“Amari said it is our mating gift from her and Roman.”
“What?” he sputtered. “They can’t just give us a castle.”
“We have decided it is more of a palace than a castle,” Amari corrected. “And it is already yours.”
“Since you are no longer commander, we were going to have to move anyway, and look, there’s plenty of room for us and for Harris and Alden. They even have an entire floor all to themselves,” Lyrica gushed, all but vibrating with excitement. “Isn’t it absolutely perfect?”
Gabriel knew he was going to catch hell for it, but he couldn’t make himself give a damn about what anyone else thought. Not when she looked so happy. They were going to live in a freaking palace, he thought again with a laugh.
His life had become so damn strange…but he was loving every minute of it.
Chapter Ten
“Really, Lyri. I know you missed me, but you didn’t have to go to all this trouble to throw me such an elaborate welcome party.”
Lyrica spun around at the sound of her brother’s voice and gasped when she saw Lynx standing there wearing a wide grin. She was utterly shocked that her twin was on Earth, and her heart filled with joy at the sight of his beloved face.
Delighted, she raced forward and launched herself at him. Lynx opened his arms wide in welcome and caught her, lifting her off her feet. He swung her around in circles and once he set her back down, they both continued to cling to one another, neither one of them ready to break their connection yet.
It felt like it had been years since she’d seen him last instead of mere weeks. They had a special twin bond that was stronger and deeper than other siblings, and they had both been missing feeling that connection. While they embraced, her magic flared to life, linking with his.
Laughing, she pulled back and scanned him from head to toe. It was hard to believe he was really standing there in front of her. Lynx had the same black hair and lavender eyes as hers, but his face was a more masculine version of her own. He looked tired, which wasn’t a surprise since he had just endured a long journey. A journey she never thought he would actually take of his own volition. She’d been missing him like crazy, and it was wonderful to see him…especially today.
Although Gabriel and Lyrica planned on having their official bonding ceremony back on Xenthian, they also wanted to do something on Earth so they could include their friends and Gabriel’s family. They planned on having a simple vow exchange in the large cavern located in the heart of the mountain behind the palace followed by a celebration feast in the great hall.
Long tables had been set for the dinner, and green silk banners carrying the emblem of the Southern Isle hung on the walls. Torchlight lit up a back hallway, illuminating the path that led to the cavern hidden deep within mountain. It was a joyous day, and while it was going to be a wonderful celebration, something had felt incomplete.
She had been missing her twin.
But now that Lynx was there, everything was perfect.
Lyrica playfully poked him in the chest. “I can’t believe it. You’re really here.”
“I can hardly believe it either,” Lynx said, grinning back at her. “I swear to the gods, you owe me for getting on that blasted space cruiser. It was a horrible trip, and I vow to never leave Xenthian again once I return. But I guess it was worth it to see you looking so happy.”
“I am happy. But why in all the worlds did you come to Earth, Lynx? Is something wrong?”
“All is well, sister. When you sent word that you and Alden had found your mates, I knew you’d be staying here on Earth longer than originally planned. I wanted to come make sure you weren’t mated to a savage or living in squalor despite what you told me on our last vid call.” He raised a brow and glanced around the large great hall of the palace. “Obviously, your living conditions are adequate.”
“Adequate?” He winced as she punched his arm. “They are far better than that, and Gabriel is no savage.”
“I can be if the situation calls for it,” Gabriel said as he walked over to join them. His grin belied his words, but he still pulled her away from her brother, anchoring her to his side as if he couldn’t stand seeing another male touch her. “Welcome to our home, Lynx. You’ve arrived just in time to join us for our bonding ceremony.”
“Gabriel.” Lynx nodded his head in greeting. “I know we’ve spoken a few times, but it’s nice to finally meet you in reality. You look much bigger in person.”
“Why didn’t you warn us you were coming? We would have come to the docking bay to meet you when you arrived.”
“I wanted to surprise you. Besides, I figured the two of you would be avoiding the docking bays considering what happened the last time you were there,” Lynx teased.
“Just wait until you see his wings.”
“Let’s hope they don’t make an appearance today,” Gabriel said on a groan. “Your guards are already staring at me like I’m some freak.”
Lyrica followed his gaze, and her eyes widened when she saw a dozen royal guards standing by the entrance. “Lynx, why did you bring so many guards with you? Did you think Earth was at war or something?”
He cleared his
