“I sense it,” she admitted. “But I don’t understand it.”
“Close your eyes,” he breathed, his arms slipping around her middle while my palm remained between them. It created an intimate connection between the three of us, Zakkai seeming unbothered by the fact that I stayed close while he engaged their mental link to coach her through the magical lesson.
Her thick black eyelashes splayed across her cheekbones as she did as he instructed, her lips parting at whatever he unleashed inside her.
Kols and Zeph shared a look while Sir Kristoff stood stationary in the hallway.
Static hummed through the air as Zakkai and Aflora spoke mentally to one another, and after several minutes of intense silence, Aflora opened her eyes once more.
“What floor are we on, little star?” Zakkai said.
“The fourth one. Room seven.”
“Well done,” he praised, kissing her neck again. “Very well done.” He released her then, his focus falling to the gargoyle. “Continue.”
Sir Kristoff gave a subtle bow, acknowledging Zakkai as superior because of his Source Architect role. Or maybe because he was Aflora’s mate. Regardless, the gargoyle led us to our room and through the door into a living area surrounded by windows.
My eyebrows lifted at the courtyard beyond it. “Fourth floor?”
“Another impressive illusion,” Zakkai said. “That’s a roof garden above one of the other rooms.”
“Filled with real plants.” Aflora practically ran forward, her intrigue clearly replacing her need to eat because she ran right past the kitchen and open dining area to the sliding doors at the side. Zakkai sent a spell ahead of her to open the glass doors, allowing her to dart straight into the garden of flowers and trees.
The four of us chuckled at her excitement, then Zeph wandered after her and leaned against the doorway. “Are you going to strip like last time, pixie flower?”
That piqued Zakkai’s interest. “She stripped in a garden?”
“In Central Park.” Zeph didn’t take his eyes off her while he spoke. “The humans didn’t approve.”
Aflora muttered something back about only removing her sweater last time before collapsing onto a pile of green grass beneath a tree. “Oh, so pretty!”
My lips twitched at her amusement. Then I glanced up at the high moon. This part of the paradigm never saw the sun, so it was hard to determine the time. However, I suspected my grandmother expected me any minute now.
I glanced around the open living area, spotted a hallway to the side and wandered down it by four different bedroom doors—all of them open. The biggest bedroom was at the end of the hall, where I found a walk-in closet filled with clothes. Most of them were feminine and appeared to be Aflora’s size. There was also a dresser inside with four wands on top.
Because Aflora still didn’t have her own.
Odd that the Dark Source hadn’t gifted her one yet.
With a shake of my head, I grabbed my own and turned to find Zakkai behind me, expectant. “Do you want your wand?” I asked him.
“No. Leave it for Aflora.”
A good answer, I decided. He followed me back into the living area where Zeph and Kols were both watching Aflora in her element. She’d completely lost herself to her Earth Fae nature. Roots were dancing along the ground as she renewed the soil with life, causing the trees to elongate and the flowers to blossom.
“I need to go meet with my grandmother before she sends for me,” I told them. “Can you make sure Aflora remembers to eat something?” Because I suspected she had forgotten all about her hunger now.
Zeph nodded without looking at me.
Zakkai didn’t bother commenting, just turned to lead the way.
Because we both knew he was going with me, and he didn’t feel the need to mention it to the others.
Rather than comment, I followed him out and ensured my connection to Aflora remained wide open. It was my way of telling her there would be no more secrets.
Whatever my grandmother said, I’d share.
Because Aflora and I were finally on a true path—as fully bonded mates.