Page 38 of Riot of Autumn

Pinching the chain, I pull the jewelry back out of the liquid and hold it close to my mouth. “With all that I am, I will protect.” I lower it back down into the blue jelly again, giving it a swirl before pulling it out again. Once it’s near my lips, I find Ezra’s eyes across the island and hold his stare as I speak. “My existence is to shield and safeguard the wearer from harm. For now, and always.”

Goosebumps break out over my skin as I say those words, never looking away from Ezra. It almost feels like an oath I’m speaking directly to him; a vow being made between the two of us. The air around the room is heavy with magic, and it smells like berries and the fresh outdoor scent of the woods.

I wipe off the excess potion with my hand, but don’t rub it off with a towel. Miri said it would be best if the potion stayed on the necklace until it soaked it. I slide off my stool and walk around the island to Ezra. The gold striations in his eyes look more vibrant as I stop in front of him. My magic sings, zipping over my skin like it wants to jump out of my body and onto Ezra’s.

He lowers his head, his eyes staying on me as long as he can before he closes them. I lift the necklace and guide it over his head. He straightens, but I don’t let go of the charm. I lift the collar of his shirt and then ease the charm against his skin.

My body is hot and I’m a little breathless. Magic flows like a living pulse between the two of us and I sway on my feet. Ezra’s hands snap out to hold me, and he cups my elbows, steadying me. As soon as our skin touches, that connection grows that much more powerful. Ezra’s head drops, his forehead pressing to the top of my head while we both let the magic settle. I want to lift my head and brush my mouth over his. To take this feeling and let it go wild.

“Ahem,” Archer clears his throat, and I freeze.

How did I forget these other idiots were in the room with us? Oh my God. Ezra releases my elbows, but not before sliding his hands down my forearms and squeezing my wrists.

We both take a step back, and I reluctantly turn to look at everyone else. Archer, Miri, and Rhys all have various degrees of a smirk on their faces. Lena and Zara are grinning at us, and Davis…well, Davis just looks bored.

“Who needs a drink?” Archer lifts his brows and presses a kiss to Lena’s cheek before he leaves the room. Probably to go to the game room where there’s a bar.

“You ladies coming?” Rhys asks as he takes a step away from Zara.

“Give us a sec. We’ll be there in a few,” Miri says.

Normally, I’d say something snarky, like we needed to have a committee meeting to discuss syncing up our periods, but I’m too off balance. Davis and Ezra follow Rhys out of the room. It takes less than two seconds before Miri slaps both her hands on the counter and gapes at me with her jaw dropped.

“What was that?” she asks, and I hiss, waving my hand at her.

“Shhhh. Some of us got magical hearing along with our Fae powers,” I whisper as loudly as I dare.

“He’s got super hearing?” Lena all but mouths the words, pointing in the direction where the guys just went.

“Yeah. And super smelling. Let me tell you, that’s inconvenient and fucking embarrassing. He can totally tell when you guys have had sex, by the way.” I nod at Lena’s horrified look. Zara’s face tells me this isn’t news to her, and Miri looks like she’s about to burst out laughing.

“It’s not funny.” I glare at Miri. This is the strangest, most intense whispered conversation I’ve ever had.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Miri flattens her hand over her heart, but I can tell she’s still fighting a smile. “Also, not the important stuff. What I want to know is what the hell is going on between you and Ezra. Because I got second-hand horny just standing in the vicinity of you two.”

My eyes dart over to Zara to see if she’s going to rat me out. Not that she knows exactly what happened, just that something occurred at the Smithe house.

Miri and Lena whip their heads around to look at her, and she shrinks back.

“What do you know?” Miri says, her eyes large with excitement. Like she’s chasing down a mystery and needs to know.

Zara shakes her head. “I don’t know anything.”

Lena and Miri turn their focus back on me.

“Out with it,” Lena says, and I glare at her.

“Just like you were so upfront with your secret relationship with Archer?”

Lena’s face falls and I feel like a shithead. “Fuck. Never mind. I get why you kept it a secret. I’m just being an ass.”

I lick my lips, the magical energy that I used in the spell still tingling beneath the surface of my skin. A really strong boozy drink sounds pretty damn good right about now. I take a deep breath and lean in. The other three do the same.

“We kissed…and did some other stuff.”

“Did you have sex?” Miri practically shouts and I slap a hand over my face, about to die from mortification. Lena and Zara shush her, and Miri covers her mouth with her hand and gives me an apologetic look.

“No, we didn’t. But we were in a closet at the Smithe house. That’s probably the only reason we didn’t.”

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