Page 48

Lucian

Half the luminite delegation stayed for three nights.

The other half departed the following morning to report on the negotiations, the date for Sylvis and Gabriel’s wedding, and, most importantly, spread word that any luminite in Jagwolfe or Leonine territory was welcome to come to Aisthanesthai to join the war against Mephistopheles.

The remainder of the visit was equal parts delightful and frustrating.

I enjoyed seeing their reaction to Rage of Angels, and their awkwardness around the vampires.

When the proverbial lightbulb lit up above Lucretia’s head that Xochitl and the vampires being Mephistopheles’s creations wasn’t a bad thing, but instead a brilliant display of karma against the Evil One, I grinned in delight as well as understanding.

For I too hadn’t realized that fact right away.

But though they accepted the vampires as being on the side of good, most of the luminites remained wary about them.

Except, strangely enough, for little Kiara.

After watching Lucinda spin molecules into amusing shapes for the gleeful toddler’s amusement, Silas confessed that he’d been worried about the luminites’ reaction to the knowledge that it was possible, albeit only in a lab, for a vampire to have offspring.

“How silly,” Lucretia had said with a lofty chuckle. “Earth has always produced the vastest quantity of species and hybrids. Not even Aisthanesthai can match that. Which is why we have to source biological designs from your worlds while building our own.”

I noticed that both sides kept some secrets from each other.

Though some on our side knew that even though our kind couldn’t bring things back to luminista, we could transport things from luminista.

That useful fact had not come up in our negotiations even though even a willingness to send supplies would be helpful in the war.

Our side also never mentioned luminite blood making vampires more powerful, though they freely offered their services in helping our visitors return home.

Silvara’s change in tune about Xochitl both amused and delighted me.

It seemed everything Xochitl did, from having four cats walking with her as an honor guard to her voice to her advanced magic ability was a “Leonine trait.” However, Xochitl’s most obvious luminite trait: her wings, gave Silvara and the other visitors pause.

Black feathers, and to a lesser extent, black hair, weren’t completely unheard of, just very rare if one’s clan wasn’t among those with dark skin to match.

Xochitl’s wings also had some strange, but subtle nubs on their arches, but before the Leonine or Jagwolfe delegations could criticize them, Nik showed that her wings had similar nubs.

And given that the matriarchs had considered Nik worthy enough for a royal marriage, then they couldn’t find fault with a slight anomaly in her wings. However, Silvara was puzzled that Tiana’s wings were normal.

Though Delgarias was pleased that his daughter was accepted by the luminite side of her family, on the second night, he did grumble privately to me that he was surprised since Silvara’s daughter seemed to be against the idea of Nik birthing a half-faelin child.

Aurora overhead and explained, “It’s the ‘I’ve become a grandparent’ syndrome. So many people who were shitty parents randomly turn into complete softies to their grandkids. Well, I guess it would be ‘great-grandparent’ in this case, but I bet it’s the same.”

“Oh shit,” Kerainne said with wide eyes. “I wonder what kind of parent Silvara was.”

I raised a brow. “You never used to use profanity much before.”

“My time on Earth corrupted me.” She laughed, then lowered her voice. “And I like yanking Grandmother’s chain. What’s your grandmother like?”

“I don’t know. She went back to the elements shortly after I was born, so I never got the chance to meet her.”

I wanted to talk with her longer, but my mother pulled Kerainne away for a private chat. My fists clenched at my sides. I’d warned them not to interfere. If she or Lucretia sabotaged this reconciliation before it got started, I would—

“Lucian?” Silvara’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “May we speak a moment?”

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I nodded and allowed her to lead me to the massive library.

“I can’t help but notice that you and Kerainne seem to be mending fences.” The Queen of Leonine clan’s casual tone did nothing to fool me.

“I hope so.” Telling her the truth wouldn’t hurt.

“What changed your heart?”

“My heart could only lie to itself for so long.”

Silvara regarded me with a smug grin as if she’d known all along. “If you do succeed in convincing Kerainne to accept you again, you’ll have to accept the child you once rebuked.”

“I already have.”

She blinked in surprise then recovered her regal composure. “And you’ll probably have to spend the majority of your time here instead of Luminista. I don’t see the original fifty-year bargain working anymore.”

I smiled broadly. “I’m perfectly amenable to that.”

“You’ve changed much in a short time.”

“Yes,” I agreed cheerfully.

While I loved my family and kin, something had shifted within me in the months that I’d spent in Aisthanesthai. The expected relief I usually felt being back with my own kind didn’t come. Instead, they felt like interlopers and the mages and vampires felt like my people.

Silvara patted my hand. “I believe things may work out this time. Come see me when you’re ready to negotiate another betrothal contract.”

With that, she returned to her courtiers.

After our guests finally retired for the night and Del and Zareth helped the vampires travel to the blood houses so all sixty-five of them could feed, I finally found Kerainne alone on one of the balconies equipped with a small, cylindrical fireplace.

When I stepped out there, she held up a familiar-looking bottle and gestured for me to sit by her on one of the comfortable wicker chairs.

“It’s about time.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I hadn’t realized you were waiting for me.”

She took a deep drink of her Earth liquor and offered me the bottle. “Your mother told me something very interesting.”

I accepted the bottle, raised it to my lips, then immediately lowered it at the heavy aroma of anise. “Oh?”

She took the bottle back. “Did you really help Gabriel with my escape?”

I nodded. “I even tried several times to convince Silvara to free you, but she refused. When Gabriel found out, he told me his plan to free you and, well, it was lunacy. My best friend would have been caught and locked up, right next to the love of my life, and I couldn’t have that.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” She stared at me, aghast.

“Because I didn’t think you’d believe me.” I remembered the one time I attempted to visit Kerainne in her cell. She’d spit at me between the trap-steel bars. “And even if you did, I know it was too little, too late.”

She tilted her head in that cute way when she was debating whether to be sarcastic or sincere. Finally, she nodded. “You were probably right. But I still don’t understand what made you change.”

“Because I finally learned what it felt like to lose you for good,” I confessed without shame.

“All these centuries, I took it for granted that you’re my true-bonded mate.

Every time we had an argument that was bad enough for us to part, there was always a part of me that knew I’d have you back.

Except for this time. When the sea of rage parted long enough for my heart to speak, it cried that I’d gone too far.

So I tried clinging to my anger. But I could only do that for so long before the truth gained the upper hand. ”

“Oh.” She took another drink and remained silent, processing my words, hopefully believing me.

No matter what, my penance wasn’t over.

“Kerainne?” I asked softly, “Could you tell me more about your time on Earth?”

“Why?”

“Because every time we’ve been apart, I’d wanted to know how you were doing. You finally told me about what happened after your first Yearning. I want to know about this too. Like Xochitl told me, if I miraculously win you back, she could become my stepdaughter.”

“She said that?” Kerainne gaped at me. At my nod, she took a deep drink. “She’s been so quiet when it came to you, which, if you knew her, isn’t like her at all. Xochitl’s always been very vocal about her opinions, which got her into trouble over the years.”

“Maybe she’s learning and growing.”

Her lips quirked in a crooked smile. “Like you?”

“Exactly.”

“Okay, fine.” Kerainne summoned a bottle of hard cider and handed it to me.

“It wasn’t all bad on Earth. And unlike many single mothers there, I had my own house.

And Del came to visit, though often he wasn’t there when I needed him.

I’d assumed that it was just his Keeper of the Prophecy duties at first… ”

She’d gotten a job as a preschool teacher, which was perfect for her, not only because her bond with children gave her the skills, it also fulfilled her spirit and kept her going when she was in a strange world all by herself.

The women at her preschool job befriended her and threw her a baby shower. But they couldn’t become very close since Kerainne had to keep her secrets. Because of those secrets, she’d ended up giving birth all alone.

“I handled it pretty well,” she told me glibly.

“I had all the knowledge and supplies, I’d gained from Wurrakia.

I still cried, missing my family, missing you.

But then Xochitl was in my arms and most of my loneliness vanished.

I examined every detail of her, looking for evil and finding none.

The only unusual thing was her hair, but even that was beautiful and perfect. ”