exciting happen this week? Anything you want to tell me?"
Well, there was the "Dark Creature I Thought Was Human Who's Now Hiding In The Royal Gardens" thing. And the "Prince I Thought I'd Gotten Over Coming Back And Messing With My Head" thing.
But none of it was his business. So I threw his own words back at him.
"Can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Until you provide details on your search for the Shadow, you don't have access to that information," I said smugly.
Karma sure was a bitch.
He took a step closer, eyes dark and intent.
"If you don't tell me, then I guess I have no choice." A note of challenge laced his tone. "I'll also have to find out in other ways."
I gave him a hard stare. "I'll find my information first."
"Really?"
I recognized the look in his eyes from our training sessions. It was the one he got right before he knocked me down to the mat.
"You mean like how I found out about your nix friend? The one currently hanging out in the Royal Gardens guest house?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said evenly.
"Ian MacAllister. Age seventeen. First encounter was three years ago in Panama City, Florida. You ran into him at the Trident last Saturday and your neurotic gardinel dragged him back here. Five-eleven. A hundred seventy pounds." His eyes glinted. "Shall I continue?"
Gabe was the only chevalier who knew about Ian.
How did Julian get that information when I couldn't find out where he'd been over the past week?
He chuckled. "If you could see the look on your face…"
"Fine." I tossed my hands up. "You have better info gathering skills than me."
For now.
"I'm also faster, have a better right hook, and have —"
"Goodbye, LeVeq." I moved to make my way past him, but he took a step and blocked my path.
A smile played on his lips. "Oh, come on. It's not fun if you don't keep trying."
"I'm not here to entertain you."
"Of course not." His smile widened. "I can think of a lot more mutually satisfying forms of recreation."
I doubted it'd be as entertaining as my knee connecting with a certain prized part of him. He seemed to come to the same conclusion and took a hasty step back.
"I don't have time for this."
I needed to be alone and there was only an hour left until curfew. Ewan would go ballistic if I wasn't back at the dorm by then.
"Don't be boring." Julian raised his brow. "Were you really planning on spending Saturday night hanging out with Nexa?"
I didn't bother correcting his assumption. "Wasn't that what you were going to do?"
"No. I was going to speak to her for a few minutes, then head out for some fun."
That explained the clothes. I could just imagine what kind of night he had planned.
"But I could put that aside for you." He lightly touched a strand of hair in front of my face. "Haven't seen you in a while."
I swiped his hand away. "Don't do me any favors."
"Why don't we go to my place?" His suggestive look was almost indecent. "The weather's freezing. We could warm each other up."
I groaned. "Does that line actually work?"
He laughed. "Most of the time," he said with his usual disarming honesty. "Although you seem to be the exception."
I stepped around him to hide the smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. The sound of his laughter was infectious. "Save it for someone else. I'm going to wait for Nexa."
"Your loss, sweet iris."
I headed for the run-down cottage, keeping an eye on Julian as he walked away. When he was no longer visible, I turned away from the door and headed for the edge of the bluff.
Eyes carefully picked out each stone step. With each gradation, the ball of tension unwound one strand at a time.
Once I reached the cove's sandy shore, I let out a deep breath and approached the water. Craggy, stone faces of the surrounding cliffs appeared harsh and imposing in the darkness.
Rather than feeling caged, the seclusion made me feel safe. Lighter.
Night painted the sky a deep midnight blue, the color a rich backdrop for the swath of clouds partially
Well, there was the "Dark Creature I Thought Was Human Who's Now Hiding In The Royal Gardens" thing. And the "Prince I Thought I'd Gotten Over Coming Back And Messing With My Head" thing.
But none of it was his business. So I threw his own words back at him.
"Can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Until you provide details on your search for the Shadow, you don't have access to that information," I said smugly.
Karma sure was a bitch.
He took a step closer, eyes dark and intent.
"If you don't tell me, then I guess I have no choice." A note of challenge laced his tone. "I'll also have to find out in other ways."
I gave him a hard stare. "I'll find my information first."
"Really?"
I recognized the look in his eyes from our training sessions. It was the one he got right before he knocked me down to the mat.
"You mean like how I found out about your nix friend? The one currently hanging out in the Royal Gardens guest house?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said evenly.
"Ian MacAllister. Age seventeen. First encounter was three years ago in Panama City, Florida. You ran into him at the Trident last Saturday and your neurotic gardinel dragged him back here. Five-eleven. A hundred seventy pounds." His eyes glinted. "Shall I continue?"
Gabe was the only chevalier who knew about Ian.
How did Julian get that information when I couldn't find out where he'd been over the past week?
He chuckled. "If you could see the look on your face…"
"Fine." I tossed my hands up. "You have better info gathering skills than me."
For now.
"I'm also faster, have a better right hook, and have —"
"Goodbye, LeVeq." I moved to make my way past him, but he took a step and blocked my path.
A smile played on his lips. "Oh, come on. It's not fun if you don't keep trying."
"I'm not here to entertain you."
"Of course not." His smile widened. "I can think of a lot more mutually satisfying forms of recreation."
I doubted it'd be as entertaining as my knee connecting with a certain prized part of him. He seemed to come to the same conclusion and took a hasty step back.
"I don't have time for this."
I needed to be alone and there was only an hour left until curfew. Ewan would go ballistic if I wasn't back at the dorm by then.
"Don't be boring." Julian raised his brow. "Were you really planning on spending Saturday night hanging out with Nexa?"
I didn't bother correcting his assumption. "Wasn't that what you were going to do?"
"No. I was going to speak to her for a few minutes, then head out for some fun."
That explained the clothes. I could just imagine what kind of night he had planned.
"But I could put that aside for you." He lightly touched a strand of hair in front of my face. "Haven't seen you in a while."
I swiped his hand away. "Don't do me any favors."
"Why don't we go to my place?" His suggestive look was almost indecent. "The weather's freezing. We could warm each other up."
I groaned. "Does that line actually work?"
He laughed. "Most of the time," he said with his usual disarming honesty. "Although you seem to be the exception."
I stepped around him to hide the smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. The sound of his laughter was infectious. "Save it for someone else. I'm going to wait for Nexa."
"Your loss, sweet iris."
I headed for the run-down cottage, keeping an eye on Julian as he walked away. When he was no longer visible, I turned away from the door and headed for the edge of the bluff.
Eyes carefully picked out each stone step. With each gradation, the ball of tension unwound one strand at a time.
Once I reached the cove's sandy shore, I let out a deep breath and approached the water. Craggy, stone faces of the surrounding cliffs appeared harsh and imposing in the darkness.
Rather than feeling caged, the seclusion made me feel safe. Lighter.
Night painted the sky a deep midnight blue, the color a rich backdrop for the swath of clouds partially
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