Page 58 of Property of Prophet

Whatever else has changed, I’m still his brother.

Only then does he move, crossing the clearing with the same impossible silence he’d arrived with, stopping beside Blade.

“Prophet.”

My chest tightens. “Vex.”

His gaze moves over the silver in my hair again. “You look old.”

I stare at him. “Good to see you too, asshole.”

The faintest movement touches his mouth. “You’re still you.”

And fuck me, coming from Vex, that might be a declaration of love.

A shadow passes overhead, and Lily’s hand immediately goes back to her rifle. “Another one?”

I nod.

“Scout.”

He doesn’t descend straightaway. He circles the clearing once, broad wings barely moving as he rides the mountain air, his sharp gaze sweeping every inch of the property, the roof, the tree line, the ridge behind the cabin, and the frozen creek to the west.

He isn’t looking at me. He’s looking for whoever hurt me.

Only after he’s satisfied does he fold his wings and drop into the clearing, landing lightly despite the weight of the gear strapped across his back.

He glances once toward Blade.

Blade hasn’t shifted.

Scout gives the smallest nod before moving immediately to the northern perimeter, his attention already back on the trees.

Lily watches him disappear. “He didn’t even look at you.”

I smile. “He did.”

“When?”

“Before you saw him.”

Her eyes narrow toward the trees. “I’m beginning to dislike how many of your friends can do things I can’t see.”

“Wait until you meet Rooster.”

“Why?”

A shadow crosses the window.

“Too late.”

The rush of broad wings sweeps over the clearing. Rooster drops out of the sky with his usual cocky grace, folding his wings at the last moment before landing in an easy crouch. A familiar smirk curves his lips as he straightens, looking every bit the arrogant harpy we all know.

His eyes find mine.

The smirk disappears.

That fucking hurts more than I expect it to. Rooser has stared down gods and monsters wearing that smirk. Seeing me wipes it clean.