Queen Regnant ( Ace of Queens #3)

Ch.15 Travelers

Chapter 15

For the next several days, Mavi, Owen and Adam trained in the morning together. Owen would drive all of them out to the apple orchard at dawn and there Mavi practice shifting and walking around. She still couldn't fly. Owen had convinced her sometimes you needed to learn how to run before you could fly.....literally.

As the Friday before Mavis's birthday weekend approached, Adam made plans to go to the city and pick something out for his best friend's birthday. Owen called Liza, Mavi invited Becca and together they all accompanied the royals to the city.

"Last one," Adam begged as they stood in front of a store front at 5th Avenue.

"You've been saying that for the last 3 blocks!" Becca whines. Her arm was linked with Mavi and the tired creature laid her head on Mavi's shoulder. "Mavi, make him stop."

"Adam, we're tired." Mavi tried.

"Nonsense!" Adam dismissed them. "I haven't found the right gift yet!"

"I don't want anything," Mavi said once more to remind him.

"No one cares what you want," Adam rolled his eyes as he walked into the store. They were instantly greeted by pretty sale ladies in black who eagerly attended to what they needed. Adam chatted away with them as Mavi and Becca slumped on the white leather couches at the store.

Owen and Liza hovered in the background talking amongst themselves as they looked around, making sure everything was safe. Owen couldn't help notice how distracted Alec was. He walked up to his brother and stood watch next to him.

"Everything okay with you?" Owen asked.

Alec turned to look at him quickly, "Yeah. Yeah, everything is fine. Why?"

"You've been distracted," Owen said, keeping his eyes forwards.

Alec shrugged, "I haven't noticed."

"That's the point," Owen said grimmly.

Alec was about to turn and answer his brother when his eyes suddenly caught the door to the store opening. As he, Liza,and Owen all turned to see who was entering the store, Alec's heart froze.

Avni.

She had her phone between her shoulder and her ear as she rummaged through her purse.

"No, no. Next week is fine," She spoke into the phone, completely unaware of where she was walking into.

Alec's blood ran cold as he turned to look at his brother. As recognition flashed across Owen's face, Alec knew he was dead.

"Avni?" Mavi's eyes landed on the girl.

Avni looked up from her purse and froze in her tracks. She looked around, suddenly feeling like a bunny who had walked into a lion's den.

"Oh my god," Mavi jumped off the couch with Becca right behind her. "What a surprise!"

"Where have you been?" Becca demanded. "You haven't returned any of my calls in weeks."

As the two girls approached their old friend, they mirrored Avni by freezing. Their eyes moved down from Avni's face to her prominent baby bump.

Time stopped inside the store. Alec's eyes bounded around the room as everyone stared at Avni and her bump.

"What the heck?" Becca said in shock, breaking the silence. "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"

Avni didn't know what to say. Her eyes moved to Alec.

"Avni!" Becca ran up to the girl and grabbed her shoulders. "I'm your best friend and you didn't tell me this?"