I consider that. CK has been vocal about Devon stepping up. I suppose some of it had to sink in eventually.
“He can be persuasive,” I start carefully, feeling that there’s more to it. If Sebastian has anything to do with this…
“You can say that again,” Devon says, interrupting my thoughts as he flops back to the sun lounger, the serious mood from before gone now. “Now get over here and fuck me. You still owe me,” he orders me with a wicked smile.
“Yes, sir,” I say, and he laughs in glee as I climb onto him and proceed to do exactly as he asked.
Chapter 20
Sometime later, after a proper day of giving him my undivided attention, swimming, talking, and making love, Devon leaves me alone to make a quick trip in Dragon form to The Underworld. I try to make a portal, but it doesn’t appear and that annoys me. Maybe my magick is more powerful in The Underworld? Well, that makes a lot of sense now that I think about it. I Astral there in human form, landing in the Draconis’s garden, much to Xanthe’s surprise.
“Your Majesty,” she says, her hand over her heart. “What an unexpected surprise.”
“Hello, Xanthe. I am sorry to barge into your gardens, but I didn’t really know where else to go,” I say apologetically.
“Is something amiss?” she asks in concern, coming closer to me.
“Oh no, no,” I reassure her. “I just wanted to Shift and do a fly over. You know, keep my presence alive down here.”
She laughs and says, “Oh, what a wonderful idea. I did see you the other day with To’Kah.”
“You did?” I ask and she nods.
“He will be a powerful ally of yours one day. It is nice that you have made his acquaintance.”
Really? I want to ask her how she knows that, but she is interrupted by one of the many children running around and I let her go with a wave. I make my way over to the big landing area that my mother used a few weeks ago, and Shift. It is a little easier this time, I suppose it will get easier the more I do it, and I take off. Finn was right, I do feel better when I do this. Less agitated and a lot calmer. I cause quite the stir as expected, and after a lengthy flight, I decide to test my theory and try to rip open a portal from this side. It works just like it did last time, and I fly through landing in my back garden swiftly, where I promptly Shift back. That has been informative, and it starts a whole bunch of ideas racing through my already overactive brain.
I go to find Devon, who is back in his bedroom, dressed and ready to head back to Toronto. He is gripping the box he acquired in a death grip and I wonder if he is nervous.
“Did you tell her?” I ask as I Astral us back into my suite.
“No,” he says grimly.
“Oh.” Then I ask curiously, “What was it like for you?”
“Harsh,” he says. “I don’t know what yours were like but fuck me. That is not something I ever intend to do again.”
“They are called trials for a reason. But I can’t say that I would be all that keen to do it again unless I had to. You should have asked for two…just in case.”
He glares at me. “No. Never again. Next time I leave them to die,” he says as he stalks off back to his suite with me gaping after him and his cold statement.
I call a meeting for 8 PM in our suite. Everyone needs to know about this Thirteen business and it’s just easier if everyone comes to me. I order food for the eaters of the bunch and drinks for the rest of us non-eaters and start to pace.
“You okay?” Cole asks me.
“Yes. Antsy. I need to be more proactive.”
“Well, you have your plans in place. As soon as everyone knows of your intentions, they will help you.”
“Huh. Confident, aren’t you?”
He smiles. “We all love you. We would all die for you, so yes, I am confident.”
Die for me. Christ, but I hope that doesn’t happen.
&
nbsp; Right at 8 PM everyone arrives, and I invite them all to make themselves at home. Jess is beaming at Devon and he is trying not to grimace at her.