Page 31 of Poet & Protector

“What do you need, Sabine?” I asked, managing not to laugh.

She would never pass up the opportunity to jab at a Nightshade. I had no doubt she only brought up Bryn and Fey for Mason’s benefit so she could shut him down. Behind her, he was livid.

“I’m not going to be at lunch today and I wanted to tell you I’m in for Friday night,” she said. “Can you give me a ride?”

“Sure,” I replied. “You still coming over later tonight to watch a movie?”

She shook her head, her eyes like flint. “Something came up. That’s why I’m missing lunch…and I won’t be free later.”

I stilled, struggling to keep my expression neutral. ‘Something came up’ was our code for when she had to go to Efron.

“Sorry to hear that,” I said stiffly.

She shrugged, then pivoted to face Mason. “Try to stop being such an albatross around his neck, okay? Writing poems isn’t that hard.”

“Hey!” Mason objected, but Sabine was already walking away.

“We haven’t even started writing yet!” he shouted after her, then spun around to stare at me accusingly. “An albatross?”

I thought about letting him suffer but chose mercy. “I can’t take credit for that. Sabine is a wordsmith when she wants to be.”

“But you’ve been complaining to her about me.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly unhappy.

I was surprised my opinion about our working together mattered to him that much.

“Not really,” I told him.

“Then why did she say that?” He frowned.

“Why don’t you ask her?” I replied curtly.

Something came up. I wanted to go after her, even if it was just to walk her to her car.

Mason wasn’t a fan of my response and he scowled at me. “She’s seriously your best friend?”

“She is.” It was obvious he was doubtful of Sabine’s capacity for friendship and the fuse on my temper was burning fast. “I know you think she’s a bitch, but she’s not.”

“I don’t think⁠—”

“Yes, you do.” I cut him off, my reflexive defense of Sabine kicking in. “All you Nightshades do.”

“You Nightshades?” Mason was incredulous. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what you think,” I answered. I wasn’t being fair to him, but he’d opened up an old wound without knowing it.

“Fine,” he snapped, his temper matching my own. “Can you blame us? Why would we think she’s anything other than a bitch when she always acts like one?”

Rage surged within me and I bared sharp canines at him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Mason.”

“Don’t I?” My sudden anger made him dig in his heels even more. “Maybe you should explain it. Tell me why I’m so wrong about Sabine.”

As quickly as my fury came on, it vanished. I stared at him, a bleakness creeping into my soul that made me feel cold all over.

“No,” I said quietly.

I shouldn’t have gotten into this argument. It led down a path Mason couldn’t follow.

I bent down to pick up my bag, needing to get away from the garden and from him. If I hurried, I might be able to catch Sabine before she left school.