Page 58 of The Stone Secret
SERATH
What the…
CAM
Stupid, possessive, protective, obstinate, ladder-blocking stone wall of male. Argh. I had it. I fucking had it, and he ruined it.
The anger rolled over me, through me, and then it was gone.
Just gone, leaving me cold and confused.
I was annoyed, yes. I’d almost had the ladder, but the rage was totally out of character and proportion.
“Cameron!” Selas joined me outside the training room. “What was that?”
“I don’t know.”
“He’s fighting his instincts to protect you. This isn’t easy for him, especially since his beast is very aware that there was a time, not too long ago, when Orix tried to kill you.”
I knew this, of course I did. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what happened.”
Selas studied me for a beat—not my face, but the air around me.
“This is just like the moment when you part-shifted. Like when you breached the wards on Greenwood Forest on the omega moon.”
“How can you know that?”
“The colors that surround you…the vibrations…they’re the same. The sooner Willowman has your blood tested, the better. I’ll speak to him today.”
“You might want to tell him about Derek.”
“What about him?”
“We know what he is now.” I filled her in on how Derek had materialized during Supernatural Defense. “He’s my shield.”
“Well, that certainly explains a lot. I’ll let Willowman know. In the meantime…” She glanced back at the training room.
Crap. “Yeah. I’ll speak to him. I know how hard this must be for him, what with Levi here and Curi playing fake boyfriend.”
“And how has Curi been with you? Respectful?”
“He has. He was an ass to begin with, but he saved me a couple of times, actually, and…well he’s kinda a part of the group now.” The strange look on her face, almost one of longing, had me asking, “What is the deal between you two? I know something happened. Dayn was blackmailing Curi over it.”
Her eyes snapped wide. “What?”
“Yeah. Curi won’t say, but I can tell he’s cut up over it…Whateveritis.”
Her delicate jaw hardened. “It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
I needed to shut up now, but the words wouldn’t stop. “I think it matters to Curi.”
“Hmmm. We still have the room for another hour if you want to continue training.”
Change of subject. Message received. “Sure.”
“I’ll pop over to Stone Comfort and grab us some coffee and cakes. We can try the evasion a few more times with Serath in the room once you’re fueled up.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze and left.
Orix was speaking to Serath in a low voice when I entered, but Serath’s gaze snapped up to meet mine immediately. “Cameron, I didn’t mean to—”
