Standing behind Damien and Ryder, I’m now able to get a better look at their suits. Damien’s is a forest green with emeralds that match the color of my eyes, and Ryder’s is a dark plum color that has its own set of gems to match. I think this might be the first time I’ve seen him in a color other than black and, of course, he pulls it off just fine. In fact, it’s almost annoying how handsome the two of them are. Bouncing my eyes back and forth between the two of them, I have to admit it’s the vision of every girl’s fantasy.
“Shall we?” Zaro insists, pulling me from my runaway thoughts.
We follow the three of them to the Grand Hall, where a round, crystal table is decorated with bouquets of cherryblossoms. As we each take a seat, Amaya on my left and Ryder to my right, I notice an empty chair beside Damien.
“We thought someone else should join us.”
As if on cue, a staggeringly beautiful woman comes waltzing into the room. Everything about her is elegant and refined. If the boys thought Amaya and I cleaned up nicely, they certainly must be blown away by her. I mean, Damien’s eyes are about to fall out of his head just looking at her, and I have to push down the tinge of jealousy clutching my heart watching it.
“Damien,” she says in a voice so angelic it almost sounds like she sang it.
“Danielle.”
He shoots up from his seat at the table and runs over to her. She wraps her arms around his neck as he picks her up and spins her.
“That’s his twin,” Ryder leans over and whispers to me.
I see it now. The resemblance. As they embrace, her hair runs into his, and the color matches so perfectly I can hardly tell where their heads separate. Even without her four-inch heels, she must be at least Amaya’s height, maybe even taller. Damien finally puts her down, and the two of them take their places at the table with the rest of us.
“You must be Reign,” she says with a sweet smile. “You look just as beautiful as he described.”
I feel my face match my confusion and quickly hide it with a smile. “Thank you.”
“We’ll talk later,” she adds with a mischievous smirk that reminds me of Amaya. I hadn’t given too much thought as to what I imagined his sister to be like, but she certainly would’ve exceeded it all. Everything about her is intimidatingly perfect. It’s like she doesn’t even have to try to command the room. Her presence does it all on its own.
My eyes fall to the necklace with a turquoise pennant in the shape of a teardrop hanging from it. It affirms that Damien was telling the truth about my father saving her that day at the lake when we were kids. The color of her necklace is an exact match to that of my father’s wedding band. In fact, looking at it now, I’m wondering myself if it really was a sign from The Mother.
After dinner ends, the brothers pull Ryder and Damien into a separate room, leaving me and Amaya with Danielle. I can tell it kills Damien to be called away from his sister, but he’s here for more than just her, so he goes willingly.
“Now that they’re gone, we can get to the good stuff.”
Danielle stands up and whispers something in Bex’s ear. A couple of minutes later, Bex comes back with a tray topped with three glasses of champagne. Danielle hands Amaya and I each one before sitting back down in Ryder’s empty seat.
“So, you’re the woman my brother is madly in love with.” My jaw falls open, and it takes everything in me to snap it shut. “Oh, I’m just kidding. I mean, he is in love with you, but I’m not here to grill you. From everything he’s said about you in his letters, I can tell I’m going to love you, too!”
I look to Amaya, but she looks just as lost as I probably do. Does she think we’re still together? Does she know he just died and came back to life? Suddenly, I’m wishing I were in that room with the leaders instead of out here left to navigate this conversation on my own.
Before I can figure out what to say back, she takes my hands in hers. “I also know that it was your father who saved my life. I don’t remember too much about that day, but I do rememberthe kind man who wrapped me in his arms and stroked my wet hair, reassuring me that everything was okay.” She gently squeezes my hands and releases them. “I’ll never be able to repay him for saving me, but maybe one day I’ll be able to return the favor to you.”
“Oh, that’s really not necessary,” I begin, but she cuts me off with the wave of her hand.
“It is. Here, in the Infinite Sea Territories, our loyalties run deep. Just as the Leaders remember what my father did for them, Damien and I will always remember what your father did for me.”
I offer her a sincere smile, which she returns.
“How long has it been since you and Damien have seen each other?” Amaya chimes in before the conversation has a chance to lull into uncomfortable silence.
“Gosh,” Danielle says, leaning back in her seat and pausing to take a sip of champagne. “It has to have been over two years. The last time would’ve been at mine and Ion’s wedding, and that was about two and a half years ago.”
“You two are married?” Amaya asks, nearly spitting out her champagne.
Danielle laughs too hard and has to set down her glass to keep from spilling. “Yes, we are. He’s 17 years older if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Oh, I didn’t—” Amaya starts to apologize, but Danielle interjects with a laugh.
“Hey if I were you, I’d be thinking the same thing.” She picks her glass back up and takes a sip. “His mother took me in when our father died. Damien chose to stay and take care of our mother, like the caring son he is. I’m not sure how much good it did, though. She sort of lost her mind once the king…you know…” I forgot she was also there to watch as her father was beheaded by a wolf the king had commandeered. After experiencing something similar with Agatha, I can only imagine what that does to a person—watching their father be murdered in such a gruesome way. “Anyway, she lives here in the Territories now. I should probably make it a point to see her more often, but it’s just kind of depressing, you know?”
I nod and look down at the napkin in my lap. I don’t know what to say, so I remain quiet.
