Page 33 of Bizarre Bonds
Raze exhales roughly. “What if it’s too difficult to concentrate on anything except the thing that’s provoking us?”
“The best action to take alongside a meditative retreat is to retreat physically,” Jonah says. “Put as much distance as you can between yourself and the being or situation that’s affecting you.”
Hail’s snort nips at my nerves even before he speaks. “Other than the times when we can’t put much distance without setting off an even bigger problem.”
His tone is more resigned than annoyed, but heat rises in my cheeks all the same.
He’s obviously talking about the connection between us. The reason they’re all here taking lessons in a trailer rather than at the academy.
Rollick managed to frame the displacement more like a field trip than mandated service. He’s the one who suggested that Jonah lead tutoring sessions in between our stints of helping at the rift.
“Think of this as a practicum in your studies,” he said in a nonchalant tone that implied there was no possible reason for any of my men to complain.
Hail clearly objects to being dragged out here, even if he didn’t dare say so directly to one of the most powerful demons in existence. He might have promised not to take his anger out on me anymore, but why should he pretend he’s overjoyed about the situation?
We both know I can tell exactly how he really feels.
Jonah’s voice stays even. “We adapt to the circumstances we find ourselves in. All right, I think that’s enough practice for now. I want you to try slipping back into your relaxed state at random times throughout the rest of the day. Tomorrow we’ll try tapping into that zone while there’s more activity going on around you.”
I let my eyes pop open and aim a smile at him. Someone should show appreciation for his work. “Thank you! It’s good to have these strategies even now that I’ve gotten a better handle on my powers.”
Hail’s gaze flicks over to me with a twitch of his jaw. He strides out of the trailer without a backward glance.
Mirage gives himself a shake and bounds after the winter fae just as swiftly. The fox shifter might hate being tied to me even more than Hail does; he’s just nice enough not to vent about it.
I suck my lower lip under my teeth, worrying at it. My supply of optimism is running low—could anyone put a positive spin on my teammates’ discomfort?
“Hey.” Jonah walks over to me with a vibe of concern I can read on his face as well as in his stream of emotions. “We’redoing useful work out here, and no one’s getting behind on their schooling. Hail’s just feeling prickly in general. It’s not as if he was ever all that happy at the academy either.”
“I don’t know if that guy would take happiness if you handed it to him on a platter,” Raze mutters, looming behind me protectively.
I offer Jonah another grateful smile. “I still don’t like that you all have to follow me wherever I go. I’d never have wanted toforceyou to stick by me.”
Jonah smiles back. “I think we all know that, even if not all of us are willing to admit it.”
He touches my arm—presumably to offer a reassuring squeeze. But the moment his fingers graze my skin, a jolt of more enjoyable heat shoots through my nerves, amplified by the matching pulse of attraction that sparks in Jonah.
A blush flares in his cheeks. He yanks his hand back and dips his head. “We’ll get it all sorted out. You don’t need to worry.”
He hustles to the door without waiting for me to respond. Any good spirits I summoned go swirling down the drain.
I’ve imposed on Jonah even more than the others—roping him into a relationship that conflicts with his job and his morals. He gets all the downsides and none of the delight of acting on his desire.
I open my mouth, hoping for a magical bolt of inspiration that’ll bring the words to make everything all right. But before Jonah even reaches the door, there’s a quick knock.
As he stops, one of Rollick’s assistants pokes her head in. “Periwinkle? The creature that came through the rift today—based on our readings, it’s going to morph soon.”
“Oh! I’ll come right away.” I hurry over.
Rollick wanted me to see if I could discern any clues about why the warped shadowkind are getting wilder and more vicious when they shift.
We emerge onto the scruffy terrain not far from the borders of the city. My gaze veers to the skyscraper Rollick said is called the Diamond Victory Tower, shining in the warm late-afternoon sunlight, before I drag it back to our more immediate surroundings.
Since we’re so close to human civilization, we can’t just camp out here and hope no one notices us monitoring the rift. Rollick set up a few trailers for his equipment and for us to hole up in as needed, arranging them as if this is a film set.
Any mortal who spots us won’t wonder what sneaky deeds we might be up to, only what movie we’re making. Brilliant!
Most of our actual sneaky deeds have been focused on the latest creature to slip out of the rift, flying right over the makeshift silver and iron barrier.
