Thane
I wait for Blaze to leave, then make my way over to my mate. I take the seat Blaze vacated and sigh.
“I’m sorry, baby.”
“Don’t call me that!” She hisses while looking at me.
I can see the tears in her eyes, tears she’s fighting back.
“Why did you bring me here, Thane? To humiliate me?”
“No, Lyric, I would never do that.”
“Right.” She scoffs while rolling her eyes.
“First off, Isla isn’t my wife; she’s my sister.”
A disgusted look crosses Lyric’s face, and I can’t say I blame her.
“Why the hell would your sister pretend to be your wife? That’s the most disgusting thing I have ever heard. Not to mention it’s weird as hell!”
I nod my head. “I agree, but there’s a reason why.”
I explain to Lyric why Isla said what she said. All the while, Lyric keeps her eyes on me, reading me for lies.
“I know you’re probably mad; I’ve been with others and didn’t wait for you. But I’m one hundred and fifty-seven years old, and I’d long given up hope of finding my mate.”
“I don’t care that you slept with others. I didn’t expect you to be pure; I live in the real world, Thane. Besides, it’s not like I’ve never had sex.”
I growl from my chest. “That’s not the same thing, Lyric, and you know it!”
Lyric rolls her eyes. “Look, I don’t care, okay? I don’t wanna hear about the women you’ve slept with, as much as you don’t want to know who I’ve had sex with.”
Only because none of that was willing. Though I would like to hear her story if she wants to speak about it one day.
“I’m okay with you not being a virgin. But what Isla said hurt me, Thane. I thought that finding you, and coming here to be with you, meant that I was finally getting the life I deserved. I wasn’t expecting a fairytale, but a mate is supposed to be precious.”
I sigh while dropping my head forward for a second. I could strangle Isla!
“I thought you wanted your cake and to eat it whole, to have your wife and mate get along like sister wives. How was I to know you weren’t married? I’d been locked up for years, never knowing what was happening in the pack or the outside world.
“I thought I’d lost my ability to sense lies. I know I sound pathetic, but for a while, I thought my life was finally looking up and that I had a mate who would care about me. Then Isla tells me she’s your wife and Ivy is your child, and I got the wind knocked out of me.”
I understand where she’s coming from. But she’s calmer than I would be if the roles were reversed. Goddess knows I would have ripped the guy’s head off if I thought he was Lyric’s husband.
“I’m so sorry, Lyric. Even though it was sick, my sister thought she was helping me out. I should have told her about you, but I didn’t, and this happened.
“You have to know that Isla and I would never deliberately hurt you. You haven’t lost your ability, Lyric. You were shocked by what Isla told you that you couldn’t tap into your power.”
I get out of my seat and crouch down in front of her.
“Baby, I am so sorry.”
“Technically, you didn’t do anything wrong, Thane. I get that your sister wanted to protect you, and I have to move on from what happened. I will; I just... I’m so tired, Thane. The past six years have been nothing but drama and pain. I just want a couple of days’ peace. Is that too much to ask?”
I smile while cupping her soft cheek in my hand. Thankfully, she doesn’t pull away; she leans into my touch.
“Nothing you ever ask will be too much, Lyric. How about we go back to our suite? I’ll call someone to bring dinner for us. Once you’ve eaten, you can get changed, climb into bed, and sleep for as long as you need.”
“Will you stay with me?”
I take a deep breath and let those five words sink into my brain.
“For as long as you want me, baby.”
The smile that lights her face warms my heart. “I’d like that.”
“Come on then, beautiful.” I get to my feet and scoop her up bridal style, making her giggle.
“I can walk, Thane.” There’s humor in her voice, and it’s good to hear.
“Why walk when you don’t have to?”
“Touche. Maybe I’ll get every man I meet to carry me from now on.”
Jagger growls before speaking through my mouth. ‘Any man who touches you will be torn apart!’
“Is that so? Well, perhaps I’ll let the men I can’t stand touch me, then I can stand back and watch you do your worst. There’s nothing wrong with killing those who deserve it.”
What. The. F.uck?
After Lyric and I finish eating the steak and potatoes with cornbread, a servant delivered, I shift in my seat. Lyric ate like a sparrow, which didn’t sit well with me.
Jagger reminded me that Lyric wasn’t used to eating big meals. My mate rarely ate, and when she did, what little food she had, she gave most to Harmony.
I can’t have my mate eating like that. It will take time for Lyric’s stomach to stretch, allowing her to handle a full meal, but I know it’ll happen with time. But I need to make Lyric understand that eating what and as much as she wants is okay.
No one will stop my mate should she want to rummage through the fridge anytime. Lyric never has to worry about her or Harmony starving because it will never happen again.
I know Lyric is tired, but I really need to speak to her about something, and it can’t wait.
“Before you go,” Lyric was about to leave her seat at the table for two on the balcony. She looks at me curiously while retaking her seat. “There’s something I need to speak to you about.”
“Oh?”
“Astro,” Lyric’s eyes widen. “I know what you are, Lyric.”
She swallows hard. “How?”
“Yuri told me right before he lost his life. He told me how the Fairy King wants you as his wife. How he killed your parents, and how Emily lost her life. He even told me why Lennix did what he did.”
“So? Where are you going with this, Thane? I’m part fairy, and my uncle wants me as his wife. I lost my parents and my aunt because of that monster!”
I lean forward in my seat, looking Lyric in the eye. She holds my gaze. “I know what he did, Lyric, and what he wants – you. The question is, how do we stop him?”
“I don’t know the answer to that, Thane.”
I scrub my hands over my face.
How would she know?
It’s not like she had time to look into Astro and his weaknesses.
“I won’t sit around and wait for him to take you from me. I’ll kill the b.astard if he so much as looks at you!”
Lyric smiles while trying not to.
Is she laughing at me?
“He can’t take me from you, Thane. Astro cannot kidnap me because the only way for me to be his is willingly, and that will never happen.”
“Willingly?”
“Yes,” Lyric nods her head. “There are rules even Astro cannot break. The law is centuries old, Thane. Yes, in Valnor, it’s normal for high-ranking males to take their nieces as brides. They do so because they believe it keeps the bloodline pure.”
I snarl because that’s vile. Incest may have been believed to keep the bloodline pure hundreds of years ago. But nowadays, it is simply incest!
What century are these Fairies living in?
“However,” Lyric continues. “Astro’s grandfather, after taking his niece as his bride, outlawed forcing such pairings. His niece wanted to marry her uncle, and Carid, Astro’s grandfather, swore their marriage was perfect, unlike his parents.
“My mother explained all of this to me when I was thirteen. Mom wanted me to know Astro could not lay hands on me, nor could his minions, if I refused. Astro would be weakened for many years if he tried to take me by force.
“Carid used his power to place this curse upon all of his descendants. There are no exceptions. Astro believed by killing my parents after I refused to be his bride, that I’d change my mind to save my family. For a moment, I thought about it.”
“Why?” I’m not mad that she thought about leaving with Astro; just curious.
“He told me if I didn’t, he’d kill Harmony next, making it slow and painful.” She shrugs. “Then my aunt came out of nowhere, screaming at me not to listen. Emily said that Harmony would only be safe if I were with her.
“I listened to my aunt and knew I couldn’t leave with him. Astro said he would find me and take everyone I love until all there is left is my grief and need to be with him. I don’t know what made him think that if he killed everyone I love, I’d want to be with him. The man is a lunatic!
“Anyway, I used my fairy powers to send Astro back to Valnor, but his words about finding me stayed with me. He did find me, and my aunt and I fought hard against him. We managed to push him back, but he yelled that he’d know the next time I used my fairy magic, and anyone I cared about would die.”
I nod. “That’s why Harmony stopped you?”
“Yes. I told her everything when we were kids, and she swore she’d help me control myself. So you see, Astro cannot take me, Thane. But we must protect those who mean the most to us because those are the people Astro will go after.”
I reach my hand to Lyric’s. She looks at it, smiles, and takes my hand.
“We’ll protect them, baby. We’ll work the rest out. Everything will be okay; you’re safe here.”
“I am, but is my sister?”
“She will always be safe; Theo would kill for her.”
“And my hybrid status? Where does that leave me with your people?”
“Ah, that...”