Light shimmered, and Georgie appeared, sitting cross-legged in the center of my bed. “Hey, pretty lady!”
My smile was probably brighter than her hologram. She’d greeted me the same way for as long as I could remember, and for just as long, she’d been something of an idol with her purple eyes and glossy black hair that fell in perfect waves. But her beauty wasn’t the only thing I admired. Georgie wasa formidable witch. Few houses would have been okay with a leader mated to two dragons, but House Blackwood followed her with zero reservations.
Of course, her mates were also forces to be reckoned with. Callum McLeish was part incubus and part troublemaker, and Graeme Abernathy was a former ice dragon with jaw-dropping battle skills and a heart of gold.
“Hey, Georgie,” I said, sitting on the bed.
She frowned. “Oof, I don’t like that face.” She leaned closer, peering at me. “What did Niall Balfour do now?”
I shrugged out of my jacket. “Just another Cinderella ball with a room full of dragons looking at me like I was the last piece of birthday cake.”
Georgie winced. “I’m sorry, babe. What does Cormac say about this?”
“Unfortunately, my fathers have perfected theunited front. But Mum promised to talk to them.”
Georgie gave a firm nod. “That sounds like Isolde.” Sympathy entered Georgie’s purple eyes. “But I bet tonight still sucked.”
“It did.” I tucked my hair behind my ears. “Everyone is so focused on me finding my mates when they should be trying to figure out why we don’t have more females.”
“Because fixing the problem is harder than pressuring you,” Georgie said.
Matching her pose, I faced her on the bed. Emotion tightened my throat, and the words came out before I could stop them. “My dragon is unstable, Georgie. I can’t control her. What if I’m just…broken?”
Georgie’s expression softened. “Babe, my magic is unstable. Always has been.” She smiled. “And yet somehow, I ended up leading House Blackwood.”
“That’s different?—”
“Is it?” She tilted her head. “Halina became Princess of Krovnosta even though she’s a dhampir. Before the Blood chose her, the vampires would have laughed if you suggested a half-human could rise to power. But she did it.” Georgie’s purple eyes held mine. “Being different doesn’t make you broken, Portia. Sometimes it just means you’re meant for something no one else can see yet.”
I swallowed hard, not trusting my voice.
“You’re probably right,” I managed finally.
“That’s what I’m always telling Callum and Graeme.”
I laughed. “Do me a favor and tell my fathers while you’re at it.”
“I will if you want me to.”
Affection swelled in my chest. No one would ever dare pressure Georgie to have children. The few times we’d discussed it, she always claimed she was too busy to think about kids.“I’ve got witches and husbands to boss around,”she said.“Who has time for playdates?”
“I’ll think about it,” I said now. “If my mother can’t convince them, you can step in.”
Georgie laughed. “Your mother can make those men do anything she wants with a snap of her fingers.”
“She definitely can,” I said, laughing with her. My smile faded as guilt rose within me. “I should probably go back downstairs and dance a few more waltzes.”
Georgie tilted her head, sympathy returning to her eyes. “I don’t think that’s where you want to go.”
“No,” I said softly. “But I’m not sure where I really want to be, either.”
A beat passed, and Georgie’s voice was gentle as she said, “Sometimes, you just have to go where the wind takes you.”
Before I could respond, Georgie flickered. A pixelated man appeared behind her, his light green eyes dancing as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Who’s my witchling talking to?” Turning his head, he planted a wet-sounding kiss on Georgie’s neck. “Not another man, I hope. Unless it’s a hologram of me. Then I’ll allow it.”
Scoffing, she shoved him away. “Ugh. Of course you would.”
