“Same page,” Allie muttered. They were never on the same page. But what did it mean? Was it goodbye? But then Aidan had sent a pair of his Syntrophos with her, so that couldn’t be it.
Neela and Ivy followed Allie wherever she went. Even now, they stood on the hillside, waiting and watching for any harm that might come to her. But they refused to divulge any information about Aidan’s whereabouts or his intentions. It was infuriating.
Allie would be leaving for Soma soon, and they would surely follow. The move would be permanent this time. Allie had to make a clean break from Naeemah and Gregg, at least for now. She couldn’t risk them losing their position as governor for associating too closely with her.
Lily and Carson would stay in Cleveland. Allie dreaded distancing herself further from her mortal family, but it was better for them if she did. Gregg promised he would keep his people watching over them. This time tomorrow she would officially be the head of Soma. She had great plans for the future, but she still couldn’t understand why Aidan refused to be part of it.
Her visions wandered the hillside aimlessly. She was devoted to studying them more carefully, looking for clues of what might be coming for her next. Each was like a little mystery; once solved the vision evaporated, often replaced with something new and even more confusing.
Nothing was ever easy. There was always something. The Coalition, secret sisters, attacks on the family, blood moons, Syntrophos, captives, broken hearts, ancient grandparents, betrayals, heirs, and prophecies. That was her life, and she needed to get better at recognizing the things her gift tried to tell her.
Her visions were stronger now. More ominous. A dark vision of Emma followed her everywhere she went. Always there, like a harbinger of bad news, babbling in rapid French Allie couldn’t even decipher. Sarah and Charles Madison’s phantoms came to Allie just hours after the trial, but they faded into oblivion once news of their treason became widespread knowledge.
Allie saw Aidan’s Syntrophos army, scattered at different points across the world. Sometimes together, sometimes not. Sometimes, they all remained with him. Sometimes, it seemed like their numbers were only half of what they were. She couldn’t seem to land on an explanation for their behavior.
A vivid image of Soma in the distant future rested at the bottom of the grassy hillside. Still protected by Quinn’s barrier, but it was Soma as she dreamed it could become. She saw Aidan with her. Their family together again. She just couldn’t see the path that would lead them there. Like Harry staring into the mirror of Erised, she saw what she wanted but had no idea how to achieve it.
She smiled at a vision of Aidan making his way up the hillside, his black hair shimmering blue in the afternoon sun. He was her future Aidan. The version of him she saw with her at Soma. He was more like the boy she fell in love with a million years ago, but also the guarded man he had become in his absence. It gave her comfort, knowing the Aidan she loved might still be there, stuck in some future she couldn’t see how to get to yet. But she would figure it out.
The vision of him paused on the grassy slope near the laurel tree where she sat, as if uncertain of how he’d come to be there. She heard his breath rushing in and out of his lungs, the rasp of the grass against his jeans. Allie sat up straighter, feeling uncertain if he was really a vision or not.
“Allie?” His voice was soft and low. A question.
Allie closed her eyes, pushing all of the visions away, silencing them and shoving them back where they belonged. She gasped when his shadow fell over her.
“Open your eyes, Alexis Ann,” he said, crouching before her. “I want to see those weird, green eyes again.”
“You’re not here,” she whispered, shaking her head and shutting her eyes tight. “You can’t be.” She didn’t want to hope he was real. She couldn’t face the heartbreak that would come the moment she opened her eyes.
“But I am.” She felt his warmth as he sat beside her just as he had when they met here as teenagers a lifetime ago. “Why don’t you trust what you see?”
Allie opened her eyes. Is he really here, or have I finally lost touch with reality?
“I’m really here.” He took her hand. “Tell me why you think I’m not.”
“The visions.” She waved her hand in the direction of the hillside. “They’re everywhere.”
“All the time?” He frowned.
She nodded, still not believing what her eyes and her body were telling her. “Are you back?” she managed to whisper.
“I’m home.” His smile was hesitant.
Allie flew into his arms, not trusting her own sanity until she felt his embrace and his breath in her hair.
“You’re really here?” She leaned back, running her hands up the length of his arms. “For how long?”
“I’m not leaving again.”
Allie hugged him tighter. “I swear, Aidan Loukas McBrien, if you ever slam a car door in my face like that again, I will tear your face off.” Her words came out as a strangled sob.
“I’m sorry about that.” His fingertips brushed the hair back from her face. “You have no idea how much I wanted to come home with you after the trial.” He held her at arms’ length, his hands cupping her face, and his thumb caressing the length of the tattoo along her throat. “But I had to take care of my people first. They depend on me.”
“You brought them with you?”
“Not all of them. Not yet. I gave them the choice to leave and return to their lives but they all chose to take a brief visit home to take care of their families. They will make their way to us in time. It’s the way of the Syntrophos. We stick together.” Aidan’s hands wandered down her arms, grasping her hands again. “To set the record straight, when we came for you at Soma, I never once questioned your position as first princess and the named heir of Indriell. But I was so angry. I had a plan I’d been working toward for a long time, and I had to rethink things when you beat me to the punch. I convinced myself you were being used and manipulated. It was just so unlike you to reach for that kind of power. Then you told me off right before you turned away, leaving me and my soldiers gaping like morons. That was when I knew you really were the mastermind behind everything happening at Soma.”
“I was doing it for you, you big dummy.” She sniffed.
“I didn’t think you’d still … that you’d put yourself out there just for me.”
“It wasn’t just for you. I did this for all of us. But bringing you home was my main motivation. It wasn’t until much later—when Darius pointed it out to me—that I realized all along I was telling myself I was going to rescue you when I’d never even considered that might not be what you wanted. Not like I could have asked, but I shouldn’t have made that decision for you.”
“We have to stop doing that to each other.” Aidan smiled.
“Yeah.” Allie sighed. “It’s a lot harder than it sounds.”
“I would get down on one knee, but I’m pretty sure you’d kick me in the nuts if I did.” Aidan gave a wry grin. “Alexis Ann.” He reached to brush a stray curl from her face. “You have my loyalty and my fealty.”
“Aidan, don’t.” She squeezed his hand. She couldn’t stand this. Not from him. “You are my equal. You don’t have—”
“Of course, I do. I pledge my life and my service—and that of my army, no matter how big or small it may prove to be—to the heir and future queen of Indriell, however she chooses to reign. I will be her equal and her confidant. If she’ll have me?”
“Why did you leave, Aidan? Before all of this madness started.” She needed to know.
“Lots of reasons. None you’ll like.”
“Try me?”
“At first it was the Darius thing. I knew that was going to be hard on you and even harder with me here. So I planned to take myself out of the picture for a few months.”
“And then?”
“And then Naomi happened.” He shrugged. “And it became even more complicated and more clear to me that we needed the time
apart. But in the end, she needed me more than you did. You had Darius. She didn’t have anyone.”
“I wish you would have discussed it with me first.” Allie stared down at their entwined hands. It was a long time ago, and she didn’t want to dredge up old things that were better off left buried, but she needed some kind of closure to that part of their lives.
“I know. It was stupid and selfish. I only hope that one day you can understand what my eighteen-year-old head was thinking when I made those choices—not just for us but for myself. I hope you’ll understand that I was doing what I thought was best for Naomi and me. And the time apart … that wasn’t just about you.”
“The time apart was never the issue. I came to understand just how much we needed it, too. It was your silence that killed me.”
“I never really left you, Lex. I was always right here.” He tapped her forehead. “For the last four years, whenever you’ve thought of me or spoke to me, I heard you. And it tore me apart not to respond.”
Allie’s eyes filled with tears as she realized just how close he had remained all these years. “One of these days, I’m going to kick your ass for that.” She managed a watery smile.
“You never answered my question,” Aidan said, brushing the tears from her eye with his thumb. “Will you have me, my queen … to be?” His smile was uncertain, as if she might reject him. “It would be my honor to serve the royal family.”
She titled her head back, meeting his gaze. “Aidan, I don’t want you in my service. I want you as my equal and my friend. Besides, you have an army.” She flashed him a wide grin.
“There’s the smart ass I remember.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.
Chapter Thirty-Four
"Your tattoos have changed." Allie ran her hand across Aidan's shoulder. They were alone at last in her penthouse room at Sterling Tower. The last week had been a whirlwind of activity, getting settled into a routine. But Aidan had been by her side the whole time. This was the first night they'd had together like old times and she was nervous.
"One of my Syntrophos has a gift like Erin's. She made some changes for me over the years." Aidan ran his hand down Allie’s arm, his hum of contentment echoed in her ear, making her smile.
"The cuneiform symbols are gone. I remember those from the first day we met. I don't think I ever knew what those meant?"
"They were numbers," he said.
"Like a tally?"
"Exactly."
"What were you tallying on your body?" She leaned back so she could see his face. His eyes filled with amusement.
"I forgot how insanely wild your hair gets." He smoothed her crazy hair out of her face.
"Don't change the subject, mister. What were you using your body to keep track of?" She frowned down at him.
"Days."
She made a sound of annoyance deep in her throat and he laughed.
"It's ancient history now, but at the time, I was keeping track of how many days I'd gone without hurting anyone in my family with my fire gift."
"Oh, Aidan." She hit him with a pillow. "You were such a drama queen."
He laughed, the sound so familiar and still somehow different. More grown up. More ... man than boy.
"I was a bit broody in those days," he agreed. "The night Kayla was hurt at the bonfire, I begged Erin to come and wipe them all away. I couldn't look at the evidence of my failure. She took them away and banned me from her tattoo service for being a melodramatic bitch baby." He chuckled at the memory of his spunky cousin. "She eventually let me back in when I told her you'd notice my vanishing tatts."
"I recognize the Egyptian symbols for luck, life, and protection." She traced the intricate lines of the Eyes of Ra across his collarbone, symbols of his mother's Egyptian heritage. "But what does this one mean? I don't remember seeing this." She traced the ring around his nipple, resting on a straight line.
Aidan smiled and grabbed her hand. "That is the Egyptian Shen, which means Eternity."
"I love it. I need one just like it. What are these?" She pointed at the ancient symbols in rows down his left arm.
"Inspirations." He rose up on his elbow, pointing at the top symbol. "This is Sanskrit for warrior. And these mean strength, balance, energy, and patience."
"And this set over here?" She moved her hand over his heart.
He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Those mean love, friendship, loyalty, and compassion. Also in Sanskrit."
"For Naomi?" She glanced back up, trying to put a clamp on the surge of unreasonable jealousy.
He nodded. "For Naomi."
"And these?" She moved on to the symbols beside Naomi's. These were the only colorful tattoos he had. All in red.
"Cuneiform," he said. "These are the symbols for sun." He pointed. "Strength, love, and divine light."
"And these tree-looking things?" She traced the simple lines, close to his heart.
"Orchard," he whispered. "The last one means brave hero."
"These are mine?" She lifted her gaze to meet his.
"Yes. You saved me that night." He placed his hand over hers.
Allie leaned forward, pressing her lips against his chest and over the symbols he'd placed there for her.
She inched her way up, placing kisses over each of his tattoos, even the ones for Naomi. Lingering over the symbol for eternity, she explored him in a way she never had before. As her lips met his, the heat of her power burned hot in her chest. She’d missed him. Missed the intimacy she’d only ever shared with him.
“Allie.” Aidan groaned in frustration as he eased her off him, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.
“What?” Allie asked, her heart growing cold at the sudden rejection.
“Don’t look at me like that, Lex.” Aidan rolled onto his side, facing her. “Trust me, I want to be with you like this again more than I want air.”
“But?”
“It’s been years. I don’t want to mess this up again. If we’re doing this … if we’re going to really be together, I want to get it right this time. Let’s not rush into anything while we’re getting to know each other again.”
Allie nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want to mess this up either.” She moved back to her side of the bed.
“Too much has changed, Allie. I’m not sure we can pick things up right where we left them.”
“It’s healthier to start over.” She reached for his hand but kept her eyes on the ceiling.
“What are you thinking?” He gazed down at her with a worried frown.
“If you’d let me back in, you’d know what I was thinking.” She pressed her fingertip against his forehead. She wasn’t mad. Or hurt. She knew he was absolutely right about not rushing into anything they weren’t ready for. But she felt … sad. She couldn’t even explain it. Not in words.
“I’m not keeping you out for any specific reason, Lex. Don’t you like your privacy? Don’t you remember how awful it was not having any?”
“Awful.” She nodded. Sure, there were moments when it was bad. But she never remembered it being awful. She loved having Aidan back, and she was all in for taking it slow. But without their connection, it was like he wasn’t really back. Not all the way.
Allie waited until Aidan’s breath fell into the regular rhythm of sleep before she slipped out of bed. She hadn’t seen Darius all night, and she ached to be near him.
She tiptoed down the hall to his room, but he wasn’t alone. Naomi’s giggle was like a hot poker, rousing the jealous green monster that had taken up residence inside Allie since her arrival at Sterling Tower. She and Aidan had moved into the penthouse with Allie and Darius, but she was supposed to be sleeping on the pullout in the study, not in Darius’s room.
Allie retreated down the hall and stepped onto the enormous balcony running the length of the building. She could still hear them, talking and laughing. They had the sliding glass panels open to the patio, letting in the unseasonably warm evening air.
Allie
leaned against the railing, watching the Atlanta lights twinkling and listening to the nightlife drift up from the streets below.
“What are you doing?” Aidan whispered as he came to join her, his bare chest warm at her back.
“Couldn’t sleep.” She pulled his arms around her waist, snuggling back against him.
“I woke up and you weren’t there. I didn’t like it. I thought for a minute that I’d just dreamed I was here with you.”
Allie turned, wrapping her arms around his middle. She reached up on her tiptoes to kiss his nose. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“I dreamed about you constantly.” He smiled. “You haunted me, Allie.”
“Back atcha, big guy.”
“Big guy?”
“You’re huge. Or hadn’t you noticed,” she teased. “You were always freakishly tall, but you’ve got the bulk to back it up now.”
“Freakishly tall? Maybe you’re freakishly short.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“Do you hate this as much as I do?” She looked up at him.
“Yep.” His mouth drew into a firm line. “Don’t like it one bit, but it’s not for us to get in their way. They hate what we have just as much. It’s the most difficult thing about being Syntrophos at this age.”
“You think it will get easier when we’re older?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine ever not being jealous of anyone Darius might love.
“When we bond with our Complements, we will find balance in both of our relationships. Until then, it will be difficult.”
“Right.” Allie frowned at the idea.
“What do you know of your Complement, Allie?” Aidan whispered.
“Nothing.” She shrugged.
“Still?” He stared down at her in confusion. “You’ve never seen or felt anything about him?”
“Emma always said that part will be hard for me. I see and feel so much through my gift and intuition; I don’t know if I would recognize those little glimpses for what they’re supposed to be.”
He sighed. “That makes sense.”
Emerge- The Heir Page 24
