Page 49 of Dragon Prince of New York

“Um… no,” the woman, Violetta, says. “I’m not challenging your mating. Not exactly. But I feel duty bound to challenge your honor.” She picks up speed as she speaks. “I’d planned to wait until our Ra returned before addressing this, but…” She turns to face the group instead of us. “I saw Cyrus take advantage of Finley before the age of consent.” She looks back at us, almost apologetic, but there’s a touch too much of something else in her expression to make her seem truly contrite. “I’m sorry. I truly am. But Cyrus broke the goddess’s law, and that must have consequences.”

Cyrus told me it was against their culture—whatever that means—to be with someone before twenty-three, but thiswoman is making it sound like a much bigger deal than I thought.

"Is this true?" Another woman, tall and regal, steps forward. Damian is with her, and it’s only when she takes another step that I realize he’s supporting her elbow.

“Grandmother—” There’s a pleading tone in Cyrus’s voice.

This woman doesn’t look old enough to be his grandma, although on closer inspection I realize her hair isn’t just golden blonde, it’s streaked with white and there’s the tiniest crows feet around her eyes, but it’s really the frailty of her that convinces me she might actually be his grandma. She must have had kids very young.

“Perhaps,” Jethro says, “we’re overreacting a bit. She’s his mate.” He forces a laugh as if trying to get others to join in and return to the celebratory atmosphere of before. “Does it really matter if they kissed a few days before her birthday when—”

“You knew?” Cyrus’s grandmother asks.

Jethro hedges. “A friend can guess at these things.”

The way Cyrus stiffens beside me tells me Jethro didn’t just have a guess. Maybe Cyrus told him after he pushed me away in front of him? The thought eases some of the hurt of that moment.

“And, like you,” Jethro glances at Violetta, “I wanted to wait to discuss things with Midas, not in such an unnecessarily public setting.”

Cyrus’s grandmother turns to Damian. “Put Cyrus in solitary confinement until Midas returns.” She straightens, a show of strength, as Damian steps toward us.

I place myself between Damian and Cyrus. “This is bullshit. I don’t know anything about your fucked up cult, but you’re forgetting that I’m an adult, definitely of age, and far from innocent if you get my drift. There was no taking advantage that occurred here.”

Damian hesitates and his grandmother’s brows knit, but then her face goes stoic again. “We must follow the law until the matter can be discussed with the priests.”

Priests? Shit, it really is a cult. What the hell did Jess get herself involved in?

Violeta takes Cyrus’s arm with a clear intent to drag him off, but he yanks it away. “I can walk on my own. I won’t be manhandled.” He turns to me, kisses my cheek, and whispers, “I’m so sorry. I tried. I did try.”

Tears make my vision watery. “This isn’t fair. I’m the one who pushed him.”

“And he’s the one who knew the law,” his grandmother says.

Like a painting being put in a different frame, my experiences with Cyrus over the last two weeks reorient themselves in my mind. This is what he was trying to avoid. He wasn’t pushing me away, he was trying to prevent whatever shit this is.

Cyrus steps off the coffee table, and I jump down behind him. The crowd parts.

“If you’re taking him to some kind of prison or punishment or whatever the fuck, I’m going with him.” I take his hand and grin up at him. “I have plenty of ideas for what we can do in solitary confinement.”

His grandmother blocks our path. “I don’t think you understand the meaning of solitary, dear.”

“I don’t think you understand that I’m not leavingmy mate. Either let me go with him or I’m going to the cops and telling them about your little cult.”

“We’re not a cult.”

“You’re forcing someone to do something they don’t want to and acting like a pompous ass. Seems like a cult to me.”

The corner of her lip twitches ever so slightly. Then she’s motioning with one finger, and Damian and Aeson are taking hold of my arms.

A growl turns into puffs of smoke that pour out of Cyrus’smouth. “Get. Your. Hands off her.”

His grandmother places delicate fingers on his shoulder. “None of us want to see you separated from your mate. But this needs to be handled carefully or the entire family line could be put in question. Uphold the law, let me talk to the priests, and be patient.” She turns to face me. “You too, Ra’ia. It seems Midas and Jeslyn have done a poor job educating you, and it’s time that changed. All I ask is that you wait until speaking with your sister before you do anything drastic.”

“Running to the cops probably wouldn’t do any good anyway,” I mutter under my breath, realizing that a group like this of wealthy, influential people probably have plenty of friends in government and law enforcement.

Damian and Aeson slowly let go of me. I force myself to stay where I am. Cyrus takes big gulps of air, clenching and unclenching his fists. He takes one step, stops, looks at his grandmother, then waits for her brief nod before pulling me into his chest. “This is just for now, understand? We’ll be together soon.”

Then, he gives me a devastating kiss. A kiss full of promises I finally believe.

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