“What sheneedsis less of you turning her bedroom into a serial killer’s craft project.” Zane flopped onto the mattress, sending pillows scattering.
“When we were in the library…” Ko busied himself buttering Seri’s croissant.
“Secret passages?” Zane cut him off with excited eyes.
“Whole shelf of current bestsellers.” Ko stared at the butter knife. “Wonder if she reads. Maybe she’d like that.”
“We’ll ask her and bring some up here if she does.” I straightened Seri’s napkin.
“Translation: Casimir wants to baby-proof the whole manor before she steps foot out of her room.” Z rolled his eyes. “Oops. I meanfortress.”
Before an argument could break out, Brumous whined, claws clicking against tile as he pressed against the bathroom door. Smelling his ‘nom-noms,’ most likely. Then the water cut off and, moments later, Seri emerged, still wearing Koa’s shirt, which swallowed her. My brother’s scent caused something primal inside me to purr in approval at the claiming.
She shuffled out, yawning so wide it looked like her jaw might unhinge. Her movements were slow and shaky, as if every step took effort.
My chest tightened even as my jaw clenched.
She shouldn’t be that drained from peeing and washing up. Even a beating from the Harrow twins shouldn’t have wiped her out this badly. Something more was at play, and I was determined to find out what.
Her knees buckled on the third step.
Ko reached her first, but I caught her elbow. Zane appeared at her right side, hands hovering like she might dissolve. Brumous wiggled between our legs, nearly sending me face-first into her collarbone.
“What the hell were you thinking?” I snapped, steering her toward the mattress and glaring at the pup’s lolling tongue. “Letting that animal watch you in the bathroom?”
“He’s a wolf?” Seri blinked up at me innocently. “And a pup?”
“He’s aboy!” I grumbled, ignoring Koa’s snort ricocheting around the room. “He has no business in the bathroom with you!”
Zane let out a low whistle, clearly enjoying my irritation.
“Jealous the mutt got a front row seat and you didn’t? Relax, bro. It’s not like he was taking notes.”
I glared at him, but Seri was already settling onto the bed, her exhaustion evident in the way she sank into the pillows. Ko was quick to prop her up, arranging things with a gentleness that made me feel oddly inadequate.
Brumous circled our legs, sniffing curiously, and Zane crouched, holding a canapé out for the pup, who approached him cautiously.
“Who’s a good little apocalypse hound?” he cooed when Brumous’ pink tongue darted out and swept the food off of his fingers.
“Did you shower?” Ko quietly asked Seri.
“No, I was afraid to get the bandages wet.” She winced slightly, her fingers ghosting over her injured arm. “And it hurts.”
“It’s going to hurt for a while.” I kept my eyes on hers. “Still draining?”
The image of it flashed behind my eyes: Four-inch laceration, subcutaneous infection, necrotic tissue requiring debridement, eighteen sutures.
Clinical terms that couldn’t capture how the sight had shredded my soul last night.
And she’d been up here trying to deal with italonewhile we’d been busy playing house with Gregory.
Gregory who was very clearly Arabesque’s little bitch.
I wondered how long before Zane realized it. Ko most likely had already figured it out. But once Z did…
Well, we have a massive estate now. Surely there’s a place to hide a body.
“There’s yellow stuff.” She worried her lower lip. “On the bandage. I was too scared to touch it.”
