“I’m no good with names,” Seth said innocently.
“Last night you listed every single one of the team players in the entire Solarian Pitball League and their star signs,” Max reminded him.
“Because you bet me ten auras I couldn’t do it,” Seth said with a shrug.
“So you can magically remember hundreds of names for ten auras?” Max questioned.
“I can do endless things for ten auras, Max,” Seth said with a cocky grin. “I could do a triple standing backflip with no air magic for ten auras.”
“Ha,” Max laughed, folding his arms. “Go on then.”
“We’re getting off topic,” I interjected in frustration before Seth could get up to try to prove himself. “The point is, we may have to acknowledge that Nymphs aren’t inherently evil.”
Darius scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’ve killed so many Nymphs, man.”
“We all have,” I said darkly.
“And they’ve all meant us harm,” Max said with a firm nod. “I can feel their intentions. We’ve never killed one that hasn’t meant to kill us. I’d have noticed if they had been forced into it.”
“Thank god,” Darcy whispered, rubbing her eyes and I realised she looked drained as hell. I hoped that hat hadn’t fucked with her because I’d personally go diving into it again to choke out Diego’s soul if it had. “But what are we supposed to do now? How does this change things?”
“Maybe it doesn’t,” Tory said. “Maybe Diego was different. The shadows were obviously trying to turn him evil and he had his hat to help fight against them. But I’ve never seen another Nymph wearing a hat, so it makes sense to think they’re all corrupted.”
“But if it’s the shadows that are corrupting them then doesn’t that suggest that they wouldn’t be inherently evil without the shadows?” Darius suggested and I shifted in my seat uncomfortably at that idea.
“Poor, poor Diego,” Geraldine sighed, hanging her head.
Silence fell between us as no one had a definitive answer to what we’d just witnessed. And as Darcy rubbed her eyes again and her face paled, I knew she needed to rest.
“I think I’m all hatted out,” she murmured and I leaned over to kiss her temple.
“You’re hatigued,” I joked and she chuckled at me, making my heart lift before her smile fell away again, her eyes darkening as her thoughts no doubt drifted back to Diego.
It wasn’t long before everyone started heading out the door, Xavier and the Heirs muttering about the Nymphs as Geraldine half tore Max’s shirt off of him to use it to wipe her damp eyes.
I stood and plucked the hat from the bed, stuffing it into my back pocket to make sure Blue didn’t get any ideas about putting it on again tonight. She was leaning on Tory, looking about ready to fall asleep and I could tell they wanted a moment together as they exchanged a twin look.
“I’ll catch you in a bit, baby,” Darius said as he noticed too, kissing Tory before heading to the door after the others, glancing back over his shoulder and catching my eye.
I took a step toward him on instinct but Seth’s hands latched around him from behind, yanking him out into the corridor so the door closed between us.
I ran my tongue over my lengthening fangs, the urge to cut the mutt down to size rising up in me. But then I looked at Blue again, seeing the exhaustion in her and I forgot about everything else but her. I shot to her side, eyeing her paling features a second before she stumbled into my chest like she was about to pass out. I caught hold of her waist in alarm, clutching her against me as I searched her expression.
“Oops,” she said through a yawn.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded as Tory took hold of her sister’s hand.
“Nothing, I’m just tired. It must have been the hat,” Darcy said, her voice weak and an echo of exhaustion in her deep green gaze.
“You look dead on your feet,” Tory said in concern, pulling Darcy towards the bed. “You should lie down.”
Darcy nodded, going willingly and crawling over the bed before curling up like a cat by the pillows. Her eyes fluttered closed as Tory lay beside her and dropped an arm around her sister.
Darcy smiled contentedly, her hand raising to rest on Tory’s arm and my fears washed away, knowing there was no place better for her than with her other half.
“I’ll let you get some rest,” I said and Darcy hummed her agreement as I walked to the door.