Page 43 of Dragon Fires Everywhere
Azrael gets that shifty sort of look on his face, the way he did when he talked about my parents’ friendship with the Wildes.“I’ll take the opportunity to wander off and then not return for a bit.”
I’m frowning at my parents, but I turn it on him. “Are you sure you should disappear so soon?”
“The sooner I’m off, the sooner I can be back.” He shrugs, but that grin tells me he’s looking forward to his mission tonight.“Who knows what trouble I might run into?”
I frown harder at him, but his gaze is on my parents as he bends over and brushes a kiss across my cheek.
Because that’s the ruse, I remind myself as my entire body shivers into wildfire and longing. We’re supposed to be a couple.And couples kiss. There is no need toignitein the middle of the holiday party.
No need for wild daydreams aboutfate.
My fake boyfriend looks down at me, a flash of another fire, like something is confirmed. Then he prowls off. And when I turnto look back at my parents, I can see my mother heading toward me in her usual forthright, prow-of-a-ship way, my father trailingbehind.
I fix a bright smile on my face. “Mom. Dad.”
“Georgina,” Mom replies, and there’s a very distinct difference between the wayshesays my full name and the way Azrael says it.Sheis full of cold disdain, not all that lovely spark and flame.
But there’s no point thinking of dragons who aren’t in the room. “It’s good to see you.”
Mom’s smile is frigid, as usual. “Is it? It seems to me that if that were true, we would have seen you before now.”
She leans forward, and there’s that brittle anger swathed all around her that I haven’t seen in a while. Mostly because Iavoid it—and her—but also because being part of the lead coven is kind of a big deal. Even to her. I was beginning to imaginethat she might actually be proud of me for once.
“Did I just see you... kissing ahuman?” she asks in a horrified tone.
I stare at her blankly. Azraelbarelykissed my cheek.
“I’ll have to introduce you to Pete some other time,” I say. “He wasn’t feeling well. Too much American food, I think. Did I mention I met him in England?”
“Pete,” my mother echoes. “Of course it’s aPetefromEngland. I need a drink.”
But when she marches off, Dad remains. I givehima real smile. I may not understand why he stays with my mother, but he’s always been my soft place to land. I’m gratefulfor him.
“I already met my reading goal for the year,” he says, as if the entire interaction with my mother didn’t happen. “Isn’t thatsomething?”
I rest my arm across his shoulders. “It is quite the achievement. What was the best one?”
He tells me about some thousand-page tome from the fourteenth century, and normally I would listen intently, but I’m thinkingabout a million other things tonight. Azrael and magical creatures. Artifacts and spells. Cold Moons and long, dark nights,some of them spent high in the sky, surrounded by stars.
Dad gives me a little squeeze. “I should head back to your mother. It was good to catch up, princess.”
“You too, Dad. Once we’re fully ascended, you’ll have to come by and see the archives.”
He nods, but pauses. And he doesn’t leave or take his arm from around my waist. “Just remember, when you get all those factsyou’re so fond of, not to forget that facts are not always thewholestory.”
I stare at him. “What does that mean?”
Dad squeezes me again, an odd expression on his sweet face. “You’ll always be my little princess.”
He says this like he’s saying goodbye. “Hey,” I say. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course it is.” But he looks sad now. I’m sure he does, even through the smile. “I’m proud of you and your coven. It’smaking me sentimental.”
I guess that makes sense, but the interaction still leaves me feeling... off.
As my father shuffles off to find my mother, I see Dane and Cailee Blanchard walk in, arm in arm, wreathed in smiles. I betthat to everyone in the room they probably look like the perfect, happy couple—if you like that kind of smug blondness.
But I know they’re not.
