Page 39 of A Fate of Wings

“Enough, Tay. No, I didn’t tell her I saw her when we were both too young to even contemplate the word mate.”

“You’ve known I was yours most of your life?”

I dipped my head.

Tay stepped out of my arm and closer to Thea. Thea’s guards stepped up beside her, but she waved them back even though they didn’t listen to her directive. I was glad Ailine and Raefa had her back, but they didn’t need to be here in the Winter Court. In the Autumn Court perhaps, but here the only threat was from my brat of a little sister.

“You take care of my brother.” Tay pointed a finger at my mate.

Rexan swooped in and placed his hand over Tay’s hand. He dragged her onto the dance floor until she kicked his shin and stomped away.

I folded my arms. “I should talk to her.”

Thea placed her hand on my arm. “Allow me to ease her worries.”

Chapter nineteen

Thea

The Winter Court

The Beast nodded andlet me follow his sister. His brother had been so welcoming that I hadn’t expected hostility from his sister. Her warning filled my heart with happiness, though. My sister wouldn’t do the same for me. Perhaps the demon’s family was better than my own. Discovering the Beast had known I was his fated mate most of his life made me even more impressed with his power and strength to wait until the time was right to claim me. I made my way through the crowd of various demons who parted for me with respect for my status and perhaps the guards at my back. I was a bit surprised the Beast let me go by myself.

“Tay,” I called out to her as she slipped through a door and ducked outside.

I steeled myself against the cold before stepping outside into the falling snow.

Tay stood on the balcony overlooking the white landscape. The trees below us were like crystalline statues, eerily pretty with their simple bare limbs covered in snow.

She spun and faced me. “Do you love him?”

“What?” I staggered back a step.

“My brother, do you love him?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” I stepped forward again.

“It’s my business as his family, so answer the damn question.”

I inhaled a breath of the icy air, but it didn’t ease the warmth in my heart when I thought of the Beast.

“My heart fills with warmth when I’m with him,” I conceded.

Tay nodded.

“So his name is Ron?” I smirked.

Tay flicked her long, dark hair over her shoulder. “No, that’s not his name, but it’s what Rexan and I call him. Everyone else calls him Beast.”

“Ron just doesn’t seem masculine enough for his name.”

“That’s why we call him it.” Tay laughed.

I leaned against the snow-covered white stone balcony rail. “I have a sister. She’s nothing like you.”

“Is that meant to be a compliment or an insult?”

“Compliment all the way.” I ran a finger through the snow, watching it break off and fall to the ground. “I understand why you weren’t happy fate chose a siren for him, as we can be cold. Not like this snow, but…” I shrugged.