Chapter 107

I yelp in protest then, grabbing my pillow and starting to thwap her with it, yelling disconnected words about how I didn’t even pick him, the Goddess did, and actually Jackson and dad are nothing alike, just because they’re both big.

But mom just laughs hysterically and eventually I join her, dropping my pillow and curling. up at her side, covering my blushing cheeks with my hands and shaking my head at the heat. against my palms.

“It’s okay, baby,” mom murmurs, dropping a kiss to my forehead as she shakes with giggles. “Your dad is hot too. Trust me, I get the appeal.”

“I don’t ever want to talk about this ever again,” I murmur, my words muffled in my humiliation.

“Too bad,” she sighs. “Cora’s going to come in here in a few minutes and say the exact same thing –”

“Cora’s here?” I gasp, sitting up eagerly and looking towards the door like she’s going to come through it at any minute.

“We’re all here, baby,” mom says, sitting up with me. “You think Cora and I are going to let your father and your uncle put on this ridiculously dangerous Examination without us at the end to patch everyone up? We come every year

“You do?” I ask, my eyes going wide.

“Yes! You didn’t notice that every year around this time we take a little vacation

–

“What a crap vacation,” I say, shaking my head.

But before my mom can agree, the door to the room flies open again and my mate comes stumbling into the room, gasping in fear and surprise.

But…not that mate.

The other one.

I’m caught between a gasp of relief and a moan of mortification – because my mom is going to be so confused by this. But I immediately open my arms for Luca, who comes crashing across the room to my side. I throw my arms around his neck as his slide immediately around my back, holding me close, shaking a little.

“Are you all right?” he gasps, horrified, worried.

“Are you!?”

“Ariel,” he snaps, leaning back to glare at me a little, “you are not checking in on me when I just heard that you showed up at the finish line unconscious, bleeding everywhere, thrown. over Jackson McClintock’s shoulder of all people –”

“I’m fine,” I murmur, my eyes wide and sorry as I see the real fear in him. “Seriously, Luc, I’m fine – I’m all patched up – I’m…” noveldrama

And then my voice fades out as my mom clears her throat.

“Um,” I say, awkwardly turning to her and glancing between her confused but entertained face and my mate’s still–terrified expression. “Mom? I’d like you to meet…Luca Grant. Luca, this is my mom she…she healed me up. Magically.”

I finish the sentence lamely, not knowing how to explain that. But Luca, to his credit, takes it in stride. He sits up straight in surprise but the immediately falls back on his manners, which are impeccable when he wants them to be.

“Your highness,” he says, immediately offering his hand, which my mother takes with a smile. “I am so sorry – you’ll have to forgive me, I was…I was very distracted. I care a great deal about your daughter and I didn’t honestly, I didn’t even notice you sitting there.”

“You’re forgiven,” my mom says, turning her head at him curiously as she squeezes his hand. “But, if you don’t mind me asking, my daughter told me that she kept her identity and her gender a secret during her time at the Academy. How is it that you know?”

“Because,” Luca says, his eyes wide with his innocence. “She’s my mate.”

My mom’s eyes go wide with surprise and then scandalized delight.

“Well,” she says, turning her cat–like grin on me as I cover my face with my hands. “You really have been busy, Ariel. Very busy indeed.”