“Ouch.” Kenji clapped his paws to his chest and rolled over in a fake death slump.
“You really think I’m that useless?” I kind of knew he did but hearing him say it was all kinds of hurtful.
“In a word, yes. You really are that useless.”
“Wow, please don’t sugarcoat it.” I laughed, but it took some effort.
Zane and Kai stood behind me, silent. Did they agree with Alaric? It sure felt like it. Was I the most useless witch who ever lived? Apparently so.
Yay, me.
“Your bear shifter might be sappy enough to fill your head with nonsense, but I will always tell you how it is,” Alaric continued. “And the truth is, Raven, you have zero control over your magic, which is a concern because you have a lot of untapped power. Unless you get a handle on that power, someone will die. Hopefully not one of us, but…” He shrugged, implying he strongly believed it might happen.
“Have you quite finished?” Zane pulled me back against his chest. “She’s doing her best in a difficult situation. We let you come on this trip to help her, not tear her down.”
“You let me come?” Alaric repeated before barking out a humorless laugh. “Nobodylets medo anything, incubus. I’m the most powerful mage alive. You couldn’t stop me if you tried!”
“Really? Shall we test that theory?” Zane pushed me aside and squared up to the mage. Thunder rumbled while lightning slammed into the stones a few feet away, filling the air with the scent of ozone. A man stacking crates of fish by the wall yelled in panic and ran away.
“Males will be males,” Kenji muttered.
“You’re a male,” I pointed out.
“Yes, but I’ve evolved.”
“What the fuck’s going on?” Maverick dropped our bags and stared at the two idiots posturing and spitting insults at each other.
“A dick-measuring contest,” Kai replied, to my surprise. He usually stayed out of the drama.
“Alaric was being mean.” I pushed down my hurt and steeled my spine. “He can stay here if he wants. We don’t need him.”
Alaric snapped his head in my direction and sneered.
“You’re right. I can stay here where it’s warm and dry.” To my surprise, he shoved Zane out of the way, grabbed his bag, and strode off toward a brightly lit inn on the waterfront.
“Now that we’ve gotten rid of Debbie Downer, shall we set off?” Zane grinned at me and took my hand in his. “Don’t worry, pet, you can’t kill me with your magic. It’s impossible to kill one’s own soul-bonded mate.”
“Not impossible, just very difficult,” Kenji said cryptically.
Maverick sighed, strongly implying we were all unruly children in need of a time-out.
“Come. I’ve hired some snowmobiles from a seal shifter. Let’s get a move on before the weather worsens.” We all looked up to see more storm clouds brewing.
Unless the mage calmed down, he’d end up killing us all in a severe weather event. Or maybe that had been his secret plan all along.
It sure felt like he hated me enough to want to kill me sometimes.
Except for the time in the pizzeria when he was nice and I thought for a hot second he actually liked me. But I shoved that thought down because it had been a delusion, and delusional was my middle name.
“Hold on tight, little mate.” We set off along a trail leading away from the harbor. Maverick had insisted on taking me on the back of his snowmobile, which was wise given I’d never ridden onebefore and would probably crash if I had to steer my own. Kai and Zane followed, each with their own snowmobile.
“Being shoved in a backpack is unacceptable for a kitsune of great standing in the community,” Kenji grumbled over my shoulder, but we’d concluded this was the best way for him to travel.
Alaric had disappeared, but I could still feel him in my chest. The tether between us ached, like the bond knew I was leaving him behind and wasn’t happy about it. But since he was the one being a dick, I refused to feel bad.
I’d tried so hard with him, but he’d acted like an asshat ever since I met him. I was done with the mage.
He didn’t deserve me.
