13. Luna

THIRTEEN

luna

W e came to a stop in front of Zain's study.

It's going to be alright. I looked over at him, his lips not moving. That the sound hadn't come from his mouth. Somehow, I needed to get used to him speaking into my mind.

We'd moved through the hallways at a brisk pace, Zain clearly on a mission. He'd shown it all to me before, but all the walls of the palace looked the same, and I was relieved when I recognized the door.

How does this work? I asked, directing the thought towards him.

He cocked a head towards me. What do you mean?

Can you read my mind? Hear all my thoughts?

No. Only the ones you wish to share.

I raised an eyebrow. And you can do this with everyone?

No.

I honestly didn't know what to expect. He'd told me there were people he wanted me to meet, and so far, the only other demon I'd met—besides Kairos—had been Novalie. The rest of the palace had seemed empty earlier.

Were these his friends? Did he have any friends? He'd given me major loner vibes from the first time we'd met in the bar, and I wondered now how much of what he'd told me had been real, or what was embellished.

He wasn't a human. Who knew where the deception and lies ended? I needed to keep my guard up. Protect my heart. Otherwise, what would happen when my world came crashing down around me?

Zain turned to face me, his brows furrowing as a worried expression spread over his face. "If this is too much, just tell me, okay?"

"Why would it be too much?" My lips curled down as I tugged on the end of my cashmere sweater. I'd opted for comfort for this meeting, already feeling out of sorts. It was so soft, the fabric luxurious against my skin.

His eyebrow raised, and a little zap of lightning ran through his irises. That was new. Like he was reminding me of who he was. Where I was.

"They're your friends, right?" I asked, wrapping my hand around the doorknob.

Letting myself into the room, the large space and dark wood captivated my attention, Zain's heat warming my back as he stepped in close to me.

"I don't have friends," Zain murmured into my ear.

Right. I did my best not to roll my eyes because suddenly—all of their gazes were focused on me.

"These are my advisors," he said, waving his hand at the four demons standing around the large, empty table. Two females stood with two blond males—twins, I assumed, from their identical builds. Even their brown horns that resembled a goat's matched, protruding from their messy mops of golden hair. The only difference between the two was a scar that ran across one of their faces. I noticed that Kairos—the demon from earlier—wasn't here, though given how he'd interrupted before, I assumed they were close.

"So we finally meet your witch," one of the two females—with dark hair secured in a long braid and matching horns that curved from her forehead—said, a look of amusement on her face. Two wings rested on her back, like a bat.

"Took him long enough," the other said, blinking at me with snakelike eyes. She was gorgeous, and I knew I was staring, but I couldn't bring myself to look away. Her hair was green, chopped to a bob at her shoulders, and her skin was almost… scaled?

What fantasy novel did I hit my head and wake up in the middle of? I was too busy taking them in that I barely paid attention to what they said because this couldn't be real.

They were demons, and yet, they were so… other. There was an ethereal quality to them I'd never seen before. So completely different from the pair of demons that had been outside the coffee shop earlier today.

How had it been only hours since that? It already felt like I'd left Pleasant Grove days ago.

"This is Luna," Zain's deep voice said, causing a shiver to run down my spine. His hands rested on my shoulders, and a surety flowed through my body. Somehow, this was where I needed to be, and it was like my body—no, my soul —recognized that.

"Um. Hi," I said, offering a small wave to the group.

"It's nice to meet you, Luna." One of the two identical men spoke—the one without the facial scar—as he bowed slightly at the waist.

"This is Talon and Thorn. My guards. They'll be your guards now as well."

Guards? My nose scrunched up. "I thought we said?—"

"I promised you I'd keep you safe, did I not?" He said the words low against my ear so the others couldn't hear, and, well… I couldn't argue with that.

That was the entire reason I was here.

"I'm Talon," the one with the facial scar said, a grin spreading over his face. They both had honey blonde hair, only a few shades deeper than my own, with silver eyes. "I'm the older one."

Thorn rolled his eyes. "Which you never let me forget."

"And I'm Asura," said the green-haired beauty as she shoved in front of them, peering at me with those slitted eyes. "Ignore those two. I normally do."

The twins both gave a huff, though there was no malice in the tone. They'd clearly all known each other for a long time. It made my heart ache for my sister, even though I'd only seen her yesterday. I hadn't gotten to say goodbye.

Zain kept me held tight against him.

"Come on, Z. You know we won't bite. Let us get a good look at our future queen, will you?" The dark-haired girl propped her hip against the table, her wings fanning out behind her like she was stretching her muscles.

Queen? My eyes widened.

"This is Lilith," Zain said, a little grunt escaping his lips as he disconnected himself from me, pressing his lips to my forehead before moving to his desk.

"Your wings are—" I blinked, standing in front of her. Gods, they looked completely different from Zain's but no less amazing.

"Beautiful, I know." She batted her eyelashes.

"Do you... I mean… can you fly?"

Lilith laughed, the sound erupting through the room. "I can, and I do. Often."

Careful, Moonbeam, Zain thought into my mind. You're going to make me jealous .

Right. He had wings, too. I wondered what that was like. My cheeks heated once again, but I couldn't help my childlike wonder at how they differed from humans and us witches.

They all shared a look, and then Asura spoke. "How much do you know about demons?"

I shook my head, my eyes connecting with Zain. "Not that much, I'm afraid."

Lilith frowned. "Zain, did you not tell her?"

"I didn't exactly have a chance." He rubbed the space between his eyebrows. "Someone sent blood demons to the human realm."

Talon's face sharped. "And we're only just now finding out about this?" He muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"Kairos knows." Zain gave an exasperated sigh. "And anyway, we're here , aren't we?"

"It won't happen again, my lady," Thorn promised. "You'll be safe here."

"You don't…" I started, feeling my face warm. "You don't have to call me that. Luna is fine." I fiddled with the ends of my hair.

Lilith crossed her arms over her chest, a concerned expression painting her face. "What happened?"

"Mother of…" Zain cursed. "I don't know. Someone obviously found out about my unsanctioned visits. They must have sent them to figure out what I was doing."

"What were they, exactly?" I asked, my voice faint. "They mentioned my scent, right?"

More specifically, they mentioned that Zain's scent was all over me. He'd mentioned it before. It was a thought that still made me feel a little warm and tingly, even though it should have been the opposite.

"They're trackers. Once they lock onto a scent, they won't stop until they find their prey." Talon pinned Zain with a stare. "All the more reason you should have told us about them immediately. Especially if they found?—"

Zain cut him off with a wave of his hand. "I took care of it. They've been disposed of." A scowl formed, and suddenly, I barely recognized him. I could see the moment his mask slid into place. Was this who he was here?

I needed that reminder of who he really was. Because despite how much my heart wanted him to be, he wasn't the human I'd been falling for. As much as I wanted to go back to those nights in my apartment, sharing my bed in the wonderful bubble we'd made for ourselves… It was all a lie. None of it was real.

Neither was this.

"What's stopping it from happening again?" Asura asked. "If someone in the palace leaked your location…"

"You are." Zain's gaze was petrifying. "And if one hair on her head is harmed…" The room grew colder and darker, and it felt like the gold of his eyes sparked like actual lightning. He shook his head, redirecting his stare. "Lilith. Evaluate all the staff of the palace. Find out who knew about my trips and if they had any cause to leak them."

She nodded. "Of course. I won't let you down."

"Talon. Thorn. One of you will remain with Luna at all times. She's free to explore anywhere in the palace as she wishes but remain vigilant by her side."

It felt a little like overreacting, but if it gave Zain the peace of mind to sleep at night, I supposed I couldn't protest.

"And what would you have me do?" Asura asked, running a hand through her cropped bob.

He looked away. "Keep doing what you're doing." A nod.

His fingers drummed over the desk. Like he was still silently plotting, deliberating, and making his next move .

"Zain." My voice was quiet. His eyes connected with mine, and all the malice melted away in them like he softened just for me.

"The rest of you are dismissed," he said, waving a hand. "We need a moment."

"We do?" I asked as the rest filtered out, giving me small smiles and welcoming me.

But it was hard to focus on anything other than Zain's serious face as he talked about demons tracking me. What did they want from me ?

"Luna?"

"Yes?" I looked up, finding him staring directly at me.

"Come here, Moonbeam."

I swallowed, not sure why I felt apprehension in my gut. It wasn't like I feared him, but it felt like the entire foundation of my life had crumbled in only a day. Anyone would feel overwhelmed by that, right?

Moving my feet, I came to stand by his side, and he moved me between his legs, letting me sit on the edge of his desk.

"Are you okay?"

A lump caught in my throat. "I think so. I just…" My teeth worried at my bottom lip. "Yesterday, I didn't even know that demons were real. I thought this was just a fling . You and I were, well… It doesn't matter now. And now I'm here, and…" I let out a deep breath. "How much more do I need to expect?"

"Well… there's one more thing, I'm afraid," he said, before his fingers brushed over my jaw, keeping my gaze focused on him as he stared up at me. "We have company."

"Company? But we just got here. It's only been a few hours since…" I trailed off, since I'd left my life behind. My home. My sister. "Who even knows I'm here?"

"Who else?" He chuckled. "Seems like my brother has decided to drop in for a little visit. "

"Your brother? Damien is here?" A nod. If he was here, that meant… "With my sister?"

"Yes." Zain's lips curled up in a wicked grin, and then he winced. "Though I don't think they're thrilled with me."

I frowned. "Why? And how do they even know I'm here?"

He smoothed his thumb over my forehead, brushing back a loose strand of hair. "I know I have a lot to explain to you later, if you'll let me. But for now… I just need you to stand by my side. Can you do that?"

"Of course. But, Zain… I need to know. To understand. You can't keep me in the dark." I couldn't live in a world of secrets and lies. Not when it felt like I didn't even know him anymore.

"I won't, Luna." His promise was the only thing I had—the only thing to cling to in this strange world.

I just had to hope he was telling the truth.

Zain left me in my room before disappearing again; with just the snap of his fingers, he could go anywhere he wanted. I really needed him to teach me how to do that.

I was trying to ignore the pull in my heart, the knowledge that Willow was here. Because above all else, my sister had come for me. Even if I'd seen her just yesterday, it felt like a week had elapsed in the last six hours.

Wandering through my new closet, I brushed my fingers over the fabrics—gowns of all different shades hung side by side on one wall. I hadn't even trifled through the drawers yet, but I was definitely in love with this closet. Maybe I'd never wanted for anything as a kid, but I'd never had anything like this, either.

A dusty blue one was covered in silver stars, and I touched the tulle softly before moving on. Goddess, they were beautiful. Had all of this been bought for me ?

Novalie popped her head in. "My lady."

"Oh." I startled—too lost in my current quest to expect her arrival. "Sorry. I didn't expect…" My eyes locked on the white shimmering gown in her hands. "What's that?"

It looked like it had been embroidered with little moons, and my heart stuttered a bit in my chest.

"The Prince wanted you to wear it. He picked it out, especially for you."

"He did?" I blushed, thinking about him handpicking my gown for the evening. Instead of feeling possessive or controlling, it felt… sweet. I pushed that thought aside, not knowing to what extent I could trust him—or my own feelings. I didn't know the limits of Zain's magic. What if he was influencing my emotions, making me feel like this?

The demon girl nodded. "Everything in here was chosen for you."

"But—how? It's only been a few hours since I even…" I trailed off.

"We've been waiting for you a long time, Luna." Her eyes widened like she'd said too much. "We should get you dressed," she insisted, appraising my current sweater and leggings attire. "There isn't much time before his highness will be back."

Novalie produced a robe, watching as I stripped out of the soft knit sweater, letting it and my leggings fall to the ground before I slipped into the silky black material.

"Right." I let her guide me out of the closet and into the chair in front of the vanity. Watching as she fretted around my room, I couldn't hold in my questions. I was curious about Zain's friends—about her. How he had so many people who seemed so loyal to him. "How long have you worked here, Novalie?"

"My whole life," she responded as she undid my hair from the messy bun, bringing the locks down around my shoulders as she combed through it. "I was raised to serve the royal family." She must have seen the horror in my eyes because she reassured me. "It is no burden, believe me. Zain and Damien are kind despite their upbringing. All the staff here are treated well."

"Their upbringing?" I swallowed, my throat feeling unnaturally dry.

She just shook her head. "I shouldn't have said anything. It's their story to tell."

I sighed, shaking my head.

"I've been meaning to ask since it arrived in that… cage. What sort of creature did you bring with you?" Novalie asked, one eyebrow raising as she watched Selene bathe herself through the mirror.

"My… cat?" I asked, surprise filtering through my tone. "Do you not have cats here?" Zain had reacted strangely to her as well.

She blinked as if processing the word. "Not like that one. What is its purpose?"

"Selene's my familiar. Though she doesn't have a specific purpose. I mean, she can understand my emotions, and I hers. We have a deep bond. But she's also my companion. She doesn't do anything." My cat meowed as if in objection, then curled back up in a ball, keeping one eye open and directed at us.

Novalie brushed her fingers through my hair. "Some demons can also shift forms. So to answer your earlier question—yes, there are cats in this world, but they are more . Pets are a luxury that most demons could never afford." I thought that sounded a little sad .

"And there are a lot of these…. shifter demons?" I asked instead, curious to know more.

She just nodded, beginning to style my hair. "Our princes, for example, were both born from different mothers. Damien is descended from a shifter queen to the east, and she was a cat shifter."

"And… so is he," I surmised.

Another nod. I guessed it finally made sense why my first meeting with Damien had occurred when he was just a cute, snuggly black cat.

Suddenly, I wanted to know the full story. How my sister had picked him. If she'd known he was a demon all along.

Maybe I'd been able to sense there was something more there, something between them, but my powers weren't perfect. This was one of those instances where I'd wished I could have used my sight more, but being taught to suppress those abilities my whole life made them harder to tap into.

"And Zain?" I asked, slightly absentmindedly. Thinking about those beautiful feathered wings that he had let free in front of me. "What abilities did he inherit?"

The golden eyes.

How long had those haunted me?

"I better let him tell you."

"Oh." I tried to hide my disappointment at not learning more about the man I was going to marry soon.

But I desperately wanted to know more about him. Ever since I'd met him in the bar, I'd had the oddest sensation that I knew him somehow. Like my soul called to his.

I tried to think back on what Willow had asked me before ghoul's night at the bar.

"Luna, I… Do you believe in fate? In destiny?"

I'd just blinked, staring up from my mixer. "Where is this coming from? "

Willow shook her head. "No reason. Just…" She let out a deep sigh, looking as if she was trying to find the right words.

So, I offered my own instead. "I believe the Goddess gives us the paths we can follow, but the rest is up to us." It was what our parents had always taught us to believe. But even more than that, with my own abilities—I knew that the future could always change. What I saw wouldn't always come to pass.

Willow turned to face me fully. "But like…twin flames, kindred spirits, soul mates. That stuff. Do you believe there's someone out there who you're fated to be with? To fall in love with?"

I tilted my head, wondering if her new companion was the reason for all her questions. If she wanted to know… "You've always told me not to look into your future. That you didn't want to know. But now…" I raised an eyebrow.

"No!" Willow exclaimed a little too quickly as if she knew what I was implying. "I still don't want to know." She spoke the next words so softly I hardly heard her over the noise of the frosting in the mixer. "I was just wondering."

Setting the bowl on the counter between the two of us, I leveled a stare at her. "Willow, what are you really asking me?"

"When Mom met Dad, she knew, right? Do you think that's possible?"

I thought it over for only a moment before I nodded my head, thinking of what our parents had told us growing up. Sometimes I missed them so much. How much they loved us—and each other. It was hard not having them with us anymore. "I think anything's possible, Willow." Letting my magic take over, I moved the spoon in the frosting bowl as if to make my next point. "Especially in a world where magic exists."

Had she known? The moment she'd met Damien? That he was her…

I couldn't even think it. Because I wouldn't dare utter those words. To begin to imagine them as the truth .

This wasn't about love or fate. Even if meeting him at the Enchanted Cauldron had felt a lot like the latter. No, it was simply… Lust . Infatuation. And even if I still wanted him all the time, I couldn't help but question everything he'd ever told me.

"Luna," Novalie said gently, nudging me from my thoughts. I looked up to catch her eye in the mirror, only to find she'd finished my hair. Dozens of tiny gems were interwoven into it.

"Oh. Sorry. What?" I had the faintest idea she'd been asking me something.

"I just asked if you wanted me to do your makeup."

Giving her a nod, I tilted my chin up and let my eyes flutter shut as she worked. The time for questions was over.

"Done," she murmured a few minutes later, and when I opened my eyes, I took in the transformation.

It was still me, but my face was bright.

Sparkly eyeshadow was spread over my lids, and they were lined in kohl. I looked the same, and yet…. I touched my fingers to my face. Maybe I should have paid closer attention as she'd worked her magic, but I'd been too wrapped up in my own thoughts.

Zain was still on my mind. Watching him move, that lethal beauty, the way he'd protected me—it made desire burn between my legs. Which was definitely not how I wanted to be feeling right now when I still had so many questions about him.

"Let's get you changed," Novalie said, offering me a hand up from the little chair.

"Okay," I whispered, feeling like everything was about to change.

We've been waiting for you a long time, Luna. What did that mean?