Page 56 of Quiet Burn

Jasper coughs, getting me to focus on him. “The shrimp has a point. None of us are ever chipper on Mondays and Wednesdays—especially because he’s got all those solo classes. It makes it hard to focus on shit.”

“I’m fine; stop worrying, Jasper.”

That gets Oriel and Zavida’s attention. They both frown, but O is the one who says, “You know we’re not going to do that, Kit Kat. We want to keep you safe.”

“I know.”

I turn my head at the tone of his voice, studying his posture and affect. Despite the reassurance he gave us Saturday after the dance, he’s been pulling away. I thought perhaps he needed time to process like X said, but this feels different. “Kit, what’s wrong? And don’t say ‘nothing.’ It’s very obvious and none of us are fools.”

Sighing, he puts his device on the table and the kinkajou scrambles over to join him. Kit looks at his hands for a moment, fiddling with the pencil before he finally looks up. “I feel like I’m a burden. You guys have to watch out for me, do things you don’t want to so people don’t see me as weak, and even coddle me when I have attacks. It’s not fair to any of you, especially Prince Dickhead who really doesn’t want me here.”

Where the hell did this come from?

“That’s crap,” Oriel says as he leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “No one said that. Hell, even Jasper didn’t hint at it this time.”

The Prince smirks and shrugs, looking pleased. “I am pleased to say I agree with him.”

Kit puts his fists on the table, clenching them open and closed as he shrugs. “You didn’t have to.”

Narrowing my eyes, I look at the device he’s been glued to since Saturday evening. When Dottie distracts our new member, I snatch it away, opening the screen to confirm my suspicions. It doesn’t take me long to find the flood of notifications he’s received in the past two days through email, messages, and various Underworld social media accounts. I didn’t know he’d plugged into our world this deeply, but I bet Xerxes is the one who helped him. Most of it is vile and unflattering to all of us, including Jasper.

People really have a set of brass ones when they feel encouraged by a petty dictator.

“You’ve been dealing with this alone for days?” I ask as I pass it to O. “Why? We would have helped you back these assholes and snooty bitches off.”

“What the fuck?!” O says, interrupting me as he glares around the room with dark, glittering eyes. A feather flutters to the table as he puffs up with fury. “I’llruinthem. Who the fuck asked these people to comment on our choices?”

Kit shrinks back for a moment, but I watch as he forces himself to sit up straight. His instinct was to back down at the outburst and I find that interesting given how much he goes toe-to-toewith Jas. “Look, I’m making all sorts of problems for you and… all I want is to go to school and get a degree. You don’t have to…”

Zav shakes his head. “No, Kit. No one is coddling you. Are we concerned about your safety? Definitely.”

“Maybe, but?—”

“Shrimp.”

We all stop to look at the Prince. He’s scowling, which isn’t unusual, but something in his eyes keeps me from commenting. The arrogant tilt of his head makes me worry about what’s coming next. I hope he doesn’t send the poor kid running for the hills again with some bullshit barbs.

“You seem determined to believe that despite being demons and royals, we do anything we don’t want to. Doubting the others is easy because they are so fond of you, but hear me when I say thatIdo what I want. My caliphate would not protect you or respect your demands so consistently if I truly did not wish it. Stop feeling sorry for yourself; it’s unbecoming.”

The table is silent as that sinks in. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Jasper be quite so… conscientious of someone else’s feelings in public. The guy in question licks his lips and my own tingle with the memory of kissing him in Arms class. He finally looks up, meeting Jasper’s gaze steadily despite how defeated the rest of him looks.

“Even though I have a truck load of issues that cause problems?”

The snort is derisive and so is his smirk as Jasper responds. “Kit Camponella, being a demon doesn’t mean we’re unable to be decent beings. You have trauma and in truth, so do all of us. Ifwe can’t find a way to mutually coexist despite that, none of us deserve to rule this realm.”

Holy shit. I think Jasper’s heart grew three sizes today.

Oriel electedto join us on the walk to Kit’s Demon Lineage class. Since the new guy started talking to us again after Jasper’s statement, it’s been a fairly pleasant journey to the lecture hall. The crow shifter’s presence seems to make him less anxious and I realize that I missed the chatter Kit engenders this weekend. It’s good to have him back, even if he’s not quite to the comfort level he was at the pre-social media bash fest.

“I have to go see Dank after Lit class,” Kit says suddenly.

I blink, looking at Oriel, who shrugs. “Why? Did something happen again?”

Kit shakes his head. “No. Just a follow up from the…other time. You know, to make sure everything is healing and stuff.”

There’s something odd about this; he’s never mentioned it before.

“Okay, Kit Kat. I can take you,” O says as we climb the steps. “Then we’ll head back for dinner and Zav said we can do the flashcards. Last time you nailed the elder gods and devils, so this time we should do the Greeks.”

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