“You’re going soft, Grayson,” Hunter said.
“No, I’m just trying not to be a prick like you.”
A bolt of blue came at me, but I deflected it.
“The both of you have always teamed up against me. What is it that you want?” he asked, looking feral.
What I would have given for Elysia to witness the madness that consumed him. The mask was slipping, and it struck the tinderbox of glee in my heart. We were more alike than Hunter would ever want to admit.
He was advancing quickly, with his aura flexed around him. Hunter had been fired up for a while, but I only realised how much. Erik’s little outburst at the last meeting must have hit a nerve, and I hadn’t been around to see if they’d managed to work through it. Evidently not. Erik wouldn’t have been able to let it go, knowing that I was soulbound.
“I’ll get my way,” Hunter told me. “You will marry Elva and we are going to strengthen our hold on Elysia.”
“You’re delusional.”
His aura hit me square in the chest, and I went flying into a bookcase. Hunter’s attack was relentless, and I could barely call on my aura to protect myself. He was too quick. Too powerful.
“Then the council will decide it! Now, get out!” he yelled.
I didn’t need to be told twice. Against all my instincts to stay and make matters worse, to take on my brother with all my rage, I left.
I needed to pick my battles with Hunter wisely, especially when I was beginning to think I couldn’t be without a certain demigoddess.
When Matt picked me up at the airport, he grinned and scooped me into his arms. I hugged him back, but was riddled with guilt. It slammed through my veins and made my skin prickle.
“I’ve missed you,” he said.
“It's only been a week,” I quipped weakly in return as he let go of me.
“You didn’t miss me?”
“I never said that.”
He leaned down to kiss me, and I pulled away before it could get any deeper. Matt took my case and put it in the back of the car.
“How was it?” he asked.
“Amazing. The talk went really well. There were loads of people who wanted to discuss it with me. And Dylan was there, which was unexpected. I have a few new emails from people who are interested in setting up some collaborative work.”
Matt looked over at me. “You’re not seriously thinking about taking on more work, are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I barely see you, Quentin.” He sounded annoyed. “And when I see you, I have to compete with emails and spreadsheets. You didn’t have time for me preparing for this stupid presentation.”
“Stupid presentation?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Well, what did you mean, Matthew?”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re impossible sometimes, Quentin. You take everything as a personal attack. I just want to spend time with my girlfriend. Why is that such a bad thing?”
“I enjoy my work.”
“You make it your entire life.”
No, I didn’t.
