Valerie

Chapter Ten

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"If this could be forever, I might start worshipping their moon goddess."

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I could scarcely believe my ears when he said I'd see my sister. I didn't believe it was reality until the Royal jet was loaded up with the luggage to tie me over on a beach. When was the last time I went swimming? I must've been eight or nine. Would I remember how? It didn't matter, I'd be with my sister and—

I paused just before crossing into the jet.

He was going to be kind for free? He didn't want anything from me? 

I turned on the airplane steps and asked, "are you coming with me?"

A single eyebrow rose. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"I—nevermind. Is Hilla coming?"

"Hilla is a mated woman, doing successfully. She'll still be here when you get back."

Doing successfully? Is that what they call the lifeless look in her eyes?

"How do you know I'm not going to run?" I asked. The Good Queen Imani did it. Twice.

The corner of his mouth tilted up. "Because you're smart. Sure, the first time might've been a shock induced scare, but you've settled in nicely." He pulled at my shirt collar until the mark showed through. He swept his fingers over the skin and I lurched. When I served them, I'd see the werewomen brush a thumb over it as a reminder that even though their mates may be far, they were never really far. But a necklace would do just fine as a remembrance, a tattoo even. Not an ugly, mottled scar. A blight on my body. "I think you just want me to come with you."

No, I thought in panic. "You have work."

He dipped his head, pressing a kiss to the patch of scar-skin and I sucked in a deep breath. My stomach kicked like a snare drum. "Do I?"

"We are standing in the doorway to a—" I sank my nails into his arm. "Aeneas."

He released the skin with a wet pop. "See you in three weeks."

It was another point I conceded—feeling bothered, feeling frustrated, feeling unsatisfied. Some low burning (and disturbing desire) came in on butterfly wings to live in my stomach. And they must've been the ugliest butterflies to ever exist, but they fluttered anyway. I entered the plane. This would be forgotten as soon as I saw my sister.

The ride was two hours long. I'd never been on a plane at any time of my life, so I pressed my face to the glass and stared at the vast, green ground below me. Slowly, it turned from dense pine forest to rolling hills and beaches. Water. I'd never even see the water before.

When the door opened, the air was warm and fresh, salt-tinged. It was the kind of place that would be dusky and hot in the summer. The kind of place that made people lazy. And it was very different from the snow-capped winter of the Capital. As I surveyed the palm trees, and the clean sand, white and bright as my eyes could see, I realized, it was the kind of place I could get used to, especially that glistening turquoise ocean. My feet itched my urge to dive into it.

Down the tarmac, an official delegation waited to meet me. Of course, there'd be rules, and guards, to watch me closely and carefully. I wasn't trying to run, not when Aeneas has my sister to use against me.