AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kano. She’s staring at my brother, and he’s staring right back.
There’s a cluster of male witches at the base of the queen’s dais, all chatting animatedly—all, that is, except for Kano, who seems to be locked in a trance. The two of them stare, and I admiration in Kano’s eyes. When I look back to Luna, I see longing in her gaze.
My brother’s companions realise he’s no longer in the conversation with them and follow his gaze to see me and Luna walking their way. One of the males, a tall, gangly witch with shaggy dark hair, nudges the male next to him, saying something that makes the group smirk. While I don’t know what he said, I recognise that smirk. Whether it was aimed at me or Luna, I have no idea, but it makes me angry nonetheless.
Kano doesn’t find it amusing, though, and turns on them. I can’t make out what he’s saying, but his tone is harsh and biting. During all this, the queen watches on with interest, her eyes slowly moving from my brother to Luna, a smirk pulling at her lips. She knows exactly how the two of them feel about each other, even though they try to hide it. It’s one of the reasons she chooses Kano to be her “companion” so often.
As is expected, we need to greet the queen, which involves us stepping right up to the dais and where Kano and his companions stand. When we reach them, we slow, and Luna seems to purposely ignore him as we turn to the queen. We curtsy, and my mates follow Atlas’s lead by dropping into a short bow. She watches the whole thing with a glint in her eye that tells me she’s enjoying all of this, and then she waves us away dismissively.
We step back and practically bump into Kano as we turn to leave.
“Laelia.” He dips his head in greeting, doing the same with my companions. “Atlas and… mates,” he greets formally, stumbling slightly on how to address the gaggle of males surrounding me. He turns to Luna, his breath hitching in his throat. “Luna, you look…” He suddenly seems to remember that he’s not alone and his every move is being watched. “Lovely. You look lovely.”
My friend seems to deflate beside me, upset about the lack of reaction from my brother. However, I saw the desire and longing in his eyes that he tried to hide. An awkward silence falls over us, and Syn snickers behind me.
“Thank you. Will you be joining us?” I ask cautiously. I’m sure he would have already been with us if he wasn’t bound to the queen tonight, but I ask for Luna who seems to have lost her voice.
Kano clears his throat, his smile becoming brittle. “The queen currently requires my presence, but I will join you later if I’m able.”
Reading between the lines, I hear what he’s not saying. She’s magically bound him to fulfil her every need tonight and is displaying him for all to see like a trophy at the foot of her throne.
Smiling to cover my discomfort at the whole situation, I nod and tug on Luna’s arm to get her moving again. She’s staring down at her hands, which is where she has been looking since Kano mentioned the queen. He had simply been explaining the situation, but to Luna, it’s another reminder of who Kano belongs to. Lifting her head, she blinks, and a bright smile pulls at her lips as she walks by my side, winking and blowing a kiss to one of the males beside Kano. My brother’s reaction is about as happy as you would expect, his expression darkening, but Luna doesn’t see it because she’s looking straight ahead, studiously ignoring him.
We move on, and although she’s smiling and nodding to witches we pass, I know that interaction with Kano upset her. Jealousy of the queen’s relationship with him is only a small part of how she really feels, but the pain of being unable to be with the one she loves is written across her face. Of course, reacting the way she did only hurts both of them.
She’s unusually quiet at my side. I don’t like it.
I’m not the only one to notice.
“What was that about?” Atlas asks his cousin once we’re out of earshot, leaning around me so he can see her reaction. There’s an accusation in his question, his frustration showing.
“What?” she asks lightly, but I see the tic in her jaw. She knows exactly what he’s talking about and that she’s about to get a lecture.
“You just flirted with someone right in front of Kano. Geoff of all people.” Scoffing, Atlas shakes his head and makes his feelings on Geoff clear. “If you’re trying to get his attention, flirting with the sleaziest guy in Haven isn’t the way to do it. You may be my cousin, but he’s my closest friend.”
Halting, Luna tugs on my arm, bringing me to a stop. Atlas, still attached to my arm, pauses and turns back so he can stare at his cousin. Hurt, anger, betrayal, and frustration all war on her face, her emotions so overwhelming she’s unable to hide them beneath the usual mask that she wears.
Taking a shuddering breath, she rolls her shoulders back and pins Atlas with a narrowed stare. “I don’t know—”
Atlas seems to swell with anger, and I know I need to do something before this gets out of hand and becomes a full-blown argument in front of everyone.
Untangling my arm from my mate, I reach out and take her hand in mine, waiting for her to turn her attention to me. “He’s right, Luna,” I say softly without judgement, my eyes trying to convey what I can’t say aloud. “You’re both in a difficult situation, and doing things like that is only making it harder for both of you.”
I want to tell her the queen is a bitch who is using Kano against her, and these reactions are exactly what she wants. Everything I’m saying is out of love for her, and I’m trying my best not to sound like I’m scolding her. I’m just trying to help her in any way I can.
She doesn’t take it that way though. She stares at me like she’s looking at a stranger. Shaking her head, she takes a step back, pulling her hand from mine. Betrayal gives way to indignation.
“So let me get this straight. You can have five guys following after you, fucking you wherever you like, but I can’t flirt with one guy?” She laughs without humour, her eyes narrowing as she crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m single, he’s single. There is nothing wrong with me trying to have a good time. You’re a hypocrite.”
I stare at her for a moment, not quite believing what I just heard. Her comments hurt, flung like weapons to wound me, and they hit home. Shocked that she would turn this around on me, I wonder if I was actually wrong, and she isn’t my friend after all?No, I argue with myself.She’s hurt and lashing out.It’s true, she was probably expecting me to agree with her over Atlas.
I could let my injured pride talk for me and argue that these are my mates and we’re goddess blessed. I could remind her that she’s my friend and I’m trying to help her, but also protect my brother. I could also remind her that she’s in love with my brother, and acting like this just hurts them both.
However, as I stare into her face and see her glistening eyes, I know she’s not in the right place to hear any of this, and fighting her will just cause a rift between us.
“Luna!” Atlas doesn’t get this memo and snaps at his cousin, stepping forward as if to separate us.
Syn is at my side in an instant, and I know things are about to get ugly if I don’t defuse them quickly. Reaching out, I grab his hand and make him look at me. I shake my head, silently communicating that I’m okay and I don’t need him to protect me here. My mates have closed in on us, and Luna is looking up at them, noticing how they surround me, and she’s outnumbered.
