“I would be sleeping on the couch—not in Kaitlyn’s bed,” Ari snapped angrily. “And you’re one to talk about pushing my Sire when all you do is torment your own.”
The corner of Saint’s mouth twitched.
“I assure you, Cousin, that the torment between me and my Sire is a two-way street. Look…” He put a hand on Ari’s shoulder. “You know I’m right. You’re already breaking the Edict—”
“You said yourself the Edict is dead,” Ari pointed out.
“So it is—but not in the hearts and minds of our elders,” Saint said calmly. “My point is, you don’t need a scandal on top of everything else.”
“What do you propose I do? Just leave my L’lorna alone with no protection all the way across the palace?” Ari demanded. “She’s already got enemies here. Sanchez accused her of getting his vrota of a son kicked out of Nocturne Academy. I won’t leave her unprotected!”
“I’ll be here,” Saint said soothingly. “In the room right beside your L’lorna’s. And before your Drake gets riled at the idea of another male being so close to your female, please remember that my own Drake has no interest in females of any kind.”
“He doesn’t?” Jalli’s eyes went wide. “But then…who is he interested in, Saint?”
“Nobody.” Saint looked away, not meeting his little cousin’s eyes.
“But then how will you ever find your own L’lorna?” Jalli asked in a worried tone.
“I won’t,” Saint said shortly and his black eyes flashed red again. “I’m a Blood Drake, remember? Nobody wants me reproducing and bringing more of my brand of bad luck into the Sky Lands anyway.” He looked at Ari. “What do you say, Cousin? Shall I protect your L’lorna and your reputation—at least for tonight?”
“Well…” Ari looked at me with a troubled expression in his eyes. “Kaitlyn, how do you feel about this?”
“If you trust your cousin, I do too,” I told him. Because though Saint struck me as kind of the black sheep of the family, he also seemed steady and honest. “But…am I really in that much danger?” I asked, biting my lip.
Ari frowned. “I don’t think so. I very much doubt that Sanchez or his son would try anything right here in the palace. But I’d feel better knowing you were being guarded by someone I trust if it cannot be me.” He looked at Saint. “Kaitlyn is my heart, Cousin. You must protect her as though she was your own.”
Saint nodded gravely. “It will be as you say.” He made a sweeping bow to me. “I am at your service, Kaitlyn of the human world.”
“Thank you,” I said, nodding back, since I wasn’t sure how to respond. “I appreciate your protection. And, uh, that of your Drake,” I added, thinking it was the right thing to say.
Apparently it was, because a faint smile curved the sardonic corner of Saint’s mouth.
“My Drake and I will be at your service as long as we are here in the palace.”
“And now we have to get Kaitlyn ready for the banquet tonight!” Jalli grabbed my hand and towed me towards the door with the carvings of chimelings all over it.
But Ari pulled me back for a moment and brought my hand to his lips.
“Goodbye for now, L’lorna,” he murmured, placing a gentle kiss in the center of my palm which seemed to send shivers and tingles through my entire body. “I will see you later on when I come to escort you to the banquet. For now, I’d best get ready and I’ll need to talk to my Sire again.” He made a face, indicating how little he was looking forward to this.
“And I’ll be right over here if you need me,” Saint said, indicating the carved wooden door right beside my own. “The walls are thick but I’ll tell my Drake to be attuned to you.”
“Um, thanks,” I said again. And then Jalli was pulling me through the carved door to show me my new room here in the Drake palace.
82
Ari
I felt troubled as I watched Kaitlyn disappear into the room with Jalli, though I knew that Santiago was watching over her.
Part of me didn’t want to leave her alone, even for a minute, but I knew that Saint was right. If it was known that I was not only breaking the Edict by choosing a non-Drake girl as my L’lorna but also staying in the same room with her before we had a proper Joining ceremony, the gossip would be too much for my father to ignore.
And, as my mother had pointed out, I was already putting him in a very difficult position.
And now I had to go to him and talk about the preparations for the banquet as well. I sighed. This was not going to be an easy conversation to have. Doubtless he would ask the same thing my mother had asked—if my Drake couldn’t be persuaded to change his mind and choose a different L’lorna.
“NEVER!” my Drake roared so loudly within me it seemed as though the entire marble hallway shivered with the strength of his voice.
“Callate!” I shouted at him mentally. “Don’t worry—you and I both know we aren’t giving Kaitlyn up.”
My words reassured him and I could hear his wings rustling as he settled down, growing a little calmer. As long as we were both in agreement that Kaitlyn was the only one for us, all was well, he informed me.
“Of course,” I told him, frowning. “If my Sire cannot be made to accept her, we will leave the Sky Lands forever rather than lose her. Kaitlyn is our L’lorna and there can be no other.”
I just hoped that I could make my Sire understand and accept that.
83
