His head snapped to the side and swirling eyes locked on me. “This is not exactly discreet,” I murmured. “You’ve made your point. Can’t you deal with him back home … later?”
The wordhomeslipped out before I could stop it, and even though it was stupid for me to think of a place I’d only spent a few sporadic days in as home, it was the truth. I had bonded to the land of Imperial. To Daniel. My body had adjusted to that fact long before my mind.
With a final rumble of anger, Daniel jerked his arm down, letting the Imperial fall in a heap to the floor. He scrambled up quickly, letting out a groan as he wrapped his hand across his throat. Hatred burned from dark eyes as he snarled at Daniel. “You won’t have followers for long. Laous knew what was right – he would never have tied a human to our world.”
The hatred was directed at me, but I didn’t flinch. No need to be scared when I had an Imperial and Darken bodyguard on either side of me.
“And on top of that, now you’re hanging around the Darkens?” This time the accusation was said in a shout. “No one will stand for this! You’re not going to be the overlord for much longer.”
He stormed away then, pushing through crowds of students, scattering them across the hall.
Calming myself using my favorite breathing techniques, I waited for someone to speak.
Lexen finally did: “We knew there was going to be fallout from this, but I still believe the time is right for us to show unity between our houses. They will get used to it.”
Daniel didn’t disagree, but his hard gaze remained on the end of the hall where the angry Imperial Daelighter had disappeared.
“Xander and Chase are supposed to meet us at lunch,” Emma said, sounding unsure. “Should we maybe take it slower than that? I don’t want to be at war by last class.”
Lexen wrapped her up in his arms. “It’s going to be fine. This is the best course for the future. Daniel’s house was always going to be the hardest. Laous left him a real mess.”
“Lexen’s right.” Daniel words were clipped. “I have let this go on too long. Imperial will fall into line or I will make them.” Before I could blink, his arm wrapped around me and I was pulled closer to his side. “You’re with me this morning. I wouldn’t put it past any of them to try and punish me by hurting you.”
I shook his arm off, needing to maintain my independence. “I accept that I’m batting out of my league here, but you don’t have to throw me around like a caveman.”
Emma laughed. It was such an unexpected sound that whatever tension was riding our group dissipated. A semblance of a smile even quirked up the edges of Daniel’s lips.
“I adore you already,” Emma said, between chuckles. “Let’s hope the last two secret keepers fit in just as well.”
Lexen cupped her face, his lips pressing to hers. “I love your happiness,” I heard him murmur, “but I don’t want you to be disappointed if the four secret keepers don’t end up as one big happy family.”
Emma looked a little drunk when he stepped back. Lexen’s hands slowly left her face, sliding down her body to capture her hands.
She recovered enough to say, “I might read a lot of fantasy books, but I know how to live in reality as well. My hopes aren’t that high.” She paused and tilted her head to the side. “Still … it’s hard to deny that there’s something fate-like at play here. For the first time in your history, we have four overlords who are friends. Best friends. Brothers in arms from a young age. The four secret keepers are tied to each other as well, and to each of the houses they were born in, and therefore tying themselves to the overlords. Your dragon soul…” Her voice got very low. “Chose me as a mate. Daniel tied his soul to Callie’s without even knowing her, just because he couldn’t let her die. We’re all soulmates or soul bound, whatever you want to call it. The council said the last two secret keepers are female, and I also believe that somehow Xander and Chase will end up … connected … to the girls born in their houses. It’s fate.”
I expected Daniel and Lexen to laugh and dismiss this perfect world she was painting, but the pair exchanged a glance and I was startled by the fact that they seemed to be seriously considering her theory. Was she on to something? Was there any possibility that I had been tied to Daniel long before Laous’ attempt to kill me? Was that why I’d just accepted this bond so readily? I’d thought it was because I craved the feeling of having someone in my life, someone at my back. But could it go even deeper than that?
“And,” Star chimed in, “don’t forget that this is the first time in a long time that the overlord minors are all male.” Her voice had the same awestruck quality as Emma’s. “It’s very fate-like.”
Emma gasped. “Exactly. This is just how I would play it if I were fate. How better to protect secret keepers than to tie them to powerful overlords.” She clapped her hands together like it was all settled. When Lexen shook his head at her, she wrinkled her nose in his direction. “You’ll see, I’m rarely wrong about these things. I’ve read too many books.”
It sounded like he let out a low grumble then, and in a flash, his arms were around her. My heart skipped a beat as his lips crashed into Emma’s, kissing her like he couldn’t help himself.
I had to turn away, because one, it felt weird watching them, and two, I was a little envious of their perfect relationship. Emma didn’t seem to care that her bond to Lexen might have been set up by fate. I guess she went with the theory that our path was predetermined, and that meant Lexen was always hers. Did that mean Daniel was mine?
I was fast coming to the realization that I would be more than okay if that was the truth.
Emma was very flushed when she finally removed herself from Lexen. The hallway was completely empty now. We were officially beyond late for class.
“I think we should all stick together today,” Star said, and her suggestion seemed to return focus to the group.
No one disagreed, and I fell into a spot between Star and Emma. They led us to a moving walkway – which seemed weird for a school, but what did I know? When we reached the classroom door, Lexen made us stop, so he could go through first.
Daniel remained behind us, protecting the back.
“Overkill much?” I muttered, sort of wanting to laugh.
Emma groaned, pink still high in her cheeks. “This is nothing. We’re literally going to have Daelighters all up in our business until this shit is resolved.”
