I sat down on one of the plush couches and pulled a luxuriously soft throw over myself and promised that I would wait to fall asleep until after Kiran was off the phone. However, it took all of three seconds before I stretched out on the perfectly soft couch and dozed off.

“Eden,” Kiran’s soft voice woke me from a deep sleep. I roused, realizing I hadn’t meant to fall asleep and suddenly felt frustrated that I had. “Would you like to move to the bedroom?”

“No,” I mumbled, the thought of leaving the warmth of the blanket sounded awful.

He lifted my head and put a pillow underneath it, before laying another blanket over me. I snuggled deeper into the couch and was almost asleep when I remembered Lilly.

“Is Lilly coming?” I asked, not even sure if Kiran was still in the same room.

“Yes,” he said softly.

“And is that Ok with her? If she didn’t want to come, she didn’t have to just for me,” I argued, but my voice was too gentle to convey any truth behind my words.

“Eden, Love,” Kiran replied soothingly, “I spend my life doing things for you, but Lilly is not one of them. This act of kindness is for Lilly. And for Talbott, I suppose,” he laughed to himself, but I was already lost in the world of dreams, my eyes shut tight and my mind drifting off into a peaceful sleep unconsciously feeling utterly safe and thankful for Kiran’s thoughtfulness.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I woke up the next morning feeling better than I had in a long time. A very long time. I stretched my body long on the couch and then propped myself up on my elbows to take in the apartment in the daylight. It was just as glamorous as it had been at night, only the sun streamed in through large windows casting long fingers of light over the ivory couches and dark wood floors.

I continued to scan the apartment from my place on the couch. The kitchen cabinets were the same color cream as the living room furniture with dark wood detailing and a camouflaged refrigerator that blended in. There was a large kitchen island that reminded me of Aunt Syl’s with bar stools and everything. A long table could be seen through the open doorway into the dining room. The dining room, decorated in deeper reds and golds, seemed more formal than the rest of the apartment.

I couldn’t see the two bedrooms from where I lay, but the master suite’s door was open and from my perch I could see Kiran standing with his back to me, shirtless. My breath caught in my throat as I watched him silently pull a t-shirt over his head, each muscle in his back rippling with the movement, his tanned skin perfect and golden brown. He pulled his shirt down to the waist of his jeans and then ran a hand through his tussled hair. My heart pounded wildly against my chest and when he started to turn around I threw my head back against the pillow pretending to be asleep again.

I definitely needed to pull it together. These feelings I suddenly felt for Kiran had to be controlled. First of all, they were nothing like the love I felt for Jericho. These were raw and passionate and…. physical. The love between us was long gone, and I was left with the residual emotions of a former relationship. I could control this. I could remember Jericho. I just needed to get away from Kiran first.

“Eden, you can open your eyes now, I’m fully clothed,” Kiran mumbled playfully, while walking into the kitchen.

“Yeah, thanks. Maybe next time, keep the door closed?” I suggested, keeping my face turned away from him to hide the burn of embarrassment written all over my cheeks.

“If that’s what I thought you wanted, I would,” he answered brazenly.

I couldn’t even reply to that. My mouth dropped open and I whirled around to face him. He stood at the island, smiling sheepishly at me, his eyes blazing and his hands fidgeting nervously with the counter ledge. I wanted to find the arrogant smirk I could detest easily, not this shy, hopeful version that made my stomach do jumping jacks.

“Oh, so now you’ve resorted to using your body to lure me in?” I joked, hoping to find some semblance of normality between us.

“If that’s what it takes….” His smile turned roguish. “It’s no more than what you to do me!” he accused and I almost fell off the couch.

“That is not true!” I protested, standing up in outrage. “I don’t do anything like that!”

“Then please don’t start,” his voice turned soft…. hoarse…. seductive…. “If you actually tried to capture my attention, I wouldn’t stand a chance.” His eyes fell over my body in the old expression that I couldn’t define, the one that came and went with every other thought in his head.

“Is this flirting?” I gasped playfully, calling him out.

He shrugged one shoulder and turned toward the cabinet for a glass. “There are clothes in the bedroom; I had your stuff brought up last night. We have school in an hour.”

“Do we have to go?” I whined. “I was perfectly happy to be a high school drop out!”

“That will just not do for a future queen,” Kiran reprimanded from the sink where he filled his glass with water.

“Ha! Like your father will ever let me be queen and you king,” I rolled my eyes.

“So you’ve given up on killing him, then?” Kiran asked casually, and I struggled how to respond. My gut told me to trust him, but my brain promised that he was still the enemy. As twisted, and confused as our relationship had become, he was still the Crown Prince, still fighting on the wrong side of this war.

“Obviously, I can’t discuss that with you,” I replied.

“Obviously,” he agreed, furrowing his eyebrows. I turned toward the bedroom again, but he stopped me, “Eden?”

“Hmmm?” I faced him again, hoping there would still be time to grab a shower before school. I was still in the clothes I wore during my kidnapping and my chest was caked in blood.

“About yesterday…. About the conversation with my father,” Kiran started, his fingers finding the counter ledge again. “That didn’t have anything to do with you. I know that I made it sound like you were my property, but in reality I just wanted my father to stop collecting Immortals. I didn’t know how else to go about it.”

“Are you telling me that you manipulated the king to get what you wanted and you used me to do it?” I gasped, pretending to be very offended.

“In so many words, yes, I guess so,” he smiled at my act.

“Truthfully, I’m flattered.” I smiled back and then left him alone. I closed the bedroom door and came to the conclusion that since Mr. Lambert was my teacher, he would expect me to be late. I eyed the huge shower with all of the different settings and decided that I definitely did not want to disappoint Mr. Lambert’s expectations of me.

----

I sat staring into space. School took place in the library, where a group of desks had been brought in and set up in a row with Mr. Lambert lecturing from a SMART Board. Because we were late, Kiran and I sat on the end, next to some tables that were designated as work space for us. This was like school back in Omaha, only smaller and I got called on even more often because there were less of us. Mr. Lambert had even started class this morning with a lecture on tardiness. Ok, it was after Kiran literally dragged me into class a half-hour late, but I thought a bullet to the chest allowed for a few minutes delay.

Apparently not.

I can’t do this! I shouted into Avalon’s head while Mr. Lambert droned on and on.

Ouch! Avalon shouted back. I realized then that he had been in the middle of something. Oops. Can’t do what?

School. This is awful! You get to drop out, why can’t I? I grumbled.

Are you kidding me? Gabriel has personally taken me on as a special project. I not only have to go through regular school crap, but religious classes as well! So don’t talk to me about how you’re your school sucks! I have it way worse! Avalon shot back and I stifled a laugh.

Still, I’d rather take classes from the all-wise Gabriel than nasally Mr. Lambert…. I tried getting the last word in.

Yeah right. Avalon laughed. At least in your classes every other sentence isn’t, “You are the chosen one, pay attention, the future of this kingdom depends on you!” or my personal favorite, “Become the man your grandfather believed you would be….” His life lesson switch just does not turn off!

This time I did laugh out loud. Mr. Lambert turned his head sharply to face me. I apologized quickly and pretended to give him my complete attention again. You just got me into trouble! I teased Avalon.

Story of your life, always blaming someone else for your problems. Avalon retorted back, sarcastically.

I made a mental pssht sound and dropped it. He might be right….

So what else do you want to talk to me about? Avalon asked intuitively.

There was something…. Something I desperately wanted to talk to him about. Something that I couldn’t even bring myself to think about. I pushed it down. Buried it.

Again.

What do you think about Christmas? I approached this topic carefully knowing that Avalon might have his own timeline in mind.

Do you mean to attack the castle? Avalon clarified, thinking it over slowly.

Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. I said confidently.

Why? I mean, I know why you want to attack the castle, but why then? I felt Avalon adjust his thinking to Christmas. He had been planning something later, something around our birthdays.

For starters, most of the kingdom will be here for the Winter Solstice v. If everyone is here when we kill him, there will be no confusion about who takes the credit. Not that credit is necessarily important, but I don’t want to see another Terletov try to take over. Also, I believe the general population is starting to change their thinking. Lucan is terrified, you should see, or I should say feel, how many Immortals he has locked up! He is paranoid beyond belief….

I know. He took Jericho’s parents. They work for him and he took them! Avalon exclaimed and a ball dropped in my stomach.

Is Jericho Ok? I gasped, feeling terrible about every mixed feeling I felt for Kiran.

What do you mean? Of course he’s fine. They’re not dead, they’re just in prison. Avalon explained roughly.

Well, I know that. That’s not what I mean. I internally shook my head.

Don’t worry about him, Eden, he’s a man, he’ll be fine.

Ok…. I sighed.

Other reasons for Christmas, let’s hear them. Avalon ordered. The plan took root in his mind; he was simultaneously listening to me while working out different scenarios in his head. I could see the Titan part of him shine; I watched how truly gifted of a military leader he was.

Well, I want to give you enough time to deal with the whole prisoner-infestation problem. And most importantly, Lucan is planning a memorial service for Amory, right? He is going to give the population an opportunity to mourn him. What better opportunity are we going to have? I would love to honor Amory’s memory…. I finished smugly.

Yeah, me too, right as I’m draining the last drop of magic from Lucan’s blood. Avalon laughed darkly.

Exactly. I agreed. Those were my thoughts.

Ok, I’ll run it by everybody. See what they think, but I like it. I don’t know if it’s feasible; it’s just a little more than four months away, so don’t get your hopes up yet. But if we can mobilize what’s left of us, if we can get inside the citadel walls during the Festival, you might just be right. It might be the perfect time. Avalon mused. I could sense him biting his thumbnail and was filling with pride, not just for my plan, but for my brother, the capable, brilliant general.