Page 52 of Serpent In White

Blinking at him, I force away the internal gushing over how damn smart he is. I hate myself for having to play down how much I adore all these qualities he possesses. But it’s better this way. It has to be.

I nod to his question. “It’s lavender aloe.”

He glances at me, sincere curiosity and fascination shimmering in his eyes, which are back to their bright sky-blue. A humble grin sweeps over my lips as I peek at the plant.

“I’m surprised it started flowering like that. It actually looks way prettier than I thought it would. But apparently, Lamiales can bond with Asparagales under proper conditions. I had to keep it in the eco-garden for a while, but now it’s just about ready to test.” He shows me a little smile I have to look away from, rubbing the back of my neck as I mutter, “I’m excited about it.”

“I can tell,” he rumbles, giving me a look that quite literally says,It’s the best blessing of my life to know you, baby.But then he clears his throat and shakes it away as fast as my uncomfortable hesitations can creep into my mind. “What will you use it for? Topical stuff?”

I nod. “Yea, definitely. But more specifically, I think it could be a great supplement for metabolic issues. It can regulate blood sugar, too…”

“For Donna and Jim,” he finishes my thought, regarding at least two of our diabetic family members. I nod again. “Wow, Drake. That’s amazing.”

I scoff away his praise. “It still needs to be tested. It might not do anything…”

“Or it might,” he says with all the confidence of a King. My eyes lift back to his. “Manifest that shit.”

I can’t help but grin, and he returns it. He sits up straight, and for a second, he looks like he might crawl over to me. I blur out my desperate desire for him to do it, and unfortunately it works, because he stands up and stretches his arms.

“I guess I’m out,” he sighs as I stand, too. He glances at the floor.Sorry for bursting in on your day like that…

You were pretty worked up, I tell him in my head, and his eyes spring. “So… Abdiel Harmony?”

“He watched us.” He blinks at me.

“Yea…”

“You were right to give him Empyrean,” he admits. “He needs Ecdysis. It was time.”

My head bobs, because it’s true. I knew it the moment Abdiel set foot in my office. The spying, his obsessive thoughts I’ve overheard about Darian, the uncertainty about his parents’ deaths and what his life stands for…

The kid was searching, and Mother led him directly to us. What it means, I still have no idea. But we’re not always meant to understand the plan. Just to follow it and have faith. The answers will come.

For some reason, my lips part to ask Darian if he’s interested in Abdiel…romantically. But I slap them shut and redirect my thoughts because what the fuck is that going to accomplish? Darian’s in charge, and we’re not a thing. None of this needs to be discussed or thought about.

He swallows visibly, then does this little shrug, turning toward the door to leave. My muscles are tensing as he unlocks it and grabs the handle. But before he turns it, he looks at me over his shoulder.

You should come for dinner more often. His eyes shimmer.Gem and Lauris miss you.

I smirk at him.Do they?

He chuckles and shakes his head, opening the door to leave. “Later, bro.”

I watch him walk away for far too long. Even after I know he’s halfway back to the Den, I’m still standing in the exact same spot.

Later.

Darian gets home later than usual.

I know he had football practice after school, but still. When I hear him stomping upstairs, I glance at the clock, and it’s almost eight-thirty.

He missed dinner.

I’m on my bed, reading, when he bursts into the room and immediately flings his backpack into the corner. My eyebrow lifts as he starts kicking his shit everywhere, practically fuming.

Normally I find his messiness funny, because I’m overly neat and I think it’s cool to have a brother who’s my best friend and so very different from me. It annoyed me at first, but at this point we’ve been sharing a room for over two years, and I’m used to being the one who cleans up after both of us. I’m fine with it.

Though right now it’s not amusing, because clearly, something’s bothering him. It’s alarming how much his mood affects mine. I was fine until he stepped into the room, and now I’m crazy tense.