Page 54 of Embers of Fate
“Will you challenge my claim to the Deveraux Witch?” Gavriil asks, his voice carefully neutral, betraying none of the emotion that must be churning beneath the surface.
“I will not,” Nik replies, and I feel a rush of relief so strong it makes me dizzy. At least there will be peace between our families, a truce that’s been a long time coming.
“Then we have an agreement.” Gavriil rises from his seat, his hands smoothing over the arms of the sofa in a gesture of finality. The meeting is over, and with it, the tenuous courtesy he’s extended to Nik.
I heave a sigh, pushing myself to my feet, ready to show Nik out and try to salvage what’s left of my dignity. But then he speaks again, his words freezing me in place like a deer caught in headlights.
“There’s something else,” he says, his tone even, almost casual, as if he’s not about to drop a bombshell that will change everything.
“Oh?” Gavriil cocks his head, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“I would like your permission to date Samara,” Nik continues, and my heart stops beating, my breath catching in my throat as the world seems to tilt on its axis.
Did he really just say that? Am I dreaming, or have I finally lost my mind?
But no, it’s real, it’s happening, and the look on Gavriil’s face is one of pure, unadulterated shock.
“You—what?” Vlad sputters, his composure cracking like a pane of glass.
“No,” Gavriil snaps, his voice harsh and unyielding.
But Nik doesn’t back down, doesn’t falter. “I love her,” he says simply, his eyes finding mine, holding me captive with the depth of emotion I see there. “And I believe she feels the same way.”
Gavriil flinches as if he’s been slapped, his gaze darting to me, searching my face for confirmation, for denial, for something. “Samara?” he asks, his voice strained, almost pleading.
And I nod, a tiny, barely perceptible movement that feels like the greatest act of defiance I’ve ever committed. Because it’s true, it’s always been true, and I’m done hiding it, done pretending that my heart doesn’t beat for Nik and Nik alone.
“Gavriil,” Vlad hisses, his tone a warning, a reminder of the line we’re crossing, the taboo we’re shattering.
But my brother just takes a hand to his brow, his fingers massaging the tension there. “I know, Volodya,” he mutters, his voice rough with resignation. “I know.” He looks away, his hand sliding down to cover his mouth, a telltale sign that he’s holding back, that he’s fighting the urge to speak his mind.
And then he’s turning back to Nik, his eyes hard and unyielding. “You’re a fuckingdragon,” he says, his tone dripping with venom. “Do I even have a say in this?”
Nik tilts his head, a shrug rippling through his broad shoulders. And I know, in that moment, that he’s won. That Gavriil, for all his bluster and bravado, is no match for the force of nature that is Nikolaas Draken.
“Yes, you may date,” my brother grits out, the words like broken glass in his mouth. “You’re bound to split up, anyway. Love never lasts.”
But I barely hear him, barely register the bitterness in his voice. Because Nik is rising to his feet, his hand finding mine, his fingers lacing through my own like they were made to fit there.
“Thank you,” I breathe, my heart soaring as I cling to his arm, my fingers digging into the hard muscle beneath his shirt.
Gavriil sneers, waving a dismissive hand in our direction. “Please,” he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Spare me the PDA.”
Nik frowns, confusion and uncertainty flickering across his face. “The PDA?” he murmurs, glancing down at me for clarification.
I feel my cheeks heat, a blush staining my skin as I bite my lip to keep from grinning like a fool. “Public display of... affection,” I explain, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Oh, I see.” Nik nods, a slow smile spreading across his face. “I thought I could take her on a date.” He turns to me, ocean eyes boring into mine with an intensity that steals my breath.
“That sounds fun,” I blurt out, my heart racing at the thought of spending time with him, of being able to show the world that we’re together, that we belong to each other in every way that matters.
“Yeah, yeah,” Gavriil mutters, already walking away, his shoulders tense and his jaw clenched. “Do whatever you want.”
Vlad follows close behind, but not before shooting me a look that’s equal parts warning and concern. I know he’s worried about me, about the path I’ve chosen, but I also know that he’ll support me, no matter what. Because that’s what family does.
And then it’s just Nik and me, alone in the parlor, the air thick with the weight of everything that’s just happened. He takes my hands in his, his thumb stroking across my knuckles in a gesture that’s so tender, so achingly sweet, that I feel like I might cry.
“I have a surprise for you,” he whispers, his voice low and intimate. “Will you come with me?”
