Page 37 of Runaway Magic
Behind him, Adelle shouted after Stella from the doorway, “Didn’t you hear? We’re Fire, we thrive on disaster.” Her voice was lighter and more playful now that she knew Marshall wasn’t going to leave the boy to the Blaikes.
:When did you get so attached to the boy, Addy?:Marshall’s mental voice was reproving. Guardians didn’t get attached during a mission.
:Somewhere between the Blaikes dropping that building on him and him destroying the cemetery with untested magic just to save his friend,:came her haughty reply.
:You never let on.:
:I didn’t want to influence you. Your job is to be the evenhanded one. Mine is to be the angry thing you set after people.:
:And what’s mine?:Jack asked.
:To be a pain in the ass,:Marshall and Adelle said at the same time.
:You two spend too much time together.:
“Just to be clear, this is a giant waste of everyone’s time.” Stella’s breath was ragged as she attempted to keep up with Marshall’s long strides. “You could slow down, you know.”
Marshall narrowed his eyes. “Last I heard, your compound hosted nearly a hundred people, and you claim to only have a fraction of that number available for a turnout.”
“I’ve already explained where they are?—”
“Not to mention you personally are suspected of being in a battle tainted with demon energy, and your aura is cleaner than the day you were born.”
“I’ve explained that too! I’m going to have a word with the Guard council about this…” Stella gasped for breath. “Just see if I don’t!” she yelled at his back, panting heavily as she tried to keep up.
As they reached the massive doors leading outside, Marshall opened one and waited for Stella, allowing her to precede him. “Acting Praetor Constance could be here with the entire council, and I would still do a turnout for just one of your excuses. Your family is known for being ruthless in the war against the DemonRealm. Stella, you should be the first person insisting this be done. So why aren’t you?”
Stella’s large, round eyes shimmered with injured innocence. “I don’t like being threatened in my own home. I know there aren’t any nightmares or demons camping inside my people—I’m not a complete novice. But what do you care about my word? It means nothing to you. I mean nothing to you.”
“Well, with a looker like me around, you wouldn’t expect him to notice anyone else, would you?” Jack came from out of nowhere and bounded to the top of the steps, slinging an arm around Marshall’s neck when he reached him.
Marshall smiled up at his teammate.
Jack never cared much about what others thought of him—he always said exactly what he was thinking, and he knew how uncomfortable Stella had made Marshall during their last meeting. There was little chance of him passing up a chance for payback. Not with how protective Jack was of him.
“Stella, I believe you’ve already met Jack.”
She stared at Jack’s arm on Marshall and sneered. “I’ve always thought it was a pity our future praetor was saddled with someone so beneath him. Tell me, Jack, was the plan to ride his coattails to a better life, or were you just planning on dragging him down into the dirt with you and the rest of your kind?”
Jack put the back of his hand to his forehead and sighed. “My kind? I had no idea you felt that way about brunettes.” For all his playfulness, his eyes had a dangerous glint.
“Why you allow this Unregistered to play at being a guardian, I will never understand.” Stella said the word Unregistered like dirt she wanted to spit out of her mouth.
“Not everyone can trace their family back to the Great Flood like you can, Stella.” Jack said, gripping the back of Marshall’s neck. When his thumb traced the line of Marshall’s throat, heknew Jack was deeply agitated. He only used Marshall like a fidget toy when he was truly pissed off.
“How about just one generation, then? No one even knows who your parents are, you abnormality. How do we know you didn’t just sneak out of the Dreamscape one day?”
“A former praetor vouched for him. That’s good enough for me,” Marshall said pointedly. Jack wasn’t the only one who was protective of his friends.
Even Stella wasn’t fool enough to ignore the steel in Marshall’s voice, so she changed tactics like the well-seasoned politician she was. “Of course, I respect all your father’s decisions, Guardian. Even the ones I don’t understand.” She glared at Jack, who blew her a kiss in response.
Marshall looked down the steps at the crowd of people shifting nervously before him. “Is this everyone?”
She squinted at her people and nodded. “This is everyone on the compound at the moment.”
:Addy?:Marshall could feel his sister heading in his direction, but he didn’t want to wait for her report.
:Other than the people I checked in the infirmary, everyone on the estate is now outside with you. My people were all clear, by the way. Sterling and Helen were as clean as Stella—they had to have been scrubbed right before we arrived.:Adelle’s tone was grim.:I’m willing to bet time in the ’Scape that they are hiding something.:
