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“I expected you to run, tail tucked between your legs,” Wolfgang goads as the four of us meet Ollie’s brothers at the base of the cherry tree outside the back of the palace.
Dappled pink coats the entire surrounding meadow, straying showers of petals drifting into the woods. On the other side of the palace monument, rocky paths cascade toward the distant town where Ollie and I enjoyed our date and wedding dinner. Since I took my earplugs out, I can hear the bustle beyond, but over here it’s secluded. Almost private.
Extremely anime.
Final boss battle music whispers in the breeze burdened by sakura blossoms, and tension congests the air.
Alana would love every moment of this. The underdog who’s been kicked all his life finally stealing the show…
I wish she were here.
Ollie stretches the muscles in his neck and mutters, “This is going to be brute force, not skill.”
“Please stop speaking so poorly of yourself,” Cael mutters back. “You are skilled.”
“On a guitar. I’ve not attempted to fight for a century. Can I not be honest about my limitations? Is honesty not allowed anymore? I thought that was our whole thing.”
Cael bumps into Ollie’s side, basically reprimanding.
Wolfgang opens his mouth, so I call over, “We’re obviously ignoring you. Stay in your lane.”
Brogan snorts.
I’m going to yip the smirk right off his face.
“Let’s make this quick,” Markov growls.
“Quick.” With a chuckle, Zylus slips into his feline form and pounces into Cael’s arms.
“Do try not to murder,” Cael notes, conversationally, as he pets Zylus’s head. “I don’t want the paperwork or to have to clean my lawn.”
“Who said murder was on the table? They’ve not pissed me off that badly.” Ollie plunges his fingers into his hair. “Why would you even say that?”
“Hasn’t fought for a century. Has the untrained power of millions,” Cael drones. “Hm, I wonder… Indeed, what an odd thing to mention.”
Ollie’s shoulders sag. “You must think you’re funny.”
“Hilarious.” Cael lifts his chin and spreads his wings, letting the plumes of his antennae fan regally. “I am, of course, joking. I’ll deal with the paperwork and lawn care, should it come to pass.”
“I am not going to murder anyone.”
“You have my blessing to murder a little bit.”
“Mine too,” I add.
Ollie shoots me a look, but I smile, innocently, and turn into a little puff in order to snuggle around his ankles. He sighs. “Yes, you’re adorable. No, I’m not going to murder anyone…unless it’s completely necessary.”
I wag my tail.
He finally smiles. Then he outright grins. Turning on his heel to face his brothers, he claps his hands together. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“About time,” Wolfgang mutters.
“You’re awfully bold in your jokes, aren’t you?” Markov growls. “We gave you everything, and you threw it away. You were a prince, and you chose to be a—” His sharp eyes fall on me, and he casts a hand my direction before swearing. “—instead.”
“First of all,” Ollie grits, advancing forward, “she’s not a job. She’s my mate. Second of all, I chose to leave a place that didn’t accept me and find one that did.” He stops an inch in front of Markov, looking up into his brother’s fury. “The most I gained from you, brother, was a crippling sense of self-doubt. And I lived with that for centuries. I accepted that for centuries. I gave parts of myself away to protect the pieces that mattered most.” He lifts a finger, points it back at me. “It’s only when I found her and started sharing the pieces that mattered did things start to change. So I’d watch what you say about her where I can hear you.”
“Clearly, she is just as weak as you’ve always been,” Markov hisses. “No doubt you perfectly suit one another.”
