“Do you really think I’ll let him stop me?” Ari countered, frowning. “I claimed you in the middle of the Audience Chamber in front of witnesses for a reason, Kaitlyn—I wanted to make it very clear that you are my choice.”
“But why did you choose me?” I asked. “Was it…was it because of Jalli?” I asked in a low voice. “Because she’s got a, uh, problem and I’ve got a problem?” Although her disability and my scars weren’t quite the same, they were still both reviled in the Sky Lands.
“Neither of you have a problem” he said firmly. “You’re both beautiful. And I chose you because my Drake and I fell in love with you.”
I looked down at our joined hands—his so big and smooth and perfect and my own smaller, scarred one. There it was again—he loved me. Why couldn’t I say it back to him?
“Ari,” I began but he shook his head.
“Don’t say anything until you’re ready,” he told me. “In the meantime, we need to get ready—you have to meet my mother soon.”
I grimaced. “I doubt she’s going to like me any better than your father did.”
Ari sighed.
“Nevertheless, you must meet her.” He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “I swear we won’t be here long, Kaitlyn,” he said earnestly. “I just need to make my parents understand that I’m not giving you up, no matter what they say or do, and then we’ll go back to the Academy. I promise.”
I thought longingly of my Coven-mates and the warm security of the Norm Dorm. It had seemed like a perfectly logical idea to go to the Sky Lands with Ari when his Drake had asked me to—now, I wasn’t so sure.
“Okay,” I said, trying to keep the unhappiness out of my voice and not quite succeeding. It wasn’t very pleasant to be someplace where everyone hated you. Well—not everyone. Ari loved me and I thought I could definitely count Jalli as an ally. But other than that, I was alone in a place where I was most definitely not wanted.
Ari handed me a towel and turned his back considerately, so I could wrap myself in it. This left more of my scars exposed to him than I liked, but when he turned around, there was no change in his eyes when he looked at me.
“We need to get you something to wear,” he remarked, though I thought his gaze lingered on my exposed flesh. Not in a disgusted or condemning way though—more like he liked what he saw, though I couldn’t understand why. I mean, I could understand any guy looking at a normal, unscarred girl in a towel and liking it but in my case…
“I do need to cover up,” I said, looking around for another towel I could put around my shoulders and arms. Another for my legs would be nice too. “You must not…I mean, it can’t be easy for you to see me like…like this.” Meaning that this was the first time he’d seen me so closed to being undressed with most of my scars on full display.
“That’s not the reason you need clothes,” Ari objected. “If it were up to me, you’d stay as you are, L’lorna.” His pale amber eyes were half-lidded as he spoke and he was still giving me that look—as if I was normal…desirable, even.
“How can you want me for your queen?” I blurted out, when he continued to look at me. “How? Now that you’ve seen me…like this?” I nodded down at myself—the pinkish-white scar tissues twisting around my arms and legs, especially on the left side where I had gotten the worst burns.
Ari looked surprised.
“How could I not want you?” he asked simply. Why can’t you see yourself like I see you, Kaitlyn?”
“And how is that?” I demanded, putting a hand on one hip. I didn’t understand him—truly I didn’t.
Ari took my hand and drew me to him.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. “Beautiful inside and out, my L’lorna.” He kissed me gently on the cheek and then drew me close to him. “Bite me,” he murmured in my ear. “You’re going to need strength to get through this encounter.”
I wanted to protest that this was no time for lunch, but when I saw the vein pulsing in his throat, my fangs grew long and sharp and my throat felt dry. Maybe he was right—maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get a little extra strength before I went to meet his mother.
I sank my fangs into his neck and the emotions rushed though me—through both of us—so strongly than Ari groaned and leaned back against the edge of the tub. It was as though the feeling of me biting him—drinking from him—actually made him weak in the knees.
I knew it certainly made me feel weak. I leaned heavily against him as I took the hot, sweet, wild blood that flowed into my mouth like a river of golden fire. I felt his Drake with us too—sharing in the sensations—and I welcomed him to join us. He was part of this too—part of Ari and part of me. It was right for the three of us to be together in this way—somehow I knew it in my bones.