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“Am I? Fortunately, he did not seem to possess the skill or wit to realise what power he really had with that book.”
Our group murmurs uncomfortably for a moment, individually processing just how bad things could have been. Only Seldon remains unaffected, but I think he may be sleeping with his head on the table.
“What about the explodey ball thing Theo did? You guys got answers for that?” Nope, he’s awake. He props his elbow on the table and his chin on his hand.
It isn’t Tarook that answers this time but Alain. I’d avoided him where possible. He seems nice enough, but he is always watching me intently, as though he is cataloguing every single detail of my being. It’s unnerving.
“Actually, I do. I told you the garden was good for you, Theo.” His eyes bore into mine, willing me to make the connection.
“It’s the earth, right?” Earth is Alain’s element after all. His smile is crooked due to a scar on his cheek but wide all the same.
“Yes! The earth. By caring for it, nurturing it, it allowed you to foster that connection to your magic, the magic of the Whisper Woods. The fae may have stolen your unique gift andmostof your power, but it was like a seed in your spirit. It just had to be brought into being.” He pauses, rearranging his emerald robes around him in a pompous kind of way. The mages are big on using their robes for dramatic effect, I’ve noticed. Once he’s satisfied, he waves his hand in the air, gesturing grandly. “It also helps that the Woods blessed you. Rather like it did Inigo.”
The Woods blessed me? What is he on about? My brain scrambles to catch up. Mages aren’t known for being direct about things, and it is very early after a rather traumatic day. Something finally connects, and I slap the table.
“It’s the creature thing, isn’t it?” Several of the mages laugh at me, like I’m a child solving a simple maths equation.
“What creature thing?” Caelan interjects just as Tarook confirms my guess. I wince at the incredulous looks around the table, worrying at my lip with my teeth, completely unsure how to explain this one.
I’m temporarily saved from having to answer by the arrival of a vaguely familiar-looking man. The conversation stops immediately, everybody's attention swivelling to the black-haired man coming down the stairs of the tavern. He seems coolly unaffected by everyone’s attention, his focus entirely on Seff’s back.
“Who is that?” Edith perks up as Seff turns to face the man. The three of us—me, Seldon, and Seff—all seem to recognise him at the same time, Seff turns a rather brilliant red colour as he turns to face him.
“I know you!” This is just too much fun. I jump to my feet excitedly. “You’re the guy from the club!” I shake Roan’sshoulder, to get his attention, but he is too frustrated at the interruption to care. Seldon slaps the table, all too ready to shit-stir Seff with me. “Yes! Oh, my Gods. What ishedoing here?”
“Wasn’t he here for the search yesterday, too?” Mauvy throws in distractedly. Well, thatcertainlyis a bit of information. Seff is barely paying any attention to us. He’s entirely focused on the guy who is taking our delight at his arrival with good humour despite being scary as fuck. He’s not exactly big or intimidating, but there is something about him that definitely gives the impression of power.
Roan, who is far too close to going on a rampage out of sheer frustration, tugs me back into my seat, and I go willingly just to snuggle up close to him again. I can feel his tension easing as I tuck myself in close.
“Hello. Yes, that was me at Slash.” The man nods his head in greeting, and, when Seff turns back around in his seat, his hand stays on Seff’s shoulder. “When Seff got the news yesterday, I drove him here. Naturally, I stayed to assist as much as I could. I’m glad to see you are safe and well.”
“Yeah, well, it wasn't exactly my first time being kidnapped and almost murdered. You could say I’m an old hand at it by now.” No one seems to appreciate my flippant response, judging by the curses around me, except for the new guy. I can see the small quirk of a smile in the corner of his mouth.
“Ah, yes, well, everyone has to have their hobbies. Though I can see your loved ones here would probably prefer you give this one a rest.” A chuckle escapes me. I like this guy.
“Yeah. Should probably retire for a bit. Anyway, what was your name again? Seff forgot to introduce us.”
I take pity on my poor, stressed Roan and try for a redirect. My brother isn’t holding up any better with the interruption. Seff flips me off in response to my little dig, and so I return it in kind.
“I am Rafe Miyares.” He gives another little bowing nod.
“Pleased to meet you, Rafe. I’m Theo. The guy glaring at you is my brother Tor, and the other one glaring at you, the one with the beard-seriously guys?” I whisper-yell the last bit, but Tor only rolls his eyes. “Is Caelan. The one eyeballing you down there is Edith. Then you’ll remember Seldon from the club, and then there’s Mauvy and Roan. They own the Black Stump here. And this is Tarook, Alesander, and Alain, our guests here at the Black Stump. Obviously, I don’t need to introduce you to Seff here.” I point to everyone in turn, sticking my tongue out at Seff when he flips me off again. Roan’s exasperated huff tickles my hair as he tugs me closer into him and kisses my head.
There is a flicker of recognition in Rafe and the mages’ eyes as they are introduced, but the moment passes when Rafe returns Seff’s phone and heads upstairs.
But only after kissing Seff stupid at the table.
“What was that?!” Edith screeches as soon as Rafe disappears up the stairs—definitely still within hearing distance, though.
My brother, the absolute spoilsport, cuts her off before she can grill Seff any further, pulling us back to the original conversation. The one aboutme.
“You were saying something, Theo. Something about talking to fucking creatures?”
I take a bracing sip of my coffee before I begin again, trying to find the best way to explain it.
“Uh, so I can kind ofhearcreatures?” I look to Tarook and Alain for confirmation. They shrug and nod—this is probably the best way to explain it. “It’s not avoiceexactly but an impression. Anyway, it’s a thing, a new thing. That I can do. Or experience.”
“Godsdammit, Theo!” Tor slaps the table, making everyone jump, his frustration boiling over. I keep my eyes trained on my brother, who has a rather pink flush to his pointed ears. “You can talk to creatures, and you don’t tellanyone? I felt kinda bad about not knowing about the Darius thing, like I’d let you down,but honestly, bro, your communicationsucks. Why didn’t you mention this to literallyanyone? What if it was dangerous?!”
