Before Cordelia could respond, he was kissing her again and she no longer cared that they were being held in place by flowers. She was in Damon’s arms, and he was kissing her and if his words meant what she thought, then he wouldn’t be marrying a witch either.
Chapter 21
At the gaspfrom somewhere beyond, Damon broke the kiss and looked up to find his mother, Miss Perkins, Ianthe and Edward standing there and gawking at them.
“Did you do this, Ianthe?” Miss Perkins demanded.
His niece’s eyes widened. “I can only make insects appear,” she defended. “Will I be able to do that?”
“No dear,” his mother chuckled. “It is a gift to Drakos men.”
“Gift? From whom?” Miss Perkins asked.
Damon shouldn’t be pleased that Miss Perkins was upset, but he was. She’d tried to trick him into marrying her and for that, he had lost all trust in her.
“Gaia, Mother Nature, the Goddess of the earth,” his mother said. “She goes by many names.”
“The goddess?” Cordelia sucked in a breath.
“Yes,” his mother answered. “The women had the magical powers, but the men should have one gift, which she bestowed upon them. When he kisses the mate of his soul, flowers will grow.”
“Why have I never heard of this before?” Damon asked. It would have certainly made matters far easier. Though, it may have led him to go about kissing every woman for whom he felt an attraction, which might not have been the best way to achieve his goal since not only would his reputation suffer, but he may have accidentally compromised someone and then never have found Cordelia.
“It’s a secret we hold close. Had you come to declare your heart for Cordelia, my first question would have been about flowering vines. Had you not known what I meant, then I would have discouraged the match.”
“Evander?”
“He learned when he stood just as you.” His mother then came forward and gently touched a bud and the vines pulled away and climbed along the bench where they rested.
“Now Cordelia will know which question to first ask her sons when their time comes.”
Cordelia stepped away from him and put a hand on her chest. “This is all rather much.”
“But it snowed on us.”
His mother’s jaw grew tight when she turned to Miss Perkins. “That was of your own making.”
“It was—”
His mother held up her hand to stop Miss Perkins from speaking further. “You were seen.”
“Yes… but…” Miss Perkins struggled to find an excuse. “She is not even a witch.”
“Regardless, it is who nature has chosen.”
“She has.” Damon looked down to Cordelia. If anyone would have told him that he’d decide to marry a woman within a week of meeting her, he would have called them daft and Bedlam bound, but that was before he had met Cordelia.
“Thank goodness I did not kiss you yesterday on the road to Bocka Morrow because we would have looked quite ridiculous stuck until someone summoned my mother.” He couldn’t help but laugh.
He may have laughedbut Cordelia would have been embarrassed, mortified, maybe even horrified.
She still wasn’t certain how she felt now.
Oh, she was delighted that Damon did care for her and that he had wanted to kiss her, but this had happened so quickly.
Wasn’t courtship supposed to move slower than this?
What if it was a mistake?
