“Are you not serving mine up? I feel left out,” Elias says, with a wounded, jokey expression as he pours maple syrup on my waffles. Dagan whacks him on the back of his head on the way back to his chair.
“When you’re as pretty as Isola, then sure,” he says, and Elias smirks, but doesn’t reply as he starts pulling waffles onto his plate. I smile, looking at them all and enjoying how well we all just fit together like this. Having breakfast together, just relaxing together. It’s so normal, and perfect. I cut my waffles up, sticking a piece into my mouth, and try not to moan at how amazing it tastes. They must have cinnamon in them or something, because seriously, these waffles are better than any I’ve ever had.
“I’m kinda jealous of the waffles right now,” Dagan comments, and I look up to see all the guys watching me, a mixture of amused and turned on looks in their eyes.
“Why?” I say, my voice muffled around my waffles. I’m not stopping eating to talk, this is too good.
“They make you smile more than anyone else,” he says, and the guys all laugh.
“I was thinking they make you moan as much–” Elias starts to say and Dagan leans over, whacking his head again.
“That hurts,” Elias glares at his brother.
“Not as much as the stupid shit that comes out your mouth does,” he says and I decide to intervene before the brothers start fighting, and get in the way of me and my waffles.
“Yes, yes they do. My relationship with your cooking is becoming addictive, I may never let you out my sight now,” I joke, though he doesn’t reply. We eat up, and when Dagan leans down to take my plate from me, slanting his lips close to my ear.
“Sounds good to me, kitty cat,” he whispers and then walks off, leaving me with bright red cheeks that I try to hide from the others, but they know and surprisingly, they don’t say a word.
Chapter Twenty-One
Isola
Don’t be silly, you look good,” Hallie grins and Jules laughs, waving a pale hand in the air. I spent the last hour brushing her hair, putting some dry shampoo in it for her, and then plaiting it. I couldn’t stand to see her hair so messy, when she usually has it in a tight bun and styled, unless she has just gotten out of bed. Jules happily let me help her, and in some ways, it helped me feel better, too. I've been carrying so much guilt about not being able to look after her when I go back to Dragca, despite all the time she took care of me.
“I look awful. I have seen a mirror, little one,” she replies to Hallie. Jules sits up a little in her bed, and pats the side next to her. Hallie goes to sit next to her with a worried expression. I lean back in my seat, letting them have their moment alone together as I look out the window. Outside, rain is pouring down, hitting against the roof of the small side building of the hospital. It makes a soothing sound in the otherwise quiet room. I hate hospitals, it smells of death and loss in here. I can hear all the beeping machines trying to save people, and the cries of the families who lost someone close. It reminds me I haven’t had time to truly grieve my father or Jace. I don’t have somewhere to go to remember either of them. I try not to get lost in my own thoughts any more than I have to. I can’t live in the past, with the people I had to leave behind there, there is only the future now.
“Come here, Isola,” she asks me. I get out of my chair and walk over, sitting on the edge of the bed, and holding her hand as Hallie gets up.
“I’m going to get us some drinks,” Hallie says, patting my arm as she walks out the room.
“You really don’t look bad,” I tell her, and she chuckles.
“And you have always been a terrible liar,” she responds, making me smile because she has no idea that I lie to her all the time. That so much of my life is a lie, that there is little truth left here on Earth and in my life with Jules.
“You will be back home soon, I’m having to put up with Dagan cooking and takeaways. I miss you,” I mumble out. Not that Dagan is bad at cooking, because he really, really isn’t. But I’m not going to tell her that.
“I’m glad the boys are looking after you. They tell me you are well every time they come to visit me,” she says, and I frown at her. What boys?
“They come to visit you? Elias, Dagan, and Korbin?” I inquire.
“Every day one of the boys comes to see me,” she explains, making me smile. They didn’t have to do that, and I didn’t even know they were. I love that Jules hasn’t been as alone as I’ve worried she was. I wonder why they didn’t tell me they were going to see her. They must have made a plan between them all or something.
“I haven’t been able to email your father about being in here, have you spoken to him?” she asks. I close my eyes, looking away from her blue ones as I answer.
“No, I haven’t. But I will,” I say, hating that I’m lying again.
“Okay,” she answers, “Isola, you can tell me anything. You know that? I see you as the grandchild I never had,” she says and I look back, squeezing her hand tighter.
“I see you the same, but that’s why I can’t tell you everything. You are safe here, and at the nursing home I chose for you until you are better,” I say. She smiles, but there is an unspoken sadness clouding over her eyes. I want to tell her everything, but I doubt she would believe she has been raising a dragon her whole life. Nor that she has four living in her house right now.
“You will visit me?” she asks, her brown eyes watching me like it means everything to her for me to say yes.
“One day, when everything is settled, I will. I promise,” I say and I mean it. I will come back when I have the throne, and there is no war. When I can make her safe and maybe even bring her back to Dragca, show her my world. She could live out her days in the castle, with people to help her. I wonder if Bee could heal her a little, take away some of her pain.
“I know you lie to me all the time, and that you have your reasons. I know you’re protecting me from something I don’t need to know about. I’m just glad that sentence wasn’t a lie, because I do want to see you at least one more time before I pass away,” she says and I frown.
“What–” I go to say when the door opens, and Hallie walks in. I pull my eyes away from Jules, intending to ask Hallie to give us some more time. I don’t get the chance as Hallie starts talking quickly.
“I’m so sorry to cut this visit short. My father called, and I have to get back home. It’s urgent,” she says, putting the drinks on the side.
“Okay,” I respond, seeing the worried look on my friend’s face. I stand up, leaning over, and kissing Jule’s forehead.
“I will see you soon, and we can discuss what you just said,” I say, and she laughs.
“A lie, but I will always forgive you. It’s what people do when they love someone,” she replies, making me wonder if that’s true. Hallie comes over before I can tell her she means alot to me too.
“I will come back at the weekend, and you can tell me that chocolate chip cookie recipe. I can’t live without those in my life,” Hallie says, making Jules laugh.
“I will write it down for when you come next, Hallie,” Jule’s replies. Hallie gives her a hug before we both leave. I look back once more at Jules as I open the door, and she gives me a small nod. There is a look of love in her eyes that I know I won’t forget. Yet it’s still hard to shut the door and walk out. I have a feeling I won’t see her for a long time, and I hate it. It shouldn’t be like this.
“What’s so urgent with your dad?” I ask Hallie as we walk down the empty corridors of the hospital, and both of us haven’t said a word.
“I can’t really say, but something big has happened. He thinks I need to see it,” she rolls her eyes.
“You confuse me,” I bump her shoulder, “but I love you anyway.”
“You best do, biatch,” she grins, making me laugh.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Isola