Nadine Book 7

16. Divination

The boys get Nik off the floor and put him on a couch.

Corbin pats him on the back. "You'll be alright brother."

Nik shakes his head and sobs. "She hates me."

Corbin shakes his head. "She doesn't hate you. Really mad at you and hurt, yes. But she doesn't hate you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she was the 1 who went through your room and office. Hell she's the 1 who found dad's head collection. If she hated you, she wouldn't even be searching for the truth."

"It doesn't matter. I'll never have another chance. She is everything."

Victor sits on his other side. "They're not listening to anything we say."

Corbin nods. "It'll take a while, but they will. We have to show them that we can do this for real. We don't have to hurt people or steal from everyone. We need to show them, not say anything. Just show it. And it's the same for her. We lied. They can't trust our words. You have to show her."

"I can't show her anything, Corbin. I'll never be able to get near her again."

"She gets the reports. You know this. She is going to get informed of everything we do. You have to do your best. She'll hear about some of it. I know she will. Slowly she'll come around. Please don't lose hope. She'll know you're trying. She'll know we are. Don't hide anything from any of them."

"Every time I close my eyes, I see her smile. I couldn't tell her the truth. I lied... She'll never forgive me."

"Mine was locked in our dungeon for over a year. I let her out. I told her to run. I gave her some money. Told her we couldn't ever be together. Told her I was sorry that I never tried to get her out. She said her name was Camilla, then she saved Victor's mate, got crowned queen, and marked me. You'll be surprised what they can get over when they know the absolute truth. I will never lie to her about anything. But hey, at least you didn't have yours locked in a dungeon for a year."

"Yea, she even knows about the heads. She's hearing the stories. She knows some of what we've done from therapy. She shows up whenever the hell she wants. Camilla is like a damn ninja spy too. You both really got your hands full. My woman is sweet and perfect and lovey. She's so pretty."

Corbin laughs. "He finally kissed a girl. But that's it. They should be marked by this time next year, we are hoping."

I crack up laughing.

"WOMAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"AAAHHHHH!" I turn quick and throw my empty plate at Dipak and Marcus. They dodge it, and it breaks on the door behind them.

Nikolas jumps up. "I swear I heard her scream."

I start coughing. "SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO?"

"Sorry." They sit down with their food.

Corbin sits back. "She must be thinking about you or something. They were talking about it when they were here. I guess she can read peoples minds."

"They call it divination, but I guess she doesn't do it right. Instead of reading peoples' minds, she sends them her thoughts. I guess she told all the boys to search for black diamonds while they were here. But Tre said she wasn't connected or anything. But he heard her. I guess you can too."

"Yea she said something about divination. But that means she did scream." He jumps up. "SHE COULD BE IN TROUBLE. I need to find out why she screamed."

Corbin pushes him back. "She's not in trouble."

I look at him. "I screamed because Dipak is a jackass."

"WOMAN."

"Well, you are always scaring me. You come in completely silent and yell."

"I was making sure no one would try and jump off the balcony."

I give him a dirty look. I think of a donkey and push it into Niks head. Then I think of Dipak. I push that image in his head. He laughs and rubs his eyes.

"Woman, what are you doing?"

"NOTHING."

"What Nikolas?"

"She's sending images of a donkey and a Dipak."

"Jackass. She is getting good at sending thoughts if she can be that clear. But who knows where they're going or who all gets them."

Victor laughs. "Everyone in the village gets the sudden thought of an ass and Dipak."

"You better not woman."

I smile at him. "I would like to work on doing this the opposite way. It seems like it would be more beneficial. Although Coral did bring me wine to the middle of the field once."

"Do you have control of doing it your way?"

"Not really. Tre said he heard black diamonds. I got excited and yelled that. I didn't know I sent it. And it was the same thing when I screamed. And the cheese pizza with you. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to eat, and I was thinking of the cheese pizza you ate with me on the ship. With the bacon. But I did push in the image of the donkey and Dipak. And I sent images of wine and the field to Coral before."

"So you can send thoughts and words without even realizing it. But the images you do on purpose."

"Seems like it."

"We need to put a block on that. You could actually send an enemy thoughts without ever even knowing."

Marcus nods. "Say you're walking to the vault and Elek pops in your head. You could send him the directions without even realizing it."

"Oh."

"We'll talk to Omar and see what he thinks. I don't think it's that advanced yet. A random scream isn't that bad if your thinking about someone. And the images you can send on purpose are fine."

"I'm sorry I called you a jackass."

They both laugh.

"I am a jackass sweetheart. I yelled because you were focused. It was funny." He winks at me and throws the last bite of food in his mouth. "Let's go back up."

The whole office is trashed and there's a torn apart desk in the middle of the floor. We ignore that.

Dipak stands up. "We need to deal with some castle issues. Thora wants to start a candle business."

She shakes. "I do."

"We're going to offer the same deal Nadine has. Castle servants will make the product. She will buy the supplies, pay her own bills. She will give the castle 10% of the profits monthly. She wants to take a loan of 3k to start it. Which she will pay back in addition to the 10% profits."

Daddy looks at Dipak. "10% is really low."

"Daddy, I will throw you out and start the vote over."

"Fine, my princess. At least it's not costing the castle money."

Dracul nods. "That's really the only way to look at it."

I smile and put my hand up.

"All in favor."

Everyone puts their hand up. Except Elek.

Coral pokes him. "PUT YOUR HAND UP."

His hand shoots up and Dipak laughs. "He's not even... You know what. Never mind. We're passing it. Thora you have your business."

"Thank you everyone."

I smile. "We didn't even have to go sexy." We giggle.

"Alright next, our queen acquired 10 new businesses as well as land for an inn in China. This is more of a mate issue. But 10 businesses is a lot."

I jump up, and my hand shoots up.

"Yes."

"I CALL THE WINERY. IT'S MINE."

"Woman."

"MINE."

Tre looks at me. "There are actually 2 wineries."

"BOTH MINE."

"Woman."

Thora jumps up. "THEY ARE HERS DIPAK. SHE OWNS THEM. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT."

Tye puts his hand up.

"Yes Tye."

"Can I buy wine from you? I am paying entirely too much for wine at my inn. The people who make wine are crazy expensive. I need something good but more affordable."

Tre nods. "Yea me too. Wine expense is a killer. We could pay you fair. Cheaper than what the others wineries are robbing us for. But still fair. And the castle could supply the workers. We could save you money that way. The castle could buy it too. And neither of the wineries you own have any big contracts. So they sell off word of mouth or people coming in. They're not making great money. 1 is barely breaking even. Nikolas had no idea how to market."

Coral smiles. "Has anyone even tried the wine?"

The boys shake their heads.

She stands up. "Let's go see if they're even any good." She pulls me up and Thora follows us. Then she turns around. "We have no idea where we're going."

Tre stands up. "I want to try them too. I know where they are."

I smile at him.

He takes 2 steps towards the door and I jump on him. I hug him so tight.

Tye looks at Dipak. "Why does she get so excited with him?"

"I have no idea. Did you want me to make the door, Tre?"

"I'll get it. I just need a second for hugs. We are fairly far apart at the table."

Johen sits up. "We could put you together at the table."

Dracul chokes. "No. Do not do that. They will not leave each other alone and Miculai will kill my son. They are fine where they are."

Daddy nods. "We can't put her and Dipak together either. They would kill each other. So we separate them as far as possible. That's why they are at the ends."

Thora laughs. "She would be all over Marcus too. And she would kill Tye. Why don't we try putting her by Johen and see what happens?"

Dipak shakes his head. "We're going to leave it as is. Everyone is fine."

Tre kisses my head and gives me another hug. "Are you ready baby?"

I smile and nod. I love him.