Page 13 of Quiet Burn

This is going over like a lead brick; I can feel it.

“Who gave you jurisdiction over my food?” he asks, fuming as they take their normal seats at the head of the table.

Slash arches a brow and shrugs. “You don’t manage it on your own.”

The new guy looks around with a pissy expression, but none of us can argue Slash’s logic. Kit doesn’t know how to manage intake for a human, much less an emerging demon or hybrid. He’s spent too long living under the thumbs of shitty fosters in that world. I sigh, deciding to take one for the team before he jumps over the table to smack the shark.

“KK, he’s right about your diet, though maybe… not how he chose to handle it?” I cut my eyes to Slash, who doesn’t look sorry in the slightest. “Itisimportant to keep your calorie and nutrient intake up. We’ve talked about that before and I know Salem sends stuff with you for during the day.”

He throws his hands up in the air, growling softly. “I eat them. I’m following the plan.”

“You need more after the weekend.” Slash sniffs, then rises to his feet. “I will fetch our dinner, Prince.”

Kit gives him another dirty look, but digs into the food Oriel brought him regardless. Both Salem and the crow look pleased, so the tension in the air fades. When I realize that, I turn to look at the astonishingly quiet Prince at the head of our table. He hasn’t once taken a swipe at Kit, nor did he give Slash shit about monitoring the kid’s diet.

Something is off with him.

“Jas, you’re uncharacteristically quiet,” I say as my eyes roam over him. I’m looking for evidence of magic, though I’m not nearly as good at it as Annie. “What’s going on?”

The dragon huffs, blowing a smoke ring from his humanoid nostrils and I know he’s upset. “I don’t like the idea of Darkstar gathering all the most powerful Discordians in one place. I highly doubtthismeeting is a feint, but if this becomes acommon occurrence for this Games, it will be more dangerous each time.”

“Shit.” We all look at Kit as he drops his fork with a clatter. “You think they’re laying the groundwork for some kind of secret attack later on. Normalize things that aren’t normal, then use that predictability to create a vulnerability.”

Slash gives him a toothy grin as he drops trays in his place and in front of the Prince. “Good, little demon. Excellent strategy.”

The dude flushes and mutters something about listening to books as he’s falling asleep to catch up. I had no idea he was working quite this hard even when he’s not around any of us, but I think we need to find something fun to do this weekend if all Hell doesn’t break loose—literally.

“You know, it occurs to me that we should do something fun this weekend.” They look at me as if I’m crazy, but Annie and Zav finally arrive as I’m speaking. They both concur as they drop their bags, and I go on. “Even if we don’t leave campus this time, we should do something that isn’t training, studying, or prepping for these stupid Games. I think weallneed a break, even for a couple of hours.”

Jasper tilts his head back, thinking for a moment, and nods slowly. “You’re probably right, X. Whatever Lucian is about to announce will bring shit to our doorstep, and the accompanying danger will only add to the stress.”

“We can plan it,” Anton says and I grin at him happily. “Xerxes loves this shit and I’m willing to put up with the nonsense involved if it gets everyone to stop being so fucking intense for a bit.”

Kit pokes at his roast, slathering it in the gravy. “I’m down for that. What are you gonna do?”

“No idea,” I reply as the doors to theTricliniumopen. “But I’ll think of something.”

Lucian Darkstar strides up the center row of the cafeteria in the exact same way Jasper insists we do, his cape flutters behind him as his contingent of lackeys and lickspittles strain to catch up. His eyes rake over our table, but he makes a sharp right to ascend the tall podium against the front wall. Other than our sheer power and Jasper’s hatred of him, I have no idea why he’d single us out. We’re not the only people looking at him like we want him to disappear, especially since the revival of the Games.

He’s not exactly popular and never has been—that’s not Jasper’s doing, either.

“Finally,” the Prince snarls. “This asshole said no one could be late then showed up twenty minutes later than he said he’d start. Fucking bullshit power moves.”

“Not surprising,” Salem says with a sigh. “This is going to take forever if that asshole has his way.”

Zavida frowns. “We all need to eat and study. None of the professors seem to give a shit about this yet. They’re proceeding as normal with the workload.”

“Word,” Kit said as he nods at Zavida. “And I have like a thousand other things to catch up on while I’m keeping up with it. I want out of here.”

“Keep calm, and don’t let him see that it is bothering you, Kit Kat,” Oriel says softly. “You know he feeds on the bad mojo now.”

He grins at the panda, waving his beet root at him. “I’m always anxious; it’s my reverse Hulk power. The person you need to warn is Prince Prickface. He’s going to launch into outer space if the dumbass doesn’t start talking soon.”

We all look down to see Jasper’s smoke rings gathering in formation in front of him—a telltale sign that the new kid is absolutely right. When Jasper gets angryandcompulsive, he’s almost past reason. Annie pushes to his feet, abandoning the seat next to me and gestures for Zav to switch with him. The kitsune hurries over and I sigh as my love ends up on the other side of the wood.

“That’s not fair, you know. He’s plenty old enough to mind his own temper.”

Kit snorts and his kinkajou prances in front of him happily. I smile as itseemslike the animal is working to keep him calm just like Zav is by cuddling up to the Prince. Annie catches my eye and winks, making me take a deep, calming breath.

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