She gritted her teeth but nodded anyway, turning around sharply on her heels.
“And I’m taking Anastasia for a flight later this week,” he said, surprisingme. “She won’t ever be allowed to once she’s gone. She deserves to fly one last time.”
She stopped in front of the crevasse in the wall, clenching her fists, her shoulders tensing. But she was gone a couple of seconds later without another word.
My father turned back to the natural pool, crouching again, letting his fingers slide into the water with a deep sigh.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered simply.
He stayed there for a few minutes, watching his own finger under the fluorescent water, before he stood up and left like my mother did just before him.
Dimitri’s hand finally left my mouth and I exhaled softly, head dropping in defeat.
He was silent, but his gaze on me made my skin tingle with awareness.
He’s heard everything they said. Everything I haven’t told him.
“You’re a Phoenix.” It was all he said. There wasn’t much more to add.
I gave him a slow nod, not lifting my eyes to look at him.Shame. Why was I feeling shame? About who I was? Maybe because I was never really allowed to be myself. Forced to repress my Phoenix’ abilities, my powers, my need and desire to fly freely. Like I wasn’t supposed to want any of it. Wasn’t supposed to even exist.
“The whole Maiden thing makes so much sense now…I was curious as to whyyouhad to be the Dragon’s Maiden when there were so many human females he could have chosen instead. But the Maiden has to be an Astral, doesn’t she?” Dimitri asked. “But whyyouspecifically?”
“Because Astrals can’t reproduce within their own species,” I explained. “The Dragon’s Maiden can only be a Chimera or Phoenix, and for some reason, he decided he wantedmebetween the two that were offered.”
He hummed, hugging me closer. “But why you? Aren’t there other female Phoenixes? Your father has other children with other wives, right? I’ve read about that…The Maiden for the Heir, the other wives for the less powerful descendents. Plus, there are other Phoenixes clans, it doesn’t even need to be the child of a Shard Carrier, right?”
I shrugged. “I’m the first female to ever be born with Heir blood. And you’ve heard my mother…I think she wanted to ensure my father couldn’t choose me as the Heir to maintain the balance.”
“What balance?”
“Male Shard Carriers can only produce one heir. It’s said that if the Shard goes to a female,shecan have as many Heirs as she wishes.”
His jaw dropped open.
“And, only one Maiden of each species is offered to avoid ‘internal conflicts’ within the clans,” I continued before he could ask more.
He tilted my chin up as he frowned. “What, would there be catfights otherwise? Do the Maidens want to be chosen enough to fight with each other?”
“Sometimes,” I whispered. “That’s also why each clan isn’t allowed to know who the other Maiden is in the other one.”
Dimitri sighed as he rested his forehead against mine. “Did you think I already knew what you were?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I knew you didn’t.”
His eyes were soft as he slid one of his hands in my hair, cupping the back of my head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I didn’t know. Probably because I was scared. Because we’ve been taught our whole life not to trust Divine and Hellrisers’ blooded beings. Because I thought that, once he knew, he’d react the same I did with him.
“Anastasia,” he whispered, his lips close to kissing me, eyes searching mine. “I don’t care whether you’re human or Astral.”
I nearly sobbed.
“You’re my mate either way. I love you no matter the color of your blood…Wait, do Astrals have red blood? I didn’t see anything different when we made the binding promise…”
I nodded. “Our blood is red. But if you look closer, you’ll see silver too. It’s said that the stars are running through our veins, as a reminder of where we came from.”
Dimitri smiled as he pressed his mouth to mine in a soft kiss. “I love you,dusha moya.No matter what happens next, you’ll always have me by your side.”
