Page 41

He huffed a short laugh. “Alaric and I are twenty-four. We haven’t attended academy in a few years.”

“Alaric.” An unexpected thrill sparked through me when I said his name. “You guys mention him a lot. Where is he?”

There was another one of those pregnant pauses that made my chest tight. Rami frowned at his plate before answering. “He is away on…business.”

The back of my neck prickled. “You made that sound kind of shady.”

“Where are your parents?” Rami took the conversation back, steering it where he wanted.

I winced and dropped my eyes to my plate. “I don’t know. They left me with my aunt when I was four.”

“Deva?” Bel’s voice was soft, and I nodded.

“Does she know about your magic?” Rami angled himself toward me, and I could feel his eyes on my face.

I picked up my water glass and took a sip. “She knew. I think that’s why my parents left me with her. She was Other. A witch.”

Rami didn’t miss my use of past tense, and gentle fingers swept along my hairline to tuck the strands behind my ear. “I’m sorry, kulta.” His hand stayed at my neck, thumb brushing my jaw. I forced my shoulders up in a shrug. The conversation had officially swerved off the road and into a ditch.

“It’s late. I should get going.” I stood, and Lucian lurched to his feet after me.

“Not by yourself.” His mask slipped for a moment, worry twisting his features. For all his tough exterior and devil-may-care demeanor, a scared little boy was peeking out of his eyes. I reached for him along our heartstring, soothing his anxiety.

“I’ll be fine, Luce.” I held his gaze with a soft smile. “You guys don’t need to worry about me.”

“No,” Rami said in that deep voice that did things to my heart rate. “Lucian is right. I’ll take you home.”

I rolled my eyes but didn’t protest. At least I wouldn’t have to pay for an Uber. I moved around the table to Bellamy.

“Thank you for dinner.” I stretched up onto my toes to give him a quick kiss. The moment his lips touched mine, there was nothing quick about it. I almost forgot why I was leaving. My toes curled, and when he finally let me go, I was dizzy from the rush.

“We’ll give you a little space for now,” he said, eyes a burnished gold, “but don’t expect it to last. I can’t stand it when you’re not here.”

I didn’t disagree. It felt right being surrounded by all of them, but I wouldn’t let myself be dependent. I had to be self-reliant. Lucian moved behind me and pulled me into his arms, my back to his chest.

“I don’t think we’re in any position to make demands,” he told Bel over my head. “We all know who’s holding the leash.” He nuzzled his face into the side of my neck, making me giggle. “Call me later,” he breathed, tickling my sensitive skin with his words.

“Okay,” I whispered back, a smile still tugging at my lips. He let me go, and I moved back to where Rami was waiting. “Tell Quinn I said thanks.”

Rami huffed behind me while I gathered my things. Once out the door, he led me to his gunmetal-gray pick-up truck and lifted me into the front seat. “Seatbelt.”

I clicked the ends together as he jumped into the driver’s seat. The engine rumbled to life, a throaty purr that reminded me of its driver. He backed out of the garage and ambled down the long driveway.

“Thank you,” I told him, “for the ride. But really, I’m fine by myself.” He speared me with an intense look that stopped my heart. That was not the look of a man who was willing to budge. “Where are you from?” I backpedaled. “Your accent.”

“I grew up in Finland. I came here when I was fifteen.”

I watched him as he drove. “Do you miss it?”

Rami growled deep in his chest. “No.”

Okay. Another sensitive subject to avoid. “Did everyone meet at this ‘Athene Academy’?”

“I met Alaric at the boarding school I was sent to.” He quirked an unsure grin at me. “The others we met at the academy.”

The corners of my mouth turned down. Alaric again. My magic bristled with impatience, frustrated that we were here, and he was not.

“Tell me about him. Alaric.”