Page 115 of Awry
I frown internally at the wanderings of my own mind.
“I heard,” Kris murmurs, “that DeVille’s brother, that your brother Rought, found his soul-bound mate, like, when they were still kids.”
Presh stiffens but doesn’t answer.
“I heard … that they bonded, and then she died.”Kris, her gaze on DeVille, actually lays a hand on her chest, as if Rought losing his soul-bonded is romantic, not an utter tragedy.“That’s why he doesn’t date or even fuck anyone.He’s still in love with his mate.”
“Where did you hear this from?”Presh asks with a bit of a growl.
“Does it matter?The point is …” Kris tilts her chin pointedly toward DeVille.“None of us are too young to find our soul-bonded mate.”She threads her fingers through Presh’s, clasping their hands together with a quiet squee.
Presh starts to pull away, but Kris turns her big, guileless, hazel-green eyes on her.“What if it’s all three of us?”
Presh scoffs, but her protest comes out a little hollow.“We’re way too young to tie ourselves to anyone, even if soul-bonded mates actually exist.Plus, I’m not interested in DeVille.”
Kris laughs doubtfully under her breath.
“Kris,” Presh says, her tone low and intense, “this is really bad gossip.You shouldn’t be repeating it.Rought is an Outcast lieutenant.”
Kris shrugs.“I heard Zephyr and Cayley discussing it tonight before they headed out.My sister isn’t a gossip.”
“But you are.”
She giggles.“I so am!”
Presh snort-laughs, seemingly involuntarily.Silence falls between the two, with Kris gazing at DeVille and Presh trying to not stare at Kris.They’re still holding hands.
“Why did you want to go dancing tonight?”Presh asks quietly, as if she doesn’t actually want the answer.“Because you knew DeVille was going to be at the rave?”
Kris tries to shrug, but Presh gives their clasped hands a little tug, and she sighs instead.“You’re going to be mad.”
“Why would I get mad?”
“Because the first thing I do when you get back into town is use you to get into a rave.Even though I knew you were on lockdown for some reason.”
Kris pauses to give Presh time to offer up clarification.She doesn’t.The teen shifter peers at her a bit more closely.“Are you mad?”
“No.I like … dancing.”
Kris grins.“Plus …”
“Plus what?”Presh sounds preemptively grumpy about whatever secret Kris is about to unload.
“I had a reading.”
Presh groans.“Not another one.You’re wasting your money!”
“No.She had purple eyes and —”
“Like Zaya’s?”
“No, but —”
“You can get purple contact lenses, you know.”
Kris groans.“Presh!”
Presh giggles, smirking.“What was your reading?”
