Page 43 of Glitched Fates & Stolen Mates

I winced.

“Close by, were we?”

“Sort of. There was an active threat, and you know I’m a fast runner.”

“Huh.”

Her chestnut eyes studied my face, and didn’t look away. But there was no way I was admitting what I’d done. I was too ashamed. Plus, it was all over now, and I’d take the secret to my grave.

“Morning,” Felix’s voice made us both turn. He lingered in the doorway—unusual because he always headed straight to his lair.

“Morning,” Priya chirped. “Kit was just filling me in on Friday night. Sounds like he was a real hero.”

She lightly punched my arm, and I gritted my teeth.

Felix shuffled on the spot. “Yes… thank you again, Kit. I was actually wondering if you had a time in mind for our, um… our meeting today? Well, you know, the training session?”

He winced as the words left his mouth, and sharp guilt twisted inside me.

But it was true that we should have trained him years ago. This was long overdue.

“Whatever works for you,” I managed. “Before lunch? Eleven?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

“I’ll pick you up,” I said, then grimaced. Priya failed to disguise her laugh as a cough. “I mean, I’ll come get you from your lair.”

Felix looked like he might cry.

And to be fair, I didn’t blame him.

Before I fetched Felix, I arranged the mats in the centre of the ballroom, then jogged to work up a sweat as I tried to shake off the jitters. Just act normal. Don’t be a creepy freak. That’s the last thing he’ll want.

The pep talk hadn’t helped much.

On the short journey, Felix had politely asked about my weekend. Thankfully the conversation hadn’t progressed beyond my reply of, “It was good, thanks.” Because explaining how I’d spent forty-eight hours punishing myself for stalking him seemed like poor form.

Felix stood on the mat, arms crossed over his body, one hand squeezing his opposite arm like he was trying to hold himself together. I drank in the sight of him, heart sinking.

“So, you might want to wear appropriate clothes for these sessions.”

Fuck. I sounded like a grumpy PE teacher.

Felix’s face split into mortification as he glanced down at his thick, baggy hoodie and dark denim jeans. “I didn’t even think. I’m not actually sure I own jogging bottoms outside of the ones with loads of holes in, that I use as pyjamas… sorry… I’ll go shopping, I guess.”

I tried not to picture Felix in those holey bottoms. Failed spectacularly.

“Rory has stashes of spare clothes all over the place. You know what…” I headed to the training room cupboard, shoving aside punching bags and training blocks. Behind it all sat a forgotten duffle bag that Rory had probably abandoned months ago. Or years.

I rummaged through and pulled out bright pink Lycra running trousers. I threw them to Felix.

“I actually have a matching pair of these. Rory bought them for me thinking he was funny.”

Felix stared down at the neon pink fabric, then back up at me.

“They should fit you? Ish?” Felix was a bit taller than Rory, but a similar build.

“Okay,” Felix said quietly, accepting his fate.