Chapter 0055
Owen growled and barked at a nearby steward. “Bring it here.”
His mother looked furious, but that look of disdain on his wife’s face was gone. She was staring at me in outright shock, like she didn’t believe I was real.
She’d probably never seen Owen so helplessly angry. It served him right. The bastard had the nerve to drag us here, insult me, threaten us both, and not expect a fight? He was several years too young to play psychological games with me. glanced at Theodore again. He looked less fearful, but his face hadn’t regained its color from earlier.
Owen was going to pay for that. I was certain of it
“Oh,” I said, getting Theodore’s attention. “Do you think we’ll have time to get in contact with a few department stores? Tailors would take a bit too long, I think.”
He blinked. “… for?”
“Clothing,” I said. “Everyone will need something appropriate to wear to the first mating ball.” I smiled at him, watching him become more present here. “I’m thinking that it should be our reception. Two birds one stone. We’ll have a more even group because of all the invitations.”
His lips twitched. “I was… almost certain you weren’t going to plan one just to spite me.”
I scoffed. “There are far more effective ways to spite you. I don’t need to involve the pack members in that.”
He laughed.
Owen’s lips curled in disgust. “You’re surprisingly obedient, considering what I’ve heard of you. Did Darkmoon ever have a mating ball?”
I clenched my fists, the urge to punch him growing stronger by the second. But I held back, forcing myself to remain calm.
“Several to great success. Didn’t you read the reports?”
He ground his teeth. The steward came back with a box and opened it. I had seen one before, so I could tell by its iridescence that it was real. Interesting. I expected it to be rigged. Owen must have something else planned that was riding on it being true.
“Go on,” Owen said. “Unless you’d rather admit this is all a farce.”
Theodore looked down into the box, hesitant. That look of fear was creeping back into his expression. For moon’s sake, the man had magic. He could make it appear to głow.
I reached in, snatched it out of the box and started the incantation.
“Sacred eye of the Goddess, see…”
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The sound of her voice and the words yanked me from my thoughts.
How did she know the incantation?
“See into our hearts and illuminate us in your light if we walk the path of your design.”
The stone erupted in a blinding light, a celestial glow that filled the room. Owen sucked in a shocked breath. His mother and wife looked like they would fight. Everyone in the room aside from us, shielded their eyes. She lifted it high over her head.
“Sacred eye of the night, cut through the darkness of our doubts. See us as we are: one and chosen.”
The light turned golden around us, washing through the room and falling over me with a heavy warmth. I slumped back in my seat, dazed in the feeling, the sense of belonging and truth confirming what I had only just started to suspect.
I heard my mother’s voice whisper.
Then, the light started to dim and Violet tossed it back into the box and glared at Owen, her whole body still glowing from the light.
“Happy now?”
I smiled at her dreamily and took her hand. She turned her head to look at me. I lifted her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. The light still lingered in her eyes and I felt it thrumming where our hands were intertwined.
Owen set his jaw and gave a thin smile.
“Well, proper celebrations are in order, I suppose.”
“It’ll have to wait until after our wedding,” Violet said.
“You’ll have to stay at least a few days.”
“I think not,” Violet said. “You have no need for us here. Within an hour is as soon as possible.”
The stone was still glowing. I smiled and tugged her to face me.
“At least the night,” I said. “We could use the rest.”
She hesitated, staring at me, searching my face for something. I smiled. I didn’t really want to stay, but it was too good of a chance to irritate Owen to pass up. She nodded.
“Okay.
Owen lifted a glass to me. “Congratulations, general. I couldn’t be happier.”
He was a terrible liar, but that was the least of my problems. I stood and wrapped an arm
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Chapter 0055
around Violet.
“I think we’ll take our leave now.”
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Chapter 0056
