“Is everything okay?” I muttered as she gritted her teeth.
“Yeah. I’m just feeling a little tired today,” she said in frustration just as her magic slammed into mine and I gasped at the collision, getting used to feeling the might of all that power as one.
I tipped my head back to look up in the direction of the stars beyond the cavern roof, unsure if I actually had to say the words or what they wanted from us, but as soon as I thought about wanting the marriage between Catalina and Lionel dissolved, I felt the presence of the stars all around us.
I sucked in a sharp breath as the whispers of the eternal beings slipped through the air and seemed to brush through my hair like soft fingers, exchanging a look with my sister as we both held our intentions clearly in our minds and like a sudden downpour of rain upon my cheeks, I felt the magical bond which we were trying to affect fall apart.
The stars seemed amused by the relief that tumbled through my chest and the next thing I knew, they were retreating, leaving us alone once more and turning their attention elsewhere as I focused on pulling my magic back and separating it from Darcy’s.
I released her hand and she stumbled as she withdrew, managing to keep her feet at the last second and laughing at herself as she muttered an apology.
“Did it work?” Geraldine cried, drawing my attention to her wide eyes and clasped hands as she waited desperately for the news.
Hamish and Catalina were holding hands, looking to us hopefully too and I couldn’t help but grin as I nodded.
“You’re free,” I told Catalina and Hamish howled like a dog baying for blood as he swept her into his arms and dipped her back like they were finishing up some old Hollywood movie as he kissed her deeply and Geraldine started sobbing.
When they finally broke apart, Hamish dropped to one knee and pulled a sapphire ring box from his back pocket, flipping the lid open and presenting a ring with a rose quartz crystal the size of a freaking egg to Catalina as he got all choked up and found himself unable to even ask the question.
“Yes!” she cried, lunging for him and kissing him so hard that they fell back onto the floor, the ring crushed somewhere between them as we backed up and laughed, trying not to get knocked over by their exuberant display.
“The wedding shall occur on the new moon to give it the most wondersome of blessings!” Geraldine announced, taking off running without another word, her arms flapping in the air as she barked excitedly.
“Isn’t the new moon in like two days?” Darcy asked me, grinning as we backed away a little more while Hamish and Catalina continued to make out like a couple of horny teenagers.
“If anyone can pull off the wedding of the century in two days it’s Geraldine Grus,” I replied as we started heading for the royal quarters.
“So how much shit are you going to give Darius for running off on you like that?” Darcy teased, knowing me all too well.
I smirked, shrugging innocently. “Only as much as he can handle. Besides, I get the horrible impression that he’s been deluding himself into believing I’ve gone soft since we got together properly. I think he needs reminding of exactly who he’s dedicating himself to.”
“Well just warn me if world war three is going to break out down here because I get the feeling you’ve met your match in that one, and I’m a little worried you’ll bring the roof of this place down on all of us if you really get into it.”
I laughed, not disagreeing because she knew me well enough to know that would be bullshit.
We went our separate ways as we made it to the royal quarters where we could hear Geraldine sobbing and gushing about the news to anyone and everyone, and I peeled off to go find my Dragon and give him hell for scaring me like that.
I strode up the corridor quickly, reaching our room and disabling the magical locks to pull the door wide.
My heart did that insane skittering thing as my eyes fell on him and I stilled, taking in the sight of him lying in the heart of a heap of treasure, chains around his neck, rings on his fingers and a couple of crowns perched lazily on his head, tilting to one side.
His chest was still bare, and blood stained his inked skin from several wounds which he still hadn’t healed, and I guessed that was down to him lacking in magic. I frowned as I spotted a set of four raised pink scars on his side, my throat bobbing as I remembered the wound Clara had given me when she’d tried to drag me into the shadow realm, and a thousand questions about what the fuck had happened at the academy rushed to my lips, halting there as I gave myself a moment to process this rush of emotion.