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Oneric sides up behind me, rocking back on the heels of his combat boots. I shoot a glare over my shoulder.
“We are not.” And because it’s important to be polite even when your Mate is being a dick, I add, “But thank you for asking.”
Oneric levels me with a stern look that shouldn’t be so cute when he’s being this annoying.
“And the panther? Any idea how we keep from being mauled by her pet?”
“You know, I’ve been thinking about the panther.”
“Oh, do tell.” His eyes are bright with mirth. He reaches for my hand once more, leading me alongside him toward the doors.
“I’m not entirely convinced the beast didn’t sneak through an abnormally thin Ley line and seek her out on his own. That feline is absolutely not from the human realm; that much is clear.”
“He did grow incredibly fast,” he agrees as we pull open the doors and step into the beautiful front yard. It’s a crisp, warm night, and as we turn right to make our way around the keep and into the back gardens, I can’t help but marvel at how beautiful it is here.
The sky is bright and clear, glittering with stars. Stars that remain unfamiliar, despite how long we’ve been trapped here. It’s hard to appreciate the beauty when things are so different. Different stars. Different constellations. Even the moon is different—larger and brighter than it is on Earth.
Our memories were used to create this realm. But when you take memories from thousands and thousands of beings, things tend to get a little distorted. And at the end of the day, that’s all this realm really is.
An approximate recreation. A dream. This isn’t ours, and we can feel it. Our magic can feel it. This disconnect is like an open wound that will never heal. Not until we can finally return to our true home.
To Earth.
It’s hard to believe that I’m one of only eleven others who know that tonight is the night our self-imposed banishment finally ends. Because in less than ten minutes I, Asterion Alydryck, eldest son of House Alydryck and Steward of the Return, will open one of the thinning Ley lines between realms and return to Earth.
More importantly, I will be the first to greet the Last Daughter. The female who prophecy foretold would lead us to victory against the Veylen and end the war between our peoples for good.
It’s an honor. A dream come true—something I’ve been preparing for my entire life.
So why can’t I stop frowning all of a sudden?
What happened to all the excitement I felt just twenty minutes ago? Why is it that when I think about how drastically the Last Daughter’s life is about to change, I feel less like a diplomat and more like a Fatesdamned executioner?
After the life she’s lived, it just suddenly feels wildly unfair for us to throw the fate of an entire world and four—five, if you count the Veylen—species on her shoulders.
“Asterion?”
“Hmm?”
“What are you thinking about?”
I turn to him and force a confident smile. One I know he can see right through, but for some reason I can’t stop myself from pretending like I’m not spiraling.
“Nothing at all. I’m just excited to get started.”
He shoots me a grin. “Me too.”
My brain short-circuits.
That’s—that’s it? That’s his response?
He’s not supposed to just—just... agree with me! He’s supposed to push back. Call my bluff. Point out that I’ve readjusted my cufflinks seven times since we got outside, which is totally a nervous tick of mine that he normally would’ve pounced on five adjustments ago.
It’s, like, our love language, for Fate’s sake! I pretend like everything—including me—is perfect, and he calls me on my shit and reminds me there are, in fact, things I’m bad at.
Very few things, but that’s neither here nor there.
“So what are you most excited about?”
