The crowds thankfully distracted me, and with my parents by my side, I met hundreds of fey. Names I would never remember coming at me hard and fast, I focused mostly on smiling and trying not to miss anyone in the crowd.
By the time we were done, my brain was pounding and my jaw hurt from keeping that smile in place. "You did so well," Deloria said, linking her arm through mine as we stood on the beach.
I was only half listening of course, most of my attention on Jacob, who was off to the side, waiting as he’d promised.
“I'm still not sure if I’m the right fit for a princess," I admitted, giving my mother a sliver of attention. "I know nothing about leading, but I’m so happy that I bonded with the gems. I feel at peace now … complete in a way I never did before.”
My father's hearty laughter boomed out around us. "Peace is what we strive for above all else. And now we have a huge feast prepared at the house, so let's make our way there."
I dragged my feet. "I want you both to meet Jacob. He'll be coming with us and staying at home."
They stared at me. Long, measured stares, and I felt a beat of unease. "Is there an issue with that?"
Deloria took a second to look over at him, and then back to me. "No issue at all. We don't have time to meet him right now, but he's more than welcome at the feast." She squeezed my hand. "We'll see you back home shortly."
I nodded, returning that gesture, before they turned and walked away. My father was joined by his brother, Jestoph—Katerina's father.
Unease circled through my stomach, crushing the high I'd been on all day. There was something in my parents’ gaze that made me uneasy, and I had a feeling that some of my happiness was about to crash down on my head.
Fuck.
I looked at Jacob. He remained as he was, dying light behind him, highlighting how truly stunning he was. Taller and more muscled than most fey, he was built like an elite athlete. Strong and capable, smart and kind. He was arrogant, for sure, but we all had our flaws.
What was it about him my parents didn't like?
19
Jacob Compass
All it took was one dark stare from Justice's father and a measured glare from her mother and I knew that they were going to make this difficult.
The pair looked like Justice, and when they got upset they had the same eyes as my mate, boring into you with an intensity that would make most supes squirm.
Luckily, I wasn’t most supes.
Justice walked toward me, waving to the last of the fey around. Even when she wasn’t trying to stand out, she did. My pride in her had fucking wings it was so huge … everything she’d wanted to accomplish when she left me in the Stratford forest, she’d achieved: bonding with the stones, claiming her crown, releasing the darkness in her energy—embracing her destiny.
Fuck, I needed to touch my mate; we’d been apart too long. In that time, the intensity of this energy between us had only grown, to the point where now it was a tangible connection, visible in the air.
We might not have taken the final steps to secure a true mate connection, but the universe wanted everyone to know it was a sure thing.
She finally made her way back to me, weariness tugging at the edges of her stunning face.
"Ready to see my house?" she asked with a yawn. “Damn, that was a long day … peopling is exhausting.”
Lifting her arms, she stretched her long, curvy body, and I shifted just a little so that my raging fucking erection wasn't hugely obvious. I was usually better than this at controlling myself, but with Justice all rules went out the window
"Jake…?" she asked, and I realized I hadn't answered her.
"I'm ready to see whatever you want to show me," I told her honestly. "It's been a long few months without you."
Her eyes grew shiny as her cheeks reddened. "It's only been a month for me, but … it felt longer."
Fuck. She was killing me with her vulnerability. This was a side of her very few ever saw, and the fact she showed me her heart had my own slamming hard in my chest.
We started to walk and she let out a low sigh, almost inaudible, but I felt her relax with the release of that sound.
"You achieved a lot today,” I told her. “You should be proud of yourself.”
