“I’m in control now. I swear. I would never hurt him on purpose. I?—”
“I know…” Her hand rested over mine with her whisper, squeezing it affectionately. “I can’t imagine what you went through that night. Even if you had been in control, after just losing your mother it’s only natural?—”
“I rather not talk about that,” I answered, placing the untouched drink on the table as every inch of my chest constricted, something burning inside me with the reminder. “If that’s all, I should go rest, today’s training was intense.”
I stood abruptly, turning to leave.
Both Isis and Queen Luna rushed after me, blocking my path.
“Baby, that’s precisely why we brought you here,” Isis confessed. “Because you need to at least talk about it.”
“Natasha might need to talk things out, but I don’t.”
Exchanging a concerned glance, they stepped closer.
“How are you doing?” Hannes’s mother asked.
Confusion wrinkled my brow. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
“No, honey. How are you really?”
My attention shifted to Isis with her question. “I understand what you want from me, but I don’t do feelings. I’m a Vampiress.”
Exchanging another serious glance, they both offered me a sympathetic smile.
“Please, Natalia, sit down.” Queen Luna gestured to the chairs again. “Let’s share a drink and get to know each other. After all, my son chose you to give his heart to, and that makes us family for life.”
I half expected Star to make fun of it, sayingawkward,or something similar. Only, my chest warmth with her sentiment. She seemed to like the idea.
“Family for life…”
Seeing the honesty in the queen’s eyes and Isis’s, I returned to the chairs, taking a sip of my drink. It was really good.
“Do you like it?” the queen asked hopeful, so I offered her a smile.
“It’s delicious.”
“Good!” Isis grinned, finishing her drink and filling the glass again.
“You have a beautiful castle,” I offered, not knowing what else to say.
Happiness shone in her aquamarine eyes with the compliment. “Thank you. I absolutely love it here. Sadly, unlike my children, I didn’t get the chance to grow up in this place.”
Her confession piqued my interest; I thought they’d all had the perfect life. I mean, she was the queen of an entire race, that didn’t just happen from night to morning.
“Really?”
Slowly, she shook her head, like she was glimpsing into a desolate past.
“But she’s the Moon Princess…”
“Unfortunately, I was not afforded that kindness. In fact, you and I have that in common. We were both taken from our parents as a baby, robbing us of the happy childhood and family we deserved. Fortunately, your parents survived the attack… Mine didn’t.”
“Holy shit.”
Star’s desolation spread through my chest, gripping me. “Goddess. I’m so sorry to hear that, Queen Luna?—”
“You can just call me Luna.” She smiled softly. “No need for all that pomp and circumstance.”
