toward her when he leaned forward and brushed his knuckles gently against hers.
Wind rushed in her ears and she dimly heard the sound of something—the weight—thunking against the ground. But it was all too much and she stumbled back, landing on her ass and not caring that she looked ridiculous.
When she looked up, Solan’s beautiful wings had flared out and his spark danced around him, bolts of electricity crackling in the air.
Their eyes locked and Lena’s breath stopped. She didn’t need to hear it, but he said it anyway. “We’re a Match.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
SOLAN DIDN’T WANT TO abandon Lena at the training facility, but when he looked at the time, he had no other choice. His brother and Allic were coming over for an early dinner and wedding planning session and Solan had already missed too many. For one insane moment he thought of inviting Lena along. But almost as soon as the idea materialized he rejected it. There was no need to subject her to the full family treatment until they made a decision.
He wasn’t fleeing from the fact that they were definitely a Match.
The slight tremble in his hands said otherwise, but no one was in his vehicle with him so he could ignore it.
He hadn’t exactly disbelieved the results from the Bureau, but until he’d felt the visceral reality for himself, a not-so-small part of him had doubted. But it was true. Lena was his Match. If he concentrated he could feel her nascent spark. It was protected behind the barrier that separated their power. But he knew he could reach for it, could use it, if he needed. She could do the same. And once they both did that, there would be no turning back. They’d be a bonded unit.
Solan rushed into his house when he made it home and cleaned. It was better to be late than to arrive on time covered in sweat and blood.
He hurried over to the main house and was braced for whatever censure would be thrown his way. He didn’t expect Ortid to be waiting for him in the front hall, or for his brother to clamp onto his arm and drag him into the small alcove.
“Sorry I’m late.” Solan tried to cut off whatever was coming.
But Ortid was already shaking his head. “It’s forgotten. But there’s something I need to tell you.”
Solan took a deep breath and smelled the roasting meat. He hadn’t realized how empty his stomach was, but now he needed to eat. “Can it wait?”
Ortid grimaced. “No. I thought I’d have more time, but...”
“What?”
“Father’s here. With Shodi.” Ortid’s eyes were full of apology, and he winced as if he expected Solan to hit him.
Thoughts of food curdled in Solan’s stomach and he scowled. “They aren’t allowed on the property.”
“I invited them.” Ortid straightened to his full height but was still shorter than Solan. “He’s our father, and she’s our step-mother. I want them at the wedding. I thought it would be good to have a meal together before then.”
“Because you thought I’d cause a scene?” Ortid was young when their parents had split; he’d never caught their mother crying alone in her room. He’d never been told to lie about where his father was going or who he was meeting. But Solan had been caught in the middle of it, and he knew exactly who was to blame. And what.
“It’s been more than twenty years. And they’re Matched. Can you blame them?” Ortid’s spark flared in his eyes and Solan was surprised he didn’t snap his wings out. “I want them here. Behave.”
“Fine.” He could behave. Just because he hadn’t spoken with his father since he was a child didn’t mean they couldn’t have a pleasant meal together.
But when Solan walked into the room, he almost turned right back around and walked out. His father sat beside his Match and they were both smiling and laughing as if their relationship hadn’t torn his family apart. The smiles didn’t completely fade when he entered the room, but they dimmed, and Solan even resented that.
It was a good thing he hadn’t brought Lena.
Though if she fought verbally as well as she fought physically, there’d be no holding her back. He hadn’t thought it possible, but by the time he sat down he was smiling. It didn’t last long, but thoughts of Lena were enough to settle his emotions back to something manageable.
“Where’s Allic?” he asked. The table was only set for four, and though the food was steaming in