I knew their Order drove them to competitiveness, but I guessed I’d just never spent so much time around the two of them together to realise how deeply that instinct ran.
“I am torn in two, my lady Darcy,” Geraldine said to me. “By my loyalty to you and my instinct to shun your Orry man until he is no more than a ghost of a shadow in my periphery. But I can overcome any obstacle for you, my queen.”
“Thank you, Geraldine,” I said and she rose from her seat, walking around to Orion and hugging him from behind, making him stiffen like he’d just been struck with a whip. “I see you Lance Azriel Orion. My eyes are wide open and there you are like a crisp apple balancing upon the bosoms of the stars.”
“Thanks,” he forced out. “I mean, not about me being a tit apple, but the other part.” He awkwardly patted her hand while subtly trying to unlatch her arms from him and she hurried back to her seat with a choked sob leaving her.
“Would it help if I dick punched anyone who ignored you?” Tory offered and I laughed.
“Is that your answer to everything, little savage?” Orion asked her with a smirk and she thought on it for a second.
“Most things, yeah,” she agreed and Darius frowned at her.
“How come you’ve never dick punched me then?” He almost sounded like he felt left out and she made a show of curling her fingers into a fist in front of his junk.
“Are you sure you wanna cash in on all the dick punches you’re owed?” she asked teasingly.
“Dick punch time,” Seth breathed, taking out his Atlas and pressing record.
“She’ll send your dick into orbit if she gives you what you’re owed,” Max pointed out to Darius, trying to casually take Geraldine’s hand beside him but she jabbed him away from her with a fork.
“What are you doing encroaching on my personal feeding space you Larry lobster?” she demanded of him, jabbing him harder with the fork and making him curse and yank his hand well out of the way.
We finished our meals and spent the rest of the evening discussing who the murderer might be, only to circle back around to the same conclusions. It could be anyone, so we had to keep our wits about us, cast security spells on our doors and always travel around the place in pairs. Surrounded by my friends, I wasn’t nearly as afraid as perhaps I should have been. I was among the most powerful Fae in Solaria, and if anyone could take on some sneak lurking in these tunnels, it was us.
When we left the dining hall, I invited everyone back to our room to try out Diego’s hat again. Caleb frowned around at our room as we arrived, immediately starting to decorate it with moss on the walls and glittering silver streaks through the ceiling. I smiled at the beautiful magic as I helped cast some chairs and a sofa out of rock with Tory, and Seth coated them all in thick moss before everyone sat down.
Darius cast a few everflames to warm the space and I sat crossed legged on the bed beside one while Orion dropped down at my side. Caleb and Seth dropped onto the sofa while the others took the chairs. I looked to Orion then started telling them everything we’d learned about Lavinia including the visions we’d seen, the things we’d learned within the hat before and everyone listened with rapt attention. Then I grabbed Diego’s hat out of the nightstand, knowing it was time to look for more answers, to see what other secrets this held.
I found myself just staring at it with my heart crushing and grief tearing up the inside of my throat. My eyes blurred with tears as I missed my friend and thought of the sacrifice he’d made for us in the woods when he’d tried to take on Lavinia.
Silence fell in the room and Geraldine sniffed loudly.
“Our dear, hatted friend,” she croaked. “He will not be forgotten. I shall write a ditty about his soul-weaved hat and his dear abuela, and we shall sing it to the stars so loud that he shall hear it beyond the Veil.”
I nodded, smiling sadly at Geraldine before turning to my sister who gave me an encouraging look.
“We need to all hold hands so you’ll see the memories too,” I explained.
Seth grabbed Caleb’s hand and Max took hold of his other one before snaring Geraldine’s hand too, and we connected the circle with Xavier, Tory and Darius.
“Are you sure we should be messing with this soul hat thing?” Tory glanced at the hat nervously and I knew she was worried about the feel of the shadows again.
“It’s okay, baby. I got you,” Darius said and she looked at him with the fire of her Order lighting up her eyes, making me feel all fuzzy for them as she nodded her agreement.