But before Ariana’s power could do anything, or Quinn could calm her magic back again, a different sound suddenly came from the vaults overhead. Like a huge whirring of wings and then a grinding scratch of talons on glass, it made Ariana glance up – gasping to see a massive tawny owl peering down at them from one of the topmost vaults.
So enormous it blotted out the sky in one section of the glass roof, it fluttered to a catwalk between two roof-spires. As Quinn blinked with astonishment up at the owl, Ariana’s magic dropped in shock. She just caught sight of a shadowy figure as it slipped from the owl’s broad back.
“Lucca, you rash idiot.” Quinn spoke as a dark light came into his eyes, an amazed smile curling his full lips.
Just as someone tapped on the glass roof to get their attention.
CHAPTER 3 – AGENDA
Motioning to the lofted bedroom above his apartment’s main floor, Quinn beckoned Ariana up quickly to investigate the massive owl that had arrived on the roof. As she followed him up the corkscrewing wrought-iron staircase to the balcony level, her breath caught to see another staircase suddenly shimmer out of thin air, continuing upward. As the glamour rolled away, Quinn continued up the tight staircase to the glass roof far above. As they gained the top, he waved a hand at a section of ornate wrought-iron like Phoenixes ablaze, the iron slithering back from a complex magical lock.
As Quinn pushed the sloped doors open like a hatch, they emerged upon a widow’s walk high above the Hotel. Made of glass and wrought-iron, the widow’s walk was nestled between the Gothic spires of Quinn’s apartment, forming a private but beautiful platform high above the city of Florence.
Ariana’s breath caught to take in the incredible vantage of city lights and stars in the midnight hour. But the enormous tawny barn owl before her, easily five times her size and staring at her with knowing black eyes, was far more impressive than the view. And as a shadow moved out from the darkness, an aura of light-bending magic shimmering away from him, Ariana breathed in relief.
To see the Summer Fae Prince Lucca Bellari beaming at her in the darkness.
“Lucca!” Ariana breathed as he swept forward, pulling his charcoal grey facewrap down and casting back his deep hood.
“Ariana!” Lucca spoke with laughter in his musical tenor voice as he swept her into his arms. Tall and built with a fighter’s grace in his silken grey garb, the Prince looked like a Fae assassin tonight as he pulled her in, though his only weapons were two ornate silver-gold longknives in his tall grey boots. For a moment as Lucca’s beautiful light-bending magic shimmered with vivid rainbows in the night, his blue eyes beaming, Ariana thought he might kiss her right there in front of Quinn. Spreading like wings, his Royal Summer Fae magic curled around Ariana as she fell into his tall, strong body.
Even as her own magic shimmered to life, curling around him in return.
Ariana couldn’t help it – she was smitten by the Summer Fae Prince as he grinned at her like a brigand. Gripping his hands at her waist and nuzzling her nose, his summer-blue eyes beamed like bright skies, his rakishly mussed ash-blond hair, straight eyebrows, high cheekbones, and defined jaw handsomely renegade.
But holding himself back from devouring Ariana, Lucca showed restraint in front of Quinn. As he glanced to the Master Vampire, they held each other’s gazes – and Ariana felt a deep energy rush between them.
As Lucca’s light-bending aura surged to Quinn like spider’s silk, Quinn’s darkfire nimbus rose also, flowing out with a gentle sensation in the night. Ariana shivered as both men’s magics touched, their dark and light filaments lacing quietly like fingers under the starlight. She felt power breathe between them then, strong like a bond. And as Lucca’s full lips quirked and he tucked Ariana under his arm, it was probably the saddest look she had ever seen on him. As Quinn smiled also, wry yet luminous, Ariana knew there was so much still between the two.
Friends who were now at-odds these past six hundred years since Quinn had become a Vampire – when he had once been the Summer Fae Prince and Lucca had been his Darkwatch protector.
“Quinn. Good to see you.” Lucca spoke quietly now, without a trace of his former bravado.
“Lucca. Glad to see you’re still standing.” Quinn answered quietly back, heartfelt as his energy swirled with deep emotions.
“It takes more than my father’s punishments to bring me to my knees.” Lucca spoke softly back to Quinn as something sharpened between them. “But you already knew that.”
“Yes.” Quinn spoke with the smallest smile, before he lifted an eyebrow archly at Lucca. “But since you and I both know you’re still on house arrest at the Palace of Light for disobeying your father the King to save Ariana three weeks ago, why are you here, Lucca?”
“Can’t I just come cause a little mayhem?” Lucca grinned, though it was as if he were trying to be blithe now rather than his former lightheartedness. Glancing to Ariana, he squeezed her closer as he smiled more naturally, and she felt everything inside her brighten to have that amazing smile turned upon her. “But really, I have news for you and Ariana, Quinn. News you need to hear right away.”
“I have already received the Summer Fae King’s emissary, inviting Ariana and I to the Palace of Light tomorrow morning for an audience, Lucca. If that’s your news, it’s already old, I’m afraid.” Quinn spoke with a subtle glance to Ariana now.
“We’ve been invited for an audience with King Archivolio Bellari? What? Why didn’t you tell me?” Ariana spoke, shocked as she blinked at Quinn. The last time they had tangled with the Summer Fae King three weeks ago, they had all very nearly lost their lives. He had been adamant about taking Ariana into custody and killing her; and Ariana, Quinn, and Lucca had fought hard against his Darkwatch to escape. It had nearly gotten Ariana killed, and Quinn had had to give her his Master’s Kiss to save her while Lucca had ended up in manacles, brought back to the Palace of Light a prisoner.
“I was hoping to hear about your conversation with your family, before telling you we had gotten a messenger inviting us to have breakfast with the King tomorrow.” Quinn spoke quietly to her now. As his dark eyes flicked back to Lucca, Quinn’s regal bearing became very still. “I assume you know your father’s mind, Lucca, and have come here to prepare us for what the King wishes to discuss tomorrow?”
“Actually, that’s precisely why I’m here.” Lucca nodded as he squeezed Ariana one last time, then released her so they could all stand together. “My father has had… a rather interesting change of heart about speaking with you and Ariana, Quinn. And so I needed to come, to give you some information in advance of your meeting.”
“Come inside.” Quinn spoke then, gesturing down through the open doors of the glass ceiling to his warmly-lit apartment. “I’m happy to have any and all information before our meeting with your father tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” Lucca smiled cordially, nodding at Quinn’s invitation.
As Quinn turned and stepped back down the wrought-iron staircase, Ariana came after and Lucca followed them inside. Turning, Lucca shut the rooftop doors; as they all moved back down the tight stairwell, Ariana didn’t miss his almost too-casual glance at Quinn’s opulent bedroom loft.
But as they made it back down to the dining table, still set with Ariana and Quinn’s meal, Quinn moved to the tall windows, flicking his fingers at the royal blue silk drapes and pulling them closed with his magic. As Ariana glanced to the table, she found Lucca already picking through delicacies, popping a handful of candied pecans in his mouth. He gave her a guilty look as she caught him, before swallowing and smiling like a cad.
“Help yourself, my Prince.” Quinn chuckled with a humorous glint in his eyes as he re-joined them at the table.
