The royal-looking dude with white hair and icy blue eyes noticed me first. Shivers ran down my spine as I realized who he was. I’d heard the description. I’d seen his face in pictures before, too. This was Nevis, prince of Dhaxanians.
Suddenly, Heron’s expression made more sense. Nevis was, after all, the chief troll in all things Heron-concerned. Yet, this time, his attention was focused on me, and it made me nervous.
I brushed the feeling away as best as I could, keeping my cool as I hugged Avril and gave Heron and the others a friendly nod. Ryker and Laughlan smiled at me, both teary-eyed from the previous bout of laughter.
“Where have you been, Lenny?” Fiona asked, clinking her blood flute against mine.
I shrugged, then took a long sip from my drink, still feeling Nevis’s eyes on me.
“All over the place,” I replied. “So many people here tonight! This party is probably the best and biggest one this century.”
“Well, we have what, three engagements, six hundred years of awesome Shade life, and this beautiful extension?” Avril said, motioning around her as she rested an arm around Heron’s waist.
“Plenty to celebrate, for sure,” I agreed.
“Oh, shoot, I forgot, you’ve never met Nevis,” Avril replied. “Nevis, prince of Dhaxanians, this is Elonora Goode. We lovingly call her Lenny.”
My throat closed up, as I had to look at Nevis and nearly lost myself in those cold blue pools he had for eyes. I offered him a weak smile and a polite nod.
“Pleasure to meet you,” I said, my voice barely audible.
I felt as though I’d just been smacked over the head with a sledgehammer. Am I crushing on this guy? What the hell?
“Likewise, Miss Goode,” Nevis replied, his tone flat. It didn’t feel like we were off to a good start, though I wasn’t sure why.
“Please, call me Elonora. Or Lenny,” I said, trying to diffuse the sudden tension cluttering between us.
“And you can call me ‘Your Grace,’” Nevis said.
I gave Avril a quick sideways glance, managing to spot her eyeroll. Was this guy for real?
“Your Grace?” I scoffed.
“Well, yes. I am royalty, after all,” Nevis replied.
“Good for you, but there’s no way in hell I’m calling any guy ‘Your Grace,’” I retorted. “Too much of a stretch. Not my style. With all due respect.”
I’d never been too crazy about the notion of royalty. I understood respectful gestures and titles, but “Your Grace” was just too much for me. I’d spent most of my youth with humans in the Vale. We made fun of each other; we came up with crappy nicknames and thrived on the pranks we set up. At the end of the day, respect didn’t come in the form of a fancy title, in my book. From that point of view, I was more American than most Vale humans.
Nevis, however, didn’t seem pleased with my reaction. I’d expressed it politely and with a calm tone, though. Plus, I’d added “with all due respect.” That had to count for something.
“Is that your personal choice?” Nevis asked.
I nodded slowly, then looked around us. The whole group had fallen silent, watching us like they were at the movies and something big was about to go down. Had I poked the polar bear?
“Yes. Besides, you’re among friends here,” I replied. “How about we skip the labels and use our names? That way no one is above the others, and we all get the same level of respect.”
“I take it you’re one of the anarchists of Earth? You know, the kind who started the French Revolution and cut off the king’s head?” Nevis inquired, narrowing his eyes at me.
“Whoa, you’ve been brushing up on human history, I see!” Heron chimed in, chuckling softly.
Nevis gave him a dry smirk. “It’s only a few thousand years. It keeps me busy during my travels from Neraka and back. Besides, a cultured supernatural is more powerful than a plain one,” he said.
Heron raised an eyebrow. “Did you just call me plain?”
“I thought you knew that already. How is it a surprise?” Nevis shot back.
Avril pressed her lips in a thin line, stifling a chuckle as she followed the exchange.
“And yet, I’m the one marrying Avril,” Heron replied, putting on a victorious grin.
“We all agree that she settled,” I cut in.
It was enough to make everyone double over—except Nevis, of course. Even Heron was chuckling, despite his flushed cheeks. This was our usual banter, anyway. We took turns poking each other. No one got hurt.
There was a flicker of amusement in Nevis’s eyes as he looked at me, enough to make my heart jump around like a hyperactive mountain goat. Heron was the first to notice, and he used it as ammo for the burns Nevis and I had delivered, albeit separately.
“Hold on. You like her,” Heron said to Nevis.
I must’ve gone paler than my usual shade when I heard that. I could almost feel the color draining from my face, my blood freezing in my veins.
“Whoa,” I said. “What gives?”
Nevis was still and quiet, scowling at Heron, whose gaze kept darting between us.
“Yeah, he’s right,” Avril chimed in. “There’s definitely some chemistry here.”
“Have you been drinking spoiled blood?” I shot back, laughing nervously.
I was ready to lie through my teeth at this point. I felt so exposed and vulnerable, and flashbacks from college came back to sting me like a thousand angry wasps. I didn’t like it one bit. It wasn’t Avril’s fault, but I had to put an end to this before it got worse for my psyche.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Nevis scoffed, crossing his arms. “She’s far too young and inexperienced in the affairs of life for me to even consider or acknowledge her.”
My ire was suddenly aimed at him, directly. I frowned, slightly cocking my head to the side, as if waiting for him to say something else, to flatten the dismissal he’d so casually flung at me. I was genuinely offended.
“Oh, please!” Avril replied, chuckling. “I was ‘young and inexperienced’ too when you asked me to be with you,” she added, reminding him of the request he’d made during her first incursion into the icy fortress of Athelathan. Avril and her group had come to ask for the Dhaxanians’ help against the daemons and the Exiled Maras, but Nevis had suggested she stay with him, instead, since he wasn’t interested in breaching his agreement with the daemons at the time.
Nevis sighed, his shoulders dropping as he shook his head.
“You’re just making a big deal out of nothing,” he said. “Just because you and the bloodsucker are all hearts and sprinkles doesn’t mean the rest of us feel the same way about each other. Especially two people who have literally just met, one of whom doesn’t think the other deserves the respect of being addressed by his royal title.”
Ah, there it was—the jab aimed at me and my refusal to address him as “Your Grace.” He was definitely more of the “frosty schmuck,” and less of the “chilling perfection.”
“Hey, man, don’t hate,” Heron cut in, visibly amused. “Besides, it’s written all over your face, no matter how hard you deny it. I know the look all too well.”
“I’m starting to agree with Miss Goode here,” Nevis retorted. “You’ve been drinking spoiled blood.”
My temperature then spiked. This was getting out of control. I had to pull the emergency brake and end this conversation quickly. No matter what.
“You guys need to get this idea out of your heads,” I blurted, my throat drying up like a desert. “Nothing’s going to happen between his royal whatever and me. Ever. No way.”
I had a feeling I was lying. But I had to save face.
“You’re telling me you don’t like him, Lenny?” Fiona chimed in, smiling.
“Good grief, no. Enough with that already,” I replied, then chuckled some more. I was seconds away from breaking into a cold sweat. I had to end this. Fiona, Heron, and Avril were surely just joking and testing the waters here, but this was somehow very serious for me. I
’d yet to understand why, but I knew I had to regain control of the situation. I just didn’t want to come across as vulnerable in any way, especially in front of Nevis. “Besides, I’ve got my sights set on someone else,” I added, mumbling.
There was a pang of instant regret cutting through me, but it was too late. I’d already dropped the lie. I took a deep breath as eyebrows raised in surprise around me—Nevis’s too, for some reason.
“Wait, you’re crushing on someone already?” Heron asked, suddenly serious.
I nodded, trying to find the right words. I felt terrible for perpetuating the lie, but I’d gotten myself into this. I had to get myself out.
“Who?” Avril replied, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Dmitri,” I croaked, then cleared my throat.
“Oh, wow. Really?” she asked.
She seemed surprised, and for good reason, too. I hadn’t once looked at or said anything to Dmitri to even hint that I liked him. Because I didn’t. Dmitri was a great guy, but he wasn’t my type. He was a fabulous sparring partner, but definitely not boyfriend material.
“Yup,” I replied, praying for the earth to swallow me whole, until I saw the look on Nevis’s face. It seemed like befuddlement, based on the mixed colors in his aura.
“Does he know?” Avril sighed, somewhat disappointed.
These people really want to hook me up with Nevis, it seems.
I shook my head. “Nope. Not yet.”
Heron laughed. “Does Varga know?”
Oh, crap.
I shook my head again, but kept my mouth shut. The more I said, the deeper I dug myself into a hole I’d have trouble getting out of later.
“Who’s Varga?” Nevis asked.
“My brother,” I replied flatly.
“Older brother, vampire-sentry, pretty much the textbook definition of a ‘badass,’ if you ask me,” Heron said, smirking. “You don’t want to get on his bad side, that’s all I’m saying. Oh, dear… We need to protect Dmitri!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” I shot back.
Just then, I made a quick mental note to let Dmitri know I’d implicated him in my white lie. Then I cursed my ego—my childish weakness, my drive to not let anyone see me vulnerable, in any way, shape, or form. It got me into unnecessary trouble… every damn time.
“Anyway!” I added, changing my tone and putting on a plastic smile in an attempt to change the subject. “Where are you guys having the weddings?”
“Definitely Neraka for us,” Fiona said, smiling at Zane.
“She’s going to be crowned queen, after all. Her new people will want to witness that moment,” Zane replied, his red eyes glimmering with pride.
“We’re doing White City,” Heron said, pulling Avril even closer. He dropped a kiss on her temple, making her giggle softly. “On a full moon.”
“That’s cool,” I murmured.
“How about you and Dmitri?” Heron shot back.
I groaned, then gave him the death scowl. “You’re seriously asking for it.”
My cheeks burned. I felt eyes on me. One glance at Nevis, and I knew—he was watching me like a hawk, his expression firm and his aura burning in what looked like a thousand colors. It was nearly impossible to understand what emotions he was experiencing. The more I tried to figure him out, the more confused I was.
The only thing I knew for sure was that he rattled me in ways I’d never experienced before.
I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing, or a bad thing.
At least not with my previous romantic experiences.
Kailani
(Granddaughter of Corrine and Ibrahim)
The new Shade extension had this futuristic feel—the mixture of steel and glass against the ocean water created a plethora of light reflexes that simply dazzled me. By contrast, the party was a splash of color and fluid shapes versus the sharp design lines of the new living units. I had trouble looking away. They’d truly done a marvelous job with this place.
I spent most of the evening with Mom, Dad, Grandma Corrine and Grandpa Ibrahim, and, by extension, Sofia, Derek, Hunter, and the rest of the “old boys club.” Because of my magical upbringing, I was more comfortable with the elders, rather than those my age. Elonora and I got along great. By most standards, we were pretty much besties. We’d hit it off since we were kids, probably because we were weirdly different from the rest of The Shade.
I’d spent a lot of time traveling and spending time with the humans, while Elonora had practically grown up in Nevertide, prior to moving to The Shade, where she’d fallen for the humans’ way of life. We’d both had dreams of going out in the world and living in their societies. Our favorite spot was New Orleans. But life had this way of throwing us off the path and making us change our direction. Elonora was the first to choose GASP over humans a few years back, shortly after Connor broke her heart. It took me longer to put New Orleans aside—everything changed for me when I met Lumi and understood the power of the Word.
Swamp witch magic resonated with me in ways I’d never thought possible. Over the last three months, Lumi had been patiently grooming me to join her as an apprentice. At first, she’d asked me directly if I wanted to follow the path of the Word. She’d said I had the spark, the talent, and the resilience required for such an endeavor. She’d also told me to take as much time as I needed before I committed. In the meantime, however, she’d started teaching me.
My sessions with Lumi kept me away from The Shade for longer than usual. My mom and dad had noticed my frequent visits to Calliope, but they didn’t say anything. Mom always said that I should only do what made me happy, as long as it didn’t infringe on the happiness and wellbeing of others. So she didn’t ask too many questions. I had a feeling that, deep down, she and Dad knew.
I didn’t tell Grandma Corrine much about my sessions with Lumi, either. But she didn’t seem too happy about me spending so much time with a swamp witch. I wasn’t sure why, since she and Lumi had become close friends, but I’d made a decision the night before regarding my path, so I wanted to take advantage of the party to tell the family altogether. With parents and grandparents present, I figured their reactions would be contained by the size of the crowd—so they wouldn’t get too vocal or overreact. I wasn’t very good at guessing their potential reactions. In a way, I felt like the party was a good place to open this can of worms, especially since Grandma Mona and Grandpa Kiev were away. I knew Grandma Mona would’ve had something to say about my choice, too, and I wanted to first start with Grandma Corrine and Grandpa Ibrahim.
The only one who knew all the details of my work with Lumi and my plans was Hunter. Sofia’s adopted brother, a white werewolf, was my best and closest friend. We’d practically grown up together, and he knew me better than most. He understood each and every one of my quirks, accepting me for who I was, no questions asked. He knew how much swamp witch magic had come to mean to me. He’d listened to me drone on and on about it, from the first day I’d met Lumi.
And, as I stood there with him, my parents, my grandparents, Sofia, Derek, and Aiden, I frequently sought Hunter’s gaze for an ounce of comfort. I was getting more nervous, the closer I got to making my announcement.
“Have you spoken to Lumi lately?” Grandma Corrine asked me.
The half-smile she wore told me that question had a deeper meaning, as if she knew what I’d been doing with Lumi. I felt a little guilty for not telling her and Grandpa Ibrahim or my parents about it, but I’d decided to keep it all to myself until I made a decision about the apprenticeship. That was a choice I didn’t regret.
“I saw her yesterday,” I replied, taking a sip from my fruity cocktail drink.
The crowd buzzed around us. Strings of laughter, conversation snippets, and musical notes from nearby speakers undulated across The Shade extension. The place looked and felt so alive, it filled me to the brim with pure white energy—the kind that made me move mountains and reach for the stars. It put me in a good mood.
“You
know, you’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately. Don’t think I haven’t noticed,” she said, then looked at Mom and Dad, slightly amused. “I’m guessing you two are aware of this?”
Mom and Dad glanced at each other, then gave Grandma a pair of nods and smiles in return.
“Kailani is a big girl and a capable witch,” Mom replied. “She knows what she’s doing, and she also knows I’m here if she ever wants to talk,” she added, looking at me.
I loved Mom for that. She’d not once pressured me to do anything I didn’t want to. She’d let me go out into the human world on my own when I turned sixteen. She knew I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. In all fairness, I’d proven that repeatedly while growing up. After all, I was one of the youngest supernaturals to be accepted into GASP at the time.
“Does Mona know?” Corrine asked, pursing her lips.
“Well, she and Grandpa Kiev are away,” I replied. “We’ll catch up when they’re back, of course.”
Derek and Sofia looked a bit confused as they watched the exchange. I took a deep breath. It was time to tell them.
“I actually wanted to talk to you all about something,” I added, my voice trembling slightly. I was nervous. Hunter briefly winked at me as a form of encouragement. “About Lumi, that is.”
I had my family’s full attention now. Grandma Corrine was amazing, and I looked up to her. I’d grown up wanting to be like her, Mona, and Mom. But sometimes we did butt heads, probably because we were equally opinionated and ambitious, always speaking our minds even when it made the others feel uncomfortable.
“You see, Lumi has been teaching me swamp witch magic for the past three months,” I continued, carefully watching the expressions around me. I tucked one of my long, dark brown curls behind my ear, then smiled. “She asked me if I would be interested in becoming her apprentice and learning the power of the Word,” I added. “Last night, I decided to say yes.”
A couple of seconds passed in heavy silence. Mom and Dad didn’t seem shocked. They didn’t seem much of anything, really. They didn’t show any emotion, but they listened, quietly. Grandma Corrine, on the other hand, didn’t look happy. Grandpa Ibrahim had an eyebrow raised, as if waiting for me to explain myself. Derek and Sofia were surprised, though not necessarily in a bad way. Hunter just smiled. It warmed me up on the inside, knowing that I could count on him for stuff like this.