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Imogen sat on the blanket and grabbed a sandwich.
“That save was great earlier,” Neverra said as Imogen unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite. I saw the way Neverra watched her, how her body language changed around Imogen, and how close they really were. They had no blood bond, but they were sisters. I could see it. That’s what they all were. They were a family.
“Yeah,” Imogen said around her food, “how did you do it?”
I shrugged. “You guys wanted to win.”
They were both silent for a moment as Imogen ate some more. I didn’t know why I asked or what came over me, but I had fun today, and seeing the sun getting closer to the ocean made me apprehensive. I didn’t want today to end.
“Do you guys want to come back to the palace this evening? Samkiel said he would be in Onuna all night, and I don’t want to be alone. If that’s okay. And if you want. You don’t have to.”
Imogen froze mid-bite, and Neverra smiled so widely I almost regretted asking. Logan, Xavier, and Cameron raced toward the water, yelling as they jumped into the ocean.
“I thought you’d never ask!” Neverra said.
Sixty-Six
Dianna
Music filled the palace, so loud it drowned out the emptiness in my head. Neverra, Imogen, and I stood in the bathroom as I finished mixing the face mask Gabby had taught me how to make.
“I think I have this right, but don’t blame me if your face burns off,” I said.
Neverra laughed and peered into the small mixing bowl I held. As soon as I’d mentioned staying over, Neverra and Imogen had started packing up the beach party. They’d portalled to their homes and returned with so much stuff it looked like they were moving in. It had taken us over an hour to convince Logan, Xavier, and Cameron to let us go alone and another ten minutes to explain to Cameron he wasn’t invited, no matter how much he liked face masks. We had to promise that we wouldn’t kill each other and that we would stay in the house.
“I’ve never done this before,” Imogen said, pulling her hair back from her face and securing it with a band.
I snickered. “You guys are practically goddesses. Goddesses don’t need face masks.”
Pleasure lit Imogen’s eyes, and she glanced at Neverra as if the compliment meant something to her. Neverra gave her an encouraging smile and winked. Did Imogen want me to like her that badly?
The truth was, I liked all of them. Well, all except Vincent. He avoided me like the plague, which suited me just fine.
I set the bowl on the counter, and we all turned toward the mirror and picked up our brushes.
“I’m glad you asked to hang out,” Neverra said, painting the green-speckled mask on her face.
I dipped my brush into the sticky goop. “Don’t get emotional. We’re not best friends. I was just bored.”
Neverra and Imogen grinned at me in the mirror, and I knew they didn’t believe me for a second.
Imogen waved her brush at us. “Well, I’d like to be friends.”
“I’m not good enough to be anyone’s friend.” My tone was casual, almost dismissive, but I felt those words to my soul.
Imogen sighed and looked at Neverra for reassurance before continuing. “Okay, I’m just going to say it now, so it’s out in the open, and we can all move on.”
“Okay.” I glanced toward her.
“Samkiel and I had stopped being intimate years before Rashearim fell.”
I froze, the brush pausing mid-stroke against my cheek.
“The betrothal was forced, and neither of us was happy about it, but we would have done what we had to if it meant keeping peace within the realms. The other gods were looking for any opportunity to dethrone Samkiel. We knew it was only a matter of time before they claimed he was too reckless and careless to settle down and do what was best for the realms. We didn’t love each other, not like that, and we wanted what everyone else did. That stupid mark.”
Neverra smiled, her gaze going to her mark.
Imogen sighed, dipping her brush back into the mask. “It means so much in our world. The one person the universe crafted for you and you alone. All the bliss and everything that comes with it. Or at least that’s what Neverra and Logan preach.”
