A Court of Rising Starlight

Chapter XXV

Lily POV:

"Is your stomach a bottomless pit or something?" I ask my sister's mate as he devours a breakfast of pancakes and fruit salad.

"Do you realize how often you and your sister question a man's appetite?" he counters. "I like to eat if I can't sleep." He narrows his eyes. "You and Acacia prefer to run off. At least that's what it looks like."

I tense. "I've never left the townhouse at night, Derek."

"Liar," he drawls, biting into a large cube of watermelon. "So where are you running off to?" The humor in his eyes disappears instantly. "Do you have nightmares too?"

"What? No. I wish I could take them from Acacia, but I suffer none of my own."

He picks up his fork again. "I won't push you further or tell anyone you're leaving, but if you need to vent about something at any time...come find me. Believe it or not I can keep a secret from your sister." He stacks his bowl and platter. "Wanna go train?" I hesitate. "What? Did you make some pact with Acacia and Nicki that you only work with them?"

"I just don't know-"

"What? If you can beat me or not? Your sister has kicked my ass more times than I can count and my sister is no stranger to a knife. I promise I can't do any worse to you than they can. Thirty minutes in the ring and we can call it off. Maybe even get a little air afterwards."

"I'll go get dressed."
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Acacia POV:

"Ow! Derek!"

"I never said I was just gonna hand you this fight, Lily."

"Sorry if I don't train night and day, mister rough and tough I can beat anyone! You don't have to break my arm to make a point!"

"A bit moody today?"

"Fuck off."

I raise an eyebrow. "Such language, my dear sister. What has my mate been doing to you down here?"

"Nothing. Just being a jerk like always."

I shake my head, stepping onto the training platform, shooting my sister a sly look my mate misses. "Hey you. Funny when you wake up before me."

"We all have trouble sleeping once in a while."

He bends down to kiss me before starting to turn back to my sister. "Hey," I say, capturing his attention again. "I wanted to talk to you about-"

He suddenly whirls, practically tackling my twin to the ground when she moves up to take out his knee. His arm slips under her back to spare her from too hard an impact. I frown at our failed attempt as he propped himself up on his hands.

"Lilian, it is going to take a lot more than a conversation and kiss from your sister to distract me from an attack." He stands, looking my way as he lifts her from the ground. "And you need to start letting her see a real fight. I'm starting to think you're going soft."

I shrug. "You're normally easier to distract since you can't seem to stop ogling me."

He scowls at my comment, hooking an arm around my waist and drawing me to him all the same. "A lovely show from all of you," I hear from behind me.

"How long have you been there," Lily asks the shadowsinger behind us.

"Sometime around fuck off."

I turn in Derek's arms, putting most of my weight against his chest as I face his father. He steps back and I shriek just before his arms hook under mine.

"Trust fall," he sings.

"Asshole," I respond in the same tone.

"I never question why you two were matched. You know that? Anyways, you two need to start thinking about tonight. No one will be there to help you this time."

"Why would we need help?" I question. "It's just a meeting, right?"