Chapter 105

Theodore

The rush of power was heady, but the sight of what that magic was doing stole my breath with awe. The stones we'd had transported lifted into the air as if lifted by a giant invisible hand, melting, molding and slotting into place with perfect precision into the phantom constructs I'd seen earlier. Towers rose from the earth, walls stretched toward the sky, and archways reformed in a dance of stonework and magic. I shivered, feeling giddy as I watched the castle rebuild itself. A shocked gasp drew my attention and I hurried outside as the doorways reformed including hinges and ancient doors. When I got to the front steps of the castle, went still.

It wasn't just the castle—the town, the old city walls, this fortress from the paved streets to the decorative archways separating the palace courtyard from the rest of the fortress—every piece of history was being rebuilt. Magic swepts out and down the steps. I followed the wave of it, watched ancient symbols carve themselves into the corners and over the archways. I didn’t know exactly what they said.

"Violet, can you…" I turned, finding her not even a few steps behind me, staring up at the majesty that was unfolding. The workers stood frozen, watching in stunned silence as the past breathed again before their eyes.

Within a few minutes, the whole fortress seemed restored. The waves of magic that had stirred and woken up rushed around setting a silver glow in the carved runes and symbols. I thought it was over, but then I felt the rush of something more, the sheer power threading through my veins, singing through my bones from beneath my feet. It was intoxicating, exhilarating.

My hands clenched as if to hold onto it, to feel the pulse of something older than me. My magic roared, recognizing the castle as mine.

Ours.

I heard a voice, small, distant, but clear as Violet slipped her hand into mine. Violet didn't seem to notice it, but… had that been her magic speaking to me? Was that possible?

I turned my head as a spark of green caught my eye. Magical ivy started to climb the walls. Flowering as it grew. Trees started to rise up in the opens spaces, grass, and a whole host of magical flowers.

When silence fell as if the last of the stonework had settled into place, I straightened and turned to the assembled workers.

I felt like I might float away as the earth and the air continued to thrum beneath my feet. I glanced at Violet finding her eyes staring out into a distance. The band of light on her brow glowing like the full moon.

I cleared my throat and looked back at all the workers.

"The Goddess has seen fit to make our work go quite a bit quicker. I still want to pay you for work to be done, and I assure there is plenty still to do." I glanced back at the entry of the castle finding the large stone doors closed and engraved with glowing silver. The depiction of two wolves with the crescent moons crowns, howling at the full moon gleamed. Each star of the engraving sparkled.

“We'll start with cleaning the place up and measuring spaces to furnish it." I squeezed Violet’s hand and shot her a small smirk. “Obviously, we need decorations.”

She raised a brow. “That sounds like shopping…"

I nodded. "I trust your… historical eye for what will look best." I offered her arm. "Shall we take a wander around?"

She nodded and we walked inside.

The High Priest came to greet us in what looked like the main hall, extending his arms and grinning.

"From henceforth, let this be known as Dark Midnight Castle," his eyes twinkled and hen bowed at the waist.

My stomach jolted, but Violet pressed closer to me, and it was enough to make the tension start to ease out of me.

Preparations were smoother than I expected, probably because having the castle rebuild itself had cut through most of the work, but it seemed that the longer we were in the castle the more refined it grew, as if it were updating itself to suit our tastes. I wanted to ask Violet about it, but I held back. There was a lot to do to get ready for the event and it was better that we focus.

On the bright side, I had never felt more alive living in the castle, waking up next to Violet in what we had figured out were the royal chambers of the castle. Between the two of us, we had the entire castle cleaned, shined, polished, furnished, and decorated before we had even decided on an invitation style.

Tonight was the night of the parry, just a few days before the Capital Court date had been set, and while I wasn't worried about the court date or whatever Owen would pull out of his ass, there was a sense of unease that I hadn't been able to shake all day.

From the grand window of the main chamber, I watched as carriages and cars rolled through the newly restored gates, guests spilling out in glittering waves of well dressed people up and down the social ladder. The party was set to be one of the biggest ever hosted, noble and common alike. Everything was perfect because Violet was a meticulous planner better at managing and utilizing the ridiculous budget than I was and had vast connections to every well-known event planner, though it seemed as though Violet had only a few people help her do it.

Beside me, Violet leaned against the frame, her sharp eyes scanning the arriving guests with an unreadable expression.

“Thinking of running?” I teased, voice low.

She scoffed, not taking her eyes off the scene below. “A Donovan only retreats as a last resort…. Live to fight another day, and this is hardly a batter." She tilted her head. "At least from where I'm standing… You've been bracing for days…”

I huffed a quiet laugh, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. I should have known she would eventually say something.

“That obvious?"

"Yes."

I sighed. "It's… complicated."

That made her glance at me, a brow raised. “Oh?”

I hesitated, then decided there was no use in delaying it. “There’s a good chance some of my old… flings will be here tonight.”

Violet didn’t react. She simply stared at me, assessing. “Why?”

"Why would they come?"

"Why would they have to come? Other than the one I've already met? And Olivia?"

I winced. I hadn't thought of either of them. I sighed again, shifting my stance.

“Because at least three of them, aside from those two, are Lunas.”

Her brows lifted. “Three?”

I held up a hand. “Before you start judging me—”

“I’m not judging,” she cut in smoothly. “I just struggle to understand why you think it'll be a problem.”

I exhaled through my nose. “They may… have other plans.”

She considered that for a moment before asking, “Who?”

I glanced back at the crowd below. “You met one of her sisters—the Luna from the lingerie shop.”

Her expression didn’t change, but I knew her well enough to sense the flicker of recognition.

"Do they know about each other?"

"I… don't know. I sure as hell didn't."

She nodded. "Go on."

“The second,” I continued, “is the Luna of another territory to the east, I'm pretty sure. A small one. And the third is some alpha's daughter. A territory to the west, I think.”

Violet tilted her head. “Do I know them?”

“Probably.”

She turned her attention back to the growing crowd.

“I have to say, Theodore,” she quipped, glancing at me. “You’ve really gotten around.”

I grimaced at her flat tone. “What can I say? People find me charming.”

“More like reckless.”

I only grinned and shook my head. "Ill-informed."

"Unbothered. Oblivious and uncaring."

I winced, bracing for the next word. "…utterly impossible. Prone to scandal, and frustrating at the best of times."

"Violet--"

"Caring." She looked at me. "Honest. Good natured, too… even beneath all your ruthlessness. So, why are you worried?"

My gut jumped.

"I didn’t want it to be a surprise. And I don’t want you thinking it meant anything.”

She was quiet for a moment before she murmured, “Do you think they think it means something?”

That was the real question, wasn’t it?

I sighed, running a hand down my face. “Probably.”

Violet hummed, watching the carriages with interest. “Then I suppose we’ll have to make it clear where you stand.”

I blinked, waiting for her to say something more.

“Are you worried?”

She met my gaze, eyes steady. “Not in the way you think.”

Not in the way you think.

What did she mean by that?

I tried to glean it from her expression, but I couldn’t, and our bond gave me nothing.

Before I could ask, she pushed off the window frame and straightened her dress. “Come on. We have a party to host.”

"Wait," I said, catching her hand. "I… there was something else."