Page 32 of Dark Master's Redemption

I finally understand, for the first time in my life, everything she’s done for me.

“Ti amo, Mamma,” I tell her now, because I don’t know the last time I said I love you.

“Ti amo anch'io, tesoro,” my mother says as she pulls back, kissing me once more on the cheeks, then beaming at me with loving mischief in her dark eyes. “And you brought two princes with you! Bonded to you, no less…”

Her gaze flicks to Quinn and Lucca now, standing nearby. Alleno’s handed the horses off to our family groom, Benvolio, who is on his way back to the barn. As I see a slight shimmer of rainbows cascade from Ben with my newfound power, I realize he’s Summer Fae. It colors everything about my world in a new light, as I wonder if everyone who’s helped at our house through the years has been Summer Fae or Dark Fae.

Likely, now that I think about it.

My mother is still watching both Lucca and Quinn with her indomitable gaze as she threads her arm through mine. I see both men through my mother’s eyes then; not only are they the current prince and ex-prince of the Summer Fae, they’re also two men who’ve bonded to me with their magics via the ancient ways.

It makes our bonds unbreakable; I see my mother’s gaze rove the air between us, as if seeing the ephemeral Fae-bonds between Lucca, Quinn, and me. I see her take in everything now, as a deep quiet devours her.

It’s a general’s evaluation, as she appraises my two mates.

And whether she approves of them, for me.

13

WAR

Former First Spear Illyria Amati’s dark gaze is cold like iron as she takes in Lucca and me standing before her. I feel like I’m eighteen again, weathering her stern, impeccable evaluation as she sees everything about me.

It’s like I’m right back there, as she judges me and my magic—judging whether I’m fit to join the ranks for battle. She always was bright as the noontime sky with her laughter, yet cold as death with her blades. A faeadonna to never underestimate, her silent evaluation is everything now as she looks at me just like she did then, to see whether I’m good enough for this war.

Except it’s her daughter this time, that I’m fighting for.

“So. The prodigal prince returns.” She addresses me first, though Lucca is technically her Summer Fae Prince now. “Both prodigal ruffians. Dark Fae now…”

“How long have you known?” I don’t mince words with my father’s former First Spear; it’s never wise to bandy words with a professional warmonger.

Even though she’s used her skills to save thousands, even tens of thousands, these past few centuries.

“I had my suspicions. I didn’t know for certain what had happened to the both of you until I trafficked Dark Fae myself, and learned more of their ways.” She raises an eyebrow at me now, before her penetrating gaze flicks to Lucca. As they stare each other down next, Illyria inhales. A strange glint enters her eyes as she shakes her head. “Both of the Summer Fae princes are Dark Fae, and have been for quite some time… what will our people think?”

“Our people don’t know about me yet.” Lucca’s face is hard as he stares our once-General down now. His bright rainbows churn around him with dark edges in the sunlight as he impresses his point to her.

More like my power than I’ve ever seen from him.

“And I won’t be the one to tell them, nor anyone here on this farm,” Illyria says as she stands tall. Though she’s a petite woman, the power that cascades off of her is enormous and always has been. I feel her magic roar off her now as she stares Lucca down in a stand-off, her rose gold power seething from her as it lights the morning up all around.

Before Lucca nods, acknowledging that we’re all on the same page.

Before we can say more to Ariana’s adopted mother, however, her adopted father steps through the open door of the manor. Dressed in a grey Victorian-style vest embroidered with gold, Adicus Briarwick moves down the porch stairs, his grey trousers complemented by russet men’s riding boots, and his white shirt rolled up to his elbows.

He reaches up and runs a hand through his short, tawny blond hair as he watches us. Though Adicus was always a tremendous power in the Darkwatch as their Tempest, their second-in-command, he’s never been a man of haste.

He does not hurry now as he takes us in. A gentilfae of deep thoughts and even deeper emotions, his emerald green eyes with their shadowy ring of grey take in everything about Lucca and me now as he approaches.

He goes to Ariana first, embracing her for a long while, silent. Deep love passes between father and daughter as they hold each other, though they have no words.

As Adicus sets his forehead against Ariana’s, simply being together, he closes his eyes and she does, too. Peace moves inside Ariana, then. For here is her stalwart support, the quiet solace in her life whenever her mother’s storm became too much.

The stillpoint and the rock of groundedness in any war—just like Adicus was for Lucca and me, long ago.

“Ragazzi.” Adicus looks at Lucca and me then, pinning us with his forest-and-shadow eyes. He puts an arm with subtle protectiveness around Ariana’s shoulder now, her mother’s arm slipping to her waist as she protects Ariana as well.

It doesn’t escape me that Adicus has just called us boys, like he used to long ago when Lucca was in the Darkwatch and Adicus found out about our clandestine relationship.

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