The vines rustled as they moved across the glass, and then one of them caressed her hand. She almost jerked her fingers away from the exploring vine that wiggled in the air like a caterpillar in search of a more stable perch but stopped herself before she did.
When she left her hand on the bench, the tip of the vine brushed her finger again before encircling it. The vine enclosed her finger and hand before stopping at her wrist. There, it rose a couple of inches in the air and wiggled its tip like it was waving at her.
Lexi giggled and waved back. When she did, it dipped down and curled into itself a little. It was as if it were ducking bashfully before rising to poke her arm. When she held out her palm, it tapped her as if they were exchanging a high five.
She’d never seen anything like these amazing flowers before; she could spend every day in here playing with them. And they were playful.
The vine relinquished her hand and slid forward until it rested on her lap. Lexi stroked its leaves as it settled there like a dog looking for love. As she caressed the leaves, more vines slid forward until they covered both her hands and her lap.
One of them brushed against Cole’s mark before tapping it as if in recognition. Then it snuggled close against her neck.
There were so many of them, but she didn’t feel uneasy around the plants. Instead, she felt safe and protected beneath their growing weight and the patch of green encompassing her lower half. Resting her head against the glass again, she closed her eyes as she tilted her face toward the sun and moon.
Lexi wondered how Orin and Sahira were getting along, but she would find out soon enough. Tonight, after the ceremony, she would tell Cole about Orin. Once she did, he would want to see his brother. She didn’t know what would happen afterward.
Until then, she planned to enjoy this room and these plants. When she closed her eyes, the warmth of the room and the comfortable weight of the vines lulled her into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter Forty-Nine
“What are you doing here?”
The question, barked at her in a haughty tone, jerked Lexi from sleep, and her eyes flew open. For a second, she had no idea where she was as the weight in her lap and the green surrounding her was unfamiliar.
When the vines shifted and some of the flowers turned toward the room, she recalled where she was. Blinking against the sleep still clinging to her, she rubbed her eyes and yawned as she studied the sky.
She didn’t know how much time she spent asleep, but it couldn’t have been long as the sun and moon had barely moved. Lowering her hands, she looked around the room in confusion as she recalled someone had woken her. Her heart sank when she spotted Becca standing in the doorway.
When she sat upright, most of the vines slipped away, but a couple remained to brush the tips of her fingers like they were seeking to give her support as Becca glowered at her. With a sigh, Lexi rose and straightened her red T-shirt before smoothing her jeans.
“I was enjoying some peace,” she said.
“You don’t belong here,” Becca retorted.
“Cole asked me to stay here, so yes, I do.”
Fury simmered in Becca’s black eyes. “You shouldn’t be wandering around the palace. This is not a place for you.”
“I asked Cole if I could explore it, and he said yes.”
“This room is off-limits.”
“The luna flowers have welcomed me, so I don’t think it is.”
Becca’s upper lip curved into a sneer as her gaze raked disdainfully over Lexi. “Do you think you’re different because you’re fucking him? Do you know how many of us he’s been inside?”
Unable to stop herself, Lexi recoiled as Becca’s words struck her like a blow to the gut. Cole had a past with women, and he was part dark fae, so it was an extensive past, but she hated the stark reminder that there were countless women before her.
It doesn’t matter. You’ll be the last woman.
That was true, but she couldn’t think about Cole being with this woman. If she did, she might throw up. Becca was disgusting and hateful and one of the worst beings Lexi ever had the misfortune of encountering.
She was right up there with Malakai, except where he preferred physical assaults, Becca was all about the verbal abuse. And this bitch knew exactly where to strike to hurt her the most.
Although being in this woman’s presence made her physically ill, and she’d much prefer to get as far from her as possible, she refused to back down from the malicious creature.
“No, I don’t know,” she said. “But I do know how many of you he’ll be in after me. And that is zero.”
The harsh bark of laughter Becca released grated on Lexi’s nerves. When the vines moved around the room and slid across the floor, Lexi realized they were creating a small barrier between them. She appreciated what the leaves were doing, but the plants couldn’t help if Becca decided to attack.
“Oh, honey, you’re nothing special,” Becca said in a condescending tone that dripped venom. “You’re a mousey little thing he’s using to keep himself entertained. Sometimes, we all enjoy a little unusual.”
“Oh, honey,” Lexi drawled. “You just keep deluding yourself.”
With that, she turned and strode toward the other doorway. She refused to back down from this woman, but she didn’t have to stand here and listen to her either.
When she left the moon room behind, she glanced back to discover the vines had dropped from the ceiling to create more of a barrier between her and Becca.
Keeping her shoulders back and her chin high, Lexi strolled down the hallway as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She walked as if everything inside her wasn’t clamoring to return to the moon room and beat that bitch into a bloody pulp.
Becca’s words were nothing but vitriol and lies; however, they’d rattled her more than Lexi cared to admit. If she was going to be Cole’s queen, then she would have to reside here with that woman, who was a member of the council, had power in this realm, and hated her.
And how many other women were out there who would hate her too?
She’d never been hated before, but she was now, and she didn’t like it. It would be one thing if she was despised because she was an awful person or did something to deserve it, but all she’d done was fall in love with a man who had questionable taste in women.
And she didn’t care that she was one of those women.
When she sensed the presence behind her, she glanced over her shoulder and spotted Becca coming after her. Lexi mentally reviewed everything Brokk taught her, but she didn’t know how much good her training would do against a dark fae who could control the elements.
She should have brought her dagger with her, but she left it in her bag in Cole’s rooms. She hadn’t expected a threat in the palace.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Becca demanded.
Lexi didn’t answer as she casually tried to open one of the doors; it remained locked. Every part of her yearned to bolt away from this malicious woman, but she wouldn’t give Becca the satisfaction of seeing her do that. So instead, she tried to pretend the woman didn’t exist.
She was reaching for another knob when Becca seized her wrist. Lexi jerked her hand away and spun on her. “Don’t touch me.”