Page 16

Chapter Sixteen

The days passed so quickly and quietly that I didn’t realize how many had passed until I looked at the date.

The orphanage was well under construction and all of the other updates and plans were going into effect. The public opinion was varied, but many were embracing the trade options and hiring the demons who requested work here. We had announced our adoption of Elrith as well. The poor little guy had hated all the posing for pictures, but he loved looking at them afterwards.

I still wasn’t recuperated, but Trey had been dealing with something with the dragons that kept taking him from home, so we hadn’t yet returned to the demon world. It was one of a handful of topics we needed to discuss.

“Mama, can we go tour the school soon?” Elrith asked softly.

“Your fathers and I still have to discuss school. I think you’re better suited for a school in the demon world,” I replied.

Elrith sat on the couch next to me, eyes glued to the TV as we watched the news.

“I want to learn about this world,” he whispered. “There’s so much I don’t know.”

He was right that we needed to decide. We had to register him soon.

“When Trey and Mason return, I’ll talk to them, okay?”

He nodded and resumed focusing on the news.

Kayden walked in with a tray of snacks and juice boxes. “We do have a long discussion ahead of us.”

Understatement of the year.

The doorbell rang, and Kayden and I looked at each other with matching frowns. “I’ll go see who it is,” he said and quickly left.

Not even a minute later, Trey’s mother barged into the living room. She was a pretty woman, in her late fifties with black hair that was slowly greying at her temple; the greying made her look even more distinguished. Today she wore a blue silk dress that made me think of the ocean for some reason. However, her pretty face was a facade for the vile temper that simmered in her chest. “What do you have to say for yourself?” she snapped at me, hands on her hips.

My eyes widened at her abrupt tone. “What?”

“Was it your demon powers? Is that how you bewitched Trey? He is the smartest of the dragon males. How did you do it?” She snapped. Her eyes darted to Elrith, who had scooted across the couch to hide behind me. “And you convinced him to adopt this … thing?”

Shooting to my feet, I marched up to her, snarling, and knew I had partially shifted. “You cannot barge into my house and insult me and my son like this! Your son is not bewitched. He loves me and I love him. Just because you’ve never approved of hybrids, doesn’t mean your son shares your archaic beliefs. You could learn many things from him if you weren’t so stubborn and continued to stick to outdated beliefs.”

She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. “Learn from him? I would never mate with trash like you or pick up litter from another world. You’re nothing, but a conceited trollop and that thing you call a son is?—”

My hand swung out on its own, slapping her across the face before I realized what I was doing. A bright red mark spread instantly.

“Get out of my house, you aren’t welcome here,” I hissed.

She spun on her heels with a harumph and waltzed out without another word. Had that been a smirk on her face I’d seen just before she left, or had I imagined it?

Kayden made sure the door locked before rushing back to me. “Lily?—”

I put my face in my hands and whispered, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have slapped her, but I couldn’t stop myself. She … she …”

“She deserved it,” Kayden said immediately. He turned to Elrith and picked him up, patting his back. “You forget everything that mean, old lady said. She hates everyone and nothing she said is true. Okay?”

He nodded and clung to Kayden, burying his face against his chest.

My phone rang just as we’d gotten resituated on the couch. “Hello?”

“Did you hit my mother?” Trey snapped.

“Y-Yes,” I admitted. “She?—”

“Why would you hit her, Lily? She may be a thorn in my side and say things that irritate me, but she is still my mother and a dragon princess.”

“You don’t understand—” I started, but he interrupted me again. My heart began to beat faster, pain coursing through me.

“Is this about me being so busy? If you’re upset that I’ve been gone so much you should just tell me, not take it out on someone else.”

Was he taking her side right now without even knowing what happened? My throat constricted as unbidden tears grew in my eyes. “Trey, it’s not?—”

“I have to go clean up this mess you made. I don’t know when I’ll be home.”

Blinding fury surged within me and my hair flared into rainbows.

“Don’t bother,” I snapped and stood.

“What?” he asked, worry filtering down the bond.

“Don’t bother worrying about when you’ll be home because I won’t be here,” I hissed, my pain and anger merged stronger together and my hair glowed so bright it was like noon in the house despite it being dark outside. “I am your mate , but you seem to have forgotten that. Forgotten that you should listen to me and hear out my side of things.” I wanted to break something, tear it apart. It was likely the spell … or perhaps it really was just me. Maybe I did seek pain and destruction.

“Lily, I?—”

I hung up and threw my phone into the fireplace.

Elrith and Kayden watched me with matching shocked expressions.

“We’re going to the demon world,” I informed them. “Go pack.”

“Trey and Mason—” Kayden began, but I cut him a glare that had him clamping his lips shut.

We packed our bags, drove to my parents’, and Mom teleported me without question, likely because my hair was still glowing and I could barely speak.

I felt Trey touch our bond and threw up the strongest walls I could, dampening the bond until it was nearly severed in my haste.

Perhaps I’d feel bad later, but not now. Not when he’d been so callous.

Talrinir spotted us first, waving from the castle entrance with a wide smile that slowly wilted when she got closer to me. “Princess,” she whispered and took one of my hands.

I hadn’t realized it, but as soon as I’d put the walls up around Trey and my bond, tears began to stream down my face.

Kayden set a hand on my shoulder, giving me his support and comfort.

“I need to recharge,” I gasped out, my chest constricting tighter and tighter. It was like a vice around my body.

She nodded and silently lead the way to the house that the demons had built for me. House was a poor description. Castle was more appropriate. It had ten rooms, a throne room, a spacious living room connected to the kitchen, and a ton of other amenities.

Once inside, I went straight to my room and locked myself inside, laying on my bed and letting the tears fully flow.

After all this time, how could he not know that I wouldn’t have touched her had she not spouted vile things? How could he not trust that although I was sorry, it was his mother at fault?

Sometime later, Kayden knocked on the door. “Lily, I put some food and water here for you. Take as much time as you need to recharge.”

“Elrith?” I asked.

“Druth came by and picked him up to take him to their city so he could learn a few things. He said to tell you to rest and he’ll learn as much as he can while we are here so he can help in the future.”

Was I wrong? Had I overreacted? Trey’s accusation hurt a lot, though. He should know me and know I wouldn’t just hit his mother for no reason.

Should I apologize to her?

The thought of apologizing to that awful woman had my lip curling. No, I wouldn’t apologize after she’d said such hurtful things.

Getting out of bed, I opened one of my windows, shifted into snake form, and climbed out. Once outside, beneath the stars, I curled up and relaxed. The energy in the demon world began to fill me, cooling my temper and easing my worry.

I felt Mason tap our bond and tapped it back to let him know I was okay. He was a worrywart after all.

Kayden peeked out the window sometime later, but left me alone.

As the sun rose the next morning, I shifted back into human form and joined Kayden for breakfast.

He kissed the side of my head as he set a plate of cut up fruits and a cooked potato before me. “Options are limited since we haven’t been staying here. I’ll go into town later to get better food.”

I nodded, staying silent as I ate my food.

Kayden set his hand on mine, drawing my gaze. “I’m sorry he treated you that way. I know it may not feel like it now, but once he realizes what a moron he is, you’ll work things out.”

We were mates, and I loved him immensely, so it wasn’t like I was going to throw away all that over this. However, he had some serious groveling ahead of him if he wanted to repair the hurt I felt now.

“He and Mason are on their way,” he advised after a moment of silence.

Sighing loudly, I pushed my half-eaten plate away and stood. “I’m going to shower. Sleeping outside left a fine layer of dirt on me.”

Kayden nodded. “Take your time. I hear King Rhys helped with the final designs and some additions of this place, which included an upgraded bathroom.”

If Grandpa Rhys helped, I’m sure I would love the bathroom.

I placed a quick kiss on his cheek as I walked by. “Thank you for being understanding.”

“I’m just glad it wasn’t me this time,” he whispered so softly I was certain he hadn’t meant for me to hear it.