Page 75 of House of Demons and Bones

The horses launched forward, the carriage flying at high speed. We plunged into the mist. One blink, and we were gliding over an endless desert under a starlit sky. Next blink, the stallions were trotting across a bridge spanning a crystal lake, stopping at the foot of broad stone stairs that climbed to a glass mansion.

We were in the fae realm. This villa was Rowan’s safe lair, just like the dragon realm was Killian and Tyson’s sanctuary.

The group climbed the stairs flanked with exotic trees, shrubs, and blossoms, then entered the mansion. In no time, they all gathered on the terrace overlooking the lake. The air tasted of wine and spring.

The outdoor setup was the same. Plush chairs circled a long handcrafted wooden table laden with cheese soufflés, tarts, and cream puffs. My mouth watered, but I held back from taking control. This was Sy’s moment—her time to savor it.

Sy was beside herself, her eyes darting everywhere to drink in the view. She’d tagged along last time, but experiencing it firsthand hit on a different level.

Everyone settled around the table, Killian and Rowan flanking Sy while the heirs lined the other side. Bea perched at the end, taking it all in.

Rowan poured champagne for Sy before telling the heirs to help themselves. Sy grabbed a cream puff, fighting back tears of joy. She’d never dreamed of having a life like this, of being accepted this way.

That was all she wanted.

I want more, Barbie,she said.I want us to have a real future with children one day.

I swallowed, and my chest tightened. That future wasn’t for me, but I’d fight to give her that. Sy could live for both of us. My heart ached for Killian and Tyson, but they’d have to learn to go on without me. The oracle’s words were branded into my skull, and I knew that piece of dark prophecy was coming for me.

Sy took a big bite of a soufflé and moaned in pleasure. I remembered how rich and fresh it tasted. Funny how this worked—I could tap into her lust energy, but watching her enjoy food was like pressing my face against glass. Hunger clawed at me, but I shoved it down.

“So, a goddess, aren’t you, Sy?” Louis asked and swirled his crystal champagne glass. “No wonder when I first tasted yourblood, I tasted nectar and a piece of heaven.” He threw his blond head back and laughed. “Now it all makes sense. I drank from a goddess—the only goddess in existence.”

Sy snatched his champagne glass and downed the golden liquid.

“I’m not a goddess, princeling. Barbie is,” she said with a sly smile. “You drank from her. I enjoyed it, but she wasn’t thrilled.”

Killian shot Louis a harsh look. “I don’t care if you’re my brother—you’ll never drink from her again.”

“It’s about time we had a goddess among us,” Cade said.

“I knew Barbie and Sy were extraordinary from the moment I welcomed them into my house,” Silas said. “And I recognized right away that Barbie was a special shifter.”

Yeah, right. He’d pegged me as some low shifter, and when he’d been drawn to my power, he’d been pissed, thinking I wasn’t good enough for him, and backhanded me.

But I let it go. After all he’d done for me, it was water under the bridge.

“If you aren’t a goddess like Barbie, then what are you, Sy?” Cade asked. “And how does this work—the two of you share a body like twins?”

“They aren’t twins,” Rowan snapped, sounding every bit the irritated expert.

I figured I was best qualified to answer that question, so while Sy was mid-bite into an almond cookie, I took over. Sy sank within me, stumbling and hissing in displeasure as the cookie tumbled onto the plate.

Everyone at the table jumped except Killian. The other heirs would need time to adjust to seeing Sy and me shift back and forth. Bea pressed her hand to her heart, trying to steady herself.

“Next time, give us some warning, would you, Barbie?” Silas said with a smile.

“Couldn’t you at least let Sy finish the cookie?” Rowan scolded.

The dragon in Killian growled, a trail of fire departing his lips. Rowan didn’t seem impressed.

“If you want answers, that’s how it works,” Killian said. “Like it or not, my mate is the primary. She fought the battle and she’s drained. She needs to feed more than Sy.” He ignored Rowan’s scowl. “Eventually, we’ll need to solve this body-swapping situation.”

“I’m working on a way for Sy and me to separate,” I revealed, letting out an unsteady breath. “I need to find Moirai—she knows how to get it done.”

Killian and Rowan straightened, hope and joy lighting their eyes at the possibility. They had no idea what it would cost me.

The oracle’s warning echoed in my head.“A separation is coming. It will bring you the greatest pain, worse than the worst labor pain…When you’re in the pit of the darkest place where all lights go out and you think no one will ever come for you, and when you walk through the valley of death, utterly alone, and evil touches your soul…”

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