Page 87 of Demon's Beauty

We’re both our own people, this is our relationship to figure out, and I refuse to let the ghosts of my past and my family dictate the future I’ll create with my mate.

That is, if my mate wants a future with me.

“Besides,” my mother says, “your father and I weren’t mates. We simply had families and ambitions that aligned for a time, and that’s not any sort of foundation to build a life on.”

I hum again and let my eyes slide out over the city, the sea, not really seeing any of it.

Despite my better judgment, I give the bond in my chest a tug.

It probably doesn’t work from this far away, and since Soleil is a human and doesn’t experience the magick the same way, perhaps she won’t—

It tugs back.

Gently, but warmly, and with an effervescent, almost teasing edge, like my witch is telling me off for bothering her when she’s so busy.

“Have you talked to Soleil about this?” My mother’s question pulls me back to the present.

“I… no. Not in… not in so many words.”

“Then perhaps you should,” she says, standing with a determined look in her eyes. “And you should also bring her here for dinner tonight.”

“Ma,” I say warily, standing as well. “I’m not sure if that’s the best—”

“Of course it’s the best idea. I came up with it.” She winks at me. “If you’re worried about how your lives will fit together,what better way to find out than by exploring every facet of those lives? I’ll be good, I promise. And your sister will be arriving in town this afternoon as well.”

I sigh. “I’ll ask.”

“Please do.” She heads back inside the house, and I follow. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need time to put together a dinner party fabulous enough to convince this human my son is the only choice for her.”

I laugh. “Alright. Well. She is busy here on healing business in the city, so I can’t make any promises.”

My mother turns back to me and takes my face between her palms. She kisses one cheek, then the other, then presses one last kiss to the center of my forehead. I’m several inches taller than her, but crouch down so she can mother me like I suspect she always will.

“Let her surprise you, Finn. You give yourself too little credit. You think you don’t have enough to offer her, but you’ll never know until you put yourself out there for her and try.”

“Alright,” I say again, though I still don’t know how much I believe it. “I’ll try.”

25

Soleil

The afternoon in the apothecary flies by.

Vayla, as the court’s top healer, is the one running the show, but she’s backed up by dozens of healers from the city and surrounding villages.

Everyone moves with efficiency, working out any kinks in the system early in the day and running like a well-oiled machine by late afternoon.

Vayla and I take point on the brew.

The stellarin flower essence that we’ve fully refined down is the last ingredient into the cauldron, and after a quick simmer for each batch, the doses are measured out into stoppered vials. Each one has a dreadfully short shelf life, and will lose most of its potency by the end of the day, so the other healers act as runners who take each batch to assigned locations throughout the city.

It’s a cure as well as a preventative, so as they comfort and tend the sick, they also make sure whoever wants a dose to avoid future illness gets one.

And based on the number of vials we have going out the door, the potion is in high demand.

“You’ll have to be incredibly careful with these,” I warn as I prepare a batch to be taken and administered by a couple of novice healers straight out of academy.

They nod with wide eyes and a slightly petrified look I know all too well.