Page 11

E lle had to be dreaming. Not only was Yari on Earth, but more importantly, Elle was Tony’s mate.

The perfect being chosen for him. Was that why she’d had to endure living with Grevolus these last four years?

So that he could find her? If so, it was worth it.

At least it would be if they found a way to remove the sigil, and now that she was going to see Yari, Elle had hope for the first time in so very long.

Tony wasn’t a dragon, but she was okay with that.

Better than okay. He was special in his own right.

And when he took his shirt off to extend his wings?

Elle about bit her tongue off. Goddess, the male was built.

He was also kind, which was more important.

She couldn’t wait to learn more about him.

Dropping her bags on the floor, she waited until he was off the phone to ask, “Where is Norway?”

“Come here, and I’ll show you.” Anthony typed on his phone, then held it out to her.

“It’s about four thousand miles from here, and taking a private jet, we can be there in under ten hours.

My cousin is sending us his plane, and Cruz, the pilot, said he and his mate, Celeste, will leave Atlanta within the hour.

That puts them here around one. There’s a seven-hour time difference, so if we arrive at eleven our time, it’ll be six tomorrow morning in Norway. ”

“That is so weird. It astonished me to learn that Earth is round and moves around your sun. Our realm is just sort of flat as far as I know. We aren’t taught about the places outside of Evyndral since no one really travels.”

“I can’t imagine how you felt ending up in such a strange place. You said you created a language translator?”

“Yeah, my mom taught me all sorts of spells before she was killed.”

“I need to introduce you to my cousins, Luna and Solara. They’re Gargoyles, but they’re also witches. Are you considered a witch too?”

“No. All fae are capable of using basic magic, but those like my mother had more skills than most.” Elle was disappointed they weren’t leaving immediately. She walked to the table to refill her mug, but the pot was empty. “Can we order more coffee?”

“We can, or if there’s something else you’d prefer, we can get that instead. Also, the fridge is stocked with different sodas, beer, and wine.”

Elle scrunched her nose. “I’ve tasted your wine, and I don’t care for it. It’s not sweet. At least none that I’ve tried.”

“And that on Evyndral is?”

“Yes. I didn’t drink much of it because I always needed a clear head around Tovin and Asherah.” Elle padded to the small refrigerator and inspected the contents. She pulled out a can of dark soda since it gave her the same jolt coffee did. “Want one?”

“Will you hand me a beer?”

Elle grabbed a can and handed it to him when she was close enough, then took a seat on the sofa, popping the tab, and taking a sip.

“Can I ask you a question?” Anthony sat next to her, angling his body so he faced Elle.

“Sure.”

“On the camera when you left the bank, it’s like you disappeared, the same way you did earlier in the parking lot. How did you do that?”

Elle would never share her abilities with anyone else, but if there was a possibility of them being mates, she had to trust Anthony.

“I can use the shadows to hide myself. It was something my mother was capable of as well as the reason Grevolus raped her. He admitted to watching several D?nthúlú females, but my mother was the only one who didn’t hide her gifts.

It’s how I got away with killing Asherah on the hill.

I was stationed there with several darks with my bow and arrows during the battle.

I pulled the shadows around us so no one could see us.

What I didn’t realize was that instead of fighting, Grevolus was watching me. ”

Anthony stared at her, and Elle looked away from him, not wanting to see the judgment in his eyes. “That’s fascinating,” he said, instead of something worse. “What else can you do with your magic?”

When she faced him, he seemed eager instead of disgusted. Elle held out her hand and called forth a fire ball. Anthony gasped, then laughed.

“Holy shit, woman. That’s... Whew. I knew you were dangerous, but dayum. Talk about a hot momma.” He fanned his face, grinning. Elle tossed the flame into the air, catching it on the way down. “I wonder if that would burn me? Can you hold it steady? I want to try something.”

“Are you crazy?” Elle held her hand away from him.

“A little, but if bullets and blades can’t penetrate my skin, maybe your flame won’t hurt me either.”

“Impenetrable, not flameproof, Anthony. No. I won’t risk it.” Elle snuffed out the flame.

“Fine,” he said, pouting which should not be cute. “Listen, since we have time to kill, I need to call Carleigh and update her on everything.”

“Why is she so interested?”

“She sort of hired me to find you.” Anthony explained how Carleigh found out about Elle hitting different banks during the last year and that the FBI was also searching for clues as to who she was.

“Is your boss going to get mad when he finds out it was your cousin instead of a paying client?”

“Eh, we all have more money that we’ll ever spend, so she’ll pay Mason something. Ready to meet her?”

“She’s here?”

“No, but I’d like to do a video conference on the computer, if you’re okay with that.”

Elle was nervous about meeting someone important to Anthony, but if they somehow managed to remove the sigil, they would be mates for many years to come, and she would eventually meet everyone in his family.

“Should I use glamour to hide my appearance?”

“I’d love it if you didn’t. I will warn you, though, Carleigh’s going to flip her shit when she sees your ears.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“She is going to be surprised and probably curse a lot.”

“But she hired you to find me. Isn’t she going to call the cops or something?”

“No, Sweetheart. This was a mystery she wanted solved, and when we tell her it was Grevolus making you steal the money, she’ll be mad on your behalf. Don’t be surprised if she claims you as her new best friend.”

Elle had never had a best friend. She spent her younger years with her siblings. There wasn’t school on Evyndral. Everything they learned was taught by their parents. She placed the soda can on the end table, clasped her hands in her lap, and nodded. “I’m ready.”

Anthony tugged at one of the many braids Elle had fashioned in her hair.

“No need to be nervous or formal.” He stood and disappeared into the bedroom opposite hers, and when he returned, he set a laptop on the coffee table.

His large fingers deftly typed on the keyboard, and the screen made a funny beeping before a pretty brunette appeared on the screen.

“Hey, Trouble, what’s...? Oh, my gods. Harlow, get your ass over here,” Carleigh called to someone Elle couldn’t see. Another female appeared on the screen behind her; Harlow, Elle presumed.

“Fuckin’ hell, T. You weren’t kidding. She is ethereal. I will never doubt you again. Hi. I’m Carleigh, and this is our cousin Harlow.”

Elle waved. “Hello.”

“Holy shit, you’re beyond beautiful,” Harlow said, her hand reaching out like she was touching the screen. “Are you real?”

“I assure you she’s one hundred percent real. Elle is a fae from the realm of Evyndral.”

“You’re shitting us. Fae aren’t real, T,” Carleigh countered.

Anthony leaned in closer to the screen. “Oh, they are, and so are dragons.”

“Shut the front door,” Harlow exclaimed. Elle looked toward the door to their room, but it was already closed.

Anthony grabbed Elle’s hand, threading their fingers. “She wasn’t being literal. That’s a nicer way of saying ‘shut the fuck up.’” He kissed her knuckles, and his cousins let out a collective sigh.

“Oh! She’s your—”

“Yes, but I have a problem,” Tony said, cutting off Carleigh.

“Of course you do. Can’t any of us find mates without issues? Lay it on us.”

Tony explained everything from Elle being dragged through the portal to the sigil and her sister being in Norway with Brent and Cassi.

“You weren’t kidding about dragons, and there’s one on Earth? I want to go to Norway,” Harlow said, bouncing in the chair she’d dragged over to sit beside Carleigh.

“Nuh uh. If anyone gets to go, it’s me,” Carleigh countered.

“I’m the one who brought them together.” She huffed on her knuckles, then rubbed them on her shirt.

It wasn’t a gesture Elle had seen, but she got the gist of it.

The two females pushed each other as they argued about who got to go on the jet with them.

Tony released Elle’s hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leaning them back on the sofa as they waited on the cousins to stop fighting. The females ended up on the floor, laughing.

“Are they always like this?” Elle didn’t have cousins, but she did have Yari, although they’d never wrestled in such a manner.

“Pretty much. When our parents found their mates, they started having kids, so we’re all around the same age. We grew up together, went to school together, learned to fight together. You get the idea.”

“How many cousins do you have? You mentioned a twin, but do you have any other siblings?”

“Tabby and I have a younger brother, Andy. Carleigh has a younger sister named Juniper. Harlow has younger twin siblings, Liam and Tamlyn. Our cousin Lydia is the archivist of the Clan, and she could tell you how many there are, but it’s a lot.

My dad has three brothers and three cousins who might as well be their brothers, and they all have kids.

Then there’s the others of our Clan who we’re just as close to. ”

“I bet that must have been exciting, having so many kids your age to hang out with.” Elle had the twins, and with them being so much older, she often felt like a third wheel.