Declan said, “Bastards ran screaming from the cave when Ruhn drew the sword. Right to where Cormac and the twins were hunting us.” He grinned again. “The three of them had no choice but to flee back to their castle. King Morven was not happy. Especially when Ruhn returned with the Starsword and told him to go fuck himself.”
Bryce lifted her brows at her brother. He smiled, lip ring glinting. “Not such a loser after all, huh?”
Bryce waved him off. “Whatever.”
Flynn suddenly asked Ithan, gaze on his tattooed neck, “You gonna keep that ink?”
Ithan drained his beer. “What’s it to you?”
Another charming grin. “Just want to know when I can tell you that Sabine and Amelie are two of the worst fucking people in this city.”
Ithan grunted, but a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.
Bryce glanced to Ruhn, who said into her mind, Might not be such a bad idea for him to come stay with us.
You really want to be roomies with a wolf?
Better than an angel.
Depends on what you’re doing with that angel.
Gross, Bryce.
Bryce tuned back into the conversation as Declan asked with a wicked smile that told her he was about to start shit, “So, who’s sleeping where in this apartment tonight?”
Bryce couldn’t help glancing again at Hunt, who kept his face wholly neutral as he said, “I’m bunking with Bryce.”
Bryce’s mouth popped open, but Ithan said, “Good. She snores.”
“Assholes,” Bryce seethed. “You can both go sleep on the roof.”
“Not enough distance from your snoring,” Ithan said, smirking.
Bryce scowled, leaning down to pet Syrinx’s velvety ears.
Hunt only winked. “I’ll get earplugs.”
13
Bryce barely slept. She was trying too hard to pretend that Hunt fucking Athalar was not sleeping beside her. The illusion was shattered every time she rolled over, got a face full of gray wings, and remembered that Hunt fucking Athalar was sleeping beside her.
They hadn’t spoken about Tharion’s visit. Or about her decision to find Emile. So any fight on that front was likely still on the horizon.
Naturally, Bryce woke up puffy-eyed, sweat-slicked, and with a pounding headache. Hunt was already up and making coffee, to guess by the sounds in the other room.
Bryce slithered out of bed, earning a disgruntled yip from Syrinx at being disturbed. Her ringing phone aggravated her headache, and it didn’t get any better when she glanced at the caller ID.
She mustered her most chipper voice. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hello, Bryce.” Ember’s voice was calm. Too calm.
Ithan smirked from the couch as she passed by, blindly walking toward the beckoning aroma of coffee. Gods, she needed some. Bryce asked her mom, “What’s up? You guys get home okay?”
The wall of windows revealed a sunny day, witches and angels zooming by. And, Bryce realized in the morning light, the fact that she was still wearing her worn T-shirt that said Nidaros Community Center Camp Summer 15023 and … little else. Oops. No wonder Ithan was smirking. Her lilac lace demi-thong left little to the imagination. Bryce stifled the urge to tug her shirt’s hem over her half-bare ass.
Hunt’s eyes darkened, but he merely leaned against the counter and silently offered her a cup of coffee.
“Oh yes,” Ember said. “We got home, had plenty of time to do some grocery shopping and run a few errands.” Bryce put the phone on speaker and slid it onto the counter, backing away a few feet. Like it was a grenade of compressed firstlight about to explode.
“Great,” Bryce said, and she could have sworn Hunt was trying not to laugh.
“We also had plenty of time,” her mom went on, “to answer all the phone calls that we began to get, asking when the wedding is.”
Hunt took a long sip of his coffee. Ithan just watched with a befuddled expression. Right. She hadn’t told him.
Bryce gritted her teeth in an attempt at a smile. “You and Randall are renewing your vows?”
Her mom fell silent. A wave building, cresting, about to break. “Is this engagement some scheme to prompt Hunt to finally confess his love for you?”
Hunt choked on his coffee.
Oh gods. Bryce was half-tempted to pour the boiling coffee over her head and melt into nothing. “For fuck’s sake,” she hissed, snatching up her phone and taking it off speaker. Even if Hunt and Ithan, with their heightened hearing, could no doubt make out everything Ember said. “Look, it’s not a real engagement—”