Everybody nodded.
“What about the dragon princes? Is Darren returning to finish the school year with us?” Andrea asked.
“The princes are the ones with the most to lose. They aren’t going to tell the angels about what happened. As for Darren…” She shrugged. “He has his own problems to deal with.”
“We promised to help them if they needed us,” Noah said.
“Defeating the Darkness.” Lori shivered and hugged herself. “Their enemy sounds terrifying.”
“Their bride was hot,” Michael said with a goofy grin.
Andrea slapped the back of his head.
He grunted and rubbed where she hit him. “You’re just jealous because she’s the reincarnation of a goddess.”
Lori sneered at them and looked at Grace. “Now that we’ve decided to stop meeting to talk about this, what are you going to do?”
“About what?”
Lori grinned and faced Noah. “When are you going to perform the mating ritual, so we can throw a party?”
Grace beamed. “Once Noah passes the exam and is officially an elite hunter.”
Moments later, Grace and Noah sauntered their way down the corridor that led to the attic. Noah’s arm surrounded her waist.
“What are you thinking about?” Grace wondered.
“How proud I am of you.”
Grace smirked and hugged him. “You’ve already said that a few times since we returned.”
He brushed his lips against hers and rubbed their noses together. She giggled but didn’t let go of him.
“I’m still worried,” he whispered against her lips. “We know why Sorath killed his brother, but we don’t know why you were attacked. Was he the one who sent the killer after you? Why would he do that?”
“I have no idea, Noah. But we need to move on. People believe they are safe, and the terrorists were caught.”
“The Dark Conclave might be after you, and you have no more protection.”
“I have you and Grandpa.”
“I’ll keep being your private chauffer then. I’ll drive you to and from college. We’ll spend all of our time together when we aren’t in class.”
Grace cupped his face between her hands. “I think that’s just an excuse to be with me all the time.”
“It’s a great excuse.” He grinned. “I’d be with you, even if you weren’t in danger.”
She narrowed the distance between their mouths and kissed him passionately.
“Do you want to come to my bedroom?” Noah teased against her mouth. “We could talk some more.”
“Or just kiss,” she said breathlessly. Her body ached for further contact and reminded her that there was more to life than studying and worrying about the fate of the world.
Someone cleared their throat and announced, “It’s past curfew.”
Grace and Noah let go of each other and fixed their clothes and hair in embarrassment.
Grace breathed in before facing her grandfather. “We were just saying goodnight.”