“Viol refused to participate in the Games. He didn’t refuse visitors to the island.”
“What about the TV show?”
I heard the smirk in Jade’s voice. “That was to broadcast our existence and find us mates. Seeing as six out of seven found them, I’d say the Dragonfate Games were highly successful.”
I tried to wrap my mind around everything. Viol refused to be the bachelor, so Jade said he’d remove the TV show element. And now, he’d called to invite me to the island personally. He was going through a lot of effort to meet Viol halfway.
“But there’s always a big group of contestants. What about the other omegas?” I asked.
Jade snapped his fingers. “Gone. It can just be you.”
My heart thumped in an uneven rhythm.
Just me. And Viol. No TV show, no crowd of omegas vying for his attention, no spotlight, no theatrics...
Only the two of us.
But what if I accepted Jade’s invitation, and Viol still wouldn’t look me in the eye?
I didn’t know if I could handle that.
Anxiety prickled my skin. I clutched the collar of my t-shirt, desperate for any kind of comfort. Part of me wished to cuddle my pile of plushies, but I felt too shy to do it while on the phone.
“Poppy?” Jade prompted. “Are you still there?”
My chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe.
“I... I don’t know,” I murmured. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course. Take all the time you need.”
I couldn’t tell if Jade sounded disappointed or not. It could’ve been my imagination playing nasty tricks on me.
After a moment, Jade asked, “Would it help if I said your friends all miss you?”
My breath caught in my throat, and tears sprung to my eyes.
“They do?” I asked quietly.
“I’m sure they’d love to spend time with you, even if you never speak to Viol.”
I rubbed my arm. Getting away from the human city might be good for me. Besides, Ididmiss my friends, and the gentle calm of the island. I always missed it when I returned to my apartment, and its pull only got stronger with each season I came home empty-handed. The sounds of exotic birdsong and wind-rustled trees were nicer than honking cars and people shouting in the street.
I was going to see my friends. And if Viol happened to glance in my direction, that would only be a bonus.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll do it.”
“Wonderful! I’ll book your flight immediately. Can you be at the airport by tonight?”
Jade sounded genuinely thrilled. That made me feel better about my decision. Maybe this was a good idea after all.
“I’ll be there,” I promised.
3
Viol
By the timeI roused from my rage-induced nap, the sky was dark and streaked with stars. Some of the stars seemed strangely low to the ground, and unnaturally bright.
