Aurora
“Will you talk to me now?” I ask after hours of silence on the plane and also on the car ride to the king’s residence.
We’d made it just before sunrise, Saint having gotten us on the plane just after the sun set.
The only thing he’d told me was that Samuel showed up.
I understood merely from the look in his eyes and the gnawing feeling in my stomach that he couldn’t elaborate, so I gave him time and space to come to terms with it.
But that was hours ago, and at this point, I think I deserve some answers on why he wended and then flew us back to the states in a panic I’ve never seen him in before. Thank goodness I’d signed every legal document necessary for accepting my new inheritance, or the trip would’ve been in vain.
We’ll, not totally in vain, since Saint and I connected in a way I never thought possible, but still.
“Saint?” I ask, touching his arm as he stomps through the palace, hollering for Alek.
He pulls out of my touch, and I feel that move like a physical blow.
“Oh, okay,” I say, not holding the bite from my tone. “Are we back to this now?”
“We don’t have time for this,” he grumbles. “Alek!”
“Whoa, what’s going on?” Dagon asks as he comes out of the dining room, a half-eaten muffin in his hand.
“Where’s Alek?” Saint snaps.
“He’s in his study.”
Saint spares me a glance, hesitation lining his features. “Go to your rooms.”
“Fuck you!” I snap, anger bubbling up from my toes. “You don’t get to order me around.”
Dagon’s mouth falls open before he takes a small step in front of me.
“Oh, you can knock it off too. I’m not afraid of him.” I glare at Saint as I shove Dagon out of the way.
“Pretty sure I’m protecting him from you right now,” Dagon says. “Saint? Care to catch me up?”
“Only if you can keep up.” Saint tears his eyes off mine, then speeds down the hallway and out of sight.
“Sorry, Aurora,” Dagon says before he follows him.
“Hunters,” I snap, anger radiating from my very core. The shift in Saint stings. I know seeing Samuel messed him up emotionally, but damn.
Instead of heading to my room like I’ve been ordered, I make my way to Gabriel’s offices, needing to utilize the adrenaline flooding my body.
“You’re back sooner than expected,” Gabriel says by way of greeting. He wears a simple hoodie and sweatpants set, making him look way more youthful and disarming than his age and position as the top doctor demanded.
“Yeah, still trying to figure that one out.” I sigh. “Can we practice?”
Gabriel eyes me curiously. “Sure,” he says. “I was just finishing up looking at the queen’s scans.”
“How is she doing?” I ask, grateful to think of anything other than Saint. The vampire queen’s pregnancy is certainly more hopeful than my potential mate’s current state of mind.
Fear grips my heart. What if that’s why he’s upset? What if Samuel told him something that proves this mark belongs to Samuel, not Saint? I rub the mark self-consciously. That’s not possible, right? Not after everything that’s happened between me and Saint.
“She’s doing quite well,” Gabriel says. “Still in the early stages, but so far so good.”
The news brings me back to the present, stopping my spiral mid-spin. I need to focus. If I don’t, I’ll lose myself to my thoughts and that’s something I really don’t want to do right now.
“Shall we?” he asks, motioning toward the other side of his offices where he has his gathering of nocturnal plants for me.
“Yes, please.”
Two hours later, and I’ve managed to either heal or kill over two dozen plants.
“You’re advancing remarkably,” Gabriel says. “I really think we should try on flesh and blood subjects now. Willing participants, of course.”
Panic streaks through me. “I can’t.” I shake my head. “I kill things.” I point to the dead gardenias, black and lifeless in their soil.
“Yes, but you were trying to kill those this time. It wasn’t by chance.”
I bite my bottom lip. He’s not wrong, but there’s still this giant question mark over my abilities and how well I have them under control. “I don’t think I could live with myself if I hurt someone. Even if they did volunteer.”
“I understand,” Gabriel says. “But these are dark times right now. The war is reaching a crescendo we’ve feared for years now.
I’m worried about the number of bodies that will fill my room soon.
” He looks out his opened door, where his hospital-like operating room sits just beyond his office.
“Having a healer would help the workload.” He looks back to me, smiling softly.
Hope shakes away some of the fear, but sadness and confusion are right on the borders. Still no word from Saint. And by the way he was acting, I’m not sure if I’ll get one. Which is super unfair, in my opinion.
“If it comes to that,” I say. “And there are lives at stake, I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
Gabriel nods. “And you’ll do incredible. I know you will.”
“You can tell that from my work on plants?”
“I can tell that because we’ve been practicing. I’ve told you before, harnessing your abilities is ninety percent intention, and I’ve spent enough time with you to know you wouldn’t hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it.”
My heart warms at my teacher’s confidence in me. “I hope you’re right.”
“I usually am.” He shrugs. “Ask anyone.”
I huff a laugh. “Thank you, for tonight.” He nods at me as I move to leave, feeling exhaustion from the practice session in the depths of my bones.
I pause when I find Dagon outside my chambers, not Saint.
“Can we talk?” he asks.
“Sure.” I head through my door, hating that my eyes immediately go to the armchair near my bed, the one Saint usually occupies. It’s empty.
“Heard about Samuel,” Dagon says, leaving the door open behind him. He leans against the frame.
“Did you hear anything more than the simple fact that Saint saw him?”
Dagon nods.
Anger returns. “Then that’s more than I got.”
“He’s trying to protect you.”
I glare up at him.
Dagon laughs. “Okay, I know that’s a pathetic excuse. But, in his defense, he’s cared about very few things in his life. You’re one of them. The idea of anything happening to you sends him into a spin.”
“Well, he should spin toward me if he cares about me. God knows he’s seen me spiral at my worst. I want to be there for him.”
“Then don’t give up on him. I’ve been his brother for centuries.
He’s a stubborn prick most of the time, but to the people who don’t let him push them away, he opens up.
I’m sure he’ll open up more to you…” His voice trails off, his eyes lingering on the mark on my neck.
He clears his throat. “Samuel is going after the vote for the throne. Claimed he’s collected almost enough to overthrow Alek. ”
I gasp, shaking my head. “He shouldn’t be anywhere near that kind of power.”
“Agreed.” He sighs. “Saint will kill me if I tell you more.”
“But you’re going to anyway, aren’t you?” I beg.
He rubs his palms over his face. “Samuel said the last vote he needs is yours.”
I scoff. “I would never give him my vote.”
“Wouldn’t you though?” Dagon eyes me, and my blood runs cold. “If someone you loved were in danger?”
The air punches from my lungs. “He threatened to use Saint against me.”
“Bingo.”
“That’s why he’s being a dick.” I huff a broken laugh. “He wants to push me away. Again. Even after…” I shake my head. “Well, tough shit.”
Dagon grins as he pushes off the doorframe. “I’ve always liked you.”
I smile up at him. It feels good to be liked by someone who loves Saint as much as I do.
“Do me a solid and never tell Saint I told you?”
“I’ll do my best,” I say. “He likes to live in my head sometimes.”
“Fair enough.” He taps the door frame, nodding before he leaves.
All the fiery anger I was holding onto fizzles out, my heart breaking for Saint.
When he rescued me, he freed me from the physical torture Samuel inflicted.
When he soothed my nightmares, he saved me from the mental repercussions of those events.
But Saint? He’s still being tortured by his twin.
At every turn, Samuel threatens to ruin whatever Saint values most. His torture won’t see an end until Samuel meets his.
A new form of exhaustion weighs over my entire body. If I could put an end to this, if I could save Saint in the way he’s saved me so many times, I would. But how? Especially when he doesn’t think he’s worth saving?