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I set my hand on the small of Harper’s back and suck in a breath at the rush of emotion the physical contact brings. I don’t know how I’m going to be around her this long without ripping all her clothes off. The feral part of me, the part that rarely escapes, is howling internally. My wolf wants her and he’s ready to break through all my demon magic to claim her.
While I don’t have control of my wolf when I do shift, I’ve been able to keep myself from shifting most of the time. Every so often, I lose control on the full moon but I know enough to get away from people before the change takes place.
I remove my hand from Harper’s back. No more touching. I can’t afford to lose control after all these years of practice keeping it in. Besides, nobody can know about my other half. Not even my aunt.
Aside from my father and my childhood best friend, Harper is the only other person who knows my secret. I have to keep it that way.
My father has already made it clear that the law states he must have a blood heir to rule but there is a loophole. It doesn’t say the blood heir has to still be alive. If too many people know my secret, I know my dad won’t hesitate to take me down to protect his crown.
My life depends on this secret. Which is why I need the pass. The longer I stay here, the more of a risk it is that someone else will find out what I really am.
Harper sits on the end of my bed that’s farthest from my aunt. I take the space next to her, between them.
“What’s all this about?” I ask as I settle into the soft mattress. It’s a terribly undignified place to have a conversation with someone as proper as my aunt.
She lifts an eyebrow. “Manners, young man.”
I sigh. “Please, can we not do this today?”
She purses her lips and I can tell she’s thinking about my request. Lucinda Drake loves pomp. She loves protocol. But I spent a lot of time with her when I was young, along with her two children. Twins girls who are a few years older than me. Those summers at her house were some of my best memories of my childhood. There was affection back then. But that all went away when one of her daughters killed the other to reduce her competition for the throne.
Instead of rewarding it, the remaining twin was locked in a tower.
Yes, a literal tower.
And my aunt didn’t let her guard down often after that.
“Aunt Lucinda, can you please just explain what’s going on?” I ask.
She glances at Harper, then back at me.
“Do you know the story of this child’s mother?” Lucinda asks.
“This child has a name,” Harper says. “And my mom killed herself rather than work for your brother.”
“Harper,” Aunt Lucinda says. “I know your name. I’ve had eyes on you since you were a child.”
“You what?” I ask. “What are you talking about?”
“Eyes on me?” Harper asks.
“Yes,” Aunt Lucinda says. “To make sure you didn’t follow in your mother’s footsteps.”
“I’m not planning on killing myself,” Harper says.
Aunt Lucinda shakes her head. “After all the arrangements. Setting you up with a loyal mage family to keep an eye on you. Everything, out the window.”
“Hold on, what are you saying?” Harper says.
“Can you maybe start from the beginning?” I ask.
“What do you mean set me up with a mage family?” Harper asks.
“The Curtis family,” she says. “They were mages who agreed to take you in and protect you. They were to keep you from gaining an interest in the supernatural. We got you that scholarship to keep you from ending up here.”
“Whoa,” Harper says. “Yougot me the scholarship? How is that even possible?”
“Harper, your mother didn’t kill herself,” Aunt Lucinda says. “She was murdered when my brother’s plans were made clear.”
