Page 261 of Hunters and Prey

Ritual

ITHINK I EXPECTED fanfare––more ritual in our ritual.

Instead, the whole thing came across as pretty anti-climactic.

Zarat told us they were going to start.

She didn’t even tell us to close our eyes.

I just sat there, looking at Black across the fire, feeling suddenly too far away from him. I was now finding it difficult to push away everything he’d said to me out on the grass. I found myself remembering his face while he spoke. I found myself hearing his words, without really gaining any more insight into what he’d meant by them.

I’d been trying really hard not to think about that yet.

I’d been trying not to think about Nick… or Zoe.

I’d been trying not to think about any of the things happening back on our world.

Now I’d just learned, from the head shaman no less, that all of my repressing was actually worsening my ability to control my ability to remain in one place. I had to assume that meant I’d be seeing all of that again, once they’d opened up those parts of my aleimi I’d been avoiding since Nick got turned into a vampire.

Trying to shove that out of my mind, I sat there, watching the seers around the fire close their eyes, one by one. A few continued to stare forward, their eyes sliding out of focus, their pupil’s dilating, swallowing most of the color in their irises.

I saw Revik and Allie close their eyes.

I watched as Balidor and his wife did the same, and even the red-haired seer, although he grinned and winked at me before he did.

In seconds, only Black and I sat there, eyes open, looking at one another.

I honestly didn’t know what else we were supposed to do.

On impulse, I sent to him.

I don’t think this is going to help,I confessed. Do you?

I felt his surprise, more that I’d spoken to him at all.

I felt him think about my words.

I don’t know,he sent. His light opened. Miri, he murmured. I love you.

I felt some part of me sigh, even as my heart opened, enough that I couldn’t help but notice how closed it had been.

I know. I know you do, Black.

I don’t want those other seers,he sent. At all. I couldn’t give a fuck about them. I don’t even think about that, Miri. His light opened more. I didn’t even know I was angry, ilya. Maybe because I knew I had no rational right to be. I’m an asshole.

From my other side, Revik grunted.

I glanced at him, but he didn’t open his eyes.

I looked back at Black. He was staring at his cousin, that colder light in his eyes.

We’ll talk about it later, okay?I sent.

Glancing at me, he nodded, but I felt his aleimi spark in frustration.

That frustration didn’t feel like it was aimed at me exactly, but I felt it pull at him, making him want to talk more.

He didn’t, though.

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