Bleeding Ink

Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Adeena couldn't seem to stop smiling. Not when Cleo refused to let her out of her sight and stayed by her side, her hand tight around hers, as they walked through the palace toward the dining room where they were to meet with everyone. Not when they met up with Kav halfway there and he immediately grabbed Cleo up in a hug, planting a kiss on her laughing mouth. Not when Malik and Janan appeared a moment later, her arm looped through his as they smiled shyly at one another, or when Urell came in behind them, rolling his eyes. Not even when Malik's eyes widened so much at the sight of his brother and Cleo, especially when he caught sight of the glittering ring on her finger.

"What the hell is that?" he demanded when Kav finally put Cleo back on her feet.

"You already knew about us, idiot," Kav told him, rolling his eyes.

"Don't think I find it absolutely bizarre to see you two like this...but what about that ring?"

Kav laced her fingers through Cleo's, lifting her hand to kiss just below it. "And like I told you all those years ago, it would take her a while to finally answer yes to marrying me."

Janan grinned up at Malik, putting a hand on his arm. "I told you they were adorable."

All he did was grumble.

Cleo, on the other hand, almost immediately glared at the crown prince of Krahzara as she slowly strode over to him. The look even had Janan stepping away from him as the leopard Shamira curled protectively around her.

"For almost all our lives, you've kept my sister a secret from me," she told him, poking a finger to his chest. "You never once hinting that she was alive, never gave me the glimmer of hope I could have her back..."

He didn't back down, didn't even flinch even as her shadows curled around her wrist.

But he relaxed as soon as they disappeared and Cleo dropped her hand to her side as she blew out a breath.

"But you did make sure she was safe, even though she could probably take someone out faster than you could even think about drawing your sword. You made sure she knew about me, that I still loved her every single day, that I missed her more than anything. And I understand why you couldn't tell me about her. Because her secrets weren't yours to tell. I'm still mad at you about it, though."

Malik nodded, staring at her with regret in his eyes...and a small glimmer of hope. "You have every right to be...but I hope having her now allows you to forgive me even the smallest bit."

Cleo watched him carefully as everyone including Adeena held their breath...before she closed the short distance between them and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug. "It does," she told him quietly. "It definitely does. Thank you, Malik. Thank you so much for bringing her back to me."

"There's no reason to thank me, Cleo," he told her with a shake of his head, holding her just as tight. "If it had been up to me, I would have told you a century ago."

"It doesn't matter anymore, Malik. I have my sister back...and will have my grandfather soon, too. So, thank you."

They hugged each other for a few moments longer before Cleo finally let go, but then she was right back at Adeena's side, gripping her hand again while reaching for Kav's with the other.

"All right, dinner time," Cleo grinned over at Adeena. "And time for you to officially meet a small part of our Dalcaine family under normal circumstances."

Adeena smiled at the thought. She hadn't really gotten to say hello to Dessa, Elys, Milena, Eamon, or Archer, not when they were in the middle of a fight and certainly not when she was trying to help save Elys's life.