Wave went digging and found that all the clothes they had gotten for her were there.She would process that later; for now, she just needed to get dressed.Yoga pants and a tank top with a hoodie sounded about right.
When she climbed back into the bed, Marc eyed her.“Hungry?”
Wave’s stomach answered that one with a loud gurgling.She nodded.Marc looked reluctant but offered, “I think you can come downstairs to eat if you feel up to it.”
“Thanks.”Wave followed him downstairs slowly.She felt dizzy and fragile.Still way better than she ever imagined possible after pulling in the storm.Ilijas was pure magic in the healing department.
Quietly, she sat at the kitchen island while Marc made her a sandwich and a bowl of yogurt with fruit.They sat in silence as she ate, and once she had rinsed off the dishes and put them into the dishwasher, Marc motioned for her to follow him to the living room.
“Why didn’t you tell me you can shield, Wayla?”
She bit back the sigh.“I already told you.I wanted to learn the way you do it.It’s so much better.”
Marc sat down on the sofa and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.He looked too hot like that; Wave just wanted to crawl into his lap and forget that anything ever happened.When he didn’t speak and just stared at her, she sat next to him.That way, she could face forward and not look at him.
“I can shield,” she said quietly.
“What kind of shield?”
“And that is the reason why I didn’t tell you.”
“What?”he now sounded completely baffled.
“I can’t answer that question and I didn’t want to lie… or risk you figuring it out.”
“So, you lied about not being able to shield?Do you know how worried we’ve been about you?”He sounded angry, and Wave twisted to face him.
“No,” she said.“I didn’t… even think about that.”
Now he looked furious.“What?You didn’t think of us—me at all.”
“No!That’s not what I meant,” Wave hurried to explain.“I meant… I meant that I didn’t think you’d be worried about me.Why would you be?”
“Wayla,” he growled, then took a deep breath and looked at her for a long time.“Gods.I can tell you really mean that.You really, honest to god, think that we wouldn’t be worried.I don’t know which is worse.”
“With me, both are probably bad,” Wave mumbled under her breath and turned away again.“I’m sorry.I never meant to worry you, okay?”
“No, it’s not ‘okay’,” Marc spat out.Wave flinched back, and Marc growled, looking disgusted.“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I didn’t think you would, but I can tell my presence is causing… issues.Maybe I should get back to my dorm.”
“You are not going anywhere with Hell Moon rising.”
“But I can shield.You don’t need to worry.I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Wayla, you take one step toward that door and I’ll haul you over my shoulder and lock you in the basement.”Marc was dead serious with his threat, Wave could tell.
“Fine, I—” The whole house shook hard enough for some of the paintings to fall to the floor.Marc’s phone chimed, and he pulled it out.
“What?”
Wave couldn’t hear what was said on the other side, but Marc’s expression told her it was nothing good.
“Where?How many?”
Again, a short silence, and then Marc shouted, “Grant!Hellion is under attack!We need to move, now!”
“Coming!”Grant’s voice replied from deeper in the house.
