“We need more detail,” Zane said, pushing Maverick aside. “Her fear is so thick it’s giving me heartburn.”
“Speak up, merman!” Maverick growled while squeezing me so tightly I feared my ribs might crack.
“It hurts!” I squeaked.
“Fuck, sorry, little mate!” Maverick relaxed his grip, allowing me to draw in a shaky breath. Then he turned to the merman. “Tell us everything.”
Kai looked around Maverick’s cabin, taking in the fireplace and the small but functional kitchen. I had a feeling his own accommodations were not this nice. From what Glynda had said, the less prestigious magicals lived in an older dorm the school hadn’t updated in decades.
Hardly surprising. The way our world treated anyone it deemedless thanmade me ashamed. Nobody was better or worse than anyone else. Yes, some of us were more powerful than others, but surely that meant we should help those less powerful, right?
But I brushed those thoughts aside. Now was not the time to think about such things. The clock was ticking, and we needed to leave ASAP.
Adam and Willow hadn’t left yet. I knew Adam wouldn’t leave campus without trying one last time to get me to go with him. The headmaster and his security mages had strengthened the wards around campus to keep any potential threats lurking beyond the forest out, but some families had stayed overnight in the guest accommodations, so there was still a chance for Adam to kidnap me. The mages had said families could leave today, along with any first-years too traumatized by the attacks to stay.
No doubt Adam would use it as an excuse to make me leave too.
Well, the joke was on him. I wasn’t going anywhere. At least not with him or Willow.
I still had no clue what was eating Willow. Instead of seeming happy to see me last night before the demons attacked, she’d acted off. Not at all like her usual self. Almost jealous, which made no sense.
She’d not once said she longed for a soul-bonded mate, so why would she care that I’d found mine?
Ugh. Maybe once things settled down, I’d talk with her. She didn’t use social media or email, but I’d figure something out.
“We’re waiting,” my bear snapped when I finally tuned back in. Kai stood next to the fireplace, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze. Something in me ached as his shoulders slumped. Why was he so unsure of himself? I couldn’t figure it out.
Most powerful magicals were arrogant and super confident, Alar-dick being a great example of an entitled asshole.
Kai was nothing like that. The anxiety emanating from him in waves made me want to wrap him up in a hug so tight he couldn’t breathe. The sort of hug I craved when the cafeteria ran out of chocolate muffins.
My feet took me in his direction before I could second-guess my actions. His eyes widened in panic at the sight of me approaching with my arms held wide, and he stumbled back. The realization I was about to cross a boundary he might not be comfortable with seared my cheeks in embarrassment.
Zane chuckled while Maverick threw me an exasperated look.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. You looked sad, and I wanted to…” I broke off before I made the whole situation ten times worse.
“Make fish boy feel better?” Amusement danced in Zane’s eyes. I glared at him. How dare he make fun of me!
“Yes,” I snapped. “Kai clearly feels uncomfortable, which is hardly surprising with you two acting like grumpy donkeys.”
“Grumpy donkeys?” Zane burst out laughing while Maverick’s lips twitched. “I’m pretty sure if you lay your hands on him, he’ll feel better, pet.”
“Enough!” Maverick’s powerful voice rattled all the plates in the cupboard. Okay, I guess he’d reached his bullshit limit for one day. Good to know where that limit lay. For future reference.
“Kai, tell us what you saw. If my mate is in danger, I need to know every last fucking detail so we can keep her safe.”
“Finally,” Kenji muttered. He huffed and stretched. “I’m off to pick up snacks. Let me know when you’re ready to ditch this place.” He blinked away before I could ask if he’d packed. Not that I had any clue what a kitsune needed for a journey into the far north. Presumably not a fur coat, as he had one of those.
Kai stood up straighter and focused on Maverick rather than me. Seeing how uncomfortable he was around me stung, but I took the hint and moved across the room to sit down on the sofa.
Fine, so the merman didn’t like me.Whatever. I could deal. At least he liked me enough to want to prevent some hideous fate from befalling me.
“I saw her crossing a wooden bridge over a gorge. A cetus pulled her down into the water.”
My brow scrunched in confusion. “What’s a cetus?”
“A serpent-like predator.”
