“She is.”
Cirilla entered and set down a tray of food, two assistants following her with more trays, a pitcher, and several wine goblets. Ava and Raine thanked them and piled food on their plates.
“You don’t have to do anything about it,” Ava said. “I’m sure she would understand.”
Raine gripped his goblet of wine. “You think I don’t want to do anything about the fact that she’s my fucking soulmate?”
Ava’s eyes widened. “I—oh. I mean—I’m just saying if you don’t want her. That’s okay.”
Raine smirked. “Oh, I want her. Have youseenher? With those sculpted shoulders and her pouty lips. And that lip ring…Fuck, the things I want to do to her…I’ve thought of all the ways I can use my vines to tie her up and?—”
“Aaand…he’s back everyone.” Ava clapped her hands. “A round of applause for the funny blond man. Nice to see he’s returned.”
Raine ruffled her hair. “You’re ridiculous.”
Ava raised her glass. “As are you.” She paused. “Wait…did you say use your vines in the bedroom?”
He tilted his head. “Why yes, darling. There are manycreative ways to incorporate our magic. Have you and Cas not…”
Ava’s face turned bright red as she took a sip of wine. “Notthattype of magic…” she muttered.
Raine froze, his fork midair with a green bean dangling above his plate. “Well, Mother’s tits, he used his fucking starlight, didn’t he? IknewCas was adventurous.”
“Raine!”
“I wonder if Maeryn can somehow heat up her hand…but I don’t know…that might burn my co?—”
“Raine!” she yelled louder. “You and your dirty mouth.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Well, you asked. Thank you for cheering me up, little frog.”
“Any time, wolf man.” She gave him an exasperated look.
He clinked his goblet with hers. “You know, Ava. Ever since the day you stabbed me, I just knew we’d become the best of friends.”
34
They would be leaving tomorrow—heading to the perilous wastelands that everyone seemed to be terrified of. Though it was something that had to be done, Ava’s nerves were frayed at the enormity of the task ahead. She’d finally begun to wrap her head around having to defeat Deidamia, but now…everything was different.
Because now she had to face some ancient god who had been freed from his prison and was capable of who knows what kind of magic. She had a feeling they hadn’t even seen a sliver of his power. The one thing they took comfort in was that it seemed as though Andras still didn’t know they had figured out who he was.
So they would continue to play their part, acting as if they believed him to be a daemon, and hoped it would give him a false sense of security.
Luna trotted alongside her, Titus riding on her shoulder as she headed to Thorne’s office. After a knock on the door, she entered, pausing at the state of her brother. Bags under his eyes suggested little sleep, his hair disheveled, and his forest green tunic unbuttoned at the top.
Leaning over his desk covered in letters, he looked up, giving her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Are you alright?” she asked, approaching and touching his shoulder.
“I’m fine,” he said unconvincingly.
“We may not have grown up together, but I can tell when you’re lying.”
He stood to his full height, not nearly as tall as Casimir and Raine, but she still had to look up to meet his gaze. Running a hand through his hair, he groaned.
“I’m still processing all of this new information. It’s been…a month, perhaps a little longer, since we set out to take back Igneothenia? And now everything has changed. I must admit I don’t really know what to do.”
Gone was the confident, poised king. The man who always seemed to know how to handle every situation. And in his place was someone who appeared defeated, beat down. Who looked so…lost.
