She knew his words weren’t a bluff. He would totally whisk her away to any beach anywhere in the world if she wanted to go.
She ignored his comment. “How is Galan?”When the draheim had sent out the call to Peri, Lucian had naturally accompanied her. But he’d decided to spend time with Serapha’s son so that she and the draheim could have a semblance of privacy.
“Too serious for one so young.”Concern laced Lucian’s tone.
“He was kidnapped by lunatics,”Peri pointed out.“That will prematurely age anyone.”
“Are you done discussing things with your mate?” There was no irritation in Serapha’s voice. It was simply a question from one so ancient that she had immeasurable patience. The draheim was even older than Peri, and she had nothing but time.
“Apologies.” Peri returned her attention to the matter at hand. “You were saying, ‘It’s time.’ And then you were going to give me some golden nugget of wisdom, to which I’d give some wiseass response. Should we just call it a day and skip the entire time-wasting conversation now that I’ve summarized what will happen?”
Serapha stared at the fae and blinked her enormous eyes. If a dragon could have a bored look, then that was it. The beast released a huff of smoke from her nostrils. “I was saying it’s almost time.”
Peri held up a finger and shook her head. “Nope. No take backs. You said, ‘It’s time.’”
“It is time—” Serapha started, but Peri cut her off.
“Then why did you say it’s almost time?”
“Because it’s notactuallytime until our second guest arrives.”
Peri’s eyes narrowed. “What second guest?”
“I guess that’s me.” Nissa’s voice came from the other side of the draheim. Peri’s longtime fae friend stepped around the huge beast and into view. She wore robes similar to Peri’s, though hers were dark blue, and Peri’s were emerald green.
Nissa looked at Serapha. “You called?”
The draheim dipped her head and motioned for Nissa to join Peri.
“Now, it is time.”
“You better not be lying,” Peri grumbled. “I don’t like liars.”
“You don’t like me regardless. Now hush.”
Nissa chuckled and shrugged when Peri shot her a look.
“As I was saying,” Serapha continued, “the time has come for you two to understand your past, for the memories for which you have so diligently searched to come to the forefront of your minds.”
Peri’s heart pounded in her chest. Her palms became sweaty, and she had to fight the emotions that rose like a tidal wave inside of her.Thisis what she’d been waiting for. Peri had thought this day might never come. And now that it was here, she wasn’t sure she actually wanted to know the truth.
“I thought you’d be jumping for joy.” Serapha sounded surprised.
“I don’t jump,” Peri said, her voice flat, “especially not for joy.”
Nissa tsked. “Ignore her. She’s processing. That usually means she’s going to have an internal or external fit. To be fair, she’s had a lot going on for the past?—”
“Three thousand years,” Serapha filled in for Nissa. “Neither of you have had an easy time of it, and it’s not going to get better.”
Peri mentally rolled her eyes. “Thank you so much for the encouraging words, oh Great Scaly One.”
“Do you want to know your past or not?”
“Oh,nowI get a choice.”
The draheim’s face looked as perturbed as a dragon face could possibly look, but she spoke calmly. “There wasn’t a choice when we last spoke. Now there is.”
“Peri, have your mental breakdown later, please. We have a lot to do and no time in which to do it. Let’s find out what’s been blocked in our minds, and then we can deal with it.” Nissa reached for Peri’s hand and gave it a quick, tight squeeze. For the fae, none of whom were particularly affectionate, it might as well have been the equivalent of a full-frontal hug.
