Page 29 of Riot of Autumn

“Enough of this,” The Duke spits out, clearly pissed that Ezra’s fighting his command. “Attack.”

“No!” I’m barely aware that I’ve just shouted. Sure, I don’t want to be attacked by Ezra, but more than that, no one deserves to have their free will taken away. I refuse to let this happen to Ezra.

My magic rushes to the surface of my skin, and it’s the first time I’ve really felt it. When I threw that apple at Ezra or launched Colton across the forest, it had been unexpected. Right now, I feel the swell of power gathering in my chest. The magic surges, pulsing like a heartbeat and telling me it’s there, waiting for me. I don’t stop to think, instinct taking over all my actions. I throw up my hands and let loose a blast of the energy glowing in my chest. Nearly everything in the room that’s not furniture or people go flying. Straight toward the Duke.

Lamps, books, candles, glasses, even a fucking cheese tray, slam into him. His yelp of pain is music to my ears, but I don’t stop to celebrate. A blunt little knife clatters to the floor in front of me, the fancy kind that people put on their charcuterie boards. I pick it up and sprint forward in the confusion. I lift the knife and slam it down as hard as I can into the Duke’s thigh.

His bellow of pain echoes around the room. Holy shit, I didn’t think it was possible to stab someone with what is essentially a butter knife. Damn, I should have aimed for his dick.

This is so not the time to marvel at the fact that it worked, or that I’m capable of skewering someone. I’m not even going to think about how gross it felt. Ever. Our window to escape is limited. With another surge of magic that I’m frankly fucking amazed at, I send everyone around me flying, clearing the way for me and Ezra. With the Duke distracted, Ezra appears to have shaken off his control.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I hiss at the wolf, at Ezra, and take off toward the front door.

The hallway is thankfully empty of partiers, leaving the way clear. Looking over my shoulder, my heart seizes in relief when I spot the wolf at my heels. He nips at my ass.

“Not funny,” I snap and swat his mouth away.

I don’t stop running when we get out of the house. We sprint down the drive, and I don’t turn around again until we make it to Ezra’s UTV. My chest is heaving, and my heart is on the verge of a full-blown attack.

“Get in,” I shout as I fall into the driver’s side.

Ezra jumps into the passenger seat, still in his wolf form. Standing, he comes up to my waist, so it’s a tight fit. I slam my foot on the accelerator, so fucking glad we left the keys in the ignition. We speed away from the Smithe’s house like our lives depend on it. They probably do.

My hands hurt from gripping the steering wheel so hard, but we make it back to my place in record time. The UTV skids to a stop in front of my house. I throw up an arm to keep Ezra’s massive wolf from flying forward. I’m not even going to examine how fucking insane that is. All I can focus on is the sense that we should all pack a bag and get the fuck out of Dodge. Who likes living on this gorgeous island, anyway? The Fae can have it.

I hurry up the two steps of my porch and unlock my front door with shaking hands. Ezra is still a wolf, trailing behind me. It sucks that he can’t talk because I don’t know if he can’t change back or if he’s just waiting so he doesn’t get naked in plain view of Skeeter’s front window.

Axil’s hopping around with excitement to see me when I get the door open. He immediately bolts past me to Ezra and licks his face. Okay, then. I guess Axil recognizes him, even in wolf form. When I look up, I spot Zara and Rhys sitting on the couch, watching TV like they’re on a date.

Rhys’s eyes are wide as he spots Ezra, but there’s a hint of a smile on Zara’s lips. Does she know who the wolf is?

“Ah, hey, guys. Quiet night at home?” I smile, but I’m sure it’s more of a grimace.

My hands are trembling from the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I can’t tell if I’m about to burst out laughing or throw up. Everything that just happened was fucked up. And I’m in the manic stage of excitement that comes right before a crash.

“We wanted to make sure everything went okay tonight, so we decided to hang out here until you got home.” Zara’s eyes move back and forth between me and Ezra.

“Ruby,” Rhys says low and soft. “Did you find a giant wolf in the woods and decide to bring it home?”

“Um…about that.” I look down at Ezra. Obviously tonight was the first Miri and Davis heard about Ezra being able to shift into other animals. It’s not really my business to tell other people. I’m not Archer. I only gossip about people I don’t like.

Before I have to explain, magic sparks and wavers around Ezra. In the next moment, he’s crouched on the ground in his human form. Fuck, that’s weird to say. He stands up and Rhys slaps a hand over Zara’s eyes. I’m not even mad about it. I really don’t want her seeing his junk, either.

“Do you have any shorts I can wear?” Ezra ignores the other two, looking down at me with eyes so intense I nearly blush.

Me! I don’t blush.

“Yep. Let’s just get something for you before Rhys busts a vein in his forehead.” I rush to my room, Ezra on my heels.

My bedroom is a mess. Dirty clothes are overflowing in the hamper and my bed’s unmade. Ezra’s been in here a million times, though, so it doesn’t even phase me. I open a drawer and rifle around for a pair of shorts that will fit Ezra. Not that it wouldn’t be incredible to see him in a pair of my little bootie sleep shorts, but I don’t want to pick a fight yet. We have too much stuff to talk about.

With a tug, I pull out a pair of basketball shorts that should do the trick and hand them to him. Ezra looks at the clothing like I’m holding out a pair of skid-marked underwear.

“What?”

“Who the hell do those belong to?” Anger radiates off him and I huff in exasperation.

“You’re looking at the proud owner of these bad boys.” I cross my arms, the shorts dangling from my fingers.

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