrified of Julian, and want to make sure she’s not actually sick, or you’re indulging in some nasty fantasy of yours. Remember, you did not get any sort of approval.”

Damen rounded on Bryce, eyes flaming. “Mind your own business! I’m not doing either of those things! Areyousaying that you don’t want to see her be pampered?”

“He didn’t say that,” Finn answered, pushing past us and placing a pot of spaghetti in the center of the table. “But you might as well give up. You’re wasting your time. Bianca is never going to fall for it.”

I glanced between them. There was something about this conversation I wasn’t grasping, and it had to do with Damen’s flamboyance. “What?”

“Never mind.” Damen rolled his shoulders, the annoyance falling from his expression as he led me to the table and guided me to a seat next to his. “My pride can’t handle this discussion right now.”

Hispride? What in the world was I missing?

But before I could ask, dinner was served. The conversation fell away and in its place, Bryce and Damen droned about the university’s extracurriculars and gossiped about the tenured professors.