Page 84 of Bones

“Nope. We can all communicate like that, though brain-to-brain signal can be spotty.”

I tried talking to Aurora that way.“Baby, are you okay?”

Nothing happened. Not that she was ignoring me. My message didn’t go through.

Maybe because we’re not fully bonded.

Juno glanced away from the window just long enough to skewer me with a look. “When’s the last time you let your magicks out to stretch?”

I had to think. Not since Marissa, and that had barely been anything.

“I teleported here,” I reminded her.

“Pfft. That’s like saying you counted to one. I mean really stretch and flex.”

“My gardens. The ink I use for my tattoos.”

“Counted to three. Great. Child’s play. But I do want the recipe for that ink.” She gestured to the side of her eye. “I’m thinking a face tattoo like Tyson.”

“No,” Stellan called, but she just made a fart noise at him.

“I can still feel people’s balance and fullness,” I added to my pathetic list.

“Does it take any effort?” she asked.

“To block it out.” But even that was minimal effort since I’d been doing it for so long.

“No wonder you’re all pent-up with magicks blue balls.”

Magicks was rare. Protected. Two of the most powerful beings could be right next to each other, and they would neverknow they shared that commonality. The Four were different from any other magicks-wielding beings. We could see each other’s magicks in use—and Juno had always been more skilled—but she shouldn’t have had a clue what was happening inside me.

But Aurora and the other human mates also shouldn’t have been able to see Juno’s red tendrils of magicks, so most of the shit I thought I knew was already out the window.

“How do you know?” Doubt and unease prickled at the back of my neck, making the hair there stand. I never used my magicks because there was no reason to rush any processes.

I had all the time in the damn world to do it the long way.

After ages of neglect, I’d stopped feeling it swell inside me. I no longer felt a connection to the deep well of it. I wasn’t sure if it was still there or if I could tap into it.

“It’s radiating from you. I’m surprised everything you touch doesn’t automatically come to life from the excess and do a little jig.”

I glanced down at Nate, but he just shrugged, not seeing whatever she did.

That means it’s there, at least.

“Not to mention, no one is this uptight if they’re getting a release.” She tilted her head back and forth. “Magicks. The other kind. Whatever.”

I didn’t have a response to that since I wasn’t about to admit she was right. Instead, I shared the reason I’d come there in the first place. “Aurora’s not happy about being my mate.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” Lilith said. “I had previous, uh, knowledge of fate and magicks, and I still struggled. She might just be in shock.”

“I got drunk,” Denny tossed in.

Stellan’s expression was still tight with rage. “I saw Juno heal herself after getting shot and thought she was an X-Men.”

“You also yelled at me,” Juno said with a sad pout.

“Which I apologized for. Repeatedly, that night alone.”

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