Page 32 of Riot of Autumn

That’s fucking depressing.

“I might have an idea how we can fight that magic. I think Ruby and Miri can create something to protect you.”

“Well, that’s slightly reassuring,” Ezra mutters.

“Do we think the Duke is going to come gunning for us tonight?” I stretch my arms over my head, making my shirt ride up. Ezra’s eyes drift to my stomach and he licks his lips. My heart stumbles in my chest, forgetting to beat at the look of longing on his face. Ezra blinks and lifts his gaze to my face.

“You did stab him, so there’s a good possibility.”

Zara makes a high-pitched noise, and Rhys chokes on a drink of his soda.

“You stabbed someone?” Rhys asks once he catches his breath.

“It was only a butter knife. I probably didn’t hit anything vital.” I wave my hand around. “Not important. I’m just wondering if we need to do this thing that Zara’s thinking about tonight, or can it wait until tomorrow? Is Ezra going to get lured into the woods and be forced to do the Duke’s bidding?”

“If you stabbed him, then he’s likely still healing and won’t be as strong. We should be fine to wait until tomorrow to do this,” Zara says.

“We can all stay here tonight, though. It won’t hurt to have backup in case,” Rhys says, assuming that Ezra was going to stay here. He’s not wrong. He crashes on my couch or the floor of my bedroom half the time, anyway. Although tonight feels different. After what went down in the closet, will Ezra want to sleep in my bed with me? Do I want him to?

Fuck. Yes. But also, no. My house is not that big. There’s no getting it on without someone out in the other room hearing shit. Also, what the fuck are we doing? Ezra and I don’t casually make out. My brain is churning like Niagara Falls, shifting through all the what ifs and possible outcomes? This is not something I have the energy to get into tonight. I just don’t.

I take the coward’s way out and grab Zara’s hand. “Okay, then. Guys out here, ladies in the bedroom. I need some sister time.” I practically pull Zara’s arm off, yanking her to my room.

She throws a goodnight to the guys over her shoulder, tripping her way after me. Once inside my room, I shut the door and exhale like I’m trying to expel my lungs. Zara’s face looks like she’s trying to be comforting, but it’s more a cringe than anything.

“Are you okay?”

“Let’s talk tomorrow when there’s not a shifter with excellent hearing in the next room,” I whisper at her.

“I heard that,” Ezra shouts from the other room. I smack both of my hands over my face, and bite back my groan.

“I’m going to bed. We can deal with all this bullshit in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Zara. Goodnight, Cube,” Ezra calls out again.

I face plant onto my bed with a drawn-out moan.

12

RUBY

Iwake up to find a pair of hazel eyes staring at me.

“What the fuck.” I jerk back and slam my hand over my heart that’s nearly hammering out of my chest.

Zara chuckles at me, and I flop back into my spot on my side of the bed so I can look at my sister. It’s so fucking weird to even think that. Six months ago, I didn’t know she existed. The only family I had was my grandma Birdie, my lovable but asshole of a cousin, Davis, an aunt who ran away from this island and never looked back, and a deadbeat dad that I’ve never met. Well, I guess technically I met my dad, but he left before I was even a year old, so I have no memory of him.

Yes, I had my chosen family. The people whose lives I’ve embedded myself firmly into over the years, but having a sister is different. Having Zara here, even when she’s staying at Rhys’s place most of the time, made me realize there was something missing in my life. Something that lI’ve avoided looking at too closely.

I don’t let people in. Not really. Yes, I have friends I love, but I’ve kept a lot of myself detached in a lot of ways. Zara wasn’t insistent or demanding; she didn’t shove her way into my heart. She was all quiet and sly, slinking her way in with her shy nature that triggered my big sister reflexes. But I think she cracked something open, because now I can’t shut that door, and Ezra has a foot in the gap and is trying to shove his way in.

“It’s really rude and creepy to watch someone while they sleep.” I rub at my eyes, thankful that I had the presence of mind to use a few wipes to take off my makeup last night.

“Rhys says it’s cute.”

“Which one of you is doing the watching?” I fold my pillow and snuggle it close to my body.

“Him, mainly.”

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