Chrome stood in the corner of the rooftop locked in a one-way conversation with Cotton, who didn’t speak or sign. Apparently, the king refused him that accommodation since he was the only nonverbal Kinetic at the palace and didn’t feel the need to encourage others to learn the language to communicate with a single person.
Fucking prick.
Onyx stared at Chrome and Cotton’s exchange with narrowed eyes. He grabbed another plastic shot glass, refilling it with a strong shot of Jäger, before tossing it back and throwing away the empty cup.
“Another?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Why not?”
Onyx poured two more, and we tapped our cups together before downing another.
Chrome and Cotton walked over to us, their arms crossing. “You guys going to drink all the Jäger before the rest of us get the chance to join in?”
Onyx stepped aside, gesturing a hand toward the alcohol. “There’s more than one bottle, dipshits.”
Hazel and Peri joined us from behind, and I stepped aside to make room for us all to stand as we all formed a semi-circle. “You guys gonna share?” Peri asked. “Or is this a boys-onlyclub?” Her brow arched, and the similarities between the feline shape of her and Chrome’s eyes were unnerving as she seared into us all.
“You know we can’t say ‘no’ to you, Peri,” Onyx said, flashing her his award-winning grin. “Shot?”
“Aw, why thank you, Onyx. How thoughtful of you to ask. Of course, I’d like a shot,” she said with faux sincerity, laced with sarcasm, and reached for a plastic shot glass.
Hazel cocked her head to the side, pinching her lips together and glaring at me. “Where’s mine, Slate?”
I sighed, rolling my eyes. “You’re too young.”
“No younger than you were when you started drinking!” my sister protested. “Which was only a year ago, by the way.”
I looked up at the sky dotted with glistening diamonds in the pitch night, not in the mood to argue with her over this. “Fine. But if you end up vomiting, I told you so.”
Hazel snorted. “I won’t vomit. Because I’m not an idiot who will drink myself into a coma like you would.”
I scoffed. “What are you talking about? I’m always the one to carry Onyx’s ass back to the palace. Chrome and I have to sneak past the guards so he doesn’t get caught and lose his future position.”
“Whatever.” Hazel held a hand out to Onyx, who shifted his gaze uncomfortably back and forth between us as he hesitantly poured a shot for my sister.
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Peri promised me. “Don’t worry, Slate. I won’t get drunk. She can ride back with me.” Her lavender-colored hair was pulled up into a neat bun at the back of her head, two wavy tendrils framing her high cheekbones. Peri’s gentle smile assured me she could be trusted to keep my sister from drinking too much.
“Fine. She’s in your hands tonight,” I conceded, knowing I’d still be keeping a close eye on her anyway.
“So, instead of just standing around taking shots like boring alcoholics…” Onyx announced. “We’re going to spice it up a bit.”
Chrome poured himself a shot, hiding the smile behind the plastic cup as he tossed it back. “Oh, this will be fun,” he murmured as he threw the cup into the recycling bin.
I bit down on my bottom lip, fighting a laugh in anticipation of Onyx’s proposal. It would be something ridiculous as it tended to be when it came to him.
“So,” Onyx said, stepping forward. “Let’s make it a bit risky, shall we?” A mischievous grin spread across his face. The red undertones peeked beneath his brown skin, showing his family’s ancestry in Central America.
Cotton pulled his lips inward, shaking his head as he stared at the rooftop beneath his feet.
“It’s simple, really,” Onyx said with a shrug. “I bet none of you can jump from this rooftop to the next while drunk.”
“Bet.” I surprised myself with the resounding agreement. Apparently, I surprised the others, too, who all looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “What?” I asked, meeting Chrome’s baffled expression.
Hazel elbowed me in the ribs. “Slate!” she hissed.
“It’ll be fun. Easy.” Maybe it was the Jäger, but I felt very confident in my ability. Chrome and I jumped rooftops as simply as walking. It should be fine, right?
A slow grin formed on Chrome’s face as he silently conveyed his humor to me. I returned it. I questioned if Onyx was truly capable of this. He was an outstanding fighter, due to his father, Smokey, but he was training to be a guard. Not a Warrior.
