Lucas was more hesitant, the look on his face almost reverent as he gracefully strode to his mate. His throat worked roughly. He swallowed more than once. Ria let a moment of vulnerability sink into her expression. She looked more open to him than I’d ever seen before, no anger or accusation in her gaze. Lucas reached her side and they stared for such a long, intense moment.
With a muffled growl he dropped to his knees beside her bed, still tall enough to be able to lower his head and rest it close to her thigh. I heard him murmur words, but they were too low to know exactly what he said. Whatever it was, though, it had tears springing into the Regali queen’s eyes.
And then, with just a whisper of hesitation, she reached out a hand and placed those long slender fingers on to the back of Lucas’ blond locks. The gesture was comforting and was the perfect start to repairing their many hurts.
I was so happy that I almost couldn’t contain my joy, and yet I couldn’t be completely joyful. My guardian was still gone. Yes, I told myself that he was with Hallow now. In a better place. That their energy would be reborn to love each other again. But I wanted him here with me. I wanted my friend back. My protector. My heart was hurting; there was a small crack in it now. A fissure which would never heal. I forced some of the aching sadness down. Quarn and Francesca would want us to celebrate this day.
The sacred animals surged forward then. They had waited their turn, but now they needed to bond with their girls again. I stepped back and allowed Lugi his chance with Eva. It was simply beautiful, and even though I didn’t think I could cry any more, I apparently had plenty of tears left.
“We did it, Supes!” Fury looked exuberant when she finally untangled herself from Dune. Crete was snuggled in her arms, and her gray eyes flashed at me, still blending beautifully with the gray marks of Relli. “We beat the mother-freaking Seventine and didn’t even die.”
They had no idea how close they had been. If their shells had deteriorated or faded away, there would have been nothing I could do but release their essence back to the energy of the worlds. My insistence on seeing their bodies – it must have come from an inner knowledge deep down that I was running out of time.
“We did do it,” Delane said as she stood, unfurling her wings in a massive feathered cloud of black. “We were victorious in our battle, and that should be celebrated.”
I grinned at her. “I thought you didn’t celebrate battles?”
Her dark eyes shone. “Angelica don’t celebrate battles, but I find that I’m no longer that which I was before. Now I’m something so much more. I am half-Walker. I am sister. I am friend. I never had those and I believe that half-Walkers celebrate successful battles.”
Josian let out one of his booming laughs. “You have no idea, my girls, no idea at all.”
***
My eyes fluttered open, before slamming shut again. I waited a few more moments before trying again. Groans left me as the light of the room stabbed at my brain.
Did I somehow get lost last night and fall asleep on the sun?
Damn, it was bright. But, most probably, since my butt wasn’t on fire, I wasn’t on the sun. Just hungover from the copious amounts of crandy I’d consumed. That Walker alcohol was potent. Everything around me was a blurry haze, and I couldn’t quite remember the last few hours of the party. Had there been a nudie run?
I’m never drinking again.
As I shifted, nausea rolled inside me and I tried very hard not to lose the contents of my stomach. I hit a wall of warmth, my body instantly melting into the hard planes and familiar spicy scent. I finally managed to get my eyes fully open, enough to see that I was in my bed in the Angelisian beach house. Brace was next to me.
My heart jumped. I greedily drank in the sight of him as he slept. He looked peaceful in slumber. It was one of the only times. Thick, inky lashes fanned out over his broad cheekbones, a mop of dark hair falling across his forehead. It was still longer than the military style he’d favored when we first met. I liked his hair either way, but there was certainly more to run my hands through now.
“Stop staring at me, Red.” The huskiness of his voice scraped down every single nerve-ending I possessed.
“I’m not,” I lied.
I was totally drinking in the sight of every single part of his face, and I hadn’t even moved down to the roped muscles I knew were peeking out the top of the sheets. He was definitely shirtless beneath the covers, and if the gods were feeling generous, he would hopefully be even more naked than that.