CHAPTER EIGHT
I’M LYING ON THE BED, chatting with Nero, when a knock sounds at my door.
When I don’t immediately answer, another knock echoes, so I crawl out of the massive bed and pad across the room.
Before I reach the door, it bursts open to a concerned Jesper whose eyes fly around the room until they land on me.
He breathes out a sigh. “Damn, Little Mouse. You had me worried there for a moment. I just spent the last hour scouring the castle for you. Aemon, the fucking bastard, wouldn’t tell me where he hid you away.”
I tilt my head at him. “Why would you be looking for me?”
Jesper smiles and fates, it is dazzling, all wide and full of mischief. Something inside me tries to pull me forward like a tether but I stay rooted to the spot.
Before I can blink, he closes the space between us, pushing my long wavy locks behind my pointed ear.
“I find myself not being able to settle unless I have my eyes on you. You’ve been out of my sight for far too long already.
I know you don’t remember me—us. But when you do, you’ll understand why. We were meant to be, Ravina.”
My heart clenches with grief. A grief for something I can’t remember, but nonetheless it’s there. “I can’t do this right now.” With all the emotional strength I can muster, I pull out of his arms and he pouts, but it only lasts seconds, replaced again with that mischievous grin.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. You feel this between us.
I know you do. I won’t pressure you, but the moment you give me a hint that you want my lips on yours, devouring you like a male starving, I will.
” He takes another step closer, following me backwards.
“And when you do, you won’t be able to stop because you’ll be an addict to the pleasure I can bring you.
Just like how I’m already obsessed with everything about you. ”
My chest is heaving as he backs me into the wall, his arms resting on either side of me.
Nero chuffs from where he’s perched on my bed frame. “Fates, Rav. Even I’m all gooey inside from that declaration of… love? Lust? Whatever it is, just say yes and save yourself the trouble. Unless you want me to take his eyes?”
I glare at him. “I’m not doing this with him. I don’t even know him.”
Jesper smirks like he knows I’m conversing with my familiar. “What’s he saying? Because if he is team Jesper, I’ll go kill whatever beastie he wants to eat, or maybe I’ll bring him some seeds or fruit.” He winks at Nero who shockingly puffs up with delight.
With a mighty shove, I push Jesper off me which moves him only a foot back and I’m almost positive it wasn’t because of my strength. “He’s not on your team,” I fib. “In fact, he was asking if he could take your eyeballs.”
He grins at Nero. “Oh you have a violent little familiar, huh?”
“I’m not little!” Nero snaps, puffing up to his foot and a half height.
“Maybe we could hunt for his beastie together then. Nothing bonds males like killing, torturing, and sharing a female while we fight to bring her more orgasms than the other.” He winks at me and my body betrays me as it clenches with need.
His nostrils flare and he prowls towards me again with heated eyes. “Did you like that thought? Because one word from you and I can make it a reality,” he purrs.
I duck under his arm and grab the knife I left on the bedside table, holding it up to him. “Not today—”
“I can wait.”
“We need to get to dinner,” I state, fleeing from the room, and Nero soars off the post and onto my shoulder as I run down the hall towards the wing where my friends are.
Jesper’s voice sounds from behind me. “You can run all you want Little Mouse, but I love a good chase.”
Fucking hell.
“You know,” Nero starts. “I like him. I may take him up on a hunt. He can help me hunt down your enemies,” he decides.
I roll my eyes, patting my heated cheeks as I try to cool them off. Why does he taunt me so much and why do I like it? All I know is that until I know more—like why exactly all the Lords’ sons, who are supposed to hate each other, are working together—I’m not going any further.
No matter how much my body begs me to.
WE ARE ALL seated around a long table that overlooks the cliffs and ocean. The room has floor-to-ceiling windows, with soft, white gauzy curtains flowing gently in the wind, letting in the sea air.
It’s tense between my friends and the males who go from staring me down to throwing angered glances at each other. Maybe they don’t get along as well as I thought. Maybe this is a whole other ruse to get me to become putty in their hands.
Nero caws mournfully. “I thought this was supposed to be dinner. I’m starving and the table is as bare as the bones I picked clean yesterday.”
My fingers run along his silky feathers as I suppress a grin at his dramatics and ignore the stares I’m receiving from the other side of the table. “I’m pretty sure we are just waiting on Aemon’s mother,” I remind him for the third time.
Aemon breaks the silence. “So, Ravina’s friends, are the rooms up to your standards?”
Ember crosses her arms and leans back in her chair. “We have names, you know.”
Mel elbows her and gives her a look that says ‘behave’ before turning to the male. “They are more extravagant than anything I’ve had the pleasure of staying in. Thank you for having us in your home.”
She’s not wrong. The rooms are gorgeous. Large rooms with a ton of natural light. A private balcony with the most spectacular views. A bed that I’m pretty sure is comfier than any cloud you can see in the sky.
Aemon dips his head, brushing his white hair out of his eyes.
He goes to open his mouth to say something but a woman strides in, and she is strikingly beautiful.
She has long white hair with violet eyes and I know this can only be our host’s mother.
She heads over to Aemon and greets him with a kiss to the top of his head and whispers something in his ear.
He nods and gets up, throwing me a concerned glance before swiftly departing the room. A dragon roars in the distance and I can’t help the uneasiness I feel creeping up my spine.
She takes her seat at the head of the table and smiles softly at all of us, and when her gaze lands on me it widens. I sense no malice from her, which helps to slightly ease my nerves.
“I’m so sorry for my delay. I had to retrieve something but, fates, it’s good to see all of you again.
And you’ve brought new friends! It’s so nice to meet you.
” She places her hands in her lap as she speaks to my friends.
“I’m Lady Zorn, but those close to my family call me Amethyst.” She then puts all her focus on me and even though she’s smiling, there’s grief there too.
“You look so much like your fathers, but the stubbornness I see in your eyes is definitely your mother.”
I blink at her words, which take me by surprise.
“You knew my parents?” It was one thing that always baffled everyone—that I’ve seemed to take a trait from each of my fathers but not so much my mother.
It was something I brushed off as a fledgling, but now it causes this ache in my chest. It’s not necessarily bad. It just is.
“Your mother and I were best friends. We grew up together. She was my person, and there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t miss her, that I wouldn’t do anything for her. Join me for tea sometime and I’ll tell you some stories, but I think for now we have more important matters to attend to.”
I nod, unsure of what to say and focus on my fingernails.
Nero prods our bond. “Are you okay? You feel a bit numb.”
Automatically my fingers find him, bringing me a sense of comfort. “Yeah, I just don’t know what to say. I barely remember their faces.”
She continues on, letting me have my moment to process. “Now where is that other troublemaker?” she asks Jesper.
He glances at me and then Killian, who hasn’t said a word, nor has he taken his gaze off my face. “He stayed behind to deal with a few things. He should be on his way shortly, and if not, then within a month’s time.”
It dawns on me that they’re talking about Talyn, the only member of their wing that isn’t here. Well, if you don’t count Hemming and Featherington.
“Well, let’s hope he gets here safely then. There’s a storm coming in the next few days and I don’t want any of you flying in it,” Lady Zorn states. “Now where is that son of mine?”
As she goes to stand back up, Aemon comes back in the room with a small torch made of black rock that’s lit with purple flames.
“Alright mother, would you like to explain why you’ve made me fetch shadow flames?” he asks, a look of concern etched in the corner of his eyes.
She stands, pulling something out of the pocket of her dress, and I’m instantly jealous. A dress with pockets? Why isn’t that a more common thing? Maybe I would wear dresses more if it was.
“No you wouldn’t,” Nero laughs. “You enjoy pants too much, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress.”
Before I can respond, Lady Zorn turns to me “Could you come here, darling—best we do this out on the balcony.”
I hesitantly get up, glancing around at everyone’s face before turning to her. “And what is it exactly that we are doing?”
She smiles, holding up a small slim object that is made out of the same material as the torch. “Taking off that necklace and getting your memories back. We can’t exactly plan things if your memories aren’t intact.”
Aemon and Jesper begin shouting, while Killian glares daggers at her, still not breaking his silence.
“You knew she had no memories?” her son yells.
Jesper almost clambers over the table to get to her but is held back by Killian. “You both knew this entire time she was alive?” The heartbreak in his voice is damn near earth-shattering, which makes my feelings towards these males all the more confusing.
She holds up her hand and silences them with just the motion. “I will explain once she has all her memories back. Now are you going to let me do this or not?”
My hand instantly grips the necklace; the last thing I have from my mother. What does she mean by take it off and get my memories back?
Lady Zorn turns to me again. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s bring you truly home, shall we?”
The pounding in my chest quickens and I’m not sure if it’s with anger or excitement, maybe both. “It doesn’t come off. I tried when we got here.”
She nods sympathetically. “It’s because there’s only one way to take it off. It was a safeguard to protect you. I’ll explain more afterwards, otherwise those memories may fade as well.”
“Well, let’s do this then.” I swallow. The urge to run is strong, but I push it down the best as I can as I look over at my friends who nod with encouragement, but I don’t look at the males who claim that they’ve known me.
I can’t stand to see the hope in their eyes in case this doesn’t work.
But with a deep yet not-so-calming breath, I take a step towards the female who might have the answers I’m looking for. Maybe this won’t be so bad.