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I seriously doubted that going back home for the first time in a year would befun. But I had not been home since I had come to the High Court, and I couldn’t just avoid it forever. At the very least, I needed to go and check in on my mom. The thought came with a pang in my stomach.
“What about my training?” I asked, proud that I had managed not to let him fully distract me.
I had relayed to Cass how frustrating my first day of “training” with the Prince had gone, leaving out a couple of details, of course. Cass had not joined me in lambasting my infuriating new trainer. Cass respected the sanctity of the order of command too much to openly criticize the Prince for what he viewed as minor squabbles. But there was a coolness to his respect for the Prince, bordering on iciness. Cass hadn’t quite gotten over the Prince ripping me away from House Dumont.
“What? You don’t get days off now that you work for the Prince?” Cass asked skeptically.
He was thinking that I was using my change in work as an excuse to get out of going home. And he wasn’t entirely wrong. I pursed my lips in contemplation. It wasn’t like the Prince and I had discussed a schedule for my training.
“You can send the Prince a note letting him know you guys can pick up your training when you get back in a couple of days,” Cass suggested.
He could see my resolve weakening.
“I want you to be there when my dad sees my wings for the first time, Mandy. And we can go to the beach,” he bribed, all but sealing the deal.
“Okay,” I capitulated.
“Great! Now go pack. The carriage is already on its way!” he said.
“Cass!” I exclaimed. “What would you have done if I would have said no?”
He wagged his eyebrows at me. “I can beverypersuasive.”
He swept me into his muscled arms, dipping me back and kissing me firmly on mouth, before righting me.
“Now go pack,” he said, patting me on the ass and pushing me toward my room.
* * * *
My heart palpitated as we rode into town. Everything looked exactly the same as I had left it, but somehow it felt small and foreign now. The small town of Harborview lacked the tall buildings and spires that pervaded the Vlaise skyline.
“Home, sweet home,” Cass said, and he meant it.
He squeezed the big arm he had wrapped around me, beaming with a big smile. Although my feelings about coming home were mixed, I couldn’t help but smile at Cass’s happiness. He loved our hometown and was always happy to visit with his father.
His father, Troy, was already outside in the yard when we pulled in front of the small, white brick home Cass had grown up in. Cass hopped out of the carriage and turned, offering his hand for me to step out. At the same time, he called his wings, allowing them to appear and expand. I looked over the side of one of his wings to see Troy approaching, his matching wings out, with a beaming smile.
“Pop,” Cass greeted his father.
I knew his large onyx wings, which had white-tipped feathers dispersed throughout, were soft to the touch. When Cass was surrounded by his wings, he seemed larger than life. I could see the glimmer in Troy’s eyes as he took in his son with wings that matched his own. Cass embraced his father, their huge wings shifting naturally with the rest of their bodies. I took a step back, allowing them to have their moment.
Troy discreetly wiped a single tear from the corner of his eye.
“Mandy, come give an old man a hug,” Troy said, directing his attention toward me standing a few feet back watching the interaction.
“Thanks for giving my boy his wings,” he whispered in my ear before pulling away from our hug.
Cass clapped his father on the back, and the three of us made our way into the house.
“You stop by and see your mother’s new place yet?” Troy asked conversationally.
The guilt that seemed to be perpetually associated with my life back home began to rise in me. I had no idea my mother had a new house.How? With what money?
Troy’s friendly gaze turned unsure as my guilt ate at me, keeping me from answering his question.
“No, we came straight here,” Cass replied, saving me. “But we’ll stop by later,” he continued, wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Anyway, it’s good to have you home.Both of you,” Troy said.
