Chapter 50
Lucie stood up, and with Derrick at her side, went to greet her family. She and Derrick had only taken a few steps when Abaas spoke up.
“I can leave, Lucie.”
Lucie stopped abruptly and turned her head to glare at him, her green eyes pinning him in place.
“You’re mine now. You belong to me and with me.
Now sit there and eat. You do eat, right?
” Lucie looked up as she felt Derrick’s chest vibrations, and soon she heard Jasper laughing as well.
She even heard a quiet chuckle from Abe.
She could see the answer in Derrick’s mind and how he thought her innocence was adorable.
She furrowed her brows in agitation and felt his hand cup her cheeks.
Derrick wanted to squeeze her to death for being so cute. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead.
“Yes. Even us soul servants need to eat.” A small smile lingered on Abe’s face. He appreciated Lucie. He figured she didn’t know it, but he’d always had a lonely existence. Her treating him like family touched him.
Derrick rubbed Lucie’s shoulder and glanced up at her family, who were quietly observing the scene, including Abe.
Lucie, show them. Give your Aunt and Grandmother the vision.
Lucie nodded. She needed to do that to clear the air, but she thought it would be best not to do it around Abe, since he didn’t know the Moon Goddess had given her those memories.
Freja walked up to Lucie and pulled her into her embrace.
This Abaas thing was ridiculous, and she told them as much.
Hunter, Jin, and Chasen all sided with Freja.
She told them she trusted Lucie and her judgment.
Besides, Abaas saved her daughter’s life.
That was all there was to it. If he tried to betray them, she would destroy him, and if not, she would accept him as Lucie’s protector.
A djinn’s loyalty to their master was unquestionable.
Both Freja and Jin understood demons well and how djinns worked.
She could see Reiya was conflicted but wanted more clarity, while Lita had been quiet over the whole situation.
She was obviously waiting to talk to Lucie.
But the tension was still high right now.
“Lucie, I’m so happy everything worked out. You look happy. Though maybe tired?” Freja ran her hand through her daughter’s hair with a small smile.
Lucie smiled and nodded her head. “We don’t have to worry about any more misunderstandings.” She grinned back at Derrick who chuckled, nodding his head.
“It makes everything a lot easier having that soul connection,” Lita spoke up, drawing the attention to her. “Your grandfather and I had our moments of misunderstanding before we got our connection.”
“Aunt Reiya, Grandma … I’d like to speak with you two privately.
” Lucie watched as they both nodded. She could see they already knew what she wanted to talk about.
Lita wouldn’t have to explain anything to Asher after this, since he would know through their bond.
But the others would be curious as well.
“Actually, if you all would like to follow me, we can just get the talking over with all at once.”
“Lucie,” Abe called out, making everyone look back at him. He gave her a worried glance, then looked at Justice.
“I’ll summon you if I need you. Sit. Eat. Relax. I’ll be right back.” Lucie smiled at him reassuringly. She knew he was anxious because of the energy buildup inside her. She felt Derrick’s arm slide around her waist as they both walked out of the room together.
As they walked down the hall, she saw Alexa heading their way, followed by Mikah and her cousin Raine.
“Lucie!” Alexa squealed, and Lucie jumped out of her mate’s arms and into her cousin’s. “You had me scared to death!”
“Well, maybe take note of what happened to me so you have a plan in case it happens to you.” Lucie smiled, looking at her cousin.
Her mate was still avoiding her, and they weren’t sure how she would react in the future.
She was a demigod that was part dragon, but she also had a wolf inside her.
If she went into heat because of her wolf, they would have a problem on their hands, especially since she was also a fairy princess.
“Gosh, I don’t even want to think about it.
I’m going to have to find Ken by myself and pull him here by the ears.
Enough of his nonsense. And if he thinks I’m going to just give up, he has another thing coming.
He obviously hasn’t met the women in our family.
We don’t give up, and we always get our man.
” Alexa clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“Except for Alexa, because her man is hiding from her.” Raine giggled from the side as Mikah let out a snicker.
“Luce Luce!” Mikah patted her on the head. “That was the most pain I’ve ever experienced. Let’s not do that again, okay?”
“Deal!” Lucie giggled. “Thank you for your help.”
“I’m surprised you’re thanking him after he put those gross lips on your mouth.” Alexa’s eyes flickered with mischief.
Derrick growled in annoyance. He understood what happened through their bond, but that didn’t mean he was pleased with it. He felt a light slap on his shoulder and turned to look at Hunter.
“Sorry we kept you from your mate so long. We just had to make sure—” Hunter started, but Derrick shook his head, stopping him.
“You were protecting Lucie’s future. Don’t worry about it. I promise I’ll always do right by her.”
“Where are you all heading?” Raine asked. “We were on our way to join everyone else.”
“I need to explain some things about my new servant … friend,” Lucie said with a small smile. “Alexa, you should probably come too. I’m going to give grandma and your mother a vision.”
“Oh, I will leech off of it then. I should be able to see too.” Hooking her arm with Lucie’s, she turned and stuck her tongue out at Derrick. “I’m claiming her for now. She was mine first.” She giggled and pulled Lucie down the hall.
“Raine and I are getting food. We’ll wait for you there.” Mikah figured Alexa could fill him in later. For now, it was time to get his grub on.
Derrick shook his head as they followed behind Lucie and Alexa. He turned his head to look at Levi and Reiya. “You two have your hands full I see.”
“She takes after her mother too much.” Levi sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Ooof.”
“You’re the one who gave me the most headaches. Don’t you forget it, mister,” Reiya teased him playfully as she elbowed him in the stomach.
“My fairy, who was the one who went into a black hole while pregnant?” Levi quirked his brow at her with a crooked smile.
“I think that was Hunter.” Reiya giggled as Levi lifted her up into his chest and gently kissed her lips before lowering her feet back to the floor.
“Yeah, the whole pregnancy thing isn’t on us guys. We weren’t told a thing.” Hunter snorted, looking back at Freja. “You’re lucky Lucie can’t pull something like that on you.”
Derrick chuckled. “I guess that’s one thing I can check off my list. Still, I think I have many more to worry about.”
They reached the last room at the end of the hall and entered the Great Sage’s library.
“Grandpa Sage,” Lucie said, seeing the older man sitting at his desk.
“Ahh Lucie, you look so much better. Lovely,” He squinted at her and frowned. “Though you have chaos brewing inside you.”
“You can see that?” Lucie asked, surprised, though she wasn’t sure why she should be. The Great Sage was the oldest and wisest of the dragons, and they weren’t strangers to magic.
“What’s this about?” Hunter asked as his eyes landed on Lucie.
“Something we can talk about after we settle the Abaas issue,” Lucie said with a small smile. She walked up to Reiya and Lita. Alexa put her hands on Reiya’s shoulders, trying to absorb the information.
“Alexa, don’t strain yourself,” Reiya warned carefully.
“Who, me? Never.” Alexa grinned mischievously as another idea entered her head. She then took one of her hands and placed it on her grandmother.
Lucie grabbed one of Reiya’s hands and one of Lita’s.
The quadfecta of fairy royalty. Two fairy princesses, one fairy queen, and one reigning fairy queen.
And Alexa was planning to tap into all of this.
She looked up, and her eyes met with Lucie’s.
Unspoken determination and resolve flowed between them.
Lucie closed her eyes and brought the memory orbs forward, connecting each one with Reiya and Lita.
At the same time, Alexa latched onto both of the orbs and channeled their magic together.
She then projected the memory into the room for all to see and hear, including the conversation Selene had with Lucie.
The room was quiet as the projection faded away.
Alexa panted as she lowered her arms. Her eyes watered as the memory of Abaas hit her chest. The raw feeling of being unwanted was something she felt deep down in her soul.
She could relate. It was how she felt too.
Her mate said it was for her protection, but he’d never shown himself to her.
Maybe he really didn’t want her. He didn’t want a demigod.
It hurt. She felt like she wasn’t good enough for him.
And this was how Abaas ended up feeling.
She wondered … if Ken continued to avoid her, could she continue to be the person she was? Or would she also become tainted?
“Now that solves the problem of having to explain everything,” Alexa said quietly, wiping her eyes.
“You’re reckless,” Levi growled, placing his hand on her shoulder. “You could have hurt yourself.”
“I was connected to three other fairies. I wasn’t going to get hurt.” Alexa scoffed and shrugged her father’s hand off her.
Levi sighed angrily but he directed his focus back to Reiya. He took her in his arms and held her close. He wasn’t sure how she was feeling after that. But he would do whatever it was she asked of him. He would destroy the soul if she commanded it. Anything for her happiness.
“I can’t believe Selene was so cruel to him,” Reiya whispered out. “She gave him a mate that she knew he couldn’t have.”
“She’s done it before, though. This isn’t something that just happened to Abaas.
My first mate betrayed me and I rejected her, remember?
But because of that, I was given Freja, my true mate.
The one I was meant to have. We can choose what those rejections do to us.
What being avoided does to us. And for me, I was able to understand Freja better because of the betrayal and my loneliness, though I may have claimed her more roughly because of it too.
” Hunter gave Freja a sheepish grin as they interlocked their fingers.
“Abaas doesn’t blame Alice. He blames himself.
Even now, he says he isn’t worthy and that you should all hate him,” Lucie said quietly.
“He went down the wrong path and lost himself. He made bad choices, but he isn’t plagued by his craziness anymore.
He can see clearly now. And he has shown he even plans to repay our family with his life.
Even after I ordered him to stop, he risked his life again for me.
” She looked up at her aunt Reiya and grandmother Lita.
“He made a request, that if something happens to me, he’ll be granted a chance to be reborn.
It was the only thing he asked for out of our partnership. But is there a way—”
“Goddess forbid something should happen to you, but if it does, we will put his soul back in circulation again. As for giving him a life again now … that is something we will have to wait and see about,” Lita answered with a small nod.
She agreed Abaas should have another chance at life.
But she wasn’t sure if it should be a new life with no memories of the past or if he could keep his memories intact.
With the help of the merrow queen Olga, they could give him life again. Olga had kept his heart, after all.
The wheels in Lita’s head began to spin, and she met Asher’s gaze in quiet agreement.
He reached for her, and she took his hand.
He pulled her gently into him and wrapped his arms around her.
The soulmate connection was useful for many things, but the fluidity between the two of them was the greatest.
“Also, about the memories you were just shown.” Lucie watched as everyone turned back toward her. There was something else she wanted to make sure they were on the same page about.