Page 101 of Premonition of Peace

I held up two hangers glaring at each dress as if they offended me personally. Clenching my jaw, I stormed out of my walk-in and presented both dresses to the mini audience in my room.

“Which one should I wear?” Three pairs of eyes found me.

The guys were scattered around my bedroom. Marcel had claimed the plush chair in the corner, his legs draped casually over the armrest, absorbed in a book. Lucifer was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his broad chest. August was occupied by the window seat where he’d been sketching something.

“Blue always looks lovely on you,” August volunteered first.

“Agreed.”

Marcel pondered for a moment before nodding. “Blue.”

I looked at the blue one critically before quickly changing. With the dress on and boots zipped over my calves, I made my way back into the main room heading for the floor-length mirrorclosest to the window seat. I fiddled with the hem of my dress and took a look in the mirror. I couldn’t seem to stop adjusting it, smoothing it out, and checking my reflection. My nerves had been in overdrive since Sasha texted me yesterday asking to get lunch. She’d been absolutely radio silent for the last month and I’d started to wonder if maybe our relationship could never be rectified.

Family dinners had been temporarily stalled in the aftermath but were meant to start again soon. Things weren’t as simple as they were before, for a number of reasons–chief of which being Sasha. I wasn’t sure how she felt about me and August getting together while she’d been gone, but I couldn’t imagine she was happy. In a lot of ways I’d been avoiding her as much as it felt like she was me. Sienna assured me it would be all right, but I wasn’t so sure until Sasha texted me about grabbing lunch.

I turned side to side, just about to declare that I was changing again, when August stood up and moved toward me. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on top of my head. We both looked at our reflections in the mirror, his slate blue eyes meeting mine in the glass.

“You look beautiful, sunling,” he said softly. “Stop stressing yourself.”

I grimaced slightly, the tension in my shoulders not easing. “I can’t help it,” I admitted. “Sasha knows we’re bonded but she’s been silent for weeks. I have no idea what she’s thinking or what to expect. What do I even say to her?”

“You tell the truth. You’ve found love and that’s okay. She’s still your friend and you want to be hers.”

I scoffed and said, “Yeah that sounds perfect. ‘Hey Sasha, sorry I bonded with your mate while you were trapped in the veil. Hope you’re doing fine.’”

August’s grip tightened reassuringly. “You’re allowed to make decisions that bring you happiness. It’s okay to prioritizeyour own needs sometimes. And you know as well as I do that she was never the one for me. Even without you in the picture, I wouldn’t have accepted her. You’re the only one I want, and you shouldn’t feel shame for wanting me too.”

Marcel, who had been absorbed in his book in the corner, looked up and gave me a gentle smile. “You’re always the one to sacrifice. The martyr,” he added. “After everything you’ve done for her and New Chicago, Sasha can get the fuck over it. It’s not like you wanted to hurt her. In fact, you tried everything not to. Sometimes we find people and we can’t help the way they make us feel.” Therapy had certainly helped him so far, but I got the feeling he was talking about more than me and August by the twinkle in his dark eyes.

“Sasha loves you,” Lucifer said, stepping forward. “She might be hurting, but she won’t hurt forever. It might seem like a long time to you, but both of you will see that in the grand scheme of things—finding a friendship like yours is rare. Even if it takes years, which I’m not saying it will, I know she’ll come around.”

I glanced between their reflections in the mirror and tried to let their words soothe the tension in me. With a deep breath, I gathered my thoughts and put my anxieties aside. I squeezed August’s hand comfortingly before I stepped out of his embrace.

“All right, I’m ready.”

Marcel closed his book. “Do you want me to teleport you, or would you rather drive?” he asked.

“I’ll take you up on that,” I said to Marcel after kissing Lucifer’s cheek.

August pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, wishing me luck. Then Marcel grabbed my hand and pulled me close. I felt the familiar rush of magic as we blinked out of my bedroom and reappeared outside the restaurant. It was the same place I had visited with Lucifer when Morgan Le Fay had interrupted our lunch.

I turned to Marcel, capturing his lips with mine before pulling away with a wobbly tilt to my lips. “Thank you.”

He flashed a warm smile and told me, “Enjoy your lunch with Sasha. Text me when you’re done and I’ll come get you.” With that, he blinked out of sight, leaving me standing in front of the restaurant.

Pulling open the door, I spotted Sasha almost immediately seated near a window. Her posture was slightly rigid as she looked at her menu. I made my way over to her, and she looked up, a tentative smile flashing over her face as I settled into the seat across from her.

Fuck, the awkwardness between us was palpable. Sasha glanced at the table. “I ordered you tea and a glass of water. I hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah, that’s perfect, thank you,” I replied. She nodded her acknowledgment. We fell into silence again, the kind that’s heavy with things unsaid. Picking up my menu, I pretended to pour over it, knowing that I was going to order the same thing I always did. It gave me something to do with my hands.

That distraction only lasted so long before she set her menu down and I mirrored the movement. The pregnant pause just carried on. I fidgeted with my napkin, trying to find something to break the uncomfortable quiet.

Finally, I spoke up, “How has the adjustment been for you?”

Sasha took a deep breath, her eyes flickering away as if searching for the right words. “It’s been. . . . challenging. Being in the veil for so long did things to me.”

“What do you mean?” I had known there would be consequences, but Sienna hadn’t mentioned anything. To be fair, she barely mentioned Sasha to me at all unless I asked.

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