Chapter 209

Mom and Luca exchange pleasantries while I work very hard to pull myself together, wondering how the hell I’m supposed to manage all of this chaos, when Jesse – of all wonderful people – comes to my rescue.

He, too, skids through the door and is across the room in half a second, shoving Luca roughly aside and knocking him to the floor so he can wrap his arms around me, murmuring about how scared he was and how glad he is that I’m okay.

I hug my cousin back, assuring him that I’m all right, and it’s only when Jesse offers a hand and an apology to Luca that I’m able to look at my mom again. She quickly raises a questioning eyebrow at me, asking silently if everything is out in the open, and I hurriedly shake my head, begging her with my expression to please, please not say anything.

Slowly, she nods, a smile still playing at her lips as she turns her attention back to the boys, who are now standing at my bedside.

“As much as it is a pleasure to meet you, Luca,” she says, her voice official now, “and I do very much want to talk to you more - Ariel still isn’t well.”

Luca’s face pales at the news and he anxiously looks between me and my mom.

“She’s fine,” Jesse explains, putting a hand on Luca’s shoulder. “Aunt Ella healed her up, Luc, don’t worry –“

“I healed her,” mom says, nodding to Jesse, “but she’s still exhausted and dehydrated. Jesse? Will you please go get your mom, and tell her to bring an IV? Ariel needs fluids.”

Jesse nods and immediately moves to the door, but Luca hesitates, clearly wanting to stay. My mom simply quirks one queenly eyebrow at him, though – clearly requesting time alone with her daughter

– and I see Luca give in.

“I’ll see you soon,” he says, kneeling down by the side of my bed and running a fond hand over my hair, my shoulder, and then down my arm. I can see him bodily fighting his instincts to stay by his mate’s side – but he also knows that I am clearly all right in my mother’s hands.

“It will be okay, Luca,” I murmur, leaning impulsively forward. Luca puts a soft hand on my cheek and presses a brief, chaste kiss to my mouth – not really able to resist, but also not wanting to put on a display in front of my mom.

I grin at him as he stands with a sigh and heads for the door. I’m still grinning, watching his form, as my mom clears her throat.

“Don’t say anything,” I whisper, reaching out a hand for hers and squeezing it before the door snicks shut behind Luca’s retreating form. Then, once we’re alone, I turn to her, grimacing a little.

“Soooo, Ariellll,” she says, leaning forward and grinning at me, her voice light and gossipy. “Why do both of those boys think that they’re your mate!?”

“Because,” I say, my voice and my face completely serious. “They both are, mom.”

Slowly the smile falls from her face. “Wait, what?”

I nod slowly and then burst into an explanation – telling her about that first day, when both of their scents hit me, and then of figuring it all out as time passed. Mom’s eyes are wide and shocked by the time I’m halfway through the story and I can tell that she’s mesmerized and worried, all at once.

I don’t even have time to get to the end – about how I just told Jackson last night, during the Examination – when the door opens and Aunt Cora comes in, wheeling an IV stand with her.

I give a little cry of joy when I see her – Cora, she’s my only aunt, but she’s my favorite anyway. She makes the same little noise as she slams the door shut and rushes to me, pushing the IV with her and abandoning it a bit when she sits on the bed next to me and wraps me up in a tight, tight hug.

“You idiot,” she mutters into my hair, rocking me back and forth. “You followed your brother and your cousin, of all people!? To the Academy!?” noveldrama

“I like it there!” I protest, laughing a little and pushing her away a bit so that I can look into her face, smiling despite all the drama. “Besides,” I say, cocking my head to the side, “where did you guys think I was?”

“In a convent,” Cora sighs, slumping back against the pillows with me and glancing at my mom. “At least, that’s what we hoped. Safe and sound, all walled up, practicing the art of making tapestries or something equally dull and harmless.”

“Oh, well, it sounds like Ariel was doing the exact opposite, Cors,” my mom says, leaning forward with her chin on her palm and grinning at me. I scowl at her, thinking she’s enjoying this just a little too much. “Considering that she just told me that she met two mates at this little Academy.”