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Jolie said, “Nope. He’ll be excited to show Caleb’s …” She paused, cleared her throat and finished, “… friend around.”
Why did I get the feeling she wanted to call me something other than friend? Since we were courting, was there another term? Boyfriend or girlfriend wasn’t a title that fit us. And since there were multiple men courting me, what would you call them? Was courting a common thing anymore or was that only done for royals or those who were potentially going to be in a relationship with multiple partners? Should I just tell people we were dating? Wasn’t dating a more acceptable term since dating often implied you weren’t being exclusive?
My mini freak out had pulled my attention away from Riddick’s fight, which turned out to last much longer than the previous ones.
“They’re not going even half their speed or strength so they can teach him how to handle the situation,” Caleb whispered to me. “They’re surprisingly good at training.”
“Surprisingly?” Jolie asked and chuckled. “They’ve got decades of experience from teaching me, you, and Riddick.” She looked at me and asked, “Have you been trained to fight?”
I shook my head. “The mage academy I went to taught me a little bit, but it was more of a defensive training than offensive.” Were they worried their pupils would riot and attack them?
“Which academy did you go to?” Nico asked, suddenly beside Jolie.
I gasped and she rolled her eyes. “He likes startling people.”
Glancing at Caleb out of the corner of my eye I muttered, “Must be genetic.”
Caleb smiled while Jolie laughed.
“It was an academy on the western coast,” I answered. “I don’t remember the name. Honestly, I’d like to forget that entire experience.”
“Were you boarded there?” he asked with a frown.
I nodded. “As soon as my parents found out I wasn’t human, they sent me to the school and when I graduated, they bought me the cabin and I changed my name to disassociate myself from them.”
Jolie reached over and gripped my hand. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“It’s okay, that was a long time ago,” I said and smiled though I didn’t truly feel happy about it, just glad it was over.
Caleb scooped me up out of the chair and set me in his lap, hugging me tightly, and buried his face against the side of my neck.
“Caleb?” I asked softly, surprised by the sudden movement.
“Just let him hold you for a moment,” Prince Deryn whispered. “He needs the reassurance.”
Riddick knelt behind me and wrapped his arms around both of us.
My face heated in embarrassment as I was held by two men in front of their parents, but the touch of both of them helped the pain I hadn’t realized I’d been feeling dissipate a bit.
Reaching down, I touched Riddick’s arm where it wrapped around my side, then rested my head against the side of Caleb’s. “I’m okay, guys. That was a long time ago and my life hasn’t been awful the whole time. I got to save dozens of creatures and shifters that might have otherwise died.”
“I want to punch Mr. Mayongan in the face so bad,” Riddick growled against my back.
Chuckling, I said, “It would feel incredibly satisfying to punch him.”
“Can I punch your dad if I see him again?” Caleb asked and tilted his head back to look at me.
“Yes, please.”
He nodded and rubbed his cheek against mine, then pushed at Riddick’s shoulder. “Get off. You’re squishing her.”
Riddick growled, but released his hold and stood.
“I think it’s time,” Caleb whispered, meeting my eyes.
I frowned. “Already?”
“Yes,” he said sternly.
