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Thankfully there was no wind, and even though I could see the silvery puffs my breath made in the cold air, the chill pleasantly hung in the air instead of burrowing into my bones like it did when there was a strong wind.
I guess it’s encouraging that the Paragon wanted to discuss the elves. He must feel like the Curia Cloisters is secure enough if he wanted to talk about something besides the artifact-spell issues.
Personally, knowing that at any second the blond haired fae could spring his trap was rubbing my nerves raw. But that was probably due to the power difference between the likes of me and the supernaturals with power, like the Paragon.
Walking through the front doors of the Cloisters was like getting slammed by a wall of magic—there were so many spells I couldn’t even tell all the types at work.
Maybe I’m just paranoid, I wondered.Maybe the Paragon isn’t worried because there’s just no way anyone is stupid enough to target the Curia Cloisters when it hasthis much magicon it. It would be a suicide mission.
My eyes abruptly watered, and my nose filled, something that happened only when I encountered the Paragon’s ridiculously strong glamour. But if the Paragon was near, that meant so were Noctus and the others, so I blinked through the tears, looking for my friends.
“Chloe!” Ker waved with her left arm, careful not to jostle her whole body as Aristide held the back of her right arm. Behind her walked Noctus and the Paragon, with a group I recognized as elves thanks to my magic-canceling abilities.
That must be the squad on Curia Cloisters duty right now, I realized when I saw Oleander in the ranks.
I scuffed my shoes on the rubber mats arranged just in front of the doors. “Hey, Ker, Aristide. Are you all finished?”
“We are,” Aristide confirmed. “Did Charon already drive off?”
“Yeah.” I peered through the glass door, but the SUV was gone. “He was going to find a parking spot. Want me to call him?”
“Sure,” Ker said.
“Yes!” Aristide said with a great deal more enthusiasm. “If I have to listen to one more question from that conniving old fae, I’m going to bite someone.”
I paused in the process of patting down my pockets in search of my cellphone and looked from Aristide to Ker, hoping for an explanation.
“The Paragon had a few questions about why I’m still alive,” Ker said. “He was curious about the process.”
“He wasn’t curious, he was nosey,” Aristide groused. “And he refuses to take no for an answer. It’s high time that someone teach him that just because he’s the Paragon does not mean we have to answer all his questions,” Aristide said. “Ker, why didn’t you try to convert him to the ways of Dale Carnegie? If anyone needs to learn how to win friends, it is that odious fae.”
“I considered it,” Ker said. “But I concluded it would be dangerous for the world if the Paragon was armed with that kind of life-changing knowledge.”
“I get the feeling he probably wouldn’t care about learning how to better appeal to people, because he doesn’t care what others think of him.” I leaned against the door, holding it open for Aristide and Ker to pass through. “But, I have some bad news. I apparently left my cellphone in my backpack, which is in the car with Charon.”
“Of course you did. This is not our night,” Aristide announced.
Ker peered up at the sky as we walked out from underneath the overhang that stretched over the entrance. “The sun is starting to rise, so it’s morning now,” she said. “Not night.”
“Thank you, Channel Four Wolf News, for that ever-so-important update,” Aristide said. “Why don’t you dig out your phone?”
“Why don’t you get out yours?”
Aristide tugged on Ker’s arm and then tapped his cane on the ground. “With what hand?!”
“Good point,” Ker said. “Okay, I’ll call him. But you need a drink. You’re stressed out.”
“Donottalk about my beverages in front of the Paragon,” Aristide complained. “He’ll be inspired to ask more questions.”
I laughed as I looked back at Noctus, the Paragon, and the guards.
Noctus left the Paragon—who was still talking—in his dust, increasing his pace so he could catch up with Ker, Aristide, and me.
He smiled at me, stepping into my space—though he gave me plenty of time to retreat—before wrapping his arms around me and scooping me against his chest. “Good morning, Chloe.”
“H-hi.” My cheeks burned as I met Noctus’s gaze. Recognizing what the light in his eyes meant, I pressed my face into his shoulder when he lowered his head toward mine.
He laughed and made do with kissing the top of my ear—eliciting a squeak from me and a gagging noise from Aristide.
