32.

"I'm going alone Avalon, don't even try to come along," I paced back and forth in the entry way, arms folded and defiant. Kiran would be picking me up soon and the last thing I wanted was an entourage.

"Eden, you can't be serious," Jericho stood up from the overstuffed couch and crossed his arms, equally stubborn.

"Jericho, stay out of this," I turned on him and stomped my foot.

"You know what?" he started, louder than he had been before. "Fine, do what you want; there is apparently no stopping you." he put his hands up in mock surrender and left the room.

"Great, Eden. That's real great," Avalon growled from his place by the fire place. "Listen, I'm tired of dealing with this. I don't think it's a good idea, but do what you want. I have bigger things to worry about."

"Thank you," I sighed, exasperated and feeling a little hurt.

Avalon walked into the kitchen and joined Jericho. They were quiet in there and I had the urge to eavesdrop on them from the safety of Avalon's mind, but I resisted. It wasn't fair to them. And I had the feeling I didn't really want to know what they were whispering about.

"On the bright side," Lilly smiled at me from the couch, in between Aunt Syl and Roxie. "you look amazing!"

"Yes you do, Eden," Aunt Syl agreed. "But are you sure you don't want a warmer coat?"

I shook my head. I knew the icy January evening would not be kind to the black and baggy, sheer top I was wearing and short jean skirt. But in my defense I was wearing thick black tights and furry boots to protect my feet against the three feet of snow outside. I looked down at my bare shoulder and shuddered. Maybe Aunt Syl was right.

I opened the coat closet and glanced over my winter coats, none of them feeling very date-like. Instead of practicality, I opted for a bright pink pashmina scarf that had been a Christmas present last year.

"Is this better?" I turned around and smiled. Aunt Syl rolled her eyes and sat back in the couch laughing at me. "I'm magic, remember?" I said with finality.

"Oh yes, you're magic," Roxie mumbled, only half amused.

There was a knock at the door and I jumped, my heart beating wildly; I prayed silently that only Kiran was standing on the other side. I counted to ten, not wanting to open the door too quickly, took a couple of deep breaths for good measure and let Kiran inside.

"Hello, Lovely," Kiran said softly, his turquoise eyes smoldering and his trademark smirk turning up one corner of his mouth.

"Hello," I giggled, stepping forward and kissing him on the cheek.

He looked more handsome than ever in a crisp white dress shirt, open at the neck, a sharp black suit coat and designer jeans. His hair was slicked back in a movie star way that signified a dress-up event; he had a black scarf wrapped several times around his neck to pull the whole look together.

"Hello ladies," he took his eyes off of me, almost regretfully, and waved at Aunt Syl, Roxie and Lilly watching us from the couch.

"Hello," they replied back in unison.

"Lilly, I hope this week hasn't been too terribly awful for you. I hate that father is so stuck in his ways," he smiled carefully at her and heat flushed her porcelain cheeks before she could even open her mouth.

"No, it's fine," she quickly replied. "I don't mind missing school at all."

"Of course," Kiran laughed. "Well, then, are you ready love?" he held out his bent arm for me and we walked carefully over the ice-covered sidewalk to his car; a black sports car with no back seat that screamed fast before he even started it.

The deep, soft, snow blanketed the city, creating a quiet not present during the rest of the year. Kiran kept the radio off while we drove downtown, the crunch of packed snow or splashing slush was our only sound track in the silence of night.

"So how did you get away all by yourself?" I asked, truly curious.

"Oh, I have my ways," he smirked, glancing over at me in an overtly appreciative way. I tugged at the hem of my skirt, suddenly self-conscious. "How did you get away?"

"I, too, have ways," I played his game, pretending to be mysterious.

"Oh, do you now?" he pulled into a parking spot off the street of one of Omaha's expensive downtown bistros.

"Yes, of course. All kinds of ways. Ways you've never even seen," I continued, allowing him to walk around and open the door for me.

"You'll have to demonstrate those later for me," he mumbled, and I couldn't stop the blush from painting my cheeks.

We walked into the restaurant with candle-lit center pieces on small tables only meant for two. Kiran spoke to the hostess, who immediately walked us to a table in the far corner of the bustling bistro. She offered us menus, explained the specials for the evening and then gestured to the bartender who immediately brought over a bottle of wine.

Kiran's pocket began vibrating while the hostess poured two glasses of crimson red wine and I watched him reach irritatedly into his pocket, silencing his phone.

"This is nice," I said quietly, reaching for my glass of wine and taking a small drink.

"Yes it is. We haven't been alone in a while," Kiran stated, reaching for his pocket again, stopping the vibrating.

"Do you need to get that?" I asked, realizing a night alone might actually be impossible.

"No. I do not," he stated clearly, reaching for my hand and holding it on top of the white table cloth.

"So your birthday is coming up, yeah?" I watched him grow just a little bit uncomfortable.

"Yes," he mumbled.

"Come on, it's exciting!" I gushed, having always loved my own birthday.

"I suppose," he took a sip of his wine and looked at me intently. "I just wish.... I just wish that it didn't have to be such a big deal. You know? Father is planning this god-awful party in which he is inviting half of the kingdom and I will have to sit there and pretend to like everyone and dance with hundreds of snotty and single girls, while their parents plot and plan how to break off my engagement and get their daughter a crown instead of Seraphina."

"Oh," I stared at him, a little shocked. That wasn't really what I had expected from a royal birthday party.

"Don't they believe you love Seraphina?" I asked.

"Nobody believes that," he laughed bitterly. "Everyone understands Father's agenda." When I gave him a curious look he continued, "There hasn't ever been a royal wedding where the couple married for love. It's all about power and longevity. My engagement is no different and most of the kingdom understands that. So, they hope that they can find a way to convince Father their daughter, or niece, or granddaughter, or whoever is more suited for queen."

"Would he ever change his mind?" I gasped, finding it hard to believe marriage was thought of as nothing more than a business transaction.

"Well, I don't know. Seraphina was very carefully chosen, and her father played his cards right. A very compelling case would have to be made. And I am pretty sure Father would lose a lot of money, should the betrothal be called off."

"What does that mean?" I asked in shock.

"George, Seraphina's father, negotiated very shrewdly. I don't know all of the details but I do know that there was a lot of money involved, and whatever deal was struck meant enough for me to leave England and end up here." Kiran looked around the restaurant with the tiniest hint of disgust.

"So your birthday party is just one big dating show?"

"Most likely," he mumbled, taking another drink of wine and silencing his pocket once more.

"Well, that sounds.... awful." I looked down at our clasped hands, not excited about the prospect of all those girls oogling Kiran at all.

"Are you jealous already?" he smirked at me. The amusement in his eyes was unmistakable.

"What? No," I replied, not convincing either one of us.

"You've nothing to worry about, Eden," his eyes grew serious, their light turquoise turning to a dark blue in the span of a thought, that seemed to reveal the depth of his soul, "I am nothing more than bound to you." He smiled shyly and my heart was suddenly beating as if it would escape from the confines of my chest. "I cannot escape you."

"Kiran, I...." I didn't know how to reply, I couldn't define the feelings that echoed his out loud, they seemed too much.

"Eden," he cut me off, hitting his jeans pocket and forcefully quieting his buzzing cell phone. "when you were dy-, when you were infected with the King's Curse, I knew that would be the end for me. If you wouldn't have made it, if you wouldn't have.... survived, I don't know how I could have...." His voice dropped and he looked away, ashamed of the nearly overflowing emotion.

"I didn't though. I mean, I don't think there was really any threat of me dying," I said casually, hoping to erase his fears, but remembering how I had longed for death in those torturous moments.

"Yes, that's right, the invincible Eden," he smiled again, but his eyes remained serious. "When I said before that I couldn't lose you, I meant it. Losing you would be the end of me."

"I love you," I whispered,

"I love you, too," he leaned in and kissed me gently on the lips, my magic found his, tangling the two together in a rapturous web and I felt his words to the very core of my being.

"So, is there any chance that I can convince your father-"

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed suddenly, pulling his phone out of his pocket and answering it roughly, "What?"

He had withdrawn his hand and I reached for my wine, watching him grow more and more frustrated with the caller. He argued for several minutes before growing completely quiet, and that's when I assumed his father got on the phone. He listened for a few more minutes and then hung up without saying another word.

"Would you mind terribly if we finished dinner with my parents?" he asked quietly, clearly annoyed.

"Thank you for the offer, but really, it's fine. You can just drop me off at home." I shuddered at the thought of having to sit around another family dinner pretending not to be in love with Kiran and hoping it wasn't the night Lucan decided to throw me in prison.

"I would love to under different circumstances, believe me. But your presence has been specifically requested." Kiran's scowl said all that it needed to; my heart dropped into my stomach and I took a big drink of wine, trying to drown my nerves.

"Why?" I asked, when I could find my voice again.

"I don't know what my father is playing at." Kiran replied, gesturing to the waitress and handing her a black plastic card from his wallet to pay for the wine.

I poured myself another glass of wine, rather unladylike, and forced myself not to just down the whole glass in one sip. I didn't understand the dinner invitation or the mystery behind Lucan's obvious interest in me. If he was going to use me against my parents, I wished he would just get it over with. He wasn't the only one interested in whether they were alive or not.

The waitress came back with Kiran's card and I finished my wine while Kiran signed the receipt. My magic was still recovering from the last remnants of the King's Curse, so if I was in real danger I might also be in actual trouble. I didn't have much of a choice, though, and surely Kiran wouldn't let anything happen to me. I didn't know much about the relationship between father and son, but I believed he meant what he said and that he wouldn't let anything come between us.