We made it into the dining quarters where Fae had already arrived, looking to us through sleepy eyes as curiosity filled their expressions.
“Joyous day!” Hamish cried. “We shall have a feast, and we shall drink until we cannot drink anymore. Come, gather, fetch whatever you can as an offering to our queen and her mate.”
The rebels ran forward to obey, looking over everyone’s heads and craning their necks to try and get a look at us both. I felt more observed than I had been the entire time I’d been here and I found I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the attention, but anything was better than being fucking Power Shamed, because with each passing glance came smiles and waves and kisses blown our way.
They were looking me in the eye and they saw someone worthy again. They saw a Fae whose status had not only been returned to him, but had just gone up the power rank several levels by being mated to a Vega princess.
Someone placed a glass in my hand and I realised the Oscura Wolves were here, led by Dante and Rosalie with bottles of Arucso wine in their grasp.
“Drink, amici. Che le stelle benedicano ogni giorno che condividi insieme,” Dante said in his native tongue, filling my glass and Darcy’s before filling a golden chalice in his hand. I didn’t know what he’d said, but I liked the sound of it, so I was happy to drink to it.
We clinked our cups to his and I gulped down the sweet wine, finding the Wolves breaking into dance as someone got music playing and the lights were turned down low.
Gabriel appeared next, clasping the back of my neck and resting his forehead to mine for a moment with a big ass smile on his face before leaning down to kiss Darcy’s cheek.
“The stars hid this from me,” he laughed. “I thought your relationship was doomed.”
“Thanks for telling us.” Darcy punched his arm and Gabriel chuckled.
“I always hoped a new path would arise for you both. I am so damn pleased.”
Leon barrelled past him, licking my whole face before descending on Darcy and I wiped the saliva off my face, not even giving a fuck about it as an Oscura Wolf filled my glass again and I took another long swig.
“I got you gifts!” Leon announced, placing a wreath of gaudy flowers around my neck with a little picture of Darcy glued to it. He placed one over Darcy’s head with a photo of me that was definitely the one posted on the Zodiac Academy website. I looked like a grumpy asshole in a suit. “I had a couple of Mindys put them together super fast, they came out great though, didn’t they?”
“Wonderful.” I plucked at the hideous thing, but didn’t bother to take it off.
“Mindys?” Seth asked in confusion as he stepped up beside me nibbling on a doughnut with his red tassled cowboy hat in place on his head. “What are they?”
“Just Fae who wanna serve me,” Leon explained simply, his eyes slipping up to the hat. “The hex hasn’t set in then yet?” He asked in a mumble.
“What?” Seth asked, clearly not hearing him.
“Nothing – ooh conga line!” Leon bounded away to join the Oscura Wolves as they lined up, grabbing Rosalie’s hips and kicking out his legs as they all started congaing around the room.
“Oh Lance,” Catalina sighed as she approached us next and I was distracted from what Leon had said. Darius’s mother took hold of mine and Darcy’s hands as she gazed between us with watery eyes. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you,” I said as Darcy moved to hug her tight and my heart squeezed with affection for Catalina. She’d become very precious to me in the time we’d spent together down here, and I couldn’t help but think of her like a parent. She drew me into her arms next, placing a kiss in my hair and I held her against me, breathing in her scent as the comfort of her aura surrounded me.
She headed off to dance with Hamish as he reappeared dressed in a brown suit with a bright pink bowtie at his throat. Most of the rebels were half dressed or in their pyjamas, joining in with the celebrations as the party quickly grew wild.
Some of the Oscura Wolves got hold of us, throwing us above their heads with air magic and bouncing us all across the heads of the crowd, Darcy’s laughter making the bond burn even brighter at how happy she was.
When we were back on our feet, we danced and danced, our friends joining us until we were surrounded by the best people I knew and had fresh drinks in our hands.
As the night wore on, and I became progressively less sober, it seemed every rebel in The Burrows wanted to come and talk to me, praising the stars for releasing me from my shame.