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Page 17 of Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles 1)

“We know you’ve been dealing with a lot of pressure lately,” Alena told me. “With all of our issues, then getting kicked out of the Academy, and now taking on a role atExemplar. So we wanted to do a little something to show our appreciation, tocheer you up, bring the levity. We were making a homemade dinner. Lasagna and a couple of your favorite crumbles.”

“But we got impatient with how long it was taking to cook and it kind of got away from us after that.”

I looked between them. Knowing how she was, it was clearly Alena who’d gotten impatient and Tal had just gone along with it, because he was a little suck for her these days, a lot like X.

“You’re not trying to butter me up?” I asked, looking between them.

“What? No. What the shit for?” Tal exclaimed.

I saw a look pass between Alena and X, but it was indecipherable and too quick to deduce.

And then she assured me, “We were just trying to do something heartfelt. Talon told me about that fruit plate you sweetly made for him without your magic. That’s what gave us the idea.”

I smiled and went to them, wrapping an arm around each of them. “Thank you. That’s really nice. And appreciated.”

“If only it had worked out,” Alena groused, as we eased apart, eyeing the mess over by the sink and the oven.

X stepped forward. “Go get out of your smoky clothes and I’ll take care of it.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Alena said.

“I want to.”

“Feel bad for laughing at our expense, huh?” Tal teased him.

“Oh no, that was the funniest shit I’ve seen in so long,” he said, laughing again.

I smiled to myself as the two of them shook their heads at him, then headed on out to sort themselves out.

“You’re in high spirits today.”

“Just trying to focus on the good where I can.”

“Being with Alena and Talon?”

He nodded. “Just screwing around, hanging out. It would’ve been great if you’d been here too.”

“Well, I’m here now.”

“Right. Finally back fromExemplar.”

I tensed at his tone. The bitterness in it and the charged nature of it too.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing. Getting to live two legacies, that must be nice.”

“Two legacies?”

“Yeah, so many people counting on you, looking to you. Your father in the DFR and nowmyfather atExemplar.”

Ah, of course.

“It really isn’t like that. I’m just an asset to him, something to use, really.You’rehis legacy, no matter what you do. You’re his son. No one can fill that role.”

He shook his head. “Sure,” he muttered. “You know what, let’s not do this. Alena and Tal were right, you need some happiness and relief. Let me sort this dinner.”

As he went to move past to head over to the oven, I stepped into his path, pressing my hand to his chest. “You’re only seeing the concept of a legacy through a romantic lens. Believe me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, you could say it’s a difficult burden to bear.”