A shiver runs through me at the new moniker, but I ignore it to nod. My eyes plead with him not to ask here, and he smiles before offering his arm. Once I take it, we turn, heading down the hall to the elevator so we can go to theTriclinium.“Thank you for being… you, I suppose.”
He arches a brow, smirking through his shiny piercings. “You thought I’d show up in costume, pretending to be someone else? Amusing, I’m sure, but definitely not the day for expressing our ‘furry’ sides, KK.”
The humor is to get me to relax, I know; he’s not making light of my obvious stress to be a jerk.
“Well… I think it would be fun to see you dressed as Big Bird, but it’s not really mything. Don’t get any ideas, okay?” I grin a little, letting him lead the slow unraveling of my knots of panic and fear.
“Hmph. I’m amuchbigger bird than that yellow motherfucker. Just you wait.” Oriel puffs up, giving the impression that if he were shifted, his feathers mightactuallybe ruffled at the idea.
It’s adorable, and if I say so, he’ll get even more affronted.
“I’m sure you are. The few of you I’ve seen in the private shift sessions have been holding back, I’d wager. None of you wants to scare me accidentally, which is very considerate.” I frown as I think about this morning, then look up at O with a curious expression. “Slash asked me if he could go next.”
That gets a snort, then a full-on laugh from my companion as we enter the elevator and head to the bottom floor. Once it opens, Oriel guides me out into the lobby of the building with his hand on my elbow. When we’re clear of the front doors, he looks at me with sparkling mischief in his eyes.
“Did you acquiesce?”
“Should I not have?” His response is another rumbling laugh, and I yank my elbow free to dig into his side as we walk across the quad. “Tell me.”
“Slash is an odd duck, little shadow. He doesn’t mince words and looks at things differently than anyone else I know, even Jasper. I think it’s because of how the General raised him to look at the entire world like a giant chessboard, but I could be mistaken.”
I give him a wry look. “I’m very aware of that. Ihavemet the guy.”
“Yes, but you havenotmet his animal, nor his demon. Not really.” Oriel grins crookedly. “It’s an experience you won’t forget, so make sure you find some sort of swimwear. Also, remember that he doesn’t hide who he is in humanoid form and won’t in those forms, either.”
Squinting at him, I ask, “Are you trying to tell me you guys are all being… gentle with your reveals and Slash will go balls out without a thought?”
“I don’t know aboutballs out…”The crow snickers and I whack him in the arm indignantly. Once he’s done laughing at his own dick joke, he sobers up. “Look, I know I’m being silly, KK, but I’m not lying. Slash wouldn’t ever hurt you because you’re one of us, but he is always exactly who and what he is. So, you know… be prepared that he won’t cushion the blow.”
Huffing, I try to think about what that will mean for a shark and a vengeance demon, but the latter has so many different visages. I’ve seen a few around since I arrived, and I don’t know what his is going to look like since they can occur in several of the royal lines. As for the shark? I mean, I’ve seenJaws, so it can’t be too much worse, right? If no one starts the French horns and the strings playing the theme song, I should be fine.
Of course, those are famous last words, especially when I say them.
Lunch went surprisingly well,but that was because the group chat got a message that Jasper and Zavida were ‘tied up’ with work—something that made Oriel act like a very typical guy as he re-directed our path toCanto IVto have lunch in our dorm. I’m not naïve; I know he believes they’re fucking and doesn’t want to say it. But honestly? I’m not really as touchy about that stuff now—plus, I have to admit I’m curious, if only to myself.
Jasper and Zav’s dynamic is a mystery to me in practice, and I know the media doesn’t portray it correctly.
Not that I’m going totellanyone that because I’m definitely ready for the explanation. For the moment, I’m okay with my less-than-knowledgeable imagination and the bite of mystery. I have enough ‘new things’ to deal with now that I’ve kissed both Oriel and Salem—two dudes who know my secret and seem completely fine with playing tag team. They like jabbing at one another playfully, but I believe them when they say they’d have no problem working together.
“Yet another thing I’m not ready for,” I mutter as we climb the stairs to our dorm. Oriel opens the door, letting me pass as he tilts his head.
“What was that, little shadow?”
My eyes widen. “Nothing.”
“That was a very strenuous protest. Doesn’t seem like nothing,” he replies as we wade through the other demons filling the entryway and common space. “I told you that you can?—”
“Suck his dick, right?”
We both whirl around to see our old friend Bastion standing there with a group of similarly beefy-looking fuckers as they smirk at us. Dottie scrambles out of my bag, perching on my shoulder immediately like she’s ready to throw down with the asshole. It makes Oriel chuckle, but the dumbass from theThieves Guildjust glares.
“As if some stupid rat could help you thwart me.”
Dottie chitters loudly, her small fist shaking as she gives Bastion a piece of her mind. I reach up and pat her head lightly in thanks, then shrug as I look at the homophobic shitstain with a bored expression. “Bastion, if the Games hadn’t been announced, O would be running your shit. You lost; get over it. This little scene is so… 90s high school movie, man. Homophobic slurs? Demons don’t even give a fuck about that shit.”
“Alas, he’s right, Queznar.” Oriel angles himself so his bulk is between me and the furious bigot just slightly—a move not missed by the troupe ofBeavis and Butthead-esque demons standing next to Bastion. “You tools are justdyingto use cockwaffle to get ahead in the ranks, but you don’t realize that you are cannon fodder.”
Bastion sneers. “What the fuck are you talking about, Bloodstone?”
