Her starry figure started to dissipate, her stars winking out.
“Wait!” Luce leaped forward. “What about my mother?”
“What about her?”
“How do we wake her up?”
“I have no hand in Ichor magic. Whether she wakes up or not is up to you, Luciana Ambrose. You have a journey of your own you need to go on.” With that, the Goddess disappeared.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Lennox huffed a breath. “Welcome to my world.”
“Lennox.” We halted as Luce caught up with us.
“What are we going to do about Caterina?” Blood still coated Luce, her leathers were caked in it. Even her hands were still stained with the substance as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Nothing right now.”
“What do you mean nothing?” There was a hint of ire edging into Luce’s voice now.
Lennox took a step forward. “Luce, we’re in the middle of a war.”
“You think I don’t fucking know that?” She bared her teeth.
“Luce,” I said carefully, but she ignored me, keeping her angry gaze fixed on Lennox.
“This is my mother, Lennox. Your aunt, you think you’d fucking care.”
I could feel Lennox’s magic rising. “I’m aware. Trust me, Luce; I’m well fucking aware. I’m always aware of the consequences, which is why we’re not doing anything about this right now. We need to win this war first because we might not make it out of here. It would kill me to put resources toward waking one person, even if it is my aunt, if we ended up losing this war anyway, it would have all been for nothing. It kills me to say it, but she’s one life in the thousands of lives that hang in my hands, Luce. Unlike you, I have others I have to look out for besides myself.”
“You’re a bitch, you know that?”
“Don’t you dare talk to her like that.” My voice was low as I took a step forward in an effort to shield Lennox.
“I’m well aware. But at least I own my actions,” Lennox shot back.
“You going to hide behind your guardian, huh?”
“I’m not her guardian, I’m her mate.” I bared my fangs at Luce. I didn’t care if she was family, if she came after Lennox?—
“You should be happy he’s guarding me because I might come after you if he didn’t.”
Lennox turned, leaving her cousin glaring at her back.
“Fuck you, Lennox!” Luce called after her cousin.
Lennox flipped her middle over her shoulder.
“If you’d feel better about it—” I started.
“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say, you’re on her side,” Luciana sneered.
“Yeah, I am on her side. But I’m also on your side, Luce. Lennox is looking out for you, she always is. Do you know how much she worries about you? She can’t worry about you right now. She’s got bigger problems. Right now, you need to fall in line.”
“What and be a good little soldier? Just like you?”
“Yes. Exactly. Because that is what you are. What we all are. Her soldiers. Our High Queen’s soldiers. Even I know that.”
