And that they would try to break it, I had no doubt. My Sire would see my choosing a mate for myself, instead of making a careful selection from the noble females of our land, as a rebellious act. Never mind that he had done exactly the same himself when he picked my mother over all the other rich and royal women his own father had assembled.
As for my mother—well, that remained to be seen. I had at last gotten her to agree to meet Kaitlyn with an open mind. But she had shaken her head and a look of sorrow had come into her large dark eyes, so like my little sister’s.
Still, I was hoping that my L’lorna would get a better reception from her than she had from my Sire earlier.
After a few moments, Kaitlyn came out of the private bathing chamber. She was wearing the long formal robes of a Drake noblewoman and the deep turquoise shade of the satin they were made of set off her one visible eye to perfection. I wished I could convince her to pull back her curtain of hair and show the rest of her face as well, but I knew better than to ask it of her.
Kaitlyn was still shy about her scars—she didn’t even like me to see them, let alone anyone else. I only wished she could see herself as I saw her—that she could appreciate her own beauty. But I sensed the day she did that was a long way off—if it ever came at all.
For now, she looked lovely and I told her so as I offered her my arm.
She blushed, the creamy pale brown skin of her right cheek going rosy.
“Thank you,” she murmured and took my offered arm. Her chimeling, Mr. Seahorse, sat on her shoulder, looking around alertly.
When I saw Jalli casting awed looks at the little creature, I was glad all over again that he had decided to adopt Kaitlyn. Chimelings were said to bring powerful good luck with them anywhere they went, and the fact that one had chosen her for a companion spoke volumes about her worth. Despite the fact that she was a Made Nocturne and not a Drake and had scars from her time in the fire, the chimling on her shoulder couldn’t be ignored or dismissed.
“Come,” I said to her and Jalli. “Mother is waiting.”
I saw Kaitlyn take a deep breath and Mr. Seahorse chimed softly, as though sensing her anxiety. I half expected her to ask me to turn back into my Drake and fly her home to Nocturne Academy.
Instead, she lifted her head and straightened her shoulders.
“All right,” she said, in a voice that trembled only a little. “Let’s go.”
80
Kaitlyn
Ari’s mother’s chambers reminded me of something out of the Arabian Nights. There were intricately woven carpets on the white marble floors, chaise lounges strewn with pink silk cushions, and enormous vases as tall as I was, filled with vividly colored fresh flowers. Gauzy silk drapes hanging from the arching marble ceiling, dividing the large room into smaller spaces. Behind one of them, I could see the shape of a woman.
“Ari, is that you, my son?” she called.
“Yes, Mother. And I have brought my L’lorna to meet you,” Ari responded.
This exchange had the feeling of something staged or rehearsed, I thought. Or maybe it was just the customary way for a son to introduce his fiancée to his mother—I wasn’t sure.
Ari’s mother came out from behind the silky curtain then. She was a lovely woman in her forties with the same big dark eyes and long dark hair as Jalli and she was dressed in rose-pink robes embroidered with golden thread. She came forward, holding her hands out to me and smiling but her eyes were sad…so sad.
“My dear, I welcome you,” she said, but she almost seemed to be choking on the words. I had the awful feeling that she was just doing this for Ari—because he had asked her to—and that actually meeting me and seeing how very unsuitable I was for her son was ripping her heart out.
“Hello,” I said, feeling miserable to see her so unhappy. I wanted to add, I’m sorry, but should I apologize for my very existence? Should I beg her pardon for being who I was? I couldn’t do that. The old Kaitlyn might have, but I was gaining a sense of self-worth and I had been working hard not to put myself down anymore. So I only said, “I’m sorry I’m not what you expected,” which was the best I could do.
She shook her head.
“My dear, none of this is your fault. When a male’s Drake chooses a female, she has little say in the matter and how well I know it.” She looked at Ari. “My son, has your Drake truly chosen? Is there no way to change his mind?”