No wonder she doesn’t feel as though she fits in.
They won’t let her.
“Limerick is there,” Grace whispers.
The room goes silent aside from the popping of Breccan’s sub-bones.
“What?” Aria’s voice is so low we barely hear it.
“I only know because you were famous and it was gossip among my peers—”
“What?” Aria screeches. “No! My sister is on Earth II with our parents! You’re a liar, Grace!”
Grace chokes on a sob. “I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner.”
Breccan starts barking out commands. “Theron and Hadrian. I want the Mayvina ready for travel soon. Willow and Limerick both need our help.”
Emery reaches for Sokko, taking him from Aria while she loses it to hysterical crying. Hophalix stirs on his father’s chest at the sound of the other mortling in his mother’s arms. Breccan pulls her from the chair and into his arms, still continuing to bark out instructions for our impromptu rescue mission.
“Aria,” Grace starts.
“No,” Aria cries out, her face splotchy from crying an arm outstretched as she points at Grace in a threatening way. “You don’t get to talk anymore. Not to me. You’re a conniving bitch.”
“Aria,” Emery chides softly. “You’re upset, but there’s no need to call her names.”
“Seriously?” Aria hisses. “She comes into our home and throws a goddamn fit over being pregnant all the while failing to tell us she was on the side of the people who held us up there.” She points above her head. “And then to keep the location of the prison a secret knowing my fucking sister was there!”
Molly flinches at her rage, both she and Emery exchanging worried looks.
“You should go with them since you’re so damn unhappy here,” Aria sobs. “Just go to the prison with Theron and Hadrian. Study all the fucking samples you want!”
“That’s enough,” I snap, no longer able to allow Madam Commander to berate my mate. My mate. Rekk.
Breccan pins me with a harsh glare but gives me a small nod.
“Come,” I instruct Grace. “You need to eat and rest. We’ll talk later.”
Aria turns into Breccan’s embrace, sobbing against him. I wrap my arms around Grace and guide her out of the room, ignoring the accusing stares of everyone. Once in the corridor, we meet Jareth, who holds a plate of food.
“She needed to get away from there,” I grumble, irritation in my tone. “Madam Commander was being cruel.”
Jareth glowers. “To Grace?”
“I deserved that,” Grace says softly.
“No, you didn’t,” I growl, stroking her hair.
Jareth leans in and presses his lips to her cheek. “No, you didn’t.”
“You missed the part where I betrayed the whole community with knowledge of the fact your commander’s wife’s sister is at Exilium Penitentiary,” Grace barks out bitterly.
Jareth presses a claw under her chin, tilting her head up. “Sayer says you didn’t deserve it and I trust his words.” This time, Jareth’s lips brush against hers, and she doesn’t push him away. If anything, she seems relieved at the touch.
“As much as I want to watch my mates kiss, I’d rather do it in private where I can enjoy the display more freely,” I say with a smile.
Neither Grace nor Jareth corrects me.
Mates sounds quite nice on my forked tongue.
11
Grace
The two of them lead me back to the solitude of Sayer’s rooms. Jareth herds me to a small chair and table that I have a hard time imagining supporting Sayer’s bulk. Sayer pushes a plate of food in my direction.
“Eat,” he demands.
“I’m not very hungry,” I respond and push the plate away. How could I be? I expected Molly’s disappointment and perhaps even Breccan’s wrath, but Aria’s anger? I wasn’t prepared for the naked hatred in her eyes. The sense of control I felt while working with Avrell, albeit only momentarily, was negated by the scene afterward.
Jareth pulls a stool next to me and crouches over it. He lifts a piece of strange, juicy fruit with his hands and brings it to my lips. “You must eat. Your skin is nearly as pale as mine. You need food.”
I smack at his hand. “I don’t want it.” I start to stand, but Sayer is there behind me. His sturdy weight successfully blocks my retreat.
“I know you’re upset,” Sayer’s voice rumbles, echoing in my chest so that I feel him speak with my whole body.
Closing my eyes, I wish I could go back to the cryotube where I had no idea what was going on. Maybe they’d made a mistake waking me up. All I’ve done here so far is interfere and cause pain.
“You don’t know anything,” I insist. “They hate me. You heard what Aria said. Molly would barely even talk to me.”
Jareth tips my face up to his with his free hand, forcing me to look into his eyes. Despite being upset, I remember how he’d looked when he made me come. He’d been so sure then, so steady, like he could read my mind. If he could have read it then, he never would have touched me. How could they even stand to be around me when I caused so much pain?