Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
And to make matters worse, now I had competition. I almost laughed. My own brother? Really?
I shouldn’t be surprised; he’d always been upset that she had fallen for me instead of him, not to mention he’d been passed over.
I had been the heir because of my power.
He was nothing compared to me.
And now I was nothing compared to him.
The tables had turned—I bet he was still smiling and toasting to it back home.
I couldn’t see them even if I wanted to.
I didn’t have enough power.
I used to hate it.
Now I was used to the trapped feeling my house gave me; flowers would still randomly bloom—some might even bow—but it wasn’t the same as being responsible for bringing the world into Spring.
Centuries ago, we were taught how.
And then it became our job, our purpose; each of the courts had one.
The Beginning had been a trying time for everyone—then again, being told you were basically the waste of the universe was never surrounded with laughter and cheers.
I was about to sit in my usual wing-backed chair facing the fireplace when I heard the sound of rain.
I shot out of the chair.
The forecast was not rain.
The forecast was sunshine.
I pulled open the curtains.
Son of a bitch!
He was up to something.
It always rained when he was…
Storm clouds rolled out as soon as they rolled in, and then I felt his presence behind me.
Gods, I wanted to strangle him with my bare hands.
“Successful night?” I asked without turning around.
The sound of Aengus’s footsteps hit my every last nerve like he was purposefully finding them and pressing down with a twist of his combat boots.
“You could say that… I earned a favor from Luna.”
Slowly, I turned. “You did what?”
He shrugged. “She was curious. Someone needs to teach her not to be so open in those damn dreams. I barely strained a muscle entering one.”
I gritted my teeth. “That’s forbidden, and you know it.”
“Who’s gonna tell?” He grinned. “You? Mr. Rule Breaker?”
I snapped my teeth. “That was a long time ago!”
“And how’d that work out for you, Benjamin? Hmm?”
“Get out of my house!”
“Technically…” He held up a hand. “It’s our house, the family house.”
“So that’s it? You intend to stay?”
He grinned. “Yeah, you know, since I got a job and all.”
“Oh gods, this should be good. Did you decide to try your hand at modeling again? You know you got so bored you faked your own death, so that’s clearly out.”
He barked out a laugh. “I did get a lot of ass though, so that was nice.”
“Do you hear yourself?”
“All the time, I’m in love with the sound of my own voice; thought you knew that?” He frowned. “Anyway, I heard that the mayor needs a new assistant.” He pointed at himself. “It took her less than fifteen minutes to say yes.”
“Probably because you compelled her, and she had no choice but to nod her head while you caught the drool pooling from her mouth.”
Aengus shoved his hands into his pockets. “Actually, she asked for my resume, and I had to make up shit about working for the mayor over in Seattle.”
“And when she checks your references?”
He waved me off. “That’s when I compelled her. She thinks I’m a Harvard graduate with a master’s in Poli-Sci. I’m very accomplished, don’t you know?
“You literally had trouble passing your first trials when you were seven.”
“Hey!” He jabbed a finger at me. “I was a late bloomer.”
I wiped my hands down my face. “I can’t deal with you right now.”
“And yet, you are.” He grinned. “When’s breakfast?”
“Ask Jasper. In fact, I’m sure he’d be more than happy to verbally spar with you at the ass crack of dawn. I have work to do.”
Aengus took a turn around the room. “You really think you’re going to find the answer to your curse in dusty old books from our ancestors?”
“I have no choice now,” I said through clenched teeth. “If this is the century and year it’s supposed to be broken, if she already has the mating bands, then all I need to do is figure out the whole transfer of power and youth, and everything will be fine.”
He winced. “The Matchmaker’s curse was strong, but sometimes I wonder if Luna’s sister’s curse made it worse.”
I looked away. “Luna mentioned a darkness.”
Aengus stilled. “Did she see it or feel it?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Want me to…” He awkwardly waved his hand in between us. “Check?”
“Why help?” I crossed my arms.
“Because I want her,” he said simply. “And I want an even playing field. We can’t have her dying or being stolen away before I get a chance to seduce her away from you.”
I clenched my teeth. “Won’t happen.” We were fated mates, after all.
Fated for love.
Fated for death.
But fated all the same.
“We’ll see.” He winked. “I’m gonna go see a man about some pancakes and then run a few errands. If I find a shadow or anything strange lingering around town, I’ll let you know.”