“I heard her husband encountered the bear men and now they’re both missing,” a woman whispers from a nearby table.
“He seriously spoke to them. Why? What purpose would bothering those brutes serve,” her friend asks equally quiet.
“Maybe he was trying to travel into Florida. You know he works there a lot.” The first woman shrugs.
We pass by the women gossiping, but they aren’t the only ones speaking in hushed tones around the place. The wordsbear menandmissingfloat around the diner like a bad omen.
“What the fuck is going on?” I whisper to Jayden.
“I don’t know but I have a feeling we’re going to find out before we leave this sleepy little town.” He shakes his head.
Jayden pulls a chair out for me and I take my seat. What are the odds that we’ll have another obstacle so soon after the chariot race and Pandora’s bullshit? Actually, who am I kidding?Of course it’s been too easy so far, so it would only make sense to pack all the assholes in close proximity to tire us before we get to the temple.
A waitress in an old-school diner uniform comes over and hands us each a menu before scurrying away to another table that must be regulars because she’s chatting with them in hushed whispers.
“Sorry, dears. Rosie hasn’t shown up in the last two days and I don’t know where to find her,” the waitress whispers.
“Do you think she crossed paths with the bear men?” someone asks.
“No, she was headed north to visit her mom and never made it there. It’s been happening a lot in the last week or two. I don’t think it’s safe to travel anywhere right now.”
“She’s like the lost ones?” the woman whispers.
“It’s the only thing I can think of. She wouldn’t just disappear on me like that.” The waitress straightens when a bell rings behind the counter. “Gotta go.”
“Do you think there’s any truth to the rumors flying around this place about bear men and people disappearing?” I ask.
“I think it would be dumb if we didn’t take stock in it.” Raven shrugs.
“Agreed. I wonder who they are.” I grimace.
There’s only one mention of men who look like bears in ancient history and I hope it’s not them because… gross.
The waitress comes back over and we order our food. The waitress’ eyes widen with how much food Raven and I order but I don’t care. If I’m going up against bear men who keep making people disappear after this, I am going to need fuel and plenty of it.
“We’re just going to have to refuel again after the inevitable fight,” I say.
“Not you,” Jayden says. “I need you to let us handle this one.”
“Jayden, you know I can’t do that,” I say.
“You can and you will. If I have to chain you to the car seat, I will,” he mumbles.
“I think I agree with him, B. You need to trust the rest of us to take care of things sometimes too. How are you going to trust us in battle if you’re always saving our asses?”
“Do you guys all agree to this?” I ask.
Greyson lifts a hand. “I agree with one stipulation.”
Raven shoots him a glare that clearly says for him to shut the hell up, but he doesn’t take the hint.
“Raven sits this one out too. You guys can’t be at the top of your game after how hard you fought in the arena.”
“I was going to suggest the same.” Dax ducks to catch the French fry that Raven just threw at him in his mouth. “Thanks, sis.”
“I’ll show you top condition when I beat you both bloody at the same time,” Raven says with a snarl.
“You were all for benching me and now you’re backpedaling when they bench you too?” I ask with a raised brow.
