Kenzie watches me with wide eyes as I wipe my blade clean on the mane-like tuft of fur around the dead ghoul's neck. "So, um…you said you were raised by humans."
"Actually, I didn't. You assumed it."
"Huh. I guess that's true." She makes a face at the dead shadow fiend beside us. "And you never ever corrected me, but now I get the feeling that's not right. I mean, you werefast, fast. And this ugly thing didn't scare you at all."
"They look far worse than they are." I turn to go. "Come on."
"Hey, May?"
The vulnerability in her voice makes me pause.
"You can trust me, you know. With whatever. Like, I'm not going to go blabbing to anyone about anything you tell me about your past. Not even my quintet. You're like a sister to me."
I tuck my dagger away again and turn to face her.
"I know."
And I do know. Kenzie is like Lillian, and Lillian would die for me if I let her. Which is really damn annoying, considering how I revive in the blink of an eye. But then, I understand since I would do the same even if I couldn't revive.
"Thank you for the dress, by the way."
Kenzie's face lights up. "You actually wore it? Yay! Oh my gods, I can't wait to see the pictures!"
Oops. "Right. Pictures..."
She gasps in theatrical outrage. "You seriously didn't take any pictures for me? Maven Whatever-Your-Middle-Name-Is Oakley, you're in so much fucking trouble. Once we survive all the weird stuff happening at Everbound, I demand you get dressed up in that again so I can take pictures retroactively and pretend I was there the first time, okay?"
I grimace. "We'll have to get another dress. My guys ripped that one."
One second passes. Then two. Then she lets out a shrill, giddy shriek so ear-splitting that I flinch, glancing around for any other threats she may have just alerted to our position.
"Yes!I fuckingknewit! They're your guys, and you totally drove them wild with how gorgeous you looked in that dress until they couldn't take it anymore! Did they rip it off you and ravish you right in the middle of the dance floor? Have you been having wild group sex out the wazoo ever since? Tell me everything.Everything."
I fight a smile and roll my eyes as we continue through the forest. "Tomorrow. Tonight, you need to rest and comfort your quintet because they think you've been dead for days."
That sobers her up immediately. "They have? Oh, gods. I can't wait to see them."
"Good. Then you won't mind if I use some magic to transport us there?"
Kenzie blinks at me in surprise, smoothing her pale curls away from her face. "You can do that? I thought…I mean, you were supposed to be an atypical caster before, but now I'm starting to doubt everything I know about you, May. Everything except the fact that you're my bestie," she corrects with a wink. "Sure. Transport me away, mysterious little no-longer-a-virgin."
I smirk. "Be warned. Transportation magic is a bitch."
"Nah, I'm sure I'll be totally fine."
Kenzie is not totally fine.
The moment we appeared outside of Everbound's wards, she keeled over and vomited, apologizing in between gagging and groaning. I felt bad enough for her that I awkwardly patted her shoulder while explaining that her system is probably particularly sensitive after coming out of a stasis spell.
I used up almost the rest of my magic reserve slipping back through the wards, and Kenzie was too queasy and dizzy to even ask how I managed it. Now, I'm supporting one side of her as we hide in one of Everbound Castle's many alcoves, waiting for one of the Immortal Quintet's hired legacies to walk past on their nightly patrol.
As soon as their footsteps fade, I peek around the corner to double-check before we move down the hall, turn a corner, and stop in front of her quintet apartment. I don't want to knock because that will alert any nearby lackeys about us being here, so I mouth a quick goodnight to Kenzie before she slips through the door.
I turn and move on through the halls, quiet as a shadow once again. It's beyond relieving that she's alive and safe with her quintet.
Not that Everbound is the safest place for legacies in general right now, but still. If the Nether has grown stronger after Hearst's death, I'm sure things have grown worse for legacies outside the wards.
Exhaustion weighs heavily on my eyelids as I pause at the end of one particularly dark hallway to listen for anyone on patrol. Depleting my magic like that and the late hour means I'll probably be tired tomorrow, too. But a small smile curls my lips as I remember that at least I won't be waking up in a cold sweat due to nightmares.
