Page 59 of Bizarre Bonds
Riva rubs her mouth. “If this works the way we were thinking, we’d stick close by so we’ll be right there to jump in.”
I turn to her. “But Viscera’s been able to sense you before. She might not come talk to me if she knows you’re around.”
The shadowblood woman folds her arms over her chest. “I’m not saying we’ll be right on your ass, but we’ll make sure we’re not miles away. If even that’s a problem, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We’re not tossing you into the deep end immediately.”
To my surprise, Jonah touches my arm. A tingling jolt races through my nerves that I know he can feel too, but he doesn’t jerk his fingers away like he has before.
“Before we left the academy, I talked with Rollick about your reports,” he says to the shadowbloods. “He has some ideas about how I might factor into a trap. For now, why don’t we give Peri a moment to think through what’s being asked of her and how far she’s willing to go?”
Raze nods reluctantly, and the shadowbloods follow suit.
I glance up at Jonah, the mix of assurance and protectiveness in his stance making my pulse wobble like Jello. And who doesn’t like Jello? “Should you fill me in on your part of the plan while I’m doing my thinking?”
“I’m happy to if it’ll help you decide.”
Despite his agreement, a waft of reluctance and discomfort passes from him into me. There’s something he and Rollick talked about that he doesn’t actually like.
Mirage steps forward. “We can all get a lecture from our former teacher.” He grins to show he’s being playful rather than criticizing.
Another twinge of tension reaches me from Jonah. He likes the idea of discussing Rollick’s ideas in front of a larger group even less.
I give Mirage an apologetic smile that I turn toward Raze as well. “It’ll be easier for me to sort out what I’m okay with when I don’t have a bunch of other opinions to distract me. When I have a clearer idea of what danger I’ll be dashing off into, I’ll give you all a chance to argue about it.”
Raze’s expression turns grim and Hail’s eyes narrow as if he doesn’t totally like the idea of me rushing into danger either, but Mirage beams at me. “As long as we all get the chance to dash in too.”
I have to laugh. “I guess we’ll see about that.”
“Here.” Jonah leads me toward one of the trailers set up along the side of the road. Rollick’s assistants have ramped up the film-set details for extra authenticity, with folding chairs and camera equipment strewn around. We dodge those pieces in silence and step into the portable room that’s like a miniature house.
I flop down on the tiny sofa and look at Jonah. “What did Rollick say and why does it bother you?”
Jonah winces, but I don’t taste any real surprise from him. He must be getting used to me picking up on his emotions that quickly.
“You don’t need to worry about that part,” he says.
Because Jonah always protects all of us as much as he can.
I study the angles of his light brown face, the pensive features that draw a flutter into my pulse so easily even if he’d rather I didn’t admit it out loud.
I want him to feel the swell of friendly affection that rises up inside me alongside the glaze of attraction.
“I do worry, because it’s worrying you. Maybe you didn’t really want this bond, but I think… I think it’s a good thing I cantell how you’re feeling if it means I can stop you from trying to handle everything alone.”
Jonah gazes back at me for long enough that my pulse outright stutters and then rakes his fingers back through his dark hair.
His mouth twists. “Fine. That’s basically the problem. You know my sorcery hasn’t been very effective at controlling these strange shadowkind. I’d like to put my full strength into bending Viscera’s will and see if that’s enough, but Rollick’s concerned we won’t get more than one chance. He wants to bring in another sorcerer to add their power to mine.”
That last sentence is punctuated with a jab of resistance.
I cock my head. “Does he know other sorcerers?”
“Well, there was one, but she had to give up the talent… I’m sure he could find another that’s not outright awful to shadowkind and convince them to do this one task. He’s Rollick.” Jonah spreads his hands helplessly. “Which also makes it very difficult to argue with him.”
I’m still sorting through the contrasting emotions flowing out of him. “Why would it be a bad thing to work with another sorcerer if it means it’s easier to catch Viscera?”
Jonah sighs and sinks down at the other end of the sofa. “It might not be bad. I just—most sorcerersarepretty awful to shadowkind. You’ve experienced that firsthand. I’ve done my best my whole life to play a constructive role despite the talent I inherited from my parents… A lot of the time it doesn’t feel like enough even without me joining forces with someone who might have manipulated and killed beings for the hell of it.”
The melancholy of that statement hangs in the air.
