Page 91 of Broken Shadows

My head whips back around. I could’ve sword I heard my witch. Something connects with my cheek, and I blink several times as the sting resonates.

Evie’s husky voice registers first. “Shit, Rosa, why did you do that?”

“It’s the most affective and quickest way to bring someone out of panic induced hysteria. Well, other than smelling salts or straight adrenaline.”That doesn’t sound correct.

A growl rumbles low in my chest as I rub my fingers over my smarting skin, and Rosa and Evie come into focus. “What. The. Fuck.”

“Our thoughts exactly. Welcome back.”

My hands drop to my sides, then I rub my temples as a headache blossoms within my skull. “Are you being deliberately confusing?”

Rosa scoffs. “Are you being deliberately obtuse?”

Evie walks between us and holds up her hands, then faces me. “This is a trial.”

The breath stalls in my lungs, then I dart to my gaze to her as my heart careens into my ribs. I squeeze her against me, a trembling hand smoothing down her long, straight hair to the small of her back.

Evie encircles my torso with her arms and hugs me back.

She can feel me.

Thank fucking Lucifer.

“L-or?”

Evie’s muffled voice reaches me as I step back just enough to take in her bemused expression.

I peer at her through a slitted gaze and fish a cigarette from my pocket, then pat down my pants. “Godsdammit. My lighter must’ve fallen out when I ran.”

My witch huffs and strides over to a pile of demolished vegetation, plucks something from the remains, and hurries back to me. “Lorcan. Listen to the words coming out of my mouth. This is a trial.”

I squint at her over the purple flame she holds to the end of the cigarette between my lips, inhaling as it catches. My eyes close as reality sets in.

Fuck.

She’s right.

All of those human emotions were forced on me. A relaxed smirk tips my lips. I knew I didn’t give a shit about killing the fuckboy. In fact, I reveled in it. “The Trial of Terrors. Did he have to make it so obvious?”

A snort-laugh peals from Rosa. “Riiiiight, obvious. Because you weren’t slashing your claws at hanging vines while you growled and screamed.”

My upper lip pulls back and my nostrils flare as I shoot a glare at Evie’s best friend. My annoyance dissipates slightly as Evie brushes her mouth against mine and drapes her arms around my waist. “Ignore her, we need to find the others. Although, she’s not wrong. It was hilarious once we figured out what was going on.”

My cheeks hollow as I take another drag and the lavender cherry flares brighter. I hold the curling smoke in my mouth, grab Evie’s chin, and blow the hot nicotine laced smoke between her lips. A grin smooths over my features as she moans. Satisfaction rolls over my skin as I cross my tattooed arms, free of any injury because it really was all in my fucking head. “Who do we hunt first?”

Rosa hums. “I don’t think Aiden went very far. He crashed into the woods over there.” She points a manicured nail to our right and I chuckle.

Evie laughs. “He could have made it a bit more of a challenge.”

I pass my cigarette to Evie and shake my head as I note the clear path of destruction zig-zagging drunkenly through the woods for no more than a hundred yards, then spot the top of a peach ball-cap and half of an embroidered bat wing design sticking out behind a tree.

Rosa takes a step forward. “I’ll get him. You two,” she drags a finger in the air between Evie and I, “stay here.”

I scoff and make to follow her, but my witch raises a hand and lays it on my chest. “Let it go. I’d rather Rosa calm him down and explain quickly, then have Aiden run off again if he sees you. You have a habit of scaring him for fun.”

I laugh. “And I’m not even fucking sorry.”

Several minutes go by in comfortable silence, and I massage Evie’s shoulders as we wait.

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