Violet woke up to a very distinct voice humming a lody, familiar fingers gently running through her hair.
Roman Draven.
"Hello, darling." Roman was all smiles, his eyes lighting up like Christmas had co early.
"Goddess," Violet groaned, stretching. Her body hurt like hell, almost as if a train had crashed into her and ran her over again and again. The last thing she rembered was—
"Oh shit." She shot upright as mories of the training ground ca flooding back.
Roman sat up with her at the sa ti. "I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not what it looks like—"
But Violet wasn’t listening.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and nearly collapsed, barely managing to brace herself against the wall. Her legs had gone weak, like overcooked spaghetti.
She lost control.
How many people did she hurt?
Violet swallowed.
How many did she kill?
Roman sensed the panic imdiately. "No one died," he said quickly. "Annequin handled it. Just so... err... structural damage. Nothing the Fae can’t fix."
Relief hit Violet so hard her knees almost gave out again.
A huge weight left her chest. She would never have forgiven herself if innocent lives had been lost because of her.
"Wait." Her brow furrowed. "Did you say Annequin—"
Before Roman could answer, Griffin walked in carrying a tray. His eyes softened the mont he saw her awake.
"Perfect timing," he said, approaching the bed.
That was when Violet saw the bowl sitting on the tray.
Tonic.
She made a face instantly.
"Co on, love. It’s for strength," Griffin coaxed, lifting the bowl toward her.
Violet sighed and took it reluctantly.
One would think that with how advanced the Fae were, their dicine would be better. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Like most tonics, it looked like a murky poultice—and tasted just as bad. Acrid, thick, and burning down her throat.
Might as well have been cow poop.
Violet downed the rest of the tonic in one go and imdiately grimaced, sticking her tongue out like a wronged child.
"Ugh. That’s disgusting."
Roman, who had been watching her with far too much interest, ca closer, his smile turning wicked. "Want sothing sweet?" he winked. "I could kiss the bitterness away."
Violet rolled her eyes, already used to Roman’s antics.
Griffin shook his head in disbelief. "She’s just waking up and you’re already like this."
"Soone always have to be ready for action, if you know what I an." Roman said without sha.
Then it dawned on her, sothing, or rather, soone was missing.
She glanced around the room, frowning. "Wait. Where are Asher and Alaric?"
Roman’s grin stalled. He and Griffin shared a look—the quick and silent kind that instantly put Violet on edge.
"They stepped out," Griffin said after a beat. "Shouldn’t be long."
Violet opened her mouth to bombard them with more questions when Asher and Alaric walked in almost together, their presence filling the room.
Violet barely had ti to register Asher’s dark, assessing gaze before Alaric spotted her fully awake.
Relief flashed across his face.
"Hey," he breathed.
Then he covered the room space in three long strides, cupped her face, and kissed her. It was not rushed nor gentle. It was just the kind of kiss that said thank the heavens you’re safe, and please, don’t ever scare like that again.
Violet lted into it before she could stop herself. When he finally pulled back, Alaric smacked his lips thoughtfully.
"You taste..." he paused.
Violet raised a brow, waiting.
"...dicinal?"
Roman burst out laughing, unapologetic and absolutely scornful. "Oh, that’s tragic."
Alaric shot him a glare.
Then, clearly unwilling to lose, he leaned in again and kissed Violet once more—longer this ti—before pulling back and made a smug face at Roman, trying to prove it was nothing.
Violet almost laughed. She was exhausted, sore – and slly — and yet, still the center of so ridiculous unspoken competition she never agreed to enter. However, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
When it was Asher’s turn, he didn’t kiss her.
Instead, he stepped into her space and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him as if this was where he belonged, and there was nowhere else in the world he would ever return to but her.
Violet relished every mont of it.
Asher held her tightly, one hand resting at the small of her back, while the other threaded slowly through her hair, his touch relaxing. His thumb then traced small, soothing circles against her spine, massaging away the tension she hadn’t even realized she was carrying.
The hug lasted far longer than necessary. And it felt like ho.
When he finally pulled back, Asher didn’t let go completely. His hands stayed on her arms, anchoring her. His unique stunning eyes searched her face like he was cataloging every breath she took, every flicker of emotion.
"Don’t worry about anything," he said. "It’s been handled."
Violet swallowed and nodded. That was all she could manage.
She and Asher might not have a mate bond yet, not in the way the others did—but sotis it felt like he lived inside her head. Like he knew what haunted her before she could even na it. Asher brought her safety none of her mates could ever give her.
Not that the others wouldn’t protect her when there was danger, but Asher was simply Asher.
Violet lowered her gaze, suddenly conscious of her body. "I need to bathe, I feel err... uncomfortable."
Asher nodded imdiately. "Of course. Go ahead." His expression went from tender to serious. "You don’t have any more training today. And later, we have sothing to talk about."
That made her heart thud. What happened this ti? Asher hardly talked about sothing if it wasn’t serious.
So Violet stood quickly and crossed to the wardrobe, grabbing a fresh set of clothes, anticipation buzzing under her skin.
Just as she turned toward the door, Roman’s voice cut in lazily.
"Want to give you a hand?"
Violet didn’t even look back. She simply lifted her middle finger in his direction and kept walking.
Roman’s laughter echoed behind her.
This was it. The life she wanted. One where she could fight with the boys, love them fiercely, and still laugh at the end of the day.
The bath was quick as she scrubbed away the lingering ache, her thoughts circling back to Asher’s words. What in the world happened this ti? Was it related to the havoc she caused today? What secret were they hiding from her?
When Violet was done, she slipped into a long, floral dress. She hardly ever went for styles like this and barely recognized the girl staring back at her in the mirror. She looked cute. Innocent.
She wasn’t cute. At least not in that girlish, princessy—no offense to her title—kind of way. She was a gorgeous rebel, the kind of girl most mothers warned their sons to stay away from. And not even being a princess would change that.
Nonetheless, she kept the dress on. It wouldn’t hurt to switch personas once in a while. Maybe stir things up a little.
Now that she thought about it, since the Queen’s order, she and the cardinal alphas hadn’t done anything "too" extre.
But now they’d be alone, and after that conversation, they could do one or two things. They’d just make sure Alaric didn’t go overboard and get them into trouble. There was already enough damage for one day.
There was no one in the bedroom when Violet stepped out from the bathroom and surmised they’d moved to the sitting room for the conversation.
So with her damp hair running down her shoulders, Violet walked into the parlor with a dramatic twirl, hoping she’d draw attention to her with that move.
Except when Violet spun to a halt, she didn’t get the attention she was expecting.
Soone else was there.
"All that twirling just for , Princess Violet? I’m so honored." Annequin drawled, grinning up at her knowingly.
Violet’s smile vanished instantly.
What the hell was this bitch doing here?
Annequin sat alone on one side of the room, posture composed, elegant, and utterly at ease, as if this space belonged to her. On the opposite side, Violet’s mates were clustered together in one corner, wary as hell, their body language screaming distance, as though proximity alone might invite disaster.
Annequin caught the shift in Violet’s expression and feigned innocence. She lifted a hand to her mouth, eyes wide. "Oops. Sorry. Am I interrupting sothing?"
Her gaze fell over Violet, bright with amusent. "Is that one of those mating dances animals do before they pounce?" she added lightly. "I didn’t take you for the twirling type, Violet."
Violet’s face darkened.
She had never fought the urge to kill soone as hard as she was fighting it now.
Roman was the first to break the tension. He said quickly, "I didn’t invite her, I swear."
Violet inhaled slowly, forcing her temper down before it could explode. Then she looked straight at Annequin and asked, her voice tight with barely restrained fury,
"What the fuck are you doing here?"
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