Page 34 of Quiet Burn

“Why?” Slash asks as he assesses our environment.

The crow shifter rolls his eyes, waiting for someone else to answer. No one does, so he gives in. “Because this flora is both from Hell and Faerie—both common and uncommon things Kit could run into during classes, the Games, and even at the stupid dance. I’d like to test whether he’s going to react to any of it so we can make a list of his reactions to them, both adverse and affinities. Even knowing something is neutral will help us narrow down possible threats or weapons.”

“Could lead us to his possible demon or hybrid species, too,” Zav adds as his fingers fly over his tablet screen. He’s likely building a list for later so he can construct something we can all keep on our devices to have close by at any time. “This is a really good idea, O.”

I blink as my face turns bright red. They all stare at me and I mutter, “I’ve been simply exposing him to things in the food without considering the risks. We already have some things we can add to this database or whatever.”

Kit blinks then grins. “Crunkleberries are good and make me a little high. I did okay with beast meat, bat wings, chasm worm, and the root veggies. Oh, that cow, too.”

Nodding at his assessment, I add, “Also our potatoes, fear fish, pomegranates, Cantu berries, and bat berries. That’s all good so far.”

“Kit Kat, have you run into anything yet thatdidn’twork?” Oriel says curiously. “Because this definitely leads to most demon types in your blood, but gives us nothing to rule out.”

He shakes his head. “Other than deviant demons trying to assault me, the Headmaster, and your Pissy Prince? Nope.”

“Put that he’s allergic to assholes, then, Zav,” O says with a smirk. Kit holds his fist up, bumping with him happily. “Okay, then we need to get this done so we don’t leave His Highness waiting.”

I offer my arm to the small dude and he takes it—something he wouldn’t have done even days ago unless he absolutely had to. It makes my panda puff up again, and I feel the dirty looks hitting my back as I lead Kit to the left side of the indoor botanical garden. “This pretty-smelling stuff is Faeberry. They use it to make liquor that will knock your shoes off.”

He leans in to sniff it, then pulls away with a look of delight. “That shit smells amazing and I’ve never really… drank… but I might give it a try someday when…”

The sentence trails and Oriel steps up to Kit’s other side to take his hand. “When you feel safe enough to consume it. I get it, Kit Kat.”

Damn, that dude is perceptive.

“Yeah. There were intoxicants involved in the incident, so I haven’t been able to let go like that again since.” He ducks his head and I look at Oriel to get us moving to the next plant. Whenhe sniffs the Crawling Thorn Briar, he pulls back to make a face. “Wow, that’s pungent. What is it?”

“It’s a sentient crawling briar patch that resides in the Midnight Court. They use it for a lot of things from food to catching trespassers. Does it hurt you or make you uncomfortable?”

“Nope, it justfeelslike I should respect its boundaries—and it stinks.”

Zavida looks up. “If you were unable to be near Crawling Thorn Briar, you’d be in the lupine family, non-Fae related, or the Cubi family. They all have issues with it, though there could be more I haven’t memorized yet.”

“That helps,” Slash says as he points to the huge Bone Tree in the corner. “Try this one.”

Of course he’d pick that—it can sense royal and mythical blood.

Black Horse and The Cherry Tree

Kit/Kat

Idon’t know why everyone is looking at me like I hold the secrets to the Universe all of the sudden. It makes me squirm and I scowl as I hold onto Oriel and Salem to keep myself grounded. “What? What the hell is so special about that gnarly tree thing?”

“It has… powers,” Zav says quietly. His green eyes are bright under his thick frames and I tilt my head.

“What kind of powers?”

Slash gives me a smug, toothy grin. “It detects those of higher blood lines than simple demons or regular supernaturals.”

Oh. Well that explains why they are practically drooling.

“Fuck that. I’m not going anywhere near that thing,” I say firmly, shaking my head. “I’m a regular old foster kid who thought they were human. That bony looking soothsayer plant has nothing for me.”

“Kit…” Oriel says softly, his hand landing on top of mine on his bicep. His dark, intelligent eyes find mine and he smiles gently.“No matter what the Bone Tree says, you’re already part of our caliphate. It won’t change anything.”

I frown harder, mumbling, “Stop reading me, you son of a bitch.”

Salem chuckles and squeezes my arm to his side. “C’mon, Kit Kat. It’s a lark. We’ve all done it, though obviously, as kids we didn’t quite get that the result was a foregone conclusion.”

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