Page 16 of Damned and Broken Gods
I arched a brow at Araz, and he sighed heavily. “Fine. You can train with us.”
“Yes!” Vick fist-pumped the air before polishing off his chicken. “I best grab a plate, then, hadn’t I? Got to keep my strength up now.”
It looked like we had a new addition to our group.
Chapter 6
A Little Firelight Conversation Goes A Long Way
LEELA
“This is much nicer than Pavan Ghar,” Priti said, looking around the humungous sitting room dotted with earth affinity demigods.
We’d claimed a spot by the hearth, pulling up chairs to make a cozy seating area just for us. Vick crouched, stoking the flames and feeding kindling into the fire.
His cheeks were flushed from the heat, making him look younger than his nineteen years.
He was the youngest of us, brought here when he was barely eighteen. Like me, he’d been raised by his grandmother. She’d died when he was fifteen, putting him into foster care. Being kidnapped into this world had been a step up for him, and from what he told us, Gia had been like an elder sister to him.
And now…Now he’d have us to take care of him.
“What’s Paani like?” Dharma asked Remi.
“They have a fountain in the sitting room,” Remi said. “I mean, I guess it’s cool. Eve is settling in well. Her drohi Ima is friends with a couple of drohi there, and she’s been pulled into a group of native demigods.” Remi made a face. “That Alia chick from the affinity ceremony is part of the group.”
“What about you?” Joe asked. “Have you made any new friends?”
“Nah, I’m good. I’ve got you guys.” She beamed at us.
“Crag will get you new friends if you want,” her drohi said in his deep, gravelly drawl. “All you need do is ask.”
I bit back a smile as I imagined him grabbing demigods and throwing them at Remi’s feet. The guy was a tank, and I doubted anyone would say no to him.
“I’m good, babe,” Remi said, her smile softening as she looked up at him.
His eyes darkened, mouth curving gently. My pulse thudded in my throat as I recognized that look.
A look I’d seen in Pashim’s eyes on more than one occasion. A look I’d decided to ignore because acknowledging it would have meant confronting the shift in our friendship, and that…that could have meant losing him.
Chaya and Keyton returned from the kitchens carrying trays of cocoa which they handed out.
Vick watched everyone take a mug, waiting until there was only one left on the tray. His gaze flicked around, checking that everyone had a drink, but he still didn’t take the one left.
“Go on,” Chaya said kindly. “I made it for you.”
He blinked rapidly and took the mug. “Thank you.”
“I’d be careful if I were you,” Bina said, coming to stand on the periphery of our group. “He’s bad luck.”
Anger licked at my belly, but I didn’t have the quick wit and quippy power that Blue did. “Fuck off, Bina.”
Joe choked on his drink, and Remi snorted.
Bina’s eyes narrowed. “How eloquent. How…queenly.”
I lifted my gaze to hers, my eyes hot in their sockets. “I know you’re not deaf, so you must be shit at following instructions.”
“Bina…” Her drohi appeared at her side. “Come on.”
