Thinking about empaths reminds me of Everett’s sister, Heidi. The one who was cast out into the reaches of the Nether by her own cruel family. Everett is still probably mourning her in secret.
I glance at my elemental and realize he was already staring at me with concern.
Are you okay?he checks, anxious.You zoned out. Were you remembering something in Paradise?
Not exactly.I’m fine,I reassure them.
Just a few more minutes of this,ima sangfluir,and we’ll leave before anyone here can bother you again,Silas promises through the bond.You missed that every single Reformist leader pledged their aid during the attack on the Nether.
Good.
Then, after we celebrate with the cultists at the temple tonight, I’ll polish my plan.
***
This was a terrible idea, Everett broods through the bond.
Dreadful,Crypt agrees.Just have her take down the dreamcatchers, love. You’ll barely notice I’m in there.
Or just come back to our apartment,Baelfire chips in.We’ll help you get ready.
I quietly roll my eyes at them as Kenzie curls another section of my hair. We’re in the attached bathroom of the dorm room we used to share what feels like an eternity ago. As soon as the newly pregnant lioness shifter caught wind of a celebration later, she practically dragged me out of the Reformist meeting as it started to wind down so we could get ready together.
I was on board because it means I won’t get pulled into unwanted conversations after the meeting, but also because I’ve missed my lioness shifter.
According to Kenzie, we’re going to treat this “creepy weirdo cult party” like a replacement for the time she couldn’t get ready with me for the Matched Ball months ago. She’s so excited she’s practically bouncing as she curls another section of my hair and blasts music I don’t recognize from her phone resting on the bathroom counter.
I can’t get ready there,I pointedly tell my quintet through the bond.
Why not?Everett demands.
Because you’re all much better at getting me out of clothes than into them.
Our keeper is right,Silas muses.We’d fuck her seven ways to the Beyond and bring her to the celebration withcum dripping between her thighs to remind everyone who we belong to.
That vivid image makes my heart pound wildly as the other three vehemently agree. I temporarily shut out my quintet for now since A, I’m here to spend time with Kenzie, and B, she’s a shifter who might sniff out when I’m getting too turned on by my telepathic conversation.
“My parents wouldn’t stop gushing about you during the Reformist meeting,” Kenzie tells me as she adjusts one of my curls. “I mean, obviously they’ve heard a lot about you from me, but they were just so thrilled to finally see the daughter of Pietro Amato himself—and Syncytche,” she adds. “But I mean…mostly Pietro. I’m honestly surprised more people don’t know he was your dad.”
“I don’t advertise it.”
My birth father made his mark on the world in a big way and helped a lot of people. I don’t see why I need to add an asterisk to his memory that he also had a daughter with a goddess and she turned out to be thetelum. Being associated with me might taint how fondly people remember Amato.
Ready for a topic change, especially because I can sense my guys trying to get through the barrier keeping them from communicating inside my head, I glance at Kenzie. “So…pregnant.”
“Yeah. I’ll start bloating like a fresh corpse soon,” she sniffs.
“Actually, corpses bloat when they’re not fresh. Around the three to five day mark.”
She sighs. “May. I’m lamenting the temporary future loss of myspectacularphysique. Now is not the time to remind me of how thoroughly traumatized you are, you poor, short reaper baby.”
I’m average-sized, not short. I also don’t see how that statement of fact was indicative of my past trauma, but I grin ather anyway. “We both know you’re going to look adorable as a pregnant lady.”
Kenzie looks at me hopefully, pouting out her lower lip. “We do?”
“Absolutely. Your quintet won’t be able to keep their hands off you.”
“Well, sure, but when do they ever…”
