As soon as he leaves, Baelfire shakes his head. "Poor Frozen Blue Balls."
That makes Kenzie choke on the water she's drinking, spraying some of it on the table. Vivienne pats her back, looking concerned. Luka gives Baelfire a dirty look as he sips on a blood bag, but then he squints across the table at me.
"What exactly do you think they're trying to distract us from, Mable?"
"Maven," Kenzie corrects, looking at me supplicantly. "I promise he doesn't mean to be a jerk."
I believe her. It comes naturally to some people and apparently to most vampires.
"Right, Maven. Sorry," Luka grumbles.
I shrug in reply before digging into the food Everett got for me, quickly finding that there's not a single thing on my plate that I don't like. I've been getting hungrier more often now that my quintet members have started introducing me to new foods they think I'll enjoy.
Turns out, food can be enjoyable instead of just for function. Who fucking knew?
From a table across the room, I spot Amelia Lykoudis staring longingly at the back of Silas's head. When she sees me looking, she glares fiercely.
Too bad, Angry Girl. He's mine now.
Typically, I'd flip her off, but I still feel kind of bad about the fact that she doesn't know her dad is dead yet. Or that I assassinated him.
Speaking of assassinations, Harlow dropped off the liquid bronze just before curfew set in last night. Which means I need to start crafting it into the bronzeblend spell I intend to use while killing off Somnus DeLune once I find a chance to isolate him.
I'm drawn out of my homicidal scheming when I sense Crypt's presence a second before he ripples into existence on the bench beside me. His sudden appearance makes Luka flinch and Vivienne yelp.
I quickly scan Crypt for any signs that he was hurt while tending to Limbo, but he winks and leans forward to kiss the tip of my nose.
"All's well, love."
"I doubt that. The Immortal Quintet has us corralled in here."
He hums. "I overheard them. This is merely an extra precaution while their hired casters adjust the wards to set something up for First Placement in the forest."
Dirk grunts at the end of the table, absentmindedly scratching his elbow. "That's a relief. Not to get into politics oranything, but I was worried they were keeping us here because of another anti-legacy thing like those burning pyres."
"Unfortunately not," I sigh. Those burning pyres were less of an issue than I expect First Placement will be under the direction of the Immortal Quintet.
Dirk guffaws. "Damn, Maven! Have a heart."
A laugh rips from my mouth. It makes Vivienne and Luka jump, and they both look mildly concerned to see me laugh for the first time. Silas and Crypt are both fighting dark smiles of their own, and Baelfire just shakes his head at me, sighing, "Fucking morbid as fuck."
"Inside joke," I explain to Dirk.
The lunch break goes on, and I listen to Baelfire make effortless conversation with Kenzie and her quintet while I eat. Even though I notice him tug at his collar and occasionally wince like his dragon is bothering him, he still comes across as a charming social butterfly. Even Silas makes small talk with Luka when he isn't zoning out and spinning his bleeding crystal on the table.
Even after weeks of being here, it's strange to me how easily people converse. They just open their mouths and chat like it's second nature. I rarely spoke at all for most of my childhood, and the conversations I did have with other people as I got older mainly consisted of threats or warnings. I suppose that impacted my social development.
Except for with Lillian, of course.Gods, I miss her. If only there were a way to contact her directly in the Nether.
Crypt studies me and leans close to talk so we won't be overheard. "Something wrong, darling? You look unhappy."
I quickly compose my expression and stab at the remaining bits on my plate with my fork. "It's nothi?—"
He tips my chin toward him, his silver-speckled violet gaze filled with warning. "None of that. Tell me."
It's odd, but his touch on my face doesn't send any pang of alarm through my body. It's just a warm, pleasant touch.
Perhaps my haphephobia is making progress.
