by A. M. Hodges
I run upstairs to throw on leggings and then come back down to help Miles and Lucah bring everything into the house.
Miles takes the tree to the corner by the window and begins getting it set in its stand. Lucah sets a small speaker on the coffee table and syncs his phone to it before pressing play. Christmas classics pour from the speaker as he begins decorating the inside of the house. Jeb kisses me again before going outside to set up the yard decorations and put lights on the house.
"Hot chocolate and cookies anyone?" I call over my shoulder as I turn towards the kitchen.
"Only if you make it fun," Lucah says mischievously and I turn to see him holding up a bottle of peppermint schnapps like it's a trophy. I shake my head and retrieve the bottle before heading to the kitchen.
I start making my chocolate chip cookies from scratch, using the recipe that Miss Becky taught me long ago. I also line a cookie sheet with Jackson's favorites, probably because they were the only ones he knew how to make, the little pre-cut sugar cookies with Christmas trees on them. After putting both cookie sheets in the oven, I pull out everything that I need for the hot chocolate.
As the milk begins to heat on the stove, I pull down four of my favorite over-sized Christmas mugs and line them up. I mix in the rest on the ingredients and then pour equal servings into each cup, adding two shots of peppermint schnapps and topping them with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. After loading them onto a tray, I carry them into the living room.
The scene that greets me stops me dead in my tracks. I am speechless. Jeb has now returned inside and is helping Miles and Lucah with the finishing touches. Each male is either wearing a form of elf ears or a Santa hat. I really don't need to specify which one is wearing the elf ears.
Each doorway, the staircase railing, and the windows are lined with lit garland. The coffee table is covered in a mock snow looking cloth and an entire miniature Christmas village. Snow globes and nutcrackers and small Christmas trees are neatly arranged on the mantle and not four, but five stockings hang from it. One for each of us, and one for Jackson. My front door is covered in wrapping paper and a giant bow, made to look like a present. The ceiling of the living room is lined with lights that hang down like snowflakes, the furniture is adorned with cozy knit blankets and festive pillows.
The tree, oh my goodness the tree. It is wrapped in white twinkle lights with silver ribbon woven between the branches. Ornaments of red, green and gold, some shiny or sparkling and others muted, hang perfectly placed on the branches. An angel with black hair and a cream colored, silk dress is perched on top. Around the base of the tree is a cream-colored knit tree skirt and a tiny train runs around the tracks that encircle it.
Marvelous. Absolutely breathtaking. I feel like I have walked into a winter wonderland. Jeb sees me and his face lights up with a smile. He walks over and takes the tray from my hands before indicating with his head for me to go look outside.
The first thing I see when I walk out the door is a small machine, blanketing my yard in synthetic snow. The yard is full of strategically placed scenes with light up deer, tiny trees, light up presents of all shapes and sizes, and a large light up snowman. Light up candy canes line the driveway and walkway leading to the porch.
I stumble down the porch stairs in a daze and walk to the end of the driveway to look back at the house. It’s covered, from roof to gutter, in white lights. More lit garland is wrapped around the porch posts and railing, and each window and the doorway are lined with the same white lights as the roof. The door is adorned with a stunning large wreath, poinsettias placed on either side.
I sprint inside to find the three males patiently waiting for me. Proud smiles light up their faces, reaching their eyes. I stand there dumbfounded. My mind can't put together a coherent thought, my mouth unable to form words. At once, they walk towards me and pull me into a bone crushing group hug. I feel so safe, so loved. I have no shame when I stand there and sob in the middle of their arms.
We spend the evening getting drunk, and not from the sugar, on hot chocolate while eating cookies and watching my favorite hallmark movies. When it nears ten o'clock, Lucah stands and stretches.
"Would you mind if we crash here tonight?" he says through a yawn.
"Of course not!" I pipe enthusiastically. I take one more look at the tree before shooting a puzzled look at my company.
"Where's the presents?"
"Presents? What presents?" Lucah asks in mock confusion, "Santa brings the presents. And I was told he only comes if you are sleeping. Off to bed with you Princess!"
I let out an exasperated sigh and Jeb chuckles before pulling me up the stairs to bed.
My last surprise is laying neatly folded on my bed when I enter the room. Christmas jammies!
∞∞∞
I race down the stairs bright and early the next morning and find the males already waiting. Underneath the tree is the presents I had been looking for last night. I can't suppress the grin and giddy squeal that escapes my mouth as I run over to sit on the floor next to the tree. They even found the presents that I had bought each of them and placed them with the rest. I insist that they go first.
Miles chuckles as he opens his box and finds a brand new Gi.
It is rather humorous, considering the situation and the new information that I was given, but I bought it months ago. I knew Lucah would appreciate my humor when he opens his gift to find the Black Panther DVD.
He laughs loudly and pulls me into a hug. Jeb can't hide his shock when he pulls out a new set of swords to replace the ones I know he usually wears strapped to is back in battle. Each hilt is carved like a wing, one is an emerald dragon wing to match his own. The other, is a near perfect depiction of my wing, and it is the color of my hair. I don't miss the tear that he quickly swipes from his cheek.
Now, it's my turn. Lucah got me, a rather expensive looking but still funny, tiara. I slap him on the shoulder playfully before hugging him. When I get to Miles's present, I see why he thought my gift was so funny. Waiting in the box, is a brand new Gi of my own. We all howl in laughter and Lucah makes a comment that we really were related. I don't open Jeb's gift next. Instead, he hands me a small box with a card attached to it. I open the card with shaking hands.
My sweet baby girl. Merry Christmas. I know that this is as hard for you as it is for me but know that I will always love you and I miss you every day. Don't let this darken you. Shine, my little star. Remember who you are, who I raised you to be. You have grown into such an amazing young woman. I am so proud of you. Keep me close to your heart, as you are to mine.
Love always,
Your Old Man.
Tears are falling down my face as I open the small box. Inside, I find a gold locket with an R engraved in the center. I carefully pull out the delicate necklace and open it up. In the left side of the locket, there is a tiny picture of me and Jackson when I was about three years old. He is holding me with our backs turned to the camera, standing in front of the giant Christmas tree that they put in town square, and he is pointing at the tree to show me the Christmas lights.
I choke back a sob as Jeb holds his hand out to take the locket. I place it in his hand and then pull up my hair so that he can fasten it around my neck. It falls, perfectly, over my heart.
Chapter 21
We manage to make it through the rest of the winter without any more surprises and we continue to train every day. Even Miles is included now since, like me, he wasn't raised in Malatia or Angof.
Lucah works with him on fighting in his shifter form. It takes a couple weeks, but we figure out that his elemental ability is fire. Given the fact that he shifts into a wyvern, I’m not surprised. If anything, I’m a little jealous. Jeb trains him on the use and control his elemental ability and to hand to hand combat.
I wonder how Rune is going to react to having a little brother. We all agreed that we would keep it to ourselves for a while, considering the current tensions in their realm. Miles will be staying with L
ucah's family in Malatia for the time being once we return. He has no desire to return to Angof, Or to rule.
He has also decided that he wants to be called Miles.
Marcus may be his birth name but he has spent most of his life as Miles and wants to keep it that way. Fine with me, my brain is bruised from the mental kicking I keep doing every time I don't refer to him as Marcus.
As the weather warms into Spring, we fall into a comfortable routine with each other. We have movie nights, go to concerts, and even go back to the karaoke bar so we can show Miles. It's like we are almost a family. The world's weirdest fucking family, but a family.
We also decide we weren't going to tell Rune that Jeb and I are mates. It's a powerful secret to have, as we figured out with the Fae from The Mists. It is also our greatest weakness. There are no limits to what Jeb and I will do to save each other, which others can use against us. I was also informed that, once fully bonded, one mate cannot live without the other.
If one of us dies, we both die.
I'm not quite sure how I feel, keeping secrets from my brother already. I don't want him to feel inferior to Miles when we finally break the news. I have already spent my childhood with
Miles when Rune couldn't, I feel like revealing to him that Miles also has an insight on secrets he does not is like kicking the male while he's down.
"Don't forget, cap and gown orders are due this Friday!
Graduation is quickly approaching seniors! We're almost free!
Sorry freshies, you still have a few more years to go."
Heidi's all too chipper voice plays over the intercom as I shut my locker with a groan. Prom committee, cheer captain, class president, and Valedictorian. Heidi has it all. All that combined with her hazel eyes, model figure, perfect hair, and flawless ebony skin makes every single female in her vicinity turn green with jealousy and every male stop and drool unattractively.
I was dreading mentioning my need to order a cap and gown to Jeb. Lucky for me, Miles did it for me. For the second time in our life I punched him in the nose.
I know I said I wanted to graduate, and I do, but going through the ceremony without Jackson feels wrong. Jeb insists that I do the ceremony. He says that Jackson will want to have pictures when the day comes. Lucah even mentions taking a video.
I take a deep breath and walk towards the office to drop off my order form and check before heading out to the parking lot to meet Miles. He is waiting on the curb, smoothie in hand. It's kind of become our thing, smoothies and walking together to the mansion for training. Just another part of our routine.
When we get to the mansion, Jeb a Lucah are waiting at the front door, stoic yet anxious expressions on their face. I open the link between my mind and Jeb's and cast out to feel Lucah's emotions, but both are blocked from me. What isn't blocked, is the third presence I feel. All the hair on the back of my neck raises. My confusion and trepidation are blatantly showing all over my face.
Suddenly, the link to Jeb's mind opens.
"Tell Miles he can't train today. Stay where you are and do it very quietly."
"What? Why!"
"Rune is here."
My eyes widen slightly before I quickly mask it, and I take an involuntary step back as if someone pushed me. Jeb nods subtlety and I turn to Miles.
"Don't panic. Act like we are having a conversation. Don't look like anything more than a friend walking me home from school, saying a pleasant goodbye," I warn loud enough for his Fae hearing to pick up at this proximity, but low enough to keep from others hearing.
I glance at Jeb and the slight inclination of his head tells me that they can't hear me.
"Glamour yourself. Now," I command.
He does so immediately, keeping the impassive look on his face as he transforms back into the boy that I grew up with.
"Listen carefully, Rune is here. He cannot know that you exist. You are going to tell me that you'll see me at school, give me a friendly yet slightly awkward hug, and then go home as if this is just a normal thing we do every day."
He quickly glances at Jeb and then returns his eyes to me, transforming his face into an easy smirk, "See you at school Rey," he utters loud enough for everyone to hear now and then gives me the exact hug that I asked for before calmly turning to walk home.
I mask my emotions, plastering a calm look on my face before turning and walking up to the door.
"Hey y'all," I drawl, "what's with the welcome party?"
"Someone is here to see you," Jeb says in a bored tone, regarding me with cold indifference. I roll my eyes, pretending that this is normal interaction for us before following them inside.
They lead me up the stairs before stopping in front of the study doors, which are now closed when they usually stand open and welcoming. Jeb pushes open the doors and Lucah follows him in before they both drop down to one knee and bow their heads in front of the male inhabiting Jeb's chair. The feelings that are coming from Rune make my skin crawl.
I school my features into an uncaring mask, but inside I am raging over at the sight of my mate kneeling before another male. I stand there with my shoulders back and my head held high. I will bow to no one, not even my brother.
Curious gold eyes study my face. Rune is bedecked in fine clothing made of blacks and silvers. Our features are eerily similar, his facial structure just more defined and masculine than mine. His deep violet hair falls below his shoulders and a silver circlet rests on top of his head. He lets them stay on their knees for minutes as I appraise him, fueling my fury. Rune merely clears his throat and Jeb and Lucah rise to stand.
I don't know what I was expecting to be, but this was not it. I've never felt someone so cold and calculating. He is the opposite of me and Miles. Where we are warm, he is frigid. Where we are open, he is guarded. We feel love and he feels, well, he feels nothing. Only utter indifference. I see no soul behind his eyes.
He doesn’t look at me with the compassion of a long-lost brother that has spent five years looking for me. Instead, he looks at me like I’m a new toy for him to play with. I instantly don't feel guilty at all for keeping secrets from him.
He regards me, slight amusement shining in his eyes, "You do not bow out of respect?"
"I bow to no one," I reply sternly.
"I am your King," his voice rises an octave.
"You are my BROTHER," I seethe, "and you are not my King. This is my realm, not yours. Your rules don't apply here."
He looks like he is about to rip my head off.
"I see you've had your hands full Jebediah," he flings out as an insult. My fists clench at my sides and I notice Jeb's mirror my own, although his face remains cold and impassive.
"Yes, my liege," he submits. I hate it.
"It's no wonder you haven't returned her home."
"This is my home," I snap, "and I will return to your realm when I damn well please." I watch Jeb and Lucah tense up in the corner of my eye.
Oh, we really aren't going to get along at all.
We, or rather they, spend hours discussing the comings and goings of the court back in Malatia. Jeb receives detailed updates on "Rune's" armies. Rune will never admit it, but he is aware where the armies' loyalties lie, and it isn't with him, it's with Jeb. Because he has earned their loyalty, through blood and sweat and loss. Rune has done nothing but be primped in his "Royal Residence" while they died for him.
It makes me remember what Miles said about his mother.
"She was not a queen who sat on her throne while others died for her."
That is the queen that I will be. I will fight. I will bleed. I will experience every ounce of their pain, and I will mourn alongside them. I will not fear death and then ask others to die for me. I will lay down my life beside them. Because that, is a true Queen.
Then comes the discussion about my return to Malatia and yet another argument over my graduation ensues. This one between Rune and I because Jeb and Lucah have to act like they are opposed to it as well. Like the others,
Rune concludes that I am too stubborn to move on this matter and "agreed" to let me graduate. Like he had a choice.
We say nothing of the Fae from The Mists. No one brings up Jackson. There is no mention of Jeb and I being mates. Not a word is spoken about Miles.
Rune claps his hands together and stands from Jeb's chair,
"Well then. I think I have all the information I need. You will continue your training and return to your true home in the summer. I'll see you soon, sister."
Jeb and Lucah once again drop to one knee and I plaster on the best "Fuck You" smile that I can manage. The air shimmers and
Rune is gone. Well I guess I just figured out how we get back to Malatia.
With Rune gone the tension disappears and Jeb pulls me into a long-awaited kiss. Lucah lets out a ragged breath and collapses onto the chaise dramatically. Sometimes I swear we could be related.
Jeb releases me and I pout up at him, "Am I a horrible person if I say that I definitely have a favorite brother? And that it is definitely not Rune."
He smiles gently, "Rune is not a very likable person. When you are king, you don't need to be liked. You need to be feared and respected. He seems to have gotten worse since we left though."
“I blame that despicable court of his,” Lucah says.
