Page 33

Chapter

Thirty-One

A ZALEA

The sound of murmurs was what I woke to, whispers and frantic speech my mind was too foggy to comprehend. Kyson sounded worried. I can tell that much from his tone as I return to the present.

“What do you mean? How can you not know?” Kyson snarls at someone.

Moments later, Cedric’s voice reaches my ears. “If she were a Landeena, it would be straightforward, but she isn’t Kyson. She is also half Azure. I am familiar with the King’s gifts, the Queen’s she kept hidden for the most part and my knowledge is limited”

“And what? Do you have no clue either? Tatiana was your mate!” Kyson snaps when Trey’s voice reaches my ears.

“I know of some of her Moon-blessed gifts. Cedric is right, though. We can’t fully understand Azalea’s gifts until they make themselves present.

She only just started acquiring them. Azure and Landeena bloodlines were the first. The Moon blessed yet polar opposites.

They were never destined to bring a child into the world together.

Her gifts will remain unknown until she learns to use them or they reveal themselves,” Trey argues.

Kyson sighs loudly, and I open my eyes to find I am on the couch by the fire, a blanket draped over me. Damian sits across from me, looking rather tired, his head resting back on the armchair as he listens to them argue.

“So, what sort of gifts did Tatiana have?” Kyson asks.

“All I know is she had gifts of being a seer and elemental by nature,” Trey answers when Cedric speaks.

“Garret was the opposite. His gifts stemmed from the mind, which is why no one could resist his command, and why he was so charismatic and cruel,” Cedric says, sounding a little bitter as he mutters the last word.

“So this could be a mix of either?” Kyson groans. Annoyance filters through the bond.

“Or something else entirely,” Cedric offers. I remain quiet, letting them talk or argue about what they seemingly don’t know.

Sitting up completely, I peer over the back of the couch to see Cedric hand him some leather-bound books before they both leave. Looking back at Damian, he is watching me.

“Abbie?” I ask him.

“With Gannon, she is fine, my Queen. You don’t need to worry,” he tells me before getting to his feet.

Yet worry is all I feel for her, she tried to kill herself and almost succeeded if Gannon hadn’t intervened she’d be dead by now.

The things I saw inside her head will forever haunt me, forever remain with me.

“Finally, you’re awake,” Kyson says as Damian steps around the coffee table.

“I am going to head back to my mate. But I will be ready to leave by the afternoon for Landeena,” he says before walking out and leaving me with Kyson.

“We are going to Landeena tomorrow?” I ask as Kyson wanders over with books in his hands. He sits down beside me.

“Yes. You still want to go?” I nod my head. I needed answers, anything to try and figure everything out.

“Any news from Larkin?” Kyson shakes his head. “No, though we have tried to reach him.”

“You don’t think that Crux …?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what to believe anymore, Azzy. We’ll figure it out together,” he tells me, setting the books down on the small coffee table.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, moving my hair over my shoulder.

“I feel fine,” I exhale as he cups my cheek with his hand

“You had me so worried when you passed out. Abbie was beside herself. It took all Gannon’s strength to get her to leave.”

“I just can’t believe we missed how depressed she was,” I tell him, feeling terrible that my best friend was suffering in silence, believing wholeheartedly that she had no one to confide in.

“A lot has happened. New things have come to light. Finding out about Gannon’s mate, I think that shoved her over the edge.”

“Gannon had a mate?” I ask.

“Apparently, yes. But more shocking is it was Abbie’s aunty. Gannon and Liam killed her,” Kyson tells me.

“He killed his own mate?” I ask, horrified.

Kyson shrugs. “I don’t know all the details, and we were just as stunned when we found out. He never told me. Although I know Gannon, he would never hurt a woman without good reason. It is also nearly impossible to kill your own mate,” Kyson says, resting his head back on the couch.

“Come, you should get some rest. We have to be up in a few hours,” he tells me.

“I just woke up,” I laugh.

“But I haven’t slept yet, and it is 3am in the morning. I can’t sleep without you, so you need to come too,” he tells me, standing up.

“I’m not tired,” I tell him, peering up at him.

“Good for you, but I am,” he smirks before scooping me off the couch. I scramble to grab hold of him, not wanting to be dropped as he walks toward the bed. He places me on it before stripping his clothes off, remaining only in his boxers. I lick my lips at the sight of him.

“Nope! Sleep. I am old, tired, and grumpy. You can have your way with me tomorrow,” he growls as he climbs over me. But I’m not tired. No, I’m wide awake.

Kyson crawls into bed beside, tugging the blanket up before flicking the lamp off.

Only the light from the fireplace illuminated the room, casting shadows on the walls and roof.

I stare at the ceiling, wondering how long before he falls asleep so I can sneak off to shower.

However, sleep is instantly forgotten when I hear Abbie’s voice flit through the mindlink.

‘Are you awake?’ she whispers to me.

‘Yes, are you okay? I wanted to come to see you, but Kyson wanted to sleep,’ I tell her.

‘You can see me. I’m outside your door,’ she whispers through the link as if she is trying not to wake Kyson. I glance at him fast asleep, snoring, before getting to my feet and making my way to the door.

Opening the door, I find Abbie and Tandi.

Tandi peers past me to look at Kyson asleep before reaching in, grabbing my wrist and tugging me out the door and rushing toward the stairs.

Abbie giggles, racing to keep up with her as if she is performing some kind of jailbreak.

Dustin, who is standing guard with Trey, stumbles after us.

“Ah, you said you needed to speak to her, not kidnap her!” Trey hisses at her.

“Either come with us and shut up, or stay behind. No party poopers allowed,” Abbie states. Trey shoots me an inquisitive look and I shrug.

“Where are we going?” I ask as I nearly stumble down the steps.

“To raid the liquor cabinet and find the deserts,” Tandi tells me. Abbie giggles and shakes her head.

“I heard her giving Damian hell in the halls and went to see what the commotion was and was kidnapped too,” she shrugs.

“Tyson? And Hunter?” I ask the girls, relieved to see a smile on Abbie’s face after yesterday’s events.

“Hogging the bed. Gannon is with him,” Abbie tells me.

“And Damian is playing Daddy daycare,” Tandi says as we reach the bottom of the stairs.

Tandi scouts the hall before jumping in fright when Liam comes around the corner. Liam glances around before ducking behind the corner of the staircase with us. He peers down, then peeks around the corner toward the kitchen.

“Who are we hiding from?” he whispers, and Tandi giggles.

“Idiot, we are raiding the kitchen!” she snaps, pushing past him.

“I could do with a midnight snacky poo.”

“This is a girl’s breakout only,” she tells him.

“Then why does the ferret face get to come? And him?”

Trey huffs at Liam. Tandi looks over her shoulder at Dustin and Trey dressed in the typical black uniforms, looking every part of my guard.

“Dustin, don’t count. He is one of us,” Tandi states, and he huffs as if to say he is not a part of this escape when her eyes slide to Trey.

“And he is the fun police that decided to tag along,” she growls.

“Well then, count me as the corruption! I know where the hard liquor is kept. Besides, I am her guard,” he says, pointing to Abbie.

“Since when?” Abbie demands.

“Since you did a jailbreak on my best friend in your rainbow pajamas and bunny slippers. You look like you’re up to mischief,” Liam tells her, sending her a wink. Tandi sighs loudly.

“So much for keeping this a small gathering,” Tandi says, stomping off toward the kitchen.

We flick the light on to find no one down here, and I can’t help but laugh as Liam makes himself at home, raiding the pantry and coming out with a huge armful of sweets and chips that he dumps into Trey’s arms. Trey shakes his head but says nothing, accepting his role in our escape that I am sure would get me in trouble later with Kyson.

Tandi follows Liam to the cellar, returning with liquor and wine bottles. “Do you girls drink?” she asks, and Abbie and I shake our heads.

“Oh, Clarice made Mud Cake!” Liam states, spotting it on the top level of the fridge.

“Dustin, grab some glasses while I steal this,” he says

“Clarice will murder you,” Trey tells him while Liam kidnaps the cake.

“Shush you! You saw nothing, and don’t you snitch,” he tells Trey.

“So why are we doing this again?” I ask, and everyone stops looking at Tandi.

“Ah, because we can! You’re the Queen. You can do what you want!” she shrugs, and I giggle. She has a point, kinda. I doubt any of the guards would step in unless I am putting myself in danger.

We sneak down to the ballroom where the orphanage was initially set up, but it is now clear since only a handful of children remain. Those that are still here are on the servant’s floor with Clarice and the other servants so they could be watched over.

Yet a few bunk beds and toys remain. We set up our picnic after ripping the sheets off. Trey starts a fire in the enormous fireplaces, and we flick the lights off since turning them on lit the place like a Christmas tree.

“So what did Damian do that made you ditch him?’ Abbie asks, accepting a glass of wine from her. Liam sips his bottle of whiskey, not bothering with a glass.

“Nothing really, it just irritated me,” Tandi says.

“Fascinating. Tell me more about your domestic squabbles,” Liam says, and she rolls her eyes at him.