Page 92 of Broken Shadows

Evie’s muscles finally loosen under my hands, my thumbs digging into a stubborn knot.

“What the Hell did you think you were seeing earlier?” Evie blurts.

My fingers tense. “Snakes.”

“Cute little danger noodles?”

I turn her to face me. “In what possible fucking way are they cute?” I sigh down my nose, glancing over her head and speak through the bond.It wasn’t about the snakes at all. Never mind.We’ll get back to this later. I need to understand how you like those scaly fuckers. They could consume your bat whole, for fuck’s sake.

Aiden ambles over to us with Rosa on his heels as Evie rolls her lips and shakes with silent laughter.I mean, not a garner snake, though.

Aiden covers his mouth with a hand in my peripheral, then whisper shouts, “They’re doing it again.”

Rosa looses a long sigh. “I can see that.”

Evie clears her throat and turns toward Aiden. “Glad to have you back.”

“Are you sure he’s not going to turn into a clown again?” Aiden asks, a barely noticeable quaver to his words, and side-eyes me.

Evie’s gaze slides toward me. “I’m sure.”

I chuckle into Evie’s mind.That’s what he thinks. Fucking with him is too much fun. Even more so now that I know he abhors clowns. Well…

Lorcan,Evie admonishes, then claps a hand over her mouth, her muffled laughter still seeping through.

Rosa clears her throat and plants her hands on her hips. “If you two are done with whatever it is you’re doing, should we go search for Ezra and Gideon?”

Evie steps away from me, following Rosa as she speed walks up the slope. How she manages that in high-heeled boots, I have no fucking clue.

I glance at Aiden as we trek after the women.

“How are we going to find them?” Evie questions over her shoulder.

“Well, I suppose I could track them through our brotherly bond.”

Rosa muffles a laugh. “Yes, I don’t think they will be as easy to find as Aiden was.”

“What do you mean? I had a great hiding spot,” Aiden says, nodding to himself.

I sigh and flick the brim of his hat. “We could see your damn hat sticking out behind the tree.”

Aiden laughs and flashes his too white smile at me. “But I’m telling you. If it wasn’t for the hat, I would have been completely invisible. You dudes would never have found me.” For a moment he looks so fucking proud of himself, but his grin falls. “Oh, but then, you know I guess I would still be afraid clowns were chasing me…”

My hand claps over his shoulder and he jumps, making me chuckle. Just as I open my mouth to exacerbate Aiden’s sorrowful demeanor, Evie speaks in my mind.Please, just leave him alone.

I smooth a hand through my hair and exhale through my nose.I’ll consider it, in exchange for a sexual favor to be claimed at a later date of my choosing.

Evie snorts and Rosa’s head swivels to her, then back at me.You can have me whenever you want, Lor.

So, it won’t be a problem accepting my bargain then.

Fine. I mean it, leave him the fuck alone. He’s had a rough day.

I shake my head but refrain from yet another smartass response. She’s well aware that all of us have had ashitty day.

“All of you keep your mouths shut. Any needless blathering will delay us, and I’d really like to get the fuck out of these woods.”

Rosa scoffs but doesn’t comment.

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