After nullifying all the sigils in the pentagon, we headed home. Home. It felt strange to think of Devon’s island that way. Looking at him, I wondered how we got here ’ from my selection to meeting him to now, five days later, already mates. With him, everything was so simple, so fiery, and I enjoyed it more than I cared to admit.

He sat across from me, one arm draped casually along the back of the seat, the other resting on his knee. Even though his posture was relaxed, his eyes betrayed him. Every so often, his gaze wandered to the window, lost in thought. Was he thinking about the council? His brothers? Me?

I bit my lip, considering breaking the silence, but even my mind was busy with my own questions. The sigils. Loreleia. The Supreme Successors who came before me. Oh Gaia, where would I even start?

Leaning back against the plush seat, I relaxed into the gentle sway of the carriage. In a way that was at once maddening and comforting, Devon’s woodsy scent wrapped around me. How could one person be both at once?

The carriage hit a bump, jolting me out of my thoughts. Devon’s eyes shifted to me, like he could see the chaos swirling in my mind.

“You’re too quiet,” he finally said, breaking through the silence.

I blinked, glancing over at him. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

I hesitated, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “The other Supreme Successors. The ones before me.”

A sliver of regret crossed Devon’s face as his jaw clenched. “I thought you might ask about them.”

“I had no idea I was signing up to be part of some secret death toll. I knew it would be hard, but not like this,” I said. “Sorry. It’s just” no one talks about them, and it feels like they never existed when all they did was rely on Gaia’s selection.” Exactly the same way my family treated Camille’s memory. I didn’t like it. “And now I can’t stop wondering if I’m walking into the same death trap they did.”

He turned to face me fully. “You’re not them, C—il. You’ve already proven that.”

“That’s hardly the point,” I replied. “How can I avoid their mistakes if I don’t know what happened to them? How can I protect myself if I don’t even know what I’m up against?”

Devon sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “There’s more to it than that. Some of their fates are still” unknown. Others were outright sabotage. But most were’” He paused, as if trying to find the right word. “Complicated.”

“Complicated how?” I asked, my eyes narrowing.

After he hesitated, he finally said, “Loreleia had a hand in more than a few of their downfalls. But she wasn’t the only one. Wridel is full of factions. Each of them with their own interests, their own motives. Some saw the Successors as threats. Others saw them as tools. And when they didn’t comply’”

“They were removed,” I finished, and the thought twisted my stomach.

He gave me a grim nod.

Taking a deep breath, I slumped back into my seat. It was exactly what Azriel said. By Gaia, he would’ve made a better successor, and probably slapped me for doubting myself. “That’s comforting,” I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest.

The ghost of a smile tugged at Devon’s lips. “You’ve got an advantage they didn’t have.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“Me,” he said simply.

It wasn’t intentional, but I snorted. “Confident, aren’t you?”

“Always.”

Our carriage dipped slightly as we rolled onto Irving’s grounds. Thanks to the lanterns that illuminated every detail of the castle in the evening, it is easy to see the enormous structure.

The moment we got to the main house, Devon climbed out and lifted me out. “Let’s debrief,” he said.

Following Devon’s dismissal, the sentinels and guards filed off towards their quarters. He took my hand and led me back to his study. It was warm inside, the fire crackling softly. Devon poured himself a drink, raising a brow in silent question as he motioned toward the decanter. I shook my head, sinking into one of the leather chairs near the fire.

“So,” I said, watching him as he leaned against the desk, “what else aren’t you telling me?”

He smirked, taking a slow sip of his drink. “I’ve told you plenty.”

“Not about your family,” I countered. “Kaiden and Brioc, they’re” something.”

As Devon chuckled, his eyes twinkled with nostalgia. “Kaiden’s the diplomat. Brioc’s the warrior. Together, they’re trouble. But they mean well.”

“And you’re the brooding one,” I teased, leaning back in my chair.

“Someone has to be,” he said lightheartedly.

As I studied him, I noticed how relaxed his shoulders were, and how that faint smile softened his usually menacing expression.

“Are they your only siblings?” I asked, breaking the silence. “I know nothing about you, Alpha Devon.”

The title caught his attention. “You must know this, then,” he said, his voice dropping a notch. Stepping closer, he cupped my chin gently. I gasped as I stared at him, my eyes widened by the sudden intimacy.

He leaned in so close to me that I could feel the heat of his breath. “You, calling me Alpha,” he murmured, his voice deep and smooth like honey with a sinful edge, “has to be the most wickedly satisfying thing that exists.”

My heart stuttered in my chest, the wild beat that echoed in my ears. It seemed like he had mastered teasing me so effortlessly.

“Is that so?” I asked, and my voice remained steady, but I couldn’t stop thinking about leaning in for a kiss.

“Mm-hmm.” His thumb brushed the edge of my jaw slowly. “Say it again, and I might be compelled to show you just how much I mean it.”

I tilted my chin slightly as a flush crept up my neck. “You’re such a tease, Alpha.”

The sound of his chuckle curled through me like smoke. He leaned in just enough for his forehead to briefly brush against mine before stepping back, his hand dropping from my chin. “Careful, C—il,” he said. “I’m starting to think you enjoy teasing me as much as I do you.”

As I rolled my eyes, a tiny smile tugged at my lips. “So tell me about yourself, Alpha Devon. Something real this time.”

After a moment of hesitation, his lips quirked up again, and a more serious expression crossed his face. “Would you believe me if I said I didn’t know how many brothers I have?”

I raised an eyebrow. “How do you not know?”

“My father, God bless him, was” enthusiastic about expanding the family tree, " he said, a wry smile playing on his lips. “His harem filled this whole island, and considering he lived over a thousand seasons, his offspring were” plentiful.”

I chuckled. “Plentiful? It’s a bit of an understatement, isn’t it?”

He shook his head and smiled. “It’s not exactly a boast. The man had no concept of boundaries. Some of us grew up together, others” well, they turned up later. By the time I was old enough to care, I stopped keeping track.”

I tilted my head, watching him closely. It wasn’t hard to tell his story was more complicated than he let on, given his tone was bittersweet. “And your mother?”

After he exhaled, his jaw tightened briefly, but his eyes softened as he looked at me. “My mum was different. She was steady, loyal, and fiercely protective. The constant competition among the consorts for my father’s attention repulsed her. So, she raised me to be different from my father’s tendencies. She taught me to be true to one mate without consorts and harems.”

We settled into silence, staring at each other. I was getting to know him better. I’ve been able to piece together a picture of a man shaped by both extremes - a father who thrived on disorder and a mother who grounded him.

“You turned out all right,” I said to break the silence. “Arrogance aside.”

His lips twitched. “High praise coming from you, C—il.”

“It is.” I grinned, leaning back in my seat. “So, how many of these siblings have you actually met?”

His eyes crinkled just a little as he laughed. “Enough to know they’re as chaotic as our father. But a few” a few are family in more than just name.” His tone softened. “Kaiden and Brioc, for instance. They’ve had my back since the beginning.”

“I got that from meeting them,” I said. “Their auras were in tandem with yours.”

I got a long stare from him. “And you’ll meet the rest soon enough. Tomorrow, in fact.”

Covering my face with my hands, I groaned. “You’re throwing me into the lion’s den.”

Devon chuckled and gently pulled my hands away. His fingers were warm against mine. “You’ll handle it. You’re untouchable, remember? It’s your charm.”

I laughed, mostly because he wasn’t wrong. “You can thank my father’s bloodline for that,” I said with a smile. “Hot-headedness comes with the territory, you should know.”

He tilted his head slightly, curiosity sparking in his grey eyes. “What about you?”

I frowned, confused. “What about me?”

“You’ve got me figured out. But you’ve hardly told me anything about yourself. I know the obvious. Your role as Supreme Successor, your family, your affinity. What about the rest of your world? Your friends?”

His question caught me off guard. I didn’t think Devon was the type to ask about small details unless they mattered to him. As his mate, I obviously mattered. It’ll take a while to get used to that. He leaned back slightly, his glass forgotten on the nearby table, waiting patiently.

“Zaria and Azriel,” I said, remembering the first time I met them. “They are my best friends, in fact.”

He smiled just a little. “Tell me about them.”

It was hard not to smile when I thought of my friends. “Zaria’s a firebrand. She’s fierce and loud and never lets me off easy. A magnificent water witch, too, even if she’d rather argue than admit it. She’s got a way of cutting through the nonsense.”

His lips pursed as he raised a brow in fascination. “She sounds like a handful.”

“She is,” I agreed, laughing softly. “But the best kind of handful.”

“And Azriel Bloodworth?”

I blinked. How did he—oh, right? Azriel was with me at the high council. Devon saw us together, of course. “Azriel’s” Azriel. You saw how he is. Reliable, preen, and proper. Always has been. He’s the shadow you don’t realize you have until you need him. There’s so much more to him than he lets people see.”

Devon watched me intently, his eyes fixed on mine like he was waiting for me to say more. “They mean a lot to you.”

“They’re my family,” I said simply. “They’ve been my constant since I left Ostonia.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “I’d like to meet them someday.”

“You’ll get your chance,” I said, leaning back into the cushions. “If my mother has her way, we’ll be wed in the full tradition of the oriental witches. Zaria and Azriel wouldn’t miss that for the world.”

His smile returned, faint but genuine. His tone shifted slightly, with curiosity filtering through his words. “I want to ask you about Azriel. You know he loves you, don’t you?”

I straightened, caught off guard. “What?”

“It’s obvious. At least to me. The way he looks at you, the way he moves around you. He carries himself like someone trying to keep it together.”

How could Devon have picked up on that after meeting Azriel just once? I swallowed hard, trying to brush it off. “Azriel? No. He’s” He’s just’”

“Your shadow,” Devon said, finishing the sentence with that maddeningly knowing tone. “And you never wondered why?”

I tried to retort, but my words stuck in my throat. Of course, I knew why. Azriel made it clear he thought we’d make a good match. A union of names and status. Practical and convenient. Since he hadn’t mentioned love a single time, I assumed that it had nothing to do with love.

“I don’t think’” I began, but Devon cut me off with gentle persistence.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Or that it’ll change anything. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of it.”

My thoughts twisted in circles as I stared at the fire. Azriel was always there for me. But love? That couldn’t be true. Even so, as I replayed his quiet glances and thoughtful gestures in my mind, a doubt crept in. Had I missed it? What if I didn’t see through the cracks in his careful demeanour because I was too focused on our friendship?

“Did you’” Devon began, hesitantly, as if he wasn’t sure what to say.

Instead, I cut him off before he could ask the question I knew he was going to ask. “Even if he did love me, I never felt that way about him. Gaia bless him, but there were no sparks. Nothing even close to the bolt that struck me when I first saw you.”

The corner of his lips twitched. “A bolt, huh?”

I shrugged, though my cheeks warmed under his steady gaze. “You’re the only one who’s ever made me feel like I was struck by lightning. Gaia must have spent hundreds of seasons creating you.”

He reached out, his fingers brushing against my hand in a touch that felt intimate without needing words. “You don’t know what it does to me, hearing you say that.”

“Good,” I said, meeting his gaze with a small, teasing smile. “Because I mean every word.”