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Chapter 9
The next morning dawned way too early for Hazel’s exhausted mind. The night before had taken its toll and she was feeling a little ragged as she slugged around the kitchen desperately waiting for the coffee to brew. Nika walked into the room, his own silver eyes looking a little haggard as he sat in one of the too small dining chairs. It creaked a little as he shifted.
“What is that smell?” He finally asked.
“Coffee.” Hazel sighed with near fanatical worship. She couldn’t start her day without a cup of strong black coffee. “You want some?”
He just shrugged, not saying anything for a long moment. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“Well, I’ve never had it before.”
Hazel thought her jaw would just dislocate and drop to the floor it flopped open so fast as she stared at him in dismayed shock. “What? What?”
“Hazel, I’ve been trapped in a magic prison for the past several hundred years. I guess...I guess I’ve missed a lot.”
For the first time, Hazel realized how hard this must be for them, waking up to realize that your time had passed you by, everyone you knew long gone.
“It is.” He just said softly, and there was a sadness in his eyes that she would have done anything to eradicate. Well, there was one thing she could certainly do. The coffee pot beeped, announcing that its delicious contents were ready. Grabbing two cups, she filled them both to the brim and walked it over to the small table, setting one in front of Nika and holding the other in front of her mouth, blowing on it gently to cool it down before taking a big gulp and sighing in bliss.
“Go on, try it.”
“What does it taste like?”
“It tastes like coffee, just go on. Stop being a baby, and try it.” He gave her an arch look, making his sharply chiseled face look extremely aristocratic as he glanced dubiously at the dark liquid before gingerly lifting the cup.
“Wait! You have to blow on it first. It’s really hot.” She grabbed the mug from him, “You don’t want to burn yourself, do you?” Hazel pursed her lips, showing him how it was done, blowing until it was cool enough to drink. She set the cup back down in front of him, finally glancing up and freezing at the look in his mercurial gaze. She definitely didn’t need to be able to read minds to tell what he was thinking and she hastily turned away before her own thoughts could get her into trouble.
She heard a sipping noise from behind her, followed by a deep moan that had her trembling despite her best intentions. It sounded absolutely sinful, that moan. Hazel took a deep breath before turning back around. Nika face was buried in the mug of hot coffee as Jayce walked in, a small notebook held open in his hands.
“Jayce, you have to try this,” Nika said, his voice sounded like he had just tasted heaven. Hazel knew exactly how he felt.
“I know, right? So good!”
“What? Try what?”
“Coffeeee.” Nika drew out the word on a sigh as he took another swallow. Jayce stared at them both for a moment like they were lunatics before shaking his head, all seriousness as he turned to face Hazel.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“That’s never good.” Nika interrupted with a small smile. Jayce sent him a glare before continuing.
“As I was saying,” he said, with one more preemptive look forestalling any more unwanted comments from Nika, “I was thinking we need to give Hazel the Archon’s test.”
Nika stopped his smirking, his light brown brows rising in consideration.
“Jayce, that’s actually…brilliant.” He said slowly.
“You don’t have to sound quite so surprised.”
Hazel glanced from one man to the other, continuing to talk over her head as if she wasn’t even there.
“Whoa,” she interrupted, “What even is this Archer test?”
“No, no. Not Archer. Archon. It’s a way the ancient council of nine tested new initiates.”
She looked at Jayce hesitatingly. “Tested them for what, exactly?”
“Well, for magic.’” Nika explained, and suddenly their roles were reversed. Now, she was the one who was in the dark. The one who didn’t understand.
