spoiled brat, but I’ve been ordered to protect your petulant fanny. Not many could handle the task, that’s for sure. I drew the short stick.” He stood suddenly, taking the blanket with him. “So up you get. Time to train.”
Even though she was fully clothed under the covers, she suddenly felt very vulnerable. She yanked the blanket back, but he had a solid grip on it. They ended up in a one-sided tug-of-war.
“Come on it’s not fair…” she whined. “I’ll do better practicing in here by myself .”
Eli didn’t even struggle. With one yank, he could pull her right off the bed. He held tight to the blanket and laughed.
“Why do you care if I go? You know if you did me the favor and tell him I’m sick, I’ll do you a favor in return.” She gave up the fight and released the blanket.
“Are you flirting with me? Julia, I’m shocked,” Eli quipped.
Her jaw went limp. She wasn’t flirting… was she? He was the most detestable, obnoxious, cretin she’d ever met. Besides, she didn’t flirt. Somehow the ability to speak clearly escaped her.
“No… of course not… you’re so not my type… you’re like the opposite of my type… you’re so… so… not…”
“Uh, huh,” he smirked. “Whatever you say.”
“Danu’s ass! You’re so annoying!”
“Language, Julia. What would your parent’s think?” He laughed.
The mention of her parents stung. Clearly, no one bothered to mention to him who her parents were. All of this training and running around had made her soft. Tears stung her eyes. Her shoulders slumped. She stared at her hands, trying to keep her cool. The last thing she needed was for Eli to see her weakness.
“You okay?” His voice softened.
Julia took a deep breath. “Yeah.”
For such an oaf, he was well tuned-in to her emotions. She felt his hand on her shoulder. He dropped the blanket and knelt down in front of her. She was surprised that he seemed genuinely concerned about her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say something offensive.”
Julia scoffed. “When have my feelings ever stopped you?”
“Seriously, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she sighed. “How are you supposed to know? No one told you about my parents.”
She didn’t know why she was still talking to him. She should kick him out of her room. She should condemn him for butting into her personal life. She should yell and scream and curse at him, but something in his brown eyes made her want to talk. He sat beside her.
“I wasn’t told anything. Things must be pretty bad though. With your parents, I mean.”
She nodded. “They’re both dead. My father… he was not a good person.”
Eli tensed up. “Sorry. I know how that is. My parents are dead too. They died when I was little. The Elders took me in and raised me. As you can imagine, it was loads of fun,” he grunted.
She smiled. “I was raised in the academy of the Azure Serpents… loads of fun.”
“Whoa, Azure Serpents, that’s formidable. You must be a real rogue, then.” He nudged her side, making her grin. “Was that an actual smile? I must be growing on you.”
“Yeah, like a fungus.”
“But an extremely good-looking fungus.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Julia punched his arm and got out of bed. Their conversation was making her nervous. The last thing she needed was to get muddled up with a guy like Eli. As much as she didn’t want to, she had to go see Dr. Lawless. She had to prove that she was just as good as Theo and Valera. She also wanted a chance to prod Lawly for more information and to see what his real intentions were. Eli escorted her down to the ballroom, where Dr. Lawless waited for her by the door. He frowned when he saw Eli close behind her.
“You may go now. She’s in good hands,” Dr. Lawless grit through his teeth.
Eli didn’t move. He smiled at Julia and leaned against the wall outside the door. “I’ll wait here for you.”
She nodded to him. Dr. Lawless grumbled and ushered Julia inside the
Even though she was fully clothed under the covers, she suddenly felt very vulnerable. She yanked the blanket back, but he had a solid grip on it. They ended up in a one-sided tug-of-war.
“Come on it’s not fair…” she whined. “I’ll do better practicing in here by myself .”
Eli didn’t even struggle. With one yank, he could pull her right off the bed. He held tight to the blanket and laughed.
“Why do you care if I go? You know if you did me the favor and tell him I’m sick, I’ll do you a favor in return.” She gave up the fight and released the blanket.
“Are you flirting with me? Julia, I’m shocked,” Eli quipped.
Her jaw went limp. She wasn’t flirting… was she? He was the most detestable, obnoxious, cretin she’d ever met. Besides, she didn’t flirt. Somehow the ability to speak clearly escaped her.
“No… of course not… you’re so not my type… you’re like the opposite of my type… you’re so… so… not…”
“Uh, huh,” he smirked. “Whatever you say.”
“Danu’s ass! You’re so annoying!”
“Language, Julia. What would your parent’s think?” He laughed.
The mention of her parents stung. Clearly, no one bothered to mention to him who her parents were. All of this training and running around had made her soft. Tears stung her eyes. Her shoulders slumped. She stared at her hands, trying to keep her cool. The last thing she needed was for Eli to see her weakness.
“You okay?” His voice softened.
Julia took a deep breath. “Yeah.”
For such an oaf, he was well tuned-in to her emotions. She felt his hand on her shoulder. He dropped the blanket and knelt down in front of her. She was surprised that he seemed genuinely concerned about her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say something offensive.”
Julia scoffed. “When have my feelings ever stopped you?”
“Seriously, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she sighed. “How are you supposed to know? No one told you about my parents.”
She didn’t know why she was still talking to him. She should kick him out of her room. She should condemn him for butting into her personal life. She should yell and scream and curse at him, but something in his brown eyes made her want to talk. He sat beside her.
“I wasn’t told anything. Things must be pretty bad though. With your parents, I mean.”
She nodded. “They’re both dead. My father… he was not a good person.”
Eli tensed up. “Sorry. I know how that is. My parents are dead too. They died when I was little. The Elders took me in and raised me. As you can imagine, it was loads of fun,” he grunted.
She smiled. “I was raised in the academy of the Azure Serpents… loads of fun.”
“Whoa, Azure Serpents, that’s formidable. You must be a real rogue, then.” He nudged her side, making her grin. “Was that an actual smile? I must be growing on you.”
“Yeah, like a fungus.”
“But an extremely good-looking fungus.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Julia punched his arm and got out of bed. Their conversation was making her nervous. The last thing she needed was to get muddled up with a guy like Eli. As much as she didn’t want to, she had to go see Dr. Lawless. She had to prove that she was just as good as Theo and Valera. She also wanted a chance to prod Lawly for more information and to see what his real intentions were. Eli escorted her down to the ballroom, where Dr. Lawless waited for her by the door. He frowned when he saw Eli close behind her.
“You may go now. She’s in good hands,” Dr. Lawless grit through his teeth.
Eli didn’t move. He smiled at Julia and leaned against the wall outside the door. “I’ll wait here for you.”
She nodded to him. Dr. Lawless grumbled and ushered Julia inside the
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