Chapter 88

 

I was digging into the bottom half of a bag of double stuffed fudge cookies when Mitz came into the kitchen. She paused in the door and then closed it and went over to the fridge without a word.

Setting a glass of milk in front of me, she stood there with this understanding look on her face. “Want to talk about it?”

I shook my head and swallowed. “I don’t even know.”

“Ah.” She pulled over a stool and sat across from me.

Maybe it was that she was a motherly type or just the fact that she was a female, I’m not sure but I sighed loudly. Waving a cookie around, I sighed again. “How long have you worked for the royal family?”

With a soft look on her face, she smiled. “I used to look after Victor when he was a baby.”

That didn’t really tell me how old she was, but it was enough to know she knew a lot more than I ever would. “I can’t picture Victor as a baby.”

She laughed. “He was a terror as a child, let me tell you.”

That sounded more fitting than a cute cuddly baby. I glanced at her hands. “You have a husband but aren’t mated?”

A look appeared on her face, that quiet one that said she knew exactly what my problem was now. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less bonded.”

I ate another cookie while I thought. “Your friend, the one that made my dress, she was mated.” I recalled the tattoo on her arm. Mitz nodded, but didn’t say anything. “Troy says finding a true mate is rare, if that’s the case why am I supposed to be for either or?” I sipped the milk. “I mean shouldn’t it only be one of them?” I studied a cookie and twisted it until it was separated. “I feel like a tramp, being attracted to both of them.” Pushing the cookie back together I took a bite and looked back down at it. “I know they look the same but that’s not why. I feel something different with both of them.”

Reaching over, she steadied my hand before I could stuff more in my mouth. I looked over at her, she had this sweet look in her eyes that made me want to hug her. Obviously, another hidden skill of hers to do that to me.

“Huntress, fate has made it so you could choose either and they know this, the buggers and are playing on it constantly.” She sighed. “A little touch here, a certain look and they know the part of you that is matched to them reacts.”

She pulled the bag of cookies out of my other hand and started to close it up slowly. “I think we both know that regardless of the pull between you and Chase, it wouldn’t be the fit it should be.” A sad look entered her eyes for a split second before it was gone. “None of this makes you a tramp.” Clasping her hands together in front of her on the counter she leaned closer. “If anything, you amaze me, if I were younger and single I doubt I could resist either of them.”

I grinned at her confession and then sobered. “Troy and I found Chase wasted and half passed out in his room a while ago.”

She was quiet for a moment and then nodded slowly. “Good, he should beat himself up, maybe then he’ll try to change for the better.” With a sad smile, she shrugged. “I try to keep them all together, but at the end of the day, or start I suppose, he is still over there alone while they have each other.”

“We talked about it a bit at the dance and think part of the connection was enhanced because of the blood bond.” I realized I had just admitted that I wasn’t as drawn to Chase as I was Troy. “Troy is…”

“A little more complex than his twin, I’m afraid.”

I drank the rest of the milk, wishing now I could get the taste of fudge out of my mouth. Setting the glass down I played with the rim. “So, any advice?” I shrugged. “I’d like to say all this prophecy stuff is a bunch of hooey, but I can’t.”

“Finally realized you fit in like you’ve always been here, have you?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

She grinned. “Good. As for advice, I honestly can’t tell you how to sort through it all.” Picking up the bag, she got up and pushed the stool in. “Things will happen as they’re meant to, pushing it or fighting it will only make it more complicated in the end.”

I knew she had a point, somewhere in all of that, but it didn’t mean I was going to verbally agree with her. “Thanks.” I stood up and stretched. “I’m going to go try to get some rest now.” I turned toward the door.

“Daxx?”

I paused and looked back at her.

“I heard you were looking for the lost brother as well as hunting down Marcus.”

I nodded.

She smiled at me. “Thank you.”