In Between

Chapter Thirty-four: The Royal Palace

"Jasmine, can I ask you something?"

She smirked at Kieran as if she knew exactly what he were about to say. "If you're wondering why I'm acting as though I didn't kiss you the last time we saw each other, it's because I thought you were interested in the blonde Outsider. Evidently, that isn't the case anymore. Unless you're heartbroken because your best friend got the girl," she pried curiously.

"I did have an interest for a while, but things have changed. If you're wondering why that is, it's because you kissed me. I like you, Jasmine—a lot."

"I know," she told him confidently, "so don't you forget it."

She winked at him and he smiled in relief. Hopefully things would work themselves out with the royals and life could go back to normal...or as normal as it could be after everything that he had learned about himself and his family. I'll have to explain all of it to Jasmine eventually, Kieran thought, but he wasn't about to do so now—not when they were finally on good terms. He would save that for when he knew that they were all safe.

"What do you think they're doing up there?" Jasmine asked him wryly.

"I don't particularly want to picture it," he said heartily.

It was right then that the two in question came down the stairs together. Draven was bandaged up and wearing a clean T-shirt, borrowed from Kieran's closet, that was already creased. They were both considerably rumpled and red-faced. Apryl opened her mouth as if she were about say something casual to excuse their tousled appearance, but the four of them ended up bursting unto laughter until Kieran's mother returned to announce that she and Lyon had brought the carriage around. "Are you ready to leave?" she asked quickly. Kieran noticed the way she was wringing her hands—a clear sign that she was nervous.

"We're ready. It'll be okay, mom," he reassured her. She smiled a little and gently touched his cheek before holding open the door for them. Jasmine took a pointed step back. "Aren't you coming?" Kieran asked her, and she shook her head.

"There will only be room for the five of you including Lyon. Besides, I'm not really a part of this, so I'm going to stay here and look after Dina and Elijah."

"I suppose somebody has to. I think I'll go and say goodbye to them before I disappear again. We haven't spent a lot of time together lately," Kieran said, ashamed.

"I know that you miss them, and they've been worried about you too, but they're already asleep," Jasmine explained.

"Then I should let them get some rest. I'll see you all later when we get back." Kieran went to her and kissed her gently on the lips. He had spoken as if they would only be gone for a few hours or so, but Kieran really had no idea how long this would take or how the royals would react to their unannounced visit.

"Goodbye then," Jasmine said, much too dismissively for his taste. She smiled at everyone in turn and quickly headed upstairs to check on Kieran's siblings. As she passed Draven, she caught his eye and touched him lightly on the shoulder, pausing for a short moment while her fingers lingered. He nodded at her which confirmed Kieran's assumption that she was sending him a private message.

What was that about? Kieran asked in confusion since Jasmine had never been particularly close to Draven.

She told me to look after her boyfriend and make sure that everyone returns home safely, he explained with a grin. Kieran smiled with pleasure and filed outside with the rest of the group.

Lyon drove them to the palace in complete silence. It wasn't a very long drive, but it still felt like an eternity. Kieran had ended up in the back seat between Apryl and Draven which made him feel uncomfortably like a barrier separating them. It was quite possible that the council would agree to execute Apryl regardless of her new title as shaman, and then Draven would never see her again.