Page 13 of Messenger of Death
Ivar’s battle berserker would come out if someone came for Ari. Probably Alexios, too, because I could just tell they were connected. It was all connected, but I couldn’t see how.
If we were going to have a conversation about it, they needed to be a part of it, so I just dragged everyone around knocking on doors until I got the right one.
“Hey, red,” Ivar grinned.
There was none of the usual mirth behind his eyes. The giant looked tense and worried.
“I’m having a conversation in my dorm room that I think you should be a part of.”
“No offense, but you probably shouldn’t be seen inviting us into your room. Ari’s bear senses are coming in, even if he can’t shift yet. He can scent that everyone wants to hurt us. Nothing the healers are giving Alexios for the migraines are working and they are getting worse. Light is really bothering him. They had to change our roommate situation. We were supposed to be rooming with some upperclassmen to get us settled, but they all think we hurt women, so it’s just us.”
I pushed past Ivar straight into their dorm room. He could have stopped me if he wanted to, but he didn’t.
“Then we’ll have that conversation in your dorm room.”
“I love it when she’s bossy,” Liam said.
“If we’re having a conversation, you’d better do it quietly and with the lights off because my head is pounding.”
“Quick question,” I said. “I know you were at the pub when Kira was murdered because Saffron was sitting behind you.Pleasetell me Alexios was with you.”
Because that was going to throw a wrench in everything.
“Yes. These utter bastards dragged me to a loud pub with people singing karaoke because they thought being friendly would show everyone we didn’t hurt that girl.”
“That girl changed her story again,” Khalid said. “She’s still saying you beat her in even greater detail, but how she came to be on your team is now completely different from what she originally told us.”
“What are the two versions?” Morgana asked.
“She originally told us none of these guys knew how to make it outdoors and asked her to help because she’s got abackpacking social media channel and could help. Now, she’s saying they asked her to be their beard.”
They all started laughing, and it was a genuine laugh this time.
“Sorry, I like men very much. I’ve never been ashamed of that. I also like women very much. Not as a beard, but to share with Ari. Alexios does, too. Lola isn’t our type. Maybe it’s because I was Thor, but I want a Valkyrie. I need my woman to be able to kick my ass. Not because I’m going to fight her, but because that’s just sexy. We let her join because she’s tiny and we felt bad for her.”
“Big guy, size means shit when we all have magic,” Morgana said. “A vampire or a witch who weighs ninety pounds soaking wet could fuck you up.”
“Could one kill a dragon?” Liam asked.
“If they managed to get the jump on them before they shifted. I don’t know of anything that could prevent a dragon from shifting like that.”
“I know I can mess with people’s minds, but could Lola’s changing stories be because someone messed with hers and it’s starting to unravel?” Lucian asked.
I didn’t say anything, but she looked of sound mind and that she knew exactly what she was doing. Blue Matthews had that look on his face when people came to him in need and he said they just needed to pray harder, but whenhewanted something, he just asked his congregation to open their wallets.
“I suppose it could be,” Saffron said. “Compulsion is never permanent and starts to unravel, eventually. Didn’t you think we were dealing with two different people? Maybe it’s actually three. We still don’t know what happened to Star.”
I didn’t have enough information to piece together any theories and I honestly probably needed Khalid and everyone else for that. I just had one question.
“Saffron, tell me everything you know about the destruction of Fairy.”
Interesting. Sage was on a mission. She was beautiful when she was intense. I didn’t know what was going on. I was just going to put my arm around her when she was upset and then something inside me just snapped. I grabbed her and put her in my lap instead. Whatever it was inside me wanted her back. She smelled amazing.
But right now, I needed to focus. Sage thought Fairy was important.
“Not much to tell, really. We can’t go back. That’s all we’re ever told about Fairy.”
“Can’t go back because it’s gone or can’t go back because there are people there that would kill you?”
